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Good for you av8er1! I admire your courage, and I believe that having worked in a factory will really help you in this business because you are used to doing things systematically--which I am finding is definitely required if you are going to succeed. You find what works for you and repeat . . .
I look forward to hearing about your success. There is a lot to learn, but you are in the right place, and many of us are right there with you in our progress. Sincerely, Shari Lee
Congrat av8er1! You have found the RIGHT resource right off the bat.......
I wish I had found this forum 2 year ago....would have been way farther down the road than I am...but....am enjoying the journey....and because I spent so much wasted time else where...I can appreciate the real value of being here.....
People here are very helpful
gretchen
My wife owns a florist that we started from scratch 10 years ago. We have a website that I built feeling my way along learning as I go. I am in the process ( it has been a LONNNNNNNNG process) of adding a shopping cart. That should be up by Monday night.
I have never done IM before but doing research for building the florist site and seeing what might be possible has gotten me totally psyched.
I have done everything pretty much backwards and then redone. We do get quite a few phone orders and I have managed to be usually within the top 5 or 6 for searches for local florist in the organic searches on google.
I would really like to get a blog up and some other ecommerce and affiliate sites to generate enough a good passive income.
It isn't really about being a super mega millionaire for me. It really is about being able to work full time with my wife in the florist and our own online affiliate business that would allow us more flexibility and freedom for travel.
Sorry about the long first post in here.
Bob
Bob,
Welcome! Don't apologize for your post. We look forward to watching your business grow via the Internet. Don't hesitate to ask any questions on the forum. Looking forward to getting to know you.
Thanks for the welcome Angie
I envy your business....:)
Keep it up//
Welcome Bob. There is so much a business can do in a region with the Internet. You're in the right place to learn lots of great information.Quote:
Originally Posted by dbjbob
Kathleen
I resemble that remark. :) Actually, it did take some frustration and many longgggggg days to finally start making money. Now the days are shorter and the money is great.Quote:
Originally Posted by hanlo2900
Here is what I learned in the years I have been doing this. Surround yourself with those who know it can be done and avoid those who are nay sayers. Find great mentors. Do your homework as not everyone is who they say they are nor do some have a track record of success.
Be willing to put in the time and be consistent. Even if you can only dedicate an hour a day, stick with the hour a day.
Be willing to invest in resources (time and money) that can help you to get to your goal faster. Sure, you can find virtually everything for free if you want to search it out but often we can get right to the heart of what we need by making a financial investment.
Have good hair color solution to cover the gray. But then again, after a certain age we tend to like our gray. LOL
Best of luck in your endeavors.
Before designing a site you do need to know who it is for. Who are you going to target? Without knowing this you will likely have to go back and get a "do over".Quote:
Originally Posted by kaablueii
Ok, here goes, one possible basic step by step plan.Quote:
Originally Posted by kaablueii
1) CREATE A TOPIC LIST: Give yourself a few days to make a list of three or four things that interest you enough that you would enjoy making a site on those topics, even if there was no way to make money on it. Don't choose any aspect of webmastering as your topic.
2) GET EXPERT ADVICE: Join Lynn's Elite Club, and give Lynn and the other members a few days to help you narrow your list down to one topic that is reasonably profitable.
3) SUBSCRIBE: Research your topic on the Net, and subscribe to everything you can find related to your topic. Get a giant stream of information on your topic flowing in to your inbox, and use this data to spark your own article ideas.
4) WRITE INCESSANTLY: Start writing, writing, writing. Day and night, night and day, on the weekends, on the bus, in the shower etc. :) Be honest with yourself, and be sure to write articles that are good enough that you would actually read them yourself, if they weren't your articles.
5) LEARN ABOUT LINKS: Ask Elite Club members about link building ideas. Start a notebook and write them down. When you have 50 good articles on your site, start spending about half your time creating links to your site.
6) ADSENSE: When you have 50 good articles on your site, sign up for Adsense, and install the Google ads on your site.
7) STATS: Sign up for a free Statcounter.com account, so you can see the traffic to your site.
8) FOCUS: Keep writing articles, and getting links, day after day after day. Content and links, content and links, content and links, content and links, content and links. Don't do or learn anything else until your site has 500 visitors a day, at which point you will be in a position to benefit from learning more.
9) AVOID DISTRACTIONS: Launch a holy war upon distractions. Stop reading forums, stop asking questions about webmastering, don't buy any software or ebooks, and don't take any classes. Push everything else aside except becoming an expert on your topic, and content, content, content, links, links, links.
10) FORGET TECHNOLOGY: Contact me, and I will make the technical challenges go away in one day, for free. Or listen to the group consensus, and spend the next few months wasting time wrestling with all kinds of puzzling things.
11) SET A DEADLINE: Give yourself about 2 weeks to get your site up and running with your first batch of articles. If you don't have the confidence, initiative or ability to meet this deadline, this might not be the business for you. There's not a thing in the world wrong with that, and it might save you tons of time and work to learn that now.
OR.....
12) Ignore all the steps above, and learn it all the hard way, like the rest of us did. :)
Best of luck!
Here is a resource that may be very helpful. http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by kaablueii
In many cases we are well served to outsource some of our business tasks. For example, I do not do my own design work. I am not a designer and to spend my time trying to figure out web and blog design is not a good use of my time.
Running an online business does require some investments. Not doing so is one of the major stumbling blocks people have. I like the post with all the steps. Great recommendations.
Prior to the Internet I worked with brick and mortar businesses. One could not get into business without some financial investment and yet, the #1 reason they closed their doors was lack of proper funding.
You might want to check your local Chamber of Commerce to see if they have any programs that can teach you how to put a business plan together.
It's completely understandable that you might feel that way. But for the record, it's not actually true.Quote:
Originally Posted by kaablueii
It would be more accurate to say that the design and construction of your site and all these kind of related technical issues are your problem, if you want them to be your problem.
If you do, ok, it's not really a problem, but a voluntary choice.
Feel free to start a new thread here on the forum asking for help getting started.Quote:
Originally Posted by kaablueii
Hi Lynn,
I always look forward to your posts, emails, newsletters and webinar.
I am learning more from you and expanding my business more. I still have a lot hurdles to overcome but I am working on them. I putting hardwork and time to succeed
Thank you
Same with me..........you're cool...
You are in a great location to get excellent information from those who are making it work. It is a process and one that does take time, focus, commitment and attention.Quote:
Originally Posted by martinwork
Best of luck
Kathleen
I need help converting through affiliate marketing...
after 3 years of work i have a nice income with my online business. but it is still not enough...
Hello!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn Terry
After 2 months in Im, I have 2x websites (1 squeeze page and 1 sales page) and have made my first clickbank sale. I have to admit that regarding the squeeze page I took the easy option. Everything was set up by the affiliate so I can concentrate on generating traffic!:D
Nothing going good in my way.
Just i am waiting for a good deal.
You have to make it happen:) There are lots of opportunities around. Just grab one and stick with it!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by forigners
SSWT's October 2010 Challenge that pertains to selecting 5 new profitable keyword phrases to target is the catalyst that lit the fire under me to dust off one of my websites this weekend and get it going!
This site has great potential but I have been so distracted by life, health issues and other shiny objects, I have failed to put forth the consistent effort necessary to make some money with it. I'm bound and determined to make some sizable headway over the next two weeks. Blog posts, book reviews, and datafeeds (of which I know very little) are high on my list of "must do's" to bring some life to this website and capitalize on any traffic that's generated.
What do I want to be? I want to be successful in my on line business, earning a living that will support me in ALL of my goals and plans for the future. My business right now is limited to blogging, but I am learning fast--thanks to all the help I am getting by being an Elite member--and I am so grateful. I just had the BEST weekend--really working on concrete stuff--instead of being all over the place.
What do I want to do? I want to write and maybe speak about the Word of God; I want to spend more time with my grandchildren doing things for and with them; I want to get back to horseback riding and maybe buy a horse again, and I want to spend lots of time in the mountains or at the beach growing spiritually. I also want to be able to give to those God sends my way that are in need and to support the ministries I believe in that are spreading the Word all over the globe.
What do I want to have? I want to have a home-base place in Orlando or Ocala; a place at the beach and place in the mountains I can share with others. My family had a place like that in Highlands, NC, where for more than thirty years people who could not have vacations otherwise were allowed to schedule a time and go there for rest and retreat. I want so much to have that again.
Why do I want these things? I want these things because I believe in family time and contributing to their lives--since I am their history; because I am getting older, and I don't want to LABOR to earn a living. When I get into my on line business I feel addicted, and I absolutely HATE when it comes time to turn back to the business currently supporting me (sort of); because I am a giver by nature, and right now, I am stripped (for the most part) of my ability to give when I see so many needs. I can give love and encouragement--and I know that means a lot--but to agree to pray for someone who is hungry--and not feed them--does very little to help resolve the hunger in their stomach.
My Goal is to earn $15k per money in order to meet the necessities of my goals and support myself--but my REAL HOPE and prayer is that I can become a funnel through which much can be poured--and be faithful to do with it as the Lord tells me.
Sincerely, and with
GREAT DETERMINATION,
ShariLee Beynon
http://run4theprize.com EVERYONE! RUN!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShariLee
My goal is to make £1,000 a month. That's the sum that will set me free from having to do a 9-5 job. Is it achievable? I hope so!:):)
I have two clients I build web sites and do SEO for for a monthly fee. It is pretty fun.
I have good traffic at my Internet marketing Blog and get lots of comments. Partially since it is a do follow PR 4 site.
I was thinking of doing social media consulting and local search work for clients and trained up for it.
Currently I am selling Mobile Media SMS text marketing and recruiting sales people as affiliates in my Agency. It is the most exciting and lucrative thing I have done since 2003 when I started to work for myself.
@Clay,
That's great to hear! So, you've had good results with your mobile marketing efforts and been making some good money with it? That's encouraging. I have a strong interest in mobile marketing, too but have found myself unable to focus on it entirely because I'm trying to wrap up a couple of projects. Being that I live in Dallas, I have some wonderful ideas about how I can really make some money in the local market selling them mobile websites and related services to better position them to take advantage of the Super Bowl fans who will be in town in February 2011.
I have a domain I purchased earlier this year with the Super Bowl in mind but I have not gotten around to even setting it up yet! Talk about feeling frustrated!!!! Ugh!
As far as I m concerned, I'm going through the motions. Making a little progress, as I had certain SEO and up ranking sort of problems with my business, but right now, its going fine. Hoping to increase more pace.
Ian,
I haven't been at this as long as you but somewhat like yourself I get bored from stress and frustration. I can't count all the different products I have purchased and attempted to put into practice. Without any feedback or help I soon would become jaded and move on to the next. Now, I'm finding that that has become a habit with me. One that I am struggling with to overcome, especially with all the new offers I'm bombarded with daily. My head tells me it's easier to move on instead of sticking it out.
I appreciate what you say about Edison and failing more. I can clearly see the advantage of failure now. That's how one learns. We learn WHAT to do by learning what NOT to do. Thanks for that one! I was really beginning to question my own intelligence and ability. I'm not the loser I was beginning to feel like.
I'm glad I no longer have to go it alone.
Kudos to You Mr. Harkness! (If that is your name)
My goal for this is to begin making enough to get myself off of Social Security and enough to begin instructing others like myself to not be dependent on Uncle Sam. I'm won't bore you with the story of why I am in my present situation, but I am. Since becoming dependent on what SS doles out I have become aware of the plight and struggle being experienced by thousands of Seniors in this country. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame the Gov't. or any one other entity for the woes of our elderly. For the most part we are where we are because of our own choices or lack of them. But if I can make a difference in the lives of just a few, then my life will have purpose again.
This industry is so huge, that anyone willing to learn and do a little work can better their circumstances substantially and bring 'LIFE' back into their lives. I am as guilty as the next guy, having taken age and retirement for granted not considering that it could ALL be gone in an instant. I thought I had all my i's dotted and my t's crossed so the last thing I needed to concern myself with was my retirement sustenance. I lived fat and thought I would retire fat. Well, here I am.
Even though I struggle and don't have your experience instructing others, I will see you on the other side. My Hat is off to you, sir!
Personally,
I'm having trouble finding a niche to market to. I can't seem to tell the difference between a great niche and/or a dud niche. I've just purchased a couple of tools and begun viewing the tutorials for each hoping they will help. My problem is in maintaining focus on the video's and their subject matter.
I am so frustrated from my experience of the last two years and anxious to move forward that I am actually hindering myself. I find myself overcome with impatience and frustrated that I can't get this. I mean, it's not rocket science, so why can't I get my ducks in a row? The little Gremlin inside my head is telling me to give this up and move onto something else, but I know that that is just my own sense of insecurity raising its ugly head. This is well within my ability and intelligence so I'll have to hunker down and be a little more patient with myself.
I have dropped everything I had been doing and I am starting over form square one. I have a couple of blueprint/case studies that I will be following and to begin with I am instructed to find a niche to market to. This may sound dumb, but I had been so engrossed with wanting to market to the IM niche that now I can't recognize anything else. My own focus has blinded me to the rest of the world.
This is my first day here and don't know how this works, but how can I get some help with this? Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks, alex44
Hi Alex! Great to have you as an elite member. Visit the private brainstorming forum and look around. Then post any questions you have in whatever category you need help in.
Hey Lynn, I have found that people including myself need human contact, human relationships we need to create and build relationships. I now understand why prisons have isolation cells as a punishment. There was a study done in the 70's I think, going off memory and that's never good. But they took chimpanzee babies and interacted with one group lovingly and the other just gave the basic needs. The ones that had just basic needs met got sick and highly depressed. Anyway I think in a way we are the basic needs babies we don't get that physical connection that the spirit needs to thrive in an environment like internet marketing. If we cant physically interact with our list or customers we start to get a form of depression or doubt. Having this forum and hearing other peoples successes and failures keep us connected in a way, a form of familiarization.
This is difficult at first but as long as you stick with it and start building relationships with like minded people we can achieve success. If you have a list or don't find people who are in the same level as you and exchange phone numbers, create a mini mastermind group for support. Talk to each other and bounce ideas, but for the main point create relationships to stay connected.
So true, Kat. It's one of the main reasons I travel and attend as many events each year as I do. I am also reaching out to my local area and finding other bloggers & online business owners to meet up with both for a social outing and for idea exchange.
There were years where I was homebound with my children, while they were younger and I was home schooling, and then while taking care of my grandmother in her last couple of years. It's been refreshing to get out and meet up with other adults for a change. I'm in agreement with your observation - it's just necessary.
My online groups of peers and friends, and this community, is highly important to me as well. And was a lifeline during the years I was homebound. I have met some truly great people here, and have had the pleasure to meet many of them in person over the last few years even - which has been great fun.
Glad you're here, Kat - really great to have you as part of the group :)
I found I lost my way. I had a bootie kicking from biz life and it set me into a big wake up call. I know I voted going through the motions because I try have been doing just that for a while. Now that I'm actually "working" and pushing my biz forward it's moving quickly ahead as it should. I should stress that the "working" is also back to my niche that I am 200% comfortable in writing and answering questions any time, any day. ;)
hi lynn...
I am back to this forum lynn as you will know me as a old 2 yr elite member that asked alot of questions on online marketing for my mortgage business.
Learned a lot through this forum even though I was not into affiliate marketing, but now lynn my interest has changed to learning how to make money via affiliate online marketing and membership sites.
I look forward to now learning again via this forum.
edwin :)
Welcome back Edwin & Val! :)
Thanks lynn....this time around I will be able to chip in more since I now know a more based on personal experience where I did not know before so now I feel more comfortable asking questions in a variety of areas, not that I am a guru but have learned along the way even though it was not used for affiliate marketing but internet marketing was used for the mortgage areas.....edwin
Hi all. I've been in and out of this forum for quite a while, but still have yet to take action. I've learned tons, but haven't used what I've learned. Afraid to pick a topic for fear it will soon bore me. Read a zillion posts and watch others with admiration for their actions. Biggest hurdle is choosing a topic. Stuff that interests me has been done a million times (self development, cooking, travel) and I'm not an expert at anything. I don't want to struggle to learn a subject while building a website at the same time. Since choosing a niche is such an overwhelming thing to me I was thinking about using that as my topic. Posts on that subject usually refer people to lists of areas (ie Amazon, Ebay, etc) but don't dig further into creative ways to use those topics. Maybe I could find unique examples of blogs in various areas and elicit creative suggestions from others. Does that sound interesting or not? (Please be honest). I think many folks suffer from niche paralysis. Please let me know if you think I'm on track or not. Thanks so much! Linda
I would not pick choosing a niche as a topic.
As for getting bored, yep it happens. I have been back and forth myself over the years but have kept with it and it's been worth it. Is there a dream you might have for the future (maybe to travel to a certain place? learn how to do something?). You mentioned you like the topics of cooking and travel and I think you could definitely make those work if you choose a tight niche to focus on.
Happy to help you brainstorm a bit here if you care to. As far as cooking/travel what areas within those topics would interest you?
Since my hubby and I travel to Jamaica every year, I will promote everything that has to do with Jamaica and travel on my blog. I don't cook but one of our elite members has a outdoor grilling blog/site so he's pretty much narrowed that down. Does this help?
Hi Angie-
Thanks for the advice. Just wondering why you would not pick Niche Ideas as a topic. I respect your advice, but would like to understand your reasoning.
Cooking and travel are both interests, but I really feel like I don't have enough knowledge to share and would feel less than confident in those areas. My thoughts had been either Peasant Cooking, since I enjoy using hearty basic foods and being cost conscious is important these days, or a travel site about resorts accommodating a family of five in one room. Both are interests, but would require lots of research to build content.
Another topic I was considering was discussing life lessons/experiences. I am a mom in my early fifties wanting to begin my "Second Act" and would maybe like to write about that. It would come easily and might help me find direction. How does that sound?
I really appreciate your advice. Thanks for taking the time.
Linda