If you choose to do work yourself, create and maintain a list of editors in your target market that accept articles. This will save you from having to do research all over again when you write future articles! Include a brief 'cover letter' with your publishing guidelines each time you distribute an article.

Building Your List Over Time ------------------------------

An easy way to continue to build your list of editors is to place a simple form on your website, inviting editors and webmasters to subscribe to your article distribution list. This one technique has grown my list by about 15%!

Websites Where You Can Promote Your Articles ----------------------------------------------

There are many niche websites that accept articles. Here are a few to get you started; these are sites that accept articles on most topics and make them available to others for reprint:

= Article Announce, an email distribution list, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce/ = EzineArticles.com, http://www.ezinearticles.com/ = GoArticles, http://www.goarticles.com/ = Hot Launch, http://www.hotlaunch.com/ = IdeaMarketers, http://www.ideamarketers.com/ = MakingProfit.com, http://www.makingprofit.com/

Of course, there are a large number of sites that accept articles on specific topics such as health/wellness, small business, active living, and so on. Distribute your work to these sites as well.

At first you'll find that your articles may only bring in a small trickle of traffic. Over time, though, as you become better known, you have potential of creating a steady stream of targeted traffic from newsletters and sites which publish your work. And to think it all started with a simple article!

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Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical guide to building a profitable Internet business on a beginner's budget: http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html . Request a series of 10 free reports to get you started: mailto:businessbasics@workyourleads.com

Allow your visitors to post a message or reply to other messages. They will check back every few days for new messages or replies. To find these services, do a search on "free webmaster resources." Two specific ones: http://www.delphi.com and http://www.evryone.net. Check out this discussion group http://www.ablake.net/forum/

6. Remind your visitors to bookmark your site. Tell them you update material every day or week. If you omit this, you pass up a great opportunity to lure repeat, loyal visitors. You want more visitors, and you want them to spend a lot of time on your site. The more time they spend on your site, more likely they will check out your products or services pages.

The biggest complaint from clients is that they get hits, but not enough sales. When you follow above tips, you'll be much more likely to succeed at increased sales.

7. Serialize some of your content. If visitors get it all in one visit, what's to keep them coming back?Put one part of an article, special report, or excerpt from your book on your site each week or so. Let people know this through your eMagazine.

8. Post a monthly special only for your Web visitors. Call it "Discount of month," or"Freebie of month." Without incentives your audience will go elsewhere. Go to your files now, and see what you can use. This fabulous technique has worked well for author.

9. Enjoy journey. Each day, you can learn something that will make your Web site more real, more YOU. Let your passion show! Add some personal information such as personal column. 'The Coach's Corner" is a new column in ezine, "The Book Coach Says." It mentions personal writing and marketing set backs, boo boos, along with a tip or so. Put personal messages on your site too.

10. Allow everything you do on Net to be easy and fun. If you don't love to create ad copy, or if you don't like technical side, delegate it to someone who loves it. Do what you do best and hire rest. It's far smarter to eliminate all struggle from your adventure, so you will shine at what you do.

The biggest complaint from clients is that they get hits, but not enough sales. When you follow above tips, you'll be much more likely to succeed at increased sales.