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Loading ...MaryEllen Tribby, founder of WorkingMomsOnly.com, one of the top female interest online newsletters and websites, releases a copy of the internet publishing business model used to build three multi-million dollar companies.
(PRWeb October 31, 2011)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8919967.htm
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Three Tips For Converting Your Page To Timeline
By Ryan Deiss
Remember those little notices that have been popping up all over your Facebook page for the past month? You know, the ones that encouraging you to upgrade your page to Timeline?
Well, it’s no longer optional, folks… Timeline is here and it’s MANDATORY.
If you’re a conscientious Facebook administrator, you’ve probably been perfecting your Timeline page for weeks.
If so, you’ve already discovered that Timeline has some pretty cool features for marketers. You’ve probably also discovered that Timeline is FAR from perfect…
If you’re a procrastinator -- don’t worry. I’ve got some tips that will make the switch to Timeline quick and easy.
What is Timeline?
Simply put, Timeline is Facebook’s answer to Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram.
Timeline is a new, graphic-heavy redesign that Facebook hopes will set the bar for the next era in social media’s short history.
You see, photo-sharing sites like the ones mentioned above have started to pull lots of traffic away from Facebook. Obviously, Facebook doesn’t like that. That’s why Zuckerman and Co. created Timeline.
With Timeline, we (both users and brands) can tell our stories in a more visual way. Updates, photos, and shares appear on the timeline in chronological order.
What’s more, you can backdate your photos and updates all the way back to the founding of your company.
If Timeline is successful, users will spend more time on Facebook and less time on those other sites.
Why Timeline is Worth Getting Excited About
As I explained above, Timeline is an opportunity to tell your brand’s story in a more engaging way. It’s easier to grab attention, build an identity, and connect with users.
If you take all of the things that Facebook was already good at and make them better -- then you have Timeline.
In other words, it’s a KILLER tool for inbound marketing.
Facebook is NOT Amazon. It’s not all about clicking through to buy products… Instead of an interruptive TV commercial, Timeline is more like product placement.
It’s where you can showcase your identity and brag about how cool your company is, like Sharpie’s and Starbucks have done with their Timelines.
If you browse through a few of the top Timeline pages, you’ll immediately see how much more control brands have over their identities.
Now, you may not be able to rival these guys right away… but at least you get the idea.
Here are three tips to get you headed in the right direction with your Timeline page.
1. It’s All About the Cover
The number 1 reason that Facebook built Timeline is to enhance the VISUAL appeal of Pages. Period.
That should clue you in to just how important the new Timeline cover images are, to Facebook and to brands. With Timeline, Facebook is giving you a massive 850 X 315 banner image to make an impression -- USE IT.
Choose a horizontally oriented -- almost panoramic -- graphic that’s both eye-catching and sets the tone for the rest of your Timeline.
The trick is to be bold, engaging, and creative WITHOUT violating any of Facebook’s terms of service. Yes, unfortunately, Facebook has placed lots of limits on what types of content marketers can display on their Timeline covers…
Don’t worry, you CAN include you company logo and tagline. Here’s a short list of the information you can’t include in your Timeline Cover:
• No contact info
• No prices of offer information
• No references to FB features such as “Like” or “Share,” no arrows pointing to them either
Basically Facebook wants to maintain a clean, consistent look throughout its pages.
They DON’T want Facebook to look like Myspace used to. Remember how hideous that was?
2.Profile Pic and Custom Apps
You profile pic and your custom apps are still around -- but they’ve undergone some minor changes with Timeline.
For starters, they’ve actually changed shape and size. The new app icons are 111 X 74 pixels. Timeline profile pics are 180 X 180 pixels.
This image cheat sheet is an excellent resource for anyone redesigning for Timeline.
Another major change has to do with landing pages… i.e. they don’t exist on Timeline.
From now on, users will land on you Timeline page. Your landing page apps (tabs), in case you’re wondering, have now become standard, run-of-the-mill apps.
Custom apps, as well as your profile pic, are where you can go hog wild with offers, contact info, and other action-oriented marketing messages.
Here’s some more good news: you CAN recycle your old custom apps.
However, because the new app and icon sizes are much larger with Timeline, your old apps may look puny and off-center. The easiest remedy for this is just to center them in the frame -- an easy task for any entry-level programmer.
New Admin Options
With Timeline, any Facebook user can post content to your Timeline (Wall). They don’t need to be fans or friends or anything like that.
These comments will appear in a big box named, “Recent Posts by Others.” Creative title, huh? The RPBO box is featured prominently at the top of the right column of your Timeline.
Does this make you uncomfortable? If so, you’ll be glad to know that you can moderate comments or make the box disappear entirely.
When you login to your Timeline, the first thing you’ll see is your admin panel. This is where you can manage/moderate/hide user content.
To do this, click the “Manage” button and select “Edit Page” from the drop down menu. Then, look for the “Manage Permissions” panel and make your changes.
Takeaway
Timeline is the HUGE change, but a good one. It enhances what Facebook does well, and it gives brands much more room to tell their own story.
Basically, Facebook just gave us the tools to make our pages look 100X better -- and it’s EASY. The sooner you make these simple changes, the sooner you’ll see the benefits!
DM Lab MEMBERS: Check out our RAW Training, “Facebook Timeline for Marketers,” hosted by our own social media guru Kate Buck Jr.
About the Author
Ryan Deiss is a 10 year Internet Marketing Veteran. At the age of 30, Ryan has become a widely followed and respected IM Guru releasing countless reports and courses on subjects ranging from Social Media to Continuity Programs and SEO.
Through his courses, Ryan has gained renown exposure with his gift to create courses that simplify the complex and provide blueprints that marketers of all levels can follow to success.
Ryan publishes, speaks, blogs, writes, records video courses and makes friends. In 2009, he started Idea Incubator LP, under which he uses his expertise to market, advertise and distribute Information products online.
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Even though it was written early last century, “Think and Grow Rich” still to this day is one of the best self-development books around. An inspirational and motivational manuscript, “Think and Grow Rich” has the ability to transform the way one thinks and replace a negative, defeating mindset with a positive, success-driven, healthy mindset that is guaranteed to change your life for the better.
After two decades of researching, interviewing and analyzing the thoughts and actions of more than five hundred very successful people, Napoleon Hill published his book in 1937. It became a timeless masterpiece, which comprises principles that are as true now as they were back when the book was written. It is based on the beliefs of successful people and it presents the role of personal beliefs in achieving success and the philosophy of personal achievement on every level. In fact, even today, this book is consistently recommended by successful business people and has been the inspiration for many success stories.
The author, Hill, organizes the information in a thirteen step plan that will eventually lead to success. The information is well structured and organized. However, the reader cannot help but notice the passion and emotion transmitted through Hill’s writing.
The book is thought provoking to say the least. Although often focusing on monetary success, the tested and proven principles and techniques presented in the book are universal and can be applied to every aspect of life and can reach any desired outcome. The author himself states that success and power is not necessarily about money, but is rather about quality of life and the achievement of goals. He even mentions Mahatma Gandhi as the most powerful man of his time.
You might find the language Hill uses in “Think and Grow Rich” to be a little formal, however, the essence of the book are its stories and examples and these encourage you to read further.
Although its title may suggest that there is a mystic power behind our thoughts, the book is centered on the idea that “what the mind can conceive, and believe, can achieve” – that in order to succeed, you must have the right attitude. If the right ideas are not your head, the right actions will follow.
This is the book for the person who is looking for guidance. Hill describes and bases his principles on the Law of Attraction (which recently became a popular topic once again in books such as “The Secret”). With this in hand, it can help you find the will, passion and character that will lead to success and can help you to create a clear definite plan in order to get there.
Remember that “Think and Grow Rich” is not a novel and reading it as such would not be effective. You should pause after each chapter to take the time to think about the message and the principles and the ways in which you can apply them to your life. The positive spirit of the book is contagious and gets you away from negative and defeatist thinking. It is a book that you have to read open-heartedly and with a drop of self-criticism. It is not designed to achieve overnight success, but you can feel yourself thinking positively almost instantly.
If you can read the book, rather than listen to the audio-book, do that, as you can reread it and highlight sections that you wish to review later.
If you want to read a highly motivational, thoroughly researched book that inspired a mountain of other self-improvement books, a manuscript that gives you positive self-talk and visualization tools, as well as methods of self-evaluation and ageless life lessons, then you have to get your hands on “Think and Grow Rich”. It has the rare potential to change your life.
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5) Loading ...By MaryEllen Tribby
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, yada, yada, yada! Ninety-nine percent of the time these "cool" new tactics are going to be worthless to your business. That's right, they will not yield you one red cent!
Why?
Because with any marketing tactic you use, it will only work when you understand the underlying, fundamental strategy. And, the strategy I'm talking about is the mother load - Direct Response Marketing. The effective use of social media can help in your direct response marketing.
Think about it. You want to build your dream house. You have hired the best architect in the world to design it. You have picked out the very best supplies money can buy to construct it. And, you have hired the best builder in the world to put it all together.
Naturally, you think that in the end you will have your dream home. A home where you and your family will make everlasting memories for years and years to come.
But oops . . .
No one told you that the land you were building this dream house on was actually swampland. Now, after months and months of planning and building, finally the house is up. And, even though it looks beautiful to everyone who sees it, it quickly comes crashing down because the foundation it was built on is non-existent.
Well my friends, the exact same thing is true in business. Your business will come crashing down if you don't understand the business of business. If you do not understand the concept of dollar out - dollar in, you will never have a business. And that is called direct response marketing.
The following is your introduction:
Although direct-marketing techniques have been used since the advent of the printing press, the definition that was set 89 years ago holds true today: Direct-response marketing (DRM) is a form of marketing designed to solicit an immediate response that is specific and quantifiable.
You see this at work in every DRM channel:
-Online newsletter promotions ask you to "click here."
-Magazine promotions ask you to place a "yes" sticker on a postcard to renew your subscription.
-TV ads ask you to call an 800 number to learn more about the latest vacuum- cleaner technology.
All of these channels then add urgency by stating that if you are among the first 25 or 50 or 100 to respond, you will be rewarded with extra bonuses.
They all ask customers to take action immediately.
They all ask customers to follow specific instructions. Smart companies track and quantify the results.
Keep in mind that DRM is not branding. The end goals of direct-response marketing and brand marketing are entirely different.
DRM wants to get the customer to provide information or open his wallet.
Branding, on the other hand, wants to get the customer to remember the product.
Direct-Response Marketing wants to get the customer to open their wallet by making sure it's message is a highly targeted with explicit interest or intent.
Moreover, with branding the customer remembers the product through image building and broad reach.
There is little to no conscious intent.
Today, with the power of the Internet behind you, branding and DRM work more closely together...closer than they ever have in the
history of advertising.
The Internet allows companies to create campaigns that are nearly hybrids of traditional branding and traditional DRM.
Think about all the e-newsletters being published today. There are hundreds of thousands of them out there on every subject imaginable, from gardening to politics to rock music, and thousands more are created each week.
Working Moms Only.com is just one of those e-newsletters we publish at Idea Incubator, LP. Because WMO is delivered several days a week and reaching tens of thousands --it has developed a certain brand presence.
By "brand presence," we mean that Working Moms Only has a specific look and feel. It has a strong mission statement (remember we talked about your mission statement in last month's issue) and specific core values. These are aspects of our "brand" that have been with us since its inception.
All of the products we produce carry our logo. So when you see banner ads on other web sites and text ads in other newsletters, you know by the logo that the ads come from WMO.
But at its heart, WMO is not a brand marketer. WMO is a direct- response e-newsletter. That's how we've developed our following, our community.
That's how we've grown our business. And because we've been consistent with our message, our values, and our product quality, we've been able to create a brand presence that other people recognize. A brand can develop organically from good DRM.
For most small businesses (the non-Cokes or Nikes of the world), this is the best way to grow. Spend your money on great direct-response campaigns and let your brand develop while you make money.
Now, if you're not familiar with direct-marketing methods, here are a few good books to start with:
-Eugene M. Schwartz's Breakthrough Advertising, originally published in 1966
-Dick Benson's Secrets of Successful Direct Mail, originally published in 1987
-Claude C. Hopkins' My Life in Advertising and Scientific Advertising, originally published in 1927 and 1923, respectively
-Michael Masterson's and MaryEllen Tribby's (yep, yours truly) Changing The Channel: 12 Easy
The authors of these books understood the profound impact that direct-response marketing can have on any business. It was their mission to teach the fundamentals--the rules and principles that apply to all businesses at all times.
But, I have to warn you - reading these books and putting them into action can ONLY help you make money!
By Christy Whitman
This is a lesson that I have learned even in the hardest point in my life. . .
The day my son Maxim turned two months old we took him for his regular checkup, and he was rushed to the emergency room because the doctor felt he looked blue. The team of ER doctors and nurses swarmed around him, placing an oxygen mask on his little tiny face, and attaching tubes to small veins. My husband and I had no idea what was happening with our little baby.
We were brought into a small room with one of the cardiologists, and she informed us that he had an issue with his heart. His main arteries were not connected correctly, and he was not able to breathe. To make matters worse, babies born with this condition usually had corrective surgery a week after their birth, most within days. Because Maxim was two months old they considered this a high-risk surgery, and they needed to do a procedure on him immediately.
This was the scariest situation I have ever experienced in my life. But, one thing that I had always known to be true, is that in order to create the outcome that you want in any area of your life, you must focus on what you want, and not on what you don't want. I have seen great success in my business because I always declare what I want, and then I focus only on that vision coming into manifestation. This situation was no different.
During this difficult time, my husband and I practice this kind of focus. Everyday we would talk about the vision that we had for our family, and we would focus on nothing but that vision. My son is now a year old. He is doing great, and he is completely healthy and very strong.
In all areas of your life, focus on three simple questions. I practice this in my own life and I feel these questions get me the success, fulfillment and ultimately the outcome I want.
1. What do you want? Be very clear about the vision that you have in all areas of your life: body, finances, career, family, relationships, spirituality. Clarity is key in creating what you want. Be very specific in what you desire. If you would like your bank account to have more money, how much is more money?
I asked my husband one day if he could create anything, what would it be? He was being silly looking outside into our new backyard and he said, "A pool full of money." I started to think, if I was going to get him a pool of money, where would I even start? How big should the pool be? A baby pool, or an Olympic-sized pool? And what type of money? Should it be one hundred dollar bills or pennies? If I were trying to fulfill his wish like the Universe is always trying to fulfill ours, I wouldn't know where to start, because he wasn't specific enough about what he wanted.
With Maxim's situation, we were very clear that we wanted our son to be healthy and strong. We wanted our family all back together again. I wanted both of my sons to be in the same room playing with one another. We wanted to be able to travel and explore as a family, now and as the boys grow older. We wanted joy in our house. We wanted happiness. We wanted everyone in total well-being. So declare what you want and be very specific.
2. Why do you want it? What are all the reasons that you want these things? If you decided that you wanted to make an additional $40,000 a year (getting very specific on the goal), why then do you want that additional $40,000? What will it do for you? Will you be able to travel more? Will you be able to shop for the clothes that you want to wear? Maybe the extra money will help you work with a coach to help you get to a more fulfilling place in all areas of your life.
With Maxim, we wanted what we wanted because having our family all together is fun, and there is a lot of love. We wanted to be able to have all of our attention on our two boys in the same place at the same time. We wanted our boys to be able to enjoy their lives. Because it feels better to have everyone healthy. Why do you want what you want?
3. How will you feel when you achieve it? This is the most important part. In order for the Universe to bring to you what you want, you need to be in vibrational alignment with it. If you want to be abundant, you first have to feel abundant. If you want to have greater success, you first have to feel success. We want what we want because somehow the receiving of it will make us feel a certain way. With Maxim, we wanted to feel joy. We wanted to feel secure. We wanted to feel safe. What is it that you want to feel in your life?
Once you identify what you want, why you want it, and how you will feel when you achieve it, you then want to connect with the feeling of having it.
When Maxim was in the hospital, every day l I would connect with feeling secure, knowing that he is already healthy, strong and on his way home. My husband and I would feel the joy of what it will feel like when we bring him home from the hospital knowing that he is now in perfect health. Now, everyday we are thankful we got through this difficult time and to have our son home, happy, healthy and doing well.
In my business I focus on the feeling of success and abundance. There is no other feeling I hold, and that is why my business, which I started from the dining room table in my husband’s condo almost five years ago, is now projected to generate over a million dollars in sales this year.
It works for me. It works for my clients. And it will work for you, as a mom and as a working woman.
About the Author:
Christy Whitman is an in-demand life coach, transformational leader, CEO and founder of the Quantum Success Coaching Academy, a 12 month Law of Attraction coaching certification program. She has helped thousands of women and men around the world achieve their goals through her empowerment seminars, speeches, and coaching sessions and products.
Christy's life-changing message reaches over 65,000 people a month. She has been quoted in Seventeen, Woman's World, Woman's Day, Teen Vogue, The Star Ledger, and Knot Magazine. As a certified Law of Attraction coach, her work has been promoted by and featured with best-selling authors like Marianne Williamson, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marci Shimoff, Brian Tracy, Neal Donald Walsch, Abraham-Hicks and Louise Hay. She currently lives in Montreal with her husband, Frederic, and their two boys, Alexander and Maxim. Meet her at http://www.workingmomsonly.com/coach-success.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By MaryEllen Tribby
“I know it’s a lot of money, but for every pair of shoes purchased, a pair is donated to help kids all over the world who can’t afford shoes.”
These were the words of my 13-year-old daughter as she was convincing me to buy her not one, not two, but three pairs of TOMS shoes!
Even though I thought three pairs of shoes at $77-a-pop was a bit extravagant; I justified the decision in my head, telling myself that I would be helping kids who weren’t nearly as fortunate as my own.
On the drive home, I learned that TOMS had been a recent topic at my teenager’s school and I was fascinated. Once we arrived home, I asked my daughter, Mikaela, to Google “TOMS,” so we could both learn more about whom and how this organization was helping.
I soon discovered that “TOMS” is a leader in the “cause marketing” world.
Since I have consulted for several large clients in this “world” for the last couple of years, I not only knew a little something about cause marketing; I whole heartily embraced it.
What Is Cause Marketing?
Cause marketing refers to a type of marketing that involves the cooperative efforts of a "for profit" business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit.
The term is sometimes used to refer to any type of marketing effort for social and/or charitable causes, including in-house marketing efforts by non-profit organizations.
Cause marketing differs from corporate giving (philanthropy), because the latter generally involves a specific donation that is tax deductible.
Cause marketing, on the other hand, is a marketing relationship that’s not necessarily based on a donation.
TOMS Shoes is a for-profit organization that holds a separate 501(c)(3) named Friends of TOMS.
Before we go into what makes TOMS Shoes a leader in cause marketing, as well as in direct-response marketing, let’s talk about how they got started, their business model, and what they “really” do.
TOMS Shoes was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie in Venice, California. It was inspired by a trip to Argentina (where Blake was competing on 2nd season of The Amazing Race with his sister).
After The Amazing Race, Blake went on to found a company that has changed business and PR models alike, by producing ONLY lightweight shoes based on the common Argentine style, the Alrpargata. TOMS shoes offer a simplistic style with a combination of canvas casing and a flexible sole… a casual look.
Mycoskie’a business plan is innovative, yet simple. In an effort to take corporate social responsibility to another level, and to advocate for forward thinking, TOMS Shoes is built upon a single philosophy:
•ONE FOR ONE - for every pair of shoes sold a pair of shoes would be given to a child in need.
His idea was an immediate home run, and sales and distribution are as follows:
•2006 – TOMS sold 10,000 pairs for these ‘plain’ shoes in a short 8-month span
•2007 – Sales skyrocketed to 50,000 pairs
•2009 – Sales jumped again to 140,000 pairs
•2010 – As of January 2010, over 400,000 pairs of shoes have been distributed worldwide.
Three-Pronged Marketing Approach
TOMS uses many of the same marketing tactics that you and I use in our businesses today, including:
•Traditional Media (Regular ads as well as having celebrities wear their TOMS in photo-ops.)
•Social Media (Blogs, Facebook, twitter, YouTube)
•Events (including people of all ages, races, and geographic areas).
Since TOMS relies heavily on word-of-mouth to spread its message, these events are themed and unique. They include:
•GET IT DONE: At these events, TOMS invites artists to come and paint a pair of their shoes, creating a one-of-a-kind, wearable work of art that can be auctioned off. The proceeds are then donated to likeminded charities.
•STYLE YOUR SOLE PARTY: These parties encourage people to come together and paint their own TOMS shoes at baby showers, youth groups meetings, and sorority events… another great way for TOMS to raise awareness and to sell in bulk.
•One Day Without Shoes: Participants go without shoes for a day in order to raise awareness for all of the children that must go without shoes… last year, there were 1,600 of these events in over 25 countries -- with over a quarter of a million participants choosing to go barefoot!
Answer the “Why” Before it’s Asked
Like any good marketer (cause or not), TOMS answers the question “WHY SHOES?” before it’s even asked.
TOMS lets its potential buyers know that wearing shoes protects against a disease called podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease.
Also known as "Mossy Foot", podoconiosis is a form of elephantiasis that affects the lymphatic system of the lower legs. It’s a soil-transmitted disease caused by walking in silica-rich soil. This causes one's feet to swell along with many other health implications.
This horrifying disease affects millions of children across the world.
TOMS understands that being an advocate for children, as well as being able to defend that advocacy with ease, will alleviate the price barrier and sell more shoes.
3 Keys for Business Growth
Like many great companies, TOMS grew out of a vision to make the world a better place. The company was able to create and implement this mission by combining traditional direct-response marketing with new media efforts.
Using this model, TOMS was able to achieve a higher average unit of sale, a low refund rate, and perfect “the pass along factor,” fulfilling all three of what well-known marketing expert Jay Abraham identifies as the
keys to growing any business:
1. Increase your number of customers.
2. Increase your number of purchases they make.
3. Increase your average amount they spend on each purchase.
(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5) Loading ...By Max Simon
I felt embarrassed and small.
I was at this well-known business conference talking to big name people about my business and the kinds of projects I was involved with… and I had “list shame”.
Everyone around me had 10,000, 20,000, or even 50,000 person mailing lists of people they could speak to on a weekly basis.
… And I had less than 1,200.
I felt embarrassed and small like my work in the world was not important or meaningful. As a result, I did not show up as powerfully or engage as fully as I knew possible.
After that conference, that was when I made the unwavering decision to build a bigger following so that I could interact with the people I respected and admired.
Unfortunately, I had no idea how to attract more people to be a part of my tribe… and most of the internet marketing strategies like buying traffic (and other complicated stuff like that) seemed too challenging to figure out.
That’s when I discovered a strategy called “Joint Ventures”… which is when you inspire other people to endorse you and promote your programs to their big list of followers.
… Which in turn builds your email list with perfectly aligned people who are hungry for what you’re doing (and want to buy).
So over the last few years, I devoted myself to learning EVERYTHING you would ever need to know about doing joint ventures and working with partners… and today, I’m thrilled to say that “I no longer have list shame.”
Plus I’ve been able to build a 7-figure business that truly is making a huge impact in the world and allowing me to work with incredible people who I can truly help.
So today, I’d like to share with you the 3 important “Partnership Secrets” to learning how to master joint ventures so you can achieve these same kind of powerful results no matter how far along you are in your business right now.
Partnership Secret #1: Always Seek Alignment First
We’ve done joint ventures with all sorts of different people and many of them were a flat out failure. Meaning they didn’t build our list, make any sales, or help us grow our business.
Why? Because we had a lack of alignment with either the partner or the tribe.
Meaning, our values, our language, and our reasons for doing business did not match.
For example, our mission is to use business as a vehicle to transform the world. And for many people, that simply doesn’t align. They are using business exclusively to make money. Or they are using business as a vehicle to build their own ego.
When we’ve done partnerships with people who do not align with our mission and values, they never work. And they definitely won’t work for you either!
So always seek to do partnerships with people who are deeply aligned with who you are and what you’re up to in the world. Take the time to get to know them, to have real conversations with them, and make sure you are both in great alignment together.
Partnership Secret #2: Lead With Your Movement Not The Money
We get approached by people every week that want to do Joint Ventures with us. The problem is that 95% of them lead with how much money we’ll make or how much we’ll earn per click.
I’m sorry to be blunt but “WHO CARES!?!”
My experience has shown that the majority of “leaders” who have big email lists don’t feel like money is the primary motivating factor.
I mean don’t get me wrong. A joint venture promotion must make financial sense to put your time & energy into doing it.
But above and beyond that, people want to endorse movements that are really exciting. They want to get behind people who deliver massive transformational value. They want to give something of real importance to their list.
So instead of leading with how much money you will help a partner make, instead lead with your mission and purpose and what type of benefit it will provide to their list.
That’s much more likely to inspire people to get on board with your promotion. Not to mention it’s a truly unique way to approach others because nobody can do your mission better than you!
Partnership Secret #3: Start With Your Inner Circle First
When people decide to start attracting joint venture partners, the first question people usually ask is: “where do I find these partners?”
The answer is so simple that it’s likely right under your nose. Look for the people you are already close to.
I can guarantee you that there are at least 2-3 potential partners who would be perfect to promote you that are already in your “inner circle”… meaning people you already have a great relationship with.
So pull out your phone, check your email contacts, or simply look at who you already talk to on a regular basis in your industry… and then approach them to do a joint venture together.
If you actually take the time to dig through your EXISTING contacts, I’ll bet you have aligned people who would be perfect to do a partnership together.
They may not have a huge list of people… but even someone who has a 100 people on their list that are perfect for you will be an amazing place to start.
So start where you are with the people you already know to get new joint venture partners fast.
Final Thoughts For You
It’s important to realize that you don’t build a big email list overnight.
But that doesn’t mean you should continue to wait to get started today. And in my personal experience, the absolute best way to consistently grow your reach and make money is through joint venture partnerships.
So make your decision today to get started building a larger email list by collaborating with others. It’s a very easy strategy, it’s a lot of fun to do it with others, and it’s a heck of a lot more effective than many other techniques out there.
The time for collaboration is now! And you can definitely do it…
About the Author
Max Simon is the founder of Big Vision Business, an amazing global company on a mission to train one million entrepreneurs to use business as their vehicle to transform the world & generate enough abundance to easily cover your personal, spiritual, and philanthropic desires. To become one of the million strong, visit BigVisionBusiness.com.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...By Craig Ballantyne
Back when I was 13 years old, working away for $3.10 per hour at the local garden center, one of my tasks was to take the empty flats (the plastic container in which you get your petunias) and stack them up in an old warehouse until they were needed again the next spring.
Of course, the old warehouse (that we called, ‘the barn’) was already overflowing with flats, pots, boxes of Christmas decorations, soil, tools, and even tractors. It was already over capacity. Somehow, I still managed to cram in another stack of flats in a dark corner. But it was far from optimal.
This is also how we treat our minds, and as a result our work and relationships suffer.
We cram our mental faculties full of information, appointments, deadlines, commitments, ideas, and even “bucket lists”. We end up giving half-hearted attention to a laundry list of activities instead of sustained, quality attention to fewer, more important objectives. Our careers, stress levels, relationships, and health all suffer.
As I discovered back when I was 13, the real problem wasn’t trying to cram more stuff into an already disorganized space. Oh no, the real problem came later when you tried to find things and extract them efficiently.
Likewise, the real problems in our minds arise when it comes to giving focus and attention to problems that matter. When we have half-heartedly committed to a dozen people, activity, committees, events, fundraisers, and groups, all of them suffer, particularly the projects that demand our greatest focus.
It’s time for a politically incorrect solution to dealing with the overcapacity in our lives.
Recently two friends and business colleagues emailed me to set up a phone call to explain his their new businesses and how I could partner with them.
I thought about scheduling calls with each of them as both opportunities were interesting and each could be successful for us and beneficial for the people we would help. But each call would need to fit between my deadlines for ETR, Financial Independence Monthly, my fitness business, and the Underground Online seminar, without cutting into the time I have dedicated for my family or health and fitness routine. The call would also need to revolve around my travel schedule.
As I thought about finding space in my schedule and in my mind for the extra responsibilities that these new opportunities would bring, my head exploded.
Boom.
Maple syrup-glazed Canadian brains everywhere. Have mercy on my poor assistant who will need to scrape out my grey matter from between the keys on my laptop.
Okay, my head didn’t explode. But it FELT like it was going to explode. My anxiety and blood pressure rose just thinking about trying to shove another opportunity into my already full to the brim mental warehouse.
So I said, “No, thank you, I’m sorry.” I went on to explain why I just could not get involved in any additional projects right now. Here’s what I wrote.
“I apologize, but I don’t have the mental capacity to give this conversation and your opportunity my full attention and preparation. As a business owner, I’m sure you’ll understand how we are being pulled in many directions, so you know where I’m coming from. I appreciate your interest in sharing this with me, however at this time I am fully committed to other projects and people.”
It felt great to say this. It felt even better to know that the strained attention I have for my current list of projects would not be diluted any further. And while there’s still a lot of work to do on cutting out more unnecessary tasks from my day, saying “No” to random opportunities that come my way is a start to reducing mental clutter.
The politically incorrect truth is this: You have to stand up for yourself. Listen, you don’t have time to talk to everyone about every single one of their problems. You can’t fix the world. Of course, you should certainly decline the invitations politely, but at some point you have to say no.
As much as you want to help everyone, as much as you want to jump into every new project and opportunity that comes along, you must remember that you have a limit on your mental capacity for quality work, meeting deadlines, and dealing with people.
All of these decisions are to be made with a big picture goal in mind. You want to unclutter your brain so that it able to deliver focused attention on major projects. Avoid having your attention diluted by multi-tasking or chasing every shiny new object that comes your way.
On an even bigger scale, remember that every decision you make to get involved in a new project takes time away from other aspects of your life.
With each new opportunity, ask yourself this: What are you willing to sacrifice from your current life in order to insert this new opportunity into your limited mental capacity?
Each time I am tempted to overindulge my desire to be involved in every exciting new opportunity that comes my way, I remind myself to review Kekich Credo #2 that states:
“Cherish time, your most valuable resource. You can never make up the time you lose. It’s the most important value for any productive happy individual and is the only limitation to all accomplishment. To waste time is to waste your life. The most important choices you’ll ever make are how you use your time.”
For all of us, no matter how much we want to take on everything that comes our way, eventually something has to give. We can either take control and choose what gets cut, or we can find out the hard way through experience as to what part of our lives ends up suffering.
Make the choice. Reduce capacity. Do fewer things well rather than a lot of things half-heartedly. Eliminate the demand on your already strained systems, and give more focus and attention to the priority projects in your life that will make the biggest difference.
About the author:
Craig Ballantyne is the author of Financial Independence Monthly, a complete blueprint to helping you take control of your financial future with a web–based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You've never seen anything like this before.
By MaryEllen Tribby
“Why are you so upset?” my husband asked.
“Because this woman has been online and in the marketing world for two years and she is teaching people things that are incorrect,” I replied. “It drives me crazy!”
Yes, I will admit it – it makes me freaking nuts when I see this kind of irresponsibility. And I see it all too often. Men and women who tout themselves as experts… yet supply advice that’s flat-out wrong.
I try to tell myself, She is probably a nice person and she probably believes the curriculum she is out there hawking is accurate.
But I want to shout at the top of my lungs, “STOP!”
It’s not as though the right information is hard to find. Hundreds of GREAT direct response marketing tools – books, newsletters, DVDs, and white papers – have been published over the years that contain the correct information in them. These resources explain the fundamentals of direct response marketing, the tried-and-true strategies and proven methods that have been making sales for decades.
Of course, this body of work includes the masterpieces written by the original masters like David Ogilvy, Claude Hopkins, Dick Benson, Robert Cialdini, and Eugene Schwartz. But there are plenty of contemporary options written by successful businesspeople and marketers working today. Experts like Michael Masterson, Clayton Makepeace, Bob Bly, and your very own MaryEllen Tribby. (That’s right: the best-selling book I wrote with Michael Masterson, Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business, is all about direct marketing fundamentals.)
If the misguided marketer I mentioned earlier had only taken the time to study these masters and these fundamentals. If she had only taken the time to understand these fundamentals and apply them in a real business setting. Then and only then would she (and anyone else in her position) be qualified to proclaim herself an expert.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. What bothers me so much about so many so-called Internet marketing “experts” is that they have never built or run a real business.
Often, they run “copycat” businesses – a company that’s based on a modification of what other Internet marketers do. They simply duplicate it, add a little twist, spice it up with their own little flair, and Shazzam! They’re an expert.
Well, guess what? It is a whole different ballgame when you are actually responsible for growing a business. When you are the one to brainstorm, test, and roll out REAL marketing campaigns. When you are the one to either hire the copywriter or write the copy. When you craft an offer and select the media.
But the real game changer is when your actions and the results you produce are responsible for putting food in your kids’ mouths and a roof over your family’s heads.
Until you:
1) Understand what the direct response marketing fundamentals are (The Holy Grail)…
2) Test, test, and test some more…
3) And have a “braggable” track record…
You cannot consider yourself an expert.
And, dare I say, you cannot assure yourself of your next paycheck.
Mark my words, until you’ve mastered the basics, you will always be scrambling to find the next “magic button,” the next “instant fix.”
Well it’s time. It’s time that we – as hard-working moms - say “No more B.S.” That we resolve to practice the same things we preach to our kids: that education is the key. That we sit down and master the marketing essentials that have always worked in the past and will always work in the future.
That is why this issue and my next two Monday issues will concentrate on the “Holy Grail”: direct response marketing fundamentals.
Let’s get started.
Art and Science, the Perfect Marriage
All of your direct response marketing campaigns should be a mixture of art and science. The art is in writing a sales letter and crafting an irresistible offer. The science is in tracking responses and using statistical computations to plan future campaigns.
Writing successful sales letters is a creative process – a matter of figuring out the market and devising a new promotion based on the customer’s current concerns. List and media testing and analysis, by contrast, are left-brain activities – tracking responses accurately and running them through statistical models to determine future mailings.
To be successful, an entrepreneur needs to get both sides of their brain working: the creative and the analytical sides.
Although entrepreneurs should be comfortable with both sides of the marketing process, most tend to favor one side or the other. Those who are more mathematically inclined tend to focus on lists and media, while those who feel more comfortable as communicators pay attention to copy.
Today, let’s focus on a critical – yet sometimes underestimated – element of any marketing campaign: the offer.
It is vital that an entrepreneur, business owner and marketing professional understand how to create an offer. Here’s why: A good offer can easily double response rates. A bad or botched offer can easily kill a campaign that would otherwise be profitable.
The Offer: What Is It Good For?
The offer is the deal you make with your customer and the terms of that deal. The offer lays out what he gets for what he gives you. It includes the product or the service, all the promises made about the product or service, the price you’re asking, any bonuses you’re including with the product or service, and the guarantee.
The offer also includes the transactional details such as how the customer can buy the product, like an 800 number, “order now” button, or “send payment to” address.
All these details are important, and all of them should be spelled out in the sales copy and in the order device. Failing to spell out these details properly and fully could be a costly mistake.
Your Offer Must Be “Hercules” Strong
Every direct response marketing campaign should contain a strong offer. The offer should include an incentive or reward that motivates prospects to respond to your campaign, either with an order or with a request for more information (depending on your goals).
To be effective, your offer must pass the “10 Tests”:
Test 1: Is your offer specific? Will the prospects understand exactly what they get and how to get it?
Test 2: Is your offer exclusive? Are you making your offer only to a select few (and making them feel that they are an exclusive bunch), or are you making your offer to everyone?
Test 3: Is your offer valuable? Will your prospects perceive your offer to be of value to them? Your offer may be inexpensive for you to make, but it must have a high perceived value to your potential customers.
Test 4: Is your offer unique? Is the deal you’re offering only available through your business?
Test 5: Is your offer useful? Your offer can be exclusive but useless, or unique and useless. Make sure your offer helps your prospects save money, save time, do their jobs better, or something else just as helpful.
Test 6: Is your offer relevant? Do prospects want what you are offering?
Test 7: Is your offer plausible? Some offers are too good to be true, and others are just plain silly. Either way, your offer needs to be credible.
Test 8. Is your offer easy to acquire? The harder you make it for your prospects to obtain your offer, the lower your response rates will be. So make your order forms clear, simple, and short; your toll-free telephone number obvious on the page; and your terms and conditions of purchase concise.
Test 9. Is your offer urgent? Are you clear about the deadline of your offer? Is it an early-bird special or are you limiting it to only the first 250 people who respond?
Test 10. Does your offer have a guarantee? Did you strengthen your offer with a money-back guarantee? Perhaps you could even allow the subscriber to keep all bonuses and/or issues up to that point, or make sure the prospect knows that there is no risk whatsoever.
Take a moment now to go look at the offers of all your current marketing campaigns.
If you are just starting out and do not have any of your own campaigns, look at offers that you have responded to, either in the mail or online. Examine each piece and circle how many of the above tests the offer meets.
Be conscious of the “10 Tests” while going forward. you will find that the more often you see an offer repeated, the more of the above components it contains. That’s because promotions that are getting responses and making money are the ones you see over and over again.
And aren’t those repeat money-makers the kind of marketing packages you want for your business?
If you want to get a head start on mastering the fundamentals of direct response marketing to sky rocket your business . . .
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By Laura Betterly
You know, I love technology--I really do. I'm a geek, I love going under the hood of my websites and I like to have all the coolest toys and gadgets.
I have the newest iPhone, an iPad2, a LiveScribe pen, the newest iMac, a PC, and a ton of other gadgets that I don't even remember buying. The problem is that I always seem to get in trouble when upgrading to the "newest" version of something I can't live without.
Maybe it's because my father was in technology. He was a brilliant man whom I admire--he invented instant replay and all the technology used for simulcasting using satellites--keep in mind it was in the 1960-'s and 1970's when he did this--well before there were personal computers and an Internet.
It seems, however, whenever I see a button or alert that says Update or Upgrade I'm compelled to click the upgrade button. It's almost as if I'm a gunslinger and Clint Eastwood is goading me with "come on, make my day." I just sometimes can't stop myself from clicking the button. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any problems, but about a third of the time, the results are disastrous.
About a week ago, I upgraded my corporate site (the theme and WordPress had updates available) and basically broke the site. This is a site with over eight thousand pages and ranks well on the search engines, so of course I was freaked.
Now, I'm pretty skilled technically, so I have an idea of what to do to fix things like this and how to avoid such issues. However, I made one crucial mistake. Because I was in a rush, I didn't back up my files up like I should have. Fortunately, I was able to get my site back up and running, but this incident made me realize something very important. I was breaking some very basic rules that everyone needs to follow so that they won't have an issue when upgrading to the newest and coolest features for their websites, software, and gadgets.
Always, always, always--did I say always? Back up before upgrading. No matter what kind of computer you have, you want to have a backup in case you are infected with a virus or if you have a hardware failure. Keep in mind all hardware fail--it's not a matter of if--it's a matter of when.
If you back up before you change anything on your system, device, or website, you will then have insurance that if something does go wrong, you can go back in time to before the upgrade and be able to continue on what you were working on.
Here is how you can back up your computers, devices and websites:
If you're on a PC, you can backup via Windows on an external hard drive.
If you're on a MAC , you can you can backup via time machine on an external hard drive
If you have an iDevice (iPhone, iPad) you can set up a backup to your computer or you can store your information on iCloud.
If you have a static website, you can set up backups via your host
If you have a website built in Word Press (which is the platform I use) I use a premium plugin called BackupBuddy by iThemes. It's just a click of button and you have backed up the site and can download to your computer.
Now this might seem like common sense. But, truth be told, I have been a big offender of thinking it will never happen to me, but it happens to all of us.
The nightmare of losing all your contacts, hours of hard work, or all your apps just sucks, no matter what technology you are using. So, be sure to make a date on your calendar to back up your devices whenever you can and as often as you can. Also, before you upgrade anything, make sure you have the ability to restore to the previous version. This way when that dreaded day comes that you get a virus or when your hardware finally breaks down you'll be good to go.
About the Author
Laura considers herself an eclectic serial entrepreneur. Although her first love was playing guitar (she performed in NYC punk bands in the late 1970?s and early 1980?s), she has spent most of her career being a tech geek, handling the marketing and promotion for her clients as well as several of her own projects. She co-founded Visiosonic (PCDJ.COM) in 1999 and was responsible for the PR and Marketing. As a result, PCDJ gained recognition as the first duel MP3 Player for DJ's. The free player was downloaded more than nine million times. She forged relationships with other tech companies such as MP3.com and Live365.com and worked with celebrities such as Ice T, Nile Rodgers, Jam Master Jay and Chaka Kahn to name a few. She also co-founded In Touch Media Group which engaged in internet marketing and PR.
She has been a featured speaker at such diverse functions as CES (The Consumer Electronics Show), Winter Music Conference, NARAS, the Grammy's organization as well as the Federal Trade Commission. Laura has been interviewed extensively and featured in such newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Newsday as well as on CNN, CNNfN and NPR to name just a few. In fact, she has been interviewed in and been on over 200 newspaper, TV, and radio shows.
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