Where I live, it is not uncommon for someone.. virtually ANYONE.. to ask:
How much do you earn?
What is your rent?
How much did you pay for your apartment?
and the like…
From experience, ahem.. I understand that this is NOT standard practice .. elsewhere.
First of all, one of the most important topics to be educated on, by example, through others experience, is that of MONEY. When you cloak the details in secrecy, you may not be helped or help others. When navigating around the beauracracy that accompanies jobs, maternity leave, landlords, tenants, property tax, cleaning help rates, and on and on.. do you really feel equipped to learn by trial and error?
I am always annoyed when I hear elderly parents say they dont want to ‘interfere’ with the actions of their children. On PURPOSE. That is their way of helping! Isnt one of the MAIN reasons you are at least 20 years older and WISER to allow your children to benefit from your experiences and not stop the ‘parenting’ at 21. Maybe I am just spoiled for having a father that is one of the foremost experts on FINANCE in the WORLD (who will read and say .. honey, you cant use the word foremost in that context or something like that – THANKS DAD – I dont Want to look like a Moron, so keep it coming!) Lets not even START with my MOM and her interference! After all, every blog needs at least ONE regular commentator!!
I recently was talking to a VERY good friend about pay rates and was SHOCKED to learn the discrepancy in what I thought was good pay and what is really good pay.
I also recently mentioned a book promotion (since a friend wrote a chapter and I KNOW he knows his stuff) about 20 ways to earn $100/ day. Before the book was promoted, I believe the question was posed of WOULD that do it for you? $3000/mos is really NOT a lot of money, but to some who have yet to earn .50 cents .. It sounds like a TON…. ok I am wandering..
There is no barometer to measure the salary an at home online marketer, so how do you know what you could earn, whats avg, and so on and so forth if you dont TALK about it!.. So in this world of ONLINE MARKETING where we make friends out of strangers via this forum, that social network, this 30 day challenge, etc.., and our ‘goal’ is one and the same, but so not…. do YOU talk money?
If prodded just a teensy bit, I will divulge all..
My last post I wrote that Brad Fallon, of Stomping the Search Engines, had spoken on the Next Internet Millionaire Episode six, but I couldnt recall what he said.. yet I continued to go on and on about my plans for reaching my goals of online success. Hello! What Brad said is essentially THE MOST important piece of the puzzle for my new venture.
I understood Brad to be a search engine guy, so was not expecting to hear the following ideas (some verbatim) from him..
If you want to make a lot of money fast – you may be going after a really big hit without even getting in the game.. how do you get there faster? How can you make your business a success? Well by not doing stuff! The less YOU do, the more you will make. . money you can get back – time you can’t. If you are the only person getting things done, a lot less will get done. If you want to learn a business, it’s about leverage.
One of the issues I had with my past J.O.B was the refusal to follow that. To spend more to make more. To be many places in the same time. Even though the company tries to adopt many Rich Schefren business principles and attitudes, if you try to do it all yourself.. it wont get done.
Unless someone can locate an ebook or abridged version, I am on my way to purchase the 4 hour work week by Tim Ferriss, who outsources his life. I realize this is an elitist attitude, since it’s great advice for the people who buy his book, but we can only take advantage of this as long as there are others who dont .
Lining up nicely with this is a new free report created by Russell Brunson, called the IM-Myth. Russell implemented
offline marketing into his marketing mix and has tripled his business every year since!
It was literally a 20 minute read, and VERY worthwhile. At first glance I was highly skeptical and not sure I would make the time for it.. why? Apparently, He and I had both purchased the same book by Vince James about how he earned a hundred million in a year. While I found the book overpriced, overwhelming and daunting, Russell was excited and contacted Mr James about putting it into action. Personally I felt that Mr James approach was for those with capital to lose and targeted a very small %age of the society of actual risk takers and doers. The IM-Myth, which I found to be a MUCH BETTER read, simplified it in a way that makes taking online to offline in such a simple, clear, precise way. Now, I too am excited! Russell provides you with examples, necessary resources, and even his staff to help you get it going! Check it out… for Free..
My Toshiba literally just totally DIED on me. My warranty, naturally, ended a month ago. It seems to be a motherboard problem. I am getting 12 flashing lights on the power when I press the on button – nothing else.. sooo sad about this. Just as I was planning my get up and go.. starting Sunday, I now have to find a reliable repairman – no Toshiba authorized service center here.. Thank g-d for the kid’s PC!
As mentioned, I have just been put in the in the position to leave a position I have held for 7 years. Even if you live a full 120, 7 years is a NICE chunk of time! Even more so when you are also busy making/raising a family, enjoying your youth, trying to save for the future, etc..
As a baseball fan, I find it ironic that this is my 2nd time in row leaving a position after 7 years. My 7th inning Stretch.
7 years is long enough to build relationships, loyalty, and get into a comfortable groove. It has to be meaningful. It just HAS to. Can you imagine if you look back and say “I cant believe I spent 7 years of my life devoted to this x and I am no where to show for it?” Our time is too short.
Other than building relationships with my employer, and others.. how can I look back at these years and attach meaning to them, so they dont just get jumbled up with another experience to move beyond.
In a nutshell, and as usual since I am in a rush, I would say that I gained – MY FUTURE! I had left a desk job to start working from home doing affiliate marketing. Whatever the heck that meant. It was the year 2000! Google didnt even exist.. Yes, I was ‘trained’ to do the simple tasks I had to do, but the rest.. and there is such a lot of rest – came from my interest, and need to devour all on the subject. Even though I was not responsible from my employer to go beyond our original terms, it quickly became evident that there was so much possibility on the web, and I spent my own funds and my own time to build myself an education.
Many IM’ers will tell you about how much they bought, how much money they spent, and how little they have to show for it. You can look at it that way. Or you can say look at how much you KNOW now that you didnt know. Didnt turn it into cash?? Thats unfortunate, but if you put it in perspective, every $67 ebook, every $247 course, every $29.95 membership has contributed to an education that puts you notches ahead of the regular population and how they view the Net. Dont ever forget that! Create a certificate if you must and hang it on your wall. I know I deserve it now.
THE DOCTOR IS IN.
Part 11 coming – have a good weekend!
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Recently I was so overwhelmed that I had a visceral reaction.
What caused me to feel soooo overwhelmed, when I am usually pretty lacking in the emotional department?
THE POSSIBILITIES AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY!!!
When you see the Web as I do, it is one cash vault after another…. and regardless of which direction you choose, you cant possibly leverage the web to do it ALL..
With so many Web 2.0 Social Networking sites up..
How many of you are taking advantage of them ALL to their fullest possibilities?
How many are even scratching the surface?
So imagine if you were aware of not only the vastness of all the WAYS to promote your ideas, but the IDEAS themselves were in great numbers… Can YOU imagine the feeling???!!
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Hit all the POSSIBILITIES…
Unless you are in a great groove and doing extremely well in one market.. here is a possible solution:
If you have the capital to afford, you can hire several people to each specialize in a different area and hit as many areas as you can. Most people will work for a decent price since they will appreciate the education you are providing – you could possibly even get interns! Then if one area does particularly well, ramp it up a bit, and find which works for you. Now I know this is a focused persons nightmare, but I dont know if it works anymore to JUST be doing one thing or another.
Many potential employers will ask you where do you want to see yourself in 3 or 5 years from now? Yes, we have all answered that question.. but with the fast cash being made on the latest web trends, the ONLY answer will be .. “if done right, whatever terms we make today will seem SO ridiculous in a few years from now”…. and if you are working on the web, whether as an employee, moonlighter, or BOTH, and this is NOT the case for you.. then you will have to live with all the money lost, and all the millionaires that were created while you trudged along slowly.
So what is it YOU do?
*Rat Race worker who moonlights on the web hoping it will take you somewhere
*A WAHM doing some ecommerce site/service in order to be home with your children
*An affiliate marketer with either a list, or PPC arbitrage, etc.
*A niche marketer making money off your niche via affiliate sales, product creation, etc.
*A consultant helping others get started online via specific services – IM in general, copywriting, etc..
*A web person building sites, SEO, what have you
*An adventurous on the fringe player making money with whatever is the latest trend
*A Resale Rights marketer
*An employee for a marketing company work in or out of an office
or
OTHER –
I probably listed more options than there are people reading this blog .
Two days ago I was composing an email attempting to negotiate an ‘I am worth more than you want to pay me’ deal.
I was pretty pleased with the results. Therefore, when my brother Jaron, king of the one liners, negotiator par excellance, hollywood mega bachelor, signed on IM, (ok usually that means Internet Marketing, but now it means instant messenger), I was ready to show it off.
A word about my brother. There are very few people who you will meet in this life who possess his unique combination of talents. When he walks into a room, you NEED more oxygen, since his presence takes up so much of the space. No, he is NOT fat, he just commands attention. Yet he is also a best friend, generous, and very self aware. He can walk into well established companies , and without understanding their product, identify their weeknesees and how to improve. He is NOT a sounding board, rather a problem solver. Period.
I saved our IM conversation. You can see my minimal input in (paranthesis)
To start it off I told him I wrote an email I want him to take a look at….that I was trying to negotiate a better deal for myself..
He knows no details, situation, etc.. but takes off…
“rule one about negotiating”
“and theres only one”
“cant negotiate unless you can walk away”
“if you can and i think you can, do it”
(read this beauty of an email I wrote (not included here)).
“you want my opinion?”
“keep it in your journal and write something more appropriate”
“he’s not your friend”
“he sounds like a lover”
“too much info in here”
(but… we are friends)
“but this email is not about friends”
“its about biz”
“you need to separate the two”
“it has both sides in there”
“and i know you are friendly”
“but that doesnt make it sound professional”
“you need to trim the fat, take out the emotion, take out advising him on what to do, and make it streamlined…”
“here’s the deal etc”
“what I want”
“so just write one paragraph to him”
“he knows the deal”
(but he MAY not know..)
“doesnt matter”
“he doesn’t need to know”
“you don’t need to tell him anything”
“it sounds juvenile”
“i dont understand the pay structure”
(I write it one sentence)
“for starters that needs to change”
“listen”
“you need to be compensated on results + time”
“you need to be compensated on a sliding scale”
“depending on whether it’s your idea or you are doing his”
“if you come up with something your percentages are higher and your still paid your hourly wage to execute”
“and if its his, you execute at a less percentage and the same hourly wage”
“either way, you need to tell him what you want to make”
“that number should be about 25% higher than what you’ll accept”
(I say he is funny)
“its true”
“but lay it out in a few sentences”
“people who are curt are taken more seriously”
“tell him you’re out of there if these requests are not met”
“tell him you have money coming in from other places now and it doesnt pay to keep doing his work when you’re making more from other sources”
(I say lies. all lies (well mostly ))
“welcome to biz 101″
“the art of negotiating”
“thats why im great at it”
“be strong and short”
(arent you nervous to piss people off?)
“never. liars speak too much”
“i can always walk”
“i say it in 3 sentences or less”
“and tell them if this doesnt work out hopefully we can do business sometime when it does”
“no hard feelings”
“keep it simple”
“if you talk too much they know you need them”
“and its emotional”
“keep emotion out of it”
“otherwise your transparent”
“it shows youre hurt”
(you speak this way to women too?)
“honestly? im the most honest person”
“i truly never lie”
“i dont need to”
“and i tell them that”
“i tell girls and people in biz, im too fantastic to lie to you”
“you’re not worth me lying”
“think about how strong that statement is”
“i dont need to lie”
“i dont care enough”
“its such a strong position”
“i just dont wont to be in business/relationship with someone who doesnt get me/it”
(Yes.. the “I couldnt be bothered”.. my motto for over 2 decades)
“but its not apathy”
“its genuine”
“theres a fine line”
“its kindness”
“not rude”
“its strength”
(I interrupt to mention something benign like an analogy of how it’s nicer for a girl to reject a guy than string him along or some personal issue but here is FOCUS for you)
“lets not talk about that right now”
“tell me what you want”
“per hour and percentage”
“what you want to make for the year”
“and come in aggressive”
“get his attention or you’ll be ignored”
“then you want to own a piece of your ideas”
“compensated with a greater percentage when the idea comes from you”
(me: anyways I get what I get per hour if I am shining his shoes or giving him million $ ideas)
“exactly”
(approval! Score!)
“dont explain that to him, he knows it already”
“just tell him what you want”
“and when he plays dumb and asks then you can tell him”
“dont talk too much”
“keep it short”
“just stick to the facts and write it”
Well what do you think I did in the end?
… I sent my original email minus one line (it was 3:00 AM & I was not going to compose a new one)… … HOWEVER .. the lesson he offered has been heard loud and clear and as most lessons.. as you are educated and mature, you incorporate more of these tools for when you need them next and are better prepared.
What do you think of this negotiating style? How do you negotiate?
Here is a great quote from Liz Strauss from a comment on getting your worth
“If there was a problem on their end, we negotiated how we might make it work by adjusting the job, not the price.”