My First Ezine!

All of my marketing guru friends tell me I need to start an ezine. I have put it off for as long as possible, thinking it would be too difficult and time consuming. But after listening to them tell me I REALLY needed to do it, it was such a great marketing tool, etc, etc - well, I finally gave in and published my first issue. And you know what? It was much easier than I expected.

First I chose my listserve. My more experienced ezine buddies all suggested Constant Contact. I did look at a few others, but Constant Contact suited my needs so I signed up with them (www.constantcontact.com).

Next I had to decide on content. I wasn't sure exactly what my ezine should look like, other than the fact that it shouldn't be too long. Who has time to read these days? But I solved that problem fairly easily. First I found an ezine template at HomeBiz Tools (www.HomeBizTools.com). And then I got promises from some of my marketing friends to supply some guest articles. So all I had to do was fill in the blanks with a little content of my own and we were off and running.

So, how did it turn out? See for yourself. Simply send an email to wealthtogether@hotmail.com and request to become a subscriber. It's free. Then tell me what you think.

If you are running a home business, you really should consider an ezine of your own. It really is easy and a great way to generate extra revenue. When you do, be sure to add me to your subscriber list!

Making Money with Affiliate Marketing

Okay! You've decided I'm for real and you really do want to learn how to make some extra money from home. Unless you already have a product to market and some experience in internet marketing, I suggest you start out with some affiliate program. These can help you earn some steady income AND help you learn the ins-and-outs of online marketing without risking a huge investment.

I know, I know. You know someone who knows someone who tried several different programs and didn't make a dime. In fact, they lost money. Well, I can introduce you to others who have made millions just through affiliate marketing. And you can do it too. You just need to know how.

Step one: Set some goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic goals. With a Timeframe for achieving them. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed (SMART) goals - I'm sure many of you have heard that terminology before, so I'm not going to discuss it in great detail right now. Having set goals will help you stay focused on what you are trying to achieve.

Step two: Set up a base. Yes, most affiliate programs provide you with a web page. But which is easier - driving traffic to dozens of sites that look just like everyone else's or driving traffic to one unique site with links to all your affiliate programs. Building your own website is ideal and there are several ways to do that even if you know nothing about web design. An even easier and less expensive way is with a blog such as this one. Either way works as long as it is full of content designed to draw internet surfers in to your page. Notice I said content - not advertising! There are several blog sites such as this one and each one offers instructions and templates to help you get started. If you really want to spend the money on a website then I suggest you purchase SiteBuildIt! (http://buildit.sitesell.com/wealthtogether.html).

Step three: Choose your affiliate programs. There are so many different programs to choose from. Luckily, there is an easy way to find them. There are several sites you can go to with lists of hundreds of affiliate prgrams. I recommend Affiliate Showcase, run by my good friend Ken McArthur (http://www.AffiliateShowcase.com/?46035). It provides you with access to literally hundreds of programs. You can even become an affiliate for Affiliate Showcase! Once you become a member of Affiliate Showcase, Ken will give you access to all the information you need on how to market your affiliate programs. And I will devote future posts to that same topic.

For now - set your goals, build your base, choose your programs. And post your achievements here in the comments. List your link so we can all visit your blog or website and check out which programs you've chosen. Let's get started!

What You Can Expect from Me

I have spent a lot of time trying this product and that system only to wind up broke and disillusioned. "Make money while you sleep!" "Start your cash machine today." Promises, promises. And I bought into every one of them.

Can you make money on the internet or through a home based business? You betcha! Is it easy? Depends on what you call easy. Will you have to work some long hours and (uh-oh) invest a little cash? You will if you really want to build some wealth. Will what worked for me work for you too? Maybe - maybe not. There is no one-size-fits-all method to earn financial freedom.

I have learned some things in my struggle to earn a living from the comfort of my home. Things like which programs really do work and which are just scams. Ways to save the money you do earn. People you can connect with who really will give you advice. How to stay healthy while you are building your online "empire." Resources to help you get there faster. I will happily share my adventures and misadventures with anyone who wants to avoid the mistakes I made. Not everything I share will be of use to you. Take what you need - leave the rest. All I want is to share my experiences with you and maybe we can all learn to live an abundant life - together. And if you have some expertise on any topic, please feel free to share it with us. WealthTogether means just that. We are all in this world together and everyone has the right to live abundantly. God WANTS us to live an abundant life. We are MEANT to be successful. What that means to you depends on what you want from life. I would not have made it without the help of others. Now I want to do the same for you.

I hear someone out there asking who is this person? I have never seen her marketing anything. Probably not. And just because you never heard of me until now does not mean I don't know what I'm talking about. There are thousands of people making wonderful lives for themselves at home and online and I'll bet you never heard of most of them. They don't spend a lot of time promoting themselves. They just go about their business every day - whatever it is. I will introduce you to some of them because they have helped me and they will help you too.

We're off to discover Wealth - Together! Come along for the ride!