Using an email autoresponder as an affiliate marketer will allow you to market to your prospects time and time again. This will essentially generate multiple streams of income for you in the process. However, you need to be strategic in doing this. No one likes being marketed to upfront, so you should not try to sell to your prospects the minute they opt-in to your list. Instead, it will pay dividends to build a relationship with these prospects first, so that they grow to know, like and trust you. Once you've properly established a relationship, then you can begin marketing.
To be able to generate multiple streams of income from this list, you will need to market several products. I would first recommend having a “primary, high-ticket opportunity” and then smaller ticket products that you can both lead with before the primary opportunity and follow with after.
Here's an example:
My primary business opportunity has a $1500 price point. Subsequently, when someone opts into my email list for this, it's not likely they will purchase until after 3-5 business exposures. So during this time, I begin building a relationship with them where I give useful content about online business and entrepreneurship. After I start building this relationship, I begin to market my primary opportunity to them. Then, once they join I get paid. I will make money again from this list even after they join my primary business. This is because I am an affiliate of several internet marketing products that my business partners will likely need once they get started (things like a website builder, email autoresponder software, and keyword research tools etc). So, not only can I market my main business opportunity to my list, I can also market a bunch of other useful internet marketing based affiliate products.
As you can see, an email autoresponder software, even a cheap autoresponder at that, can allow you to build a list of prospects that will pay you again and again. And assuming you are marketing useful products to them, then it's great not only for you but for them as well. For my email autoresponder, I use AWeber. If you're a serious internet marketer, I encourage you to check it out as well.
AWeber Email Autoresponder
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Internet Business Mastery – What's the Secret?
Internet business mastery is the holy grail for entrepreneurs around the world these days. For those who succeed in this arena, it means amazing lifestyle opportunities incorporating both financial freedom, freedom of time and freedom of mobility. Never before has a generation had the possibility to enjoy all three of these liberties so readily. That's not to say internet business mastery is something that can be acquired easily because it can't. So don't fall for the commonplace online ads that say online wealth will manifest itself without your commitment of time, ingenuity and financial resource. Finding success as an online entrepreneur is a significant challenge, similar to any offline entrepreneurial venture. The difference, however, is that an online business can be started at a fraction of the cost, and the amount of leverage and automation that an internet business can use is far greater than what the traditional brick and morter enterprise can employ.
That leads us to the question, “What's the secret to internet business mastery?” Well, the short answer is that it's not a short answer. Success online is a result of many different things, which I will list below (shown at random with no specific weighting to the order).
1. Tenacity – The ability to say, “I am going to succeed as an internet marketer no matter what, and am never going to give up.”
2. Consistency - Consistent goal-oriented action rules the day in online business.
3. Automation and Leverage – Being able to achieve the greatest amount of success with the least amount of effort. This is the where the internet comes in.
4. Having a Mentor or Mastermind Group – Attaining internet business mastery without having a mentor or mastermind group is a monumental challenge. Pair yourself with like-minded achievers who can elevate your thinking and help you reach the top.
5. A Strong Personal Philosophy - Without good mindset training, you won't have the internal fortitude to drive through the hard times and learning curve period. Having a strong personal philosophy will allow you to analyze your work objectively, take responsibility for your success or lack thereof, and provide you with the wherewithal to build a team and teach them how to succeed.
6. Mastering the Hard Skills of Internet Marketing – Along with the soft skills such as mindset training and personal philosophy, you need to learn the hard skills of internet marketing. You must have the ability to leverage the internet to your advantage, and use technology as a building block. This is a skill that requires you to roll your sleeves up and just figure it out.
These above six suggestions are critical components of internet business mastery. There are obviously more things to learn, but if you can master the above, you will be well on your way to online prominence.
That leads us to the question, “What's the secret to internet business mastery?” Well, the short answer is that it's not a short answer. Success online is a result of many different things, which I will list below (shown at random with no specific weighting to the order).
1. Tenacity – The ability to say, “I am going to succeed as an internet marketer no matter what, and am never going to give up.”
2. Consistency - Consistent goal-oriented action rules the day in online business.
3. Automation and Leverage – Being able to achieve the greatest amount of success with the least amount of effort. This is the where the internet comes in.
4. Having a Mentor or Mastermind Group – Attaining internet business mastery without having a mentor or mastermind group is a monumental challenge. Pair yourself with like-minded achievers who can elevate your thinking and help you reach the top.
5. A Strong Personal Philosophy - Without good mindset training, you won't have the internal fortitude to drive through the hard times and learning curve period. Having a strong personal philosophy will allow you to analyze your work objectively, take responsibility for your success or lack thereof, and provide you with the wherewithal to build a team and teach them how to succeed.
6. Mastering the Hard Skills of Internet Marketing – Along with the soft skills such as mindset training and personal philosophy, you need to learn the hard skills of internet marketing. You must have the ability to leverage the internet to your advantage, and use technology as a building block. This is a skill that requires you to roll your sleeves up and just figure it out.
These above six suggestions are critical components of internet business mastery. There are obviously more things to learn, but if you can master the above, you will be well on your way to online prominence.
Is Your Online Business Just an Expensive Hobby?
As we progress as internet marketers, one of the most important things we need to ensure is that our business doesn't become just an expensive hobby. What I mean by this is:
Too often, people make the initial investment to start an online business, but then never really take the necessary steps to make it a real, thriving enterprise. Most people start their online journey with tons of optimism and commitment, but more often than not, the initial learning curve proves too long for some, and the consistent action that they started with begins to wane. If you stop taking consistent action to promote your business, then really what it becomes is just an expensive hobby. So to guard against this, you should take stock of what you've done every so often and review where your actions have led you.
Sometimes the easiest person to fool is ourselves. Being an entrepreneur requires being honest with yourself, because no one is going to tell you that you're doing something wrong. It's not like working in a corporate environment where others are holding you accountable for your actions. You are in charge! Accountability to yourself - it's one of the most challenging parts of being an entrepreneur! When I first started in online business, this was one of the greatest difficulties for me. Since I had been working in the corporate world for many years, I had to adjust my way of thinking and working. Being productive takes on a whole new meaning when you're an entrepreneur. In my old job, if I wasn't productive, then I was wasting the companies time and money. Now as an entrepreneur, if I'm not being productive it means I'm wasting my own time and money. You have to have self-discipline if you're going to succeed in online business, or any entrepreneur career for that matter.
Not only is it a matter of being honest in what you've accomplished, but also honest in what you need to do. Consistent action truly rules the day in internet marketing. You can't work hard for a few days, and then take a week or two off. I see too many people slide into inactivity. They start out strong with their business and then fade. Remember, the success stories you see are the people who take action, face the hurdles they need to overcome and never give up.
The only people who don't lose are the people who don't quit. Beware of infrequent action and self-deception. Be honest with what you've accomplished and what you need to do. If you can do this, then you will avoid having your online business become just another expensive hobby.
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Too often, people make the initial investment to start an online business, but then never really take the necessary steps to make it a real, thriving enterprise. Most people start their online journey with tons of optimism and commitment, but more often than not, the initial learning curve proves too long for some, and the consistent action that they started with begins to wane. If you stop taking consistent action to promote your business, then really what it becomes is just an expensive hobby. So to guard against this, you should take stock of what you've done every so often and review where your actions have led you.
Sometimes the easiest person to fool is ourselves. Being an entrepreneur requires being honest with yourself, because no one is going to tell you that you're doing something wrong. It's not like working in a corporate environment where others are holding you accountable for your actions. You are in charge! Accountability to yourself - it's one of the most challenging parts of being an entrepreneur! When I first started in online business, this was one of the greatest difficulties for me. Since I had been working in the corporate world for many years, I had to adjust my way of thinking and working. Being productive takes on a whole new meaning when you're an entrepreneur. In my old job, if I wasn't productive, then I was wasting the companies time and money. Now as an entrepreneur, if I'm not being productive it means I'm wasting my own time and money. You have to have self-discipline if you're going to succeed in online business, or any entrepreneur career for that matter.
Not only is it a matter of being honest in what you've accomplished, but also honest in what you need to do. Consistent action truly rules the day in internet marketing. You can't work hard for a few days, and then take a week or two off. I see too many people slide into inactivity. They start out strong with their business and then fade. Remember, the success stories you see are the people who take action, face the hurdles they need to overcome and never give up.
The only people who don't lose are the people who don't quit. Beware of infrequent action and self-deception. Be honest with what you've accomplished and what you need to do. If you can do this, then you will avoid having your online business become just another expensive hobby.
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
How to Achieve Multiple Income Streams Online
Creating multiple income streams online is like finding the holy grail. Every internet marketer wants to make it happen, and the fact it, it is very possible to accomplish. This post outlines one example of how you could set about to achieve this end.
One of the most popular ways to generate multiple income streams online is by becoming an affiliate marketer. As an affiliate marketer, you are basically the marketing and selling arm for the products or services of another company. In this respect, you can align yourself with any number of entities, ranging from a web hosting provider, an email autoresponder service or a travel company looking to market its memberships.
Ok, let's say first off that you decide to join a network marketing company, selling their high ticket opportunity “XYZ.” Every time you recruit someone into this company, you receive a commission - your first income stream. Let's call this high ticket program your primary opportunity. As you begin marketing for this primary opportunity, you'll create a website/capture page that will allow you to collect the contact information of your prospects. By giving you their contact information, these prospects are essentially opting in to you “list.” It will be through the growing of this “list” of prospects that you will generate your other streams of income.
Once you start building this list, you can market smaller ticket items to them before they join your big ticket program. To clarify, let's assume that most of your prospects who opt-in to your list are not going to purchase from you right away. They'll need at least 4-5 business exposures before they decide to join your primary opportunity. This is completely normal. During this faze, most marketers only feed their prospects information regarding their primary opportunity and nothing else. But it doesn't have to be this way. Rather, you can market smaller ticket items to these prospects – items that might act as precursors to your high ticket opportunity. For example, if your primary opportunity is a $1500 online travel business opportunity, maybe your small ticket opportunity can consist of a $200 internet marketing boot camp, for which you are an affiliate, which similarly will pay you a commission every time someone from your list joins. This can act as your 2nd stream of income.
Then, once your prospect finally joins your primary opportunity, you can back end market a product that he or she would need anyway, like an email autoresponder. If you are an affiliate with an autoresponder service like Aweber, you can have your new team members sign up for the same service. That way, not only will they get a useful tool for their business, but you will profit from it as well. Once you have multiple income streams online, then you can teach your teammates how to build the same. Your team will be the healthier for it.
If further down the road, you want to augment your business with even more income streams, then I would suggest you look to other avenues like monetizing your blog, or product affiliate opportunities like those found on sites like Clickbank. Obviously, we could speak volumes about these options as well, but are probably best saved for another article posting. Remember, attaining multiples income streams online is very possible. Although it will require a lot of preparation and consistent effort to set up, it will be well worth your time. Good luck!
-Dan
www.p1dwealthsecrets.com
One of the most popular ways to generate multiple income streams online is by becoming an affiliate marketer. As an affiliate marketer, you are basically the marketing and selling arm for the products or services of another company. In this respect, you can align yourself with any number of entities, ranging from a web hosting provider, an email autoresponder service or a travel company looking to market its memberships.
Ok, let's say first off that you decide to join a network marketing company, selling their high ticket opportunity “XYZ.” Every time you recruit someone into this company, you receive a commission - your first income stream. Let's call this high ticket program your primary opportunity. As you begin marketing for this primary opportunity, you'll create a website/capture page that will allow you to collect the contact information of your prospects. By giving you their contact information, these prospects are essentially opting in to you “list.” It will be through the growing of this “list” of prospects that you will generate your other streams of income.
Once you start building this list, you can market smaller ticket items to them before they join your big ticket program. To clarify, let's assume that most of your prospects who opt-in to your list are not going to purchase from you right away. They'll need at least 4-5 business exposures before they decide to join your primary opportunity. This is completely normal. During this faze, most marketers only feed their prospects information regarding their primary opportunity and nothing else. But it doesn't have to be this way. Rather, you can market smaller ticket items to these prospects – items that might act as precursors to your high ticket opportunity. For example, if your primary opportunity is a $1500 online travel business opportunity, maybe your small ticket opportunity can consist of a $200 internet marketing boot camp, for which you are an affiliate, which similarly will pay you a commission every time someone from your list joins. This can act as your 2nd stream of income.
Then, once your prospect finally joins your primary opportunity, you can back end market a product that he or she would need anyway, like an email autoresponder. If you are an affiliate with an autoresponder service like Aweber, you can have your new team members sign up for the same service. That way, not only will they get a useful tool for their business, but you will profit from it as well. Once you have multiple income streams online, then you can teach your teammates how to build the same. Your team will be the healthier for it.
If further down the road, you want to augment your business with even more income streams, then I would suggest you look to other avenues like monetizing your blog, or product affiliate opportunities like those found on sites like Clickbank. Obviously, we could speak volumes about these options as well, but are probably best saved for another article posting. Remember, attaining multiples income streams online is very possible. Although it will require a lot of preparation and consistent effort to set up, it will be well worth your time. Good luck!
-Dan
www.p1dwealthsecrets.com
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Why An Email Autoresponder Is a Big Key to Your Success Online
In order to make money online, you need to be constantly building a list of new prospects. Without a list you have no business. I'm sure you know this by now. Bar none, the easiest way to build a list is by using an email autoresponder. An autoresponder will take the pain out of email marketing by following up with your prospects for you. Successful internet marketers use as much leverage and automation as they can, and having an autoresponder is one of the keys. Remember, the goal in internet marketing is to achieve as much success as possible with the least amount of effort.
For my email autoresponder, I use AWeber. It's a classic system that has worked wonders for my business. Although it's not free, it's very inexpensive and pays itself off in value in no time. I would not recommend using a free autoresponder, as they often incorporate a lot of distracting ads on the emails that you send out. If you are a serious internet marketer and want to profit online, an autoresponder like AWeber will serve you well.
In my opinion, the best feature of an autoresponder is that it works for you 24/7, 365 days a year. Even when you sleep, it will follow up with your prospects for you. If I write an email to my list, it may take me about 30 minutes. Once I'm done, I have it automatically sent out to my prospects. With an autoresponder, you never have to do things twice. Once and done. That's it. My email campaign is set up and is ready to go on autopilot for me. I don't have to do anything. When a new prospect signs up for my list, they are sent all of my emails at my predetermined intervals.
This is automation and leverage at its best. When I first started in internet marketing, I didn't have an autoresponder and I wasted so much time. If you're serious about succeeding online, you should profit from one as well.
AWeber Email Autoresponder
For my email autoresponder, I use AWeber. It's a classic system that has worked wonders for my business. Although it's not free, it's very inexpensive and pays itself off in value in no time. I would not recommend using a free autoresponder, as they often incorporate a lot of distracting ads on the emails that you send out. If you are a serious internet marketer and want to profit online, an autoresponder like AWeber will serve you well.
In my opinion, the best feature of an autoresponder is that it works for you 24/7, 365 days a year. Even when you sleep, it will follow up with your prospects for you. If I write an email to my list, it may take me about 30 minutes. Once I'm done, I have it automatically sent out to my prospects. With an autoresponder, you never have to do things twice. Once and done. That's it. My email campaign is set up and is ready to go on autopilot for me. I don't have to do anything. When a new prospect signs up for my list, they are sent all of my emails at my predetermined intervals.
This is automation and leverage at its best. When I first started in internet marketing, I didn't have an autoresponder and I wasted so much time. If you're serious about succeeding online, you should profit from one as well.
AWeber Email Autoresponder
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Success Online Starts From Within
To succeed online, there are many skills that you need to possess. Some are the so-called hard skills - like being tech savvy on the computer, and some are the soft skills like mindset training. Often times, people seem to think you can get by having one and not the other, but I don't subscribe to that argument. I think you need to possess a combination of the two. Without good mindset training, I don't think you can have the internal fortitude to drive through the hard times that all internet marketers face now and then. You need that optimistic, success-minded approach that mindset training teaches. Alternatively, if you can't figure out the hard skills like how to use your email account, then I don't think the mindset skills alone are going to save you either. The fact is, you need them both.
That said, I believe that success must first come from within. I know that sounds cliché, but the life of an entrepreneur is filled with challenges, which can be difficult to overcome if you lack the right philosophy. To succeed online, I think the first thing you need to understand is that it's not about “getting” but rather about “giving.” Your philosophy as an internet marketer should be to consciously be adding value in whatever you do. Be generous in the giving of your knowledge, so that others will see you as a person of resource. If you do this, you will always have a steady stream of new prospects. Too many people have a “me first” attitude, whereby they are constantly selling their product or business upfront. This is the caveman way of doing business online. Top-tier marketers know that success results from being seen as a valuable resource by the marketplace, which is done by embracing a solid personal philosophy, constant self-education and generosity in the sharing of information.
My advice to someone just starting out as an internet marketer is to concentrate 100% on adding value for your prospects. If you focus on your financial number like, “I gotta earn 10 grand by April 1st or this year's a bust”, then you're not going about it right. Forget about a financial number, and instead make a commitment to become more knowledgeable, and then share your knowledge with your prospects. I think if you have the mindset of adding value and developing your own personal disciplines, then financial success will come to you. Finally, I will end by saying that although I think I do have a strong personal philosophy and mindset, there are definitely days where I can feel negative, and that's when I remember that we have to be thankful for what we already have. That's the key, if you're thankful for what you already have, then you can absorb the bumps along the way.
That said, I believe that success must first come from within. I know that sounds cliché, but the life of an entrepreneur is filled with challenges, which can be difficult to overcome if you lack the right philosophy. To succeed online, I think the first thing you need to understand is that it's not about “getting” but rather about “giving.” Your philosophy as an internet marketer should be to consciously be adding value in whatever you do. Be generous in the giving of your knowledge, so that others will see you as a person of resource. If you do this, you will always have a steady stream of new prospects. Too many people have a “me first” attitude, whereby they are constantly selling their product or business upfront. This is the caveman way of doing business online. Top-tier marketers know that success results from being seen as a valuable resource by the marketplace, which is done by embracing a solid personal philosophy, constant self-education and generosity in the sharing of information.
My advice to someone just starting out as an internet marketer is to concentrate 100% on adding value for your prospects. If you focus on your financial number like, “I gotta earn 10 grand by April 1st or this year's a bust”, then you're not going about it right. Forget about a financial number, and instead make a commitment to become more knowledgeable, and then share your knowledge with your prospects. I think if you have the mindset of adding value and developing your own personal disciplines, then financial success will come to you. Finally, I will end by saying that although I think I do have a strong personal philosophy and mindset, there are definitely days where I can feel negative, and that's when I remember that we have to be thankful for what we already have. That's the key, if you're thankful for what you already have, then you can absorb the bumps along the way.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
How To Create a Website For Beginners
Having your own website is an essential component of making money online. But contrary to what most people might say, you do not need to know complex html code in order to build your own site. In fact, if you have a good website building software, then the process becomes very easy.
You might have been thinking about outsourcing your website building, but be aware that it can be very costly. For most internet marketers, I don't think outsourcing the job is really necessary. You can build your own website at a fraction of the cost - which more often than not will actually convert better than what a web designer might produce for you.
If you get a good website builder, then all you will need to do is just drag and drop your content. The website builder I use is completely free for anyone to download. In fact, it has everything you would need for your site including a variety of templates, photo and video capabilities etc. The best feature is that anyone can use it, and you don't need to deal with html or any other complicated code.
Once you design your site on a website builder, then all that's left is to buy a domain name and choose a hosting service. This can all be done at a very low cost. Once you have your website builder, domain name and hosting service, you're all set to go. At that point it's just about making sure you have good content on your site, and then optimizing your site for the search engines. For internet marketers, websites are especially useful as a “squeeze page” or a site where your prospects can leave you their contact information. When you have a squeeze page, then you can build your list of prospects. This list will act as your main revenue source for your business. Without a website, you can't really capture information or build a list, which doesn't really leave you with much. Learning how to create a website for beginners is easy if you have the right software.
The free website builder I've been using is Blue Voda: Blue Voda Website Builder. The website builder is completely free, so you should definitely take a look. As for hosting on Blue Voda, I pay $7.95/month in addition to a one time activation fee of $30.
Best,
Dan
You might have been thinking about outsourcing your website building, but be aware that it can be very costly. For most internet marketers, I don't think outsourcing the job is really necessary. You can build your own website at a fraction of the cost - which more often than not will actually convert better than what a web designer might produce for you.
If you get a good website builder, then all you will need to do is just drag and drop your content. The website builder I use is completely free for anyone to download. In fact, it has everything you would need for your site including a variety of templates, photo and video capabilities etc. The best feature is that anyone can use it, and you don't need to deal with html or any other complicated code.
Once you design your site on a website builder, then all that's left is to buy a domain name and choose a hosting service. This can all be done at a very low cost. Once you have your website builder, domain name and hosting service, you're all set to go. At that point it's just about making sure you have good content on your site, and then optimizing your site for the search engines. For internet marketers, websites are especially useful as a “squeeze page” or a site where your prospects can leave you their contact information. When you have a squeeze page, then you can build your list of prospects. This list will act as your main revenue source for your business. Without a website, you can't really capture information or build a list, which doesn't really leave you with much. Learning how to create a website for beginners is easy if you have the right software.
The free website builder I've been using is Blue Voda: Blue Voda Website Builder. The website builder is completely free, so you should definitely take a look. As for hosting on Blue Voda, I pay $7.95/month in addition to a one time activation fee of $30.
Best,
Dan
Keyword Locator - My Favorite Keyword Locator Tool For Massive Traffic
Good keyword research should be the first task you undertake when optimizing your web site. It will act as the foundation of your business, and without committing time here, the rest of your efforts may well be in vain. Simply put, keyword research is finding out what terms your potential prospects are searching for in the search engines, and then optimizing your website and back links so as to include these keywords.
Doing keyword research without a keyword locator tool is quite time consuming and it is not an exact science. It's like driving without a map or throwing darts in the dark. You might find your way eventually, but you run the risk of missing out on great keywords and revenue opportunities along the way.
For about my first year marketing online, I did not use a keyword locator tool and I paid a heavy price.
Despite my most valiant efforts, I missed out on many niche keywords related to my business, and in turn, I was getting pummeled by my competition on the search engines. Finally, I purchased a keyword research tool and it turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made. It wasn't expensive and it paid itself off in the value that it added in about a week.
Remember, if you choose the wrong keyword, you could end up setting yourself back several months by promoting it. It would be a shame to learn that you had spent all this time promoting a keyword that everyone else was promoting, thus making it almost impossible to stand out on the search engines. Even worse, imagine if you were promoting a keyword that wasn't even being searched all! That's a mistake no one wants to make!
The keyword research tool I've been using which has done wonders for me is Micro Niche Finder. If you're looking, definitely check it out here: Micro Niche Finder
Have a great day!
Dan
Doing keyword research without a keyword locator tool is quite time consuming and it is not an exact science. It's like driving without a map or throwing darts in the dark. You might find your way eventually, but you run the risk of missing out on great keywords and revenue opportunities along the way.
For about my first year marketing online, I did not use a keyword locator tool and I paid a heavy price.
Despite my most valiant efforts, I missed out on many niche keywords related to my business, and in turn, I was getting pummeled by my competition on the search engines. Finally, I purchased a keyword research tool and it turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made. It wasn't expensive and it paid itself off in the value that it added in about a week.
Remember, if you choose the wrong keyword, you could end up setting yourself back several months by promoting it. It would be a shame to learn that you had spent all this time promoting a keyword that everyone else was promoting, thus making it almost impossible to stand out on the search engines. Even worse, imagine if you were promoting a keyword that wasn't even being searched all! That's a mistake no one wants to make!
The keyword research tool I've been using which has done wonders for me is Micro Niche Finder. If you're looking, definitely check it out here: Micro Niche Finder
Have a great day!
Dan
Monday, January 12, 2009
Online Success - The 5 Essentials
In my opinion, no matter what online business you decide to join, there are 5 essential building blocks that you must have/utilize in order to achieve success.
Here they are (in no particular order):
1) Tenacity - The ability to say, "I am going to succeed as an internet marketer no matter what, and I am never going to give up." Tenacity is the sheer will that drives you through the hard times even when everyone else says you will fail. All of the successful people in the world have it in common - they never quit! If they had quit along the way, the would not be the successes they are today. Think about it. The only way you cannot lose is to never quit. Tenacity gets you up early in the morning and keeps you up late at night.
2) Consistency - Consistency is king in internet marketing. If you miss a week, you can lose out. A little activity every day will carry you a long way. No matter what your goals are online, consistency will take you there. You must constantly be sowing in the Spring if you expect to have a harvest in the Fall.
3) Confidence - As I have said in previous articles, insecurity will kill your online business. Show confidence in everything you do, whether it be during a webinar with your new prospects, while mentoring your downline or whatever. Remember, people are looking to join with a leader. People don't buy businesses, they buy people. So it is really YOU that you are selling. That said, don't sell yourself short. Be confident and explode your enterprise!
4) Automation - The highest goal in online business is to achieve the greatest amount of success with the least amount of effort. That is where the internet comes in. Use it to automate, automate, automate!! Your goal should be to automate more and more of your daily activities with each passing week. Determine what you can and can't automate and then get after it. Some of the biggies here are:
1) Make sure you have an email auto responder that works for you 24/7 - following up with your prospects for you.
2) Set up a capture page that collects the contact information of your prospects and actively builds your list.
5) Leverage - This one goes along with automation and it is equally as important. The internet gives us the power to do both. Use leverage to spread your content across the Web as quickly and efficiently as possible. When you create a piece of content, don't just submit it once. Instead, submit it many times over - as an article, video, press release and as a blog, and blast it to a myriad of sites. This is leverage! Remember to also:
1) Leverage the work of your downline to make you richer. Do this by training your downline to succeed. This requires a lot of your time but it is well worth it.
2) Leverage the power of outsourcing. Outsource the menial tasks that don't make sense for you to occupy yourself with. This way it's twofold - you leverage the work of others by outsourcing, and you leverage your own time by focusing only on the most important activities like producing great content and training your team.
So that's it. These are the 5 things that have helped me the most. Tenacity, consistency, confidence, automation and leverage.
Take Care,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Here they are (in no particular order):
1) Tenacity - The ability to say, "I am going to succeed as an internet marketer no matter what, and I am never going to give up." Tenacity is the sheer will that drives you through the hard times even when everyone else says you will fail. All of the successful people in the world have it in common - they never quit! If they had quit along the way, the would not be the successes they are today. Think about it. The only way you cannot lose is to never quit. Tenacity gets you up early in the morning and keeps you up late at night.
2) Consistency - Consistency is king in internet marketing. If you miss a week, you can lose out. A little activity every day will carry you a long way. No matter what your goals are online, consistency will take you there. You must constantly be sowing in the Spring if you expect to have a harvest in the Fall.
3) Confidence - As I have said in previous articles, insecurity will kill your online business. Show confidence in everything you do, whether it be during a webinar with your new prospects, while mentoring your downline or whatever. Remember, people are looking to join with a leader. People don't buy businesses, they buy people. So it is really YOU that you are selling. That said, don't sell yourself short. Be confident and explode your enterprise!
4) Automation - The highest goal in online business is to achieve the greatest amount of success with the least amount of effort. That is where the internet comes in. Use it to automate, automate, automate!! Your goal should be to automate more and more of your daily activities with each passing week. Determine what you can and can't automate and then get after it. Some of the biggies here are:
1) Make sure you have an email auto responder that works for you 24/7 - following up with your prospects for you.
2) Set up a capture page that collects the contact information of your prospects and actively builds your list.
5) Leverage - This one goes along with automation and it is equally as important. The internet gives us the power to do both. Use leverage to spread your content across the Web as quickly and efficiently as possible. When you create a piece of content, don't just submit it once. Instead, submit it many times over - as an article, video, press release and as a blog, and blast it to a myriad of sites. This is leverage! Remember to also:
1) Leverage the work of your downline to make you richer. Do this by training your downline to succeed. This requires a lot of your time but it is well worth it.
2) Leverage the power of outsourcing. Outsource the menial tasks that don't make sense for you to occupy yourself with. This way it's twofold - you leverage the work of others by outsourcing, and you leverage your own time by focusing only on the most important activities like producing great content and training your team.
So that's it. These are the 5 things that have helped me the most. Tenacity, consistency, confidence, automation and leverage.
Take Care,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Sunday, January 11, 2009
How Insecurity Will Bring Down Your Online Business
As an internet marketer there are a lot of mistakes that you can make and get away with. This is a good thing because we all make mistakes and none of us are perfect. But there is one mistake that you simply cannot make if you want to be a successful internet marketer. If you do, it will destroy your bottom line and sink your business. That great mistake is simply this: you cannot be ruled by insecurity. By this I mean, you can never be insecure - most especially when you're promoting your business online, or when you are interacting with your downline.
Most of us have been insecure at one time or another, but those who achieve success don't let insecurity rule them. Instead they fight through it until they gain confidence in what they're doing. Insecurity causes many problems for internet marketers. For example, if you're insecure:
1) You'll be less likely to put yourself in front of a camera and make videos or write articles
2) You'll never instill confidence in your downline and
3) You probably won't be an active prospector, resulting in lost opportunity and lost revenue.
The best way to combat insecurity is to have something good to say and to consistently put out useful content. You'll notice I say "consistently" because that is key. If you are not active then you are not really in the game. We all know that consistent action rules the day in internet marketing. Make sure you don't lose sight of this. Once you commit to consistent action and people begin to benefit from your content, more prospects will seek you out as a mentor. And when your downline begins to grow, you'll gain more confidence as a recruiter, mentor and team builder.
If you are new to the business, then the key for you is to not let your lack of experience lead to insecurity. I admit this can be difficult to do. My advice is to hit the ground running. Once you have something useful to say, do it and do it confidently. And remember, once you start building your own downline, you have to be aware that your teammates will face their own insecurities. Show them how to overcome their nervousness, and convey to them that their success depends on it. Beware that many new internet marketers want to hide the fact that their insecurity is causing their inactivity, so instead they point to procrastination as being their downfall. .
To Summarize
1) Don't let insecurity stop you from consistently putting out good content online.
2) By having something good to say, you will be more comfortable sharing it, and in turn you will gain confidence as a result.
3) People buy leaders, they don't buy businesses. If you're insecure, no one will want to join you. Be confident!
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Most of us have been insecure at one time or another, but those who achieve success don't let insecurity rule them. Instead they fight through it until they gain confidence in what they're doing. Insecurity causes many problems for internet marketers. For example, if you're insecure:
1) You'll be less likely to put yourself in front of a camera and make videos or write articles
2) You'll never instill confidence in your downline and
3) You probably won't be an active prospector, resulting in lost opportunity and lost revenue.
The best way to combat insecurity is to have something good to say and to consistently put out useful content. You'll notice I say "consistently" because that is key. If you are not active then you are not really in the game. We all know that consistent action rules the day in internet marketing. Make sure you don't lose sight of this. Once you commit to consistent action and people begin to benefit from your content, more prospects will seek you out as a mentor. And when your downline begins to grow, you'll gain more confidence as a recruiter, mentor and team builder.
If you are new to the business, then the key for you is to not let your lack of experience lead to insecurity. I admit this can be difficult to do. My advice is to hit the ground running. Once you have something useful to say, do it and do it confidently. And remember, once you start building your own downline, you have to be aware that your teammates will face their own insecurities. Show them how to overcome their nervousness, and convey to them that their success depends on it. Beware that many new internet marketers want to hide the fact that their insecurity is causing their inactivity, so instead they point to procrastination as being their downfall. .
To Summarize
1) Don't let insecurity stop you from consistently putting out good content online.
2) By having something good to say, you will be more comfortable sharing it, and in turn you will gain confidence as a result.
3) People buy leaders, they don't buy businesses. If you're insecure, no one will want to join you. Be confident!
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Thursday, January 8, 2009
How Not to Be Naïve When Joining an Online Business
Before you decide to join an online business, there are several fallacies (or at best exaggerations) that you need to be aware of. Just like anything, the key to not being mislead is to be informed. That said, I wanted to take the time to convey a few misconceptions that many companies articulate when recruiting new prospects. Commonsense should alert you that these statements are too good to be true.
Here are my thoughts on the most common exaggerations I hear by recruiters in the industry. Beware!
1. "Our turnkey system does 90-100% of the marketing and selling for you!"
Actually, there are no turnkey systems that do all the marketing and selling for you - only ones that help with the explaining and the information gathering process. Please don't be gullible here. Most affiliate marketers have replicated websites that certainly do have a helpful place, but they do not and will not replace your human effort.
2. "Being an internet marketer is easy."
Not true. No business endeavor is easy. However, in theory internet marketing is not that complicated, but it does require great consistency and effort - especially during the heavy learning curve period of the first few months. Fortunately, the financial rewards in this industry can be huge. The great advantage of internet marketing is that massive amounts of automation and leverage can be used to your advantage every day. Compared to starting a typical brick and mortar business, most online businesses have very inexpensive entry price points and are far less risky.
3. "There is no selling involved."
Umm...I don't think so. Most internet marketers are essentially affiliate marketers who market the products or service of a larger company. So yes, there is selling. I for example market Platinum One Destinations travel memberships. What I will say though is that online marketing can be done in a non-aggressive way which doesn't require upfront selling - instead relying on telling your own story and using personal branding to showcase yourself as a leader. If you provide useful information about online business upfront, you can then let prospects discover your opportunity on their own. This way, your prospects can approach you instead of you having to chase them. This is very different from the old school marketing methodology, where upfront direct sales pitches were the norm.
4. "To succeed in online business, you need to actively buy leads and spend your days calling them."
False. In the past however, this was the case for most network marketers, who generated their prospects by calling generic, paid for leads. These leads were often not targeted, and thus, required lots of human effort to warm them up. Luckily, today we have the opportunity to market our businesses online and let prospects come to us. Personally, I don't pay for leads and I don't cold call. I use what's called "my story marketing" and I do my marketing online.
In essence, "my story marketing" is just leading with your own story instead of directly pitching your opportunity. By leading with your story and by branding yourself as a leader online, people can essentially "get to know you" before they are presented with your opportunity. This is good because in reality, people don't buy businesses, they buy people. So, the next time someone joins your business, remember they're not really buying an opportunity, they're buying you...as a leader. So make sure when you start marketing online that you tell your story well and really convey to your prospects how you can help them succeed.
5. "Anyone can succeed in internet business."
Actually, 97% of the people who start in online business never make any money. So really, most people can't succeed. The big key lies in aligning yourself with a mentor who knows how to market online - and who can teach you to leverage your time and resources effectively. Obviously, you need dedication, consistency and patience to achieve success, just like with any other business. But if you don't have a knowledgeable mentor, then you most likely won't be able to become a top earner in the industry.
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Here are my thoughts on the most common exaggerations I hear by recruiters in the industry. Beware!
1. "Our turnkey system does 90-100% of the marketing and selling for you!"
Actually, there are no turnkey systems that do all the marketing and selling for you - only ones that help with the explaining and the information gathering process. Please don't be gullible here. Most affiliate marketers have replicated websites that certainly do have a helpful place, but they do not and will not replace your human effort.
2. "Being an internet marketer is easy."
Not true. No business endeavor is easy. However, in theory internet marketing is not that complicated, but it does require great consistency and effort - especially during the heavy learning curve period of the first few months. Fortunately, the financial rewards in this industry can be huge. The great advantage of internet marketing is that massive amounts of automation and leverage can be used to your advantage every day. Compared to starting a typical brick and mortar business, most online businesses have very inexpensive entry price points and are far less risky.
3. "There is no selling involved."
Umm...I don't think so. Most internet marketers are essentially affiliate marketers who market the products or service of a larger company. So yes, there is selling. I for example market Platinum One Destinations travel memberships. What I will say though is that online marketing can be done in a non-aggressive way which doesn't require upfront selling - instead relying on telling your own story and using personal branding to showcase yourself as a leader. If you provide useful information about online business upfront, you can then let prospects discover your opportunity on their own. This way, your prospects can approach you instead of you having to chase them. This is very different from the old school marketing methodology, where upfront direct sales pitches were the norm.
4. "To succeed in online business, you need to actively buy leads and spend your days calling them."
False. In the past however, this was the case for most network marketers, who generated their prospects by calling generic, paid for leads. These leads were often not targeted, and thus, required lots of human effort to warm them up. Luckily, today we have the opportunity to market our businesses online and let prospects come to us. Personally, I don't pay for leads and I don't cold call. I use what's called "my story marketing" and I do my marketing online.
In essence, "my story marketing" is just leading with your own story instead of directly pitching your opportunity. By leading with your story and by branding yourself as a leader online, people can essentially "get to know you" before they are presented with your opportunity. This is good because in reality, people don't buy businesses, they buy people. So, the next time someone joins your business, remember they're not really buying an opportunity, they're buying you...as a leader. So make sure when you start marketing online that you tell your story well and really convey to your prospects how you can help them succeed.
5. "Anyone can succeed in internet business."
Actually, 97% of the people who start in online business never make any money. So really, most people can't succeed. The big key lies in aligning yourself with a mentor who knows how to market online - and who can teach you to leverage your time and resources effectively. Obviously, you need dedication, consistency and patience to achieve success, just like with any other business. But if you don't have a knowledgeable mentor, then you most likely won't be able to become a top earner in the industry.
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
How to Leverage Your Efforts For Online Business Success
One of the big differences between people who succeed in business and those who don't lies in how they use leverage. From Donald Trump and other billionaires all the way down, learning how to effectively leverage your time and money is how you grow your business. Period.
In big business, companies use leverage by borrowing money from banks and investors to fund their expansion. They also leverage time by outsourcing operations externally that normally would have taken the efforts of their direct staff.
We, as online business owners and internet marketers, can use leverage to grow and expand our businesses as well. In this article, I want to show you a few ways to do this.
Suggestions
1. When you create content to submit online - think with the end in mind!! Make sure that what you want to say can be easily converted across the variety of Web 2.0 mediums out there. (For example: all content you produce should be submitted as a video, as an article, as a press release, as a blog post and as a podcast.) To make sure this is possible, it helps if you map out your content before you submit it anywhere. You should ask yourself, "Can I turn this piece of information into all of the above mediums in order to maximize my online presence?" If the answer is yes, then you are leveraging your time properly.
The content I'm producing here is a good example. Instead of just submitting this article to Ezine, I've submitted it to 20 other article sites, 10 video sites, 3 blog sites, 5 press release sites and 2 podcasts. Effectively, I'm creating 40 backlinks with just one piece of content, directly increasing the search engine ranking for my primary business opportunity website and generating lots of free leads and traffic in the process! If I were to submit four pieces of content, that would be a total of 160 backlinks!! This is powerful stuff! I'm absolutely certain that if you do this, you will see a big difference in your business.
2. Another great way to leverage is to outsource whenever it makes sense. I say "whenever it makes sense" because often certain tasks are best done by you. However, submitting your content to video, article, press release, podcast and blog sites admittedly takes a lot of time. Thus, I suggest outsourcing it if you can. There are plenty of companies that offer virtual assistants from around the globe whose services you can rent for a very reasonable hourly rate. It makes sense to outsource the job of submitting your content across the Web. This inevitably frees up more of your time to create valuable content for your prospects.
Obviously, if you're just starting out, you may not have the financial resources to outsource, but I think leveraging your valuable time by outsourcing is a great goal to strive for. I truly hope these suggestions help your bottom line in 2009.
Best,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
In big business, companies use leverage by borrowing money from banks and investors to fund their expansion. They also leverage time by outsourcing operations externally that normally would have taken the efforts of their direct staff.
We, as online business owners and internet marketers, can use leverage to grow and expand our businesses as well. In this article, I want to show you a few ways to do this.
Suggestions
1. When you create content to submit online - think with the end in mind!! Make sure that what you want to say can be easily converted across the variety of Web 2.0 mediums out there. (For example: all content you produce should be submitted as a video, as an article, as a press release, as a blog post and as a podcast.) To make sure this is possible, it helps if you map out your content before you submit it anywhere. You should ask yourself, "Can I turn this piece of information into all of the above mediums in order to maximize my online presence?" If the answer is yes, then you are leveraging your time properly.
The content I'm producing here is a good example. Instead of just submitting this article to Ezine, I've submitted it to 20 other article sites, 10 video sites, 3 blog sites, 5 press release sites and 2 podcasts. Effectively, I'm creating 40 backlinks with just one piece of content, directly increasing the search engine ranking for my primary business opportunity website and generating lots of free leads and traffic in the process! If I were to submit four pieces of content, that would be a total of 160 backlinks!! This is powerful stuff! I'm absolutely certain that if you do this, you will see a big difference in your business.
2. Another great way to leverage is to outsource whenever it makes sense. I say "whenever it makes sense" because often certain tasks are best done by you. However, submitting your content to video, article, press release, podcast and blog sites admittedly takes a lot of time. Thus, I suggest outsourcing it if you can. There are plenty of companies that offer virtual assistants from around the globe whose services you can rent for a very reasonable hourly rate. It makes sense to outsource the job of submitting your content across the Web. This inevitably frees up more of your time to create valuable content for your prospects.
Obviously, if you're just starting out, you may not have the financial resources to outsource, but I think leveraging your valuable time by outsourcing is a great goal to strive for. I truly hope these suggestions help your bottom line in 2009.
Best,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Your Online Business - Why You Should Change Who You're Marketing To
One of the most common mistakes that internet marketers make when attempting to grow their business is trying to convince broke minded people to join their opportunity. For the majority, this is not a mistake that is made deliberately. In fact, if they had a choice, almost everyone would prefer to engage affluent professionals who both have the money to invest, and the internal fortitude to succeed as an entrepreneur - rather than those who just want a get rich quick fix.
This is a mistake I made when I first started in online business, and I can assure you I didn't make much money in the process. What I came to realize was that my marketing was failing me by attracting the wrong type of individuals. Once I determined this and made a change, my business picked up and I began attracting prospects who were success-minded and of a higher socioeconomic class. So don't try to market to everyone...because you'll waste a ton of time in the process. Instead, let your marketing do the sorting and be sure to target your message to people who can actually afford your program.
So How Do You Attract Successful People to Your Opportunity?
1) You need to be very careful of the language you use on your website and your other marketing. For example, if the first line of your website reads "Are you sick and tired of creditors calling you all the time?" then most likely the people you will attract with this marketing will be those who are in debt and have creditors calling them all the time. You probably don't want this. So, use language that suggests your opportunity is for people who are success-minded professionals rather than those who have no money.
2) Avoid using hype in your marketing...period! Smart people don't respond well to hype. Be straight-forward, honest and don't exaggerate.
In Summary
Remember, most people don't have what it takes to succeed as an online entrepreneur and you're not going to be able to change this. No matter how great a mentor and trainer you are, it's not going to alter the fact that 97% of people will either lack the internal fortitude or the stay-with-it power to persevere through the learning curve of the first few months. We all know that success in internet marketing takes determination and commitment, so why would you seek out anyone who doesn't possess these qualities? It just wouldn't make any sense.
Personally, I only market to people who have money because my program with Platinum One Destinations is a high-ticket opportunity that requires a $1500 upfront purchase, plus another recommended $1500 for marketing over the first few months. In my marketing, I let people know this virtually upfront so that we don't waste any time. Leading people through the sales funnel, only to find out that they can't and won't join because they don't have any money is pointless for everyone.
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
This is a mistake I made when I first started in online business, and I can assure you I didn't make much money in the process. What I came to realize was that my marketing was failing me by attracting the wrong type of individuals. Once I determined this and made a change, my business picked up and I began attracting prospects who were success-minded and of a higher socioeconomic class. So don't try to market to everyone...because you'll waste a ton of time in the process. Instead, let your marketing do the sorting and be sure to target your message to people who can actually afford your program.
So How Do You Attract Successful People to Your Opportunity?
1) You need to be very careful of the language you use on your website and your other marketing. For example, if the first line of your website reads "Are you sick and tired of creditors calling you all the time?" then most likely the people you will attract with this marketing will be those who are in debt and have creditors calling them all the time. You probably don't want this. So, use language that suggests your opportunity is for people who are success-minded professionals rather than those who have no money.
2) Avoid using hype in your marketing...period! Smart people don't respond well to hype. Be straight-forward, honest and don't exaggerate.
In Summary
Remember, most people don't have what it takes to succeed as an online entrepreneur and you're not going to be able to change this. No matter how great a mentor and trainer you are, it's not going to alter the fact that 97% of people will either lack the internal fortitude or the stay-with-it power to persevere through the learning curve of the first few months. We all know that success in internet marketing takes determination and commitment, so why would you seek out anyone who doesn't possess these qualities? It just wouldn't make any sense.
Personally, I only market to people who have money because my program with Platinum One Destinations is a high-ticket opportunity that requires a $1500 upfront purchase, plus another recommended $1500 for marketing over the first few months. In my marketing, I let people know this virtually upfront so that we don't waste any time. Leading people through the sales funnel, only to find out that they can't and won't join because they don't have any money is pointless for everyone.
To Your Success,
Dan
Platinum One Destinations
The Basic Blueprint For Online Business Success
Your success in online business will basically be determined by two factors:
1) Are you a focused and determined internet marketer? and
2) Through your internet marketing campaigns, are you able to build solid relationships with targeted prospects, and in turn, help them see value in your business and a leader in you?
You probably already know if you're a good internet marketer. I mean, you're either generating leads or you're not...it's pretty simple. If you learn the correct way to market your opportunity online, then you'll save yourself the agony of trying to actively convince and sell to people who never wanted to be sold to in the first place! There won't be any cold calling, or trying to work your warm market of family and friends. Instead, your marketing will be laser-targeted to the individuals who are actually looking for what you have to offer and eager to join your business. This is called "attraction based marketing."
Once you pinpoint your target audience, then you need to deliver useful content to them - content that will assist them on their path to success, while at the same time establishing you as a leader. Remember, the more insightful and generous your content is, the more your prospects will trust you and the more likely they will seek you out as a mentor. You should make a conscious effort to add value each and every time you publish content online. Making direct sales pitches, or leading with your opportunity is "old school" marketing that just doesn't work anymore. Note that 97% of people in online business fail because their marketing strategy is comprised of upfront sales pitches. If you want to attract affluent, motivated entrepreneurs to your business, don't do this. Intelligent entrepreneurs hate being sold to!
Part of successful internet marketing is being able to tell your own story and convey to others what has worked for you. If you can clearly articulate how you've found success, a prospect will have a better idea whether or not they can emulate your path and succeed as well. If your story is vague or uncertain, however, you won't instill much confidence. Be candid, direct and unselfish in your giving of knowledge. If you do this, then you will attract the right people. The great thing about attraction based marketing is that the traffic you generate is free. With Web 2.0 sites like YouTube, Facebook and EzineArticles, you have millions of potential leads to attract. Take advantage of the massive leverage the internet provides and then teach your teammates to do the same.
Happy 2009!
-Dan
Platinum One Destinations
1) Are you a focused and determined internet marketer? and
2) Through your internet marketing campaigns, are you able to build solid relationships with targeted prospects, and in turn, help them see value in your business and a leader in you?
You probably already know if you're a good internet marketer. I mean, you're either generating leads or you're not...it's pretty simple. If you learn the correct way to market your opportunity online, then you'll save yourself the agony of trying to actively convince and sell to people who never wanted to be sold to in the first place! There won't be any cold calling, or trying to work your warm market of family and friends. Instead, your marketing will be laser-targeted to the individuals who are actually looking for what you have to offer and eager to join your business. This is called "attraction based marketing."
Once you pinpoint your target audience, then you need to deliver useful content to them - content that will assist them on their path to success, while at the same time establishing you as a leader. Remember, the more insightful and generous your content is, the more your prospects will trust you and the more likely they will seek you out as a mentor. You should make a conscious effort to add value each and every time you publish content online. Making direct sales pitches, or leading with your opportunity is "old school" marketing that just doesn't work anymore. Note that 97% of people in online business fail because their marketing strategy is comprised of upfront sales pitches. If you want to attract affluent, motivated entrepreneurs to your business, don't do this. Intelligent entrepreneurs hate being sold to!
Part of successful internet marketing is being able to tell your own story and convey to others what has worked for you. If you can clearly articulate how you've found success, a prospect will have a better idea whether or not they can emulate your path and succeed as well. If your story is vague or uncertain, however, you won't instill much confidence. Be candid, direct and unselfish in your giving of knowledge. If you do this, then you will attract the right people. The great thing about attraction based marketing is that the traffic you generate is free. With Web 2.0 sites like YouTube, Facebook and EzineArticles, you have millions of potential leads to attract. Take advantage of the massive leverage the internet provides and then teach your teammates to do the same.
Happy 2009!
-Dan
Platinum One Destinations
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