Aug

3

Internet Marketing Resource: MarketingExperiments.com

Filed Under Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Web/Tech, Internet Business, Internet Marketing | Leave a Comment

Looking to “discover what really works” in your online marketing tests? You need look in just one important place: MarketingExperiments.com

I stumbled upon this awesome resource for through a number of rather random, but highly reliable, references.

The team behind “Marketing Experiments” is highly professional and immensely committed to finding, again, “what really works” in online marketing campaigns. They even offer several Internet Marketing Certification courses via their site.

Here’s a few of their informative articles I recommend for just a quick taste:

90-Day PPC Plan Tested
Landing Pages Tested

Also, check out some of the great audio content. (Lots of great stuff!)

Everything from A/B Split Tests to Email Marketing Tests – these guys (and gals) have done it all!

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May

23

The Mindful Entrepreneur’s Internet Business Resources

Filed Under Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Online Business Ideas, Internet Business | 1 Comment

Looking for some great books, ebooks, ezines, affiliate programs, podcasts, and online services for your internet business?

Look no further…

I have added a new “Internet Business Resources” page for aspiring and growth-seeking internet entrepreneurs here on the site. 

I’d like to keep the list limited to the most useful stuff for now, but I will likely add more in the future. 

Leave a comment if you have any additional recommendations.  Limit your suggestions to those key resources that have brought you the most success!

May

16

3 Reasons Your Web Site Does Not Make Money

Filed Under Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Information Products, Online Business Ideas, Creating Wealth, Information Marketing, Internet Business | Leave a Comment

Leaving money on the table in your internet business? Not satisfying your “hungry market”? Not confident in your ability to make real money on the web?

Let’s look at the three most likely reasons your web site is going broke…

1. You Have a Mental Block

It’s bizarre, but oh so true: Your ability to make money (in any venture) has a lot to do with your ideas about money.I know what you’re thinking: “Not more of this ‘Law of Attraction’ and ‘The Secret’ hullabaloo.

I’m not going to tell you that all you need to do is sit quietly in a room and meditate on your piles of money. That would be about as effective as telling you that all you need to do is sit at a computer all day and create website after website Field of Dreams style.

The key is… you need to do both. And you need to balance both according to your specific needs. Some people need to focus more on the meditation and mental mindset stuff, while others need to work a bit harder at the desk.

In my experience, this balancing act never ends, and if you learn to accept that now, it makes things fun.

But if you’re working really hard and seeing little or no results, the problem is almost always in your head. If so, it’s time to do some mental reconfiguration.

Start with these key questions:

  • What is the difference between the you TODAY who makes X amount every year and the you TOMORROW who makes X+Y per year?
  • How hard do you think a person MUST work to make X+Y?
  • Do you think it’s possible to really enjoy your work (so much that it’s hardly work) and still make a boatload of cash?
  • What feelings of guilt are you still harboring about making (or having) a lot of money?

2. Your Prices are Too Low

Here’s another common problem: guilt-reducing price cuts!

Can you believe that many people are out there selling their own products and services for prices far lower than they actually deserve? Believe it. Chances are, you’re among them!

When I started working as a freelance copywriter, I had the hardest time quoting my prices to clients. Some part of me actually felt guilty charging the industry standard for my valuable services.

Despite the fact that I was qualified to do the work, my copy was always effective, and I gave my all to every project on my desk, I still managed to come up with tons of reasons to lower my prices.

Let’s start here: If you don’t believe in the value of your products and services, who will?

Ask yourself: how much is this product/service really worth? (Spend some time really thinking about what it’s going to do for your customer.)

Also: how much is my time really worth? This question alone can change your life. If you decide you’re worth $100 per hour, then absolutely every minute of your working day becomes incredibly valuable to you.

But, alas, problem #2 here is DIRECTLY related to the opening problem #1 above.

3. You’re Giving it All Away for Free

This last problem is especially true on the web.

Yes, it’s a good idea to give some things away for free, especially if it’s going to result in kickbacks later (email sign ups, client referrals, future purchases, etc).

But… You can’t give it all away all of the time. The key here is knowing how much is too much.

Blogging provides a useful example: In the beginning, as you’re building a readership, you’re going to give it ALL away for free. But you absolutely must have an end game in mind.

What are you giving away every day that you could easily package for sale? (Bloggers, for example, might consider creating ebooks).

How can you stop or cutback on the giveaways? (Write shorter blog posts, be more disciplined during “free consultations” – you get the idea.)

The worst mistake any business or entrepreneur can make is leaving money on the table. As Dan Kennedy once suggested, the goal is actually NOT “zero resistance selling” - it’s better to turn some customers away because of higher prices than to get all the business at rock-bottom prices!

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May

1

The Information Marketing Business System

Filed Under Marketing Strategy, Copywriting, Information Products, Online Business Ideas, Information Marketing | 4 Comments


We all love systems - they make life easier!

In all parts of my business, I think in terms of systems whenever possible to conceptualize the total process.

The best thing about systems is repeatability. If you can handoff a simple checklist with instructions, you have a fantastic system. Of course, this is the key to any entrepreneur’s success…

Here’s a simple system for marketing information on the web:

1. Pick a Niche
You must begin by picking a topic. It’s best to research before jumping in, but sometimes you have to lead with your heart.

For an excellent discussion on picking a niche, check out Sterling & Jay’s Internet Business Mastery podcast – Episode #26.

2. Write a Blog
With a comfortable niche in mind, it’s time to start building your presence on the web.

Blogging is the easiest way to get started. Blogger and Wordpress both offer free blogging sites on their domains, but I strongly recommend getting your own URL and implementing the free software on your own.

3. Market Affiliate Products
Let your blog-website also serve as an income generator by building affiliate links for other information products in your niche.

This is a great way to earn some cash upfront as you begin building your own products and services at the backend of your sales funnel.

4. Learn Copywriting
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Copywriting is the most important skill in the info marketing world.

It’s not necessary to become a world class copywriter, but you will need to read a handful of books on the subject and learn from the experts.

Of course, you can always hire a professional to help, especially for those critical sales letters.

5. Create Your Own Products
OK – so the blog is posting new content to your site every day, you’re making some affiliate sales, and you have a basic understanding of copywriting principles – now it’s time to build the core of your business…

Create your first information product! Ebooks are a great place to begin, but you can also shoot higher and begin with a full blown CD/DVD package if you’re so inclined.

Each niche lends itself to different types of info products. Let your niche be your guide in this place.

6. Rinse and Repeat
Some folks prefer to concentrate all of their efforts in one niche area, while others like to branch out.

This is entirely up to you, but either way you should still “rinse and repeat” if you expect to watch your numbers grow.

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Apr

24

What is a Niche Expert?

Filed Under Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Information Marketing | Leave a Comment


The best definition I have heard for an EXPERT is “one who knows more than most people about a topic.”

By this loose definition, most everyone is an expert in at least one area if not many.

Think about it. What things do you know more about than most people? You should be able to generate a list of about 5-10 topics immediately. Even if 2 or 3 of these topics are just interest areas for you, there’s still potential to become an expert through more reading and experience.

What truly separates the recognized expert from the rest of us is not related to knowledge at all. I learned this very quickly when I started teaching other people what I know.

Let me back up one step and offer my own definition for “niche expert”:

A niche expert is a trusted authority on a topic.

The key word here is “trusted.” Of course, part of earning an audience’s trust is demonstrating knowledge and experience. But that part is actually very small.

You might have all the knowledge and experience on Topic Z, but that’s not going to guarantee that your audience will *trust* your authority.

The students in my business & writing classes are not persuaded by my knowledge of copywriting, business communication concepts, and so on. I cannot show it to them and thereby guarantee that I am the expert – at least not until I have earned their trust.

Achieving niche expert status depends entirely upon your relationship to your audience. Let’s recall that definition:

A niche expert is a trusted authority on a topic.

Once you gain the trust of an audience, you become the expert. We’ll look at the process for successful niche expert positioning in another post.

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