But here's critically important part: Stop advertising your actual product.

I know. It sounds crazy. But you'll do 100 times better by advertising your free offer instead. The sales will come later from your ezine follow-ups as your subscribers come to realize that you are sincere, that you can be trusted, and that product you are promoting is top notch.

-*Third*, market your offer aggressively. Success takes more than posting at FFA's, classified sites and exchanging some banners. Don't wait for your prospects to come to you. Get off that acorn and actively pursue them.

Today, best results by far are coming from targeting your prospects through ezine ads, pay-per-click search engines, and publishing your own newsletter.

-*Fourth*, you need strong "back-end products". Once you've won that customer's trust, he or she will buy from you again … and again … as long as you continue to "deliver" what you promise.

So, use these 4 marketing essentials to get off that acorn and head on up your tree. Get aggressive and take action. It's a challenge … and it's work. But it's also fun and rewarding.

7.Are you satisfied with what your marketing dollars are producing? Yes No

Scoring: Count up your number of yes responses.

0-1 Yes. You’re doing great! Wise use of your marketing budget is producing desired results.

2-3 Yes. Put more time and effort into marketing. While your budget may be tight, there are some economical ways to squeeze more out of your marketing dollars.

4+ Yes. Commit to being a marketing-driven company. There’s some upfront planning involved, but in long run, you’ll have long-term customers.