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Articles by Diane Hughes

• 5 Sure Ways To Cure "Internet Marketing Overload"
  The main thing I hear from most people just starting out online is that they are overwhelmed. Yes -- you will see TONS of ezines, membership sites, product packages, product launches, forums, blogs, and anything to do with internet marketing. It's a fact -- there's a lot out there!
  Published 11Nov2006, viewed 555 times

• Does Your Website Work?
  When was the last time you tried out all the parts of your website? Have gone clicking around your site to see what your customers are seeing? If you have answered “yes” then good for you… but even if you have, have you looked on your own computer?
  Published 04Nov2006, viewed 535 times

• Earning Thousands By Affiliate Selling
  Affiliate selling online can make you the ultimate virtual sales representative. You can literally sell any product on the market today to consumers all around the world. With aggressive techniques, you can earn thousands in commissions without leaving the comforts of your own home.
  Published 24Oct2006, viewed 571 times

• Fill Your Site With Customers Who Spend MORE!
  Occasionally, I get friends who say to me, “Diane, online business changes so often, it’s hard to know the next best strategy to market my business.”
  Published 16Oct2006, viewed 580 times

• Get Visitors Returning To Your Site Again & Again
  One of the driving forces of entrepreneurs is the insatiable need for traffic. Do you stay awake at night wondering how you can get more traffic to your website? Most online business owners do!
  Published 14Oct2006, viewed 557 times

• The Eye of the Storm
  I've been publishing a newsletter for over 3 years and I've been actively marketing and running an online business for almost 5... needless to say, I've seen a lot of trends come and go and definitely know all about lulls and surges.
  Published 13Oct2006, viewed 527 times

• Google AdWords Strategies
  I was driving down the street the other day and saw a billboard. A big billboard. One so big it practically eclipsed the sun! It advertised a sunny vacation destination and as I gazed at that picture I was momentarily whisked away in my mind to a beach with lapping waves.
  Published 09Oct2006, viewed 425 times

• Hide and Seek
  I was at the park the other day and watched a couple kids playing hide and seek. I marveled at their diligence in finding the other children… diligence I wish I saw in my own children when it comes to cleaning their plate or picking up their toys?
  Published 06Oct2006, viewed 491 times

• A Little Inspiration For You
  It's about half way through the year… or pretty close, at least. How are you doing in your business?
  Published 02Oct2006, viewed 481 times

• 10 Methods for Free Advertising
  When you are just starting out with your online business, marketing can be a tough sell for your pocketbook. You may not have the kind of budget you need to get the word out about your product or service. However, you can market your new site and your expertise with no cost to you except some time and effort. Here are ten effective ways to market your site for free:
  Published 28Sep2006, viewed 385 times

• 6 Secrets to More Profits
  As entrepreneurs we spend a long time in the planning stages of business building. We develop big dreams for our business but sometimes the profits don't come in nearly as quickly. While you may be building and massaging your current product line, you can also create wealth with these 4 secrets to additional profit.
  Published 26Sep2006, viewed 454 times

• Business Not Producing? Stop Guessing and Find Out Why!
  It seems each January that many small businesses (especially online businesses) sigh as they wonder why their company is not producing and what to do about the situation. This year, take the time to find out exactly what your business is missing. When you do, you’ll know exactly what to do to move up to the next level.
  Published 21Dec2005, viewed 478 times

• Preparing Your Site for the Holiday Rush
  Well, the predictions are in and according to Investor’s Business Daily, Forrester Research, Inc. states that despite concerns over consumer confidence and the impact of gas prices, U.S. consumers will spend $18 billion online during this holiday season [2005].
  Published 07Dec2005, viewed 445 times

• Five Tips for Integrating Marketing and Sales
  There are big rewards when sales and marketing are effectively integrated — not least of which are improved operating performance and outstanding financial results. These five tips will help.
  Published 29Oct2005, viewed 462 times

• True or False: You CAN Make Money While You Sleep
  It’s a crying shame really. So many people have tried to follow the Internet dream. They’ve heard the stories of others who quit their day jobs, wake up whenever they choose, take leisurely lunches with friends, shop for hours on end without one worry about how to pay for their purchases, buy new cars and pay cash for them, and make money hand over fist while they sleep.
  Published 14Sep2005, viewed 1518 times

• Whose Site Is It Anyway?
  I spend a lot of time emailing with online business owners. Since that’s my specialty, I find a lot of people asking me questions about my success. What amazes me is that many of those people are asking the wrong questions!
  Published 07Sep2005, viewed 1062 times

• How Do You Live the Internet Dream? Automate, Automate, Automate!
  There’s no doubt that one of the things that excited you about operating your online business was the thought of making money while you sleep. Having free time to spend with your family while - at the same time - generating an income is something almost every person on earth wants. But as you’ve moved further and further into the Internet business realm, you’ve most likely discovered that this is hard work!
  Published 31Aug2005, viewed 1050 times

• Proven Techniques For Building A Responsive List
  We’ve all heard those who have Internet business-success stories proclaim, "Nothing will make you as much money as building a responsive list!" The trouble is, most people won’t let you in on their secrets for building these goldmines. In reality, it isn’t all that hard to do.
  Published 18Aug2005, viewed 1201 times

• Building Consumer Confidence Builds Sales
  Many small online business owners have yet to understand the sheer power that comes from building consumer confidence. They struggle with sales month after month, but still, when someone tells them their site design needs help, they get offended. "I spent a lot of time building my own site!" is the reply.
  Published 10Aug2005, viewed 1241 times

• 10 Ezine Advertising Strategies For Starters
  If you're like most ezine advertisers you wish to generate FAST Sales by sending your message in front of thousands ezine subscribers.
  Published 04Aug2005, viewed 1351 times

• 5 Strategies to Boost Your Affiliate Sales
  Are you promoting affiliate products? This article will show you 5 strategies to boost your Affiliate Sales, so make sure you read it and put in practice what I'm about to reveal you.
  Published 25Jul2005, viewed 935 times

• Tracking & Troubleshooting for Increased Sales
  So many times, online business owners are confused about where their sales come from. They think they are helpless after a visitor arrives at their site. Nothing could be further from the truth!
  Published 19Jul2005, viewed 1529 times

• Your Proposal Was Rejected ... But Why?
  When a request for proposal (RFP) comes in, you get excited! It’s a chance to earn income, develop more business contacts, and expand your client base. You work your little heart out in order to be thorough, compelling, and professional. Everything is in place. Your RFP is geared to show why your product or service will meet or exceed the client’s goals. With fingers crossed, you submit.
  Published 12Jul2005, viewed 536 times

• The Hidden (and Powerful) Benefits of Frequenting Forums
  While most people understand the benefits of forums from a "gathering information" perspective, many don’t think about the hidden benefits of forums. The most common reason for visiting is to ask questions or get advice. That's a good enough reason to go, but there are other - more beneficial - reasons to become a forum frequenter.
  Published 05Jul2005, viewed 499 times

• What You Need To Know About Incorporating Your Business
  Most US-based small businesses are getting eaten alive in taxes! That statement has proven itself true over and over again. However, while small business owners want to save money, many are literally afraid of incorporating their companies. The paperwork, the additional reports, having a set payroll amount each month, and other visions swirl around their heads. Those visions could be costing you a ton!
  Published 21Dec2004, viewed 838 times

• Little Known Tax Deductions That Can Save You Big
  When you say "end of the year", most small business owners think of two things immediately. The *second* is the holidays. The *first* is taxes! While almost all of us pay taxes quarterly, we still have to file in January. That means November and December are spent getting ready. When you're gathering all your information together for your accountant, don't forget about these regularly overlooked deductions.
  Published 14Dec2004, viewed 879 times

• Are You Walking the Talk?
  I saw a television commercial the other day. It actually made me laugh out loud. It wasn't funny ha ha, it was funny ironic. A local telephone service provider was singing its own praises about what wonderful service it provided. Yeah, sure! I thought. I used to live in the area that this particular provider covered, and I know for a fact their service is anything but wonderful.
  Published 08Dec2004, viewed 600 times

• Shattering the Branding Myths
  If you've been online long, you're sure to have seen many gurus give their ideas about branding. However, much of what you read simply isn't true. Over the years, many myths about branding have taken hold in the online world and spread like wildfire. The fact is: They are doing you more harm than good.
  Published 25Nov2004, viewed 656 times

• Want To Expand Your Business? Try Walking Barefoot in the Grass!
  I hear it all the time. I want to expand my business, but I don’t know how. Many online small business owners have this challenge. In all actuality, it’s not a business problem... rather a creativity problem.
  Published 02Nov2004, viewed 905 times

• Complaints Are Actually A Good Thing!
  Nobody likes to get complaints. They make you question your judgment, they can ruin your day, and they almost always leave you in a bad mood. But what if I told you that complaints are actually a good thing?
  Published 26Oct2004, viewed 736 times

• Failure is Not an Option
  I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that online businesses -- just like brick and mortar businesses -- have a very high failure rate for startups. Ever wonder why that is? There are several business consultants, success gurus, and motivational experts who can tell you. The problem is: Most of us don’t listen.
  Published 19Oct2004, viewed 707 times

• What Happened? Troubleshooting Poor Response from Ad Campaigns
  Too many small business owners today run ad campaigns that get little to no results, and they have no idea why. When you have the knowledge to troubleshoot the poor responses, you also have the knowledge to make the needed changes so that - next time - your sales improve! Let’s take a look at the breakdown of an ad campaign, and how to determine what went wrong.
  Published 14Oct2004, viewed 684 times

• Small Business Success - It’s a Matter of Confidence
  I was floored! I couldn’t believe what they were saying! But there they sat -- three of the biggest film stars of our age -- telling the world they had issues with confidence. I was watching an interview where Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore were talking with Oprah Winfrey. Their conversation gave me a lot to think about in regard to small business success.
  Published 05Oct2004, viewed 737 times

• Proven Ways To Dramatically Increase Your Conversion Rate
  There is an old saying that I agree with 100%. "Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising."
  Published 29Sep2004, viewed 1104 times

• The Pitfalls Of Using Technology For Technology’s Sake
  Being a long-time Internet entrepreneur, I have made certain observations over time. Most people who start an online business seem to go through certain "phases." They make the same mistakes, and they react the same to different circumstances. All the while, they never realize that much of this behavior sends a glaring red signal that they are undoubtedly newbies.
  Published 21Sep2004, viewed 632 times

• Trial and Error + Persistence = Successful Marketing
  A few honest and successful Internet business owners will attest to the fact that they have made countless marketing mistakes. Many of them will admit that they didn't get it exactly right on the first try. However, practically all will tell you that - without the gumption to take calculated risks and the persistence to follow through - they would have never developed a truly successful online marketing campaign.
  Published 13Sep2004, viewed 675 times

• All The Comforts Of Home - Or Home Office!
  With the continued explosion of small business startups these days, home office setups are becoming more and more of an issue. You need all the standard equipment of a brick and mortar business, but can you afford them? And does it really make a difference? The answer to both questions is yes!
  Published 03Sep2004, viewed 711 times

• Think You Can’t Afford the Help You Need? Think Again!
  So many small business owners - especially those who work from home - are very pressed for time. After all, as an independent professional, you must wear the hats of: accountant, salesperson, customer service representative, marketing manager, distribution manager, tax professional, and countless others. While you may need help desperately, you probably think you can’t afford to hire someone.
  Published 25Aug2004, viewed 733 times

• Avoiding the Delete Button - How To Make Your Email Campaign Pay Off
  Have you noticed? It’s becoming harder and harder to get a good response out of email campaigns. Why? The more popular an advertising method becomes, the more overused it gets. When that happens, customers develop an "immunity". They are so overwhelmed by the dozens, or even hundreds, of emails that pop into their inboxes that they simply hit the delete button without even giving it a second thought.
  Published 18Aug2004, viewed 1298 times

• Sneaky (But Legal) Places To Insert Keywords For Higher Rankings
  The battle for high search engine rankings rages on! The engines themselves continually make changes which makes our jobs, as Web site owners, much more difficult. But, one thing has always remained the same... Keywords.
  Published 13Aug2004, viewed 1199 times

• What the Taco Bell Manager Taught Me About Customer Retention
  I didn't plan to get a marketing lesson. I really just wanted a steak chalupa! But as I went through the Taco Bell ordering line, my day took an interesting twist.
  Published 30Jul2004, viewed 1392 times

• Practical Money-Saving Tips For Small Businesses
  One of the primary concerns all small businesses have is saving money. When it's time to trim the fat, most look for one giant expense to decrease or eliminate in order to stay within budget. More often than not, it doesn't work that way.
  Published 23Jul2004, viewed 1310 times

• Advertising Costs Getting Too High?
  Everyone knows that advertising is essential to growing a business. One problem that small business owners have always faced is the high cost of marketing. Most, however don't realize that there is an effective way to reduce the cost of your advertising while - at the same time - increasing its reach.
  Published 28Jun2004, viewed 1271 times

• What's the Secret to Repeat Business?
  When you think about ways to gain repeat business from your customers, you probably turn your thoughts to marketing efforts uch as advertising, public relations and other means that will allow you to repeatedly be seen. However, without one particular element included in your plan, your efforts to entice customers to buy over and over will fail.
  Published 21Jun2004, viewed 1135 times

• Organization Tips That Add More Hours To Your Day
  One of the most common complaints that small business owners have is lack of time. What most don't realize, however is that their lack of time stems from a lack of organization. But with a few simple tips - that you can implement immediately - you can literally add hours to your day.
  Published 18Jun2004, viewed 1305 times

• Some Advertising Is Doomed To Fail
  When people are concerned about the lack of response to their advertising, usually they complain about one of two things. They either say, "I put it in all the popular ezines but nobody responded" or "I followed all the copywriting 'rules' but didn't even get one sale." This dilemma is normally due to one common problem. There is one thing most people don't think about that dooms their advertising to failure.
  Published 14Jun2004, viewed 1191 times

• Creating A Network That Works
  Do you ever stand in awe of those people who seem to know everybody and everything? I know I do! Regardless of what you're looking for, these people have their finger on the pulse of the 'Net and know where to find it. Their network of resources and people is incredible! Yours can be, too. It's actually very simple to create a network that works to bring you business, offers feedback and provides those resources that we all need to have.
  Published 31May2004, viewed 1234 times

• The Best Traffic Generation Tool Is Free
  Although search engines have been around since the beginning of the Web, many businesses (large and small) are just now waking up to the gigantic benefit search engines provide. What other medium gives you - at absolutely no cost whatsoever - a way to drive unlimited traffic to your site? None. That’s why, once people understand search engine optimization (SEO), they get hooked!
  Published 24May2004, viewed 1495 times

• How To Find the Best Merchant Account For Your Business
  What a great idea! Start accepting credit cards and watch your profits soar. Nothing could be simpler. Or so you thought until you began researching merchant accounts. It can all get extremely confusing. There is an easy way to find the best deal that suits your business. You'll be able to compare apples to apples and have a clear picture of what the merchant account will cost you.
  Published 18May2004, viewed 1347 times

• Making Press Releases Work - Creating News Where None Existed
  Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is to get free publicity? Have you tried the suggestions that most public relations gurus give you? The hard, cold truth of the matter is that you cannot write a press release about any old aspect of your business and have it end up on the home page of the Fortune Small Business Web site.
  Published 13May2004, viewed 1198 times

• Multiple Streams of Income: Internet Myth or Vital Business Strategy?
  So often we, as online business owners, fall victim to the hype surrounding the latest buzzword or idea. It’s a truly pitiful state of Internet affairs when we can’t distinguish sound truth from blurred theory. So what is the truth surrounding one of the most talked about Internet catch phrases, multiple streams of income?
  Published 03May2004, viewed 1604 times

• A Hard Lesson Learned ....
  Are you like me? I like to handle things on my own so I don't even THINK about incorporating help with anything I am working on ... especially my business as a whole.
  Published 26Apr2004, viewed 1205 times

• Who Says the Customer is Always Right?
  We all know the old adage, "The Customer is Always Right." If you are an online business owner or offline for that matter, you are on both sides of the subject almost everyday.
  Published 20Apr2004, viewed 1300 times

• What to Do When People Want Everything for Free
  It’s a sticky situation. A prospect, a site visitor, or just a casual acquaintance asks for your help or advice on something. You gladly give it, thinking it’s a one-time “favor.” But instead of providing a little free advice, you’ve opened the door to an onslaught of mooching!
  Published 15Apr2004, viewed 1302 times

• Were You Bamboozled by Google?
  It’s still happening. Florida, Boston, Ginger, and Brandy are just a few of the many Google updates that have hit within the last few months. And Google is still issuing periodic updates as we speak. No one can say for sure what’s going on or what to expect. One thing is for sure... unless you want to get bamboozled by Google (again!), you’d be wise to take action to prevent it now.
  Published 09Apr2004, viewed 1138 times

• Raising Your Rates Can *Increase* Your Business
  How many times have I heard literal horror stories from Internet business startups? Too many times to count! I get emails from those who just simply can’t seem to make a living online. They’ve tried everything (according to them) and are still struggling to make ends meet.
  Published 01Apr2004, viewed 1111 times

• What’s Love Got To Do With It?
  Ask successful online business owners, and they’ll quickly tell you there are certain things that are imperative in order to reach your business goals. Some of the common responses to the question How do you thrive online? are: dedication, organization, perseverance, and street smarts. But what’s love got to do with it?
  Published 22Mar2004, viewed 1124 times

• Back to the Basics: How to Successfully Start an Online Business
  As someone who has been running a full-time Internet business for years, I often have to remind myself that there are thousands of business ewbies who are just starting out. As I get farther and farther into the realm of online business, I find that the basics for starting your own business still hold true.
  Published 19Mar2004, viewed 1218 times

• Now More Than Ever...You Need To Optimize Your Site for Search Engines
  As the economy begins to recover in certain parts of the world, more and more online marketers are looking for affordable ways to drive qualified traffic to their sites. That’s why, now more than ever, you need to optimize your site for the search engines.
  Published 19Mar2004, viewed 1361 times

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