When you're just starting out with your online business, your first focus is on attracting sales. To get sales, you need traffic. You can't have one without the other. If you can do these two vital things without spending money, so much the better. Here are 10 proven ways you can jump start your sales right away.

1. Find strategic business partners who have the same objective. You can trade leads, share marketing info, sell package deals, exchange links, etc. This is an excellent way to take advantage of their list. It gives you instant access to thousands of people who are interested in your product.

2. Brand your name and business. You can easily do this by just writing articles and submitting them to e-zines or web sites for republishing. People are always looking for free information on the internet. By providing them with what they're looking for, you immediately get their attention. Soon you will become recognized as an expert in your field. In return, this boosts your credibility. When you gain their trust, prospects will be much more comfortable buying from you.

3. Start an auction on your web site. The type of auction could be related to the theme of your site. You'll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders. This strategy takes your credibility even farther because you are providing exactly what they are looking for. You are attracting hot prospects who are interested in your product.

4. Remember to take a little time out of your day or week to brainstorm. New ideas are usually the difference between success and failure. You can get some excellent ideas from visiting internet marketing forums where people discuss their new ideas as well as how they've dealt with specific customer/merchant issues.

5. Model yourself after other successful business or people. I'm not saying to outright copy them, but practice some of the same habits that have made them succeed. They've already proven what works. This helps cut your own learning curve so you can start making money sooner.

6. Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes businesses don't want to advertise unless it's free. While this will bring you some traffic that likely is less targeted, there comes a point when you have to spend money to get results. One of the best forms of paid advertising is to send solo ads through e-zines and mailings.

7. Include e

motional words in your advertisements. Use ones like love, security, relief, freedom, happy, satisfaction, fun, etc. Such words trigger people's attention. If you can write an ad that stirs their emotions, you are sure to succeed. People like to know what they will get with your product - what's in it for them and how will they feel about it. If your product will enhance their lives by solving a difficult problem, they will be enticed to learn more and, hopefully, buy your product.

8. Ask people online to review your web site. When we're building our sites, we tend to get too close to it and can't see the forest for the trees. There can be something in your wording or the design that turns people away. By asking others for their help, you can use their comments to improve your web site or you may turn the reviewer into a customer.

9. Outsource part of your workload. Going it alone can mean a tremendous amount of work for the time you have available. Often, there are more important aspects of the business that you need to take care of, yet you still need to tend to the small things. Outsource things like your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, and even some web site design work. There are lots of good sites on the internet offering freelance contacts.

10. Combine a product and service together in a package deal. By enhancing your offer with bonuses and extras, you can increase your sales. If you're selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it. A good motto to go by is, "over deliver”. Your prospects will love you for it and bring you future sales.

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