GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Building a successful home based Internet Marketing business is often more challenging than people realize, but there is one thing that can improve your odds: proper planning. Surprisingly, a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs overlook this important step.

Effective business plans involve more than just choosing a domain name, launching a website and loading it up with affiliate products. You’ve got to put some serious thought into exactly what you want and how you are going to achieve it.

Successful franchise operations are a good example. They are built around highly developed plans that cover just about every aspect of running a business. A successful home based Internet Marketing business should also be thoroughly planned. … Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Uh-oh. If you miss this opportunity, you might kick yourself later. Read this post to the end to learn about a great competition that will give you a chance to win prizes AND give your home business a boost. Truly take it to the next level!

Even though the prizes are awesome, the real value (in my opinion) is in the skills you will learn over the four weeks of the competition, along with the disciplines you will develop that will continue to drive your Internet business long after the competition has closed.

As you will see from the following announcement, the ultimate purpose of the competition is to “teach people how to blog, and how to make money doing it.” If this interests you in any way whatsoever, please keep reading…

(Hey. Even if it doesn’t interest you at first, if you are serious about building your Internet home business, you will be wise to read this announcement …) Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Have you seen those +1 buttons popping up all over the place? It’s something just introduced by Google to let people “like” the websites, pages and posts they appreciate the most. Now you can give a little Search Engine love with the Google +1 (Plusone) button!

Google says that the purpose of the button is to “let people who love your content recommend it on Google search.” Sounds like a good idea in today’s socially focused online environment, whether you run a home business opportunities website like this one, or any kind of website.

The buttons have certainly become popular in a short period of time. To use them, you have to have a Google account. If you have an existing Gmail account or a Google Analytics account, for example, you are already good to go to use the Google +1 button.

To give a +1 to a site or a post, all you do is click the +1 button. If you happen to be logged in to your Google account at the time, then the +1 is registered immediately; nothing more needs to be done. If you are not logged in, a login box will pop up, you will take a moment to sign in to your Google account, and then the +1 will register instantly. … Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

I have been involved with online marketing forums for several years and I have seen some good ones. When it comes to friendly forums for your home business, the Entrepreneur Forums at EvanCarmichael.com is one of the best.

The Entrepreneur Forums is a high quality site with leadership from some very active and highly conscientious marketers. Their commitment to professionalism is evident in their forum participation and in their own business development.

Discussion categories in this friendly entrepreneur community range from Internet Marketing to Social Networking, Starting Your Own Business, Making Money in 2011, Entrepreneur Resources and a whole range of sub categories. There is a forum category or topic to suit just about every business, marketing and entrepreneurial interest out there! … Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Every secure structure needs a firm base and without that base, when the storms come, the structure is at risk of washing away. In this very same way, home business opportunities need a foundation, too.

Home based sales and marketing opportunities are a dime a dozen. Every product and every service imaginable is being sold online right now, and in many cases they offer an affiliate marketing plan for those industrious individuals seeking self-employed income.

You just need to determine what kinds of products or services you want to sell, then set up your website and your marketing system and learn the basics of marketing online.

Many newcomers scratch their heads at this point, wondering where exactly a person goes to learn how to do those things properly and effectively. Some marketers, already thinking and planning ahead, also wonder how they are going to keep pace with the incredible rate of development of technology, the Internet and online marketing systems.

This is where setting the foundation for your home business opportunities comes in. … Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Have you ever thought about getting paid to write articles, blogs and other content online? If you are an Internet Marketer, I’m sure the thought has crossed your mind at some point. This post will give you a few tips to help you land real writing jobs online.

I’m not talking about standard information-based marketing where you post promotional pieces on your own blog, or you submit free keyword articles to directories simply to promote your website or to get backlinks. I’m talking about writing informative articles and blog posts that you actually get paid for.

If you are an experienced writer, you probably know that there are unlimited sources online where you can find real writing jobs; publications, publishers and sites that pay you for well-written material that will appeal to their audiences. The trick to landing these paid writing assignments is to produce unique articles and content that has obvious value to both the publisher and the readers.

Making the transition from promotional marketer to paid writer is not that difficult, but it does require you to be aware of a few differences and it may require you to alter your thinking and your focus to some degree. … Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Is this the New Internet? Google is introducing a new social networking service called Google+ with such features as Hangouts, Huddles, Circles and Sparks. If not the New Internet, Google+ certainly aims to be a serious contender in the realm of social media.

Google+ is currently in a limited field trial. They are testing the service with a small, select group of people. If you did not receive an invitation, then you are likely not part of the test group.

If Google’s foray into social networking interests you, you can sign up to be included on the list when the Google+ invitations start rolling out again. Visit the Google+ project site and click the “Keep Me Posted” button.

The project site also offers an interactive tour where it explains what Google+ is all about: Real-life sharing rethought for the Web

And exactly what direction does this “re-thinking for the Web” take? Here’s an overview of some of the Google+ features: . . . Read the rest of this entry

GT Bulmer © Affiliate Power Central

Driving time can sometimes be down time; you might be trapped in city traffic for long periods, or driving down the highway for long stretches. Why not put it to good use? Here’s a way to turn your vehicle into a university on wheels.

This APC post and the three previous ones were inspired by an experience I had earlier in June where I was amazed by the achievements of a particular group of university graduates. I touched on this in the post, Internet Marketing Experts Made, Not Born.

I was inspired by the commitment to excellence demonstrated by the graduates. They pushed through a variety of very challenging obstacles in order to achieve their educational goals and advance their career prospects. It is incredible how much value focused study can have for a person.

Internet Marketers and home business entrepreneurs can be dedicated learners and achievers as well, even if they don’t attend university. There are other ways to build one’s knowledge base, and turning your automobile into a university on wheels is one of them. … Read the rest of this entry

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Have you got a few minutes to answer a question? It has the power to change your life forever. All you have to do is just think about the question for a minute, determine your answer, then use it to accelerate your success, beginning immediately.

Here’s the thing. In my previous two posts I talked about what it takes to achieve mastery in your field. I made references to recommendations from two inspirational leaders, Earl Nightingale and Brian Tracy who both promote the value of committing to a dedicated daily reading program.

Looking at their philosophies on personal and business achievement I realized that the foundational theme is focus. You must decide what your focus is; you must commit to that focus; and you must engage in a program to excel in that area of focus. … Read the rest of this entry

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Brian Tracy says that it takes five to seven years to achieve mastery in your field. “There are no shortcuts that work in the long term,” he cautions. You must commit to excellence and you need to regularly feed your mind with positive materials.

In my previous post, Internet Marketing Experts Made, Not Born, I highlighted a similar perspective put forward by the late Earl Nightingale. Earl said that if you spend an hour a day studying in your chosen field, you will become an expert in five years.

It is clear that these two highly influential thought leaders believe that the key to personal and business success is commitment: more specifically, a commitment to personal development, educational edification, and mastery of one’s field of endeavour.

Some people may think that five to seven years is a long time to wait to become an expert in their field. Brian and Earl have each pointed out that the time is going to pass anyway, so why not use it constructively and purposefully? … Read the rest of this entry