Gas, Air, and Spark - How Internet Marketing is Like a Cars Engine

I've never been much of an automobile mechanic, but about 25 years ago an old friend instructed me in the mysteries of how to find out why my old car wouldn't run.

"You see," he said, "when an engine won't run, it's got to be one of three things. It's not getting enough gas, air, or spark, because that's all an engine really needs."

He taught me to check simple things, like pull a spark plug and see if it sparks when the starter turns over. Or pull off the air filter and see if I could smell gas in the carburetor. (That was before most cars were fuel injected!)

I can't count the number of times over the last 25 years that those simple words helped me during times of car trouble, especially in younger days with cars that were old "beaters."

If you think about it, Internet marketing is just as simple. All you really need is gas, air, and spark:

1. Targeted traffic - the fuel that powers an Internet business.

2. A product that people really need or want - something you can present as being as necessary as the air they breathe.

3. Sales copy that will sell - the spark that makes the targeted traffic want that product as badly as the air they breathe.

Okay, so maybe that still sounds a little tough, but hey - it's only three things! Even though I'll probably never be a skilled auto mechanic, I can comprehend and check three things. And you can catch on to just three things too.

Number 2 and 3 are probably the easiest to master.

There's no shortage of great products and great ideas for things that people really want. It's easy to find out what people really want with tools like:

- Wordtracker - find out the most-searched keywords

- Overture's Keyword Suggestion Tool

- Ad Word Analyzer

- Keyword Equalizer

Once you decide what keywords to focus on, you can check out what other people are selling successfully for those terms, and look at what affiliate programs pop up when you search for those terms. If you want to focus on affiliate sales, chances are there's some great sales copy already written or that you can modify to fit it to you more individually.

Overture's Maximum Bid tool will give you an idea what's working successfully for other people, or Adword Analyzer can really speed that up by showing how many Overture and Google AdWords campaigns there are for various keywords.

Now you just need targeted traffic to send to read that awesome sales copy. If you don't mind paying today's gasoline prices for some high-octane gas, and you used Overture's Keyword Suggestion Tool or Adword Analyzer, you already have a good idea what keywords would be good to bid on at Overture or Google AdWords. That will get you out of the driveway initially, then you can start building keyword-rich pages around the theme of your website and getting links from web sites that fit your theme.

Now you know the secret of how Internet marketing is like a car engine. So when that Internet marketing campaign won't run, you know you only need to find out what it isn't getting enough of:

- Not enough targeted traffic?

- Not enough of a market that really needs what you're trying to sell?

- No spark to ignite the traffic and demand into a sale?

Because just like a car, that's all an Internet marketing campaign really needs to run.

Copyright 2005 Mike Adams

Mike Adams has been building web sites and playing with Internet marketing since 1996. Visit his site for Internet marketing tips, tools, news, articles, and resources: http://www.timberway.com

---

Internet Marketing Basics

Almost all of the articles on Internet marketing lacks coverage... Read More

Ten Tried And Tested Viral Marketing Campaigns

Believe it or not, viral marketing did not originate from... Read More

3 Simple Steps To Get Free Original Content for Your Website

As a web business owner you will be well aware... Read More

Consumer Confidence Increased With Paypal

In the last year I have met people that have... Read More

Internet Marketing Tip - Go For The Bronze

Go for the bronze.Repeat...go for the bronze.That's right, DO NOT... Read More

Why Have An Internet Marketing Business?

"The Internet Gold Rush is under way" Bill Gates, chairman... Read More

Visibility Equates to Higher Profits

One of the greatest challenges businesses face is how to... Read More

Web Site Marketing Tips To Keep You Ahead Of The Field

Web site marketing is the most important part of your... Read More

From Niche Marketing to Fragmentation

Think about something Bill Cosby said and ask yourself "how... Read More

5 Sure Fire Ways To Send Visitors Away For Good

Way No. 1 - Clog Up Their Internet ConnectionImagine it.... Read More

Wanted - Sheep for the Marketing Flock?

Hoo boy, I am sticking my neck out here! Ready... Read More

The 2 Best-Kept Secrets Of The Internet

It's a difficult task creating a website that brings you... Read More

An Internet Marketing Plan Is Crucial

A Internet marketing plan provides you with a way to... Read More

Five Ways to Quadruple a Websites Revenue

Many website owners all too often give up on their... Read More

10 Sure-Fire Viral Marketing Strategies To Increase Traffic To Your Website

"Viral Marketing" is giving something away for free and allowing... Read More

How Internet Marketeres Can Create Their Own Powerful Niche... Even In an Over-Crowded Industry!

For some reason, people who look to the internet to... Read More

Gas, Air, and Spark - How Internet Marketing is Like a Cars Engine

I've never been much of an automobile mechanic, but about... Read More

Making Money in the Online Dating Gold Rush of 2004

Have you noticed the explosion of Websites related to love,... Read More

3 Reasons Why I Never Delete Spam Immediately

All of us hate spam and all of us have... Read More

Road Map to Internet Marketing Success

Today, the internet has become part of our life. We... Read More

A Better Mousetrap

Conventional wisdom says find a niche. Don't go where the... Read More

How Many Sales Have You Made After Your Advertising Campaign?

When you start your online business, you will go through... Read More

Online Sales: Easy Way To Turn Freebies Into Sales

Freebies. Freebies. Everyone loves getting things for free.You can increase... Read More

The REAL Secret to Building A High-Profit Internet Business

My wife laughs every time she sees me doing it.At... Read More

My Secret To Selling More Big Ticket Items

Many aspiring Internet marketers hear all of the talk about... Read More

Blog and Ping ? A Search Engine Traffic Bonanza

Everyone is talking about blogs these days as the magic... Read More

One of the Golden Rules of Internet Marketing

In my opinion, one of the 'Golden Rules' of Internet... Read More

Product Not Selling? This Could Be Your Lucky Day!

So you've created a digital product ready for sale on... Read More

Making Money out of Your First Effort

Have this phrase broken through your life at least once?... Read More

The Power Of Cross Promoting

Cross promotion is, without doubt, a powerful technique used by... Read More

8 Things I Have Learned As An Internet Marketer

I started as an internet marketer, like I am sure... Read More

Writing a Website That Sings!

If your online sales have taken a dip lately, your... Read More

Add-on Sales - The Key To Success On The Web

Question: Can you guess the cheapest way to make a... Read More