WriteBusiness.net Online Blog

Thinking about starting or just starting an Internet business and finding it can become an overwhelming process?  Below are 7 steps to help guild you along the way.

1.  Start a blog:  Your blog is your prime piece of real estate.  It’s your hub in Internet and Social Media marketing and is used for producing value driven content which search engines love.  Most of your status updates from Twitter, FB, and LinkedIn should contain links back to your blog posts.   Blogs help establish you as a thought leader in your niche market and creates credibility and trust.  A good program to use for creating your blog is wordpress.org.  There are many free templates available, just do a Google search for free wordpress templates.

2.   Begin interacting with your market:  Create your profile on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and You Tube.  Also look for 1 or 2 groups to join and join in the conversations.  This is where you will begin building relationships and creating credibility and trust as you establish yourself as a leader in your area of expertise. A word of caution:  This is where it can become overwhelming, so set your own pace and always ask for help.  There are plenty of people online willing to help you each step of the way. 

3.  Build your list:  Many times we try to develop the products first, then try to “drive” the people to the products.  Instead build your list first,  create the product, then “draw” the people to the products.    One of the biggest benefits to interacting with your market first on your social media sites is having already gained your market’s trust.  The time spent building those relationships makes it much easier to gather the email addresses of your market needed for building your list.  In this new marketing arena, people are more likely to share their email with those they know and feel they can trust.

4.  Provide Consistent Value:  You must provide value…consistent value.  As you present your information, think about how it will benefit your readers.  What do they want to know?  What do they want to see?  How can you provide solutions for your readers?  Never underestimate what your readers know.  Some of the very basic information may be exactly what they are looking for.  We have a tendency to think if we know it, everyone else must know it also.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Include value packed, basic and advanced, information for your readers.  Remember:  Be specific, be informative, be approachable, and (very important) always be genuine.

5.  Find out what your subscribers want…Ask!:  You have something to offer, remember?  That’s why you are in business.  Ask your subscribers specifically what problem they are having. What’s their biggest challenge, their most frustrating problem, or their most pressing issue?  Provide solutions for your subscribers.  Let them know you not only have their solution…you are their solution!

6.  Stay in contact:  Another element in your Internet business is keeping your name and targeted marketing content in front of your clients/patients and prospects.  A question often asked is: How often should I contact subscribers on my list?   There isn’t a clear cut answer except to never spam or harass your list.   Contact them  with valuable content a minimum of one time a month, but more preferably, every two weeks or weekly contact is good.  The point is you want to keep your name in front of your market as the go-to person for the solution to their problems or to buy your products and services when they are ready to purchase. 

7.   Build relationships:   In all the above listed steps, there is one connecting element…building relationships.  Be personable and accessible.  Viewers need to know what you have accomplished, yes, but more importantly, they need to know who you are and that you are real.  It’s relationships first and business second.

Summary:  Through your blog posts; interacting with your market; building your list; providing consistent value; finding what your subscribers want; and staying in contact, you will be building profitable relationships while creating credibility and gaining trust as you leverage these 7 steps to build and strengthen your Internet business.

Technorati Tags: Building Business, Internet Marketing, Livvie Matthews, social media marketing

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