4) Using "rotator" pages to promote multiple programs.

You've seen, and maybe even used, "rotator" pages -- those programs that *let* you to promote one url and have maybe 3, 5 or even 10 different web pages shown in rotation. Never mind that you're giving up prime real estate at top of web page, where rotator company puts their logo and their info and their ad to get people to their business. You're also diluting your efforts by promoting too many programs at once. You can't use ezine or other classified advertising, because you don't know which page will come up when someone clicks rotator link in an ad. Your left with something like, "Come play rotator-roullete; click this link and see which of my businesses comes up!"

Most people load their rotators and put them on hit exchanges, then wonder why they don't make any sales or get anyone to join their programs. At very least, my friend, it's a numbers game, and numbers are stacked against you. (See number 3 above.) We've seen those pages a thousand times. Number 1001 is not charm.

The cure: Dump rotator pages. If you can't decide which program to concentrate on, sit down and breathe deeply until your head clears. Then make a decision, follow above advice, and stick with it.

5) Relying on "hit exchanges" to do your marketing for you

As I touched on above, most people throw their affiliate or company web page on hit exchanges and then expect money to come rolling in. When that doesn't work, they figure affiliate program is at fault, so they join a different one and put *that* page up instead. After a few such cycles, they conclude that hit exchanges don't work, and they either give up ghost, or they look for different ways to get people to their "me-too" website.

The cure: Hit exchanges can be useful, but not as places to post yet another "BuildReferrals" or "CashEvolution" website. (I don't mean to pick on either of those programs; they are just among most over-exposed sites on exchanges.) You should be using hit exchanges for one purpose only -- to build an opt-in email list that can be promoted to over and over again. Whether you're promoting an ezine or newsletter, a special report or training series, a free ebook, whatever, goal is to have viewer willingly and knowingly give you their name and email address (at very least, their email address) in exchange for what you are offering.

You've probably heard it before, but it's worth repeating -- your opt-in list is gold. Concentrate on building your list, and your list will build your business -- and your income.

6) Posting to FFA's and Safelists

There was a time in ancient Internet history (2-3 years ago) when you could get modest results posting to Free For All pages and Safelists. No more. These days all you get from them are dozens, even hundreds, of ads that (admit it) you don't read. So what makes you think anyone is reading your ads? Why do you think that even owners/promoters of FFA services and many Safelists caution their members that they should open a "throw- away" or "junk" email account, because they're going to get a *lot* of email coming back at them?

Many FFA services try to tell you that having your own FFA account is far better than just posting to FFA's, because then you get to send a confirmation email (usually containing your ad) to each person who posts to your FFA page. Of course, your replies are going straight to poster's junk mail account, where it is usually deleted without even being opened. Face it, only one's making money off FFA's are FFA owners selling you their "service." Fuggedaboutit.

Safelists are only slightly better, as *some* people (mainly newcomers) do read *some* ads they receive. But for most part, people join Safelists to post *their* ads, not read *your* ads. Most Safelist ads suffer same fate as FFA posts -- straight into junk email account, from which they get deleted without being opened.

The cure: Forget FFA's and Safelists. Spend a few bucks and place that ad you've worked so hard on in an ezine or newsletter aimed at your target market. Write articles your potential customers might find useful, and submit them to ezines those prospects might read. Work on your search engine positioning. Tweak your pay-per-click ads. You get idea -- do something USEFUL.

There you have it -- some of biggest time and money wasters you should avoid if you want to succeed online, along with ways to spend that time wisely. Don't waste another minute -- get started today.