Work at Home and Get Paid for writing, blogging, reading & building websites. Learn how to make money online from Freelance and home business Opportunities.
Telecommuting, e-commuting, e-work, telework, working at home (WAH), or working from home (WFH) is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy limited flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a central place of work is replaced by telecommunication links.
There's nothing much to see there yet, so go over to wininiti.blogspot.com where I have been posting on the same theme and there are a few more posts.
I intend to focus my writing from now on, and distinguish between different themes, which will become self evident as I write.
Keep following Feliniti Freelance information right here, and through the month of June I will bring you lots of Freelance and work from home information.
30/05/2008
How To Best Select An Affiliate Program
Marketing products and services through the Internet is unquestionably easier and more rewarding compared to traditional marketing methods. With the millions of people worldwide getting online each day, there’s an enormous possibility for a merchant to sell his products and generate huge income.
However, merchandisers are not the only ones who can benefit from online marketing. A booming industry nowadays, provides great opportunity as well to individuals as affiliate marketers. In affiliate marketing, an affiliate marketer doesn’t need to have his own products and services to sell. All he needs to do is to refer people to the merchant’s business site for them to buy the products and thereby, earn a commission.
The key to an affiliate marketer’s success is to choose a good affiliate program and to employ excellent marketing techniques in promoting or selling the products to consumers. Why good and not the best affiliate program? There is no “best affiliate marketing program,” as one program might make one affiliate marketer a millionaire and the other a frustrated marketer. In other words, it can be a success to one and a failure to another. But there certainly is a good affiliate marketing program to start with. How to make it best would now depend on you.
But before you think how you are going to make it best and financially rewarding, first think about how you are going to land on a good affiliate program with the thousands of affiliate marketing opportunities abounding in the Internet today. Try to look into the following tips and suggestions on how to best select the affiliate program that’s right for you.
Information, that’s you need in order to make the right choice. It is helpful when you have already focused your search to a specific interest, which may be the theme of your website (if you already have one). In this way, you would be able to direct yourself towards a program that really matches your needs, wants and resources. It would be easier for you to eliminate options that are not suited to your own criteria for a good affiliate marketing program. You can join affiliate forums and learn some tips and get suggestions from experienced affiliate marketers. However, be wise enough to weigh their ideas before you buy them.
The Internet Affiliate marketing program networks are good places to look for choices. Here, merchants and affiliate marketers like you meet. The merchants advertise their affiliate programs to interested affiliates who sign up in the network for free. Third party affiliate program networks are helpful since they provide you with access to a large number of advertisers (merchandisers) simultaneously. You can easily track and compare their sales records, performances, benefits, products and services.
So now you have choices, the next question is which among those options is the right one. Here are some things to consider in deciding which to take and which to reject. First is the quality of the products and services. As an affiliate marketer your goal is not only to make visitors of your site click the link to the business site; but more importantly, to promote the product so they would buy it. If the customers are not convinced upon going to the business site, then you don’t earn. Make sure the products you are endorsing are worthwhile or in the business context, saleable. Ask yourself: if I were the customer, would I buy it? Would I recommend it to my family or good friend? If you can’t convince yourself or your family and friends to buy it, take a look at your next option.
Another is the affiliate program or the merchandiser’s history. Look into their previous and present sales data, their proven and tested affiliate marketing systems and their partners’ experiences with them. Although, success of the program really depends on you, this one is still very important. The sales records don’t only show how good the affiliates are, but they speak about the products’ reliability, market availability and the company or the merchandisers’ reputation as well. Moreover, look into and carefully study the company’s compensation plan. Your purpose for joining the program is to earn, so make sure you’ll be paid for all your efforts fairly.
If you do not have much time to promote intensively the affiliate products by creating banners, graphics and articles, choose affiliate programs that help you create these for your web site. It would be great if the company provides training on how to effectively market products online. Remember that affiliate marketing is a partnership, so make sure your partner is able to support you as you help him promote his products and services.
Take down all the advantages and disadvantages of each program you are considering so you can clearly see the difference among your options; then later, compare the advantages of the programs with your own checklist. Take time to gather all the info you need to choose the right program. Remember an informed choice is the best choice.
Working in the park with wifiI have decided to branch out to another blog. I will still maintain this one, and the focus will change slightly from June 1st.
This blog will continue to be about working from home, but from then on will mainly be devoted to Freelancing and other work from home opportunities such as telecommuting and other jobs, whilst the other blog will be about Working from home in the Internet Marketingniche.
So, you want to be a freelance writer. You've scoured the Internet for the best paying writing jobs, and now you're ready to apply for some of them. There's just one problem: so are a few hundred other freelance writers, many of whom have a lot more experience than you do. How on earth are you supposed to make sure you stand out from the crowd?
Here's how:
1. Make sure you read the advert properly
This is an easy way to make your query stand out, because amazingly, the vast majority of queries we receive are from people who haven't read our requirements properly. We get proofreaders applying for copywriting jobs, people with no writing experience applying for projects which state "experience required" - you name it, we get it. An email from a writer who has read our requirements and taken the time to explain how they can meet them is a rarity - and will always get a response.
2. Check your spelling
This should go without saying, but all applications for freelance writing jobs which contain less than perfect spelling and grammar, go straight to the recycle bin. Make sure yours isn't one of them.
3. Get personal
My name is all over my website, and is included on every job advert I write. It's very rarely used. Most freelancers who contact me refer to me as "Dear Sir". I'm female. An email which addresses me by name makes me stop in my tracks as it shows that the person has taken the time to find out a little bit about me and my business, and to send me a personalised email, rather than a form letter. That person will get a response in kind.
4. Show, don't tell
Fiction writers have heard this one before. It applies to freelance writing too, though: rather than telling employers how great your writing is, show them. Even if you don't have any published clips to attach, send a sample of something you've written, and written well. It will speak louder than all of your words of explanation.
5. Don't be flashy
Yes, fancy fonts and multicolored text stand out, but for all the wrong reasons. Writing is a creative endeavor, but when you apply for a freelance writing job it's important to let your words do the talking. On a practical level, not all email clients will display html emails, so what looks to you to like a pretty snazzy email may appear to your prospective client as a big old mess.
6. Show them your references
When you write for a living, it's important to collect testimonials from clients you've worked for before. You can put them on your website, print them in your brochures, and, of course, paste them into your quotes and queries. When it comes to winning clients, there's almost nothing more effective than a personal recommendation. As you close your letter, then, add a short line saying, something like, "My previous clients include X, Y and Z – I've attached some of the comments they've made about my work." If those comments are good enough, I can almost guarantee you'll get a response.
With the right guidance, an Internet business can start generating income almost immediately. A home internet business can be very successful for people who have the dedication, skills and patience to await agradual increase in business and income. There are several ways how an internet business can be started. However, no matter which internet business is being initiated, it won't make an impact at first.
The start up costs for an internet home business are next to nothing compared to the offline world of business start ups. In fact it is a lot more simple to start and grow a business on the internet. Of course you need some knowledge to begin your internet home business enterprise. But you don't need a "Bacc" to do business on the web.
All you need is some computer knowledge and some internet marketing basis and a good dose of determination.
Here is some basic tips on how to start an internet home business.
== 1.Write Your Business Goals ==
It is important to set goals and objectives and then take action to accomplish them. This will be your Business Plan.
Here Are Some questions you should ask yourself:
- Why do I want to start up an Internet Home Business?
- What product or service can I provide?
- Do I have the knowledge and expertise to provide this service?
- Do I know enough about the competition?
- Where will my customers come from?
Take the time to write down your questions and answers and thoroughly research your chosen market.
== 2. Choose A Product or Service To Sell ==
On the internet you can find hundreds of product or services to sell.
You can sell your own product by creating your own, or purchasing resale rights or being an affiliate with a good internet company.
Don't put your personal gains first. Make sure that the product will deliver what it promises. When you promote a product that leaves the buyer dissatisfied, you' ll only be ruining your business. So sell solutions and the money will come.
Having A good business website is essential to succeed with an internet home business.
Here is the thing you have to plan to build your website
A) Decide on the website design (color schemes, buttons, special effects etc). However, you may have a preference for a certain color or look. To help you choose a design, you may wish to check out other people's websites or work with your web designer's pre-set templates.
(b) The content. There are many items you may wish to include on your website. The most common ones include:
A Web host is a company that provides server space for your website. You can think of a web host as a commercial building. The web host provides space for your website just as a commercial building provides space for your shop or office.
What are some of the things you should look for when choosing a web host? The criteria for choosing a free web host and a commercial web hosting solution are slightly different although they do overlap.
A) Web Space
Does it have enough space for your needs? If you envisage that you will expand your site eventually, you might want to cater for future expansion. Most sites use less than 5MB of web space. Indeed, at one time, one of my other web sites, thefreecountry.com, used less than 5MB of space although it had about 150 pages on the site. Your needs will vary, depending on how many pictures your pages use, whether you need sound files, video clips, etc.
B) Bandwidth allotment
Nowadays, many free web hosts impose a limit on the amount of traffic your website can use per day and per month. This means that if the pages (and graphic images) on your site is loaded by visitors beyond a certain number of times per day (or per month), the web host will disable your web site (or perhaps send you a bill).
It is difficult to recommend a specific minimum amount of bandwidth, since it depends on how you design your site, your target audience, and the number of visitors you're able to attract to your site. In general, 100MB traffic per month is too little for anything other than your personal home page and 1-3GB traffic per month is usually adequate for a simple site just starting out. Your mileage, however, will vary.
C) Reliability and speed of access
This is extremely important. A site that is frequently down will lose a lot of visitors. If someone finds your site on the search engine, and he tries to access it but find that it is down, he'll simply go down the list to find another site. Slow access is also very frustrating for visitors (and for you too, when you upload your site).
How do you know if a host is reliable or fast? If you can't get feedback from anyone, one way is to try it out yourself over a period of time, both during peak as well as non-peak hours. After all, it is free, so you can always experiment with it.
== 6. Shopping Cart ==
No e-commerce website is complete without a secure shopping cart. There are many shopping cart options. Many e-commerce business owners make the mistake of using Pay Pal to accept payments, which immediately tells visitors that their company is very small and not professional.
A good alternative to Pay Pal is a remotely hosted shopping cart. Remote shopping carts take the burden of maintaining security and credit card numbers off your shoulder and places the responsibility on another company. Remote shopping carts can usually be configured to look similar to your website.
In fact, your customers may not realize that they have left your website to place an order. The remote shopping cart provider will give you the HTML to add to your website. When your potential customer clicks on the Buy Now button, he or she is taken to the remote shopping cart to enter the personal information and payment details.
Depending on your choice of a shopping cart, you may or may not need a merchant account to process transactions. Some shopping cart services allow you to use their merchant accounts for a slightly higher fee.
== 7. How To Promote Your Business Website ==
Write An Article: Write an article promoting your site or product. Write an article on a hot topic many people would like more information on and submit it to various e-zines. How do you find out what's hot? Visit a few of the message boards and see what questions are raised often.
Search Engines: Thousands of search engines exist on the Internet. But, you should only be concerned with the top eight or ten. You should manually submit to the top eight: Alta Vista, Excite, Yahoo, Hotbot, Lycos, Northern Light, Infoseek, Webcrawler, and use one of the FREE automatic submission services like *SubmitPlus* to handle the smaller search engines.
Directories: List your site here too. Directories organize sites into categories. Good examples of Directories: Yahoo, Magellan.
Ezine Listings: If you have an e-zine to promote along with your site. Why not list it with one of the many e-zine services on the Internet. E-zine Library is a good one to start with.
Free Classifieds: You will have to submit to a ton of FREE classifieds to get any significant traffic. Why? You are competing with thousands of other Ads. Remember to work on your Ad copy and make it attention grabbing. Go to one of the popular search engines, type in Free Classifieds, and surf to the top 20 classified sites for beginners.
Often, these sites will lead you to several other Free Classified Sites. In response you'll get a stack of e-mail thanking you for listing your site while barking their promo. Best to get one of those free email accounts. Hot mail is a good one. So is Yahoo mail.
FFA Pages. Free For All's are worth a try. Be prepared for a avalanche of e-mails from FFA web site owners. If your title is attention grabbing you will get a few clicks. Good Attention grabbing headlines, FREE, Limited Time, Limited Offer, Proven, Secrets, and many more if you brainstorm. Check out the sales literature delivered to you by regular mail. Check and see what headlines grab your attention. And why? Incorporate them into your Online Ads.
Tell Friends And Family: If your friends, family, acquaintances, have an Internet Connection, e-mail them telling them about your new website, and ask them to visit often. Offer a FREE incentive if they tell a few friends to surf over. Perhaps, a FREE Ad in your e-zine.
Leave Business Cards or Flyers: Leave these promo pieces with small businesses in your community. All relevant contact information; email address, URL, telephone number, should be included. Offer a freebie to anyone who visits your site. A free e-book, report.
== 8. TRACK YOUR MARKETING ==
Here are some questions to consider:
1) How many unique visitors come to your website?
2) How many visitors opt-in to your mailing list or order your products?
3) When you send emails, how many are opened and how many people actually click through to your website?
The reason these question are so important is because if you don't know these stats, you won't know what to improve. It could be different things; like your headlines, the content or navigation on your website. You won't know until you start checking all your marketing offer.
== 9. YOUR BUSINESS IN CONCLUSION ==
Think of your first six months primarily as a training period. Don't expect large earnings until after you've educated yourself.
Even the most dynamic, highest-earning entrepreneurs in the industry took MONTHS to begin seeing an income of any real significance with their internet home business.
Don't be a negative thinker and don't let the negative attitudes of others (even if they're family members, friends, or peers) influence you.
All the great men and women in history had to overcome the naysayers who said it couldn't be done and then went out and did it. Think for yourself!
As long as you think positive and focused on your internet home business target you re on the right way to a rich life, which is directed by you and it will lead you to tremendous success and personnal satisfaction.
Building an Internet business can be very rewarding when you start making money online out of the comforts of your own home. If you've always wanted to be self-employed and be your own boss. Then having an internet business will open this up for you. You just need to work on it.
About The Author Aaron Herman
Hope this will help you to take right decision if you are thinking of making money with an internet home business.
If you missed Michael Cheney's Live show last night, you missed out on some free coaching, and some great tips. Once again Michael answered question about how to make money online in the Internet Marketingniche.
This time he also talked about the Marketing funnel and how to move from selling other peoples stuff to developing your own product and selling that. There is another live show on Thursday which I will embed right here on this blog.
For those of you who missed it, go here to see the recordings.
Watch Michael Cheney in "THE TRUTH" Live, Tonight on this website, (see the vid below) or on MichaelCheney.tv
Michael Cheney is an experienced internet marketer, one of the most-respected names in the field. Author of The Website Marketing Bible, Start Your Profits TODAY!, 11 days to list profits, Adsense Videos, and much more ...
The chances are that you will already have read one of his many marketing articles that are dotted throughout the web.
Last weeks excellent Live show answered newbies and expert's questions about traffic, list building, conversions, content and much more. The video is available for a limited time, see earlier today on this blog for details.
It will be interesting to watch tonights show. He is also offering a coaching programme, but it is not necessary to buy it in order to watch the show, and he does not put pressure on. He is an easy going guy who has made a lot of money online, and is willing to share some of his secrets in these live broadcasts.
Michael is sharing FREE advice and will answer your questions on his LIVE show tonight at 12 noon EST which is 5PM BST (UK Time)
Don't miss this Free Coaching Session for anyone who is interested in making money in the internet marketing niche.
Image via WikipediaSuper InternetMarketer Michael Cheney, provided a free Live Show last Monday. For those who missed it he has recorded it and provided it free.
These videos are well worth seeing for anyone who is interested in learning how to make money online in the internet marketingniche.
This is the first post in a series on How to Make Money from a Blog. The second article is How Do You Make Money from a Blog? Affiliate Advertising for Bloggers.
Social Networks are a great way of making new friends, contacts and associates that can help you to run your home business.
It is vitally important if you are making money on the internet, to learn from the experiences of others. That is why ApSense works! If you have never joined ApSense, I really suggest you do so. Not only can you make new friends, build a support network and gain free advertising and leads, but it will also PAY you just to post on blogs and network with others.
Other Social Networks that I am finding useful, are myLot, Yuwie and mySpace.
myLot will pay you to talk about your interests, post pictures and network with others.
Most people on there are very nice and also very supportive in making money on the internet. myLot will also pay you to upload pictures.
It is very good. Although it is quite low paying until you get used to it, it is possible to make an extra income, but the most important thing about it is that you can gain the support and friendship of others on there. I can't stress enough how much more important this is than the pay. Check it out here.
Yuwie is a new social networking site. It also pays to talk, post blogs, comments and pictures. You can get extra leverage by gaining more referrals, as with myLot. Check it out here
mySpace is a long established Social Networking Site. It does not pay any money but you can make some good contacts and blog on there. All of this is useful for gaining better promotion for your home based business or programs.
I would definately reccomend joining these sites to gain extra money, experience, friendship free promotion and support for your home based business.
Wouldn't it be nice to have everything IN ONE PLACE for a change... so you could see all the pieces and how they fit together?
Wouldn't it be nice to KNOW what you're doing... and WHY... instead of having to trust people who are often only interested in taking your money?
Wouldn't it be nice to fall asleep each night with a smile on your face because you're making money online... instead of draining your family's budget?
Isn't it time YOU experienced the pride of being successful... instead of that sick feeling you get when you realize that you've been lied to once again?
Well now you can!
Do yourself a favor and request this FREE REPORT that explains everything you need to know to make money on the Internet!
Simple, Easy-To-Read and Easy-To-Understand.
Learn how people of all ages and backgrounds are making money on the Internet by applying simple, common-sense principles that work every time... and will work for YOU!!!
Apsense is primarily a business Social Networking Site. It is so much more than that though if you know how to use it properly.
Of course you can do all the usual stuff that you do on a Social Networking site, use it to make new contacts, make new friends, chat and post images etc...
but it is also more business orientated than most Social Networking sites, so it is ideal for learning from others who are successfully making money from their internet business and making contact with them. It is a very useful way to make the right contacts and generate leads.
You can also share your own experiences and in so doing get free exposure and promotion for your ventures.
You can write a Blog. Use their free ads. You can use paid advertising on there. Best of all, they pay you for every action including writing a blog.
You get paid for all activity on Apsense. It is worthwhile joining.
Apsense is a great community in itself, but it is also a fantastic way to build more traffic and actually make some extra money at the same time.
To Your Success: John Elley 
