The secret to online success lies in internet marketing. Businesses these days recognize this need and use effective internet marketing strategies to promote their products and services. It’s an easy cost effective approach and more returns often attract people to try this field.

But what most people don’t realize is that internet marketing does require hard work and bring issues like generating traffic and advertising. It is definitely not plug and play and you have to be very productive to reap the benefits of this relatively new technique. Internet marketing has really proven successful to many but like all good things it too has its flip side.

Let’s have a look at both the pros and cons of internet marketing to make a smart choice: There are several pros to internet marketing. It is relatively low cost and you can even start with a shoe string budget. The reach is global and no other form of marketing shows such results.You are open for business 24*7 without any extra assistance once you set up a sound system.It yields very high profits if things fall in place and of course you get addicted to it. You can choose to market the way you like through email, subscription, newsletters and can get very prominent results.

There are also several cons. Online marketing involves cost of web site design, its proper functioning, hardware, software and constant maintenance. The site needs to be updated constantly because the chances of the content getting obsolete are very high in this fast paced world. Not all people shop online. Many still consider internet as a source to obtain information and not for any transaction. Moreover, people prefer to buy things in person to have complete satisfaction. Security is another issue that should be kept in mind because customers provide sensitive information on the site to buy products. And if it is secure, it is needed to make the customer aware of appropriate security measures to win people’s confidence.

You need to have a well thought out web promotion plan like free offers to hook the customers.The results are not immediate and many failures eventually result in success. Internet marketing has many pros and cons that help in deriving the appropriate online marketing strategy. The advantages of internet marketing often outweigh the disadvantages. The problems can be handled if you look at this technique from the customer’s perspective just as you do in direct business.

The advantages of online marketing often outweigh the disadvantages.

People who call themselves marketers in today’s world understand that the primary purpose of any advertising is to get a response. It is to attract qualified prospects that, by using other marketing methods, can be converted to customers. It follows therefore that the more prospects that one can attract, the better the chances are that a customer base will increase. No matter what size, all businesses have to accomplish this same goal. How they achieve that goal is what differentiates the successful ones from the not so successful ones.

There is one challenge that small to medium sized companies battle however, that the large companies generally do not have to contend with. That is image. The large companies like Coke, IBM, Microsoft and others all have brand and name recognition. They have the budgets and credentials that make them a trusted name. Anything they have to say, we generally trust, will be worth reading and we respond accordingly. But this is not the case with the small to medium companies. Fortunately there are tested and proven mechanisms that can be used to get their message in front of the people that they want it read by.

During the course of our lives we have been conditioned to respond to certain things. We respond to smiles with smiles. We respond to anger with anger. The word FREE has always been an attention getting trigger. It is not always easy to get those interested in your product or service to contact you and leave you their contact information, but it must still be the objective of all of your advertising and marketing. One of the most effective methods of achieving this objective is to offer a Free Report in your advertising material. This method works because it can be done in a non-threatening way that allows people to get access to what they want most; information that will help them deal with an issue they need to address. The Free Report asks that the prospect leave their contact information; allowing you to stay in touch by using other marketing tools to convert them to a customer. The report means they don’t have to deal personally with an individual whose job it is to convince them to purchase.

Today there is a company that not only has incorporated this form of marketing into their products and services but also trains businesses on how to build their own special Free Reports. That company is Automated Marketing Solutions or AMS. AMS provides a full suite of marketing technology tools and processes that permit any company to deliver a comprehensive marketing program using tested and proven methods; Free Reports being one of them. Their twelve years of experience in Direct Response Marketing allows even the beginner to quickly integrate and take advantage of the benefits of this technique. AMS also provides the capability for a company to place their ENTIRE Marketing Program on Automatic. Once a business marketing program (including voice messages, e-mails, faxes and other broadcast and mail out collateral) is compiled and sequenced, their Lead Management System or LMS provides the unique ability to manage and control that program without any further human input. The benefits to this system are significant time savings and consistency in marketing messages, in what would otherwise be labor intensive tasks. It also means that business owners never need worry about losing customers who misinterpreted their lack of contact for lack of follow up.

If you would like to hear more about Free Reports and how it can help grow your business, visit Automated Marketing Solutions today. Learn at how quickly and economically you can implement and start benefiting from AMS tested and proven technology and experience.

In marketing circles we refer to the Internet as On-Line Marketing and NO Marketing Program is complete without an Internet presence. That being said, let’s look at some of the reasons why you need to be there.

Websites are an effective way of doubling, possibly tripling the number of leads you get each month. How? Well, the Internet attracts a different audience than some of the more traditional marketing methods do, although the educated always explore both avenues. Therefore, when you are on the Internet and have your own website you are appealing to a different group of people. It provides an advantage because it is easy and non-threatening for them.

This brings up an important consideration. To stop those surfers dead in their tracks your website needs to be credible. This includes the design of the site itself, the content, third party validation and more. This is why it is important to work with a company that not only understands how web sites work but how they look and can provide proven and successful Direct Marketing response techniques to entice and capture those surfers as well as the individuals that know what they want.

An Internet presence also provides your Marketing Program with yet another option of staying in touch and relationship building. It allows you to send along a friendly e-mail, fax or voice broadcast letting existing clients and prospects know that there is something new at your site that you would like them to learn more about.

The real importance of the Internet to Marketing Programs could fill volumes. If you are interested in discovering, in a crisp and informative manner, just what a Website delivered through a knowledgeable marketing partner can do for you then visit Automated Marketing Solutions. Read a complete article explaining why you need an Internet presence, how it works, how to integrate it with your current marketing technology, the mistakes to avoid and much more. You will quickly see that the Internet isnt something to be intimidated by, yet a Marketing Tool that will complete and enhance your Marketing Program.

In a very short period of time we have seen some interesting changes associated with the internet. When it comes to attracting adult attention the internet sits solidly in the number 2 place behind television. Another demographic change is that adults 55 years of age and over now makeup almost one third of all internet users. This means that today, more then ever before, there is more buying power and prospects available to people wanting to buy and sell over the internet with the different e-commerce or shopping cart solutions now available. Other external factors driving on-line shopping include things such as the recent gas price increases and the move to more environmentally conscious green solutions. One more buying shift will be the change from higher income level families being more likely to purchase over the internet. Because of ease of access, a green consciousness and the cost of getting around more and more people from lower income levels will turn to the internet as well.

In 2008 over $133 B US was spent over the internet in the U.S. alone and this figure is estimated to increase to over $203 B by 2013. In Canada, by the end of 2007, $13.8 B Canadian of on-line consumer transactions had taken place with this number forecasted to grow to $22.8B by 2012. (eMarketer Feb. 2009) Considering such numbers it is safe to say that any business that has the ability to sell On-line and does not is making a strategic mistake. The good news with these growth numbers is that it is certainly not too late to take advantage of on-line shopping and buying and selling over the Internet.

Its difficult at best for anyone who reads a paper or watches or listens to the news to not be feeling down about the current economic reality. As with everything else in life however we can choose to be negative or we can search for the opportunity. And there is plenty of opportunity when we look at the internet. We know that by typing www we have almost instant worldwide fame or infamy. Its easy to get a message or advertisement out to virtually anyone who has an interest in it. When we overlay Shopping Cart technology it becomes even more powerful. Many of us would like to do more for our families and for ourselves but the economic circumstances for many is this is just not possible given what we are bringing home. Internet and e-commerce mean the possibility of multiple income streams are becoming a new option for many. If you have an idea or product and the interest to make them a reality you can also leverage a second or even third income. And the availability of many excellent Affiliate Programs means you don’t even have to have an idea or product right now. You can use someone else’s product or service and represent it while you learn the e-commerce game and work on your own idea.

In today’s economy cash stretched businesses are moving away from the traditionally more expensive advertising methods of Newspaper and Yellow Page ads and are taking greater advantage of both the Internet and the many new Social Advertising media such a Face Book, U-tube, Twitter and more. And here’s why! No matter how bad the economy appears, and although it may appear that it is bad everywhere, there are always pockets that continue to flourish and even prosper. This is why the Internet is such an important technology in this economy. These pockets will change over time as different influences kick in or depart. The constant is that your presence on the Internet combined with your e-commerce abilities, means that your business is always open, always available to these people that are still ready to purchase today.

Just being on the internet ready with an e-commerce solution does not guarantee your success. If your shopping cart has auto-responder capabilities or the ability to automatically send out e-mails thanking your customers for buying and helping them get started, that’s a big plus. But today’s competitive reality means you need more. Everyone is eyeing the internet as a potential safety net but as in any business the individuals working the smartest will be the ones that are most successful. First of all we have to acknowledge that there are two types of buyers. The people ready right now and the people looking to gather information for a future decision. Your success in the now market will be a function of your website, e-commerce solution and marketing strategy when they arrive at the site. Your future shoppers are more of a challenge. They are surfing to gather as much information as they can on their particular area of interest. Once they’ve visited your site you need to begin a multi-media approach of educating and training them on your product or service and provide them the validation they need to accept the fact that your solution is the best and you are recognized as an expert in your area. In this case you need to engage the services of a different expert in marketing. For an example of a company with these credentials check out www.AutomatedMarketingSolutions.com. The social networks such as Face Book, U-tube, Twitter and others are excellent for staying in touch with your prospective market when you want to see how your product or service is being received, for testing ideas and to keep up to date with any negative service issues as they arise. The most important thing to remember is to not limit yourself in how you reach out to your prospects and do not limit the ways they can stay in touch with you.

The last two years have not been kind to large companies and some of their outdated practices have given rise to significant animosity. Ill mention AIG and let it go at that. However, we can still learn from them. For example, a February 2009 report suggests that CMOs or Chief Marketing Officers, in their list of Top 10 Priorities for 2009, list the integration of their traditional media and marketing programs with internet services as number 2. There are obvious advantages of doing this and they include reduced costs and overhead in the marketing departments. For the entrepreneur and the small to medium business these same benefits accrue. An on-line enterprise combined with an e-commerce capability, if properly thought out and marketed, can be the key to a second income and additional peace of mind. It could be a stepping stone to a whole new business. As with everything else in the world however, how effective we are in using these tools to attract, convert and retain will differentiate us and our success.

In today’s world, businesses are faced with many decisions when it comes to marketing and advertising. How do you get started? What media to use in your marketing campaigns. These are just a couple of the immediate challenges. The reality is that all of the options available will work to one degree or another. The key to your success, regardless of the medium you select, is to present yourself in a manner that appeals to your prospect. When this is understood, you can be successful regardless of your selection.

More often than not, people follow the generally accepted trends and styles. This happens with the clothes we wear (anyone remember Beatle Mania?), the beer we drink (what age are you?) and the way we advertise in say, the Yellow Pages. Try scanning the Yellow Pages and you will see numerous pages of similar looking business card layouts and wording. What happens is we start to subconsciously purge the look-a-likes and carry on until we see something that is out of the ordinary.

The most interesting, and different, ads that I have seen appear as a public service announcement. They have headlines like: Warning! Don’t Even Think of Using a Travel Agent Before Calling FREE Traveler Awareness Hotline! Copy below this ad would offer free advice on how to book the best rate for your next trip. I was scanning the travel section because I was looking to book a trip. This advertisement, because it was different, caught my eye. To make it really successful it also had an 800 number at the bottom to call for a Free Report. There was no sponsor so the whole presentation was non-threatening. I was given a safe way to get information I wanted without having to speak directly to a Travel Agent whose job it is to push, and sell me.

This same method can be used regardless of the medium you select for your advertising. It can be Yellow Pages, Business Cards and Val-Pak Coupons. The key is to use the criteria that make it different, interesting and non-threatening. Even though the principles are basic there is a definite knack to this type of marketing.

I have learned of a company, that over the last 12 years, has developed automated systems that allow business people to incorporate any type of marketing and/or advertising into an overall Marketing Strategy. That company is Automated Marketing Solutions or AMS. They differentiate themselves by not only providing solutions, but by educating their clients on the proper techniques to use including how to create the right message by the form of media being used. It doesn’t stop there. AMS provides the capability for a company to place their ENTIRE Marketing Program on Auto-pilot. Once a business marketing program (including voice messages, e-mails, faxes and other broadcast and mail out collateral) is compiled and sequenced, their Lead Management System or LMS provides the unique ability to control and manage the program without any further human interaction.

The benefits to this system include significant time savings on what would otherwise be labor intensive tasks. It also provides consistency in marketing messages. It also means that businesses never need worry about losing customers who misinterpreted your lack of contact for lack of interest. To learn more about Direct Response Marketing and how it can benefit your business, visit Automated Marketing Solutions today. See how quickly and economically you can implement and start benefiting from AMS tested and proven technology and experience.

In our daily lives we are repeatedly exposed to various messages and advertisements trying to get our attention. And not just to get our attention but to keep it long enough for us to take interest in what it is the sponsor wants to share with us. The end result of all of this exposure is that we have become resistant and sometimes immune. It affects every aspect of our lives. When we watch the news, listen to the radio, read papers and magazines; no matter what the media, we pay close attention to only those things that are of interest to us in our daily lives. We eliminate entire sections of a newspaper; we seek out specific sections on local news, weather and many search out the Sports Page above all else, men and women! We have been forced to become selective. Given all of this conditioning the chances of penetrating anyones advertising flak-jacket might seem small. But there are techniques today that are effective and work consistently.

Let me ask you something that will help prove that that last statement is true. Have you ever walked past a magazine rack in a grocery store and taken a quick glance at the various racks of magazines? No doubt you have and when you did this some of those papers stood out against the rest. This is done intentionally. Rather, it is part of a well understood and practiced advertising method.

Over the years, successful advertisers have created many techniques to get your attention. The front page of every Playboy magazine should demonstrate that fact. It’s success has spawned too many other publications to count although many might not be able to lay claim to the I bought it just for the articles justification. The „Man goes out to Howl at the Moon, Sees Saucer and Little Green Men“ type headlines we see in the National Enquirer magazine certainly grab our attention too. Each of these demonstrates effective ways of getting and holding our attention. Once this has been accomplished the chances start to increase that we may take the next step and read more.

Marketing research has shown that there is a process that successful marketers follow to help get through the spam advertising filters that people carry around with them today. The first one, as I have already demonstrated, is to get the attention of your target audience with the Headline. Once that has been accomplished you need to increase their interests even more. In the marketing world today there is one company that has developed a 5 step process and incorporated it into a detailed marketing program of tools and processes. That company is Automated Marketing Solutions or AMS. AMS provides a full array of marketing technology tools and processes that allow any company to deliver a comprehensive marketing program using tested and proven methods. Their twelve years of experience in Direct Response Marketing ensures that even the beginner can quickly integrate and take advantage of the benefits of this technique. And it doesnt stop there. AMS provides the capability for a company to place their ENTIRE Marketing Program on Auto-pilot. Once a business marketing program (including voice messages, e-mails, faxes and other broadcast and mail out collateral) is created and sequenced, their Lead Management System or LMS provides the unique ability to manage and control that program without any further input.

The benefits to this system are significant time savings on what would otherwise be labor intensive tasks and consistency in marketing messages. It also means that businesses never need worry about losing customers who misinterpreted your lack of contact for apathy. If you would like to hear more about Emotional Advertising and how it can benefit your business, visit Automated Marketing Solutions today. You will be surprised at how quickly and economically you can implement and start benefiting from AMS‘ tested and proven technology and experience.