Social Networking: Twitter? Facebook? MySpace?

The answer to the question you see might be this:

"All of the above."

Let's presume you have chosen which of the myriad social networking sites suits you and you have carefully and thoughtfully filled out their profile fields. Maybe you have even made some posts and have acquired a following of fans.

As an internet marketer, have you used the power of social networking to your advantage?

The way to make social networking advantageous in your business is to be generous. Give your social networking contacts something of value. Give of YOURSELF. Take the time to build healthy relationships.

For example, you aren't likely to enter a wedding reception and propose marriage to the first single person with whom you dance. It works the same way on social networking sites.

What is more insulting than to "follow" or "friend" someone whose website you admire and have them "follow back" or "friend" you with a SALES PITCH to buy their product? We do business with those we like and those we trust. If you haven't built a relationship you don't know who you can trust and you have not learned to like anyone BEFORE a relationship is established!

Before you write on someone's "wall" you must remember to be prudent, practical and cautious. Be your best self.

A good way to build relationships online-or offline-is to ask questions. What do people need help doing? How can you add value to their experience? Noted internet marketer, John DiLemme is a respected social networker and he advises people who want to be successful in the social networking arena to be generous and give away mountains of information. Help others to solve their problems. Find answers to the questions others have.

John DiLemme wants to see people build trust in their relationships. Isn't that what everybody deserves?

The number of friends or followers on a social networking site is important for your exposure. But it's even more important to understand WHO those people are, in terms of your niche market. It's just fine to comment to a parrot enthusiast but if your niche is targeted to boaters or sportswear shops, that may not mesh when at some point you advertise your newest Big Thing.

There is no need to blow your horn about your Big Project or Best Product every time you log in to your favorite site. The ratio should be about 80% to 20%. No need to frighten people away. We are all fearful of "being sold."

Are you new to social networking? If you peruse your Twitter stream or look at the pages of Facebook or any of the many sites that are available you will soon see how the process works.

One of my Twitter devotees has managed to develop a handsome income from her Twitter stream, simply because she has developed her followers' confidence and when she suggests something, they know they can trust her recommendation. IF they are in the market for the idea she puts forth, they feel comfortable to follow her lead.

The relationship she has with her "fan club" did not materialize overnight. She has consistently and regularly shown up to offer value, share helpful information, solve peoples' problems and prove that she deserves unfailing trust.

She got that trust the old fashioned way. She EARNED it.

Connie Baum
Follow me on www.Twitter.com/motherconnie

Internet Money-Making Alert: Webinars?

Our family has made up words ever since anyone spoke. Webinar sounds like something my mother made up to use as a code word so adults would be in the know but the children would be without clues.

If you have not yet learned about Webinars, I am happy to inform you that these are seminars conducted on the world wide web. Cute, huh?

Webinars can be long or short, entertaining or dry, and it's an effective tool for internet marketers, affiliate marketing people, and the public who wish to add to their knowledge.

Webinars, at least in this household, are a comfy way to learn about internet marketing at convenient times. I am fortunate to be able to participate in at least one Webinar daily. It's pretty nice to finish the dinner dishes in time to take a bubble bath, get into my jammies and park myself at the computer desk with my beverage of choice nearby and settle in for some serious note taking.

SIDEBAR: I don't mean to give you more information than you need. I'm only emphasizing the point that Webinars are much more accessible than driving to a community college to hear someone drone in a classroom, for example. END SIDEBAR.

Come to think of it, people who offer Webinars might drone, too, but usually the people who are presenting this way think outside the box and make the information appealing.

Most of the Webinars it has been my good fortune to encounter open the lines for questions and answers at the end of the material. Sometimes there are some real gems that appear during this time.

I am reminded of a call earlier this week where the participants interacted in a lively discussion about classified ads versus pay-per-click and Twitter! That was the Webinar that finished in an hour but the call continued for another 90 minutes. The organizer's wife intervened or we may never have gone to bed that night! WE WERE LEARNING STUFF!

Talk about OVER DELIVERING; these marketer should hold a trophy for the Overdeliver Division of Internet Marketing Materials. I wonder who's in charge of that division?

If you have been to Webinars that were helpful or if you have seen Webinars that were less than stellar, you might like to sign up for the freebie that's being held tonight. Here are some details: It is "Creating Your Signature Product" and you are welcome to join the fun. It is my understanding we'll be shown how to become the next hard-hitting Info-preneur, easily dominating any red hot niche. We will be able to understand what makes a TOP QUALITY info product, how to achieve the elements required quickly and do it right!

This webinar will be key to helping you understand how to gather endorsements and testimonials for your product, how to strategically price your product, and how to get your product to your prospects! Pretty heady stuff for ANY webinar!

Another thing this Webinar will offer: how to make them an offer they cannot refuse! No, this is not being presented by the Godfather...the matter of relationships will be discussed and no, it is not a therapy session! There will be a number of other HOW-TO items offered and I'm thinking they must be serving coffee and cake, the way it's being promoted. But don't place too high expectations in that regard! Grin

If you want to be included in all this fun and information, just click here: WEBINAR

Connie Baum

PS/We'd love to have your feedback. Just post your comment, won't you please? Thanks a lot! In case you don't know how to comment, just click below this post, where it says "comments" and a box will pop up. Type your comment, choose how you'd like to be identified or if you'd prefer to be anonymous. Hit "publish" and voila! Done! We appreciate your time and your ideas.

How Many Internet Strategies ARE There?

When it comes to online marketing there is a PLETHORA of information, dis-information and mis-information. Now, please don't misunderstand me; I don't for a moment believe that internet marketers get out of bed thinking, "Today I am going to send something to all the people on my list and it is going to drive them nuts because I will withhold everything they need or want!" Nor do I think there is a vast conspiracy to sabotage the efforts of those of us who are beginning to build internet marketing empires.

I do think some promoters fancy we know things we have never heard of. I also believe they may forget how it was to begin any successful venture, not having certain technical skills or not understanding various aspects of internet marketing. The devil's in the details.

As I Twittered and handled my email messages this morning, I was delighted to find some resources others may find helpful. Here is one such item:
http://twitter.com/keries . This Aussie has good ideas about preparing reports. I found her post helpful; maybe you will, too.

Another thing that came to me: I subscribe to a newsletter called "Early To Rise" and the people who put that together must get up in the middle of the night to get out all the content that appears there on a regular basis. They MUST have people who work the night shift-people who are smart, creative, and successful. Their URL is as follows: http://www.earlytorise.com

It is patently obvious that there are many internet marketing strategies--I suppose as many strategies as programs. The secret to success, in my opinion, is to find the strategy or program that resonates with you. I have learned through experience that the most assistance that has come to me has arrived via a group I have learned to know and like, a group I have learned I can trust implicitly. You might want to have a look for yourself just to see another point of view. Perhaps you'll pick up a new or different strategy you can implement in your affairs. Here is where you can, in the privacy of your own home, peruse their offer and see what you think of it: CLICK HERE

If you decide to take a peek at this group, I would value your opinions. Are their ideas helpful? What do you like about the way they present themselves? What is it their program might help you with the most? Please let us know these things by placing your comment in the comment box. This will be greatly appreciated.

Connie Baum

Should Blogs Be Monetized?

I feel a little like the husband who came home too late. He fully expected to find an angry wife, poised at the door, holding a baseball bat...she might demand, "Where have you BEEN?"

Like that husband, I have an excuse: This blog has been severely neglected in the past few days because I have been diligently preparing a gift for those of you who declared, "Yes. I want goodies" and entered your info in the box at the upper right hand corner of this page. It's just lucky for me you've been so patient. It is in the works and should be available very SOON.

I've also been learning more about blogging; hence I've posed the question, "Should blogs be monetized?" I'm sure you have seen ads on this very page; they are on the pages of most of the blogs you have ever visited. There are banners, there are messages with text and there are links. AdSense Ads by Google are very popular and work with your niche and the material that is written on your blog.

There are gadgets, plug ins, themes and features to consider. Google's Blogger has one set of features; WordPress has another collection.

There are so many way to express your creativity, your products, your passions and your business with a blog. I am finding that some people still do not understand what a blog is, so I am happy to share with you that a blog is simply a WEB LOG. It's like a journal, of sorts. Blogs can be intensely personal; they can be political; they can be serious or comical. They can even instruct. SIDEBAR: Ahem, we hope this is one of those! END SIDEBAR

I was able to "eavesdrop" on a conversation not so long ago where there was a long discussion about "PLUG INS"-features to make a blog highly functional for both blogger and visitor. Here is a partial list I heard about:

1. Back Up for the data base. I can only imagine the devastation if one's blog suddenly vanished in cyberspace!
2. All-In-One SEO pack. This makes Search Engine Optimization easier for the Google spider. If nobody can find your blog, what good would it do anybody?
3. Google Analytics. A free program, this allows the blogger to better understand his traffic pattern.
4. Twitter applications. These are proliferating like newborn kittens! These are the social network connectors that assist people all over the web to enhance their messages and help them be connected to other people.
5. A statistics counter. I have a good pal whose visitor count has surpassed 11,000! She would not know this if it were not for her counter.
6. A spam detector to deter those cranky, evil messages designed to fill all of cyberspace with meaningless drivel, or worse. Everybody hates spam.

Blogging is a wonderful outlet for expressing oneself. It is a way of reaching out to others and there are so many other good things to be said for blogging. I do believe blogging has replaced the pot-belly stove at the general store and the water cooler in an office. With blogging there are no geographic barriers.

Blogging is certainly here to stay. And yes, by all means, you should monetize your blog.

Rapid Cash Marketing

Connie Baum