My off-line business began in 1972.
My on-line business began in 1995 with this question "How do I do business on the World Wide Web?" ~ "You don't, you just use the Web as a means to introduce your services and products by advertising" were the responses I received.
So, how do I do business on the Web? I build and develop on-line trusting relationships to give and get help.
First, with the help of Mr. Bob Osgoodby the board leader of the now demised Prodigy's Your Business Bulletin Board, I was asked to archive my weekly "stress tips" and opened a web page. As my mentor, Bob helped me share my interest and passion. I was then able to help others to do the same thing by producing and distributing e-newsletters, free reports and designing web sites.
In the beginning, I received and answered questions and inquiries on stress, (with no money received). I introduced our services and products (with little to no money received). Signed up as an associate to many affiliate programs (with little money received). Joined discussion groups, and became a moderator on several boards. Advertised on other sites. Linked other web sites on our home page and was linked from other web sites.
Be sure to go to your e-mailbox every day and one day you will receive an announcement (as did I) that you have made a sale or that someone signed up as an associate.
I read, explore, visit and do this over and over again. As you can see, doing business on-line is not an overnight thing.
I receive dozens of business opportunities every day in my e-mailbox such as the following offer:
"Dear Online Marketer,
I have found that you are doing business on
the internet and hope everything is going
well for you.
I thought I'd drop a quick note to let you
know about an EXCELLENT ONLINE BUSINESS
which has enjoyed rapid and consistent growth
in the last 2 years. It may fit very well
into your business portfolio.
This is the EASIEST and the BEST online business
today, virtually a SELF-RUN ONLINE BUSINESS.
It's on the INTERNET!
It's on NEWSPAPER!
It's on the RADIO!
It's TWICE voted as the #1 online business.
Come and Join us to receive this week's FREE
WEBPAGE Offer and other free tools.
It takes ONLY a minute to find out. You will
be glad that you did!
Please go to this webpage for more information:
http://xxx.xx.xxx.xx/xxxxxxxx/xxxxxx/1.html
If you are not interested in this information,
please excuse our intrusion and Reply with
"REMOVE" in the SUBJECT-LINE, for immediate
removal of your name, and we WILL NOT contact
you again.
Best Wishes..."
I responded to this kind of spamming with an invitation to advertise in Your Weekly Message, my company’s international e-newsletter.
When responding to the e-mail your receive be sure to include your address and a line of benefit on all correspondence on and off-line. Respond to inquires immediately.
Read, explore and advertise on free classifieds and do not forget to ask questions. Read how others are making money on and off-line.
My day begins with opening my e-mail and deciding which messages to keep and which to delete. And then creating yet another folder to place e-mail messages for further action.
After this, I check the pages on my company's web site to see how many visitors we received, and tally the weekly visit number. After checking the discussion boards to read and review responses and inquiries, I begin to work on my company’s weekly and monthly e-newsletters where original articles by associates and colleagues are posted and acknowledged.
Did I mention read - explore - advertise on free classifieds - bulletin boards - ask questions? Then do it again, and again, and again.
And, so it goes...
Be like me, find your passion and go for it. Turn your passion into profit!
With gratitude for making our progress possible, we wish you every success...
[The Baum Group/Dr. Rae and Associates publish weekly and monthly e-newsletters and reports. Visit their web site Your Stress Matters™ and click on "Subscribe Here!"]
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Send your comments and questions to The Baum Group at TheBaumGroup@YourStressMatters.com and they will be forwarded to Dr. Rae.
Please refer to our Business Card at www.YourStressMatters.com/buscard.htm for more information
about our company, our services and products.
About the Author
Dr. Rae Baum, Ph.D., founder and CEO of The Baum Group/Dr. Rae and Associates, is a bioenergetic analyst, stress educator and business consultant offering individual, group and corporate services. With a private practice for the past 30 years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, Dr. Rae has taught and lectured nationally and internationally in educational, organizational and clinical settings for the past 37 years.