Click for the Text Version Available SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME... WHERE DO I START? by Theresa Cahill Copyright 2004 - All Rights Reserved Have you recently joined a new program, bought a new product, know of a great service to offer to others? Are you also sitting there wondering, "Where do I start?" Promoting that is... This situation has recently been brought literally to my doorstep (by the neighbor next door), and recently via a phone call from a brand new online marketer. Both bought into fairly expensive programs, and neither had a clue where to start. It sounded easy to both of them - or should I say the person who talked them into it made it sound easy as pie. Then, after parting with the cash, both were left stranded. No advice, no help, no contact. How typical and how sad, since the initial "what should I do and where" is fairly easy to get going. The very first thing you need to do is submit your website/affiliate url to the search engines. http://www.submitplus.com has a free program that hits many of the not-so-well-known (and a few well known) engines for you for absolutely no charge. Cli'ck on their Free Programs tab, put your url into the box, and submit. It's that easy. Then, head over to http://www.google.com/addurl.html and put your website/affiliate url into Google. Google, and a few others out there, will only accept manually input urls. You don't need to add comments, but a few keywords in the Comments field can't hurt :) Now... Mark this day on your calendar, and 30 days from now (for Google) and maybe sooner for the others, submit it again. Do this for several months on a regular basis. It works. [Note: Google states you only have to submit once and they will find you. I'd still suggest submitting it for a few months in a row though since they change their minds so frequently... and their algorithms!] Next, search out free startpage programs/services. Be creative in your search terms and don't get sidetracked *smile!* You're looking for the services that will allow you to join for fr'ee, insert your url into their system, and in exchange they give you a link to 1) surf with and 2) promote the program [you can usually build downlines in these types of programs which gives you more hits/views of your url when your downline surfs]. Follow their directions - read - and they are fairly easy to get rolling. Create a folder in your inbox and keep all the links in one place (or use any other method that will be handy for you, a favorites folder, etc.). Remember to surf! Once your f'ree credits are used up, you need to either surf the exchanges or purchase additional credits. Okay, that's two major and totally fre'e ways to get the ball rolling on your newly-joined program. What's next? Well, right now you're reading someone's ezine and no doubt they allow you to submit text ads as a benefit for being a subscriber. Do it! Your first ad is usually the hardest, but I do suggest you write your own (assuming you're allowed to by the owners of the program you're promoting). Personally-thought-up ads are always the best, though many programs out there do have an affiliate area with ready-made ones for you to use. My suggestion is to read them all, then compose one of your own either using bits and pieces of some - or by writing your ad strictly from your own viewpoint of the program. The personal touch is always best :) Next...? Decide if you want to keep finding free methods - which do work to a point - or if you're going to allot some sort of advertising budget toward promoting your program. Make use of words (text ads) and page views. Start small. For $10 or less you can keep a text ad out on the net for 30 days or more (in most cases). Text ads circulating for a longer period of time are always best. This is an excellent, and inexpensive, way to brand your program and/or yourself! Ads seen more often, for longer periods of time work light-years ahead of the "one shot, I'm done!" advertisements. Use longevity to your advantage. For about the same cost you can also use other methods to really hone in on your market. Target marketing may be a bit slower but the return on investment works well since those arriving at your chosen destination were, no doubt, looking for your program or one close enough to it that the traffic benefits you. You can target your market with both text ads and website visits. Choose one or both! And... a very basic first step is to... educate yourself! What neither of these people realized was their own affiliate websites were loaded with marketing material and, yes, even teleconferences, etc., to get started, keep them motivated, and help them market. Read. Then read again. Then read again. However you choose to start - free or paid - is totally up to you. But do begin. And again, your best starting points (after your own website training that is) are search engine submittals, startpage programs, and ezine advertising. Marketing takes time, knowledge, and motivation. Remember, the person holding you back just might be... yourself. ======================================= ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Theresa Cahill is the owner of My Wizard Ads http://www.mywizardads.com, a true one-stop spot for your online advertising needs.