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Saturday, September 30, 2006
Finding the best affiliate programs for you
Do your homework to determine the best affiliate programs for your web site. Affiliate (aka Associate) programs are a win-win situation for everyone involved. Internet-based merchants hook up with affiliates to generate traffic to their web sites. Affiliates get paid if the traffic from their site visits the merchant web page. The smart Internet entrepreneur does some research to determine the best affiliate programs for her business. Where to Look Affiliate networks are the middle man between affiliates and web sites with affiliate programs. Look for affiliate networks that provide all the tools needed to set up and maintain an affiliate program. AssociatePrograms.com is a popular directory with information about merchants that pay you to sell their wares. Commission Junction is a free network that offers access to thousands of the best affiliate programs. Commission Junction combines all your affiliate earnings (product sales, on-line ads, links) into one monthly check. One caveat, however, is not to sign up before you are ready to start promoting products, because some programs will disenroll you if you wait six months after sign up to actually get your sites and promotions up and running (networks do not want to have hundreds or thousands of inactive members cluttering up their affiliate program software and complicating their statistics). What to Look for The best affiliate programs will be those that target your customer base. An on-line florist would get little traffic from a pet supply website. You want an affiliate whose business is similar or comparable to your product. Avoid affiliates with low quality products. Ask to speak to existing affiliates to find out if a company is reputable. Referral traffic may link to the merchant site and not buy initially but return to make a purchase weeks later. Look for affiliate programs that remember your site was responsible for that customer. The best affiliate programs remember you for 60 days by using cookies to tag the customer's computer when he visits the merchant site. The best affiliate programs offer reliable support such as ads, logos, and sales advice. Good programs also provide timely updates on click through sales and earnings, and, respond to questions or problems within 24 hours. Getting Paid There are three common affiliate payment plans. With pay per sale, the merchant pays when the affiliate sends a customer who buys from the merchant's site. The payment could be a set amount or a percentage of the sale. In a pay per click set up, the affiliate is paid based on the number of people who visit the merchant's web site regardless if a purchase was made. With pay per lead programs, affiliates are paid based on the number of people who sign up as leads. A lead would be a visitor who filled out an information page on the merchant web site thus becoming a potential customer. Multi-level payment plans allow affiliates to earn commission on sales, clicks, or leads from their sites as well as commission based on activity generated by affiliate sites they refer to the merchant site. Another form of payment is residual commission. Affiliates continue earning money after the original sale has been made. This is common in situations where customers pay monthly fees for merchant services. The best affiliate programs pay at least 25% commission with some going as high as 50%. Payments should be made at least once a month although some affiliate programs pay quarterly or twice a year. Honorable Mentions There are hundreds of good, reputable affiliate programs. Three that stand out among the best are Neil Shearing's affiliate program which pays some of the highest commissions and conversion rates; Ken Evoy's 5 Pillar Program which offers excellent marketing and educational information; and My TemplatesStorage, a good site for web development merchants. Each of these, however, has its own plan details that may or may not be best for you and your situation, so be sure to read up on how any affiliate program works, and what is required for payment. Sources "How Affiliate Programs Work," (howstuffworks.com) "Best Affiliate Products for Maximum Profits," (bestaffiliateproducts.com) "Affiliate Programs," (buildwebsite4u.com)
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Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Online Business Strategies for Successful eCommerce
Internet Tips and Pointers The goal of any online business is to sell something, be it a product, service, or information. To accomplish this, you need customers, or traffic, to your web site. Follow these key Internet business strategies to generate customers and cash. Image is Everything Your web site should reflect how you want customers to feel about your business. The site must be professional looking and easy to navigate and understand. The content provided should be relevant to the needs of the customer. Marketing is King What promotional tools are you using to advertise your web site? Search engines are the primary method Net surfers use to locate information. One of the top Internet business strategies is to choose relevant keywords for the most efficient search engine optimization. The word "books" is too generic for a site promoting life/career changing seminars based on motivational books. Surfers who type in "books" probably want to buy one rather than attend a seminar. Use specific terms that closely relate to what you are selling. Links to your web page are another important Internet business strategy. Links increase visitors who often become customers. Relevancy is key; links to your home page should be from sites with topics closely related to your business. Be descriptive with links. "Buy last season's Coach handbags at closeout prices" entices more clicks than "Brand name liquidators." Consider starting your own affiliate program. It's cost effective because you only pay other sites for the visitors they link to you. You can pay for visitors or pay if the visit results in a sale. Online businesses do best with online marketing. However, don't discount "old" media. Get a press release or article about your eBusiness in the local paper. Place an ad in the Yellow Pages or industry trade magazines. Information Content Don't just sell your product or service. Include articles, news, or interesting facts related to your eBusiness. Many customers will appreciate the information. In addition, reporters often look for information online; a blurb about your web site in their story might bring in more customers. Customer Friendly If your eBusiness customers are the general public, go easy on the industry jargon. Use "nose jobs" more than "rhinoplasty" if your cosmetic surgery site is aimed at patients rather than fellow medical personnel. This is important also when choosing keywords for search engines. Go easy on graphics and other bells and whistles. These things tend to slow down page loads. A easy navigation system is one of the most important Internet business strategies. The average customer doesn't want to sit through mini films or music interludes to get to the information desired. If your web pages take too long to open, customers will surf elsewhere. Sources "The Top Seven Strategies for Website Success," (cyberspeaker.com) "Twelve Things Every Web Site Must Have For Business Success," (netatlantic.com)
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006
How to Buy Wholesale
Check out the wholesale market for low prices and great deals. Own a business? Buy for large groups (scouts, students, family)? Allergic to paying retail? Any of these reasons is good enough for you to explore the world of buying wholesale. Hard Core Buyer or Casual Shopper? If you always buy large quantities of merchandise, it would be a good idea to obtain a business license and reseller's license. Some wholesalers will not sell to you without these permits. In addition, the licenses are your ticket to trade shows that are not open to the public. Here, you can find a multitude of items priced below retail. You can also get on the mailing list for major trade shows. These events sell everything from furniture to the latest fashions at wholesale prices. When applying for a business or reseller's license, make sure you understand what fees, taxes, and bureaucratic red tape are required to keep you out of trouble. Depending on the state, you may be able to get a reseller's license for free. However, you are responsible for collecting sales tax on products sold within the state. Assess the cost verse expected savings from buying wholesale to determine if it's worth the trouble to obtain licenses. To get a business license, you must be in business or planning to start one. You can legitimize your business status by turning a hobby or talent into a business venture. For example, a weekend furniture maker sells a few pieces to friends and a business is born. Even the casual shopper may benefit from obtaining business and reseller's licenses. You get access to non-public wholesale events and wholesalers that don't sell to the general public. In addition, you can make a little money off the deals you find. Buying wholesale usually means purchasing large quantities. While you don't need three dozen cashmere sweaters, you can keep a few and sell the rest to friends, or, via online auctions and at flea markets. No License, No Problem Although business permits give you more access to buying wholesale, you don't have to have a license to get wholesale prices. Wholesale businesses often have special times they open to the public. Prices will be a little more, but you still pay less than retail. Check the Yellow Pages to find local wholesalers and ask if they have public sale hours. Consider buying wholesale from liquidators. Liquidators buy huge quantities of product from manufacturers and retailers. These items are usually discontinued, damaged, or from a previous season and prices are often below wholesale. You can find liquidators in the phone book or on the Internet. The Internet is also a good source for buying wholesale merchandise especially for those who don't want to bother with permits and buying in bulk. Many Internet wholesalers don't require a minimum purchase. Another option is to join an association that buys in bulk. The combined purchasing power of a large group lowers the cost of merchandise. Warehouse clubs such as Sam's Club and Costco are another good source for prices that are close to wholesale. Wholesale Grapevine Use your network of friends, associates, and family to find wholesale buying opportunities. Your interior decorator neighbor may grant you access to her wholesale contacts. The local florist may be willing to let you in on a sweet deal on dried flowers. Beware though - these folks may require you to engage their professional services in exchange for buying wholesale through them. Weigh the cost of doing business with them against potential savings from buying wholesale. Sources: "How to Buy Wholesale," (ehow.com) "Five Secrets to Buying Wholesale," (majon.com)
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Monday, September 25, 2006
Software tracking solutions and affiliate programs
Affiliate programs are a great way to increase traffic to and sales for your web site. There are several affiliate tracking software solutions that keep track of sales, clicks, and commissions. Affiliate tracking software solutions come in a variety of packages. Software for a click-based program allows you to pay affiliates a set rate for each visitor to your web site. Look for click-based software with helpful features including click-through tracking, link code generation (keep banners current and linked correctly), referral tracking, and detailed stats. Other software lets you set up a commission or flat rate pay for each potential customer sent via your affiliate member. You can also customize the commission schedule for individual affiliates. Commission-based programs can be more economical because you only pay affiliates when their referrals generate sales. You don't have to choose between click-based or commission affiliate tracking software. Programs are available that let you use both pay arrangements. Many affiliate tracking software solutions now have private affiliate network capability. This feature is helpful for those with multiple web sites. It lets you run one affiliate program for all your web sites on your own private network as opposed to setting up affiliate programs for each site. How does it work? The basic premise of affiliate programs is the same for all affiliate tracking software solutions. An affiliate joins your program by logging into the member area on your web page. There the affiliate can get the tools needed for linking to your site such as banner codes, text links, and product images. When a visitor clicks from the affiliate's web page to yours, the tracking software places a cookie on the visitor's computer to track him as he browses your web site. If the visitor buys a product or service from your web site, the tracking software notes the affiliate responsible for said visitor and records the sale in a database. The Administrator and the affiliate are both notified of the sale via email. Affiliate software makes its easy to monitor the success of your affiliate programs by tracking the number of times banners or links are displayed, number of visitors who linked to your web site, and how many of these visits resulted in a sale. In addition, the software keeps account of commissions earned by and payouts to affiliates. Helpful Features Software packages are easy to install and manage. However, software companies will gladly lend a hand to technically challenged web entrepreneurs. Look for affiliate software tracking solutions that provide reliable tech support and don't charge setup fees or monthly charges. The software should be easy to customize for your specific needs. Other helpful features include: Unlimited affiliates categories Automated fraud protection Performance rewards for your best affiliates Lifetime upgrades Multi-level marketing (affiliate program promotes itself and your web site). Sources Cosmicperl (cosmicperl.com) Affiliate Wiz (affiliatewiz.com) Quality Unit (qualityunit.com)
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Sunday, September 24, 2006
A Seller's Market on eBay
There's money to be made on eBay Garage sales and flea markets are so "20th century." These days, if you have stuff to peddle, sell it on eBay. You'll be joining thousands of other like-minded people looking to make money selling their wares on the popular web site. Since everyone is hip to the online selling gravy train, you'll need to make your items stand out in order to make more money on eBay. Size up the Competition Before listing your items for auction, check out eBay's Completed Items listings. Here, you'll see what products are up for sale, their prices, and how they are presented. You might also get a better idea on how to title your product to produce a higher price. Don't overload the auction site with items. You will make more money on eBay auctions if you sell a few items at the same time rather than overload the auction site. Describe Your Wares You have limited space for product information so make your words count. In the auction title, avoid words such as "Look," or "Wow." No one types in these words to do a search; use words that potential buyers will likely use do search for your product. Be generous with information in the auction description. Include any product details that buyers will find helpful. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words (or maybe a thousand dollars!). A good, color picture is essential to catch the eye of a buyer. Shipping News Don't tack on too high shipping/handling costs for your auctions. While your aim is to make more money on eBay, sky high shipping fees may turn off buyers. There's always another seller who will give them a better deal. Promote Your Wares To help make more money on eBay, it helps to advertise your auctions on a personal web page. Or, run an online store with links to your eBay auctions. Send emails to subscribers notifying them of upcoming auctions. eBay Auction Support eBay provides sellers with several tools to help them navigate the auction process. Automated listing tools allows sellers to post additional listings without going through the "Sell Your Item" process every time. With eBay's Turbo Lister, you can sell your wares without having to visit the web site - and it's free. If you are selling a very expensive item, it may be beneficial to purchase an auction upgrade from eBay. These upgrades generate more potential buyers. However, the cost of auction upgrades will eat up the profit on lower priced items. The Right Stuff Having unique, high quality items is another way to make more money on eBay. Estate sales are great places to find specialty items such as antiques, vintage clothing, and jewelry. You may also find a few nuggets from liquidators who purchase discontinued or last season's merchandise from manufacturers and retailers. Sources "Tips for Ebay Sellers: How to Make More Money Off of Your Auctions," (associatedcontent.com) "How to Make Money on eBay," (submityourarticle.com) "How to Make More Money With Ebay's Affiliate Program," (bharatbhasha.com)
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