A domain name is vital if you want to be successful marketing anything online. My strategy is simple …

I recommend that you purchase two domain names. One domain name is for your replicated company website and the other domain name is for your self-hosted website or blog.

A domain name looks professional and it is easier to promote your business if you have at least one.

I use a Short, Catchy, Easy to Remember Domain Name that I put on my business cards. This one I forward to my company's replicated site.

Then I use a keyword-rich "Long-Tail Domain Name" for my self-hosted website or blog.

There are five basic components to Search Engine Optimization

• your domain name
• your title
• description
• keywords
• content

Your domain name is the very first thing that the Search Engine sees on your website. This is why it is so important for you to select a keyword rich domain name. Buying a domain name that is an actual keyword phrase is optimum.

You can purchase a domain name through GoDaddy without spending a bunch of money.

Hosting

If you are planning on automating your traffic generating process, you are going to have to have a website. You are now in business for yourself and with that business comes expenses. The great thing about the Internet is that you do not have to spend an arm and a leg to put the tools in place. The two things you definitely need in my point of view are a domain name and a hosting account.

I have chosen Host Gator because it is very affordable and it provides you with unlimited space.

Free Resources that you can Use to Market your Business More Effectively Online

Scribd – This website is amazing. This is a great way to syndicate and repurpose content. This website has a very high page rank and when you publish content to Scribd it will be found by the Search Engines. If you do any kind of article marketing or have extra private label content laying around, upload it to Scribd. Be sure you put backlinks in your articles or content.

Audacity – This software tool is great for editing any audio file. If you are going to do podcasts, you want to have a professional sound. This free software will allow you to edit your voice just as you would be able to do if you were in a sound studio. Audacity is priceless but you can download it for free.

The Free Site – This site has tons of great free resources.

But sixteen years ago, before I was a truck driver, I did not know what a "glad hand" was either. Every profession has it's own language.

I read Mike Dillard’s “Magnetic Sponsoring” two years ago and asked “What the hell is he talking about?”

Now I’m answering people’s questions, go figure.

Sales Funnel

A sales funnel is typically seen with a marketing system.  It all starts with your marketing methods. That’s essentially the opening to the funnel.

You have your marketing resources that attract prospects into the funnel. They enter by filling out the form on your PERSONAL lead capture page. I say “personal” because leads aren’t going to opt in on a company replicated lead capture page. They want a leader, not a business.

You are the leader they’re looking for – not a magic juice, pill, phone plan or travel package.

The Auto-Responder

A key component of the system is the auto-responder. This where the computer sends pre-written messages to your prospects on a scheduled basis … on auto-pilot. For those of us with a busy life, this is a God-Send!

There are different things you want in the messages. First, a message welcoming your leads into your site and setting the tone of what to expect from you.

There are several things to offer to people via the auto-responder – information to help build your rapport, links to valuable training, and information so that your leads can learn more about you.

Another way to get to know your leads is to call them.  If a lead includes their number on the form, give them a call!  It is an immeasurable way to build that relationship.  There are a TON of marketers out there that NEVER do this.  Imagine how you will stand out from the crowd just because you took 10 minutes to call.

You can include a newsletter that includes the training that you offered on your lead capture page. This is another way to promote you as a leader because you’re giving away your valuable strategies for free.

Note – you’re not slamming them with your business right off the bat. You subtly introduce them to that later. You use the auto-responders to tell them about you, help build your relationship, and put in your training, strategies, tips, and affiliate links.

The Funded Proposal

The funded proposal is vital to your sales funnel. It‘s the process of the selling of an inexpensive but useful product to cover the costs of your business, then introducing your business after your leads have gotten to know you.

What it does is fund your business long enough with immediate profits so you can advertise more.

Other reasons for a funded proposal:

1. When you have someone that purchases affiliate products from you, you now have an existing customer including their contact information.  It is much easier to introduce them to your business later on rather than a “cold” prospect.
2. Because of the help you’ve already provided in your messages, you’ve positioned yourself as a leader, not a salesman. You’ve offered them a solution, strategies, and help.
3. The information they’ve already bought from your affiliate links or your written material is educating & training them. Later, if they choose to become a part of your team, they’re already trained.
4. The biggest problem with anyone joining a MLM business is that it can take FOREVER before they feel any sort of positive cash flow. The funded proposal eliminates this problem. Your leads and team get into positive cashflow sooner.

Back to the Sales Funnel

One thing I always do is provide more of me.  I simply compose one message with all of the links to my social networking sites.  All of those social sites contain training and strategies that my leads then get for free.

So whenever I post in those sites, my leads can get updates from me instantly.

The leads that get this far into the sales funnel are highly qualified leads. They’ve gone to my lead capture page, they’ve received my auto-responder messages, and I’ve talked with them on the phone. They’re attending the trainings.  I’ve been building a relationship with them.

The next step is the end of the sales funnel – the introducing my primary business.

This is where you hope to drive ALL of your leads.  Fall out will happen no matter what sales funnel you’re using. But the ones that make it this far are introduced to my primary business.

They are introduced through several different avenues – such as my blog or Facebook.  I simply send a message when the timing is right.  When I’ve done a good job with providing training for my leads and built that relationship with them, they will join my team because they see what I can bring them.

Really, That’s it!

A sales funnel explained from top to bottom.

This is how the top income earners make money online.  There is no selling, no cold calling, no chasing family or friends.  Its attraction marketing that attracts other network marketers to you and what you have to teach.

I hope that these terms are a little less “Greek” to you now and that they make more sense.

It would have been a lot easier on me if I had known what they all meant when I started my network marketing career.  I would have saved a lot more money, had more leads into my system, and more cash flow into my business.

That’s why I wrote this article.  To make things a little more clear to you, especially if you’re just getting started in your network marketing career.