Business is great and getting better.

Here's how to get your share of the pie!

Are You Ready for the Coming Business Expansion?
© Charlie Page

There are few times when everyone agrees on something. Fewer times still when *economists* agree.

Yet today we see almost all leading economists agreeing that 2004 will be the beginning of a business expansion similar to the 1980s.

What does this mean to you, the online business person?

Although this may sound odd, selling in good times is harder than you think. The reason for this is that most online business people fail to switch the *type* of offer they make when economic conditions change.

Here are four changes that you will see take place if the economy does improve, along with a word about how you can capitalize on them EARLY. Being early is the key!

First, when economic times are booming, people do NOT buy business opportunities like they do in a recession. It makes sense, really. When times are good people are busy making their bucks in their chosen profession. They don't need another way to earn, because opportunity is abounding.

Second, when times are good people will spend that surplus cash upgrading their lifestyle. The boat that Susan wanted, but delayed buying, becomes a reality in the face of resumed Christmas bonuses. The new sports car Dave wants moves to the top of the 'must have' list.

Third, people take the time to shop for and buy *time saving* devices. While it might be fine and good to spend time on a task when business is slow, in good economic times people crave automation.

Fourth, when people have extra cash they look to invest it in ways that will earn them a *passive* income. By passive I mean that one doesn't have to expend direct effort to earn.

Earning income on money in the bank is passive income. Selling products in an follow up system run by an autoresponder is passive.

Believe it or not, the Internet marketing gurus did not invent the idea of passive income; Wall Street did.

Now, how can *you* capitalize on these four keys?

Realize that you need to start now to 'make hay while the sun shines'. That means choosing the products you will promote, getting your traffic building systems in place, getting your follow-up systems built, and more.

That said, here are four things you can do now that will help ensure your success when things turn upward.

1. Review the products you offer. Do you sell a business opportunity? That's fine, but you might be wise to consider adding some *luxury* items to your offering mix. Consider opening an online mall or affiliating with a jewelry merchant. Perhaps you could generate leads for a car or boat company. Be open to diversifying your product line.

2. Review the way you approach the market. People are motivated by two general economic factors. These are promise of gain and fear of loss. Review your selling messages to see which approach you are using, and then change what needs changing.

A *lot* of people who had money lost it in the stock market in the last few years. This time around they might be more inclined to look at very conservative ways of investing or even buy more insurance. It's incredibly easy for you to become an affiliate for an insurance company and add that service to your offerings.

3. Sell the shovels instead of digging yourself. You've undoubtedly heard that the people who prospered most during the American gold rush were the people who sold the shovels, not the people mining for the gold. It's 100% true, and you can learn (and profit) from the idea.

Find products to offer that deliver TIME to your prospects. When economic times are good people will be working more at the office and will literally flock to *any* product or service that saves them time.

Teach them to automate their lives with things like online reminder services, autoresponders, self- replicating website software, and more, and you will do well indeed.

4. Line up your marketing avenues. Start doing research now on ezines to advertise in, keywords that will apply to the market at the time of expansion, joint ventures you can make with the *right* people, and more.

Now is the time to THINK about where you would market if you were marketing life insurance instead of the latest MLM.

While the things that sell during good economic times (like insurance and time-saving tools) might not be glamorous, they are incredibly profitable.

Think now about what you will do then, plan wisely, act early, and you will be the one raking in the profits.

How Hollywood Sells You by Charlie Page © 2004

No one creates buzz like Hollywood. This year we will be treated to sequels, re-makes and some all-new stories as well. The one thing you can be sure of is this: each new movie will be a prime example of how Hollywood works their marketing magic.

Hollywood is *very* good at what they do. The evidence for this lies in the fact that the you can always find the name of the next hot new movie (The Matrix or Austin Powers for example) in the top 300 search engine phrases for the entire Internet, when these same terms would normally not make it into the top 10,000. Not bad for a "non-Internet" marketing machine.

Can we, as small businesses without million-dollar budgets, learn from their example? I believe we can. Here's what Hollywood does to create their buzz, along with a note or two about how to apply their methods.

If marketing is war, as some claim, then Hollywood chooses their weapons well. They use TV, radio, web banners, press releases, Web sites, affiliations, lots of repetition (think about how many times you see the *same* commercial for the movie they are pushing this week), incredible target marketing and more to get their message across.

While not all of these "weapons" are right for a small business, many are. Let's take a closer look at three that you can begin using in your business today without breaking your budget.

** Repetition

When the latest "Austin Powers" movie (a comedy aimed at teens but popular with young adults if you don't follow the movies)debuted last year, cable and satellite channels featured "Austin-a-thons", showing the previous movies either back-to-back or sometimes showing one movie twice in a row.

Video stores rented "Austin packs" combining both movies into one package and stressing that you needed to return them ASAP because of the high demand.

You will see the same techniques used for almost any movie that is a sequel, much like the "Terminator" series.

Marketing message? If you liked the first one, you'll love the next one!

====> How can you use it?

Tell your existing customers that they will love your new product because they loved the last one. Remind customers of the benefits of your product or service in all of your communications with them.

Bottom line: *Never* let customers forget why they bought from you, and why it is a smart choice to buy from you again.

** Affiliation

Major fast food restaurants sold "Austin meals" and the reports are that kids bought them by the millions. They bought Austin cups, meals, stickers and more.

Marketing message? Austin is popular. So popular in fact that we will "loan" him our reputation.

====> How can you use it?

Get your existing customers to provide testimonials you can use in your marketing. Honor each one of these, because these customers are indeed loaning you their reputation when they provide a testimonial.

Find new and innovative ways to use these testimonials. One example is to include them in your email signature. Condense your best testimonial down to two lines and add it to all of your outgoing email.

This is the same trick that Hollywood uses when you see a can of Coke in the hand of a major star in a movie. People will literally go buy a Coke (or Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, etc.) just because they saw Harrison Ford drinking one.

Studies show that people will even buy cars based upon seeing them in a movie, which is why Volvo and BMW (to name only two) have introduced new models by putting them in James Bond type movies. Don't overlook the power of affiliation in your business.

** Target Marketing

Last year we had the difficult task of checking into nursing homes for a family member. Not one "Austin Powers" ad was seen when we toured these facilities nor was his name overheard.

Then we went to a fast food restaurant for a quick meal. Austin everywhere. Then to Wal-Mart to pick up a prescription, where we heard everyone under the age of 22 talking about when (and how many times) they intended to pay their 7 bucks to see Austin that weekend.

Marketing message? (This one is IMPORTANT) Don't try to sell ice to Eskimos. Once you find your perfect market, they will want what you have to sell with a white-hot heat. Do your job of making your product or service appealing, and success will be yours.

====> How can you use it?

Take some time today to think about your perfect customer. What does he or she look like? What kind of car do they drive? Where do they hang out on the Internet?

Are they web surfers, search engines seekers, or email intensive in their lives? What other products or services are they likely to buy? What are the top three reasons they should buy what you sell?

What are the top three reasons they should buy it from YOU?

Once you know these things, you will find it much easier to choose the right places to advertise to them. If you don't know these things, ask them by using a survey.

And remember, the Directory Of Ezines makes it super easy to find your perfect market in just minutes. After all, people read ezines because they want to know more about a particular topic. Interest readers respond to ads in ezines. That is what you want, isn't it? ;)

Of all of the marketing we get to watch, Hollywood is the undisputed master of creating a desire for their products. The more you watch what they do, and apply it to your business, the more successful you will become.

Soon, it will be YOUR grand opening that creates the buzz!

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Charlie Page is a copywriter who owns the Directory of Ezines and the Directory of Marketing. If you want to sell more online, visit Charlie today at http://www.directoryofmarketing.com