Saturday, January 27, 2007

What A Weekly Newsletter Can Do For You.

Running you own free newsletter or e-zine can bring massive benefits to your website and profits. Did you know that newsletters are one of the most important components for you to drive traffic to your website and build your online business?

The popularity of newsletters is based on the thirst for information by information-hungry Internet surfers. The main reason people are online is because they want and need information and that is exactly what newsletters provide.

There are 3 major advantages of starting your own newsletter, no matter what product or service that you are offering. They are:

- Being able to maintain regular contact
- Being able to build a relationship with your subscribers
- Being able to offer new products and services

A newsletter allows you to keep the connection with your site visitors reminding them of how your product is suited for them.

The other, often overlooked, advantage of having a newsletter, is the income it can generate, not from selling your products and services or links to affiliate programs, but from selling advertising space in it.

You do need a medium to large subscriber base before other businesses will be interested in advertising, but this is not that hard to achieve, especially if it is regularly full of quality content. You can earn a few hundred, even thousands of dollars, every month just from ads if you play your cards rights.

Your online customers will eventually become your offline customers if they trust the information you regularly send them. Put simply, a newsletter is your way of helping people. If you help people online, eventually they will buy from you.

However, running your own newsletter involves a considerable amount of work. It is vital that you regularly write a lot of quality content before your next release. Ideally a newsletter should be sent out every week or at least every fortnight. This is not always easy. It definitely takes consistency and a keen eye for content.

You see, just as it is on your website...content is KING in your newsletters.

You need to offer valuable information, products, services, and more to keep your subscribers clicking on every newsletter that you send out.

Where can you get quality content for your newsletter?

1. Article directories like ezinearticles.com or findarticles.com. Also get articles from yahoogroups. The downside to this is that you need to include the author's signature or resource box.

2. Forums. One of the most dynamic and updated places on the Internet is where people write off the cuff and in real-time. Thread after thread, reply after reply of the latest information comes off the minds of forum participants. Combine interesting topics and reword them into an original article.

3. Your own Inbox right under your nose. Whatever other marketers are writing or selling about, use them to your own advantage and recreate them as your own.

4. Your own insights are really your best resources. When you have passion, you will never stop talking about what you know. Be consistent at no. 4 and soon enough you will find a way to mold yourself into an expert. Continue to expand your knowledge database and add value to it.

In conclusion, running your own newsletter can have a very positive impact on your website and online business. If you dedicate yourself to keeping it up, you will find it well worth the effort. We have seen incredible success on the Internet that is most encouraging as we integrate work, play and home into a lifestyle, one that we're sure you have a desire for too. We wish the same for you.

For the past 2 years, I published "A Moment Of Sharing". Check out how I designed my layout and its content. Hope you can gleaned some useful clues for your purposes.
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Friday, January 26, 2007

Procrastination is becoming a killer problem.

Procrastination in society is getting worse and scientists are finally figuring out how and why.

After 10 years of research on a project that was supposed to take only 5 years (is there pun intended?), a Canadian industrial psychologist found in a study that not only is procrastination on the rise in the U.S., it also makes people poorer, fatter and unhappier.

Something has to be done about it, and sooner than later, University of Calgary professor Piers Steel concluded in his study, published in this month's Psychological Bulletin.

In 1978, only about 5% of the American public thought of themselves as chronic procrastinators. Now the figure is 26%, said Professor Steel.

And why not? There are so many fun ways to kill time—TVs in every room, online video, web surfing, cellphones, video games, iPods and Blackberries.

At work, e-mail messaging, the Internet and games are just a click away.

Professor Steel said the US gross national product would probably rise by US$50 million if the icon and sound that notify people of new e-mail messages suddenly disappear.

There is good reason to worry about the problem of procrastination.

"People who procrastinate tend to be less healthy, less wealthy and less happy," he said. Of procrastination, he added, "You can reduce it, but I don't think you can eliminate it."

There is personal financial fallout from procrastination too.

Delay in filing taxes on average costs a person US$400 a year, he found.

Men are worse than women (about 54 out of 100 chronic procrastinators are men) and the young are more likely to procrastinate than the old, he said. – Associated Press

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Exclusive Giveaway is launched!

Jimmy Roos has launched his Exclusive Giveaway in which he is giving away lots of quality products that are sold elsewhere on the Internet for between $27 and $97.

Most of these products come with Master Resell Rights as well as Private Label Rights. This means that you can use these products yourself or you can resell them, making a handsome profit in the process.

Note: Exclusive Giveaway does not accept Hotmail and Yahoo! addresses.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

How To Create Urgency So People Buy Now!

You must create urgency so people will buy your products or services now. They may not revisit your website or see your ad again.

How do you do this? You must use a limited time offer. Limited time offers stop people from putting off buying your products or services. It stops them from procrastinating.

There are many different types of limited time offers. Here are a few:

1) Limited Time Price Offers: For example, Order Now! While the price is still low. After Dec 23rd, 1999 this price will go up to...

2) Limited Time Discount Offers: For example, Order before Midnight, Nov. 5th, 1999 and you will get 25% discount!

3) Limited Time Free Bonus Offers: For example, Order before April 2nd, 2000 and you'll get a free bonus!

4) Limited Time In-Stock Offers: For example, Order Now while supplies last! After Oct. 31st, 1999 we can't guarantee we will have any left in stock.

I'm not saying everyone will order the first time they see your ad. They may not be interested in your products or services. It depends on your ad and the person reading the ad. If they are interested, usually, limited time offers will make them buy now.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Which sound of money do you prefer?

1) clingclingclingclingclingclingcling.....

2) shkshkshkshkshkshkshkshk....

3) THUD!

Monday, January 15, 2007

Perry Marshall Interviews Top Strategists

Perry Marshall is doing a whole series of interviews with world class marketing geniuses. He already kicked off Friday the 12th with Ken McCarthy and then will also feature Yanik Silver, Jason Potash, Paul Myers, Bob Serling, Jim Edwards, Bob Bly, and a number of others as the guest list grows. Each of these interviews will cover a different topic and if you sign up you'll get notifications and access to the calls and the MP3s. Free access!

How to write quick-hitting reports that SELL.

Write That Report

Traffic is no good without a product at the end of it which can make you money, and while you could use Affiliate Programs or Resell Rights why not take the NEXT STEP and start producing your own reports?

In "Write That Report" from Jonathan Leger (the $7-offer mastermind) you'll discover exactly how to find the profitable topics to write about, how to write it FAST, and how to get an army of affiliates to sell it for you.

This is a well thought-out guide to an important subject. Quick hard-hitting reports, coupled with strategic traffic generation, can easily bring you a nice income each day.

Friday, January 12, 2007

...But I still love Google because of these.

Fellow marketer Pavel Lenshin has taken great trouble to list out all possible Google resources that you may never know: Parts 1 and 2. If there's any link missed out, feel free to contact Pavel and send him further input.

Google bans ads next to images! WHAAAAT??!!

This is a bit of an old news from last month. In case you haven't heard of it, Google Inc. has changed its mind on the practice of placing images next to ads. The AdSense team had actually started knocking on webmasters' doors and courteously asking them to take down images. So far I haven't heard of anyone getting penalized heavily for the crime, however, that day shall come...You know what to do now.

The Power To Stand Alone by Gerry Robert

"If everyone is going left, I'm going right."

The Inversarian Principle very simply states that you should observe the masses, and do the opposite. In business terms, that means when the masses are buying gold, you should be selling it. When they are buying real estate, you should be selling.

And of course, when the masses are selling, you should be buying. But The Inversarian Principle goes far beyond business. When the masses are going in one direction, you should always go the opposite way. The masses are wrong about wealth. Most of the population is unhealthy, unhappy, and broke. What could you possibly gain by following them?

Most people are like a flock of ducks that are flying across the sky. Very seldom does a duck stop to wonder if the flock is going in the right direction. They just fall into line and follow the flock. Doesn't it make sense that a duck who follows the flock will end up exactly where the flock is headed? Of course! And when was the last time that you saw one duck change his direction, and take off the opposite way? Not too often.

We must understand, that the reality of the masses quite simply states that the masses will end up broke and dependent on others for their survival. And if we follow the flock, that's where we will end up as well. To break this pattern, we must be like the lone duck who turns in the opposite direction, and heads away from the pack. Sounds difficult doesn't it? It is! But the rewards will pay off for the rest of your life.

Soon, you will be flying much higher in the sky, and enjoying the life you create and not the one the masses dictate.

This principle is so obvious when you look at the literature or marketing materials of most salespeople. I do a lot of work with estate agents. One thing I constantly harp on is differentiation. Still, this industry, like almost every other, is plagued with sameness. Sameness is one of the fastest ways to loose in selling. Differentiation one of the fastest ways to win.

In real estate, for example, so many agents use the exact same approach. They almost all use the stupid, silly slogan, "Thinking of Buying or Selling? Call me!" Give me a break. You must do things that no one in your industry does. Don't go to the same conferences as everyone else. For example, if you are selling tractors, go to the Airline Industry trade show. If you are smart, you can pick up all kinds of ideas from that show and win big in selling tractors.

The Winner's Challenge

You must be an Inversarian. Observe the masses, and do the inverse. We recommend not even consulting others for important matters. By others, we mean other ducks, who don't have the results you want in life. Sure, you should get advice, but make sure you get advice from the right type of person. The criteria is results.

Why do broke people ask other broke people for opinions or advice on how not to be broke? Heck, if they had any inclination about money, do you think they'd be broke?

Why do people go to sick, overweight doctors who smoke, for medical advice? The last person who can help you to health is an unhealthy doctor. Could you learn anything from a financial planner who is not rich? Ironically, most financial planners are far from wealthy.

Many people live their lives always worrying about what their family and friends think of them. Chances are, they don't think at all. That's the problem. They live their lives according to the way they think that their friends and family think that they should live. As soon as someone says, "I'm tired of being average, I want to soar with the eagles," the masses, the flock of ducks that they are with, will try to drag them down with their meaningless quacking.

Understand this: what anyone thinks of you is none of your business.

At the end of the day, you must answer to yourself. At retirement, you will either have the life that you want for your family, or you will not. Others will have no solution for you at that point.

As you journey higher into the sky to join the eagles, you will find that there are two basic fears that are motivating your friends and family to try to stop you. Your family,in most cases, is motivated with good intent. They are living by the mindset of the masses, and they are not aware of their own inner strength, let alone yours. Their fear of your failure is greater than their excitement about your success.

You must step out of the mold, despite their advice. Often times your friends, on the other hand, have a much more selfish motivation for trying to keep you in the flock. They live by the mindset of the masses as well. They believe that in order to get ahead in life, one is either lucky or a con artist.

The masses also spend their lives blaming others for their failure. It's the prospect's fault, it's the government's fault, it's the recession, it's his fault, or it's her fault. Many failures believe that the reason they are where they are is because of their lack of education, or opportunity. In truth, none of the above could be further from reality.We are responsible for our own lives. We choose our own pathway to walk by the decisions we make every day.

When you tell your friends that you are going to soar with the eagles, and make great things happen in your life, you may find that they are not as excited as you are about your new plans. You see, when you become successful, you will shatter the myth that they live their lives by. You instantly force them to accept responsibility for where they are in their lives, and also for where they are going.

The masses would rather live in their comfort zone. You could be a threat to their whole belief system. So, don't be surprised if when you shoot for the moon, they shoot at your heart.

Be strong! Overcome the need you might have to gain the opinions and approval of others. When you attempt to change your life, as you are doing now by reading this book, you will force opposition. You have decided to move beyond, just getting by. You want to better yourself.

Gerry Robert is a bestselling author of "The Millionaire Mindset" and a seminar speaker.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

What does it mean to be W3C-compliant?

OK, time-out for some education. What is W3C compliance?

The W3C is the World Wide Web Consortium and since 1994 (that's waaay back) the W3C has provided the guidelines by which websites and web pages should be structured and created. They set the standards by which best practices in web design are defined and followed through according to the type of coding used, whether it's HTML, XHTML, XML (blog feed), CSS etc.

OK, time-out for some education. What is W3C compliance?

The W3C is the World Wide Web Consortium and since 1994 (that's waaay back) the W3C has provided the guidelines by which websites and web pages should be structured and created. They set the standards by which best practices in web design are defined and followed through according to the type of coding used, whether it's HTML, XHTML, XML (blog feed), CSS etc.

(Strangely, W3C reminds me of the United Nations. Who still listens to them these days?)

If not for W3C standards, nothing that you read on screen would be intelligible. One of the main challenges that Tim Berners-Lee, the so-called Father of the World Wide Web, had to face up to and solve during W3's formation is to ensure interoperability and that data is not lost in translation as they are presented on-screen.

It is still quite a big issue among webmasters today. From personal experience, I had designed sites without thinking how people would view them in FireFox. If you don't care for these folks, you lose a market share, simple. (Part of the problem is that proprietary features that do not conform to any existing W3C specifications are designed into popular browsers, so life become very difficult for those of us attempting to create websites that look good across most, if not all, browsers and platforms, screen sizes and resolutions and overcome most types of visual disabilities.)

I surprise myself on looking back, that it took me a significant amount of time to realize from an Internet Marketer's point-of-view, when designing a website, you need to bear in mind that visitors ONLY respond in 3 ways:

1) To click on a link.
2) To opt-in.
3) To purchase something.
4) And only 1 WAY AT A TIME.

The last point is terrifically important. I recall seeing a website with black background with lots of links, blinking graphics and bright banners. It reminds me of Las Vegas. If I fly to Las Vegas for the first time and not knowing anything about the place, I wouldn't know where to start enjoying myself. That's the problem with such sites. Everywhere is a shout, yet there is still no obvious call to action.

Thus the principle is: the more obvious a "call to action" is, the simpler the site must be. It must simply scream, "DO THIS." And when a site is made simply, I presume it cannot veer too far from W3C specifications. Look at Microsoft.com. Did you think it's W3C-compliant or bloated with excess code? It's a chicken-and-egg problem for the webmasters at Microsoft if they are pressed for time (so as a result, do not pay careful attention to making their site more lean. Looking at their history of software patches, one may make an educated guess of how they work.)

Always pay yourself first before settling other monthly bills.

How do you budget each month? Most folks pay bills in the following order: the mortgage or rent first, then utility bills, car payments, food; then, they scramble to cover the monthly minimums on credit cards and miscellaneous expenses.

Let us try a different approach to monthly budgeting: Pay yourself first. Even if you cannot save 10% of your net income—the amount I recommend as a target—saving something now is vital.

Paying yourself first is the most underrated way to accumulate wealth over time.

The second bill is now the mortgage or rent. Then, as you prioritize them, come all other necessary expenses. What we have done here, simply by "paying ourselves first", is recover some of the from the bottom and move it to the top.

Paying yourself first will force you to become more frugal with your spending habits because the other bills must be paid.

With that extra money, you can immediately begin to stash money in your new emergency fund.

An emergency fund is a special account that can be used for unexpected bills which may arise. It should be built up to at least 10% of your annual net income. If you are a seasonal employee (such as in the construction industry or other uneven employment forms), you should have a backup fund of at least 3 months of your annual net income.

Keep putting money into this fund on a regular basis. Eventually, you will reach a level that is comfortable for you. Then you can begin to attack your long-term goals by reallocating that monthly payment to another investment goal.

Make up your mind to stick to the plan. Re-evaluate it from time to time to see if it can be improved. If temporary emergencies occur which make the plan impossible to continue, start it again as soon as possible.

The most important point is to use your money wisely. When you have mastered control over your everyday financial life, you will feel a real sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction.

Once you are on your way, the rest of your attitudes about money will change, and you will begin to view money in a new light.

Excerpted from "Get Rich Slow" by Tama McAlesse.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Easy Member Pro goes gold!

Easy Member ProIf you've been pondering about setting up a membership site, just to let you know you can watch an exclusive demo of how you can get Easy Member Pro up and running in minutes with all your preferred settings. It's supposed to be 'Easy'.

Easy Member Pro is a cutting-edge membership site software created by Kim Standerline and Anthony Hull. You can handle administration of multiple subscription periods—monthly, 3-month, 6-month, 12-month and 1-time and different payment options for each level, to the extent that members can get a discount for signing up for longer periods (a good flexible feature). There is also a whole lot more you can do to communicate with affiliates and plain paying members separately.

If you have been pondering a membership subscription model for your online business, this should come just in time.

The Autopsy: Latest report by Scott Boulch

The Autopsy

Remember Scott Boulch from "The Death Of AdSense"? He released the notorious report and 2 follow-ups to generate 37,500 opt-ins and spawn some copycats with his "I pay you for leads" approach :)

Get the details of how he planned and executed the biggest viral explosion of 2006. "The Autopsy" report is in there when you login.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Free Download: Your Website Checklist

Another appropriate gift to start the new year. Marlon Sanders' assistant Lisa has put together a nifty little website checklist. With more than 20+ sites of under his company's belt, Marlon sure knows how to keep them up-to-date and error-free, that's why he feels this is an essential read for all website owners.

Does your website:

* Look like it was designed in the 90's?
* Contain more than ONE animated image?
* Have a bright colored background?
* Use multiple font colors? (example)
* Have "welcome to..." written on any page?
* Use tiny fonts that were popular in 2004?
* Have opt-in forms that haven't been tested in the last 30 days?
* Have a copyright notice?
* Have an OUTDATED copyright notice?
* Have outdated contact information?
* Display your email address using basic text?
* Have a flash intro page? (without the SKIP INTRO link)
* Have pop up windows created using Javascript?

If you answered yes to even ONE of those questions, it's time to consider giving your website, affiliate pre-sell pages, landing pages or sales pages an extreme makeover :) And of course, if your website WAS designed in the 90's then it's definitely time for a complete re-design.

Website checklist addresses all these questions and provide the ultimate solution...Download the file now and find out what the solution is!

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Optimists live longer, says study.

There are steps that pessimists can take to change their outlook and boost their chances of living a longer, more positive life.

0ptimists may enjoy longer lives than people with a dimmer outlook on the future, a long-term study suggests.

Researchers found that of nearly 7,000 adults followed since their college days in the 1960s, those who were optimistic in their youth had a lower risk of dying over the next 40 years than their more pessimistic peers.

On average, the most pessimistic study participants were 42% more likely to die of any cause than the most positive participants, according to findings published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings medical journal.

The results echo those of a number of past studies on personality factors and health, including research that has linked optimism to longer life. One study of elderly adults found that those with a positive view of the future were less likely than pessimists to die over the next decade, regardless of their health at the start of the study.

The current findings could be explained by any number of factors, according to the study's authors who were led by Dr. Beverly Brummett of Duke University Medical Centre in Durham, North Carolina, United States.

For example, they say, optimists are less likely to suffer from depression than are pessimists, which could, in turn, affect their physical health. They may also maintain a healthier lifestyle, paying more attention to their diet and exercise habits.

These latest findings are based on a 40-year follow-up of 6,958 men and women who entered the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in the mid-1960s. At the time, they took a standard personality test that gauges a person's tendency to be optimistic or pessimistic.

In general, optimists believe negative events are only temporary and don't let them affect their overall attitude about themselves and the world. Pessimists, in contrast, take such events to heart, often blaming themselves and believing that the bad times will last forever.

In this study, 1,630 were deemed pessimists and 923 optimists, while most were judged to be somewhere between a pure optimist or pessimist.

If pessimism is a risk factor for premature death, that begs the question of whether anything can be done about it.

It is difficult to change the basic constructs of your personality, Dr. Brummett said. However, she added, "There are many aspects of personality that can be modified to a certain degree if an individual is motivated to do so."

For example, Dr. Brummett said, people with a hostile temperament—a trait linked to heart disease and premature death—may be able to change their ways with the help of anger management therapy.

On the other side of the spectrum, people might try injecting some positivity into their lives. As an example, Dr. Brummett pointed to meditation, which, according to some research, may boost positive emotions. – Reuters

Friday, January 5, 2007

Google Wealth Wizard: Your AdWords/ClickBank Solution.

Your AdWords/ClickBank Solution

For a long time now, we've been looking for the perfect guide on how to make profit from Google AdWords and Clickbank. In theory with Google AdWords, all you need to do is to place one of those "AdWords" ads yourself...then everybody clicks on your ad and buys your product...then you sell consistently based on an assured Return-On-Investment (ROI) on your AdWords performance...then you become a millionaire and take over the world......IF ONLY IT WAS THAT SIMPLE...every AdWords user would be rich today!

Making money from Google AdWords can be a VERY TRICKY thing to do...that's why most people (over 98% of advertisers) LOSE MONEY using it. The real road to success as an affiliate marketer lies in knowing how to advertise ANY product online...

So we want you take a look at Kenny Thompson's manual, and just read his offer. We're sure you will immediately notice that he is the real deal, and he knows what he is teaching...

Kenny's new manual will take you by the hand right now and will show you step-by-step how you can copy his methods today and make very easy $2,000-$2,500 a week for doing no more than 30 minutes of 'work each day!!!

Study by Bob Proctor

A clear 90% of the population in North America read at a grade 7 level. That's because we learn to read by the time we have reached grade 7 and never improve our reading ability from that point on. Shocking, isn't it?

It is not only shocking, it's a shame. What is even worse is this lack of personal development goes well beyond reading. Most people do whatever they do in much the same manner. There are very few people who master anything. Ask any sales executive and they will quickly agree there are mighty few people who ever master selling. The same is true of managers, lawyers, accountants...I could go on.

There is really no competition in the marketplace. You'll have great masses in any profession out there making a noise. Those few souls who are actually studying their craft and attempting to perfect it, stand out in a crowd like a giraffe in a herd of field mice.

The masters in any profession can name their own price and write their own ticket. Yes, their stock is always high; their rewards are great. If you don't belong to this small select group of high achievers, I have good news. There is plenty of room in their club and it is not difficult to qualify.

Begin to study what you do for a short time everyday, knowing you can always perform better. Work toward a specific result well beyond your present level of performance. Just one hour of concentrated study each day adds up to 9 40-hour weeks in one short year.

Think of how much more you would know in 5, 10 or 20 years. I began doing this myself 25 years ago. When I started to study, I learned this great secret of achievement. If you want more, you must know more. To know more, you must study.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Money, as a resultant, lags behind effort.

"If you can count all your money, you don't have a billion dollars." - J. Paul Getty

Profits...wealth...money in the bank...however you want to look at it, your income is always a "lagging indicator" to your success.

According to Wikipedia: "A lagging indicator is an economic indicator that reacts slowly to economic changes, and therefore has little predictive value. Generally these types of indicators follow an event; they are historical in nature. For example, in a performance measuring system, profit earned by a business is a lagging indicator as it reflects a historical performance."

In other words, if all your goals are money-driven, they won't actually HELP YOU achieve success because the amount of money you make only reflects the things you've done in the past. It doesn't actually tell you what you NEED TO DO to achieve those goals.

So, instead of setting goals based on the amount of money you want to make, set goals based on the specific Action Items that need to be completed and when they need to be completed by.

As long as you hit these targets and meet these goals, the money WILL follow. It's simple cause-and-effect...

For example, if I say I want to create an online business that makes $10k a month, there are a certain number of steps I need to take:

1. Choose a market and a product that lends itself to monthly continuity (i.e. recurring income).

2. Setup a website to sell the product/membership site.

3. Find a source (or sources) of traffic that will deliver 50,000 unique visitors. (If you convert 1% of your visitors into customers and your membership site costs $20 per month, this should generate the necessary 500 sales to get your business up to $10k per month.)

So those are the steps. Now your "goals" need to be to finish each one of them by a certain deadline. If you hit your deadline and meet your goals, success is virtually guaranteed.

If you DON'T hit your deadlines, you'll know exactly why you haven't made the money you want to make.

I realize this seems simple, but I bet very few Internet Marketers look at their own business in such a systematized manner. Instead, each day they just REACT to one thing or another, get nothing done and then wonder why they aren't successful.

If you follow my advice, and set goals that are ACTION and TIME-oriented you'll never wonder again.

In fact, you may just achieve the level of success you've been wanting for such a long time.

So right now, while all of this is still fresh in your mind, write out a detailed list of all the steps you need to take to achieve your primary goal. Next, attach a date by which you will finish each step, and commit yourself to this endeavor for 2007.

Doing this will focus your efforts and keep you from hopping from one opportunity to the next. It will also limit the amount of spending you do on Internet Marketing junk, because unless a particular product will help you achieve a specific goal...there's no reason to buy it now, is there? :o)

Once again, I sincerely hope my "gift" helps make 2007 your best year ever!

This article is written by Ryan Deiss.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

From Baby To Man.

A surefire way to succeed at something new (especially in business) is to use a systematic ramping-up process of "crawl - walk - run".

CRAWL - Understanding how "one thing" works and how it could work for you.

WALK - Getting that one thing to work and produce results for you through direct measured effort.

RUN - Making the one thing work hands-free, independent of you to put the results on autopilot.

Small successes from crawling inspire and motivate you to move forward to experience success from walking which build further momentum that allows you to experience even greater success from running.

Trying to do too much too fast is like trying to boil the ocean, and more times than not, it sets you up for failure.

So jumpstart 2007 with Crawl - Walk - Run!

Crawling is about "understanding" ONE specific thing out of the many you can do, to grow your business or change your life.

Walking is about gaining "knowledge" in that specific thing so you can actively apply it to your business or life and measure results to see if it works for you.

Running is about having the "wisdom" from crawling and walking and putting what you have tested and proven to work, on autopilot so you can repeat the the "crawl - walk - run" system on something else to grow your business or change your life.

So, crawl - walk - run yourself into amazing success in 2007 and beyond.

Another dose of inspiration from Stephen Pierce.

This time, it's WAR...in 2007.

John Reese revealed 5 tips on maximizing your productivity in 2007 on December 27th. Allow me to add in my own input:

#1: Prepare a WAR plan.



John wrote about having a dedicated "War Room" in his house that's set up just for planning. It is a dedicated space in which to plan out what his next moves will be. One main reason is to resist against a temptation which most of us have: of simply treating activities as they come "day by day" and doing whatever comes to mind, like dealing with non-essential or minor stuff...like checking e-mails. And then when it comes to making decisions on what to do next, these tend to be short-lived because if you start every new work day by having to make a decision about what to work on next you're seriously missing out on focusing on building longevity of your business, its brand and its identity.

In all our time serving out military obligations in Singapore (which all men here do), I found the word "mobilization" strangely attractive in business context. In exercises, I observed men of every rank moving non-stop here, there, everywhere trying to get things done (whether anything gets done at all is another matter, haha. Usually it does), all in the name of fulfilling the larger goals of what the exercise was all about. I also tend to associate the word with Hollywood war films in which you hear the commanders shout, "Now move!" or "Go go go!" (getting more cliché yeah?)

The beauty is machines and manpower get activated and mobilized for something at a snap.

It is the same with business. Without the definition of the larger goals and directions, you couldn't have felt more motivated to go go go...go where?

For seasoned marketers, it is bound to come to mind that setting up site after site to no end is pointless if they don't make much of an impact via product and service offerings. Take a good amount of time to backtrack a bit, go back to the drawing board, take out a piece of paper, and really visualize and pictorialize a flowchart, Gantt chart, cause and effect chart, fishbone chart whatever; decide how to create a larger network of sites that complement one another, and how this network can promote and reinforce the business identity which is your X-Factor, and how visitor traffic will flow within this network. At what point do they subscribe and at what point do they get sold?

(I last heard that a formal alliance is forged between Virgin Airways, EasyJet and AirAsia to operate long-haul flights from Kuala Lumpur to China, India and the UK. If these airlines operate on their own, their impact and outreach would have been much limited. But now travellers can travel further into more corners of the world as if they were flying with a regular airline, and still at budget rates. It's the same analogy with websites.)

Once you can define a business system, the business infrastructure becomes more apparent. It combines business modeling and strategies into a whole function that drives the business to work. The more automated the system is, the better (clue: autoresponder).

#2: Set a WAR routine.



Create a set schedule of time to work only on your business.

No distractions. No TV breaks. No running errands. No playing games. No downloading music. No surfing the Net. JUST 100% PRODUCTIVE WORK.

The mind is a very good expert at one thing: distracting itself with easy options when it comes to the crunch. Some friends admire my lifestyle and my work but they don't seem to understand I also have to pay my own bills and earn my own living. I am only answerable and accountable to MY LIFE!

Therefore set a work schedule or timetable and make a commitment to follow it. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you see the changes that start to happen and how FAST your business starts to grow as a result.

By the way, if you are quite a seasoned marketer and happened to spend less time checking mails in December, why not challenge youself to bulk-delete marketing-related mails from the past 7 days and DO IT AGAIN next week so as to focus yourself into working on the business? You just might enjoy this new momentum.

#3: Learn real lessons of WAR on the battleground.



As more people around the world become more entrepreneurial, they are also signaling their willingness to learn how to apply the tricks of the trade, otherwise we wouldn't have so many subscribers. People want to get educated, but they are also likely to think twice about investing a huge sum of money in a seminar, wondering if it's of any worth at all.

Much as you try to make sense of all the free information on the Internet, nothing beats shortening your learning curve by being right there in the midst of experts. Since you pay for it, they gotta dish it, or else ask for a full refund in every right.

So make it a point to attend at least one good Internet Marketing workshop or boot camp and network with fellow graduates. The truth is, you will be surprised to learn new strategies that has never been revealed, because they are not supposed to be revealed freely. That's how sensitive information is in this age. No doubt, you will also open up more new opportunities for yourself.

#4: Adapt to the ever-changing situation on the battleground.



Setting a fixed work routine in stone is one thing. Adapting it to fit changes with the times is quite another challenge. How much of a change is required without radically replacing the whole method of work? Take traffic generation for example. It used to be article submission, blogging, viral reports and press releases. Now it's pinging and tagging, social bookmarking, social networking, and videos. How do you squeeze in the time for all these things?

The first billionaire in human history, J. Paul Getty, said, "I would rather make 1% on the efforts of 100 people than 100% on my own efforts." From the beginning, it is imperative to get hands-on within a business to understand its dynamics, but it's all about leveraging on other people's efforts in the long term. Why? Because time is of essence and you can't handle everything by yourself.

If you don't know AdWords, parter up with an AdWords expert to sell for you and profit-share.

If you don't know eBay, partner up with an eBay expert to sell for you and profit-share.

Pay a student to submit articles. It's just another form of "data entry job".

Surround yourself with a group of competent web programmers. You never know when you'll need their talents.

Get a professional e-cover designer under your wings.

Find a way to outsource blogging too. I've found that my WordPress pages are indexed by Google more promptly than any other web pages.

Your role is to formulate clear instructions and commands to mobilize them into action.

In summary, create a whole system of business roles for people, and you have a battalion fighting with you.

Tip #5: Don't just kill. Take prisoners and build that list!



Even one-day millionaire John Reese wrote that one of your most valuable assets in the 'game' of Internet Marketing is your list. Once you have a decent list you can create Cash-On-Demand (COD).

You can generate affiliate commissions anytime you want by mailing your list. You can announce a new product you have and make tons of sales instantly simply by hitting "send". And you can easily send people to any content page that might contain AdSense ads or anything else that makes you money just by mailing your list and telling them to visit.

He knows what he's talking about. He also makes 5 figures a month from AdSense and uses the opt-in approach rather than SEO...

Brainstorm more creative ways to get more people on your list. Think of some viral marketing ideas that you can execute. Find other list owners in your market that you can JV with.

Think think think!

There are TONS of ways that you can get people on your list. The trick is to append the underlying purpose of building a list with EVERY marketing move you make. Because if you grow your list, you grow your COD income.

Bonus Tip: Identify, locate and conquer a new battlefield.



It's about tackling new niches. Why stare at a single tree when there's a forest around you? There's much, much more money to be made in 1001 niches out there, even if you know nothing about wedding dresses or iguanas. If only I can hold a pencil in front of you and say, "This pencil IS a market." Not only that, remember to base your niches on your preferred revenue model. If you are very good at AdSense, model your niche sites to earn mainly from there. If you are very good at eBay, model your niche sites to earn mainly from there, because different revenue models requires different strategies, and you don't want to spend too much time groping and modifying through the nuances. Otherwise, get help from your battalion.

This article is modified from the original by John Reese, the brainchild behind Traffic Secrets.

Pictures taken from Aliens © 1986 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

Monday, January 1, 2007

DeskTopBucks: Sneaky access to FREE membership.

Earn Money While You Sleep!

DeskTopBucks has been set up by Kevin Rohan, a very successful business and marketing consultant based in Chicago.

Over the last 4 years Kevin has applied his real-world marketing experience to the Internet and has created over multiple highly profitable websites in numerous niche markets that provide a very respectable income.

After achieving his own online success he wanted to help the average Joe cut through the excessive and confusing hype that currently saturates the Internet Marketing industry.

His aim is to provide members with every detail of the exact steps he has personally used to create websites that automatically generate him and others income day after day.

Here's just a quick overview of what you'll get as a Desk Top Bucks member:

1) The "Internet Marketing Boot Camp" is a series of 10 lessons filled with over 6 hours of audio and over 7 hours of original step-by-step video lessons over 30 days that train you in the fundamentals of building a profitable internet business.

* How to make an entire website from scratch

* Setting up your website & hosting

* Creating information products

* Setting up an auto-responders

* Adding & creating popups that work

* Adding & creating graphics for your site

* How to put testing and tracking in place

* Automating your website so that it runs hands free

* How to processing credit cards online

* Setting up an your own affiliate program

* All of this is covered and more in the Internet Marketing Boot Camp!

And that's just the start...

Here's what you also get:

2) The "Movie Center" with over 12 hours of full-motion video from some of the world's best Internet marketers like:

* Alex Mandossian
* Armand Morin
* Perry Marshall
* Declan Dunn
* Ken Giddens
* And more!

Others paid thousands to attend the seminars in these videos. It's included in your membership.

3) A question center where members can ask Kevin anything about making it online.

4) A download center that contains special reports, recorded calls on list building and Internet marketing basics and a complete case study of the DeskTopBucks website itself detailing exactly how he put it together.

All of this, by the way, is *original* content by Kevin detailing his personal success strategies in detail.

Members get to "look over his shoulder" as he shows the exact steps, tips, tricks and techniques he uses to build and generate profit from his own websites.

5) A marketing center that provides training on affiliate marketing including sample emails, squeeze page templates, videos, banners, e-zine advertising and much more.

As a member you automatically become an affiliate for the website and can earn money by helping to promote it.

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* THIS IS A REAL MEMBERSHIP SITE! Not just "another BM launch" *
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New content is being added to the members' area constantly. For example, over the next few weeks Kevin is adding a conference call on Affiliate Marketing and a 'live' case study on generating large amounts of web traffic with article marketing.

(The article marketing case study alone is going to last at least a year.)

Now I am going to be upfront with you there is an OTO.

Kevin has put together a membership upgrade package of software and tools that he has hand-picked to help you get your online businesses up and running as fast as possible

This package includes a copy of Adtrackz Gold (considered one of the most powerful testing and tracking software packages available), a membership site script, article submission & popup ad creation software, survey software, fly-in ad creator, web audio creator and more.

Kevin is also creating step-by-step video training to show you exactly how to use the key software in this package - very impressive!

The upgrade package is offered to new members who join DeskTopBucks for a one-time $97 payment.

When you consider that Adtrackz Gold alone can be purchased for more than half of a DeskTopBucks membership price, you'll understand what a great deal this is, let alone all the other great software and the video training.

Kevin has indicated that the package will be made available in the members' area soon, but it will be at least twice the price than when it is first offered to new members. If you're serious about jump starting your online business, I highly recommend you take him up the offer at $97 when you see it.

Regardless of whether you decide to upgrade your membership or not, you're going to absolutely enjoy the many, many hours of audio and video training available in the members area and the regular updates.

DeskTopBucks truly is a "must have" website membership.

As mentioned above, there is a way for you to get a free membership to DeskTopBucks, normally $147 a year.

Just grab your account now! This is my gift to you for taking the time to read this review! Take and use it to benefit your online business.