Most people realize that when you start a business offline it will cost money. But, when it comes to online business most people don't want to pay anything to get started. The bottom line is you can't start any business with out some costs. The difference between online and offline business are that online business can be done with a tight budget.

When you first start your online business there are some tools you must have. You must have an autoresponder, now you might wonder what is a autoresponder? This is a form of email where you store pre-written follow up sales letter, newsletter or articles depending of what your business are. These messages are sent out to your customer at time you decide.

There are free autoresponders and there are autoresponders that will charge you a monthly fee. The free autoresponder have less features. And some of the autoresponder will put ads in your follow up letters, and that is not an good idea for you. You don't want others to promote there products or services in your letters where you are promoting your own product or service. Therefore a paid autoresponder is much better, there will only be your own promoting in it.

You have to build an opt-in list with customer, it's here the autoresponder show its greatness. To get interested customer to your list you have to place an ad and from that ad you will have your customer to visit your web site. When the customer subscribed they end up in your autoresponder and will be send your pre-written follow up letters at time you set up.

There are lots of places where you can put your ad in.

Here are some examples:

Google Adword

Overture

There are more, just search the Internet.

There are also company where you can buy leads for your list. Some examples:

Cutting Edge Media

Lead Factory

For more just search the Internet.

When you buy leads this will go directly to your autoresponder they will not be directed to your web site, but thats okey you will have your link to your web site in your follow up letters.

It's also important to have a website, you use the web site to promote your business. It's in the web site you place your sales letter to convince your customer of your product or services greatness so they will subscribe to your list.

If you are involved in affiliate programs they will some times provide you with a web site, often you will have several web sites depending of there products. The problem with these web sites are that you can't build your opt-in list.

You have probably heard that the success is in the list, and I have to agree. It's much easier to promote products or services whit customer in a list then try to get new customer all the time.

Opt-in list are a database where all of your customer are gathered when they subscribe to your list. It's from these list your autoresponder gets the email address to your customer.

So what I suggest you to do is to build your own web site and from this you promote your affiliate programs and let people subscribe for your pre-written follow up letters in your autoresponder.

If you don't know how to build your own web site there are several on line that will help you with this, of course they will charge you but if you don't know how, these will be well spent money.

There are also some business partners who will build your web site for free with ready to go affiliate programs as long as you join them with these affiliate programs. This is a good idea if you have none or little knowledge in Internet business, you will get started in a easy way, and some of them will also have step-by-step guides how to run your business.

How about affiliate programs are they free of charge? It depends on what product or service they are offering. For example if they offer a software product that can be used on web sites, they will almost certain charge you with a monthly fee, and that is understandable, if they don't you could use it on your web site and promoting some one Else's product and get to use the software for free. There are also other reasons for a monthly fee, there are administrative costs, they may provide you with a web site and follow up letters and they have to track your sales so you get paid properly, won't you agree that this is important.

So now you will understand that running an Home Business is not totally free of charge. But it's much More affordable than an offline business. You don't have to spend that much money to be successful.

I spend about 100 to 150 $ a month on advertising, autoresponder and affiliate fees. But thats me you can spend more or less it depends on your budget.

To your success.

Gert Ljungqvist

This article was posted on July 09, 2004

About The Author

Gert Ljungqvist publishes Home Business Tips, a fresh and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people like YOU! If you're looking for home business opportunities then grab your own Free subscription today at: http://www.marketingbusinessteam.com/biztipspop.html

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