How To Build An Online Audience On A Very Limited Budget

By Craig Lock
Posted Monday, August 30, 2004

I find that writing articles based on my own knowledge and life experiences is the best means of internet marketing. In other words, you are BRANDING yourself. Writing down information (valuable), that can inform and most importantly, HELP others through SHARING.

A few words of advice here...

Just write in your own UNIQUE and distinctive style - what comes naturally to you. Be yourself in your writing and you will find that the words will flow. Use your individual area of expertise (and/or interests) to help others through sharing your unique knowledge and experiences of the magical journey that is life.

Then submit your articles to relevant ezines in your area of interest or expertise, and/or publishers resources - lists like Shelley Lowery's Article Announce, "Wild" BIll Montgomery's MakingProfit.com, Mike Valentine's Free-Content and Angela Giles-Klocke's TheWriteArticles.

Their web adresses are:

(http://www.egroups.com/group/article_announce)
(http://www.makingprofit.com/)
(http://www.egroups.com/group/Free-Content)
TheWriteArticles@yahoogroups.com

You can also try ...
Publisher Network: publisher_network@egroups.com and finally ArticlePublish@yahoogroups.com.

They are all an excellent source of information and many ezine publishers source relevant articles from these lists.

I believe that this strategy is the most effective form of TARGET MARKETING... that get's us the best results on a very limited advertising budget (like most start up home online businesses)... and best of all it's BRANDING oneself through free advertising.

A few final words to summarise...

You DON'T have to be a "professional" writer to write articles. You know more about the subject matter (based on your past knowledge and experiences) and especially YOUR business. It doesn't matter whether you have never written anything before, just make a start.

"Be bold and unseen forces come to your aid." (that is one of my favourite quotations - story of my life!).

Progress in life is accomplished by doing the basics right - the "little chores day by day". Success is never instantaneous - in any field of endeavour. For a while it may appear as if you are not making a noticable difference through your substantial efforts (in time and dedication put in ). However, just keep "chipping away" at your online marketing long enough and I can assure you, you WILL get noticed wit web traffic... even though it may take awhile. This whole business of internet marketing has been one long learning curve for us over the past five years - seeing what works and what doesn't... like the lessons of life itself.

Finally...

Just make a beginning. Take that first step and you'll find that one step naturally leads to the next. As the ancient Chinese proverb so wisely said: "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a broken fanbelt
and a leaky tyre... er sorry, a single step".

Good luck with those first few steps in writing articles for the www (without a broken and leaky pen).

Craig Lock

(http://www.craiglockbooks.com)

About the author:
Craig Lock has been marketing various products online for the past five years. Craig is a writer, who believes in sharing information, as well as encouraging and helping others to find their talents and gifts, to strive for and accomplish their dreams in life - whatever they may be.

the "original" Online Creative Writing Course (http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/creative.html)