The bottom line is that you absolutely have to market and advertise to have success in the online world. If I were to break it down, I would say that seventy to eighty percent of your time should be focused on these activities. The age old question is which is better, paid or free advertising?
Here is my take having used both forms of advertising successfully. There really is no such thing as free advertising. Time is money and you are either going to spend the money upfront or spend the time to make it happen. The real question is how much is your time worth?
Now that you are clear that either way there is a cost involved you must decide how to proceed. Determining how much you time is worth or how much time you have to dedicate to your marketing efforts is the first place to start. Then you must determine your personal ability to carry out certain tasks as well.
There are some pros and cons to each from each type of advertising but I think the concept that you must keep in mind is effectiveness. If something is free and it doesn't work very well then that is of no benefit to you. Compare that to a paid ad that works and I'll take the paid ad every time.
First, let's look at free methods of advertising and how you can benefit there. This method gives you a level of "in the trenches" experience that will go a long way if you decide to use paid methods in the future. The hands on aspect of it gives you an understanding of the marketplace and how it responds to certain messages which is invaluable.
When it comes to automated (paid) advertising I recommend starting small and gradually building up to larger marketing campaigns. This allows you to test the waters and improve your conversion ratios as you go. This will also allow you to accomplish other things in your business while your advertising consistently runs in the background.
Now regardless which way you decide to go I recommend you set up tracking systems so you can test your results. Not knowing what's working and why it's working is one of the worst positions you can be in as a marketer. When you understand the source of your results you can make wiser decisions with both your time and money.
When all is said and done I suggest doing some research to find out which method is right for you. Trying out more than one method is fine but be careful not to become a jack of all trades and master of none. Try to become proficient and achieve results with one form of advertising before jumping to the next. Ultimately, this strategy will prove most beneficial to your long term success. - 15485
Here is my take having used both forms of advertising successfully. There really is no such thing as free advertising. Time is money and you are either going to spend the money upfront or spend the time to make it happen. The real question is how much is your time worth?
Now that you are clear that either way there is a cost involved you must decide how to proceed. Determining how much you time is worth or how much time you have to dedicate to your marketing efforts is the first place to start. Then you must determine your personal ability to carry out certain tasks as well.
There are some pros and cons to each from each type of advertising but I think the concept that you must keep in mind is effectiveness. If something is free and it doesn't work very well then that is of no benefit to you. Compare that to a paid ad that works and I'll take the paid ad every time.
First, let's look at free methods of advertising and how you can benefit there. This method gives you a level of "in the trenches" experience that will go a long way if you decide to use paid methods in the future. The hands on aspect of it gives you an understanding of the marketplace and how it responds to certain messages which is invaluable.
When it comes to automated (paid) advertising I recommend starting small and gradually building up to larger marketing campaigns. This allows you to test the waters and improve your conversion ratios as you go. This will also allow you to accomplish other things in your business while your advertising consistently runs in the background.
Now regardless which way you decide to go I recommend you set up tracking systems so you can test your results. Not knowing what's working and why it's working is one of the worst positions you can be in as a marketer. When you understand the source of your results you can make wiser decisions with both your time and money.
When all is said and done I suggest doing some research to find out which method is right for you. Trying out more than one method is fine but be careful not to become a jack of all trades and master of none. Try to become proficient and achieve results with one form of advertising before jumping to the next. Ultimately, this strategy will prove most beneficial to your long term success. - 15485
About the Author:
Don't Make Another Step In Your Business Until You Get Kylon Trower's FREE "Home Biz Survival" Video Series That Gives You All The Essential Tools To Survive In Internet Network Marketing In 2009 And Beyond! Get Them Right Here Now Before You Forget!
