Viral marketing is a methods of list building

There are multiple methods of list building, and if you are just getting started, until you have gained mastery over one or two methods, it is advisable to use multiple methods of list building strategies. You’ll see every step of the process, no matter how small, in exacting detail so

The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on Affiliate, Article and Internet Marketing. All of the articles are based on real experiences and research done over twenty years as a personal and business coach. They are also written in response to questions which I have been asked as well as address common challenges that people have with affiliate marketing, article marketing, internet marketing or running an online business in general. I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value. One idea, one tip, one clue can make all the difference.

Internet Marketing - Increase Your Internet Marketing Presence With Your Resource Box Or Bio

Before getting into the article content, may I recommend that you also read "Affiliate Marketing - Take A Critical Look At Your Marketing" which provides additional information on calls to action and resource boxes. O.K...

In reading this article it is a given that we all understand the benefits of writing articles and submitting them to article directories. It is also a given that articles are definitely not sales pitches. Having said that, what do you think the purpose of your article should be? I can think of five immediately

• To inform the reader
• To build credibility
• To convince the reader you can help them
• To lead the reader to your resource box
• To get the payoff

If we have been successful in accomplishing the first three, how do we then use the limited space available to us to get the maximum benefit out of the resource box?

This may seem obvious to many but the first thing to do is to read the conditions that apply in submitting articles to a specific directory. The biggest complaint I hear is that you cannot include affiliate links. Why would you want to do that anyway? Why would you want to send your readers to someone else's website and not yours? Why would you want to give up the opportunity of capturing the reader's details as a potential customer?

Now, let me ask you this question.

How many of you use software to submit your articles to the directories? I don't. That does not mean I am passing judgement on the merits or otherwise of doing so, it's just that I wondered - do all of the directories follow the same rules, do they all give us the same amount of space / lines in which to write our bio?

Or will some of them truncate the text and lose part of that vital URL? As an example:

Ezinearticles provides a lot more space than Goarticles for their respective resource boxes. I have published over 100 articles in each of these directories and, from experience, the information that I include in the Ezinearticles resource box has to be reworked and shortened to suit Goarticles.

You get the message - check. I'd really hate it if you were truncated!

What is the purpose of your Resource Box?

In understanding the purpose of the article, what is the purpose of your resource box?

Perhaps it is to

• Generate income
• Attract subscribers to a newsletter
• Improve your link popularity
• Generate more traffic to your website or blog
• Get readers to sign up for a course

Whatever the purpose is, stick to that purpose. O.K. maybe you do have seven websites and ten blogs but look at it this way. Why take up valuable space that can be used to convince your readers further that you have the solution they are looking for, just to display links to all your websites.

Even worse, your article is one of a series on internet marketing but you include links to your gardening site and your weight loss site. Is your reader confused or what?

Call To Action

What's in it for me? No, not you, what's in it for the reader?

Your article has done its job, your readers want to find out more. The key is to keep their curiosity going for a few more seconds.

Anything has to be far better than just "Click here for more information". At the very least, spell out some of the benefits. Better still, tease your readers with "Did you know that...", "What if I told you that...", "If you sign up for....which is totally FREE, you'll also get..."

Whatever the purpose of your article, don't miss the opportunity to capture your readers' details. They are all targeted potential customers who have come to you through your article. If it has done its job, they will be in the right frame of mind. Once captured, these potential customers have given you permission to contact them.

Of course, the purpose of the resource box is to get your reader to take action, to click on that all important link. What of it?

Check and double check that the link is not broken or misspelled. Avoid direct affiliate links. Avoid link cloaking where it is obvious to the reader that it is still an affiliate link. It's far better to use redirects anyway.

In Summary

Continue to build your credibility so that more readers are intrigued enough that they want to visit your site and browse what you have to offer them. Encourage your readers to take your call to action and click on your link by providing the resource box content that makes a strong, positive impression. Remember, we get one chance to make an impression.

Although this has focused on writing articles, the same principles apply to signatures on emails and writing posts on forums. It will be your loss to underestimate the power of your resource box. There may be restrictions and limited space but it provides you with a significant tool to drive traffic to your site. It is also unlikely that a dull, unimaginative resource box will ever get the job done. Be creative and at the same time show that what you have to offer is exactly what your reader is looking for.

When there is a good flow of information from the title through the article content that continues into the resource box, you have every chance that the reader will accept your call to action. Job done.

Are you still struggling with internet marketing and how to make money online consistently? Fed up seeing zero sales in your stats? Stop worrying, that's why I am here. Keep reading my articles as well as visiting my site at the link below.

Providing a focused problem solving approach through our personal and business coaching. Our primary theme and overriding goal is to provide you with the right choices that fit your needs, solve your problems. So, stop struggling now.

If you are looking for more than just an affiliate program, please visit Your Affiliate Marketing Coach where we go into considerable depth on some of the more important aspects of internet and affiliate marketing, how to choose the best programs, and How To Make Money Online