Let's face it. The economy may be getting better but most of us still aren't feeling it where it counts - in our pocketbooks. And the unemployment rate is predicted to continue to rise in spite of the fact that we are coming out of the recession. So, you've lost your job, the economy is still not growing, the unemployment rate is still higher than ever. You hear that working from home is the answer to your problem. Are you supposed to believe that? You'd better!
Thousands of women successfully run home businesses. You can too! It really is easier than you realize. All you need is an idea and the desire and drive to get started. How? Follow my step by step process and you'll be up and running in no time.
1. Decide what your business will be. This is actually probably the hardest part of the whole process. There are so many ways to make a living from home today. The best thing to choose is something you love. What are your interests and hobbies? What are your skills? Where do these - skills and interests - overlap? That is probably your best direction when just starting out. I love graphic design. I'm always having great ideas for a new design for the Traveling Bob store. But I don't know a pixel from a pasteboard, so I'm probably not going to make a living as a graphic designer. I am a certified master trainer and coach and I love helping others. I'm never happier than when I'm in front of a room full of people and I see the light in their eyes that says they get this. A coaching/training/mentoring business is ideal for someone like me. So the first rule of business success - do what you enjoy and what you are good at.
2. Get your domain name. You can't start a business online without one. And you don't want to wait or you make lose it. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I had ideas for several mini-sites with great names. But I waited to purchase those domains until I was ready to launch the business. By the time I finally got around to it, the domains were gone. What is even more frustrating is that a couple of them aren't even being used. They were just purchased by someone who is in the business of buying and selling domains. I can now still purchase it if I want to pay about 10x the amount I would have paid originally. Legal? Yes. Ethical? Business is business I suppose. However, I won't pay the amount being asked. And if I a great idea for a domain name suddenly comes to me, I purchase it right then. I may not do anything with it. But for the price it costs, it's better to buy it and have it if I want it than to discover it's not available when I'm ready. Where do you go to buy your domain name? There are literally hundreds of places. I use http://www.godaddy.com/. The prices are reasonable and they are reliable.
3. Decide exactly what you will market. A product? A service? Both? What type of product? An actual physical product or an infoproduct? What type of service? Will you offer it strictly virtually (online) or will you actually physically connect with your clients? What about a combination of the two? Can you offer both a product and a service?
4. Create your product or structure your service. If you don't know exactly what type of product to offer, check for affiliate programs that are a good fit with your business. If you want to design your own infoproduct and don't know how, there are loads of resources to help you. If you need suggestions on where to get help, read my blog post on the "Top 10 Internet Marketing Gurus". Any one of them can provide the assistance needed.
If your business is service oriented, decide what types of services you will offer and how you will package them. Will you provide just a single service? Multiple services? Will you have different packages and fees?
5. Build your website. If you know computers at all and have the time and patience, you can build your own. If not, there are plenty of template-based applications available. My favorite is Site Build It! because it works, even if you're like me and know nothing about web design. Or you can hire a professional web designer. No matter how you do it, though, get a site up. Even if it's just a blog to start while you build your actual site.
6. Choose your host. Once again, there are lots of choices. If you use Site Build It! to create your site, they will also host it for you. If you have chosen some other means of building your site, then you will have to decide which hosting service is best for you. Research what's available and make your choice based on which service best suits your needs. Not sure? Ask. If you know someone with a site you like and you trust their opinion, ask for a recommendation.
7. Promote, promote, market, market. The coolest site and greatest product or service in the world won't make a bit of difference if no one knows how to find you. Become a master at "tooting your own horn" and driving traffic to your site. Once again, if you don't know how, there are tons of resources to help you learn. Study this blog. Check out those "marketing gurus" I mentioned earlier. Read. And read some more. And then most importantly - put what you have learned into practice. If you make a mistake, that's okay. You learned something. As one of my favorite internet geniuses, Mike Litman, says, "You don't have to get it right. You just have to get it going." Or in the words of Bob The Teacher, "Take Action. Revise Later." You can always come back and fix or revise what isn't working. But if you don't try something, you'll be right where you were when you started - nowhere.
Follow these seven steps and you will soon join the ranks of the work at home professionals. Find your passion. Match it to your skills. Plan your business. Work your plan. And market, market, market. Maybe one day you'll make my Top 10 list!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Six Steps to Happy Holidays!
I know it seems a bit early. But in reality, it's not too early to start planning your holiday sales promotions. If this is the first time you've ever thought about a special promotion for your business during the holiday season, you need to get started right away. Experienced marketers often put months of planning into their holiday promotions. We only have a couple of months left. Lets get planning!
Step 1: Choose your theme. Having a theme will help you tie all of your marketing together into a fine-tuned campaign aimed at your target market. Don't make the mistake of trying to offer too much to too many and end up coming across as tacky and pushy.
Step 2: Create your offer. There are lots of ways to promote holiday sales. Packages are always great because they take the thought out of buying. For example, when I was a Girl Scout leader, my girls sold more than almost any other troop. How? They learned the value of the special package. And so they created the Chocolate Lover's Package (Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, and Peanut Butter Patties), The Classics (Thin Mints, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Caramel Delights), Something Old, Something New (Thin Mints, Shortbread, and whatever new cookie we had that year). They tied each package together with ribbons and sold them like crazy. What can you bundle together and offer as a holiday package?
Holiday discounts are another great way to generate sales. Try to come up with something for every budget - gifts under $10, under $25, under $50, under $100. Another way to use holiday discounts is the volume discount. Encourage your customers to purchase multiple items from you by offering a discount when they spend a certain amount or purchase a certain quantity.
Give something away. Do you have some items you are getting ready to discontinue? Or perhaps you have an e-book, or a special report you can offer. Or you can offer an hour of consulting or instruction. Whatever you have, promote it with your holiday offer. "Purchase this - and get this free!" It's like getting two gifts for the price of one.
3. Get your site in the holiday spirit. Be careful with this. You don't want to appear tacky! But do add some holiday-themed images and colors to your site to make sure your customers get the message.
4. Prepare your holiday newsletter. Or email. Or postcard. Whatever you use to communicate with your current customers. All of the steps listed previously are to help you gain new business. You might also attract some repeat business, but why wait? Send a special holiday offer exclusively to your current customers.
5. Offer holiday gift certificates. Even if you don't normally offer them, now is the time to do it. I always buy some sort of "kitcheny" thing for my brother-in-law, the chef. But he is a chef after all so it's hard to know exactly what he needs. A gift certificate solves the problem. He can choose whatever he wants. I love to read but I'm not much for the novel of the month. My favorite Christmas gift is the Barnes and Noble gift card my husband gives me every year. I get the pleasure of spending time in one of my favorite stores and he doesn't have to worry that he bought me something I already read or have no interest in.
6. Promote, promote, promote. Announce your holiday specials in your newsletter or ezine. Change your email signature to include a link to your holiday specials. Spread the word on message boards and online groups. (Don't SPAM, though, unless you want to drive your prospects to someone else). Write a press release. Announce them in your blog. Promote them through social networking.
Take action now and have a Happy and profitable Holiday season.
Step 1: Choose your theme. Having a theme will help you tie all of your marketing together into a fine-tuned campaign aimed at your target market. Don't make the mistake of trying to offer too much to too many and end up coming across as tacky and pushy.
Step 2: Create your offer. There are lots of ways to promote holiday sales. Packages are always great because they take the thought out of buying. For example, when I was a Girl Scout leader, my girls sold more than almost any other troop. How? They learned the value of the special package. And so they created the Chocolate Lover's Package (Thin Mints, Caramel Delights, and Peanut Butter Patties), The Classics (Thin Mints, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Caramel Delights), Something Old, Something New (Thin Mints, Shortbread, and whatever new cookie we had that year). They tied each package together with ribbons and sold them like crazy. What can you bundle together and offer as a holiday package?
Holiday discounts are another great way to generate sales. Try to come up with something for every budget - gifts under $10, under $25, under $50, under $100. Another way to use holiday discounts is the volume discount. Encourage your customers to purchase multiple items from you by offering a discount when they spend a certain amount or purchase a certain quantity.
Give something away. Do you have some items you are getting ready to discontinue? Or perhaps you have an e-book, or a special report you can offer. Or you can offer an hour of consulting or instruction. Whatever you have, promote it with your holiday offer. "Purchase this - and get this free!" It's like getting two gifts for the price of one.
3. Get your site in the holiday spirit. Be careful with this. You don't want to appear tacky! But do add some holiday-themed images and colors to your site to make sure your customers get the message.
4. Prepare your holiday newsletter. Or email. Or postcard. Whatever you use to communicate with your current customers. All of the steps listed previously are to help you gain new business. You might also attract some repeat business, but why wait? Send a special holiday offer exclusively to your current customers.
5. Offer holiday gift certificates. Even if you don't normally offer them, now is the time to do it. I always buy some sort of "kitcheny" thing for my brother-in-law, the chef. But he is a chef after all so it's hard to know exactly what he needs. A gift certificate solves the problem. He can choose whatever he wants. I love to read but I'm not much for the novel of the month. My favorite Christmas gift is the Barnes and Noble gift card my husband gives me every year. I get the pleasure of spending time in one of my favorite stores and he doesn't have to worry that he bought me something I already read or have no interest in.
6. Promote, promote, promote. Announce your holiday specials in your newsletter or ezine. Change your email signature to include a link to your holiday specials. Spread the word on message boards and online groups. (Don't SPAM, though, unless you want to drive your prospects to someone else). Write a press release. Announce them in your blog. Promote them through social networking.
Take action now and have a Happy and profitable Holiday season.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
You Need To Grab One Now!
This is HUGE!
I just discovered that the Internet Marketing Center is running a crazy deal right now...
They're looking for real people who can testify their new five-step online success program can help regular folk quickly make up to $10,000+ a month -- or more.
And to get those "real-life" testimonials, they're giving away trials of this "secret weapon" for just $2.95!
If making a LOT of money (at least $100,000+ in your first year) is something that interests you, I urge you to activate your trial of this new profit system and give it a try!
If it doesn't work for you, no big deal... Just cancel it and it won't cost you a penny more.
You can take part in this risk-free trial by going to: http://www.marketingtips.com/5-step-profits/t/649426
Here's your chance to finally start making money online,and all it will cost you is a pocketful of change.
I'm not sure how many trials they're giving away so if you want to take part in this great opportunity I suggest you act NOW. http://www.marketingtips.com/5-step-profits/t/649426
I just discovered that the Internet Marketing Center is running a crazy deal right now...
They're looking for real people who can testify their new five-step online success program can help regular folk quickly make up to $10,000+ a month -- or more.
And to get those "real-life" testimonials, they're giving away trials of this "secret weapon" for just $2.95!
If making a LOT of money (at least $100,000+ in your first year) is something that interests you, I urge you to activate your trial of this new profit system and give it a try!
If it doesn't work for you, no big deal... Just cancel it and it won't cost you a penny more.
You can take part in this risk-free trial by going to: http://www.marketingtips.com/5-step-profits/t/649426
Here's your chance to finally start making money online,and all it will cost you is a pocketful of change.
I'm not sure how many trials they're giving away so if you want to take part in this great opportunity I suggest you act NOW. http://www.marketingtips.com/5-step-profits/t/649426
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Women Entrepreneurs
Traditionally, when we think of entrepreneurs, we think of men. When we do think of women entrepreneurs, we tend to think of those ultra-successful, high-powered, women - the Oprah Winfreys and the Mary Kay Ashes of the world. But today, more and more women are becoming entrepreneurs. And while they may not be household names yet, they make decent livings and have the pleasure of knowing they are doing it on their terms. Let me introduce you to some of my favorites. Who knows - maybe they will inspire you to join our ranks and step out on your own!
1. Beverly Mahone - Beverly is a veteran journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker who writes about issues affecting middle-aged women in her book, "Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age." After more than 25 years in the news business, Bev decided she wanted to stay at home and write full time. She now uses her journalism skills and experience as a featured writer for Boomer-Living.com, Bonkers and Passionate For Life Magazines and as the host of a weekly show on BlogTalk Radio called Passions. She also shares her media expertise as a consultant to train individuals how to market themselves to radio, television and newspaper professionals through her company, BAM Enterprises. As the founder of Boomer Diva Nation, Bev has brought together a network of over-40 women from all walks of life who share their experiences and skills in support of each other and other baby boomer women.
2. Denise Michaels - Denise is a marketing mentor, speaker and author of the business bestseller, "Testosterone Free Marketing." With over 20 years of experience in marketing, selling, strategic planning, public relations and promotions, copywriting, advertising and online marketing, Denise helps enterprising women - and men - to create their own success and increase their cash flow. Her goal is to help women “Revolutionize their capacity to flex their marketing muscle.” A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, Denise originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. Visit her online at http://www.mentoringwithdenise.com/.
3. Karen Batchelor - Karen is a lawyer, former corporate executive now certified professional coach BIG into helping women in midlife achieve success and happiness through career and life makeovers. Karen had 20 years in the practice of law and as an executive in corporate America. Now she combines her diverse and extensive professional skills with her natural blend of creativity, enthusiasm and humor to support and encourage others as they rediscover and reinvent themselves in the uncertain times of midlife and a troubled economy. She's a wonderful lady and a fellow Boomer Diva. Get to know her better at http://www.karenbatchelor.com/.
4. Felicia Slattery - I've known Felicia "virtually" for years and finally got to meet her in person this past February. She was every bit as dynamic and energetic in person as she is online. Be careful - you might have trouble keeping up! Felicia is a communication consultant, speaker, and coach specializing in training busy professionals to succeed by communicating effectively with clients and prospects. She teaches teleseminars, leads workshops, and offers private coaching to individual clients on improving their communication skills in order to present their best image. A published author and popular public speaker, Felicia began her consulting and coaching business in early 2006 when she decided it was time to take the communication skills she'd been teaching for years and offer that same knowledge to people outside the classroom. Take advantage of her knowledge at http://www.communicationtransformation.com/.
5. Linda Gracy - Linda is actually partially responsible for my success. As she was starting out on her latest venture, she would often call and ask me how to do this, or that, or something else. I discovered that, far from being annoying, I actually enjoyed teaching her and watching her success. Linda was an insurance agent, then a high school math teacher. But when her kids were little, she wanted to stay home with them. Of course, it took both her husband's and her paychecks to pay the bills, so she had to find a way to replace her teaching salary. So she started her search for a home-based business that would let her stay home without the selling. It took her 19 years to find it, but once she found it, it only took a few months before she was able to kiss that 19-year career goodbye. Find out how she did at http://www.changethoughtschangelife.blogspot.com/.
6. Betty Lynch - Cookbook author, Boomer-Living.com writer, and foodie - that's Betty Lynch. Author of the popular cookbook Back to the Table with My Country Kitchen, Betty has turned her love of cooking and good food into a business that provides you with recipes, ideas, tips, cookbooks, and more to help make your time in the kitchen stress free. Her recipes have become some of my family's favorites. Find your own favorites at http://mycountrykitchen.com/.
7. Heidi Caswell - Heidi's business fascinated me when I first met her. I had never heard of it before. A personal touch consultant? What is that? Heidi describes it as showing others how to use technology to build relationships, both personal and professional, to set yourself apart. Now that I understand, I have become an ardent fan. Too many of us get caught up in the technology and forget that small personal touch that will make us stand out in the virtual crowd. Her favorite tools are SendOutCards and blogs, although there are many other ways to follow up and stay in touch. Find out how to add your personal touch to your business at http://www.connectsimply.com/.
8. Wendy Y. Bailey - Affectionately called “WendyY” by her clients, business associates and coaching colleagues, Wendy Y. Bailey is a Master Certified Group Coach, Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and Certified Experienced Coach. WendyY leveraged more than 20 years of leadership and management experience and expertise leading hundreds of teleseminars, live workshops and small group training sessions to create Group Mastery for Speakers, Trainers and Workshop Leaders. I have had the pleasure of meeting her in person and having her as a teleseminar guest. Both times, she taught me a great deal. Meet the unforgettable WendyY at http://www.groupmastery.com/.
9. Teri Dempski - Teri started her online virtual assistant company in 2007, and can handle most administrative tasks, as she has a professional team of subcontractors in place. Teri is certified as an author’s assistant, and internet marketing virtual assistant. She is passionate about training people new to Web 2.0 tools for online social media marketing how to use them to full advantage. She trains clients both online and offline, though she prefers working online. Contact Teri at http://www.valuedservicevas.com/.
10. Kathie Thomas - Kathie is a successful Virtual Assistant with a 14+ year old practice. She was a VA before the term ‘virtual assistant’ was in use. The founder of A Clayton’s Secretary, established March 1994, she pioneered the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia. Prior to establishing her business she had a background of 23 years’ secretarial/administrative experience in the corporate world, working for CEOs and MDs as well as project groups. Now she is a published author, blogger, speaker, VA coach and passionate photographer in Melbourne, Australia. Meet this amazing woman at http://vadirectory.net/.
I could have listed many more women entrepreneurs than I have here. Pam Archer, Eileen Williams, Sharon Williams, Heidi Richards Mooney, and the one-of-a-kind Pop Art Diva all deserve mention. But space is limited so I chose these 10 for one common factor. Have you guessed what it is? They are all fabulous examples of how to take something you already know how to do and love doing and put it work for you. What is your passion? What skills do you bring? Will I be able to list you on a future post of my favorite women entrepreneurs? Hope to see you there!
1. Beverly Mahone - Beverly is a veteran journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker who writes about issues affecting middle-aged women in her book, "Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age." After more than 25 years in the news business, Bev decided she wanted to stay at home and write full time. She now uses her journalism skills and experience as a featured writer for Boomer-Living.com, Bonkers and Passionate For Life Magazines and as the host of a weekly show on BlogTalk Radio called Passions. She also shares her media expertise as a consultant to train individuals how to market themselves to radio, television and newspaper professionals through her company, BAM Enterprises. As the founder of Boomer Diva Nation, Bev has brought together a network of over-40 women from all walks of life who share their experiences and skills in support of each other and other baby boomer women.
2. Denise Michaels - Denise is a marketing mentor, speaker and author of the business bestseller, "Testosterone Free Marketing." With over 20 years of experience in marketing, selling, strategic planning, public relations and promotions, copywriting, advertising and online marketing, Denise helps enterprising women - and men - to create their own success and increase their cash flow. Her goal is to help women “Revolutionize their capacity to flex their marketing muscle.” A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, Denise originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. Visit her online at http://www.mentoringwithdenise.com/.
3. Karen Batchelor - Karen is a lawyer, former corporate executive now certified professional coach BIG into helping women in midlife achieve success and happiness through career and life makeovers. Karen had 20 years in the practice of law and as an executive in corporate America. Now she combines her diverse and extensive professional skills with her natural blend of creativity, enthusiasm and humor to support and encourage others as they rediscover and reinvent themselves in the uncertain times of midlife and a troubled economy. She's a wonderful lady and a fellow Boomer Diva. Get to know her better at http://www.karenbatchelor.com/.
4. Felicia Slattery - I've known Felicia "virtually" for years and finally got to meet her in person this past February. She was every bit as dynamic and energetic in person as she is online. Be careful - you might have trouble keeping up! Felicia is a communication consultant, speaker, and coach specializing in training busy professionals to succeed by communicating effectively with clients and prospects. She teaches teleseminars, leads workshops, and offers private coaching to individual clients on improving their communication skills in order to present their best image. A published author and popular public speaker, Felicia began her consulting and coaching business in early 2006 when she decided it was time to take the communication skills she'd been teaching for years and offer that same knowledge to people outside the classroom. Take advantage of her knowledge at http://www.communicationtransformation.com/.
5. Linda Gracy - Linda is actually partially responsible for my success. As she was starting out on her latest venture, she would often call and ask me how to do this, or that, or something else. I discovered that, far from being annoying, I actually enjoyed teaching her and watching her success. Linda was an insurance agent, then a high school math teacher. But when her kids were little, she wanted to stay home with them. Of course, it took both her husband's and her paychecks to pay the bills, so she had to find a way to replace her teaching salary. So she started her search for a home-based business that would let her stay home without the selling. It took her 19 years to find it, but once she found it, it only took a few months before she was able to kiss that 19-year career goodbye. Find out how she did at http://www.changethoughtschangelife.blogspot.com/.
6. Betty Lynch - Cookbook author, Boomer-Living.com writer, and foodie - that's Betty Lynch. Author of the popular cookbook Back to the Table with My Country Kitchen, Betty has turned her love of cooking and good food into a business that provides you with recipes, ideas, tips, cookbooks, and more to help make your time in the kitchen stress free. Her recipes have become some of my family's favorites. Find your own favorites at http://mycountrykitchen.com/.
7. Heidi Caswell - Heidi's business fascinated me when I first met her. I had never heard of it before. A personal touch consultant? What is that? Heidi describes it as showing others how to use technology to build relationships, both personal and professional, to set yourself apart. Now that I understand, I have become an ardent fan. Too many of us get caught up in the technology and forget that small personal touch that will make us stand out in the virtual crowd. Her favorite tools are SendOutCards and blogs, although there are many other ways to follow up and stay in touch. Find out how to add your personal touch to your business at http://www.connectsimply.com/.
8. Wendy Y. Bailey - Affectionately called “WendyY” by her clients, business associates and coaching colleagues, Wendy Y. Bailey is a Master Certified Group Coach, Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and Certified Experienced Coach. WendyY leveraged more than 20 years of leadership and management experience and expertise leading hundreds of teleseminars, live workshops and small group training sessions to create Group Mastery for Speakers, Trainers and Workshop Leaders. I have had the pleasure of meeting her in person and having her as a teleseminar guest. Both times, she taught me a great deal. Meet the unforgettable WendyY at http://www.groupmastery.com/.
9. Teri Dempski - Teri started her online virtual assistant company in 2007, and can handle most administrative tasks, as she has a professional team of subcontractors in place. Teri is certified as an author’s assistant, and internet marketing virtual assistant. She is passionate about training people new to Web 2.0 tools for online social media marketing how to use them to full advantage. She trains clients both online and offline, though she prefers working online. Contact Teri at http://www.valuedservicevas.com/.
10. Kathie Thomas - Kathie is a successful Virtual Assistant with a 14+ year old practice. She was a VA before the term ‘virtual assistant’ was in use. The founder of A Clayton’s Secretary, established March 1994, she pioneered the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia. Prior to establishing her business she had a background of 23 years’ secretarial/administrative experience in the corporate world, working for CEOs and MDs as well as project groups. Now she is a published author, blogger, speaker, VA coach and passionate photographer in Melbourne, Australia. Meet this amazing woman at http://vadirectory.net/.
I could have listed many more women entrepreneurs than I have here. Pam Archer, Eileen Williams, Sharon Williams, Heidi Richards Mooney, and the one-of-a-kind Pop Art Diva all deserve mention. But space is limited so I chose these 10 for one common factor. Have you guessed what it is? They are all fabulous examples of how to take something you already know how to do and love doing and put it work for you. What is your passion? What skills do you bring? Will I be able to list you on a future post of my favorite women entrepreneurs? Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
What The Heck Are Back End Products?
When I first started out online as an affiliate marketer, I have to admit - I struggled. With no website and no list and no idea of what I was doing, it was hard to even make a few dollars. I often tell the story of my first sale - which netted me an incredible $20! I was soooo excited! I had made money online! But realistically, it takes a lot of $20 sales to make a living.
Then I joined the Internet Marketers Club. At the time it was being run by Corey Rudl. Corey passed away a few years ago in an automobile accident. His close friend and associate Derek Gehl runs things now. But nothing has really changed. It is still a great source of information if you are trying to learn the internet marketing business.
One of the first things I learned from them was about something called "back end products". Newbie that I was, I had no idea what these were. I found out pretty quickly that they are cash in the bank!
What are back end products? Very simply, they are the products you sell your existing customers after your initial offer. It is much easier to sell additional products to repeat customers than it is to continually try to find new customers for your one main product. For example, my brother-in-law, the chef, has an online cooking class for single guys. Once they sign up for his class, it's very easy for him to promote all types of household and kitchen gadgets to them. He plays on the fact that women love a guy that can cook and since most men don't normally have well stocked kitchens, he makes quite a good sum of money selling them the things they need to use what they learned in the cooking class.
To be effective, back end products have to be compatible with your main offer. Mark makes money selling kitchen items to people who find him through his cooking class. He and his wife are also in my Fortune downline. They don't mention the business opportunity or the many FHTM products to the leads this list. Chances are these guys aren't looking for a biz op, vitamins, or a cell phone! By targeting his offer to his ready made market, he is much more successful.
Back end products also work for affiliate marketers. Just about every affiliate product I promote has a selection of other products already designed to complement it. Site Build It! - main product the Site Build It! system. But there are also ebooks available on many subjects that can serve as back end products. Magnetic Sponsoring - I market the Magnetic Sponsoring course, then follow up with Black Belt Recruiting or one of Mark Dillard's other great courses.
If your affiliate product doesn't already have a ready made back end, look for another affiliate product that is compatible and offer it. Or create one of your own.
Bottom line - back end products can make a huge difference in your online success. Find them, create them, but do use them.
Then I joined the Internet Marketers Club. At the time it was being run by Corey Rudl. Corey passed away a few years ago in an automobile accident. His close friend and associate Derek Gehl runs things now. But nothing has really changed. It is still a great source of information if you are trying to learn the internet marketing business.
One of the first things I learned from them was about something called "back end products". Newbie that I was, I had no idea what these were. I found out pretty quickly that they are cash in the bank!
What are back end products? Very simply, they are the products you sell your existing customers after your initial offer. It is much easier to sell additional products to repeat customers than it is to continually try to find new customers for your one main product. For example, my brother-in-law, the chef, has an online cooking class for single guys. Once they sign up for his class, it's very easy for him to promote all types of household and kitchen gadgets to them. He plays on the fact that women love a guy that can cook and since most men don't normally have well stocked kitchens, he makes quite a good sum of money selling them the things they need to use what they learned in the cooking class.
To be effective, back end products have to be compatible with your main offer. Mark makes money selling kitchen items to people who find him through his cooking class. He and his wife are also in my Fortune downline. They don't mention the business opportunity or the many FHTM products to the leads this list. Chances are these guys aren't looking for a biz op, vitamins, or a cell phone! By targeting his offer to his ready made market, he is much more successful.
Back end products also work for affiliate marketers. Just about every affiliate product I promote has a selection of other products already designed to complement it. Site Build It! - main product the Site Build It! system. But there are also ebooks available on many subjects that can serve as back end products. Magnetic Sponsoring - I market the Magnetic Sponsoring course, then follow up with Black Belt Recruiting or one of Mark Dillard's other great courses.
If your affiliate product doesn't already have a ready made back end, look for another affiliate product that is compatible and offer it. Or create one of your own.
Bottom line - back end products can make a huge difference in your online success. Find them, create them, but do use them.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
How Did My Business Survive?
You may have noticed my absence lately. I admit - I did sort of drop out of site for the past few months. The anniversary of my dad's death hit me hard. I miss him more than I thought possible - especially if you remember how I used to complain about having to take care of him.Then Dearl's health problems cropped up again and that has just taken my full attention. And just when it was beginning to even out, God saw fit to provide me with not 1 but 3 distractions to care for. 3 new grandbabies in the last 4 months. To say I've been a bit preoccupied would be an understatement.
Now, I would love to say that I am independently wealthy and that I didn't have to worry about such mundane things as mortgage payments or grocery bills or putting gas in the SUV. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. I have to make a living just like everyone else. I obviously was not functioning at full capacity business-wise through all of this, though. So how did I manage to hang on? The answer is - automation.
My primary sources of income all operate pretty much on autopilot. So, while I can't neglect them indefinitely and expect to thrive, I can take a couple of months to focus on other priorities when necessary. My business may not grow (although Traveling Bob still managed to net some new customers!) but it won't die either.
Is your business automated? Can you take a break and generate some passive income while on vacation? Not sure? Answer these questions to see where you might need to make some changes.
1. How do you build your mailing list? Do you have opt-in pages on your sites that capture email addresses and names of visitors? This is the first step in automating your business. When visitors come to your site, have a enticing offer such as free special report or free trial to get them to subscribe to your newsletter. Once they enter their name and email, it is captured and placed in your database, automatically adding names to your mailing list every day.
2. Are you using autoresponders? If you have a mailing list, but don't have a way to automatically stay in touch with your contacts, then you are still not taking full advantage of automation. With an autoresponder, you can program a series of emails that will be delivered to your subscribers consistently for months or even years. So even when you aren't able to follow-up personally, your autoresponder is delivering content, offers, and reminders to re-visit your site over and over again. There are lots of great autoresponders available. I use AWeber and have been very pleased with the results.
3. Do you take orders and payments online? It has never been easier to do this than it is now. Services like PayPal make it a breeze to accept online payment, even if you aren't set up to take credit cards with your own merchant account. Combine this with a simple online shopping cart, and you're ready to make sales 24/7, rain or shine, whether you're available or not.
So - I am back now and trying to catch up from neglecting everything for so long. Fortunately, it won't take me long to just go in and update things. But it's good to know that if necessary, I can step back from actively building my business for a short time, and it will still be there when I get back. Can you do the same?
Now, I would love to say that I am independently wealthy and that I didn't have to worry about such mundane things as mortgage payments or grocery bills or putting gas in the SUV. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. I have to make a living just like everyone else. I obviously was not functioning at full capacity business-wise through all of this, though. So how did I manage to hang on? The answer is - automation.
My primary sources of income all operate pretty much on autopilot. So, while I can't neglect them indefinitely and expect to thrive, I can take a couple of months to focus on other priorities when necessary. My business may not grow (although Traveling Bob still managed to net some new customers!) but it won't die either.
Is your business automated? Can you take a break and generate some passive income while on vacation? Not sure? Answer these questions to see where you might need to make some changes.
1. How do you build your mailing list? Do you have opt-in pages on your sites that capture email addresses and names of visitors? This is the first step in automating your business. When visitors come to your site, have a enticing offer such as free special report or free trial to get them to subscribe to your newsletter. Once they enter their name and email, it is captured and placed in your database, automatically adding names to your mailing list every day.
2. Are you using autoresponders? If you have a mailing list, but don't have a way to automatically stay in touch with your contacts, then you are still not taking full advantage of automation. With an autoresponder, you can program a series of emails that will be delivered to your subscribers consistently for months or even years. So even when you aren't able to follow-up personally, your autoresponder is delivering content, offers, and reminders to re-visit your site over and over again. There are lots of great autoresponders available. I use AWeber and have been very pleased with the results.
3. Do you take orders and payments online? It has never been easier to do this than it is now. Services like PayPal make it a breeze to accept online payment, even if you aren't set up to take credit cards with your own merchant account. Combine this with a simple online shopping cart, and you're ready to make sales 24/7, rain or shine, whether you're available or not.
So - I am back now and trying to catch up from neglecting everything for so long. Fortunately, it won't take me long to just go in and update things. But it's good to know that if necessary, I can step back from actively building my business for a short time, and it will still be there when I get back. Can you do the same?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Building Wealth Together
When I first decided to strike out on my own, that is exactly how I did everything - on my own. It took me a while but I finally learned that there is a better way - building your business in partnership with someone else.
We live in an age of great opportunities and equally great challenges. The internet has enabled many to choose to become an entrepreneur. And yet, we look at the current economic situation and it seems the American Dream of life-satisfaction and financial freedom remains out of reach for many.
These days, it sometimes takes teamwork to reach our financial goals. Partnerships and joint ventures are a great way to create more business for everyone involved. You aren't an expert in everything. We all have our talents and interests. Allying yourself with several other people, especially those with different areas of expertise, but similar values, is a means of combining your strengths for mutual benefit. Focus on your strengths and use the strengths of your allies to fill in your weak areas.
You can use joint ventures in a variety of ways. Do you know someone that has just created an fabulous product but doesn't know how to market it? If you have the marketing skills necessary for success, joint venture. Or suppose it's an existing product that hasn't been introduced into a particular marketing niche. If that's your niche, joint venture. Do you want to expand your business into other areas but don't know how, joint venture with someone who is already successful in that area. I engage in a very common form of joint venture regularly. As a "baby boomer' woman entrepreneur, I have access to a very specific market. Much of my list is comprised of baby boomer women - some entrepreneurs in their own right, most of them professional career women in some aspect. I am often asked to market someone's product or service or book to my list. If it's something I can endorse, I will do so in exchange for either a percentage of the sales or, if they target a market I am not reaching, having them promote me to their list. A very simple and yet at times highly profitable joint venture.
It can sometimes be difficult to find a partner to joint venture with, especially if you are new in the business. There a several resources available to help you learn this skill. I highly recommend you read everything available by Ken McArthur and attend one of his jvAlert events as soon as you can. I have made many valuable contacts at these events and Ken works hard to ensure that the atmosphere is conducive to just that - networking, making contacts, and creating joint ventures.
Another great way to build wealth together is through a MasterMind. Napolean Hill, in his classic Think and Grow Rich, wrote: “No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which can be likened to a third mind. No individual may have great power without availing himself of the ‘Master Mind.’”
What is a MasterMind? Very simply, it is a group of like-minded people who get together to provide each other with feedback, hold each other accountable, brainstorm ideas together, and help each other focus and stay on track. MasterMinds allow you to tap into the experience and skill of others to help you improve your business. I love working with my MasterMind groups and look forward to our meetings. I have received great feedback and support here.
Finding the right MasterMind is important. You want to be sure the members have similar interests and skills to your own. Most reputable business coaches support a MasterMind group of their own. I suggest you start there. Find a coach you trust and respect and see if they have a MasterMind group. If not, you can always ask if they would be interested in starting one.
Whether you find a joint venture partner or join a MasterMind - or both, I hope you have learned one thing today. You don't have to do this alone. There are plenty of opportunities for you to reach out to others and build wealth together.
We live in an age of great opportunities and equally great challenges. The internet has enabled many to choose to become an entrepreneur. And yet, we look at the current economic situation and it seems the American Dream of life-satisfaction and financial freedom remains out of reach for many.
These days, it sometimes takes teamwork to reach our financial goals. Partnerships and joint ventures are a great way to create more business for everyone involved. You aren't an expert in everything. We all have our talents and interests. Allying yourself with several other people, especially those with different areas of expertise, but similar values, is a means of combining your strengths for mutual benefit. Focus on your strengths and use the strengths of your allies to fill in your weak areas.
You can use joint ventures in a variety of ways. Do you know someone that has just created an fabulous product but doesn't know how to market it? If you have the marketing skills necessary for success, joint venture. Or suppose it's an existing product that hasn't been introduced into a particular marketing niche. If that's your niche, joint venture. Do you want to expand your business into other areas but don't know how, joint venture with someone who is already successful in that area. I engage in a very common form of joint venture regularly. As a "baby boomer' woman entrepreneur, I have access to a very specific market. Much of my list is comprised of baby boomer women - some entrepreneurs in their own right, most of them professional career women in some aspect. I am often asked to market someone's product or service or book to my list. If it's something I can endorse, I will do so in exchange for either a percentage of the sales or, if they target a market I am not reaching, having them promote me to their list. A very simple and yet at times highly profitable joint venture.
It can sometimes be difficult to find a partner to joint venture with, especially if you are new in the business. There a several resources available to help you learn this skill. I highly recommend you read everything available by Ken McArthur and attend one of his jvAlert events as soon as you can. I have made many valuable contacts at these events and Ken works hard to ensure that the atmosphere is conducive to just that - networking, making contacts, and creating joint ventures.
Another great way to build wealth together is through a MasterMind. Napolean Hill, in his classic Think and Grow Rich, wrote: “No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which can be likened to a third mind. No individual may have great power without availing himself of the ‘Master Mind.’”
What is a MasterMind? Very simply, it is a group of like-minded people who get together to provide each other with feedback, hold each other accountable, brainstorm ideas together, and help each other focus and stay on track. MasterMinds allow you to tap into the experience and skill of others to help you improve your business. I love working with my MasterMind groups and look forward to our meetings. I have received great feedback and support here.
Finding the right MasterMind is important. You want to be sure the members have similar interests and skills to your own. Most reputable business coaches support a MasterMind group of their own. I suggest you start there. Find a coach you trust and respect and see if they have a MasterMind group. If not, you can always ask if they would be interested in starting one.
Whether you find a joint venture partner or join a MasterMind - or both, I hope you have learned one thing today. You don't have to do this alone. There are plenty of opportunities for you to reach out to others and build wealth together.
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