List building tips are valuable and will help you to grow your business quickly. Almost every day someone will write to me to ask how they can sell their eBook or other product if they do not have a list. My first response back to them is that they must start building a list right away if they are to be successful with an online business. This is a skill that will grow your business steadily over time. I have found the best and most effective ways to get started with list building are with blogging, article writing and marketing, hosting your own teleseminars, social media marketing, and attending live events whenever possible.

The biggest mistake I made during my first year working online was to not take this process of list building seriously and make it a top priority. Instead, I spent too much time setting up websites and going through endless hours of training in search of the perfect business. If I had started building my list from the very first day, my business would have grown much more quickly.

You will need to add an optin box to your blog and other sites to start building this ‘permission based’ list. This is a simple process that can be done using any of the autoresponder services that are currently available, such as Aweber. We cannot expect anyone to sign up for our list without having a good reason, so offer them a free short report on your niche topic that will provide them with useful information in your area of expertise. It used to be that people would join your list to receive a newsletter or email updates, but those days are long gone now that we all receive way too much email on a daily basis.

This report you create need only be a few pages in length, but must convey real value. Even though you are giving this away at no cost, put your best foot forward to make it look and feel as professional and polished as possible. This will be the first time someone sees who you are and what you know on your niche topic so you want to shine. I like to write three articles on my topic and then put them together into a report for this purpose. Then I call it a Special Report and give it a catchy title and tag line.

Now that the person has added themselves to your list the next step is to stay in regular contact with them through email messages. You’ll want to set up some of these in advance as a sequence of autoresponders that will be sent out automatically over time. In addition to these automated messages, stay in touch at least twice a week through broadcast emails.

Your list is the most valuable asset in your business. You may have already heard that the gold is in the list and the follow up. Make sure to continue to build the relationships with your prospects and clients by providing them with relevant content, tips, resources, and appropriate offers. Take care of your list and your business will grow.

Jeanette Cates is officially known as the ‘Technology Tamer’ to new and experiences online marketers around the world. I first met Jeanette at Armand Morin’s Big Seminar in 2008, and we became fast friends. Soon I learned that she had been online since the very beginning, and that she has moved seamlessly between the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds for many years. I’ve had the opportunity to teach several online courses with Jeanette, as well as co-hosting five live events over the past few years. She is a pleasure to have as a business partner and made the entire process a joy to experience.

We discussed teleseminars during this interview, and this is an area Jeanette pioneered from the very beginning. I’ve been through her Teleseminar Basics Training, and can tell you that she teaches everything you need to get started with this profitable revenue stream. You could be hosting your own teleseminars, interviewing experts, and creating products within a few days of taking this course.

You can always learn more from my Internet marketing tips for beginners. Here is a Case Study for you:

Have you fallen into the habit of seeing only the negative in your Internet business, rather than having a positive point of view? Recently I have been hearing more and more people complain about what they don’t want to do in their online business. I absolutely love my Internet business and helping people to become successful, so I decided to delve deeper into the reasons my students were complaining so that I could help them move forward. The list is long, and includes such things as:

• I don’t want to be on my computer all day
• I don’t like to write every day
• I don’t want to spend time on social media sites
• I hate the idea of hosting my own teleseminars

These are the same people who came to me to learn how to earn a living on the Internet, so I was becoming more and more frustrated with how to help them move forward. I am always completely honest with everyone about what it will take to build a profitable online business, and perseverance and hard work is a part of this. As with any business, there will be parts of it that you enjoy more than others. In addition, once you know what needs to be done you are in a much better position to find someone to help you with those specific tasks.

Outsourcing may not be cost effective if you are just starting out, so think about how you can barter for your needs. I did this successfully during my first two years working on the Internet, and slowly began doing more of what I liked to do and was good at, and much less of what I had no talent in at all (graphics and web design was a big one for me here).

Now let’s get back to what you do not want to do. Instead of thinking about any parts of your business in this way, think about the positive aspects of being an online entrepreneur. What is it about doing this that you do look forward to? Make a list of those things and print it out to look at throughout the day. My list would include:

• I like to be able to work from home
• I like making my own work schedule
• I like to be creative in my product creation and marketing
• I like having the time to write each day
• I like having the time to spend with friends, family, and community projects
• I like to be able to earn as much money as I want and need

By changing the emphasis from negative to positive you are able to see how fortunate we all are to have this opportunity in our lives. Appreciation and gratitude make a huge difference in our feelings about ourselves and what we do. As far as earning some money quickly, think about the services you can provide others in exchange for money or barter for their knowledge and expertise. And before you complain about how little you may earn per hour with this model, think about the fact that you can do most things from home, on the days and hours you choose, without having to get dressed up, and without having to spend time to get there and back and money on gasoline and other transportation costs.

Yes, I want you to appreciate that you can get started right now and get a lucrative business off the ground this week. What are your thoughts on this?

Shannon Cherry from Be Heard Solutions has a background in public relations and marketing and has also worked as a television anchor, but it wasn’t until she and her husband became parents to now six-year-old twin girls that she decided to bring her business online. She works with newbies as well as more experienced business owners, and helps them to reach their full potential. Shannon is also a published author, and has most recently contributed to Trust Your Heart: Building Relationships That Build Your Business.

We discussed how to get what you want and need in your business simply by asking, the power of social media marketing, and how to achieve life balance as an entrepreneur, wife, and mother.  Shannon also shares her thoughts on staying out of debt as you get started online with new challenges and opportunities. She believes that we are all experts in areas of our lives, and that we must find out where our target market spends time by looking in forums, magazines, and on the social media sites.

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I am asked on a regular basis whether or not it is too late to get started online to build a successful online business. This time the question was asked by Denise, one of my newer subscribers. She wanted to know if it is still possible to choose a niche, set up a WordPress blog, and build a profitable business now that so many people are getting involved with online marketing. She had heard that the days of getting started online as a pioneer in the world of Internet marketing were long gone, and that anyone just starting out now as an online entrepreneur would have great difficulty getting their foot in the door of this virtual world. Denise has been active in my 21 Day Challenge and I wanted to answer her questions here so that you would also benefit.

It is my belief that people always feel like the window of opportunity has passed when times are changing. In the 1970s I wanted to buy a house instead of continuing to rent. I went to see one of my friends, a business owner who owned several pieces of property, to find out what my next steps should be. He told me that it was much too late to get in on the benefits of home ownership because prices had gone up so much during the past few years, interest rates were too high, and the economy was uncertain. The Viet Nam war was still an issue at this time as well.

I was shocked by his attitude and decided not to be swayed by his analysis of the current situation in regards to buying my first house. Having just graduated from college I was anxious to get my life going in a direction that felt right to me. Three months later I was a homeowner, and within another two years I had purchased my second piece of property. I’m so glad I did not allow my friend’s feelings and experiences to sour me on my own dream. Looking back I know that he was just reacting to the changes that were occurring in the United States economy at that time, and to what he saw every day in his business.

During the 1980s I decided to return to school to earn my teaching credential. I had a neighbor who was teaching and I asked her about the possibilities of employment as a classroom teacher in the Los Angeles area. She told me that teaching had changed and that I would probably have to drive at least fifty miles each way to work at a school. She also said that salaries were not likely to increase and that I should think long and long before borrowing money from the government to work on my teaching credential. There were other issues of concern to her as well, and she went on and on about the unions and the administration at the school board and its negative effects on the state of education in California.

Even though it turned out that much of what she believed was also what I experienced over the next few years, I am so glad she did not dissuade me from doing something that meant so much to me at that time. Again, this was a good example of someone expressing their personal feelings and beliefs instead of the actual facts at that time. It was then that I decided not to ask anyone’s advice when I wanted to do something new.

The next time this happened was in the early 1990s when I wanted to become a residential real estate appraiser. I had heard that this was a difficult field to break in to, but I jumped in anyway. I was able to find an established appraiser to help me learn the ropes and get my hours in so I could sit for the state exam. This ended up becoming a field I enjoyed very much for many years, and the income was greater than what I had ever been able to earn in my adult life. Where many people did not succeed in breaking into this field, I believe I was able to do it relatively easily by finding out the facts, working hard to achieve my goal, and taking every opportunity to connect with the people who could help me.

So, back to the question of whether or not it is too late to get started with Internet marketing. Yes, things have changed significantly since I began in 2006. It is more competitive these days, the laws and regulations have changed, and many of the strategies that worked well just a year or two ago are no longer valid. But opportunities still exist in a big way, just as they will for everyone who makes the commitment to be an online entrepreneur. Make sure you know the facts, work hard to achieve your goals, and take every opportunity to connect with people, such as myself, who are able to help you build your online empire.

Learn from those who have come before you, but do not allow anyone to come between you and your dreams. Please let me know what you think about the information I have shared here.

Sandra Martini does business in a very different way than most people I am connected with on the Internet. This is because her background is a unique one. She’s been involved with the marketing department for the Peace Corps and was one of five women who launched the AmeriCorps program in the United States. Sandy approaches new opportunities and challenges head on, exhibiting a work ethic she learned from her parents.

When Sandy made the decision to finally bring her skills and expertise online it’s no surprise that she was able to create a six figure business within the first six months. During this podcast she and I discuss how she was able to do this and how she helps others to do the same through her various proven programs. You can also visit her site to join her list to get to know someone I have the highest respect for on the Internet.

Are you a niche marketer? Niche topics in online marketing will build your business quickly. Coming up with fresh ideas for new content in your niche topics is an ongoing task. Years ago I challenged myself to come up with a new idea every day for one hundred days, and that list of one hundred questions and thoughts kept my business going strong during the first year. I would encourage you to do the same thing to build your online business.

For example, if you niche is yoga and meditation, some ideas you might add to your list could be:

• Why is yoga so popular these days?
• The connection between the practice of yoga and daily meditation
• Can you do yoga at home, or is it better to go to a studio or class?
• Types of clothing, mats, and other accessories
• Which types of music/affirmations are best for meditation?

These are just a few ideas for niche topics. You can see that the list is endless, and that you could easily come up with ideas every single day. The idea is to make this a part of your daily schedule so that creating new, fresh content is never an issue.

People around you will make this much easier. I have found that talking to someone who is not familiar with my niche topic generates even more ideas. Ask a friend or family member to spend fifteen minutes with you for this. Keep your notebook close at hand and just start talking about your topic. Then have then ask you questions about any part of it they do not understand or want to know more about. You will love how many ideas you are able to add to your list.

Now it’s time to turn each one into a piece of content for your business. I like to begin by writing an article on each one. Then I choose the best and most interesting ideas and go on to write a blog post about those. Finally I pick an area of my niche to write a short report on, using some of my previously written articles and blog posts as part of this report.

Think about using different formats as well. You could also create short videos and audio recordings so that your target market will get to know you better. Anything you can do right now to allow people to connect with you and build a relationship will mean a lot for years to come.

Start your list of a hundred ideas and questions on your niche topic and see just how far you can take it when it comes to creating content. This will build your credibility and visibility and increase your bottom line.

Share a few of your ideas here so that we can brainstorm as a group. My most recent niche topic is about the tools we need to get started online. I am thinking of questions and ideas around hosting, domains, keywords, WordPress blogs, and autoresponders. What else should I add to my list?

Willie Crawford has been working online since 1996, which means that he has seen it all and has become something of an icon in regards to Internet marketing. But the main thing people think of when they hear his name is: Joint Ventures. We discuss this topic in more depth on the podcast call. I first met him in 2008 at the Big Seminar in Atlanta, and we’ve been friends ever since.

After completing a career in the United States Air Force, Willie jumped in full time with his online business. He began selling a cook book, and his success with this led to his first speaking engagement in 2002. This live event, along with the people he met there, launched him and his career in a big way.

Willie and I discuss how he got started making money online, and the eBook that continues to help others do the same thing – 20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online. I have used most of these techniques and strategies in my own business. I know you will learn much from this interview.

Getting started online can be a daunting experience, but I developed a strategy early on that made a huge difference. I refer to it as the ’36 Hour Getaway’ and I continue to do this even now that my business has been running successfully for more than five years.

I recommend taking a 36 hour getaway at least once every quarter. Even if you have many family and work obligations, this is doable with the help and support of your family and friends. I am suggesting that once every three months you plan an overnight trip to be able to focus only on your business. When I first did this in 2006 I went to a Holiday Inn in Ventura, California. It was an hour’s drive from my house and they were having a special on the room rates because it was off season. I left on a Saturday morning around seven and returned home on Sunday night around seven in the evening. During those thirty-six glorious hours I focused exclusively on creating my first product.

When I arrived that morning it was too early to check into the room, so I walked down the promenade and out onto the Ventura Pier. There were just a few people there, and the sounds of the sea gulls and the waves crashing on the beach made me feel alive. I imagined myself a successful entrepreneur who visited here regularly, something I had never thought possible in the past. I sat down on a bench and began writing my sales letter for the product I was about to create. After writing about twenty possible headlines I took off my shoes and socks and walked along the sand, letting the salt water wash up on my feet. It was cold, but I was thrilled to be having this experience.

By the time I had eaten lunch at a little place two blocks from the beach and then checked into my room, I had written about ten pages of notes and had ideas that made me feel as though there had been divine intervention. I stayed in the room until I had to check out at noon on Sunday, and my first product, a four part teleseminar series on how to write articles and blog, was ready to go.

This was at the beginning of November and I made my first sale of my own product on Thanksgiving Day, just a couple of weeks later. I knew I was on to something and continued to use the ‘Quarterly Getaway’ to build my business, long after I had gone full-time on the Internet.

Are you already doing something similar to this? Do you see yourself implementing this strategy, if you are not already? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.