Just got another email from a friend of mine. I'll let you read the main point:
"You told me it was easy to make money on the internet. You said you do it all the time. So I got online and I'm sitting here not making any money. What gives? Is this a scam? I thought we were friends!"
I get phone calls and emails like this all the time. Someone hears I have an online business. They call or email me to see if it's true. They ask how much money I'm making. (Never, EVER, answer that question unless you want to get this phone call: "You told me I could make MILLIONS!"). I tell them I make enough to live on. So they get all excited and the next thing I get is an email or a phone call stating that they too have started an internet business.
Let's get two things straight right now. Starting an internet business involves a bit more than signing up for some affiliate programs and then sitting in front of the computer waiting for the money to start coming in. However, if you have some discipline and can learn from those who really do make millions online, then you can make a decent living on the internet.
So what does it take to get started in affiliate marketing? It's fairly simple. Decide on your market. Try to choose something you are passionate about so you'll stick with it long enough to see some results. Could it be health and fitness, cooking, gardening, travel, crafts, juggling? These are all businesses that have been started by friends of mine and each of them are making a good living.
Next, find affiliate programs that pertain to your market. The best place to do this Affiliate Showcase (http://www.affiliateshowcase.com/?46035). This site gives you access to literally hundreds of the best affiliate programs available. Plus you can also market Affiliate Showcase itself!
The next step is to figure out a way to reach your potential customers. You will need some sort of web presence. While most affiliate programs provide you with a website, these are all cookie cutter sites with nothing to set them apart from every other affiliate. You need something of your own. If you can't afford to hire a web designer and don't know how to build your own website, there are a couple of options. You can try a great product called SiteBuildIt! (http://buildit.sitesell.com/wealthtogether.html) to create your site. Or you can create a blog which works almost as well as a website to get you started.
Once you have identified your business niche, your products, created your website or blog, then it's time to market your products to your prospective customers. There are all kinds of ways to do this and what works for one may not work for you. The best way to learn about internet marketing is to study what the experts have to say. Learn all you can from people like Ken McArthur, Derek Gehl, Mike Filsame, Sterling Valentine, Michael Angier, Yanik Silver, or Mike Litman. If you can buy some of their products, great. If not, at least sign up for their mailing lists and newsletters. They are the "gurus" in this business and can teach you all you need to know. How do I know? Who do you think taught me? (I have even had the honor of personally meeting Ken McArthur and Michael Angier and they are two great guys!).
This is just a brief outline of how to start an online business using affiliate programs. There simply isn't room to go in depth here. But if you will follow these basic steps and listen to the experts, you can make money online.
Showing posts with label Yanik Silver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yanik Silver. Show all posts
Friday, March 7, 2008
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Let's Make Next Year Your Year to Shine!
I know it's been a while. A loooonnngg while! Too long! I apologize. I can only say I've been very busy. Running business. Rethinking strategies. Planning for next year. How about you? Are you ready for next year? If not, now is a great time to start thinking about 2008. If you have a business, start looking at ways to grow. New products. New delivery options. New promotional strategies. Perhaps even a whole new business venture.
If you don't have a business yet, there has never been a better time to start one. Thanks to the internet it is now cheaper and easier to get up and running than ever before. And thanks to all of those who have gone before you, there is more help than ever before. People like Ken McArthur, Derek Gehl, Yanik Silver, Mike Filsame, Mark Joyner, and Joe Vitale. Some of them will even let you be affiliates of their products and resell them a commission. We discussed making money with affiliate programs in an earlier post if you aren't familiar with the concept.
So what's holding you back? I'm issuing a challenge to all of you right now. Let's make 2008 your year. Each one of us has a choice to make. 2008 is right around the corner and it's calling to you to change your life. Are you coming or not? Will you make the choice to join us?
I know many of you will be afraid of leaving what if familiar and venturing into something that is totally unknown. Others of you will be excited and challenged at the thought. All of you will be asked to do things you never thought you could do - contact people, write a business plan, promote yourself and your business.
What if you decide to make the choice? What happens next? Contrary to many of the "gurus", there is no foolproof formula. What works for me may not work for you. I can't do what my friend Ken McArthur does. I use many of his ideas but I adapt them to my situation. But there are some steps you can take to increase your chances of being successful.
1. BREATHE! Change brings stress. Even positive change can be stressful. So make sure you take time each day to relax and just breathe. Do yoga, meditate, go for a walk - whatever it takes. Just don't let yourself tighten up and be afraid.
2. Take control of the change. Each day remind yourself of your vision, your plans, your goals. Stand in front of a mirror and state to yourself your intentions to build a better life. Or even go a step further as recommended by my life coach and sing it. She claims music brings the message deeper.
3. Never stop learning. Read everything you can about your chosen business. Find out who the experts really are and study them. I've listed many of them in this blog but there are so many others. Buy their books or get them from the library. Join their forums, subscribe to their newsletters, read their blogs. Go to seminars when you can afford them. If you have questions about which ones to attend or which products to purchase, ask me. If I am not familiar with it, I'll find someone who is.
4. Don't lose touch with yourself. I've seen online entrepreneurs who thought they had to pretend to be something or somebody different from what they were to be successful. They only thing they were was phoney. And people can spot phoney right away. If you aren't credible, you won't go anywhere in this business.
5. Make sure you keep your priorities in order. Success is great, but not at the cost of your family, your spirituality, your faith, your health, or your fun. Set aside time for the things that make your success meaningful.
6. Make Nature your best friend. NATURE HAS A LOT OF WISDOM FOR US. It’s as simple as that. Don’t ignore this truth, live it.
7. Don't be stingy! Give back to the community that gave to you. Help others get where you are. You get back what you give. I have a friend who sells cars very successfully. Every day he makes it a point to do something for one of his customers. He calls it "feeding the lot." You know what? His customers love him and are very loyal. And if they have a friend or family member who needs a car, guess who gets the referral? That's how I met him. He sold me my car based on a referral from someone else. Besides, there is nothing like "free" to gain long-term, loyal customers. You can even use this concept to market. It's called "viral marketing" and we'll talk about it another day.
So - are you in? Make the choice.
By the way, speaking of free stuff - I wanted to let you know about this fabulous promotion I'm taking part in that ANYONE can join to market your business for FREE!!! It's called 30 days of Christmas and this is the third year running. When you visit the site you can become a member for free and then have access to hundreds of ebooks, ecourses, and special reports all designed to help you in your business efforts. What's cool about this site is many people give away valuable stuff so they can get their name out there and be seen by the thousands of visitors to the site each day. I'm giving away a free offer-- go now and see what it's all about: http://www.30daysofchristmas.com/index.php?id=M2183. You can also become a contributor yourself-- it's just a few simple clicks and then your giveaway can be seen by thousands, too!I hope you'll get in on the action! This is cool stuff!
If you don't have a business yet, there has never been a better time to start one. Thanks to the internet it is now cheaper and easier to get up and running than ever before. And thanks to all of those who have gone before you, there is more help than ever before. People like Ken McArthur, Derek Gehl, Yanik Silver, Mike Filsame, Mark Joyner, and Joe Vitale. Some of them will even let you be affiliates of their products and resell them a commission. We discussed making money with affiliate programs in an earlier post if you aren't familiar with the concept.
So what's holding you back? I'm issuing a challenge to all of you right now. Let's make 2008 your year. Each one of us has a choice to make. 2008 is right around the corner and it's calling to you to change your life. Are you coming or not? Will you make the choice to join us?
I know many of you will be afraid of leaving what if familiar and venturing into something that is totally unknown. Others of you will be excited and challenged at the thought. All of you will be asked to do things you never thought you could do - contact people, write a business plan, promote yourself and your business.
What if you decide to make the choice? What happens next? Contrary to many of the "gurus", there is no foolproof formula. What works for me may not work for you. I can't do what my friend Ken McArthur does. I use many of his ideas but I adapt them to my situation. But there are some steps you can take to increase your chances of being successful.
1. BREATHE! Change brings stress. Even positive change can be stressful. So make sure you take time each day to relax and just breathe. Do yoga, meditate, go for a walk - whatever it takes. Just don't let yourself tighten up and be afraid.
2. Take control of the change. Each day remind yourself of your vision, your plans, your goals. Stand in front of a mirror and state to yourself your intentions to build a better life. Or even go a step further as recommended by my life coach and sing it. She claims music brings the message deeper.
3. Never stop learning. Read everything you can about your chosen business. Find out who the experts really are and study them. I've listed many of them in this blog but there are so many others. Buy their books or get them from the library. Join their forums, subscribe to their newsletters, read their blogs. Go to seminars when you can afford them. If you have questions about which ones to attend or which products to purchase, ask me. If I am not familiar with it, I'll find someone who is.
4. Don't lose touch with yourself. I've seen online entrepreneurs who thought they had to pretend to be something or somebody different from what they were to be successful. They only thing they were was phoney. And people can spot phoney right away. If you aren't credible, you won't go anywhere in this business.
5. Make sure you keep your priorities in order. Success is great, but not at the cost of your family, your spirituality, your faith, your health, or your fun. Set aside time for the things that make your success meaningful.
6. Make Nature your best friend. NATURE HAS A LOT OF WISDOM FOR US. It’s as simple as that. Don’t ignore this truth, live it.
7. Don't be stingy! Give back to the community that gave to you. Help others get where you are. You get back what you give. I have a friend who sells cars very successfully. Every day he makes it a point to do something for one of his customers. He calls it "feeding the lot." You know what? His customers love him and are very loyal. And if they have a friend or family member who needs a car, guess who gets the referral? That's how I met him. He sold me my car based on a referral from someone else. Besides, there is nothing like "free" to gain long-term, loyal customers. You can even use this concept to market. It's called "viral marketing" and we'll talk about it another day.
So - are you in? Make the choice.
By the way, speaking of free stuff - I wanted to let you know about this fabulous promotion I'm taking part in that ANYONE can join to market your business for FREE!!! It's called 30 days of Christmas and this is the third year running. When you visit the site you can become a member for free and then have access to hundreds of ebooks, ecourses, and special reports all designed to help you in your business efforts. What's cool about this site is many people give away valuable stuff so they can get their name out there and be seen by the thousands of visitors to the site each day. I'm giving away a free offer-- go now and see what it's all about: http://www.30daysofchristmas.com/index.php?id=M2183. You can also become a contributor yourself-- it's just a few simple clicks and then your giveaway can be seen by thousands, too!I hope you'll get in on the action! This is cool stuff!
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