I am totally COMING CLEAN here. The timing could not have been more ironic or synergistic.
As you know I am delivering a series on how to make money online. I was in the middle of composing a post (well now it’s this one) with an accompanying audio podcast (see below) on How to Focus and selecting a target market. I had a previous post on the subject, but I receive SOO much traffic to that page on focusing, I wanted to offer MORE. (here is link to that post)
What happened? I am approached out of the blue by a marketer I admire. His skills are vast. Lets just leave it as that since it’s still an understatement. He is in the mood to do something ‘different’ this week, so he bestows upon me an offer to take advantage of his services for the week for x amount of $. An offer that is very hard to refuse.
I ask him – “How much you can accomplish in a week?”
He responds – “Depends on your leadership.”
Reasonable. But that meant my input would directly affect his output.
However, I had a problem. My Blog! My unpublished posts just waiting…
This is where I come clean. Blogging is NOT my focus, as I am not really a ‘blogger’.
Here is what creates a ‘blogger’:
- They start blogging out of passion, interest, online journaling, what have you – working off momentum – 95% QUIT!! or write too infrequently to call it any more than a hobby.
- The remaining 5% figure out how to Blog correctly. How? You write good content, engage other bloggers, you include links to other blogs on your site, comment on their site. You WORK IT.
- Suddenly those in the last category start earning money! Wow! Then they become ‘bloggers’ aka those who earn from their passion! A great place to be. They also have a responsibility to their readers, and their advertisers to maintain their blog. It may be their main source of income.
I am a blogger who aims to add value but frankly, it’s just a smart move for an online marketer. It’s something we coach people to do. It allows people to locate you, feel your personality out a bit, an ongoing business card.
I love it, and I love your comments, but when given the opportunity to spend a week FOCUSING, while I was composing THIS VERY text, I decided to take immediate action. It will only make me a more valuable blogger in the future.
What IS My Focus:
To Create / Improve revenue producing projects.
And that’s exactly what happened. (Thank you genius!)
I know this may sound a little vague. Isn’t that EVERYONE’s focus? Yes, but most dont actually focus ON IT. They focus on wanting a certain outcome, but dont commit to the steps needed to realize it. You get the difference? Therefore, to focus on something that seems so common actually makes me very unique.
Now I am sharing with you a conversation with Kelly Mccausey, an online marketer after my own heart! All over the place and overqualified, she had her hands in all pots.. but then PULLED the PLUG, and Finally started to earn money.
Watch this video, and listen to the podcast below it for the long version! Enjoy.
Listen to the call here:
I am sorry to interrupt my regularly scheduled ‘video’ posts, but I felt compelled to share this today.
I would love your thoughts.
In addition, I owe several posts, all mostly complete, but on hold for information I will explain in my next post. Look out for it.
Listen to these 3 short stories:
1) I needed to find a specific printing store. I have been there several times in the past. It is located in an outdoor strip mall, sandwhiched between a few other stores. I was walking back and forth where I was sure it was located, but couldn’t seem to find it. Finally, by default I recognized it. When I was waiting for my work to be complete, I mentioned to the ‘secretary’ (not sure her exact position) that it appears as if the large sign they used to have outside was missing, and I couldn’t find the place. She concurred. Then went on to her next task.
2) Within walking distance to our homes there is a large supermarket, and a smaller mini-market. Mini-markets have the reputation of being more expensive, since they are ‘convenience’ stores. Therefore they thrive on desperate purchases, or the regular subsidized milk, bread, staple items. The one which I am referring to has switched hands probably 4-5 times in as many years. Each new owner is nice, and seems full of promise! I desperately want them to succeed, but of course I also shop at the larger supermarket, since the difference in prices is noticeable.
In this mini-market there is a combination of local items + American imported items. Naturally the later being very high priced. I suggested to him the following plan! Advertise your American items for much lower prices, as in competitive prices. Here is what will happen:
3) Again – the local supermarket. A few doors down is a grocer and by grocer I mean he sells just fruits and veggies. But so does the local supermarket. The only advantage to shopping with him is that his items are more expensive, huh?? Ok, so its more exclusive, his peppers look redder. In this neighborhood there are 1000′s of young women who are students for a year or two. They support the local frozen yogurt biz. I suggest to him to make prepared salads. Girls love salads. They are all in dormitories, and want healthier food (to compensate for their ice cream). It will cost him NOTHING, but the plastic containers to put it in, some plastic cutlery, and salad dressing packets.
This list can go on and on..
Guess what happens when I talk to these people behind counters or the phone?
I get a Shrug. Maybe. A quick thanks.
What are they saying to themselves??
It would seem
“mind your own business”.
“get a life”.
and other unmentionables that I would be happy to say in private.
I want to differentiate my suggestions from .. well lets say.. from something my Mother would say (you know I love you Mom!).. but I am not talking about returning food since it’s cold, glasses because they are dirty, although suggesting that the Bagel Shop sell muffins everyday and not every few days (especially when they sell out in hours) was not a bad one .
I want to know.
Why are these people such idiots?
I dont mean that they are idiots for NOT having implemented these ideas already. beforehand. Why dont they take my advise? Why don’t they consider that they could be more successful if… I see other businesses who incorporate changes, and they improve!
Now the hardest part of this all is turning the tables on MYSELF.
Marketers a little higher up on the food chain are probably shaking their heads at me.. and rightly so! I could be making SO much more money IF I were to: (and this is not a complete list)
How are YOU being an IDIOT?
What ‘easy’ steps can you take to work on this?
I am juggling about 10 – 15 videos / blog posts.. and my challenge lately has been in which order to deliver this information, and honestly, how can I share it in a way which will help YOU the most.
So first a question.. If there is something you want to hear about FIRST, or MORE, let me know. You may be able to influence the future of this blog. Wow. What POWER YOU Have .
meanwhile.. as I was pulling my hair out saying “Andrea! It’s Wednesday! Get it together! The week is almost finished!
This happened:
When you work so hard to give something away for FREE.. How do you think they are going to deliver when You PAY? .
I mention ‘TODAY’ A few times in this video. The truth is I dont know how long this offer will be running. So, if you happen to find this page because I used Stompernets’ tactics to rank for the Keyword of How to get a Top Ranking Site in Google, well go check out the offer!
Not many of you are aware.. but come Friday.. sometime south of Sunset, I unplug.. well I unplug from my life, reconnect with the family, my bed, and the mess surrounding me! That last part I could do without. … but this is a secret.
I often cheat.
No, I don’t turn on my computer, but yes… if you suddenly notice that I am gone, I may be found hiding in my room with an Entrepreneur Magazine.. or the like. The way I feel when reading those magazines is proof that ‘offline print’ is not going to disappear anytime soon.
I am really excited about the ‘Net Effect’ and love that it’s entirely possible, likely, going to happen, that my name will make it to those pages at some point, ya think?? Especially when I raid the offices in January when I visit my hometown of Atlanta. Watch out guys. Consider yourselves warned.