The Secret to Online Marketing Success

[vangogh]

Looking for a little inspiration? I just came across this post at CopyBlogger offering the 3 secrets to massive online success.

The secrets:

1: Take action
2: Have a plan
3: Your secret sauce is you

Yes the advice is simple, but it's true and if you need a kick in the pants it's a good post to read.

Like all advice the secret really resides with you.

Nearly everyone will read this, feel inspired for about 45 seconds, then go off to hit Starbucks and check out what the hottie on the 2nd floor is wearing today.

Don't let that quote be you. If you want to be successful (online or offline) you need to make it happen. Reading advice is one thing, acting on it is what leads to success.

[orion_joel]

I personally think that the steps involved could be simplified even more down to

1. Have a plan
2. Make it happen

Coincidently number 2 is also one of favorite quotes. but this is all that is seriously needed, if you have a plan, just put it into action and make it happen, it will get you someone a lot faster then thinking about. All i need to do is take my own advice a lot more often.

On the quote there though, if it wasn't midnight and i am checking these boards at home i would usually be at the coffee shop on my laptop doing the last part of the quote as i am reading. However that gets things to off topic.

[Aaron Hats]

Let's not forget about patience. There are so many "we'll teach you how to get rich while sitting at home" advertisements that most people don't realize how much hard work it takes and that it does take time for the search engines to reward that work especially in the beginning.

[vangogh]

@Joel - It had to be three things, because 3 works better in page titles than 2 when you want to get someone to click. Certain numbers seem to lead to more conversions for whatever reason.

I agree you can reduce things. To me the whole point of the article is that it's all fine and good to read the advice od others, but if you don't take action it's not going to help. You can reduce the whole thing to "Just do it," but then it would be a Nike commercial.

@Aaron - So true. I think people forget the patience thing more online than they do offline, probably because you can start up online for less investment. It's easier to dump an idea online when you're money isn't tied up in it.

When I first started my business I expected it would be a couple of years before I was really earning the money I wanted. I could have gone on to something else after the first few months when I wasn't bringing anything in, but then I wouldn't be where I am now.

A certain amount of business success is just hanging in there for the long haul.

[KristineS]

That perception that putting up a web site will automatically bring in money is one of the the things that frustrates me most when it comes to my bosses. They don't understand how much work it takes to get search engines and customers to find you and how much maintenance it takes to ensure that they keep finding you. I've tried explaining the a web site is only one part of a larger marketing campaign, but they don't always seem to get it.

[vangogh]

I see that a lot too. Too many people want to spend 5 minutes putting up a site and then have the money roll in. It doesn't work that way. Your website is one part of your business, it can be a very important part, but you still need to put in a lot of work if you want to be successful.

[HaleyMurph]

Excellent! The last one is hilarious but VERY true.
I think an important part of having a plan is promoting your business the right way on-line. It's important to network and built honest connections with your customers.
I've started selling my art work, prints, and paintings on the internet. I use my "secret sauce" to connect with customers to build a personal relationship to keep them coming back.

[vangogh]

It's important to network and built honest connections with your customers.

Yep. And it's that honest part that's so important. For most of us small businesses we'll do better to honestly connect with a small group of people than we will to artificially pull as much traffic as we can to a site.