If you’re really agile, you could make money off the hottest trends as they come and go – the key is being extremely fast, and be able to switch gears to follow the next big thing. This is where it helps to have a collection of websites and a full-time writer to be able to branch into various niches year round.

But let’s not diminish March Madness – if you’re curios, here’s the official Niche Free March Madness tournament bracket. I’m banking on the Big 12 having a pretty strong year… we shall see!

Making money with a niche website or blog just got a lot easier thanks to Pepperjam Store Builder. With access to millions of unique products from a variety of merchants (and the ability to streamline those products as you choose), Pepperjam Store Builder provides you with the tools you need to have a niche website or blog storefront up and running in under an hour – which means you can be making money this afternoon.

Pepperjam Store Builder works well with any existing site or blog. (If you do not have an existing site, you can easily have one up in a short time if you purchase ready-made content.) Simply create a storefront by checking off whatever combination of keywords, merchants and categories you like – it is really that easy and user-friendly. There is even a live demo that runs while you are working on your storefront in order to help you! You create your storefront, copy the code they provide onto your site or blog, and you are ready to go.

To show how simple this is, look at a few examples. Say you want to create a niche site and cash in on a targeted market. With Pepperjam Store Builder, simply choose a merchant and use filter terms (like “bar stools” or “tactical clothing”) and make your store as focused as you like. Having a niche site with a narrow focus can bring in great sales because people doing searches and finding your site are looking for specific categories of items – and you can provide them.

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Another example is a pet niche site. You could have a niche site or blog with hamsters as the theme. Choose the appropriate merchants and select filter terms for items that hamster owners would use – like cages, exercise balls, and wire exercise wheels – and you can quickly have a site that is turning a profit. You can have content that provides information hamster owners seek and they can find everything they need for their little pet at your site – and that puts money in your pocket.

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Pepperjam Store Builder is the easy way to create a profitable store in a short amount of time. You can create one store for a specific niche or create different stores for a multitude of niches – all of them making money for you. With the ease and simplicity of Pepperjam Store Builder – plus the hundreds of merchants and millions of products available – you cannot go wrong. Get started now!

Have you built one of these stores? Do you see the potential? Leave a comment and let us know!

Word of Mouth Marketing
The second most common way that people find new websites is word of mouth.  Search engines are the number one way.  Word of mouth can be generated from message board postings by virtual strangers or by e-mailing friends.  Effective word of mouth is known as “viral marketing” and is one of the biggest success stories on the Internet.

Viral marketing works in much the same way urban legends and funny jokes on the Internet work as they are forwarded all around the world.  Viral marketing takes advantage of the socialization needs of society.  No matter how small the social network starts out as, effective viral marketing can turn a small unknown company into one that is known everywhere in the online world.  Some of the biggest companies on the Internet rely on viral marketing to stay successful.  You can set up an effective e-mail marketing strategy without a big budget or a lot of technology.  All you need to do is set up an e-mail signature that has a marketing message within it.  This marketing message will be attached to any e-mail that your company sends.  Signatures are easily set up through Outlook and other e-mail programs.

You can take the concept of e-mail messages one step further by attaching your marketing message to all mail that is outgoing.  This is done through a simple process known as “mail rerouting”.  When you use this process you can track the results as well as know for sure that every outgoing message will look and feel the same no matter whether you or your employees send the mail.

Something for Free
Everyone wants to get something that is free.  When you offer something that is free the word will spread very quickly.  And free offers will bring traffic to your website.  However, most small online businesses can’t afford to give away much for free.  What you can do is become creative and offer a free product for the first 20 people who buy another product from your website.  This can be as simple as movie tickets.

Message Boards and Chatrooms
Message boards and chatrooms are great places for word of mouth and viral marketing to flourish.  This is particularly true for those people who are 25 years of age and younger.  In chatrooms people share ideas and concepts and this can lead to some great leads for your business.
E-mail makes it easy for people to share ideas and concepts with others anywhere in the world.  If you can attach your marketing message to these infectious e-mails you’ll be able to create a buzz and stir about your product or service.  When potential customers recognize your logo or company name you’re on your way to gaining trust, credibility, and the close of a sale.

Domain Names
One last thing to remember when you’re trying to spread information about your company is the effectiveness of a memorable domain name.  You want to pick a domain name that is easy to remember, easy to spell, and that relates to what you’re selling.  When people easily find your website you’ll want to make sure that your home page content is dynamic so they keep returning.

Come back for part 5 of the 10 part series on target traffic generation.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you sign up for the niche free newsletter!

If you decide that you want to purchase banner ads you should focus on buying them on web pages that are very targeted.  Ads are cheaper the more targeted a web page is.  And the cheaper the ad the more cost effective your banner ads will be.  Another way that you can target the placement of your banner ads is to embed them in web page content.  Before you purchase a banner ad find out what content the website administrators will be including on their web page that may be related to your online business.  If the website uses a keyword search tool ask that your banner ads appear when key words that are linked to your product or service are typed into the search engine by visitors to the website.

Try to place your banner ads on a web page that is as deep into the website as possible.  This way you’ll be reaching people who are truly looking for information that relates to your business.  This is a great strategy to use if you want to get the most value for your online budget.  Again, if your budget for marketing is quite high, you’ll want to buy banner ads on the home pages of websites so that your brand reaches a lot of people.

Establish Credibility
One of the main problems with internet marketing is establishing credibility with your customers.  Since there are so many Internet scams out there people are wary of whom they do business with and even more cautious of companies they are unfamiliar with.  As a small business you need to gain credibility on the Internet by making your logo and company name a familiar item to Internet users.  One way that you can achieve this credibility is by setting up a shopping cart on Yahoo!  You’ll not only have access to the technology of shopping carts you’ll also find yourself affiliated with a familiar and successful online company.  This gives customers the confidence needed to do business with you.  When a customer buys something from your online Yahoo! Store they become more familiar with the name of your company and will be more likely to buy from you directly at your website the next time around.

Get your Content to Other Websites
Another way that you can build credibility online is to swap content.  If you can position an article that includes a link to your website on another website that is at the top of the field of your industry you increase your chances of credibility.  This then increases your sales potential.  But just how do you get web editors to take any notice of your company?  The bottom line is that more companies are willing to trade a free mention on your website for a good article.  This way the content provider gets targeted and free advertising for their product or service, and the company that is posting the article (and the link) can feature content that is informative and valuable.

This is a form of “article marketing”, which will be discussed in more detail later.  When a potential customer reads your article you establish yourself as an expert in your field.  When the customer links over to your website you have a very good lead that can generate sales.

People who use the Internet want results that are immediate.  They know exactly what they are looking for so your advertising message needs to be appropriate, concise, and to the point.  You need to think about what kind of people will be accessing the website where you plan to post your article.

Come back for part 4 of the 10 part series on target traffic generation.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you sign up for the niche free newsletter!

Doing something innovative and creative online, as well as using the latest technology, will always getattention.  For example, adding animation, flash, or a photo can create a buzz about the product or service that you’re selling.  Just as e-mail, which contains jokes and strange pictures, gets forwarded all around the planet so too can your marketing message make the rounds.  Come up with a marketing message and then forward it to family, friends, and anyone else you know.

Any time that you can get someone else to forward your e-mail to others you get the information out there about your website and the product or service you’re selling.  One key to great internet marketing is remembering that quality, not quantity, counts.  Avoid buying e-mail lists and focus instead on building your own with people who are actually interested in what you’re selling.  Today internet marketing isn’t about how many people you get to your website or how many people are on your e-mail list.  Today internet marketing is all about how people react to your website and what it is that you’re selling.

Personalizing Your Website

Even if you’re not selling a product or service that is for a specific target audience you need to have a website that is personalized.  For example, even though Amazon sells products that appeal to all target audiences they have still managed to create a personalized website that fits every customer.  This is the goal of personalization technology.

Try to limit the number of products or services that you’re offering to your customers.  “Information overload” is one of the biggest problems on the Internet.  If you give your customers too many choices they’ll have a hard time making a decision.  The key to avoiding information overload is organization as well as making sure that products and services are directed towards your customers.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that internet marketing stop when you generate a sale. Your current customers are the ideal way for you to reach new customers.  You want to get leads from your customers by using marketing concepts such as “tell a friend” e-mails.

One mistake that many small online businesses make is to focus only on self-promotion.  The bottom line is that customers don’t care about you.  They only care about what it is that you’re selling and what you can do for them.  When someone visits your website you have about ten seconds to get their attention before they move on to the next website.  That means that you have ten seconds to tell this person why it is that they need you.  The home page of your website should tell people why your service or product is just right for them.  Your home page should include information about your company and/or have a personal bio about who you are.

If you’re not sure about whether your website is reaching the right people, ask them.  If you provide something of value to people who visit your website they’ll give you information.  Things of value include contests, coupons, and free products.  Make sure that you let them know they can trust you by including a privacy policy on your website that states you won’t share any personal information they provide with anyone else.  Stick to your policy and never sell the information your customers provide you with.  Otherwise you’ll lose and abuse their trust.

Once you know the demographics of your customers you’ll know how to spend your marketing budget.  You can focus your online promotions using targeted marketing strategy.  Even though you may end up with fewer people visiting your website, targeted internet marketing is the way to go.

Come back for part 3 of the 10 part series on target traffic generation.

Ebay Partner Network

My Ebay earnings dropped from $300 a month to a low of $195.18 last month. I think a lot of this is due to the lack of spending on luxury items.

Pepperjam Network

My PPC campaign went fairly decent. I spent a total of $50 and made $110for a profit of $60. I was playing it safe. This was with only 1 campaign on 1 search network (MSN). I pretty happy that I ended up in the positive for both programs.

Here is the break down;

Ebay Partner Network: $195.18

Pepperjam Network (PPC): $110.00

Adsense: $12.14

Gross Income: $

Costs: -$50

Net Profit: $267.32

Not bad! That’s with all sites on auto pilot, with little to no SEO. I’m still working to improve each of the 4 BANS and PHPBAY sites I’m currently running.

Let’s hope that next month is much better!

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you sign up for the niche free newsletter!

General Marketing Methods

One of the best ways to get leads on the Internet is by getting a product mention or a free link on another website.  Effective internet marketing is all about putting your product or service in front of potential customers at the exact time that they are looking for it.  This technique is known as “pinpoint marketing”.
Pinpoint marketing is much different than advertising on radio or television, which are known as “interruptive marketing” techniques.  Interruptive marketing costs a lot more than pinpoint marketing and is less effective for the simple reason that you’re attempting to put your product out there in front of everybody instead of pinpointing those potential customers who want to find out more about you and your business.

Pinpoint Marketing: Pinpoint marketing is the process of sending the right message at the right time so that it produces actual results.  For example, if you’re at a ball game and are eating a bag of popcorn. Just when you take a handful of popcorn the Coca-Cola logo appears on the big screen.  The next you thing you know you’re looking for the first vendor who can sell you a can of Coke.  However, if an advertisement for a new car appears on the big screen while you’re watching the game and eating popcorn, you’re less likely to be interested since it’s not something you’re looking for at that moment.  Interruptive marketing isn’t really targeted because it’s not something that you are actively looking for.  People who use the Internet are usually looking for a solution to a problem.  When you put your product in front of them at the right time you’ve reached a potential customer.

Day-part Marketing: The placement and timing of ads on the Internet has become so important to internet marketing that some companies, such as Yahoo!, are selling advertisements in “day-part”.  Day-part is something that has always been done in television advertising.  Day-part marketing works like this – specifying at which time of the day certain ads are viewed so that you can effectively target your customers.

Embedded Marketing Messages: These days, more people than ever are using the Internet to research a product before they buy.  As well, most Internet users are becoming more serious about the amount of time that they spend online.  Studies show that users are spending less time on the web and that the time they do spend surfing is focused and deliberate.  Many users bookmark their favorite websites so that they can access information fast and easily.  When people want a solution to a certain problem, such as a health issue or taking a vacation, they often look online for the answers.  This is why it’s important for you to put your product or service right in front of them whenever you can.

Come back for part 2 of the 10 part series on target traffic generation.

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• What age group are you trying to sell to?
• Are you selling to a specific ethnic group or gender?
• Will most of your customers be married or single?
• How fast will most Internet connections be?
• Will you target customers who have children?
• What level of education will most of your customers have?
• Where will most of your customers live?
• Will your customers have any specific hobbies?

The more you know about your customers the easier it will be to come up with a marketing plan.  You’ll also be able to design a website that is the most appealing to these customers.  The biggest advantage of marketing on the Internet is that it allows you to become very targeted towards your desired customers.
Targeting Different Types of Customers

Marketing online is the same as marketing anywhere else.  There are certain products, colors, themes, and lingo that will appeal more to some customers than to others. When you know what type of customers you’re targeting you can meet their needs so that you grab their attention.  When you use certain features that pull customers to your website you have the ability to gain their attention, loyalty, and trust.  For example, studies show that most female shoppers like to save money and time.  Over 80% of purchases in the home are influenced in some way by women.  As well, these same studies show that women like to able to compare costs fast and easily without getting any kind of sales pressure.  If you’re trying to target women customers some things that you should keep in mind include (1) giving them a feeling of comfort and community, (2) let your website deal with everyday problems, and (3) focus on education, health, and family.
What People Are Buying

The most common (and best) advice I’ve ever heard given for ANYONE wanting to sell online is this: Sell what people are buying.

One of the most unbeaten ways that you can find out what customers want to buy, and find out more information about, is to do market studies.  When you watch and listen to what it is that customers are interested in, you raise your chances of getting their attention and giving them the information that they are searching for.

Take some time to carefully check the products and the services that you’re offering on your website or through your website.  You should be asking yourself include (1) what are the rewards and disadvantages to your business of selling or advertising online, (2) will you take payment online, (3) what details will you have to consider about shipping your product to customers, and (4) are you willing to constantly update and keep up your website.

When you have an obvious business idea in mind, and know exactly what it is that you’re selling, you’ll want to find out what other businesses out there offer the same product or service.  You might want to talk to potential customers to see how they react to your product.

Find other websites that are related to your business and take some time checking them out.  Look at how they endorse and market similar products or services as well as how each website is laid out and navigated. If a similar website uses a shopping cart for online purchases check it out.  See how smoothly the process works and what can be done to perk up the process.  Don’t just look at e-commerce sites that are within your own country since customers won’t limit their shopping to those countries where they live.  Look at the way other countries handle e-commerce websites so that you have a broad spectrum of websites to compare yours with.

Here are some things that you should be asking yourself when you’re doing market research for your online business:

• Who are your probable customers?
• What other businesses sell the same products or services?
• Who is going to be your objective market and how are you going to reach them?
• How much will it cost you to market, manufacture, and deliver your product or service?
• Who is your competition?
• How much can you fairly charge for your product or service?

What Are Customers Buying: There are many ways that you can find out what customers are buying both from online businesses and from brick and mortar businesses.  Once you find out what customers are buying you can concentrate your website content and articles on what your mainstream customers are looking for.  Some of the ways that you can find out what people are buying include:

• Check out the malls.  Go to a shopping mall and sit for awhile.  Make note of the shopping behaviours of those people who are around you.

• Establish what stores have all the action.  Watch to see which stores have the most consumer traffic.  Take a look inside to see what is being sold, how it is being sold, how much it is selling for, and how the product is being marketed.

• Take a look at advertising and marketing.  Although you may not be selling the same items as those stores in the mall you should still a look at what makes these stores stand out among the rest.  How are the products grouped together in the store?  How is the product being advertised.

• Get on mailing lists and see what kind of offers you get consistently.

• Search for related keywords and see what pay per click ads are running consistently (week after week, month after month).

What you find out from brick and mortar stores can be applied to your online business.  Learn what works when it comes to advertising online.  Find out what is visually appealing for consumers that makes them want to buy that particular product.

Got questions? Drop me a comment!

I’m showing you this to let you know that it is possible to earn a little extra money every month with a BANS or phpbay store.

August EPN Income

Three hundred dollars may not seem like much but, to a newbie like me, it shows that there is hope for a increase in knowledge and income.

Remember, the only thing I have done is establish a website or blog around a specific niche, add very little content, and make sure I use the niche keywords in the header and title of my blog/website. I still have lots of work to do with my websites as far as SEO and gaining backlinks.  If you want to see an example of one of my sites then you can check out www.eghilliesuits.com (still needs a lot of work). This site is bringing about $70 a month just sitting on the web.

I’ll be sharing exactly what I do to earn form EPN and affiliate income as I learn on the go. Be sure to check back soon for more tips.

The term ‘niche marketing’ means selling a specific product to a specific type of buyer. There are far less competitive niches than an Internet marketing niche.  Most niche markets are more open to the latest marketing strategies, as well. Small niche markets are not over stocked with gurus and wise men and are much easier for the beginning marketer to break into. A niche market allows you to promote your own niche product or that of a niche affiliate product. There is a niche market for anything and everything you can imagine. All it takes to break into a niche market is a good idea, a good product created by you or someone else that will appeal to certain people, some advertising and the desire to succeed.

The Internet marketing niche, on the other hand, means that you will be promoting your own Internet marketing product. This is a very crowded field of endeavor and really difficult to break into. It’s a world filled with gurus and wise men who have been playing and winning the game for a long time. This doesn’t mean that it is impossible to cash in on the Internet marketing niche because, of course, you can. It is a world still built on demand and that means that if you have a product that can compete and if you have the willingness to play hard ball with the big boys then you can succeed at the Internet marketing niche game.  Just be aware that there are easier niche market nuts to crack.