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- Sep 19th, 2008
- 33,468 Comments
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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 My unpublished posts just waiting…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:
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- Sep 12th, 2008
- 708 Comments
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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:
- a) The local supermarket doesn’t carry these items, so he will draw people for these items, they will see his selection, and come back.. and you never buy just one item..
- b) Psychology dictates that people will make assumptions. They will assume that if he is pricing his American items at more reasonable prices, then he must be a reasonable person, and the other items in his store must be reasonably priced, and shop. There is a supermarket that is a drive away that has MASTERED that. You leave there shaking your head how did you spend so much money, when the name of the store is ‘cheap’??? .. but we keep going back and back.
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)
- Outsource MORE.
- Get an AWESOME assistant – Virtual or otherwise – who understands my market.
- Sleep.
- Purge from my life what is not working. Expand on what is.
How are YOU being an IDIOT?
What ‘easy’ steps can you take to work on this?
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- Sep 3rd, 2008
- 181 Comments
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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:
Go here NOW to learn how to get a top ranking site in Google! For FREE!!
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.
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- Aug 29th, 2008
- 124 Comments
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Pay Attention:
The following WORKS because its done with:
a) HEART
b) DEPTH
c) INTELLIGENCE
Rich Schefren will be the FIRST to tell you and SHOW you that you can duplicate this concept I will share with you,.. and in fact many of you actually DO..
.. and I am not just dedicating a blog post to this because I am a fan or because we are friends (although I MIGHT have said that to sound self important
)As Strategic Profits, with Rich at the helm, are on their way to releasing another eye opening report, you should really be doing 2 things.
1. Getting ready to read the report. I know it is going to be a great read; Rich is only getting better and better, offering more and more value, not to mention, he is actually a sincerely intelligent person. This will not be outsourced rehashed garbage. This is HIS business, he takes it seriously, and I suggest you do the same. As always, his reports are FREE. Again, check out his video highlighting some ideas you can expect to see.
2. As we are currently conducting a series on ways to make money online, lets also witness what Strategic Profits has done in the past, and how you can learn from this and perhaps adopt similar practices in your own business.
It goes something like this:
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a) Find a fundamental problem in a market, step up to the plate and IDENTIFY the problem. Can you say it better than it has been said in the past? Can you create a bigger issue out of this problem? Can you highlight a New Trend?
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b) Engage your readers without losing YOUR momentum. Trying and figure out their thoughts on the subject. Of course, YOUR answer is just around the corner. It should be a work in progress, because how can it possibly be complete without having HEARD from your prospects? Allow their voice to help you complete your product accordingly
- c) Now ... you are almost ready to pounce. Combined with Your Expert knowledge in the subject, and their fears, you PROVIDE the solution. There are really a few possibilities how to deliver this last piece:
1) Free: This works for Strategic Profits, and it may for you, since they offer a variety of other services / products, and I think they (like many) enjoy offering Free value, and charging for those who are serious. They can afford to theoretically ‘solve your problems’ for free, because most likely, real success will come from being accountable to yourself and becoming part of a community, coaching club, mastermind, like his (not sure of the terminology), where you are not in this alone. This is actually a HUGE deal. The dent in my wall is clear evidence of this.
2) The buck stops here .. This is your product / service. This is where YOU get paid. Solve their problems! This works for MOST small niche market products / services. This model is highly recommended as a way to break into a new market, and build up a list of supporters. From here you can see where to take it. I personally witnessed Rich’s stratospheric rise to the top of the heap, and I am certain he was as surprised by the reception he received and by the success he has enjoyed since..
Dont OVERPLAN, just Start DOING.
A force you want to make sure exists whether this is a new project, or a repeat occurance is ANTICIPATION. You may think it’s easier for Rich to get eyeballs on his new report due to his history, but in reality, he may have to work harder to convince you that this is something new (oh, and it is!)
so you have to create a ‘what will he think of next’…
For those of you who are new to my blog, new to Rich Schefren.. check out how I personally, if unintentionally, helped build up anticipation for his last report. (Yes, this is my easy way out for having a new video today
)
WOW! Rich - Can you believe this video was ONLY 9 months ago?? A lot happened since
This time Strategic Profits has done an excellent job from where I left off.
.. and have their own video creating anticipation for the new report. It’s right here. Bonus for anyone who has read this far: When I clicked to watch the video, Andy Jenkins from Stompernet introduces Rich. My 5 year old was playing and hears ‘Rich Schefren’.. For those of you who saw the video above and the other, well several… this is a household name! He said ‘Rich is a REAL PERSON? Yeh, Mommy, he is REAL??’ .. this if from a kid who has never heard of Hannah Montana, so I think someone here should be flattered.
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- Aug 27th, 2008
- 78 Comments
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HOW CAN I BE SO CERTAIN That This is Why I succeed…. and my be why YOU have not? (sorry if that sounds harsh)
Simple…. because
the areas I have a harder time succeeding are where my knowledge ends and someone else’s begins. Put simply, YOU (and I) just do better at what we know. Even if it means asking someone else to do it.
What do I know that you MAY NOT?
Watch this:
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
(PS – we will be conducting an interview with Jason soon. Basically stripping him of everything he knows. for YOU. Should be fun)
This is what I know. How to create a simple website. How to FTP. How to make a table, add an image, yada yada.. I can tweak, edit, and shift things around a webpage without having to make a phone call, or pay ridiculous maintenance retainer fees to web design companies….
and you know what?
It took about as LONG to learn all that as it did for me to figure out how to put this Flash Video on this blog.
So now YOU (and that means you too MOM) can learn along with your 8 year old children / grandchildren (who learn this as a matter of course in Elementary school), and build your OWN website. (yes – the text before this is underlined for a reason – it means it will take you where you NEED to go to learn how to tie your shoes, excuse me, I mean build a website!)
I am trying to imagine a difficult task for an adult to equate the difficulty required to Create a website. This is what I came up with:
If you can fill up your own tank of gas (self-serve), or manage to cook a recipe by following the list of ingredients, you can build a website.
It has nothing to do with taste, geek stuff, art (I cannot draw a stick figure), digital cameras, fancy expensive software, or how many degrees you have.
It’s just a matter of getting something to happen at Point A
and making sure it appears at Point B.
I know there are ways to make money without a website. BUT not If you want a Business that will LAST, which others will take SERIOUSLY, and that YOU control.
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS SERIOUSLY?
Great. I knew you were.
Here is your ACTION PLAN:
1.
Check out the Web for FREE resources. However.. be warned.. you can find everything under the sun for FREE on the web, but it will NOT provide you with what a complete product should look like. You will have to be the Master of the Outcome, and fill in all those pieces that are left out based on not knowing YOUR needs, or YOUR skill level.
I prefer to PAY to save me time and energy of the learning curve. Especially when you can find what you need so affordably.
2.
Check out Jason’s 7 minute Set up. It’s amazing how many Marketers took YOU knowing this for granted, so thank you Jason for creating this important product!
3.
I am only a member of 2 memberships now. This is one of them. They offer a complete Website Builder as just one part of their extremely robust membership package. Sort of like building blocks, you build your site.
If you are VERY new, I strongly recommend Jason’s product, as this membership site could be (will be) overwhelming. If you have been around for a while, and could benefit from knowing Web design to enhance your other knowledge, I cannot recommend this membership site enough!
Tell me.. What do you know? How did you learn it? Has it benefited you? or..
What do you NOT know… and has it HARMED your business?
Watch, Learn and Earn or your money BACK! (hahaha - it's 100% FREE!!)
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