You must have a marketing plan if you intend on making money from the very beginning with your online business. You can make a formal schedule for yourself, or spend the first couple of hours each day marketing yourself and your business. You will soon find that this can be fun, especially after you begin making some sales. Think about marketing as sharing the information about what you are doing with as many people as possible who would benefit from your knowledge and expertise.

Blogging is the first way I use to get the word out. I keep my posts to under five hundred words. This makes them easier to read, and more likely that someone will click on my link to actually read the sales letter for the product I am promoting. Be sure to write each post so that it will stand on its own merits, regardless of whether your reader has been to your site before or is brand new. Also, do not attempt to sell with your post. Instead, share important information that will encourage the reader to want to know more.

I then take the blog post and turn it into an article. You can do this without changing a word, or you can slightly rewrite it. This is completely up to you. Submit your article to the largest article directories online, starting with Ezine Articles. Make sure to remove any links from the body of your article, as this does not serve you well. Instead, include a link to the product you are promoting in the resource box at the end of the article. Invite the reader to download your free giveaway to entice them to take a look at what you have to offer.

The next step in the promotion process is to send an email out to your list. This will be the primary source of your sales, so make sure to communicate effectively with the people who have come to you to get more information. Tell them a story to draw them in. You want them to connect with you so that they will trust you to provide them with excellent information and resources, now and in the future.

Schedule a teleseminar to discuss the product you are promoting. When people hear your voice they will build up their trust in you much more quickly. This is the next best thing to meeting them in person.

Whether you are promoting your own product or an affiliate product, having a marketing plan is crucial to your success online.

Author's Bio: 

Connie Ragen Green teaches new entrepreneurs how to build a unique online business based on their passions and interests. Find out more by visiting http://ConnieGreen.com