Creating Your Own Product - Not From Scratch!

Creating your own product is perhaps the best, surest ways to build your Internet marketing business. Info-products can be the "simplest" route, but is only one way to have your own product.

Software, scripts, widgets, and the like can often command higher prices and differenciate you in the marketplace.

Developing your own software isn't as difficult as it might sound. One of the best ways is to begin with something already created!

Modifying an existing product or building on top of something is usually quicker than creating something from scratch. Through outsourcing, you can create your own products quickly and relatively inexpensively.

I did this with an Open Source program for creating Camtasia-like screen capture videos. I spent a few hundred dollars at Rentacoder to take the Open Source version, change the GUI or interface, add some features, and create a Website around it.

Here are some resources to help you get started:

Scripts, freeware, shareware, etc.

• Tucows = http://www.tucows.com/
• Cnet Download.com = http://www.download.com
• Freeware Files = http://www.freewarefiles.com/
• Free Utilities = http://www.software995.com/

Open Source

• The Free Software Foundation = http://directory.fsf.org/
• Source Forge = http://sourceforge.net/
• Open Source.org = http://www.opensource.org/
• OS Alt = http://www.osalt.com/
• Open Source Mac = http://www.opensourcemac.org/
• Open Source Windows = http://www.opensourcewindows.org/
• Apple Open Source = http://www.opensource.apple.com/
• Open Source Living = http://osliving.com/index.php
• Open Source Directory = http://osdir.com/
• Gnu.org = http://www.gnu.org/
• Freesoft = http://www.free-soft.org/

Article Marketing, Bum Marketing: Free and Effective!

Article marketing and Bum Marketing have become the most talked about strategies for Internet marketing lately. As one of the chief components in the bum marketing, and its newfound popularity is due to two significant characteristics: it's free, and it works.

Two significant advantages for Internet marketers are exposure and backlinks. Article marketing provides exposure, and generates valuable inbound links or IBL's.

As with most bum marketing techniques, article marketing is a numbers game. In order to be effective, it requires ongoing and consistent effort. One article submission may not do much for you, but one article submitted every day for two weeks provides an overall benefit greater than the sum of its parts.

To get the most out of your article submission strategy, it's important to focus on one indivudual keyword or phrase for each individual article. It's also very important to optimize each article, in much the same way you would optimize a website. Once an article is submitted, it becomes a one-page mini site.

Optimizing an article for the search engines is very similar to optimizing a webpage. Use your keyword or phrase in the article title, the first paragraph, the last paragraph, and as the anchor text in your link or resource box.

By following a few simple steps, you will gain maximum return for your effort. As part of a multipronged approach, article marketing becomes an extremely effective and inexpensive technique in your arsenal.