So you would like to start marketing on the net,

1* Determine what product or products you will have.

If at all possible have your own product as number one. If you don't have a product and you plan on promoting someone else's do a lot of research before signing on the dotted line.

How long have they been in business? What is their pay out percentage? Do they have a product everyone want's or needs? Do they list their name, address, phone number and email address in plain view on their web pages? If you get a negative feeling about any of these things, move on. Once you pick what it is you want to promote, then move to the next item. 2* Get your own domain name. If you plan on having any success you must have your own domain name. It's almost impossible to get your site listed on search engines with the domain name a free site gives you.

If you don't have your own domain name no one will take you as a serious marketer.

Most will think if you don't have enough pride in your web site to purchase a domain name then I won't bother to click on their link. I know this is true because that's the way I feel!

3* Put up a professional looking web site.

Don't start out by cluttering your web site with graphics, pictures or banners.

Don't even think about adding music. People will click away faster than you can say jack rabbit.

4* Pay for hosting of your site.

You can put your site on one of the free services but if you do the first part of your pages are loaded with their advertising, that's how they stay free. Also people will recognize from your url that it's a free site and you just lost your traffic.

You also will not have access to a cgi-bin or a lot of other things. You will need a cgi-bin and a lot of other things as you grow your business.

You can find reasonably price hosting and you will benefit from all the extra's they give you. Your own email, cgi-bin formmail and lot's of other things you are going to need.

5* Upload your site to your web host. A lot of the hosting companies have uploading avalible on the control panel. I prefer to do this from my computer. You can find free ftp programs. Most all of the software download sites (download.com) and others have free download of the ftp programs. I use WS-FTP I have tried others but like WS-FTP the best.

6* Next comes promoting your site.

One of the first things to do is get listed on search engines. This can be a major undertaking. Go to each search engine and submit your url yourself. Do not use a program to blast to search engines (They Don't Like It) You have a better chance doing it yourself. The top four are the most important.

There are a jillion places where you can place your ad free. I have learned you will not see many sales using free places. If money is tight, use these to get going but as soon as you can start purchasing from pay sites.

If you are looking to get rich and do nothing, don't even start. You will be dissappointed if that's what you expect.

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Article Copyright © 2001 Vern Anderson subscribe@marketingnewsnewsletter.com http://www.marketingnewsnewsletter.com

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