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What Innovation Can Do to Your Life

1/4/2022

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​It's a talent that everyone has, yet they think they don't. The power of innovation. If you've ever marveled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten was not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential. ​Do you know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive or to never commit the same mistake again?
innovation poster
It's the same with innovation. It takes a  bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function comes easily  when called. This article will teach you a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life.
Don't listen to what other people say. Follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won't. And the help you will probably get comes in the form of negative feedback. If all those geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.
man shaking digital hand through laptop
Spend time on it. I cannot stress that enough, although please do not mistake this tip to tell you to quit your day job entirely. Do not. This involves some tricky time management but with a little discipline you'll be able to squeeze both in. 

Exercise. Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercising certainly clears and relaxes your mind and allows for anything to pop up.
Record your dreams. Aren't some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you've had these dreams before, and I'm sure you have, this only shows you the untapped innovative power you have lying within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams may just create an innovative spark in you.
people in standing meeting
Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You'll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it is the same with you. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are. 

Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don't need an expensive fountain pen and really smooth paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you've got an expensive SLR camera if you're a crappy photographer? Who cares if you've got a blinging laptop if you can't write at all? The artist reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't. ​
Nothing will work without passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the flame burning? What is the one thing that you'll die if you don't do? Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Think of the hare and the tortoise. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you're not doing something that you want to do, then you don't really want to do it. And that's true. 
New Way sign
Sometimes you just want something so bad you become virtually unstoppable. And that is passion. Passion will keep you going. 

Don't worry about inspiration. You can't force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to, for those unpredictable yet inevitable moments you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid these disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm's reach at all times. If you have nothing, record or type it on your phone. 
​I hope this article has helped you bring more innovation into your life. Keep in mind that you're doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else's. But soon enough they will notice, and everything should snowball from there.
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​TPPro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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"A Piece of Blarney Stone" Ten Ways To Empower Your Communication

18/3/2022

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​The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. 
blarney castle
You can go through watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.
1. What you know
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. We all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.
old lady speaking with grandson
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.
​4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.


three people on bench in front of picture mural
5. Humor
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make of them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it, you can spruce up as well.

8. Smile
A smile says it all, much like eye contact. There's no point in grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.
mans speaking in public
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure, they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the most out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while others resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.
Empower yourself when it comes to public or private speaking. It never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.
dartboard with darts
TPPro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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"Who's the Boss?" 10 ways to start taking control (time management, goal setting, record tracking)

11/3/2022

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Many of us develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward. 

Practicing positive thinking allows people to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:
1. Take Good Care of Yourself
It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For
Stress and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.
hiker reaching summit
3. Look for Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.
4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.

​5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.
motivation words on board
6. Squash the "ANTs"
In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!
7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)
You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!
runners on track
8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focusing on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music. ​
​When it comes to the corporate world, protocol is pretty much a religion. Knowing the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skin won't solve our problems. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit that we're turning to be workaholics rather than tell ourselves that we're not doing our best.
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TPPro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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The Five Basic Principles of Online Marketing

4/3/2022

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Ask the experts about the most vital parts of online marketing, and you'll invariably come up with a list of five major responses. The five critical online marketing principles are:
  1. Dead Ends 
  2. Giving and selling 
  3. Trust 
  4. Push and pull 
  5. Niche marketing
 Dead Ends
The dead end principle means that your web marketing effort can't just exist. It must give prospective customers a reason to look around and take action. Otherwise, it's the same as having them see your ad, then turn around and go elsewhere. Your ad was a dead end to them, they didn't get anything out of it. No matter how informative your website is, with gorgeous graphics and a winning layout, if it does not ​encourage your visitors to take certain actions, then it is just taking up web space and isn't filling a purpose.
dead end
Therefore, when you're designing your web marketing strategy, before even building your site, you'll need to ask yourself how you'll obtain your visitors. You'll then need to choose which activities will get you to these results, and which of them can be done in-house, as others are outsourced.
Giving and Selling
The giving and selling principle refers to the fact that when people shop online, they expect to receive something a little extra. Therefore, one fantastic method for attracting customers to your website is to give something to them for free, and then attempt to sell them something else. The strategy typically goes as follows: the first step is to attract people to your site using a good amount of free information. 
gift box
The second step is to inform these prospective customers about your products and services. The free stuff doesn't need to be something tangible. Even the information has value, and then once they're hooked, they're ready to learn about what you have to sell them.
Trust
Trust is an extremely important principle for web marketing. In fact, many experts believe that it is the most important of all the other principles for selling your products and services. Without this trust, people simply won't buy from you and you won't have a business. Trust is built in a number of ways. This can include selling well known and respected name brands, by clearly displaying your privacy, shipping, and return policies, by joining well known and respected organizations, and by offering guarantees that you'll stand by. 
handshake and laptop
A customer-friendly system based on quality and transparency allows you to build your credibility and will earn the trust of your prospective customers, leading to more sales of your products and services.
Push and Pull
The push and pull principle works by pulling people into your website using attractive content, and then pushing your information to them on a regular basis using email. This can be done in a number of ways; most commonly, this has to do with opt-in programs such as newsletters and updates about sales and other promotions. Since websites are relatively passive, it is extremely useful to add an active element to your marketing campaign that will remind your prospective customers of your existence, and entice them to act on what you have to offer.
woman and megaphone
Niche Marketing
Niche marketing has become a vital part of the web marketing industry. It is a recognized fact that to be successful, especially with an online business, you need to know your niche, and market directly to them. With a small business, finding the niche must be filled in order to give them enough leverage against the competition. 
laptop and network
A niche allows a business, no matter how large or small, to focus on a certain corner of the marketplace, limiting the competition, and focusing on the precise type of person who is most likely to become a customer. The key to niche marketing is to begin with a business plan to identify and define your focus and purpose, and then build your website and marketing strategy based upon the vision you've outlined. This encourages consistency and accuracy throughout your web marketing efforts.
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TPPro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Persistence Is The Best Learning Tool

25/2/2022

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"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas A. Edison

What do these people have in common?  Walt Disney, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Joanne Rowling (Author of the Harry Potter books), just to name a few.

Well, I'll give you a hint. You might say they all attended the same school. Took some of the same courses, in a manner of speaking.
​Every one of them is famous today, and is considered to be the model of a successful person. However, at times in their lives, and not just during the early years, they had pretty much either failed, or had not achieved anything of note in their lives.

They all attended, in one form or another, the school of hard knocks. But, they learned in that school, and they eventually accumulated enough knowledge, enough common sense, enough experience, enough guts, maybe, to rise to a point where their names have been recorded as a part of history.
backpacker at top of mountain
Oh sure, circumstances played a part. Had not World War II happened along, Winston Churchill would have remained a has-been rather than becoming one of the world's most famous statesmen. Had Abraham Lincoln caught a fatal disease in his youth, we would never have known his name, and how much of our world would be different?
​We have to look at our lives and our circumstances in this light. I AM here now, and I CAN make various choices. One of the choices is to do nothing. One of the choices, however, is to take a stand, give it an old college try, go out swinging...pick your literary cliche.

In the world of network marketing and internet marketing, those with experience and "success" can almost to a person tell story after story of failure, embarrassment, defeat, rejection, and depression. 
woman climbing wall
I've never met a person yet who joined a program and was making appreciable amounts of money in just a few days.  I've HEARD about such things, and I am sure that there are a few who have either had the skill or luck to create a huge network business practically overnight.  However, it doesn't happen to most of us.
​What DOES happen to most of those who sign up for a network marketing program is that while we AREN'T experiencing overnight success, we DO experience failure, embarrassment, defeat, rejection, and depression, not to mention other "...slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." This combination of negative pressures without any offsetting positives (I'm talking about income) in the early stages of a network or internet business causes most of the so-called "failures" and drop-outs in the networking world.
graduation caps
The sad part is that most of these people do not truly become "failures" until they give up. Yes, some will never be successful, but that is true about everything from brain surgery to law to flipping burgers. Some people are just not going to be good at certain things. Some people are going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time almost every time, but that does not mean that they are failures or should be branded as such by themselves or by anyone else.
​Temporary failure, if we can see it that way, is not just a course in the school of hard knocks, it is a coach. Just as a coach may pit a boxer, wrestler, or entire team against a tougher opponent in hopes of teaching them to overcome such opponents, failure gives us the opportunity to learn new skills and to unlearn old, useless skills. Those who continue to grow through this process are the ones who will eventually be labeled "successful".
success
It is necessary to see the obstacles that a new marketer faces as training experiences, not as insurmountable or immovable objects.

The sad part is that so many people recruiting for network marketing programs go out of their way to play up the potential gains of the business while failing to prepare the new player for the difficulties of the game. Many of us who have achieved varying degrees of success in network marketing or internet marketing can tell many of the same stories. We tried all kinds of programs, methods, and techniques. We bought, or bought into, all kinds of books, programs, software, and miscellaneous mumbo-jumbo. We did it because we were ignorant, and perhaps a little greedy, but eventually we learned, and eventually we succeeded.
​I now make a living off the internet, the mystical target, the six-figure-income. However, beside me is a bookcase full of books, on top of my work station are all kinds of software, loaded onto my computer are many programs, tucked into nooks and crannies around the room are folders full of papers. Among all of these are many things that I use to promote and grow my business, but, to tell the truth, I could probably dispose of ninety percent of it and never miss it. 
man celebrating win
I have spent so much time following the wrong paths, and so much money (my term is "accidental tuition") buying things that did little or nothing for me. And yet, I cannot truly regret all that because I never gave up the idea that some day I would succeed, and each "failure" was just another lesson learned. Eventually, all those lessons reached the point where one day my wife looked at me and said, "You know all those ads you used to read to me about making a six-figure-income?"

I replied, "Yes. What about it?"
She said, "You are."

I had graduated from the school of hard knocks, at least for the time being, but I did not graduate because I was brilliant. I graduated because I didn't give up.

Wow! Me and Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln.....! Okay, I'll shut up now, but I started with a quote and I'll end with one.

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot

Donovan Baldwin
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TPPro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Stop and Go Marketing

22/10/2021

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​Stop and Go marketing and ENERGY go hand in hand. Stop and Go marketing says what it is. We go out to market for time periods and then we get busy with our work and stop marketing. Here is the problem with that. Using the example of a funnel filled with clients and business contacts, when we stop marketing the funnel becomes empty over a time period. When the clients dry up we go back to our funnel, which is empty and once again, we panic and rush out to market.
Are you familiar with the word and concept of retention? It means keeping your current clients rather than losing them and having to find new ones. It costs a company quite a bit less to keep a customer than it does to go get a new one. By marketing your business, it takes quite a bit less energy to keep the flow of contacts and clients coming through the funnel than it does to have the funnel empty only to begin again.
conversion funnel
Here is a great example of a metaphor that we experience everyday. "I was on the way to my hair appointment this month. I chose to take the side roads rather than the freeway.  I noticed with each block I had to either take my foot off the gas and slow down to yield or I had to come to a complete stop. In any case, I was using more gas to get moving again. At each stop I noticed two types of moving forward. I could either push on the gas slowly to continue or I had to peel out to beat the traffic. Either way I had to start again from a stop. Had I taken the freeway (after rush hour) my drive would have been consistent and I would have used less gas. Or, in marketing terms, less energy.

Are you marketing...
  • on the side roads or
  • the freeway?
Consistency will keep your marketing funnel filled and you will have more energy to put into your business.

​There is a perspective and a truth to a statement I heard from a successful business owner. Marketing is your job.  What you "do" is the cherry on top. What he's saying is this. When you are not out "doing" your business, you should be marketing. Keeping that focus, your funnel will be filled and you will not experience Stop and Go Marketing.
There are many other reasons we stop our marketing. Here are a few from entrepreneurs like yourself.
  • I don't know how. We can stop marketing for a while and then we think we don't know how. This reaction can stem from the next bullet point.
  • Fear. If it's been a while since we have marketed that "freezing up" syndrome can creep back in. TRUST yourself - you DO know how!
e-commerce
  • Frustration. It's not working. Have you tried something for a while and it doesn't seem to be working? That's what marketing can be - a trial and error with our services and products. After a while you will learn what works and what doesn't with each piece you offer. Once you find out what works...STICK TO IT!
  • No Time. We're working so hard and with such long hours, there is no time to get out and meet new contacts. Suggestion: Create a short block of time to address envelopes for previous clients. Put stamps on them with your return address label. Have your note cards next to your envelopes. Take a break and jot a quick handwritten note to say hello and send it off. You have continued your marketing and keeping your funnel filled.
  • I don't have a plan. Part of planning is having a plan that fits your style. Not everyone works well from Structured Plan A. You might need a more creative plan. Something fun that will keep you motivated and focused. That is the key, motivation and focus along with a plan that fits your style.
Let's summarize:
Stop and Go Marketing...
  • Drains our funnel of contacts as well as our energy.
  • Creates reactions of: I don't know, Fear, Frustration, No time, No plan

Consistent Marketing...
  • Keeps our contact funnel filled which gives us a nice flow of customers and income
  • Keeps the negative reactions away and promotes energy

Remember, we all need to market in order to have a financially successful business. It's your choice on how you want to market and what type of approach and plan will help you succeed with ease, energy and excitement.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Network, Network, Network!

6/8/2021

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When it comes right down to the topic of how best to grow your online business, there is plenty of conflicting information on the internet. Why? Because everybody wants to make a dollar! Everybody has a program to sell, but few really offer a genuine program that helps YOU sell. What they offer is THEIR formula, not YOUR solution. 'It worked for me', they'll say. So when it doesn't work for you, they expect you to shoulder the blame. 'Well, you didn't do this right', or 'You didn't follow the formula'.  I don't have time for those people. 
people in informal meeting
Here's a fact: You already have the resources you need. You do not need to buy into anybody elseís program.  For that matter, you don't even need to buy into mine.  All you really need to do is remember one simple word, 'network'. Just network. Here are a few ideas to help bring it into focus.
Make Friends, Not Business Partners
This may seem contradictory to what you’ve learned or what you believe, but I’ve found the best people to do business with are the people who have earned my trust, my friends. I do not do business with those who assume I should just trust them. I’m sorry, but they’ve not earned my trust, and my trust cannot be bought. Make friends, and do business with your friends.  
friends toasting
This is one reason why I refuse to throw my website on auto-pilot. I want people to know that there is actually another living, breathing person on the other end, and I want to be accessible to those people who choose to do business with me.
Wish Others Success
When you truly wish others success, you are attracting success. I make it my mantra. ‘I wish you success. I wish you success. I wish you success.’ I truly do wish success to those I choose to do business with, because I choose to do business with those who would wish me the same success. I do business with friends.
people jumping in sunset
Then, help your friends succeed. Trade banners, trade links, and really get into the business of promoting each other. Contribute to each otherís newsletter.  Do what's right and good for both, and don’t be afraid to take chances. Try something new.
Search For New Opportunities
Look for additional streams of revenue. Find opportunities that do not take you away from your business, but enhance your business. Affiliate programs, drop ship programs, joint ventures, and even MLMs can provide that stream of revenue. But at the same time, be aware. Be careful. But be willing to follow your instincts.  
bulletin board with post-its
Just remember to make friends, not business partners.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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The Six Stages of Evolution

30/7/2021

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There are those people who come to the web with a solid business plan, a large amount of investment capital, and a precise strategy for how they are going to leverage the internet and exploit the incredible revenue potential of the cyber-age. Then there are the rest of us.

Millions of people have arrived on the internet with the notion of making their fortunes, and millions more will arrive in the next years. 
smartphone and social media icons
These hopeful masses hail from the full spectrum of financial status, from six-figure earners to minimum wage employees. Likewise, the newbie-networker can be an individual with an extensive background in traditional business, or a high school graduate with no clue about the dynamics of commerce and marketing.

I've observed an interesting progression among marketers who came onto the scene without a road map, and with little idea of how the microcosmos of internet marketing worked. Or maybe I've just watched my own journey, and it makes me feel better to assume others have shared my experience.

Either way. Indulge me in a few more paragraphs, if you will, as I lay out what I like to think of as the evolution of an internet marketer.
Stage One: Easy Money... Not!
Right out of the gate, most people seem to think the internet "levels the playing field", or allows anyone with fingers and a keyboard to generate staggering riches with just a few hours of busy work each week. It usually takes a couple of months for this bubble to pop, but when it finally does, the majority of newbies don't survive the event.
man on sofa working on laptop
However, when that dark day of realization comes, and it looms evident that one must work this business if he/she hopes to see any results, the strong of the networking gene pool sprout their working legs and move beyond the fog of delusion. Supremely confident in the knowledge they have surpassed those lazy sluggards who squeeled and fled at the suggestion of buckling down and putting some hard work in, the survivors of Stage One move onward and upward, where surely they will be rewarded for their tenacity.
Stage Two: Hard Work Doesn't Pay Server Fees
At Stage Two, our post primordial networkers are laboring tirelessly through the deep thickets of website construction, traffic-generation, email-list-building, and all manner of grueling and structured tedium. Their behinds sore from being glued to a worn-out office chair, and their eyes bloodshot and bleary from the all night clicking sessions, they push on day after day, certain of their forthcoming vindication.
people in coffee shop working in laptop
But they still aren't making any freakin' money. What's more, they are starting to see past the free web hosts, free classified ads, and free trial memberships. All the good stuff seems to cost money, but our Stage Twoers had hoped to put off any kind of monetary investment until they could create at least some kind of income to offset such expenditures.

And so another enormous batch of inferior networkers dies out. The thought of putting some cash into their web-business was more than their fragile little hearts could bear.

But, as always, those more suited to the challenge live on. With a deep breath and a good look at their monthly budgets, the survivors of Stage Two determine they will invest as much money as needed to keep their operations afloat until they are able to become self-funding marketers.
Stage Three: Throwing Money at it Doesn't Work Either
Enter the golden age of upgrades and paid memberships. Five bucks a month for this. Ten bucks a month for that. Anything with a Paypal button is fair game.

No longer clueless newbies who think this can be done for free, our marketers are in full stride. 
table with smartphones, sheets of paper, post-it and glass
Buying every ebook that comes down the pipe, upgrading into programs they login to once a month, and hitting every buy now button they can find, they cruise through cyberspace on a mission to buy their way right to the top. "I'm not afraid to spend money on *my* business." they tout.

Lots and lots of money goes out. Considerably less revenue comes back in.

Inevitably, the moment arrives when those who have made it to Stage Three see the folly of their current direction. Maybe it's when the credit card bill comes, or perhaps it happens when they are balancing the checkbook.

Once again, the brutal process of selection strikes down those without a heart for further trials. Uncountable numbers of washed-up, would-be internet marketers sink beneath the sludge of this stage.

And once again, that fraction of the whole with the guts and gumption to keep going grows stronger than ever before. More than a regimen of hard work and a willingness to invest money is needed here, they resolve. On the verge of a real breakthrough (they can feel it in their bones now), those who have thus far refused to fall decide a well devised plan for all future endeavors is in order.
Stage Four: Plan to Fail, Fail to Plan, and All that Other Crap
Plans are drawn up to cover every possible aspect of the game from here on out. A strict but healthy budget is imposed. Daily tasking is fine tuned for maximum effectiveness. Projections are made prior to each ad campaign, and results are measured afterwards. Tracking, testing, brain-storming, and constant attention to the hows and what-ifs become paramount.
team meeting around laptop
This carries on for some time. Until another moment of clarity is reached.

A question is posed...
"Is all of this work really worth the small amount of money I am generating?"

Or, more often...
"How is it that I'm still not making any @#$%! money?!"

This stage progresses rapidly into the next. Many specimens are lost in the transition, but due to the great speed with which Stage Four becomes Stage Five, a surprising number of marketers make the jump.
Stage Five: "What the Hell am I Doing Here?"
Here's where it gets ugly. Stage five is more of a bitter quagmire than part of the evolutionary journey.

Typical phenomena exhibited by specimens at this stage include verbal outbursts like:

"Lousy bunch of @#$%! stinkin' #$@%!!! I can't believe I've wasted three @#$#*& years of my @#$%$# life with this bunch of @!!#$% silly @#$%#@!!!, and still don't have @#$%## to show for it!"
team meeting with social icons in foreground
As you might readily imagine, droves and droves of networkers die out over the course of this stage.

But those who are able to survive this particularly crucial stretch of development will find the arduous journey has paid off. For in the breathless, weary aftermath of their well-earned tantrums, an epiphany is born.
Stage Six: Cold Hard Facts
For the love of cheese fries, this is a business like any other. Hard work, monetary investment, and sound planning are required, but all of these combined are not enough to put you into profit.

You have to know what works, and you have to understand to some extent why it works. Real knowledge of the market, the methods, and the meaning behind the apparent madness is what makes the difference between a person who works their butt off for nothing, and a person who makes a big, sweaty fortune with the same or less effort.
bearded man typing on laptop
Nobody cares how much money we invest, or how many hours we spend each day in front of our computer. Competition is fierce, expectations are high, and the only thing that matters is whether or not we can penetrate, deliver, and get the sale.

This is a pretty far cry from what most of us want to hear. But lessons that are worth learning usually have a bitter taste.

Seek out people who are successful in this field, and find out what they are doing. Watch them. Ask them questions. Take notes. Absorb as much knowledge as you can, then put that knowledge into practice.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Earn 5-Figure Income every Month through Internet Affiliate Marketing Program

9/7/2021

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When you go surfing the Internet, you probably have noticed that every website that you visit contains several advertisements and some external links directing to other sites. You will also notice that these advertisements are just attractive enough to convince you to click these advertisements and links and see what is beyond that attractive ad and link.
Affiliate marketing
​Once you have clicked ads and links posted to a site, its owner is already making money out of your generous clicks. They are now among the thousands of individuals who are called the great affiliate marketers. 

​The name of their game is Internet affiliate marketing program, and they are making tens to hundreds of dollars per month. Moreover, there are affiliate marketers who are making a full-time living out of Internet marketing and they are generating a 5-figure income every month.
​Such a figure is quite unbelievable, but it is the reality of affiliate program. You have the power of earning thousands of dollars each month even if you do not have your own products to sell. All you have to do is to promote the products or services of other affiliates. You are dictating the flow of money that you want and at the same time freeing yourself of worries about customer’s issues, refunds, shipping, and other sales-related aspects.
social media mobile marketing
Just attract potential buyers to your website and redirect them to the affiliate link. Once they have purchased the products or services you have endorsed, you will be able to receive commissions from every sale that you have made. You will be paid depending on the percentage agreed upon on the affiliate contract. Basically, the commission that you will receive varies from 10 to 75 percent. 

For instance, you are selling a certain product that is worth $67 and the affiliate commission is set at 60 percent. It means that you will get paid $40.20 for every sale that you make from that product. Remember that it is just on a single product alone. 

Earning money through affiliate programs is quite simple, considering the fact that you do not have to create the best-selling product, compose the best sales letter to potential buyers, provide after-sales support to customers, handle concerns and problems, and others.
​When you sign up for an affiliate program, you will be provided with a special affiliate link with a unique code that will identify if the click on the link comes from your affiliate link. You can just copy and paste the code to your web pages, and the promotion will depend on you whether you will promote it through sending email newsletters, online forums, or on your website. 

However, despite the simplicity in earning through Internet affiliate marketing program, the main concern here is how to be successful in your chosen affiliate program. 
email marketing
What you need here is real people who will patronize the affiliate products or services you are endorsing. Once you have failed to draw more people to the assigned affiliate link, your dream of earning a huge 5-figure income in an affiliate program will remain to be a dream forever. 

To succeed in affiliate programs, you must be aware of the use of affiliate marketing tools. There are several tools you can use and some affiliate companies you are working with will offer some of these tools. You may use attractive webpage banners or online advertisements. These tools will help you achieve success in joining affiliate programs, so do not ever forget them in your priorities.
​Remember that your main target here is to drive heavy web traffic towards to your site that will click on the affiliate link provided in your web pages. Promotional tools such as free article directories and writing weblogs are just a few of the latest additions in promoting affiliate sites. Provide initial yet useful information about the products or services you are endorsing for sale, and use the power of words to attract them to visit your affiliate link. This way, you will be able to attract more potential buyers to your site and possibly give you the commission you are longing for. 
woman, money, laptop icon
Be one of thousands of affiliate marketers who have earned more than what you can expect by maximizing your ability and using effective strategies in your Internet affiliate marketing program.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing, The Vicious Cycle and A Way Out

11/6/2021

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Here's a question that I hear more than any other in the internet marketing world: 'What is the quickest way to start generating a profit?'

The biggest piece of advice... FOCUS!!

There are a TON of different ways to make money online but whatever you decide to pursue you've got to focus all your energy on it.
camera lens pointing to landscape
1) You start signing up for everyone's email list to "learn for free"

2) You start seeing what everyone is doing and you think to yourself... "I should do that"

3) You finally get the courage to start pursuing something but you start pursuing everything. You go in all different directions and only make a half-assed effort one way or the other.
​

4) Because you didn't experience "ultimate success" the first go around, you start buying products and information on IM.
5) Well unfortunately that takes you in 50 different directions because although the advice from most of the big named gurus is good, they all have a different approach.

6) Then you spend some more money following another strategy that you heard about or you buy some resell/private label/public domain materials hoping that just through the nature of putting it up on the web, sales will start coming in.
woman on laptop anxious
7) Because sales aren't pouring in, you decide to buy some traffic from Google Adwords.

8) After your Google Adwords account gets run up and you've blown a whack of cash AND still don't have that many sales you start to get a bitter taste in your mouth about IM.

9) Then it hits you... I'm all over the place and don't have a plan at all.
This story repeats itself time and time again.

I'll never forget the moment when a well known internet marketer shared an ENORMOUS tip that this year has helped many people make thousands of dollars.

To make this work, you first need to close your mind mapping software with those "million dollar ideas".
​It may seem confusing but let me put some sense into it:
1) Figure out "how" you want to make money online. Do you want to create and sell your own products? Do you want to make money with Adsense? Do you want to do affiliate marketing? Do you want to buy and sell on eBay?

2) Think through the process of what you want to do. What's the first thing that needs to happen? The second one? The third?
work table with monitor, notepad, pens and papers
Create a flow chart to help you clearly understand the "steps" in the process. Then focus on each step and either master them yourself or find reliable outsourcing partners who can take care of certain "steps" for you.

3) Start taking consistent action!!
This is where most people drop the ball. They jump in too quick, lose some money and get out. It takes consistent action of doing the same things over and over. Build momentum over time.

4) Focus on who you like learning from.
In the beginning, when you narrow down who you learn from the process becomes clear a lot more quickly. Zero in on two people first and then slowly (very slowly) branch off once you have a grip on where you are heading and have implemented what you've learned.
Follow this earlier and your life will be a heck of a lot easier!
Here's to your 'early days' being more lucrative!
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Internet Marketing: 7 Killer Tools You Can Use On A Shoestring Budget Without Having a Website

28/5/2021

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​When most people think of Internet marketing, they think solely of websites. Are they right or wrong? Well, both. While websites are a key component of Internet marketing and in many cases are the only Internet marketing tool businesses use, they are not the “be all, end all”. They are not required for Internet marketing. However, I do highly recommend them as they are best suited to sit at the core of your Internet marketing plan, the hub so to speak, but that’s a topic for another conversation.
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So here are 7 killer Internet marketing tools that you can implement on a shoestring budget without having to have a website of your own:
​1. Email Marketing 
When properly implemented, there probably isn’t a quicker, better, and less expensive way to stay in front of your prospects and clients than to leverage the power of email. You can literally touch an unlimited amount of prospects and clients with a single click ñ how’s that for power?!
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2. Blogs 
Blogging is a great tool if you would like to step up a notch and stay in constant contact with your prospects and clients. Some ideas on how to use it might be to post what’s new with you or your business, post informative content as a value-add to your clients, or hold an interactive forum with your clients geared towards understanding how to better serve them.

There are a handful of free or low cost blog hosts out there that really make this process simple (e.g. Blogger and TypePad).

3. Article Marketing
This is a phenomenal approach to bringing notoriety, interest and ultimately leads for many types of businesses. It can be used as a major differentiator or value-add on why someone should buy from you instead of your competitors. Whether your clients are local, regional, national or global - articles are portable and usable in all situations - that's part of their charm.
​4. eZines
Much like blogs and article marketing, eZines are great way to stay in touch with your prospects on a more scheduled basis. Additionally, they are probably the forerunner in helping you develop a list of prospects to market and sell your wares.

5. Affiliate Programs
Get others promoting and selling for you. This tool can become the equivalent of having both a full blown marketing and sales staff that gets paid on performance. 
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If they don’t promote and directly lead to a sale for you, they don’t get paid. For do-it-yourselfers, there are plenty of tools out there to help you set up this type of program. For everyone else, there are excellent service providers out there who can coordinate and manage this process for you. 

6. Viral Marketing
Again, a great approach to getting others to promote and help create a buzz about you, your business, your products and/or your services. The best and most genuine way to get this started is by creating raving fans out of your existing clients and then helping them help you spread the word.

7. Public Relations
If I tell you I’m the best at what I do, you’ll take it with a grain of salt. Maybe you’ll believe me, maybe you won’t. However, people tend to believe what they read. So if a respected publication tells you that I’m the best at what I do, that usually holds more weight and adds instant credibility to me.
Spend some effort here.  Become a resource for the press.  You help them and they can significantly help you.

I highly recommend you spend some time with these. Explore how you can implement one, some, or all of these Internet marketing tools to help explode your business.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now or schedule a talk.
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Facts Tell, Stories Sell - Increasing Your Online Sales!

23/4/2021

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​We all want a piece of the pie. Why not, it's large enough to spare a chunk to you right? There's nothing wrong with wanting more than just a piece, you're an entrepreneur, you want a LARGE piece.

I want to show you how, by simply adding a few testimonials here and there, you can dramatically increase your chances of making more sales online and offline.
marketing business woman
We all want to believe that you have the best "gadget & widget" out there. We want to believe it because you said so. But the harsh reality is that we simply can't just take your word for it.

For instance, just for an example, let's use "Company Logo Design". Here is the difference between facts tell and stories sell.
Ex #1 (Facts Only)
Company Logo Design - You will get
  • 5 concepts to choose from
  • Unlimited Revisions to 1 concept
  • Cloud File (All images print ready)
  • Satisfaction Guaranteed!
All of this for $199.00 CLICK HERE

​Sounds like a good service for the buck no? Not bad. Now let's see the power of adding a story to these facts.
two men shaking hands
Ex #2 (Story + Facts)
"PERFECT, that's the only word I can use when describing this company's logo design service. They not only saved me a lot of time but they also spent most of their time finding out what I wanted. In the end, they provided EXACTLY the type of logo I was looking for, thank you so much!!!!"

We are here to help you succeed and want to deliver something you're looking for, not only what our designers want to create. Get a logo you are looking for with these extra features attached:
  • 5 Concepts to choose from
  • Unlimited Revisions to 1 concept
  • Cloud file
  • YOUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
Click Here to Order Now!
​Do you see the difference between the two???? In the example #1, features and price were added. In the 2nd example, not even the price was added. Even without the price, example #2 will bring in more sales than the example #1 ever will. Facts included before the pitch can radically transform perception and create "fear of loss" in the mind of potential customers.
keyboard with add to cart button
It's all about "Fear Of Loss"
Fear of loss is a powerful tool to use. Don't tell people what they need. Have them fear the fact that if they don't have it, nothing will work out for them. A good industry to follow is in "Make-up" companies & Beauty Products. The industry has used "fear of loss" to its fullest. They consistently insert into young female minds that, if they don't use their products, they will never be as beautiful as they hope to be.

As mentioned before, we all want to believe that you have the best product out there, by simply inserting a testimonial, this will ultimately help your visitors to further believe that you do.
When promoting online, here's another given you should always consider:
People are simply sitting at a computer desk browsing through the internet. There's no personal touch to searching for services, in your visitors mind, it's only duty that should be strictly informational. Testimonials and utilizing that "fear of loss" help create a sub-conscious emotion that triggers an attachment to your company's services. 
laptop with dollar tag
If you've accomplished this correctly, your visitor could go looking at another company for the same services but, they will likely have problems concentrating on anything else.

Around 8/10 people go with company from a gut feeling, not facts. This is a very high number to lose by simply failing to appeal to feelings instead of just facts.

​I'll put it to you another way. When you look at a web design company. They may have the best price out there, but your main concern is to view their work. See their portfolio in action. Adding testimonials to each website in their portfolio would be a powerful venture for any web design company. Why do we always want to see their work? Fear of loss.
What would you feel like if you saw a portfolio that was full of sensory rich web sites that not only looked great but also functioned perfectly? Would you be excited to talk to these people at that affordable price? I know I would. On the other hand, yeah the price is right but the quality is poor. Most of us will simply move onto the next web design company.
computer screens exchanging credit card for product
The more you can grab someone's attention and keep them interested online, the more they will learn to like you, trust you, and call you for your services, no matter the price.
In Conclusion:
Spice up your piece of the pie by spicing up some stories and grabbing people's attention through fear of loss & success stories.

Hope this article helps you out!
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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What Kind Of Entrepreneur Are You? - Secrets to Success

19/3/2021

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There are three types of Entrepreneurs:
  1. Successful Entrepreneur
  2. Unsuccessful Entrepreneur
  3. New Entrepreneur
Not very catchy definitions, are they?  Let me define them based on their characteristics because the “New Entrepreneur” out there could save them a lot of headaches if they look for behavior that generally leads them to failure.
Successful Entrepreneurs
These guys are easy. They know the game. They understand why you build a business.  They do it over and over again because they love the challenge. They are not in it for their egos, the idea, or the need to have President on their business card. They do it because they can’t do anything else, but build things and then sell them off.  They get it started, then hand it off to people to run it.
man working in office
Unsuccessful Entrepreneurs
Things just don't work out for the Unsuccessful Entrepreneur. More often than not, they keep on trying, and get it a little more right next time.  Eventually, some become successful. Often, they give up and return to the safety net of a 40 hour per week job. Their idea, product, or service just does not solve anyone’s problem, but their own.

New Entrepreneurs
I have a lot of respect for people that venture out into their own or try to turn an idea into action. These are people that generally don’t fit into the corporate structure, are generally liberal minded, having the audacity to question how things are being done and suggest there is a better way to do it.
woman placing post-its on glass window
​So the new Entrepreneur has this great idea! Then they get excited because they can make a lot of money doing it! 'I'm going to be rich!'  So, they embark on the emotional high of becoming an Entrepreneur. They become infatuated with their idea. It is the best idea and the only idea worth investing in. Most need money to fund their idea, yet they don’t want to give anything up to get other people’s money.  Their valuation of the business is way over inflated and they have no sales. Ego and control start to get in the way.
Start-ups can end up in a common pattern: the 'New Entrepreneur' is excited about their great idea, yet they cannot really articulate how to make money with it. Their assumptions about their market are not well defined and they do not really understand what it takes to get a business going. They don’t understand why no one will invest in their business. They are passionate about the idea and their ego loves the fact that they can now put President on their business card.

So what is important for new Entrepreneurs?  It is all about sales.
A successful entrepreneur once said: 'Everyone says you need an accountant and a lawyer to get a business started. So, everyone goes out and gets an accountant and a lawyer to make you feel good about your idea.  It's backwards.' He points out that you need customers first to determine if the idea has merit, then go out and hire an accountant and a lawyer. Is what you are doing in demand and are people willing to pay for it? In other words, it is about sales and marketing.  ​
man working in laptop
As a New Entrepreneur is weighing the idea, the emphasis needs to be on sales and marketing. Get the idea, product, or service out there and see if someone will pay you for it. Do you need an infrastructure to support it? Yes. Do you need to be able to deliver it? Yes. But figure out what kind of expectations you can put out there and manage. As another successful Entrepreneur told me, don’t be afraid of success. You can always find money, if you have a book of business to show an investor. You can always find ways to deliver.
laptop with post-its on screen
We see the New Entrepreneur all the time. Some people are looking for the 'Mirror'.  'Come in and tell me that I am great, that my idea is great, and that you can sell it the way I want it to be sold, even though I've had mediocre success to date.' In our case, the web plays an important part for most customers trying to sell products or services. They focus on their logo and their image, their name. Unsuccessful entrepreneurs gladly feed into their egos and leave results starving at the table.
The reality is New Entrepreneurs need to focus on results.  In business, results equal sales and profits.  Logos, names, and images can have value only if people buy because of the name, logo and image.

Get centered answering the questions of your buyers:
  1. What is it?
  2. What is the value?
  3. How do I get it?
  4. Has anyone else used it? What do they say? If not?  What is the edge I get with it?
  5. Yes, I want one!

​With limited resources and limited time, investment needs to be on finding the market, bringing them to you, engaging the market, and closing some deals or selling product.

The question to always ask:
Is what I am doing or spending money going to help me generate more sales?
Case in point, people always feel like they need to reinvent something that has been tested to work.  (Ok, I respect out of the box thinking, but dollars can be wasted on IT projects that bring very little value in the end). E-Commerce is an area where people feel the need to “customize”. 
  • So, New Entrepreneurs, here are some things to keep in mind:
  • No one cares about 'the idea', they care about what the idea will do for them.
  • Investors don’t care about 'the idea', they care if their investment in the idea will make them money.
woman in office on phone
  • Investors don’t invest in 'the idea', they invest in the people behind the idea. If you do not demonstrate your ability to execute, you will not get investment.
  • Being President of nothing with no sales has no value.
  • It’s about marketing and sales, particularly for start-ups.
  • Always ask, is what I am doing going to help me sell more?
  • Is what I am spending my money on going to help me sell more?
  • Can I apply metrics to what I am doing?
  • It’s about execution.
man working with graph bar
As it relates to the web marketing, the same rules apply. Here is the list to keep in mind:

The website visitor does not care about you, they care about what you can do for them. 
1. They want to know:
a. What is it?
b. What is the value?
c. How do I get it?
2. Before you spend money on an expensive website, can you answer these questions:
a. How big is the market?
b. What words do people use to search for your product?
c. How much to advertise?
d. Who are your competitors?
e. What are they doing?
f. What are they not doing?
g. Who are the top ranked sites?

3. Have you budgeted for web marketing?
Monthly?

4. You are a new business, people don’t know you. And until you spend millions drilling your brand into their psyche, they aren't going to know your brand from a hole in the ground. Use what you do, or what your customers call your product as your name. This strategy worked fine in the past and still works fine today. Evidence: International Business Machines, Advanced Micro Devices, American Telephone and Telegraph, General Motors, General Electric, National Cash Register, American Airlines and Budget Rent-a-Car.  Not an obscure latin name with an interesting meaning only to you.

There is really nothing sexy about Internet marketing. It's about execution and results. It's NOT about corporate ego. It is about what your product or service does for the buyer and the investor.
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Target Practice Pro is your go-to digital marketing solution for planting marketing seeds and boosting your business. Call us now for a free quote.
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