For an educated person, reading seemingly basic online concepts can be rudimentary at best. For educated person or Pro, it's easy to think "This is too easy, what makes this person different than me, this is simple!". Be smart, consider source.

If concept, idea, or product is from a true expert, (someone who has really made hundreds of thousands of dollars online) difference between that person and professional is that expert has actually done it, not planned to do it, or theorized about it! It's easy to be critical of others and not focus on your own plan...a Pro, like rest of us, should never underestimate anyone who has made a great deal of money online, it's quite an accomplishment.

For professional, mind set needed to be successful online has to be one of respect. The Pro has to be smart enough to know that online business can be very basic, but a well laid out plan is really all it takes. That plan, of course, includes following experts, keeping it simple, and taking action.

The professional should welcome being presented with information and products distributed by experts and should take each powerful concept to heart no matter how basic they may seem. The Pro should avoid getting blinded by all hype in any marketing campaign and realize that "sales-like" tone is there for a reason, to appeal to masses. Almost anything online has some level of 'pushy' content...for professional, this can be a serious turn off. The experienced person should read between lines and look at concept or product for value it brings, and focus on benefits, not features or 'estimated' savings or results.

Professionals who start an online business have an immediate crossroads if they have an arrogance about them or believe they can transfer all their past experience to their online business. Yes, lots of skills Pro accumulated during their past career will be useful, but most meaningful skills need to be learned if Pro hasn't successfully owned an online business. Just because someone knows Calculus, has an MBA or has climbed corporate ladder, doesn't mean they automatically can be successful online. Traditional education doesn't automatically mean success unless that education is "Online Marketing Education"… and, for most of us, only way to get that education is to learn from people who have done it before.

Author, "9 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid When Starting An Online Business" Publisher, "Starting Smart!" e-zine

Starting an online business

Most importantly, have a web form on your "Thank You" page that has 2 fields; 1 for person's name, and 1 for person's email. On your "Thank You" page, put "Enter Information Here to Complete Sale" referring to web form with 2 fields in it. This way you get person's name and email so you can follow up later with marketing messages or feedback questions.

After person enters their name and email into that web form on "Thank You" page and clicks "Submit" button, their name will be stored in your auto responder's database. In code of that web form, there is what Get Response calls a "confirmation URL"...this "confirmation URL" is URL where user will be taken to after "Submit" button is clicked from your"Thank You" page...this "confirmation URL" will actually be your download page.

On your download page, you'll have step by step instructions to download your product. Believe me, having step by step instructions on how to download your product on your download page will save you lots of time in answering emails from people asking you how to download your product. On your download page, you'll have a link that user will click to download your product.

If you setup your payment option via Clickbank in this fashion you will:

Save yourself time by not having to answer emails about how to download Keep a consistent message throughout sales process, professionalism Gather name and email of person who bought so you can follow up for feedback or send other marketing messages to... If you sign up for an auto responder, setting this up is a breeze...most give you code you need to put inside your web page to make web form...its very simple. Of course, you'll have to build your order page, "Thank You" and "confirmation URL/Download Page" yourself in your HTML Editor."

Karl Augustine

Author, "9 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid When Starting An Online Business" Publisher, "Starting Smart!" e-zine

Clickbank setup

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