New York State Online Sales Tax Law
May 30, 2008
New York state is implementing a new law that would require online retailers with affiliates located in New York state to collect sales tax from New York residents.
We are aware of this issue and are monitoring the situation closely. If the law goes into effect June 1, 2008, as it is scheduled, we will begin collecting sales tax on all sales made to residents of the state of New York.
How is it going?
May 29, 2008
There is a time for reading and there is a time for acting. How many of you have a website? How many have chosen a Clickbank item and started promoting it?
The hardest part for a new internet marketer is to find out how to start. You will read alot of reports and instructional ebooks. Some of the information you may understand and some you won’t. But there comes a time for you to put into practice what you have studied.
Buying Premium Domain Names
May 27, 2008
When the time comes to set up your own internet business one of your first thoughts should be to buy a domain name to establish a web site for your new business. You may spend a lot of time dreaming up possible names and testing their availability but there is another option you should consider — buying an existing domain name.
Obviously you do not want to buy an existing web site for your new business as you wish to create a web site that accurately reflects your business vision, but there are a number of advantages to buying an existing domain name and if you do not yet have your heart set on a new domain name you will likely find an existing domain name available for a price.
One of the primary advantages of an existing domain name is that it may already have traffic flowing toward it. Obviously the amount of traffic will vary greatly depending on what the current owner has done for promotion but any traffic is more than the zero visitors a fresh name will deliver.
Another advantage is from search engine optimization. Many domainers will have at least put in a small amount of time optimizing their domain name portfolio for search engines. Others put in a great deal of time and effort targeting key words and making sure the domain name is listed. It takes time for various domain names to work their way into search engine listings and if someone has already done that work for you then you are ready to capitalize on their groundwork as soon as you take over the name.
A third advantage is that the wild frontier of short, targeted, key word domain names is over. It is not impossible but very difficult to find an unregistered domain name in a short, catchy phrase and even more so if you have a specific key word in mind. However, many of the domainers who registered these domain names did so as an investment rather than a long-term project of their own and so are willing to sell. The only way to acquire many of these great domain names is by purchasing an existing domain name. You will not be able to find one to register fresh.
One thing to be aware of is the possibility that the domain you are thinking of purchasing has been abused by its previous owner. It could be banned by adsense or other PTC companies. It may even be banned by Google and not listed. Be sure to research any domain you plan to purchase. Do a domain name search on the major search engines and see what you find. See if there are any similar sites that rank for your paticular keywords, that’s your competition. Make sure your domain name stands out and is different from similar sites.
Choosing the right domain name for your internet business enterprise can be an exciting and challenging time but if you take the time to learn more about the available domain names you can buy then you just might find the bargain of a lifetime and start off your business with a bang.
Refining your writing process is key to your success
May 26, 2008
Many struggling writers are convinced there is a secret to the success of more confident writers. There is in fact a secret but it is one that you too can embrace to improve your writing. The simple truth is that refining your own personal writing process to your unique strengths and weaknesses can not only make writing easier it can also improve writing as well. Every writer’s writing process includes the same basic five elements: inventing, organizing, drafting, revising, and editing; however, in order for the writing process to improve writing that process must be tailored to fit the individual writer’s strengths and weaknesses.
Return Policy: Extended Timeframe — UPDATE
May 25, 2008
We are making a minor change to our posted return policy effective May 28, 2008. The stated return policy on our web site will change from 8 weeks (56 days) to 60 days. The updated return policy will read as follows:
“ClickBank will, at its discretion, allow for the return or replacement of any defective product within 60 days from the date of purchase. For recurring billing products, returns for more than one payment may be provided if requested within the standard 60 day return period. After 60 days all sales are final.”
If you want to keep the 8 week return policy wording on your website, you may do so. Please note, however, that we will honor return requests made within 60 days. If you want to post the exact policy that we will have on our order form and web site, you will want to make those changes on May 28th.
If you have any questions about this change, please contact Customer Service.
Four Ways to Immediately Improve the Quality of Your Writing
May 24, 2008
Writing is not really an art. It is a craft, and crafts can be learned. Here are four techniques you can use to immediately improve the quality of any writing you do, from business letters to web site articles:
Don’t Be Fooled
May 22, 2008
It frustrates me when I see people get fooled by get-rich-quick scheme websites on the Internet. And believe me, there are tons of them out there, waiting to snatch some victims.
What about you? Are you one of the victims? Have you spent your hard earned money only to find the product was not worth having?
Allow me to share with you some important truths that are essential to your internet success (and possibly to your mental well-being!).
Affiliate Marketing - Set Yourself Apart
May 20, 2008
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to quickly make money from your own home-based Internet business.
The reasons for this are many, including the facts that you skip the research and development stage, the product creation and the copywriting for not only the sales page but all the subsequent ads. By not having to invest in these early stages of product development you save not only money but time as well.
This leaves you, as the affiliate, the task of simply marketing the chosen product or service.
Easy enough, right?
Well my friend, this is where it gets a little sticky.
The fact is that there are many people just like you entering the Internet ring every day looking for the so-called easy dollar. And since that is exactly what affiliate marketing promises, there is a lot of competition for the same buck in most niches.
The trick to affiliate success, no matter which market or niche you may choose, is to separate yourself from all the other affiliates who are using the exact same marketing materials as you are.
One note of caution - make sure to check the affiliate rules for each program to verify that the tactics listed here are permitted.
The first order of business is to get your own web site along with a domain name closely associated with the niche of choice. If you are targeting the home stereo niche you may want to choose something like homestereoguide.com or the like.
Next, you will want to find a template that you can use as a basis of your site. It is very important that the look and feel of your site stays consistent through out the site if you have more than one page.
Here is where you will really set yourself apart from all the other affiliates. Write a special report or review of the product or service you are going to promote. This is the real focus of your marketing, getting this document out to as many prospects as possible.
This piece should be given away as an enticement for the prospects name and email address, which should be left in an autoresponder. Set up several messages, optimally 7 to 10, to go out at 2 to 3 day intervals. Each message should give an explanation of the benefits derived from the product along with your affiliate link.
The autoresponder form should be prominently displayed on all of the pages of your site along with the sales pitch telling your visitors why they should download the free report. You can easily set this up in a sidebar on the template of choice, usually on the left hand side.
By building this list of potential buyers you can communicate with them as often as you want. Send them alerts when a new product comes out, when upgrades are available to existing products or when sales on their favorite products are being offered.
There are many reasons to build your list but by offering a special report you label yourself as an expert in your field, you thus set yourself apart from all the other affiliates.
Profitable Affiliate Sales
May 19, 2008
Many internet marketers are making a lot of money promoting affiliate products. You don’t have to worry about developing your own products, setting up downloads if it’s an infoproduct, or responding to other problems people may have. You don’t deal with refunds.
You can spend your time marketing.
Big Commitment Drives Success
May 18, 2008
Have you had any success in your online business yet? If not then it is likely that is because of our commitment level. Right now I want you to measure your commitment level. Rate it from 1 being the
least committed to 10 being the most committed towards your success online. Now let’s take that number and put a zero behind it and turn it into a percentage. For example 4 would now be 40% and 6
would be 60%. It is important to know this commitment level. You can balance your commitment level with your goals and determine how fast your business is going to grow how much the commitment needs to be raised.
