Introduction

Writing and publishing articles is one of the best free ways to bring customers to your website.  They not only can convey to the customer your ideas but also can give the customer a sense of trust in the owner of the website.  If you, the customer, do not feel that I, the website owner, knows what I am selling then how can you be sure what I am selling is legitimate.  I hope through the articles listed here, that you get a sense of who I am, and what I sell.

Advertising: The Ultimate Headache

I am not an Internet guru. I am a retired homemaker who has a lot of time on her hands. I do take my business seriously. I feel as if I am on a new learning curve, and everything is coming at me at one time. Learning about SEO for my website? Is it search engine friendly? How are the search engines reading my site? Is anyone going to click on my site, and are they going to find it user friendly? Are they going to buy anything? I am so overwhelmed! Do you feel the same?

I have checked and double-checked my keywords; my ad placements; making sure my keywords in my ads match to the keywords on my site. I truly understand HTML; I still don't understand SEO. I'm not sure anyone on the Internet truly does understand it. From what I have read, everyone has a different opinion on the right way to "optimize".

I looked up the word "optimize" in the dictionary; hoping against hope that I would have a better understanding if I was clear on the meaning of the word. It's a logical step for anyone who wants to learn and understand. Here is the definition: Optimize:

Ok, I get number 2 & 5. I am certainly optimistic and I do make the best of things. I have rewritten my html until my eyes are popping out. NO MORE! PLEASE! The dictionary didn't help me all that much. I now have a better view of what the search engines go through; they don't how to optimize either.

I have narrowed it down something I was taught in my first business course in college. If you don't advertise, no one will buy! Advertising runs the world. Where would Sears, Target, Macy's be without ADVERTISING! They would be bankrupt several times over.

Since I don't have extra money to spend on advertising right now (Social Security doesn't stretch that far!) I have to rely mostly on word of mouth or free advertising.

I am finding that my mouth does run quite a bit about my Internet business, as I can't stop talking about it. Which is good...I have signed up at least 5 people this way in the last month. The way I approach most people is just kind of creep up on them with my ideas. Some think I am crazy and worry I am going to lose my shirt, others ask more questions. Those are the people who are looking for help. If they are friends I go online with them and show them my site and what can be done.

I carry business cards with me everywhere I go. For instance I have a business card for SFI, on the front is my SFI website, on the back is my website address and email address. You would be surprised at how many people are interested in SFI when you tell them about it. A computer is not within reach, but a business card is; so I give them one.

Flyers’ are wonderful 8x10 sheets of paper! They can carry a full load of information on a short tear off. On the main page of the flyer I usually advertise whatever site I want to promote. For instance if I am at the grocery store and I put up a flyer about either a Dollar Store, Free Store Club, or Better Universe, sometimes all three. I check it once a week when I go grocery shopping and by then I have to replace them with new ones. The tags are all gone!

Free advertising sites on the Internet. There are so many! I always look through the site first to see how many people are advertising Home Based Opportunities. I then look for the niche where there aren't a lot of advertisers. I find that people who look on free sites are looking for a particular type of free affiliate programs.

Forums are great ways of advertising. People on forums are already looking for a work at home business. And the knowledge some of these people have is fantastic!

Ezine Articles and Blogging have become lifelines for advertising and getting your ideas and products noticed on the Internet. If you type in Yahoo hmewrk4u.com, you will see not only my home page but also my blog, and my articles in ezines and questions I have asked in some of these forums.

As I said in the beginning I am not an Internet Guru...15 years ago I didn't even know how to start up a computer, much less run a business from one. I don't think I am unique in this regard; a lot of my generation is in the same situation. You need to take a stand and say, "I can do this!" because ultimately you can! It takes work and determination to succeed, and succeed you will!

You are free to republish any of the articles listed....provided you include this at the end of your postings:

You are free to republishany of the articles listed....provided you include this at the end of your postings:

Nancy Kraska has been involved with Internet Marketing going on 8 years.  She is the owner of two work at home websites, and published three blogs at this time.  Visit any of her sites:   Simply-Cookbooks, Mom's Working At Home, Senior But Not Senile,  Mom's Working At Home Blog,  Mom's Cooking At Home.