Don't Duplicate ... Differentiate!

Written by Michel Fortin


Continued from page 1

If your site aims forrepparttar public at large, only a small number of that ideal market will be a part of that group of visitors, and an even smaller number will be qualified for your offer.

Forrepparttar 121571 sake of example, let's say that this percentage is around 0.1%. It means that, of 200,000 monthly visitors, only 200 will fit into your market (that's an optimistic figure).

And since your site is too general, an even smaller percentage of those 200 execs (say, about 0.5%) will be truly interested in your offer and eventually buy. In this case, 0.5% (of 200 visitors) will equal to a single client for an entire month.

Looking at it in reverse it means that, if you want to achieve at least a single sale per month from this ideal market, your site will thus require at least 200,000 visitors on a monthly basis, based onrepparttar 121572 law of averages. Therefore, your marketing efforts will need to multiply exponentially in order to create a high enough quantity of traffic to yield acceptable results.

Now, takerepparttar 121573 example of another website dedicated exclusively to corporate executives earning over $50,000. However, this site receives a meager 5,000 visitors per month -- admittedly, it's not a lot, especially when compared torepparttar 121574 other. But in this case,repparttar 121575 percentage of those 5,000 that fall into that site's target market will be 100% -- a 10,000% improvement!

(Additionally, chances are great that your site will magnetize this ideal market, almost effortlessly such as viarepparttar 121576 search engines, since your site caters to their needs specifically.)

Furthermore,repparttar 121577 percentage of interested leads that are in a better position to buy will be higher by virtue ofrepparttar 121578 fact thatrepparttar 121579 site centers on their specific needs. In other words, perceived value will be greater inrepparttar 121580 mind of those people.

To be conservative, let's say that this percentage is only 5%. It means that out of 5,000 visitors per month, one can achieve 250 sales -- that's 249 more sales thanrepparttar 121581 other (and, on top of that, with only a quarter ofrepparttar 121582 traffic). But let's be a little more conservative, for a moment. Let's say that only 1% buys. It's still a remarkable 500% improvement overrepparttar 121583 other, as 1% of 5,000 visitors equals to five sales per month.

Of course,repparttar 121584 above example is when all things considered are equal -- I agree that there are many variables at play, here. Butrepparttar 121585 spirit of this illustration is clear: it took an equal if not lesser investment of time, effort and money to achieve five sales per month than it did to achieve a single one.

Jim Banks started selling carpets online in 1998. He admits that, atrepparttar 121586 time, he knew *nothing* about it. Says Banks: "I thought that it would be a non-competitive market ('who would want to sell carpet onrepparttar 121587 Internet?' I asked myself) and it would allow me to learn about this whole new Internet thing."

But at first, Jim floundered. "I showed carpet onrepparttar 121588 website, sent out samples, and used a wholesaler in Georgia to deliverrepparttar 121589 goods. I made some money, but it was a lot of hard work. In fact, a lot of hand-holding of customers was required, and my time was a limiting factor in how much money I could make."

But then, Jim had an idea. He adds: "I had read one or two of your articles atrepparttar 121590 time where you stressedrepparttar 121591 importance of niche marketing. And after thinking about that, and applying it to my industry, I came up withrepparttar 121592 idea of selling carpets and area rugs with children's designs (e.g., animals, letters, game boards, etc). Today, things are going very well!" (Byrepparttar 121593 way, check out Jim's site at http://www.KidCarpet.com/ .)

In conclusion, here's my advice: if you're looking at starting a business online, first find a niche and fill it. But if you already are doing business online, then narrow your focus to a specific outcome, audience or product. And finally, if you do sell everything to everyone already, I suggest breaking your business down by developing several sites, which sellrepparttar 121594 same things but targeted towards different segments of your market.



Michel Fortin of http://SuccessDoctor.com/ is a professor in marketing, a professional speaker and a highly sought-after consultant whose marketing advice has helped countless clients earn millions in record time. He is the author of four books. His latest, "Power Positioning Dot Com," reveals how to keep your business or product indelibly carved into your prospects' uppermost consciousness. Visit http://successdoctor.com/pp/


Peer-to-Peer Marketing

Written by Paul Siegel


Continued from page 1

2 - TECHNOLOGY OF CONNECTEDNESS - The Internet is THE technology of our age. The Internet gives a voice to everyone. People may connect to other people in many different ways: websites, publications, email, forums, newsletters, discussion groups, organizations, government agencies, international groups.....Every single person is connected. Superior-inferior classifications are dissolving. When you add torepparttar Internet,repparttar 121570 cell phone, wireless and other hand-held devices,repparttar 121571 opportunity forrepparttar 121572 ordinary individual to be informed and to inform others is multiplying at a dizzying rate. Who is superior? Who is inferior? Everyone.

Peer-to-Peer Philosophy

Both terrorism andrepparttar 121573 technology of connectedness are leading us inexorably to adoptrepparttar 121574 Peer-to-Peer philosophy. Its 3 maxims are:

1 - SMALL IS BETTER - Small units make small or insignificant targets. What terrorist would target a home business? Small units act and react fast. There is no chain of command to slow things down.

2 - DECENTRALIZATION BRINGS POWER - The far flung Internet is less vulnerable to terror because there is no central control. A terrorist may destroy part ofrepparttar 121575 network, but notrepparttar 121576 whole thing. Huge Microsoft wants to introduce centralization with its Passport software, which is expected to store everyone's password. Hack away at Microsoft (which has already been done) and down goesrepparttar 121577 Internet. Best to resist all attempts at centralization. Decentralization also means small units can develop expertise in specific niches.

3 - COMMUNICATE WITH ALL PEOPLE - Instead of disseminating information from superior to inferior, enable all people involved to communicate with each other, to learn from each other, to work independently with each other. The emphasis is on people, not robots. Robots are merely substitutes for inferiors. People-people communication isrepparttar 121578 best means for learning, working, and improving.

Basic Marketing Pointers

Asrepparttar 121579 Peer-to-Peer philosophy takes over,repparttar 121580 effectiveness of Big Business will decline andrepparttar 121581 role of Small Business will increase. A home business will be an excellent idea. Here are a few guidelines for your Small Business, based onrepparttar 121582 peer-to-peer philosophy:

1 - Rely on people, not robots

2 - Make every employee a decision maker

3 - Increase outsourcing to keep yourself small

4 - Use people-to-people communication to learn and to help others learn

5 - Build small communities that encourage member independence

6 - Sell information expertise (e.g., ebooks) with a minimum of copyright control

Paul "the soaring" Siegel mailto:paul@learningfountain.com See Helpfulness Marketing at http://www.learningfountain.com


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