Starting An Internet Business Without A Website
Revised 2002 by Willie Crawford

One of the questions I received this week asked
about starting an internet-based business without
a website. This individual was very new and just
wanted to know if it was possible. He wanted to
know how to go about getting started. How to
choose a product, etc. He wasn't ready to build
a website yet.

It is possible to operate an internet-based
business without a website. However, the two
tend to compliment each other. Your email and
advertising compaign work together with your
website. The website lets your prospects get
to know you better. It sort of reflects your
personality. However, it is not necessary to
rush out and throw together a website in order
to start your own business.

If you really wanted to start an internet-based
business without a website - here is how you
could do it.

First of all you need a product. You can create
your own, or you can sign up for an affiliate
program. To create your own product you need to
have specialized knowledge or expertise on some
subject. Then you can create your own product.
It can even be an information product - a book.
If you do not have any expertise, then you are
better off going with an affiliate program. The
product has already been created, proven, and
everything except finding the customer is done
for you.

In choosing an affiliate program, try to choose
something for which there is a proven demand.
For example, you could offer merchant accounts
to other internet marketers. Every one of the
thousands of small businesses springing up every
week will eventually need a merchant account.
Customer convenience demands it. You could
service this market without having a big website
at first. You can get into this business as an
affiliate with virtually no investment.

How would you reach your customers without a
website? Through ezine ads, through ads posted
at free classifeds sites, and through reports
you send out via autoresponders. Let's look at
each of these.

First of all let's look at the free report.
People come to the internet looking for needed
information. If you can put together a report
offering valuable information, people will
request it. Post it to an autoresponder and
you can send this report out 24 hours per day,
7 days per week automatically. The report in
this case should be on how any homebased or
internet-based business can easily get a merchant
account. You can write this report or you can
have someone else write it for you.

After you have the free report you advertise it
in ezines. This type of ad should be very effective
if well written. It is offering something people
need, and for FREE. It's much easier to get people
to respond to this type of ad than it is to get
them to buy something directly from an ezine ad.
When they request you free report you send it to
them. Hopefully, you free report told them how to
learn more or order your product - a merchant account
in this case.

You can also place these same ads offering a free
report on the thousands of free classifieds sites
scattered around the internet. You will need to
place a lot of these ads though to make many sales.

You also want to mention this free report in all of
your other correspondences. For example, mention it
in your signature file. Also mention it in postings
you make to discussion groups and discussion boards.
Never pass up a chance to mention this free report
at every opportunity. This is how you get qualified
prospect. You will need lots of prospects to make
many sales.

Once you have these qualified prospects you need to
followup. After that first contact you need to send
them another letter a few days later seeing if they
have any questions. Explain your product again, and
tell them how to order again. You need to send out
at least 6 or 7 followups before you assume the
customer has lost interest. Remember, the customer
requested your report on this topic. This shows
his interest in your product. Now it is your job to
convert this prospect to a customer.

This is just a quick example of how you can operate
an internet-based business without a website.
However, you will eventually need to have a website.
If you would like to try the very plan layed out
here, you can find a good merchant account affiliate
program at <http://www.williecrawford.com/card.html>
This firm pays $50 for each merchant account you sell.
They also pay you $20 for each merchant account sold
through an affiliate you sign up. There is no cost
to become an affiliate.

A beginner would still need to learn a lot more about
selling over the internet. Your ad copy is perhaps
the most important aspect. Your ads and salesletters
must make the prospect really want your product and
respond emotionally to your ads. This takes practice.
You can learn how to do this from good books and
good courses. For specific books and courses I have
read and can recommend send me a personal email at
<mailto:willie@williecrawford.com?subject=lm14feb>
Read all that you can get your hands on about running
a business over the internet. Question everything
you read too. Ask yourself if it makes sense. Take it
slowly and learn the ropes first. You will soon find
yourself making a little money, then gradually more.
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Willie Crawford has taught thousands the secrets of operating
a successful on-line business through his free Internet
Business Success Course. It's more extensive than many $197
courses. Sign up today and start building your *successful*
online business: http://williecrawford.com/
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Note:
This article first appeared in our ezine, Limitless
Marketing Ezine. I publish original material
similar to this in each weekly issue. If you are not
a subscriber please sign up today using the form at:
http://williecrawford.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

Feel free to publish this article in your ezine,
in your ebook or on your website. A note telling me
that you published the article would be appreciated.
My email address is willie@williecrawford.com

Thank you,
Willie Crawford

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