When you need to make money, you’re ready to believe in a system of Internet marketing that’s so easy even a bum using a free library computer can do it. After all, if he can do it, you can do even better.
Granted, you can make money online with practically no cash out of pocket. Just avoid counting on the bum marketing method as the be-all and end-all for online marketing. Don’t fall into the bum marketing blunders that cost both time and money:
1. Constantly searching for the “hot ticket product.” You can waste a lot of time roaming the Internet for the next big thing. You can make money with “evergreen” products that have an ongoing demand. If the product you’re promoting is too trendy, interest diminishes in a short time and you have to start the marketing process over again.
2. Limited range of exposure. ClickBank is a great place to find information products to promote, but it’s not the only game in town. If you depend on ClickBank without any other affiliate marketing efforts on your part, then you’re leaving money on the table. Don’t forget about other third party affiliate marketplaces such as PayDotCom.
3. Working free to benefit others. A big part of Bum Marketing is submitting articles to free content sites like EzineArticles, Associate Content or ArticleBiz. Sure, this is a way to get exposure for your topic and maybe attract interest to your website as it appears in your signature line. Spending too much time writing free for these sites doesn’t give maximum return on your time investment – consider building up your own domain as an authority in your niche.
4. Relying on one keyword tool. Online marketers have favorite research tools: Overture, SEO Toolbar, Word Tracker, Wordze or Google Labs. The mistake is in getting comfortable with just one keyword research tool. You need to use several research tools and compare results. If you limit yourself to one tool then you can miss important information.
5. Do it yourself responses. If you have ten information requests daily, you can handle the email, but how will you handle 100 requests? Even if you spend hours at the computer, you won’t be as efficient as using an Autoresponder. It’s a small monthly fee to save time and get out responses faster to your prospects.
6. Depending on affiliate products. Using affiliate products is a quick way to get started, but don’t camp out there. Either purchase the rights or create your own products as soon as possible. Otherwise, you make a few bucks only to let your buyer become loyal to the affiliate product (and get on their email list for more products).
7. Simple isn’t sloppy. Use a template to create a neat, easy to read website. You don’t have to be a web guru, but you do need a site that’s attractive, even if simple. Don’t let low cost marketing look like it’s cheap. That impression cheapens the value of your product.
