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I know, I know...

Huh?

"Of course the best and latest marketing strategies are going to bring the boatload of profits and worry - free business they promise!"

Sure they can...but is your business at that level yet?

Come on now, put your ego aside and really do an honest self - evaluation here.

Does your current marketing process carry a client from "just looking" to "sold" effortlessly?

Some things to keep in mind when you are analyzing the strength of your current marketing efforts:

1) Message - does your marketing message contain and promote your Unique Selling Proposition? If not (and most marketing messages don't) then this is the first step of implementing the "basic" marketing rules to your business. If you do not know what a Unique Selling Proposition is...well...why even begin to look at the latest and greatest marketing techniques in the first place? Walk before you run, grasshopper.

By the way, this is the most basic of marketing techniques...and the most often overlooked or not even used.

2) Market - For those few businesses that actually have defined their U.S.P., the next step is to match your unique message to your market, or the clients you wish to target. The key word there is target. If you fail to clearly identify who your ideal client is...your money will run out someday and your business will fail, period. To start you off targeting your market, think of your market in this manner:

--You want the most clients in a pool of the most defined niche possible...for example:

Targeting a huge pool of clients like "all males" or "all females" is not good enough of a target.

But...

a) Targeting "All females, 25 - 34, with median income of over $30,000 in the household" is a good start depending on your product or service, and your U.S.P. if it is well developed.

Or...

b) Business Opportunity seekers that have recently purchased a mid - level coaching program.

Or...

c) Real Estate Investors that deal specifically with pre - foreclosures.

Do you see the common thread in each of a, b, and c?

The market is actually narrowed a little bit further than the general category. What you are shooting for here is a sizable enough market of potential clients, but narrowed enough so you can be considered a "specialist" in that market.

Match your U.S.P. and message to your market correctly...

And you will have all the profits your business needs. But there is one more "basic" marketing technique that you need to master before you advance your business to the level where you can start to think about using all of those bigger and better advanced strategies you keep looking at.

3) Basic Marketing Media and Testing - The "how you're reaching your market" stuff. What is the best media to use? Are you testing different approaches and then developing those that work?

Even for internet marketers...online may not be the best place to market your product, but rather the best spot for the client to place their order. Offline media such as newspaper, direct mail, seminar marketing, and others may actually work to promote an online business better than simply directing Pay Per Click ads at a website offering a "freebie" or introductory offer.

My own business is a perfect example of this.

I offer marketing coaching, copywriting, and a couple of internet resources on my website at http://www.dynamicwebcopy.com but I do not use PPC advertising at all. Mainly local, targeted, direct mail and seminar marketing. I have found a greater response rate using these methods combined with article marketing on the web. I have thoroughly tested my market, my U.S.P (offering complimentary coaching sessions with my copywriting services), and found offline methods to be more profitable for my business.

But your business may be different. So test for yourself, use the techniques that work best with your U.S.P. and clearly targeted market...and watch your profits soar.

And quit searching for the "next big thing" until your business is in a position to maximize profits using those techniques. Master the basics first.

See you at the top.

Discover how you can build a real, sustainable business online with proven marketing strategies at your disposal...all geared to bring you massive profits...by clicking here to check out the Straight Line Internet Marketing Program This program is not for the person who wants to "Get Rich Quick."

Joseph Ratliff is a direct response copywriter, internet business growth strategist, and author of The Profitable Business Edge 2 located at http://josephratliff.name .