Have you heard the news? My marketing friend, Peter Lee, has just posted his first ever Blog Contest! A variety of prizes are up for grabs and it's very easy to participate.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Peter's Work At Home Ideas' Blog Contest runs from Aug. 31 through to the end of September.

Prizes to be awarded include a number of 125x125 ads posted in various sponsor blogs, 1000 EC credits (Entrecard) and eBooks.

Sponsors of Peter's first Blog Contest are:

* Peter Lee, Work At Home Ideas

* Yan, Blogging Tips For Beginners

* GT Bulmer, StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

* Nihar, Nihar's World

* Lily Boynton, Home Based Business Opportunities

Top Prize

The Top Prize in the contest is the new Home Study Course, "Quit Being a Wage Slave In 10 Easy Steps" by June Parker, valued at $47.

Qualifying for prizes is easy.

To influence your chances of winning, a few things you can do are read several recommended blogs each day, provide a few comments for each of them, write one or two blogs of your own highlighting Peter's blog, his website and your participation in the contest, and provide links from your blog back to Peter's blog and website.

Points will be awarded for each of the above contest requirements, so you are free to do only those things you choose to do to qualify.

The contest is running now, so visit Peter's blog and read the first rule under Contest Details to find out how to get started today.

Complete details and requirements are posted in Peter's Work At Home Ideas' Blog Contest blog post.

Sincerely,
GT Bulmer
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

I wrote a Guest Blog for marketing friend Peter Lee where I highlighted the various stages of Internet Home Business development. The first stage is the Honeymoon. Is YOUR home business honeymoon over yet?

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Peter Lee is one of those enterprising Internet Marketers who learns his lessons well, applies what he learns while helping other aspiring home business enthusiasts and is quickly moving on to a position of recognition and leadership in the industry.

In other words, Peter is setting an example of how to progressively move through the stages of Internet Home Business development.

Responding to a suggestion from Peter that I write a Guest Blog for his Work From Home Business Blog, I chose to highlight several of the most obvious stages of home business development, starting with what I consider to be the "Honeymoon" stage.

The Honeymoon stage is the initial, starry-eyed learning phase of Internet Marketing. In my guest post at Peter's site I relate this to the passion of newlyweds and explain the sad reality that the Internet Home Business honeymoon will eventually come to an end.

I then offer encouragement by showing how the honeymoon is just one of several necessary stages that can lead the serious and committed newbie marketer on to greater online success.

You can learn more about each of the steps in the post, Internet Home Business: What To Do When The Honeymoon Is Over.

Peter has some interesting projects in the works. Stay tuned to both my GT Bulmer Web Bizz Blog and Peter's Work From Home Business Blog for more details as they come available.

In the mean time, if you find that your Internet Home Business Honeymoon is coming to an end, do not worry. It just means that the next exciting stage of your relationship with Internet Marketing is about to begin!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Not just for Plug-In Profit Site (PIPS) members, the recently released PIPS Power Book is an absolute treasury of info, insight, case studies, free resources, recommendations and more for Internet Home Business enthusiasts of ALL kinds!

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

The NEW PIPS Power Book was originally created for members of the Plug-In Profit Site marketing plan, but the six mentors who put this amazing eBook together have filled it with so much valuable information and so many helpful resources that they are allowing PIPS members to give it away FREE to our customers and contacts.

The six contributing mentors from the PIPS Power Group are:

* Ken Troyer - Founder, PIPS Power Group

* Jeff Casmer

* Suzanne Morrison

* Jeff Schuman

* Mal Keenan

* Cynthia Minnaar

The PIPS Power Book is the ultimate success guide for Internet Marketing.

This 80-page eBook contains the Internet Marketing success story of each of the mentors, plus insight into the marketing tools and resources they value the most, their top recommendations for success - plus mistakes they made along the way and how to avoid them, their personal plans for marketing success and the daily activities they commit to for continued success online.

Also included are several pages of links to beneficial resources and tools for Internet Home Business success.

PIPS Power Group Mentor Highlights

* Read how Ken Troyer left the dairy farm, learned to work smarter, not harder, and found marketing success online.

* Find out how Jeff Casmer, single father of three, overcame obstacles to become a successful work-at-home dad.

* Hear the story of how software developer Suzanne Morrison achieved Internet Marketing success, allowing her to quit her day job.

* Be inspired by Jeff Schuman, who left a sales position where he was generating more than $3.5 million in sales a year in favour of building an online marketing business.

* Read about free-spirited Mal Keenan who resisted the 9-5 routine and started his online career back in the early days of the Internet, in 1998.

* Learn from Cynthia Minnaar who has built a successful home-based business on the foundation of a determined "never say quit" attitude.

Each of these online leaders has a story to tell, and it's all included in the new PIPS Power Book. This eBook will educate you, inspire you, illuminate the possibilities of Internet Marketing for you and generally add value to your marketing efforts, regardless of what products, programs or services you are presently promoting.

PIPS Power Book FREE

The PIPS Power Book is free. To get it, simply sign up for my StarrBizz.com Internet Home Business Tips newsletter.

After you sign up and then confirm your subscription, you will receive a welcome letter I send to all of my new subscribers. The link to get the PIPS Power Book will be in the welcome letter along with links to three other valuable eBooks.

Subscription forms are at the top of this blog page and on my StarrBizz.com home page.

I hope you enjoy the PIPS Power Book as much as I do and that you will refer to it regularly to help accelerate the success of YOUR Internet Home Business!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

One of the biggest challenges facing anybody who wants to promote Internet Home Business ideas, opportunities, products... or whatever, is setting up an autoresponder service and an email campaign. I have found the easy way to do it.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

And friends, I mean the EASY way!

I am a dedicated and enthusiastic Internet home business entrepreneur. I am focused on achievement and Internet Marketing success and I truly enjoy the process of developing my online business and seeing the results of my efforts.

But my knowledge and skills and especially my time are limited. I get frustrated, sometimes, with the challenges of the learning process and with the time it takes to apply new techniques and test the results.

Before I embarked on my home-based Internet business adventure, I knew that email marketing was going to play an important role. I knew how important it was to develop a list of qualified prospects and stay in contact with them regularly.

Unfortunately, I knew nothing about autoresponder services, setting up email campaigns, setting up any kind of a subscription program using, for example, newsletters, how to attract subscribers, how to follow up with them and how to efficiently market other products and services to them afterwards.

Fortunately, early in my online marketing research I found an experienced and successful home business leader who had put together an amazing 400-day email campaign centered around an informative Internet home business tips newsletter. The 400-day email campaign is free to members of this leader's marketing plan.

That's 400 unique, pre-written newsletters, each highlighting various aspects of building and maintaining a successful Internet Marketing business from your home.

Email Marketing The Easy Way

The idea is, you offer a free subscription to the newsletter; people sign up, or opt in to receive it; the sign-up system delivers a different newsletter directly to their email inbox every few days, automatically; and your list of targeted prospects grows.

Once your list begins to develop, you can then use the same autoresponder system to send group broadcasts to your subscribers, offering them recommended products and services and your best deals. That is email marketing the easy way!

If you are an experienced online marketer, a talented writer and have plenty of time to create your own newsletters and your own marketing systems, you may not need a marketing plan with an autoresponder system already set up with a 400-day email marketing campaign.

On the other hand, if you want to save yourself a whole lot of time and hassle, you might want to take a quick peek at my mentor's marketing plan. Much more is included in the plan than simply the autoresponder system.

* Plug-In Profit Site: 400-Day Email Marketing Campaign Included!

My friends, I speak from experience when I say that there is nothing like kick-starting your Internet Home Business career with a ready-made autoresponder system. That truly is email marketing the easy way!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Nobody ever said that achieving first-page results with the search engines would be easy. As it turns out, it's quite a marathon for most Internet Home Business hopefuls and entrepreneurs.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

If you are a dedicated Internet Marketer, one focus of your regular routine is to take steps to build your marketing website towards search engine success. First page exposure in the search results means a greater chance of getting more, natural traffic to your website, free.

Every Internet Home Business enthusiast has different skills and abilities. Some are "sprinters" who leap from the starting block to capitalize quickly on the latest trends. Others are marathon runners who maintain a steady pace that propels them steadily towards their goal.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not typically a fast process, so a true and steady pace lends itself well to the task.

Sprinters might apply some SEO technique that gets their site on the first page of search results for their chosen keywords fast, but unless they can back it up with steady SEO-focused efforts, their initial thrust will lose its momentum and their site will just as quickly slip away and once again fall behind the front runners.

To experience search engine success, you just need to be dedicated to the task, determined to learn effective SEO techniques and committed to applying them consistently.

Personally, I'm still learning - I'm still running the marathon. I pick up great insight from online marketing forums and from mentors who are coaching me. I search the Internet for answers to my SEO questions and for free tools and resources. And I make it a practice to do things every day that advance my SEO efforts and move my website ever-closer to that first page position in the search results.

In brief, here are a few elements of SEO that I am currently working on:

Keywords and Phrases

Your chosen keywords and phrases are used throughout the text on your web page and in the HTML header tags, meta tags and alt tags (for images) in your source code. Keywords and phrases must be relevant to the content of the page.

Backlinks, Anchor Text

Backlinks are important, especially quality backlinks. A backlink is when your website link is posted on another site on the Internet, pointing visitors back to your site.

Anchor text is when your web link appears as words (hypertext, hyperlink), preferably your chosen key words.

I build up my backlinks by posting comments on various online marketing forums, posting comments on the blogs of other marketers and by writing and submitting articles to online article directories. In each case, my posts, comments and articles also contain my signature with my website link and anchor text.

I also build backlinks - and create more exposure - by submitting my site to online business and marketing directories.

You can also build your backlinks by participating in any of the numerous social networking sites prevalent on the Net today.

Site Content Updates

The SEO experts recommend adding or changing the content on your website regularly. Search engines love fresh content and reward you accordingly.

I am working at this, but my progress is slow, as I am still learning HTML and my website seems to contain "frames" that I am finding very challenging to work with!

However, as I mentioned earlier, search engine success is most certainly a marathon ... and a marathon worth pursuing. I am focused on the goal and keeping a steady and true pace. I know there is a huge market for the Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities that I have to offer, so I intend to remain dedicated to the task!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Related Resources:

* Blog Post: Link Popularity - Free Checker

* Blog Post: Link Directories Can Help You Build PR, Increase Traffic

* Series of SEO Articles: Search Engine Articles

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Just some free web tools that are interesting and helpful for anyone looking to improve their Internet Home Business marketing activities.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Here is a neat little exercise I picked up from Suzanne Morrison, one of the mentors at the PIPS Power Group.

The idea is to check the number of backlinks you've built up for your main marketing website and compare it to the sites that show up on the first pages of Internet searches for your key search term.

Quality backlinks help you rate higher in search results. The closer you are to the top of the search results, the better chance you have of attracting more free traffic to your website. Comparing your backlinks to the top rated sites shows you how much more work you will have to put into building backlinks.

Here's what to do:

1) Check your backlinks at Marketleap.com - Link Popularity Check.

2) Type your keywords into Google Search with no quotes.

3) Note the URLs for the first and second sites on page one of the results and the first site on page two of the results.

4) Plug your site URL and the URLs for the three sites into the link popularity checker at Marketleap.com

5) Compare the backlinks of the top sites to your own backlinks. If the difference between yours and theirs is too great, you may need to optimize your site for different key words or long tail keywords.

This exercise can be beneficial to the further development of your website and online business. If nothing else, it is interesting and thought provoking.

Here is another free tool that is interesting to apply to your website. It is a Page Rank checker to check your Google page rank:

* Page Rank checker to check Google page rank

Some say the value of Page Rank is no longer as significant as it used to be. Still, it does tell you where your site is sitting today and allows you to check your progress as you work to improve your Internet Home Business marketing website.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

* Recommended reading: Blog post by Peter Lee, Get Authority Links For Your Internet Home Business

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Experienced online marketers know the secret to THIS source of unlimited inspiration: Internet Home Business newbies can tap into it too!

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

There is a source of unlimited ideas, information and insight that I turn to on a daily basis for inspiration. When I was an Internet Marketing newbie, I overlooked the power of this amazing resource. Once I wizened up, I immediately started using it to accelerate my home business success.

I wrote an article about this resource a while back and posted it on my StarrBizz.com website. I realize not everybody goes to my homepage, and of those who do, not everybody finds and clicks on the link to the article, so I will introduce it here, post a few paragraphs, then let you follow the link to read the rest of the article:

Forums: An Abundant Source of Ideas and Opportunities for Internet Home Business Success

Forums are an awesome information resource readily available to Internet Home Business newcomers, but the unfortunate thing is, many "newbies" often overlook the resource - and right when they need it the most!

Forums focused on home based business and Internet marketing offer a wealth of information, insight and inspiration.

Newcomers, overwhelmed by the mountain of information they have already encountered, may sometimes feel intimidated by marketing and home business forums, especially since they "don't know what they don't know" yet. But the reality is, they could save themselves a great deal of time, effort and money if they simply invested a little more time in the forums early in their quest for home business success.

Popular forums generally attract a good cross section of Internet Marketers, from the most experienced and successful, to the less experienced and struggling. Sometimes, just rubbing shoulders with the big guys is inspiration enough to point a newcomer in the right direction...

Read the rest here: Forums: An Abundant Source of Ideas and Opportunities for Internet Home Business Success

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

* Recommended Internet Marketing Forum: ConquerYourNiche.com - Get PAID to post and read!

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Everybody dreams of having the freedom to do what they love doing, whenever they want to do it. What could be better than that? I'll tell you what is better: getting PAID to do what you love doing!

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

My Internet Home Business is centered around two basic activities: 1) freelance writing and 2) promoting products, programs and services of interest to other active or aspiring Internet Marketers.

I have long been a home business enthusiast, since before the advent of the Internet. And I have long been an enthusiastic freelance writer.

However, it was quite a few years before I developed my writing skills to the point of being marketable - in other words, to the point where I felt they were "good enough" to ask people to actually PAY me to do it! That took courage.

It didn't happen overnight and I did a fair amount of "free" writing before I started getting paid to do it. It was well worth the effort and well worth the wait because now I do what I love and I have clients who pay me to do it.

I am equally passionate about building my Internet Marketing business. It isn't happening overnight - but it is happening. Bit-by-bit, day-by-day I am learning the necessary marketing skills from experienced marketers and mentors and making progress.

Earn While You Learn

Perhaps the greatest thing about the process is the fact that you can earn while you learn.

You may already know that I use the Plug-In Profit Site (PIPS) program as the foundation of my Internet Home Business marketing activities. This program provides me with a personal website - StarrBizz.com - and a sales page focused on the PIPS program. Also included are hosting services, an autoresponder system, complete email campaign, choice affiliate programs, training, support and more.

Starting from scratch - no Internet Marketing experience and no technical ability - the PIPS plan put me in the Internet Marketing business in about 24 hours and I started earning monthly income from my first month involved. Not massive income, but a start towards my goal.

So, again, I emphasize that even though success seldom happens overnight, you can still earn while you learn. And if marketing and working from home at your own pace is something that you really enjoy, nothing is better than doing what you enjoy and getting paid for it.

As a writer, my Internet Marketing joy goes another step beyond because I tie my writing interests into my marketing efforts for greater personal satisfaction.

However, you don't have to be a writer to market your Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities and enjoy financial success. A sincere interest in marketing and making money online while working from home is all you need.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

If you want to stand head and shoulders above other online marketers and purveyors of Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities, you need to position yourself as a Professional Problem Solver.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

There have always been various schools of thought on how best to market your products, programs and services to get people to buy.

Some recommend going for the soft sell: develop a relationship with your prospects, casually win their confidence and respect, and eventually they will buy something from you.

Some recommend the hard sell: don't beat around the bush - get right up in their face, rub in the reasons why they'd better buy it now and demand the order!

If you expect to achieve sales success with any kind of online marketing or Internet Home Business, you need to strike a balance between these two extremes.

You want to build your image as a marketer who values and respects prospective customers. But you also need to get the right message in front of your prospects as quickly as possible.

There are two aspects of the selling process that I think many Internet Marketers may fail to place proper importance on.

First, they are so focused on convincing the prospect why THEY think the prospect should buy their product, program or service that they neglect to look at the issue from the prospect's point of view.

Second, they are so focused on presenting all the "amazing" features and benefits, they forget to ask for the sale at the end. An effective salesperson lays it all out, then tells the prospect exactly what to do next, how to place the order.

In yesterday's blog post, I touched on the concept of "problem and solution marketing" - where you identify your target market, determine what types of problems they may be seeking solutions for, then offer them the best solution to fit their needs. In other words, you become a professional problem solver.

To do this, you need to properly understand your prospects and their needs, you need to know that your solution is the right solution for them, and you need to get this message across to them in words that are meaningful and relative to their interests.

And you need to TELL them to buy it NOW and tell them how. Create a sense of urgency, immediacy.

You don't want to leave them with an open ended suggestion, like "If you're ever in the market for (product, service), please keep me in mind," and hope they actually do remember you at some distant day in the future.

Rather, use words to remind them of the pain of their problem and how your product will solve it quickly and that they should click to buy it NOW while the product is still available, or still available at this low price.

Bottom line: show your prospective customers that you understand their needs, respect their interests and can provide effective solutions to their problems right now.

Position yourself as a professional problem solver and you will enjoy sales success with whatever Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities you promote as the basis of your online marketing efforts.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Everywhere you turn, headlines scream "Economic Downturn, Economy Failing, Times Are Bad, They're Getting Worse!" What's an Internet Home Business marketer to do? Well, first, don't give up. Second, learn to market smarter.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

This morning, I was thinking about the issue of the failing economy when I read an interesting article by Chris Crum, posted on SmallBusinessNewz.com titled Problem and Solution Marketing.

Chris highlights the concept of marketing a product by determining who your target market is, then focusing on their "pain points" in the selling process.

At one point in his article, Chris says, "You need to make (customers) understand that they have a problem, and you are the solution."

Later, he states: "The point is that customers need a reason to buy what you're selling. If you can make them understand why they need your product, you will have a better chance of making the sale."

I agree with Chris on this, and I think that smart marketers need to position themselves as professional problem solvers - especially during an economic downturn and in a failing economy.

Features and benefits are great, but you've got to remember that people have problems and they are looking for solutions. Chris says, "Be the solution part."

The economy may be suffering in your part of the world, but it's no reason to stop promoting your Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities. It's like they always say: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!" Don't fear the economy, find ways to market smarter.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Wow. Part 3. I've never written a three-part blog before! It would be impressive... if it was more than just personal ramblings. Oh well. Today, I'm going to share my experience using link directory submission software.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

I have been using Link Directory Submitter software for about 10 months. I use it to speed up the process of submitting my Internet Home Business websites to online business directories, which helps to reduce the frustration of dealing with the submission forms at those directories.

Of course, the reason I submit my sites to directories - especially my main StarrBizz.com site - is because first, getting your website listed in online directories is one way to get numerous links pointing back to your site, and second, directory listings are one more form of advertising.

I am sure that not everybody believes in the value of directory submissions, or that the process of submission is a good use of your time. Also, there are finer points to a linking strategy, like choosing high Page Rank (PR) sites and avoiding the low ones.

Today, I'll just relate some of my experiences and observations.

The Link Directory Submitter software I use lists more than 2,700 online business directories including everything from Animals to Health, Sports, Tourism and Wedding related, plus 18 other niches in between.

When you submit to a particular directory, the submission form requires you to select the best category to fit your website. My software is set up to automatically choose Internet Marketing, Work at Home, Opportunities or Affiliate Opportunities, depending what choices are available in the directory.

However, even with the software activated, the "category" field is one that, more often than not, requires you to make the selection manually.

Many of the sites also require you to manually key in some code letters to guard against automated submission systems that abuse the privilege.

And, once the form is filled in, you have to manually click the "submit" button.

Where the Link Directory Submitter software is advantageous is in the other fields that have to be filled in, including:

* Site Title
* Site URL
* Description
* Your Name
* Your Email
* Meta Keywords (some directories)
* Meta Description (some directories)

The software allows you to pre-set your campaigns with this information so you do not have to key it in manually on every submission form.

There are a few directory sites that block the automated software. In those cases, you can key the info in manually, if you want, or copy and paste from another form. Me? I'm usually in a hurry, so I just skip it and go on to the next one!

Some submission sites have additional hoops for you to jump through. Even after jumping through all the hoops, some sites may still deny your submission. Again, I just move on to the next one.

The submission process is just the first step. Most directories put your submission in queue to have your website previewed by a person before they decide whether or not to include it in the directory. There are no guarantees that your site will be accepted into a particular directory.

The preview process can take anywhere from hours to days to weeks to months - unless you have paid for a listing. Then it might be quicker. I submit only to the free directories.

Submitting to directories is part of my daily routine. Although I know marketers who submit to 50-100 directories every day, I spend a half hour or so each day submitting to 10-20.

Once I have gone through the entire list, I go back and start at the beginning again because, by then my website may have improved enough to be accepted into directories that might previously have rejected it.

Since I began submitting my StarrBizz.com website to online directories, I have noticed a steady increase in traffic and my PR has improved, too. It's true, I use a variety of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) methods, but I am convinced that directory submission has added to my success.

Directory submission software may not be the solution for every Internet Marketer, but for anybody who has Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities to promote, I do recommend looking into the Link Directory Submitter service.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

If you are building your Internet Home Business like I am, you definitely need a linking strategy to help improve your site popularity and Page Rank (PR). Submitting your website to directories is great for linking, but submitting manually is a real drag.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Smart Internet Marketers aim to get their websites on the first page of Internet search results. To achieve this, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is required. While linking your site to other websites is just one piece of the SEO puzzle, it is an important one.

As I mentioned yesterday, your goal is to get as many links as possible pointing back to your site, preferably with your keyword phrase in the anchor text of those links. There are a variety of ways to get other websites to link back to yours. Submitting your site to online business directories is one way.

When I was starting out in the business, I found out the hard way how tedious it can be to locate suitable directories, then manually enter all the required details into each of the numerous fields on the submission page. I knew how important directory submission was, but man, what a drag it was on my time and energy.

Then one of my Internet Home Business mentors introduced me to the benefits of Link Directory Submitter software and what a difference it made!

Link Directory Submitter provides you with a list of thousands of online directories and it streamlines the submission process significantly.

As with everything, there was a learning curve involved: I had to download the software to my computer, format the profiles for each of the websites I was planning to submit to the directories, then become familiar with the process of submitting using the software.

However, once I knew what I was doing, my productivity increased immensely and my former frustration with manual submissions subsided.

Now, to be completely honest, Link Directory Submitter is not a magical process capable of transcending time and effort. It does require some interaction with each directory, and there are some directories that will not accept the automated process. But most do, so it is well worth the effort.

After using Link Directory Submitter for about 10 months, I am sold on it. My mentor recommended it to me, and now that I am happy with the results, I am recommending it to you. Click on the link to read what the creators have to say about their product.

I do have more that I want to say about my experiences with online business directories and the process of submitting to them, with or without submission software, but I will have to leave that until tomorrow's post.

Until then, keep working on the website linking strategy for your online marketing and Internet Home Business activities!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Link popularity plays a big role in determining the Google Page Rank (PR) of your website. Improve your PR, and your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) positioning will improve, too. And that means more free traffic for your Internet Home Business!

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

The whole purpose of a website is to feature your Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities, attract traffic and generate sales.

It's that "attracting traffic" bit that many online marketers and home business enthusiasts find challenging.

At one time, the common belief was that if you built a better "mousetrap", the world would beat a path to your door. That idea still holds true to some degree, but the problem today is, there is an increasing number of entrepreneurs building mousetraps, so unless you have special skills or training, you are already running behind the pack.

Fortunately, with Internet Marketing, you don't need to have the best mousetrap to make money online. With a good marketing strategy, you can still make a very comfortable living.

Since link popularity helps to determine your PR, it makes sense to include online business directories as part of your linking strategy.

You want to get as many links as possible pointing back to your site, preferably with your keyword phrase in the anchor text of those links. Getting your website listed in numerous Internet business directories is one way that can serve the purpose well.

An online search will return literally millions of business directories covering every field and industry imaginable. Each directory has its own guidelines for website submission. There is no guarantee that a particular directory will accept your site for inclusion, so to improve your chances, make sure you read and follow the guidelines.

Some affiliate programs and online business opportunities might provide members with a list of related directories, or a link to a "directory of directories."

Three Ways To Submit To Link Directories

1) You can submit your site to directories manually, finding them, then keying in the required information, directory by directory.

2) You can use directory submission software to help automate the process and save time.

3) You can pay a directory submission service to do the work for you.

Personally, I've been using automated software and getting good results. I'll write more about that in tomorrow's blog post.

Helpful Resources

* Recommended directory submission software: Link Directory Submitter

* Find your Page Rank with this free lookup tool: SEOChat.com - PageRank Lookup

* Previous post highlighting marketer Peter Lee and his advanced linking strategies: Great Info For You And Me From Online Marketer, Peter Lee

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

I have never been a fan of films based on comic book characters. But the release of The Dark Knight made me realize some things about marketing and Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

I am not promoting The Dark Knight, the latest instalment in the "Batman" franchise. I haven't seen the movie and cannot comment on it.

In fact, when the movie came out recently, I groaned. Who needs yet another Batman movie? Haven't there been enough of them already?

Apparently not: The Dark Knight is setting box office records.

That got me thinking about marketing in general and Internet Home Business marketing in particular.

The Dark Knight is capitalizing on two very important, but very basic marketing concepts:

1) Give 'em what they want

2) You don't have to reinvent the wheel

The fan base for Batman movies and action flicks is obviously quite substantial. Fans have proven that they will eat up the Batman movies if they are written and directed well, employ popular actors and catch the attention of the mass media.

In other words, a significant segment of society is interested in Batman, so while that interest lasts, give the people what they want!

And the formula is simple: you don't have to reinvent the wheel - simply update the story line, the dialog and the visual graphics to appeal to contemporary society, and away you go!

I see Internet Marketing in the same light.

Significant numbers of people worldwide are interested in good, solid Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities. Recognizing this, smart Internet Marketers observe the trends and look for programs, products and services that will have appeal to the masses.

Of course, there are new marketing programs and services being introduced every day. Some make it. Some don't.

Internet Marketing newbies sometimes fall into the trap of thinking they have to come up with something new and exciting, but they don't have to. Until experienced, they can build their online business with tried and true products, programs and services.

If a newbie has a creative bent and is inspired, they can apply it to their advertising efforts: revise or update existing ads, websites, lead capture pages, etc., to be more contemporary, exciting or appealing. Present the old, proven programs with a new, relevant twist.

Biff! Bam! Pow!

The "Batman" franchise is an old, proven program that keeps getting rejuvenated with new, relevant twists.

I was never much of a comic book fan, but I do remember the old Batman television series featuring Adam West as Batman. That was my favourite TV show of the day. I liked the action and the music and thought it was cool how they splashed the screen with flash graphics saying words like Biff!, Bam! and Pow!

I probably won't watch the newest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, until it comes out on DVD.

But I will take inspiration from the success of the Batman franchise and see how I can apply the marketing concepts to my Internet Home Business efforts. You can, too.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Several months ago, I provided a list of Internet Home Business articles for my blog readers. This is an update of that list and a reminder to new and old readers alike that the library is still available and highly recommended for bookmarking.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

I consider my "virtual library" of Internet Home Business articles to be a GOLDMINE of marketing insight, information and tips. Links to the articles can be found on my StarrBizz.com homepage, but that page is in need of a major overhaul and those links can be hard to find.

Thus, this reminder and handy reference page of links to the articles: be sure to bookmark this blog post for handy reference. The best way to bookmark it is to click on the blog title, then bookmark the page it takes you to.

Here is my library of DOZENS of helpful Internet Home Business articles:

* Home Business Tips - Series of Articles

* Search Engine Secrets - Series of Articles

* Power Linking - Series of Articles

* Ezine Marketing - Series of Articles

* Business Building Tips - Series of Articles

* Setting Goals - Series of Articles

Articles by GT Bulmer:

* Forums For Profit

* Success Education

* Private Label Content

* Web Hosting - Key To Success

I am also a featured writer at EzineArticles.com and you are welcome to read the articles I have posted there, so far. Here is the link to my EzineArticles.com profile: GT Bulmer, Expert Writer, EzineArticles.com

There you go: you now have a virtual GOLDMINE of Internet Marketing information.

Keep all of these valuable Internet Home Business articles handy so you can quickly refer back to them any time you need to. Bookmark the link to this blog post now.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Have you ever tried to navigate through one of those huge corn mazes? My spouse and I did last summer. It was great! In many ways, developing your Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities can present the same challenges.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Corn mazes, often around nine feet tall and covering several acres of ground, can be a fun challenge for those so inclined - and for those with the patience to attempt such a challenge!

Although corn mazes are nothing new, especially in certain regions of the world, my spouse and I took the a-mazing challenge for the first time last summer and we plan to do it again, soon, this summer.

The corn maze we go to is at Prairie Gardens and Greenhouses, about an hour from our own community in northern Alberta, Canada. This maze is set up for all skill levels and you can choose to spend from 20 minutes to two hours navigating the maze.

The challenges of the corn maze are very similar to the challenges of Internet Marketing:

Blueprint

You need to have some kind of well-defined blueprint to help guide you through, to give you some direction and keep you moving towards the goal, in the case of a maze, the exit.

However, for someone new to the maze, a blueprint may not be enough. It may be too confusing at first. When you are lost in the corn, you can't see the whole picture; every turn looks the same and you don't know which way to go. Hey, I've BEEN there!

Instructions, Directions

It helps if the blueprint comes with some directions or operating instructions; something to point out the steps you need to take to get from Point A to Point B.

Still, a set of directions or instructions may not always be the answer. When you are new to the maze, you may not have the personal insight to be able to properly interpret the directions.

Interpreter Needed

For me, it's a good thing my spouse was there to interpret the corn maze directions. Hey! I'm a guy - you know, the explorer type. We don't read directions, we just charge forward! If my spouse wasn't with me, I'd STILL be there, lost in that corn maze.

But knowing and interpreting the directions isn't always the complete answer, either.

Drive, Enthusiasm

You need personal motivation to stay committed to the challenge and on the right path to success and achievement.

What is your motivation? What is your goal? In the corn maze, your goal is to successfully overcome the challenge of the course. Keep your eyes on the prize - don't give up!

Also, peer support is helpful. When others who can relate to your challenge are in the vicinity and cheering you on, their encouragement energizes you. The corn maze is much more exciting on busy days when more people are there sharing the experience.

Partners in Success

Although it is great to be running around the maze at the same time as others, it's even better when you can share the experience on a more personal level, not just with strangers casually passing by.

When you partner, or buddy-up, with someone of like mind and with similar goals, the journey is far more enjoyable. In the corn maze, a spouse, or partner or close friend makes the experience much more memorable and meaningful.

In my experience, the maze of Internet Marketing is so much like the challenge of the corn maze.

* I am using the Plug-In Profit Site (PIPS) program as my marketing blueprint.

* Fellow PIPS members provide me with instructions and directions based on their experience.

* Successful mentors provide insightful interpretations of the directions based on their personal success.

* Daily, I get encouragement and inspiration from other members in two PIPS-focused marketing support forums online.

* Within those support forums, I have a few like-minded members with whom I am travelling the same marketing path to personal development and marketing excellence. Without that kind of peer contact and peer support, I would not be enjoying the a-mazing journey as much as I am!

The path to success with the Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities that you are promoting might seem like a confusing maze to you at times. Maybe you just need to strengthen one of the steps to a-mazing personal success listed above? Go for it!

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

Okay, I confess: I'm not the best customer when it comes to buying retail consumer goods over the Internet. However, there is a new online store coming that I know is going to challenge the way I look at shopping on the Net.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

In the beginning, I was one of those holdouts who resisted the novelty and convenience of buying stuff online. First, there was the concern about security, then about the legitimacy and dependability of the seller, and finally, the lag time between ordering and receiving the product.

Besides, I've always been a loyal "support your local retailers" kind of person, and our little town usually has all the things I need to fill my simple needs.

However, the Internet is slowly winning me over and there are certain things I do shop for and purchase online regularly. I've learned to anticipate the need, watch for bargains and order ahead of time so I don't have to suddenly run out and buy something from a store, right this instant.

The Internet has successfully addressed my early concerns: legitimate shopping sites are secure, the sellers at these sites are dependable, and shipping times are reasonable. I have never had a bad experience with an online retailer.

Even so, there are an awful lot of products I still don't look for online.

Enter... news of a new online store that will definitely challenge my thinking!

The store is so new I don't have a link for it yet. It hasn't been launched officially yet - the sponsoring company is still putting the finishing touches on the store, the launch and the marketing campaign to introduce it.

But I do have some inside information on what the store has to offer and why it is so unique ... and so appealing to both online shoppers and Internet Marketers looking for something impressive to add to their line of Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities.

Consider these attractions and benefits:

* Tens of thousands of products in dozens of categories: everything from nutritional products to Internet services - goods, services, downloadable software and media and more - you name it

* Also includes closeouts, collectibles and hard-to-find items available nowhere else

* Money-saving "deals of the day" plus weekly and monthly specials and discount offers

* Sell YOUR stuff - for cash, or in exchange for other items. Use this new online store as your online garage sale to clean out your closets, attic and garage. You can list items easily.

* Shipping costs are internationally-friendly due to distribution outlets located strategically around the world

These are just some of the highlights. When the new online store is officially launched and active, many more features will be available to benefit shoppers and reward Internet Home Business marketers who want this incredible store linked to their website. I can't wait!

This new online store is being introduced by the online marketing company, SFI, believed to be the largest affiliate network in the world.

As an SFI affiliate, I can personally recommend the company, its products and its dependable service. I have earned steady monthly income with SFI since joining almost a year ago.

I am not a great consumer of online products, as I mentioned at the beginning, but SFI truly caught my attention when they announced that the new store was about to be launched. I am very excited about the potential.

Click on this SFI link to learn more about the company and the Internet Home Business marketing opportunity: SFI - Easy Info Centre - you may want to sign up as an affiliate so you can be first to know when the new online store is officially launched. SFI is free to join.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

There are many benefits to having your own Internet Home Business. But when you choose to Work at Home, there can also be a few problems! Guess what? There are a few problems I don't mind having!

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

Everybody tells you the benefits of Internet Marketing and working at home. A few marketers might also warn you about some of the challenges and drawbacks.

Benefits include: working when you want to work; being your own boss; choosing the kind of work you want to do, not what someone else says you have to do; taking breaks or time off when you want to; freedom to do your work any hour of the day or night; can be more available to family; no travelling or travel expenses; freedom to change or expand your business any way you want, any time you want; greater sense of personal achievement, fulfillment and job satisfaction...

Drawbacks might include: you are fully responsible for your actions and your results; income is not guaranteed; there is a learning curve to develop the Internet Marketing skills and habits necessary for lasting success; there is a trial and error process to learn what marketing techniques work best for you and your skill level; when you work at home, interruptions and distractions might slow you down; you have no boss cracking the whip, so you really have to be focused, organized and determined...

Work At Home Problems I Don't Mind Having

Distractions

Hah! So what? Distractions just add variety to the day, and I work my own hours, so I'll just catch up later. No problem. I set my own deadlines, so they are VERY flexible. If I have a serious deadline (like, projects for my corporate writing clients), I just buckle down and ignore or eliminate potential distractions for a day or two.

Distractions mean "freedom" to me. I have no boss threatening to fire me if I don't fulfill his or her daily expectations.

No Steady Paycheck

It's always nice to pay your bills ... and pay them on time. When you work at home - especially in the beginning - you may not always get the money you need when you need it. It's good to have a backup plan, like savings to tide you over, or a part time job, if necessary.

Eventually, when you quit working outside of the home entirely, the need to create income from your Internet Home Business will motivate you and keep you focused and active. Also, it is liberating to know that you are, or are becoming, self-dependent and independent. Again, the sense of freedom and self-direction is priceless.

Late Lunches, Later Bedtimes!

I don't know about you, but I totally enjoy and totally immerse myself in my work at home business activities. So much so that I lose track of time or, rather, choose to ignore the spinning hands of the clock (yes, I have a ticking analog on the wall.) Some days, the hands just seem to whir around like the blades of an airplane propeller.

Most days, it's late afternoon before I break for lunch, and late, late at night before I drag myself away to bed. I love it! Again, that just says "freedom" to me.

Ridicule and Scepticism

Internet Home Business and work at home plans attract a certain type of individual - and the rest of the world just doesn't seem to get it! When you talk of such things to "regular" people, many question it, cast doubt, criticize and generally ridicule the possibility of personal development and achievement through a home business. Perhaps they are worried you will succeed?

People say they mean well, but compare Internet Marketing to learning to play a piano. The first time you pound the keys without any prior instruction might not sound so good. Your well-meaning friends might tell you to give it up; you'll never play the instrument well, so why bother?

However, if you take piano lessons and practice regularly, you can become a good player, maybe even a great player. You might even be able to make some money at it, if that's what you want.

If you want to experience personal success, you've got to take the necessary steps to achieve it. Where would the world be without innovators, explorers, creative thinkers and risk-takers? If you see your reflection in any of these titles, there is definitely a place for you in the online culture of Internet Marketing.

Taxes

People complain about paying taxes, and I'm not always that cheerful about it, either. But think about it: the taxes you pay are just a percentage of your total income, so the more taxes you have to pay, the more money it means you are earning! That's a good thing, isn't it?

Taxes might be a problem to some people, but that's a problem I'm willing to put up with.

Alright, that's more than enough rambling for one day!

My point is, when you are building an Internet Home Business or doing any kind of work at home activity, there are benefits and there are problems. In my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the problems. The bottom line is it is better to invest in yourself, even if it is part time to start, than it is to count on an outside employer for your financial future.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

* Learn to build a foundation of personal success in all areas of your life. Read my article, Success Education, Paving the Road to Prosperity and Freedom

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!

In many ways, building an Internet Home Business is a lot like building a house: you need a foundation, a frame, a roof, exterior cladding, interior finish and, of course, the creature comforts of a pleasant lifestyle.

© GT Bulmer
http://www.StarrBizz.com

I'm sure this analogy has been used many times before and probably with greater depth and eloquence than I'm going to offer, but that's okay. I think you will still get the drift of my meaning. If nothing else, my intentions are good.

It seems to me that some people jump into Internet Marketing without proper planning and preparation and the problem could simply be that nobody explained the process to them in a way that made enough sense.

Internet Marketing is just like any other type of business: for success, you must take it seriously and build it accordingly.

The building process involves a few basic steps and components.

Foundation

Before you can begin building an enduring Internet Home Business, you need a firm foundation, or knowledge base of information and insight. You build your knowledge base by accessing and studying marketing-related information resources, readily available online.

Subscribe to Internet Marketing newsletters, pick up related eBooks, hang out in online business and marketing forums and spend time touring various marketing websites to see what others are doing and how they have their online businesses set up.

Frame

The frame of your Internet Home Business is the marketing plan you develop for it. Once you have your foundation of knowledge, you need to decide what products, programs and services you want to sell and what marketing systems you will put in place to promote them.

This will be the framework on which your business success will be based, and just like the frame of a house, the frame of your Internet Home Business must be clearly defined and assembled with precision.

Roof

You need to protect the investment of time, effort and money you are putting into your online business, and that is the function of the roof. A clearly defined operating budget combined with realistic sales targets and income goals will serve to cover the foundation and frame you have worked hard to build.

Exterior Cladding

You want to dress up the frame of your business with an exterior finish that is attractive to your targeted and prospective customers. This will be the advertising, marketing and promotion that you do.

Present your Internet Home Business in the most professional and appealing way that you can. Do this via your website, advertising across the Internet, branding your image in online business forums and social networking sites and by creating a positive presence in any other way you can on the Net.

Interior Finish

You will be "entertaining guests" from time to time by inviting them "into your world." This means some form of personal communication where you will reveal to them the "inner you" - your personality, attitudes and characteristics as a businessperson, service provider and problem solver.

Give your prospective customers a favorable impression of yourself and your Internet Home Business ideas and opportunities by being positive and enthusiastic. Keep your "interior" fresh by quickly filling in any cracks in your countenance and painting them over with bright, cheery colors.

Contents and Comforts

Just as your home needs comfortable furnishings as evidence of your lifestyle, the Internet Home Business you have built needs to show some evidence of productivity.

You are in business to make money - that is the bottom line to any business - so the profits you earn and the rewards you buy yourself with those profits become the pleasant "contents" of the business structure you have built for yourself.

Whether you are building a house or a profitable Internet Home Business you need to start with a foundation, a frame and a roof, then you need to finish the exterior and interior and finally, reward yourself with some fine furnishings. Planning, preparation and application of the proper steps will be the keys to success and happiness in your building project.

Sincerely,
GT
www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business Ideas and Opportunities

* Learn to build a foundation of personal success in all areas of your life. Read my article, Success Education, Paving the Road to Prosperity and Freedom

Resource Links:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find GT's best Internet Home Business ideas and
opportunities and Work at Home resources visit:

* http://www.StarrBizz.com - Internet Home Business
* Reverse Funnel System - Fully Automated!
* StarrBizz.com recommends 3FreeEbooks
* StarrBizz.com recommends Plug-In Profit Site
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommended: My Affiliate Power Site: Multiple Streams of Residual Income!