Marketing is one of the most important strategic decisions your company has to make to survive and the plethora of advice on how to market, who you market to and how much effort to put into marketing is overwhelming.

Modern marketing theory dates back to the 70's when a new data source on consumer demographics opened up: Credit card transactions. Now it was possible to buy data from credit card companies about what consumers in which areas bought what items, along with how old they were, their marital status and their credit ratings.

With this information in hand, marketing switched from a product marketing focus (how do we get our products in the hands of the most consumers) to a consumer marketing focus (what untapped needs and wants in the consumer space are out there and how to we meet them and be first to market in meeting them?).

Consumer-focused marketing and market research pervaded the entire retail tier, even down to super markets with their discount cards, tracking what consumers buy and how frequently, to tighten up their stocking levels on products.

Market research is important to your business and marketing, above and beyond the research is all about converting that research into generating leads for customers who want your services and converting those leads into buyers. Once they've bought your services or products, marketing is about maintaining the relationship with your customer, being responsive to their needs, finding out what they want and getting it to them before your competition does.

Most marketing plans can be broken down into three phases.

Phase 1 is defining and narrowing your objectives: Important questions to ask are: Who are our potential customers? What do they want or need that they aren't getting right now? How do we meet that need in the current market place? Understanding what the strategic landscape is, and knowing who your potential customers are is essential to any marketing plan.

Phase 2 is contingent on phase 1, and the important questions at this phase are: Who are our current customers? What are we doing to make them return to us, rather than look at the competition? Based on what they've bought from us before, what new product ideas, packaging or categories can we offer them to increase our perceived values in their eyes? How are we bringing information about our new products to our customer base? What are we doing to ensure brand loyalty? Understanding how your existing customers purchase in aggregate, and spotting trends in their needs is important for remaining nimble in your marketing plan. You don't want to abandon your current customers while searching for new ones.

Phase 3 is the most nebulous phase of your marketing plan and it requires a firm commitment to phases 1 and 2. As your business grows, you need to constantly look for new trends and product categories you can sell to your existing customer base and use to find new customers to add to them. It requires flexibility and planning and forethought.

Thinking through these three phases will greatly improve your marketing plan and bring success to your business.

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Colors have made great impact on product selling, marketing and advertising in physical as well as virtual world. It is necessary to know what color says what before pushing a product in market.

"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions" says Pablo Picasso.

Emotions make great impact on advertising and marketing of products. Similarly color plays major role in marketing your product. I am not talking in the sense of marketing garments products or cosmetic products. Even in utilities and consumer durable products, it works. Selecting colors in a very specific sequence can indicate things about you.

Peter sells says that the color choices advertisers make are more than aesthetic decisions; colors have been known to affect (and reflect) a person's mood or emotions, current style trends and cultural beliefs and symbols.

According to paint company Glidden, colors represent personalities. Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue.

It is known that colors inspire different feelings in us. Like as exciting, active, soothing, tension, joy, happiness, brightness, royalty, strength.

Advertiser and merchandiser to make the customer purchase the product or service have used color. It used to draw attention to the product, and to highlight a particular product’s characteristic.

Coloring History

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was one of the first who connect color and psychology. In his book "Theory of Colors" he explained concepts of association of colors in life.

In 1947 Max Lüscher presented his color test to an international conference in Lausanne. Dr. Lüscher himself has been employed as a color consultant in such diversified fields as pharmaceuticals, packaging, flooring, architecture and advertising. "

Even we have theories of color by Issac Newton and Chen-Guang Lu.

Now, check out what color says what?

Color means….

Black
Authority, power, boldness, seriousness, is distinguishing and classic.
Black is synonymous with sophistication and elegance. This is the reason to use it for high end, expensive products. It is good for background products. It is ideal for text on a light background. Black also implies submission.

Pink
Caring and sharing, pink indicates a strong personality. It suggests femininity, gentleness, well being and innocence. For business you must be aware of its feminine links and implications. Emotional in character, connotes a sensitive heart. The affectionate and concerned Individual prefers pink. Gently, you offer love, attention and nurturing to those in distress and needing guidance.

Blue
This one primarily attracts men, it appeals to lot of people. Blue is cool, soothing and orderly security, authority, faithfulness and dignity. For business it suggests sanctuary and fiscal responsibility. It is the most popular and the second most powerful color. People are more productive in blue rooms. Softer shades like baby are soothing, darker shades convey a premium image.

If you choose blue, you have a basic need for a calm, harmonious, and tension-free existence. Capable, conservative and sensitive to others, you make a loyal and trustworthy friend.

Red
Those who select red are aggressive, impulsive and strive for "Success". The desire to experience the fullness of living leads to constant activity. Red is an excitement, strength, sex, passion, vitality, aggressiveness and commands attention. Business wise it associated with debt is great for boldness and accents.

This color is an eye stealer. It has a strong masculine appeal. Most dynamic and passionate color, symbolizes love, rage and courage. Demanding attention, red has great emotional impact.

Yellow
Yellow is an eye-catching color. It is an attractive color – truly joyous and virtuous in its purest form. Yellow exudes warmth, inspiration and vitality, and is the happiest of all colors.

If your favorite color is yellow, this indicates that you look forward to the future, and that you are intellectual, highly imaginative and idealistic Yellow signifies communication, enlightenment, sunlight and spirituality.

Green
It symbolizes health. Because of its freshness it’s used with health food products. If you selected green, you seek stability, balance and persistence. You are a moral and affectionate individual. Businesses use it to communicate status and wealth.

It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color.

Orange
It is associated with autumn and it inspires strong emotions for holidays, home and good things to eat. In bright tones, orange is jovial, cheerful and playful. Deepened, it becomes exotic and exciting. If orange is your choice, you have abundant energy with an eye for structure and organization.

Your social nature finds you surrounded by family and friends. For business it is good for highlighting information on charts and graphs.

What if Too Many color?
"Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways." Oscar Wilde

Thus it is very important for marketer while using colors in design, packaging or advertising and it is similar to not on web world too.

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Postcard printing can cost a lot by itself. This usually leaves only a small amount that you can work with for the distribution. Mass mailing is not what it once was and with this recession looming on everyone's minds, you will be hard pressed to get a decent budget for postcard printing let alone distribution. Don't fret however since there are still ways to distribute your color postcards cost effectively. It all involves some healthy hard work from your part and maybe even an eye for spotting cheap postcard printing services. Here are a few marketing postcard distribution tips that we have gathered that can fit into any kind of budget.

Give them around yourself
The best and cheapest way to distribute your marketing postcards is by doing it yourself. Of course this is usually best if your target market is just in your city or neighborhood. One good idea is to have a door to door setup where you can go around giving or leaving your marketing postcards in mailboxes. Besides that, if you meet a lot of clients, customers or investors, you can also give it to them as you engage them in lunch meetings. Also, try carrying around some copies of your postcard everyday so when an opportune meeting happens on the street or elevator, you can give your postcard to promote yourself, much like a business card. These are simple ideas, and it will only cost you some effort in footwork. Distributing your postcards yourself is a good supplement to an overall postcard printing campaign.

Leave them at public places
Besides using yourself as the tool, you can also save money in postcard mailing by just leaving your marketing postcards in public places. It can be hotel lobbies, train stations, bust stops and other such places. Leave a nice postcard rack in appropriate places and add a sign that says 搕ake one free? People like getting free stuff, so chances are they will get one of your marketing postcards. The good thing about this as that your target market will be doing all that distribution for you. As you can see, this tip requires little effort and you will be assured that the people who get your postcards are interested in what your marketing message has to say.

Include them in other material
You can also have your marketing color postcards hitch a ride on other material. You can attach them to your brochures, catalogs, newsletters and public relation kits. Since most of these materials have their own kind of distribution strategies, your marketing postcards can range far and wide reaching a lot of people in no time. This strategy basically merges the distribution budgets of these materials saving you money. You get a 2 for 1 deal in terms of distribution. Really cost effective.

Use a cheap postcard mailing service
If you have no choice however, and you still want to reach the best and widest audience, then you have to distribute your postcard through mail. Stamps are cheap enough to buy, and you can have your postcards distributed by the cheapest (though perhaps the slowest) postcard mailing service that you can find. Of course the national postal service is your first choice in this. However, you can also search online for private mailing services or couriers which may offer cheaper packages, especially if you are mailing postcards in bulk. Just look extensively over the Internet and you will be surprised at the number of them. Just be sure to mail on bulk, and you'll save money in postcard distribution for sure.

So there is no reason why you need to worry about your postcard printing budget. You have a lot of cost effective solutions for the distribution of your postcards already. Now you can focus more on the postcards itself. Good Luck!

The list of business management skills presented in this article covers basic points which help understand about how to manage effectively. There are many other points to consider. This article however, presents an overview of the important information.

The skill set required for running a business includes many things like planning, organizing, co-coordinating, etc. Actually the number of skills needed to manage a business are many. However, a greater emphasis is laid on developing some of the important skills. Bringing people together and channelizing their efforts towards a goal is the essence or core of any business activity. The following business management skills list should help in getting an idea about how to run a business successfully.

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List of Business Management Skills

The topic of business management skills is vast and it should ideally cover information about the details about planning, devising solutions, co-coordinating the workforce, motivating the employees, meeting the standards of a certain level, etc. However, the important business management skills discussed in the article should also provide an idea as to how a business needs to be run smoothly. These points should act as guidelines in running a business organization.

The following basic business management skills needed for efficient management should be mastered so as to take care of the smooth operations of a business. No matter how cliched the ideas sound, their underlying thought and effectiveness helps manage a business in a better manner. Let us understand which skills are needed for efficient management, through the following paragraphs.

Planning
It is one of the important manager skills which need to be possessed by a successful entrepreneur / manager. The goal / target set by an organization is the focus of all planning activities. Forecasting and predicting the consequences of a particular step or action should be taken into account. It is therefore an important part of planning. The activity of planning also involves the process of analysis of data / information. Analyzing the information helps in taking decisions. The problems if any, and which may affect the smooth running of a business, need to be given due consideration in the planning process itself. Appropriate solutions for these problems should be devised beforehand in the process of planning. Information on effective manager skills should help in delving deep into this topic.

Communication Skills
Communication skills prove to be of great use, not only for running a business, but in all walks of life. There are many different situations in a business environment where communication skills prove to be useful. Negotiating with the supplier is one such area where good communication helps. Get more information on negotiation skills. The manager / owner has to face employees, business associates, and many people in a work environment. Good communication is therefore, a must-have skill.

Organizing
The workforce needs to be organized in a manner that optimum use of their skills is made. Organizing and co-coordinating the workforce is one of the most important business skills needed. It keeps the employees focused on their goals and enables them to work and proceed in a harmonious manner.

Financial Management
Managing the finance is important from the point of earning profits. Having a good knowledge of the financial statements helps manage the business in a proper manner. After all, finance / money is the fuel that keeps a business running. This Buzzle article on basic management principles regarding finance and other aspects, should provide an overview of the skills needed to manage efficiently.

Logistics
The subject of logistics deals with managing the inventory. It is necessary to arrange for adequate amount of stock required for running a business. Efficient management of this stock also is important. It helps in using the capital required for business in a better manner.

Dealing with Legal Issues
A person who wants to run a business needs to be aware of legal issues which could potentially affect the smooth running of a business. The different subjects covered under this topic include the knowledge of tax requirements, industry regulation, business structures, industrial relations, etc. Staying updated with all the related information helps dodge these legal potholes by fair means.

Ethical Business Practices
Ethical business practices helps a business organization to survive on a long-term basis in the market. The environmental issues need to be taken into account and optimum use of natural resources made in the process of running the business. This particular point may not fit into today's business 'ethics' that are largely profit oriented. However, a person who is looking to continue business on a long term, should find the environmental issues to be important. The study of these management skills for new managers should especially be useful.

All the business management skills listed above, help in dealing with problems that crop up in the process of managing a team or bigger organization. It is possible to develop these skills over time by studying the nature of work and practically applying them to a particular business model.

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When it comes to making important business decisions, business executives understand that they need to keep up on what's fresh and cutting-edge in order to keep the competitive edge over their competitors.

That being said, it's becoming increasingly difficult to stay abreast of the latest and the greatest because technology is changing at an ever increasing rate and a big source of these innovations lies in the internet.

Over the past decade, many of techno-savvy innovations have originated due to the internet and it's ever increasing presence and importance in the success of a business.

One of latest innovations has been the arrival of VoIP which enables any business, large or small to lower their cost of phone service and communications in general.

For those not up to snuff on VoIP it's a technology that allows you to make phone calls digitally over the internet. Because transmission over the internet is efficient it allows the companies providing the service to provide it at a much lower rate than traditional phone service.

VoIP, also know as Internet Phone or Voice Over Internet Protocol transmits calls over the internet digitally which results in crystal clear reception regardless of distance. As a result, whether a call is local or international it will still be clear and less costly than traditional landlines.

VoIP technology has been in development for over a decade but just over the past few years has it been brought into the mainstream. No longer do you need to be a huge corporation to benefit from lower phone rates because VoIP is accessible to sole proprietors as well as multi-national giants and in many instances at the same rates.

Although you need a broadband connection to enjoy the benefits of VoIP if you don't have a broadband connection yet need to get one if you want to do business on the internet anyway.

In addition to cutting your monthly or residential phone bills up to 80% VoIP plans also have all the features of traditional landline plans like called id and call waiting as well as more high tech functions such as the call transfer and e-mail notification for voicemails and so you don't have to sacrifice the amenities in order to enjoy the cost savings.

Another cost savings benefit that is normally passed along to the business owner is the result of consolidating their internet and telephone provider.

Imagine making calls to your clients in far away places such as Singapore, China, Hong Kong or London and not having to worry about the cost. With VoIP you now have the means to get in touch with the world for just pennies on the dollar.

Whether you're simply looking for cost savings or the ability to stay in touch with clients' half-way around the world VoIP opens up an endless stream of possibilities that were unimaginable just a few short years ago.

Tip - For options in finding the best lender for you, check out the links below.

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In the not to distant past businesses were able to succeed simply with salespeople having a knowledgeable understanding of their products, some good old personal charm (people skills) and ambition.

But in today’s terrorized world, complex global economy, and intensely competitive business environment, salespeople from the small mom and pop to large corporate giants in every market face unprecedented challenges.

We heard several years back that technology, along with the Internet, set up an even playing field for all businesses. Many thought that technological innovation would be their magic potion for success in business. It is true that many have had an unequal advantage in business and life because of technology. But, remember the Dot.Com bubble that burst?

Communications, science, art, medicine, automation, supply chain and products have all been reinvented and have brought about a more intense competitive advantage for many. And with that comes more unearthing challenges.

With an economy that is rebounding -- growth is slowing in many markets and industries.
Customers are growing more fragmented in their purchases and less loyal, less trusting and focused on getting the best price with higher service expectations.
Products and service are quickly cloned and it is increasingly difficult to create genuine product differentiation.
Product life cycles are shorter and profit margins are getting very skinny due to a multitude of issues facing business. Security and safety is one.
Now, you may be thinking --- Hmmmmm where is the bright side for the balance of 2004. The great news is that the ever increasing innovation in technological change is impacting all businesses. It brings Salespeople and businesses new strategies, tools and opportunities to succeed.

However your competition receives the same advantages opening their door of opportunity and unfortunately slamming the door shut for others. The key factor is for you to stay on the cutting edge of technology outpacing your completion.

Another factor and differentiation advantage for success in business will be what you sell – but, more importantly will be HOW you sell. With an over abundance of products and services and a global market crowded with suppliers, vendors, affiliates, MLM’ers, -- business is scrambling to find ways to provide more value and real value to the consumer has moved beyond product features and benefits.

The secret for edging out the competition will be in your ability to be a source of credible information and master complex issues that will solve customer’s problems producing long-term strategic customer relationships. The bad news is that this takes a new MINDSET on your part and understanding the physiological mindset of how your customer thinks. However, as the challenges increase -- the potential for success will expand, only, for those who master

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Every web site owner wants their web site to be wildly successful. If you own a web site, you know that you can ramp up traffic to your site with pay-per-click ads or by improving your search engine positioning, but then what? Getting prospects to your site is only the first step in web marketing.

What happens next?

If you answered, “Getting site visitors to buy”, you’re both right and wrong.

Most people are so focused on trying to ‘get the sale’ that they forget to include the key elements in their site that motivate prospects to buy.  Without these, you could be attracting a flood of traffic without seeing the results in actual sales.

Are you making this mistake?

Once you’ve built traffic to your site, your goal is to convert visitors to buyers. But in most cases, you’ll have to do that step by step.

Prospects need to get to know and trust you. Lead them in this direction by getting a commitment from them, even if it is a small one. Then help them see the value of your products and services so they want to buy from you, again and again.

What’s the key to selling more with your web site?

It’s as true on the web as in any other marketing or sales; it’s all about building a strong relationship with your prospects so they see your site as the place to go for the products and services they need. How? Do the same things you do to keep any relationship strong.

This past week I celebrated my 27th wedding anniversary. What makes my marriage so successful? Many factors, of course, but key among them; my wife and I share a lot of interests, from marketing (she’s a graphic designer) to boating, biking and hiking. And we rarely sit still; we’re always finding new ideas to share, new places to explore and new ways to expand our horizons and grow together.

Imagine how successful your business could be if you kept your best clients for 27 years. How can you use your web site to build relationships with prospects and clients? Start by rethinking your site content. Here’s how:

1. Keep site content focused on the overlap of your prospects’ interests and the benefits of your products and services. Grab your prospects’ attention by talking about their biggest problem or concern.

2. Give prospects something they want for free or almost free to get an initial commitment. It’s like asking someone to go out with you for a first date.

3. Continue to share information they can use to demonstrate the value of your products and services. Testimonials are a great way to build credibility, but actually demonstrating your expertise in articles, free teleseminars and online videos is even more convincing.

4. Stay in touch. Assuming that “first date” went well, how often do you contact your prospect? My son spends at least an hour a night talking to his girlfriend. Now that might be more than any prospect wants, but without contact at least twice a month, your prospects and past clients may forget about you and end up buying from the competition.

5. Keep it fresh. Keep prospects and clients coming back by regularly updating your site with fresh content. I recently added two new sections on my web site to give visitors ideas on how to create winning radio ads and use video to promote their businesses. These two pages have attracted thousands of page views in the few weeks they’ve been up.

The five steps above will start the process of building relationships and converting site visitors to clients. Next, you’ll want to know how to:

• Create and package your products and services for online sales,
• Use email to convert prospects into buyers (it’s a bit different than text messaging your boy- or girlfriend),
• Make your pay-per-click advertising bring in a flood of leads and sales,
• Write offers that make prospects want to buy,
• Overcome prospects’ natural skepticism and resistance to buying online so you can close the sale,
• Grow your web sales into a million dollar business.

If you’re serious about using your web site to grow your business, don’t waste time making the mistakes most people make.

 

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Are you making as much money as you could be from the services you market and provide?

 Want to know the fastest way to double or triple your business revenue?

Pat, a voice coach in Kansas City, used the simple ideas you’ll find below to increase her revenue by 300% in just two weeks.

Pat sought out my help because she just couldn’t seem to make her business into the huge success she knew it could be. Pat helps business executives improve their speaking skills and move up the corporate ladder. She had a web site and was using Google Ads successfully to generate leads, and that was the problem.

Pat was generating plenty of interest with her web marketing efforts, but with all the time she spent talking to prospects and then the time she spent coaching clients, she was going flat out and still not bringing in as much revenue as she wanted.

I’ve coached hundreds of independent service professionals over the years; accountants, authors, coaches, consultants, plumbers, trainers, search engine specialists, web designers, real estate agents, and other independent professionals – people who provide services of every kind.

Almost everyone I talk to is working way too hard and putting in long hours. Very few are making as much as they want to make or could be making.

Sound familiar?

Want to know three easy ideas you can use to double or triple your revenue in a month or less?

You’ll find the 3 simple ideas on what to do and how to do it to sign up more high-paying clients with less effort.

 When I start working with a new client, one of my goals is to help them see immediate results. I want to give them straightforward ideas they can put to use right away to start making more money. Then we can work on the long-term projects that will continue to grow their business. There are three strategies I teach my new clients right away:

1. Get Rid of the Time-wasters
Focus your marketing efforts on your best prospects and stop wasting time talking to people who aren’t likely to buy.

When Pat got a prospect on the phone, she’d been spending up to 30 minutes talking to them. She was spending a lot of time every day talking to people who hadn’t spent a dime on her services and weren’t likely to.

I helped Pat write a phone script that qualifies her prospects within three minutes so she can quickly determine whether or not they are high-paying coaching prospects and she should continue the call.

Then I showed her how to get the prospects that don’t fit this profile to buy her low-cost CDs. For the rest of the callers, the time wasters, I showed Pat how to politely end the call before they wasted a fourth minute of her time.

To close more sales, learn how to quickly separate the buyers from the time-wasters.

Want to discover the fastest way to make more money with less effort? If you provide a service of any kind, whether in-person or online.

2. Raise Your Prices
Most service professionals think that they’re already charging as much as they can, because prospects and clients often balk at their existing prices.

But nine times out of ten when prospects complain about price, its not the total cost that’s the problem. The problem is that the price is presented out of context, so prospects don’t understand the value of your services. Without understanding the value you provide, a very reasonable price is going to seem high and become a barrier to sales.

Does this happen to you? Do prospects ever tell you that your fees are high or that the price for a project seems too high?

When I first suggested to Pat that she raise her prices, she thought I was nuts. I explained how to present her prices in terms of the value her services deliver. She agreed to try my methods, and beginning that day, started charging – and making – 50% more with each client.

3. Close More SalesWhat would your profits look like if you signed up 7 to 9 of each 10 prospects?

What is your closing rate? Could you be closing more sales?

Pat detailed her sales conversations for me. She told me how she explained her services, outlined all the benefits, asked for a commitment and then tried to close the sale. It sounded like the approach that almost every other service professional uses – and it was all wrong.

I don’t know why, but we all seem to start with this approach, and it works just well enough to keep us thinking it’s the best way to sell. Its not!

When I started coaching Pat, her closing rate was 30%. Respectable but not great. I showed her how to sequence the sales call, what to say and when to say it to get the prospect to sell themselves. When she put my system into practice, her closing rate more than doubled; it increased to 70%.

In just two weeks, Pat eliminated time wasters, increased per client revenue by 50% and more than doubled her closing rate. Her income grew by 300%. Let me repeat that; her revenue grew by 300% in just two weeks.

No hype; this strategy works! Pat is now making more money with less effort by applying the 3 easy strategies above, and you can, too.

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What I’ve always enjoyed about being a B2B search marketer is the inherent complexity involved in persuading the business buyer. Not only do communications need to speak to multiple stakeholders to the purchase decision, but those stakeholders typically happen to be pretty intelligent people, holding prominent roles in their organizations. Gimmicks definitely will not work here.

So the challenge to B2B search marketers is in determining how to secure multiple buy-ins from a finite and intelligent group, overcome a lengthy consideration process, while mitigating fears over high costs and risks associated with the transaction.

Nobody said this was easy work.

The trick to maintain your sanity, while delivering positive returns on ad spend is to focus on things that are under your control. In B2B search marketing, that means you have to do things a bit differently than in B2C. To succeed, you must:

1)    Recognize that business purchase consideration cycles aren’t always linear
2)    Let micro B2B conversions show the way
3)    Capitalize on navigational search
4)    Draw qualitative conclusions from quantitative data

 

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Affiliate Marketing is not “as easy as 1,2,3″. But I guess you know that by now. It needs constant efforts and taking advantage of all the opportunities in order to succeed in a significant manner.

You may have already done some of the things we will talk about here or not; the important thing is to try to use these resources for your benefit in 2011. They can bring you a lot of business:

1. Customize your shopping template – build up trust for your visitors by personalizing your shopping cart in order to have the look’n'feel of your website. This will reduce the shopping cart abandons and will increase your visitor-to-customer conversion rate.
   As an Avangate affiliate, you can easily customize your template from the special section in the admin interface.
2. Use automatic tools to populate your site – this is especially important if you have large volumes of information on your website (you have a download portal, a coupon website etc.). Most of the affiliate networks provide data feeds with all product details you need in various formats that you can easily import on your website. This way, you can be sure the information is constantly updated with the latest changes.
   Here at Avangate you can also create custom XML data feeds according to your requirements by using filters to narrow the results (e.g. create a data feed with the discount coupons offered by our software vendors).
3. Create and use discount coupons – convince your customers to buy from you by throwing in an incentive in form of a discount coupon. But don’t think that if you’ve done this, all the customers will flock to your website – you also have to bring some unique value along with that coupon (e.g. a product comparison sheet, a review etc.)
   You can generate discount coupons yourself or you can use the ones supplied by the vendors if you’re a member of the Avangate Affiliate Network.
4. Promote your business via social media – Facebook and Twitter are a must. Promote your deals via social media channels and see the feedback you get from the market. Reach out to millions with a simple tweet / post and create a community around your website. Tell your audience about special deals you have on your website (exclusive bundles, promotions) or about new published reviews.
5. Take part in affiliate events – this is the best chance you get for creating new business opportunities with vendors across the globe. Nothing compares to a face-to-face meeting where you can discuss about new partnerships and arrange future deals.  Affiliate Summit and A4U Expo are two major events in the affiliate industry that are worth going to.

As a bonus, if you’re an Avangate affiliate, just take a consultation with our Affiliate Doctor – he can offer a few pointers to you for optimizing your affiliate business. Use the live chat feature from the Avangate Control Panel for Affiliates.

So, to wrap this up, first of all be sure your website is attractive to visitors and generates sales; after that, you can go ahead and find new opportunities for it. And don’t forget to constantly test and improve your business.