What Is This About Gifting? Scam, Illegal or Just An Innocent Activity.
Joseph Demasi
As promised I have come out to discuss Gifting, since you cannot get anywhere online without running into a gifting program or 2(more like over 100). This has really become popular over the last 12-18 months. It seems no matter who you speak with online more than 50% are involved with some type of gifting program.
Let's clear the air about something, I am NOT involved with gifting in any way shape or form. I stay out of the debate about the legal aspect of it. Some people like gifting some do not. Some feel it is a perfectly legal activity and of course others disagree. So what is gifting?
One thing I can tell you for sure, it is not a supposed to be a business! If someone is explaining gifting to you and using the words investment or profit or earning- you have a problem. Gifting is an activity, plain and simple. There is no product, no business- just cash given to others of their own free will with nothing expected in return! What did I say? Was it the nothing expected in return part? Oh you are expecting something in return? Your 'inviter' told you money would be rolling in? Oh I see. Here are copies of the forms you signed or are going to sign when you get involved. Gifting Letters . Read them carefully. Once you sign them and send your cash- you have no recourse. Listen to my radio show where I explain it in more detail. Joseph Demasi Radio
Gifting is a noble endeavor and it has been around sine the dawn of time. people have always given gifts and of couse the act of giving or receiving gifts is not illegal. In fact you can receive a cash gift of up to $12k annually from a single person and it not be taxed. Thi is the law that gifters quote to inform you that gifting is legal. Unfortunately- the IRS does not make laws, they just enforce the tax code. In order to find out if your particular program is 100% legal you need to speak to the FTC - Federal Trade Commission.
People are making fortunes in giifting. Yes that is true. Gifting works for some people and not for others. What draws people about gifting is the no hassle approach. You don't have to mess with a business, no overhead, no paypal, no credit cards, no checks- JUST CASH TO YOUR DOOR. That is the draw- with the economy taking and people losing their jobs- they are looking for something more and a better way to maintain their household. Some will turn to gifting, others will turn to small busineses online. Whatever you decide- look into it carefully and go into it with your eyes wide open! Realize what you will be expected to do. There is no reward without effort.
Have a Great Day,
Joseph Demasi
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Why Are You Not Successful Yet?
Joseph Demasi
It may seem like a stupid question. Is it really? Are you supposed to have the answer? Is it really all in your own control? What about the company, the payplan, your sponsor? Don't they have some responsibility in all this?
I will put it this way- It is 10% other things (sponsor, company, payplan,etc) and 90% YOU!
Give me an excuse that I have not heard and I will send you $100. really I mean it. What is holding you back from making a decision or moving forward toward your goals? Let's face it, we all want something more in our lives, or else you would not be here reading this. You would not be looking, but the problem is that's all that some people do is look. They never take action, they never complete what they start. people feel great about themselves that they actually took the step of looking, and then they decide "it's just not for me."
What is NOT FOR YOU? - is it the bigger house, newer car, getting yourself out of debt? That is the bottom line after all. What is it that you want? Someone I admire in this business, kind of a mentor to me, told me one day after I had said these words to him- "sounds great and I can really see the potential, but it really isn't for me"- he said: "what's not for you? making more money, wanting more for your family?"
It hit me at that point, what he was really saying to me was- do you really want those things you told me you wanted or are they just on your wish list and you are hoping Santa can bring them on Christmas... bottom line- WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Think of the last time you got something you really wanted. A big screen TV, that new car, money to repair the roof, new tires for the car, a new computer- you get the point. What did you do to get it? You see, if you really want something you can always find a way to get it. There is always a way, if you value it enough. Again, WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Do you really want it or just want it a little? Well, you just don't have the money... Have a Garage Sale- you could easily make a few hundred dollars selling all the crap you are saving in your garage. You are just not into (fill in the blank) ie: nutrition, e-books, health & wellness, marketing systems, computers. Whatever you can think of. It just doesn't turn you on.
Those are just excuses, an excuse is a way for you to feel better about your circumstances, because at least you are trying, you are actually looking. You may not be doing, but you have really good reasons. Excuses steal your dreams!
YOU ARE AFRAID- THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE!!! All the excuses lead to this, there is a fear associated with doing something different, something new- stepping out there. It is normal... and everyone goes through it. BUT... until the thing that you want is bigger than your fear, you will not succeed.
The economy is bad right now and everyone can agree on that. However, people are still making money and some people are making a lot of money, in fact there are people out there right now that are having their best year ever! - How is that possible? I hear on the news that everyone is in trouble, people are losing their homes and their jobs, it's another depression- THE SKY IS FALLING!
The one thing I can tell you is -DON'T WATCH THE NEWS! - It will depress you.
Believe while others .. By William Arthur Ward
Believe while others are doubting.
Plan while others are playing.
Study while others are sleeping.
Decide while others are delaying.
Prepare while others are daydreaming.
Begin while others are procrastinating.
Work while others are wishing.
Save while others are wasting.
Listen while others are talking.
Smile while others are frowning.
Commend while others are criticizing.
Persist while others are quitting.
Your future is in your hands- you have the ability to make it whatever you want. Dare to dream and soar like an Eagle- because you can!
Joseph Demasi
It may seem like a stupid question. Is it really? Are you supposed to have the answer? Is it really all in your own control? What about the company, the payplan, your sponsor? Don't they have some responsibility in all this?
I will put it this way- It is 10% other things (sponsor, company, payplan,etc) and 90% YOU!
Give me an excuse that I have not heard and I will send you $100. really I mean it. What is holding you back from making a decision or moving forward toward your goals? Let's face it, we all want something more in our lives, or else you would not be here reading this. You would not be looking, but the problem is that's all that some people do is look. They never take action, they never complete what they start. people feel great about themselves that they actually took the step of looking, and then they decide "it's just not for me."
What is NOT FOR YOU? - is it the bigger house, newer car, getting yourself out of debt? That is the bottom line after all. What is it that you want? Someone I admire in this business, kind of a mentor to me, told me one day after I had said these words to him- "sounds great and I can really see the potential, but it really isn't for me"- he said: "what's not for you? making more money, wanting more for your family?"
It hit me at that point, what he was really saying to me was- do you really want those things you told me you wanted or are they just on your wish list and you are hoping Santa can bring them on Christmas... bottom line- WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Think of the last time you got something you really wanted. A big screen TV, that new car, money to repair the roof, new tires for the car, a new computer- you get the point. What did you do to get it? You see, if you really want something you can always find a way to get it. There is always a way, if you value it enough. Again, WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Do you really want it or just want it a little? Well, you just don't have the money... Have a Garage Sale- you could easily make a few hundred dollars selling all the crap you are saving in your garage. You are just not into (fill in the blank) ie: nutrition, e-books, health & wellness, marketing systems, computers. Whatever you can think of. It just doesn't turn you on.
Those are just excuses, an excuse is a way for you to feel better about your circumstances, because at least you are trying, you are actually looking. You may not be doing, but you have really good reasons. Excuses steal your dreams!
YOU ARE AFRAID- THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE!!! All the excuses lead to this, there is a fear associated with doing something different, something new- stepping out there. It is normal... and everyone goes through it. BUT... until the thing that you want is bigger than your fear, you will not succeed.
The economy is bad right now and everyone can agree on that. However, people are still making money and some people are making a lot of money, in fact there are people out there right now that are having their best year ever! - How is that possible? I hear on the news that everyone is in trouble, people are losing their homes and their jobs, it's another depression- THE SKY IS FALLING!
The one thing I can tell you is -DON'T WATCH THE NEWS! - It will depress you.
Believe while others .. By William Arthur Ward
Believe while others are doubting.
Plan while others are playing.
Study while others are sleeping.
Decide while others are delaying.
Prepare while others are daydreaming.
Begin while others are procrastinating.
Work while others are wishing.
Save while others are wasting.
Listen while others are talking.
Smile while others are frowning.
Commend while others are criticizing.
Persist while others are quitting.
Your future is in your hands- you have the ability to make it whatever you want. Dare to dream and soar like an Eagle- because you can!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
What should you be looking for in a Home Based Business?
by Joseph Demasi
Everybody seems to be searching these days for that elusive "perfect business", you see them scrambling online jumping from one to another as the Pied Pipers (gurus) of the internet claim - "Get in now! massive spillover" or "this is the best program in years!" or my favorite " You are guaranteed to succeed!". You want a guarantee ( or as close as you're gonna get) - buy a McDonald's franchise and open it up in Los Angeles. Oh, don't have the $1.5 million franchise fee, oh well, maybe you can win the lotto!
The bottom line is- if someone is promising you that you are guaranteed to succeed- run as far as you can away from that person. Now there are programs that are better than others and you will have to decide what is best for you. But, I digress- this is a post about what you really should be looking for in a business. now this does not cover everything, but it should be a rough guideline. Feel free to disagree and follow you're own path, I am listing traits that any businessman would say makes good business sense. Here goes:
1. The company must have some kind of track record. Given the fact that 95% of businesses fail in the first 3 years, you don't want to get involved with a company that goes down in 1 year. I like to look for companies that have been around at least 5 years. This way you know that they have worked the bugs out of their system.
2. This may go without saying, but what kind of reputation do they have and are you personally familiar with the company. If you find that a company is getting all kinds of bad press then I would stay away at least until the press quiets down and fallout is given a chance to happen. Remeber Mannatech- it is a great company with good products, HOWEVER, remeber the 20/20 special about the questionable claims its distributors were making about the miracle healings the products delivered. They literally got scorched on national TV and to this day have not recovered. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3228488 here is a link to the story. It does not matter if the story is true or not, perception is reality and you do not want to always be selling against the story, it puts you at a severe disadvantage.
3. Are the owners/managers successful business people. Have they successfully managed busnesses. This is all important - if you have a great product and a great comp plan and everyone is excited- all it takes is one bonehead decision to bring the whole thing tumbling down and it is very hard to pick up the pieces and put that thing back together again.
4. The products must serve a purpose and be in a growth industry. Let's take health and wellness- a lot of people say to me "I don't want to be in the health business, it is boring". I can tell you one thing and it may insult a few of you especially if you are thinking that right now- a real business person would never ever say something like that! Bottom line is you want to be in a growth industry and right now the health and wellness industry is booming and expected to grow by 4 fold over the next 10 years. Many Millionaires will be made in this industry over the next 5 years. People will always want to look better and feel better! That is why the weight loss industry continues to grow.
5. Is there a marketing system in place that you can plug into to help you build your business. This is a very important part. Remeber the McDonald's example- they have a great marketing system- it is called advertising. All the franchisee's pool their money and give it to the company in the form of fees so that the company will advertise and drive customers to your store. What kind of system or perks is your company working on.
That is 5 to start with and I that should give you a great starting point- if you feel that one of these does not fit for you and you have something else to look at then by all means go for it- remeber it is your business and you need to be able to faiul or succeed based on your own efforts, so don't start out with a deck stacked against you!
by Joseph Demasi
Everybody seems to be searching these days for that elusive "perfect business", you see them scrambling online jumping from one to another as the Pied Pipers (gurus) of the internet claim - "Get in now! massive spillover" or "this is the best program in years!" or my favorite " You are guaranteed to succeed!". You want a guarantee ( or as close as you're gonna get) - buy a McDonald's franchise and open it up in Los Angeles. Oh, don't have the $1.5 million franchise fee, oh well, maybe you can win the lotto!
The bottom line is- if someone is promising you that you are guaranteed to succeed- run as far as you can away from that person. Now there are programs that are better than others and you will have to decide what is best for you. But, I digress- this is a post about what you really should be looking for in a business. now this does not cover everything, but it should be a rough guideline. Feel free to disagree and follow you're own path, I am listing traits that any businessman would say makes good business sense. Here goes:
1. The company must have some kind of track record. Given the fact that 95% of businesses fail in the first 3 years, you don't want to get involved with a company that goes down in 1 year. I like to look for companies that have been around at least 5 years. This way you know that they have worked the bugs out of their system.
2. This may go without saying, but what kind of reputation do they have and are you personally familiar with the company. If you find that a company is getting all kinds of bad press then I would stay away at least until the press quiets down and fallout is given a chance to happen. Remeber Mannatech- it is a great company with good products, HOWEVER, remeber the 20/20 special about the questionable claims its distributors were making about the miracle healings the products delivered. They literally got scorched on national TV and to this day have not recovered. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3228488 here is a link to the story. It does not matter if the story is true or not, perception is reality and you do not want to always be selling against the story, it puts you at a severe disadvantage.
3. Are the owners/managers successful business people. Have they successfully managed busnesses. This is all important - if you have a great product and a great comp plan and everyone is excited- all it takes is one bonehead decision to bring the whole thing tumbling down and it is very hard to pick up the pieces and put that thing back together again.
4. The products must serve a purpose and be in a growth industry. Let's take health and wellness- a lot of people say to me "I don't want to be in the health business, it is boring". I can tell you one thing and it may insult a few of you especially if you are thinking that right now- a real business person would never ever say something like that! Bottom line is you want to be in a growth industry and right now the health and wellness industry is booming and expected to grow by 4 fold over the next 10 years. Many Millionaires will be made in this industry over the next 5 years. People will always want to look better and feel better! That is why the weight loss industry continues to grow.
5. Is there a marketing system in place that you can plug into to help you build your business. This is a very important part. Remeber the McDonald's example- they have a great marketing system- it is called advertising. All the franchisee's pool their money and give it to the company in the form of fees so that the company will advertise and drive customers to your store. What kind of system or perks is your company working on.
That is 5 to start with and I that should give you a great starting point- if you feel that one of these does not fit for you and you have something else to look at then by all means go for it- remeber it is your business and you need to be able to faiul or succeed based on your own efforts, so don't start out with a deck stacked against you!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Do You Have A Plan B?
With the state of the economy today- YOU NEED ONE!
With the state of the economy today- YOU NEED ONE!
You need to take action. Sitting and waiting is the worst possible thing you can do.
http://josephdemasi.com/riskfree - Great Plan B For US residents!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
What Is This About Craigslist?
by Joseph Demasi
The bottom line: if you are not posting on Craigslist on a consistent basis, you are literally letting money fly by. I speak to people everyday that make 95% of their income from craigslist. What is craigslist : it is a free classified site that you can post almost anything in: Jobs, Biz ops items for sale etc. Think E-bay, but without the bidding and fees!
Craigslist was incorporated in 1999, and to this day consistently generates billions of page views per month. There are approx. 30 million users per month that use Craigslist. This is very targeted traffic. I consistenly get 10-20 opt-ins per day from ads I place on Craigslist. I do not place just 1 or 2 ads, I place a few hundred ads daily on Craigslist.
This is about expanding your focus and driving traffic to your website. Craigslist is a FREE service for the most part. They do charge a fee to post in Jobs in selected cities: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Orance County, San Diego, Chicago and Sacramento.
Imagine being able to get 10-20 targeted leads per day to your business. How would you be doing? Beware, however, just posting blindly with leave you frustrated. You still need to have the skills and consistency to drive that traffic. Ads and headlines have to create enough interest to the viewer that will make them go to your site.
With an ad on craiglist: less is more. I have seen many ads that are a page long with all kinds of info. Your goal is to create as much curiosity to have that viewer want to go to the web site to see what it is all about. The other thing is people don't want to read a lot in an ad. If it is too long, they will skip it. There is a great site that gives you all kinds of info and great training on craigslist and other classified sites. There is a link to it on the side labeled: Post 1000's Of Ads On Craigslist .
As with anything you must be consistent, I try to post everyday. Some are better than others, but you always need to test to find your niche.
Have a Great and Prosperous Day.
by Joseph Demasi
The bottom line: if you are not posting on Craigslist on a consistent basis, you are literally letting money fly by. I speak to people everyday that make 95% of their income from craigslist. What is craigslist : it is a free classified site that you can post almost anything in: Jobs, Biz ops items for sale etc. Think E-bay, but without the bidding and fees!
Craigslist was incorporated in 1999, and to this day consistently generates billions of page views per month. There are approx. 30 million users per month that use Craigslist. This is very targeted traffic. I consistenly get 10-20 opt-ins per day from ads I place on Craigslist. I do not place just 1 or 2 ads, I place a few hundred ads daily on Craigslist.
This is about expanding your focus and driving traffic to your website. Craigslist is a FREE service for the most part. They do charge a fee to post in Jobs in selected cities: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Orance County, San Diego, Chicago and Sacramento.
Imagine being able to get 10-20 targeted leads per day to your business. How would you be doing? Beware, however, just posting blindly with leave you frustrated. You still need to have the skills and consistency to drive that traffic. Ads and headlines have to create enough interest to the viewer that will make them go to your site.
With an ad on craiglist: less is more. I have seen many ads that are a page long with all kinds of info. Your goal is to create as much curiosity to have that viewer want to go to the web site to see what it is all about. The other thing is people don't want to read a lot in an ad. If it is too long, they will skip it. There is a great site that gives you all kinds of info and great training on craigslist and other classified sites. There is a link to it on the side labeled: Post 1000's Of Ads On Craigslist .
As with anything you must be consistent, I try to post everyday. Some are better than others, but you always need to test to find your niche.
Have a Great and Prosperous Day.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
The Truth About Traffic Generation
Today I want to share with you a great post that Steven Wagenheim put up, talking about different typesof traffic generation and their effectivness.Read this and learn from it, so you have more ofand understanding about what it takes to drive more trafficto your websiteHere is is:
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The Truth About Traffic Generation
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I'll be rating each method on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best) for speedand for effectiveness.
Article Marketing
Thanks to Travis Sago's Bum Marketing, this has become very popular among those who don't have a lot of money to spend. I'd been doing article marketing long before Bum Marketing ever became a household word. I'm glad I did, or I'd be having a very hard time today. Article marketing is cheap, no question about it. Hell, it's free. But it's also a slow process. You can't write one article and expect to get thousandsof people to your web site UNLESS you're in a niche that is virtually unknown. But then, if you ARE, how much traffic do you REALLY think you're going to get? If there is that little competition, then more likely than not, there isn't a lot of traffic to begin with. Article marketing requires you to write constantly. Naturally, if you're in a niche that isn't too saturated, your articles will get indexed higher in the search engines. If you're in a competitive niche, not so high. The only views you'll probably get are the ones from people going directly to the article directories themselves. I'll touch on search engines last so don't worry, we'll get there. Article marketing can be very effective in any niche, provided you write good articles and submit to places that get a lot of traffic, like EzineArticles. All my niches, regardless of what they are, get good amounts of traffic from submitting there. So from my experience, it's safe to say that you'll get a good amount of traffic just by doing this. However, you have to write a ton. There is no way around that unless you outsource all your articles. Then, it's no longer cheap.
Effectiveness Rating - 10
Speed Rating - 5
Pay Per Click
This can be the best or the worst form of advertising in the world. The problem with pay per click is two fold.
1. The cost factor, depending on your keywords.
2. The skill factor, depending on how well you can write a 3 line ad.
I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this because there are a zillionbooks written on this subject, but I will briefly touch on the two points above so you understand why pay per click can be such a bitch.
1. The cost factor - Some niches are dirt cheap. You can get a 3rdposition listing for 5 cents with no problem. Have a good landing page, as per Google's "definition" and you can clean up. My friend Juan Walker makes a fortune on his acne product using Adwords because he has the most relevant product for those keywords and has been around a longtime. Look up acne cure and you'll find his product number 1. However, some niches are a fortune. I don't use Adwords for my IM products because the CPC is about a buck. Let's do some math. Let's say your product converts at 2%. That means, in order to make 1 sale, you need 50 clicks. That's $50 at a buck a click. If you're selling a$19 ebook, you better have one hell of a backend that converts like crazy, or you're going to go broke. That is just simple math. There is no way around the law of mathematics. So the cost factor of pay per click can make it so that it's just not feasible to use for your business model.
2. The Skill Factor - In the few niches I am in that are not IM where the CPC isn't so bad, there is still another problem...how well your ads are worded. I split test all my ad groups and you'll be surprised how just ONE word can make the difference between a CTR of 1% and a CTR of 5%. I am no expert on 3 line ads. I have to work very hard at it. Somebody just starting out with no copywriting skills at all is going to get buried by a low CTR. Why? The lower your CTR, the higher your CPC. Is pay per click highly targeted? Yes and no. Yes, it is if your ad exactly matches the page that the prospect is landing on. But if it doesn't, you run a great risk of having that prospect close up your page because it doesn't match what he's looking for. Pay per click is NOT for the feint of heart, regardless of what anybody tells you. There is a ton to making it work just right, which is why there are so many books on the subject. I know very few people who have figured this beast out themselves. My ratings below are based on the AVERAGE PPC user, NOT an expert.
Effectiveness Rating - 5
Speed Rating - 10
Forum Participation
So many people say, "Participate in forums" to promote your product. Well, guess what? This doesn't work in every niche. Some niches don't even have forums. Other niches are so strict that they don't allow signatures at all and even a hint of self promotion and your butt will be thrown out of the place. So forum participation is a very select method of promotion. And even at places where they do allow signatures, you still have to follow the rules. I'm not going to get into rules and etiquette here. I want to focus strictly on the effectiveness and speed of forum marketing. It isn't the magic bullet people think it is, even at forums that allow promotion. When you first arrive at a forum, unless you already have a big name in your field, you're a nobody there. You are unknown. So the first thing you have to do is introduce yourself. Now, don't think that once you've done that, people are going to come flocking to your sig file. They won't. You have to establish a presence there. You have to build trust. This takes time...LOTS OF TIME. You have to constantly add to the community while at the same time, not step on any toes of the long time members. Some may take offense to you coming in and offering your 2 cents on every subject in discussion. So you have to tread lightly and carefully. This is one hell of a balancing act and trust me, I am speaking from painful experience, it is NOT an easy one to do. Point is, while forum participation can eventually make a name for yourself, provided you REALLY have something to offer, it is not an overnight thing. It can take months before you're "accepted" by the community, if you're ever accepted. Sometimes, people just don't like you and there's not a blessed thing you can do about it.
Effectiveness Rating - 10
Speed Rating - 3
Safelists & Traffic Exchanges
Now we run into forms of traffic generation that ONLY work in the make money niche. Forget about trying to get somebody to buy your get out of debt product through safelists. This form as well as the others that follow is just not targeted to anything other than opportunity seekers. But why? The reason is simple. The people who join safelists and traffic exchanges are interested in just one thing...promoting their business. They are NOT your prospective customers in any manner, shape or form UNLESS you have a way for them to improve THEIR business. Otherwise, don't even waste your time. So, if you are in the "make money" niche, the way you reach these people is by giving them free info on how to get more traffic to their site and make more money. Don't try to sell them anything. You're wasting your time. Then, once you have them on your list and have gained their trust, then you can try to sell them. The following ratings apply ONLY if you are in the "make money" niche. I have built some decent sized lists using these methods. The good thing about them is that they are free and used correctly, they do work fairlywell.
Effectiveness Rating - 6
Speed Rating - 10
Video Marketing
This is a relatively new gimmick. Truth is, it can be very effective or it can be a total waste of time depending on your niche and what you have to offer. There is no question that in the right niche and with the right keyword tags for your videos, you'll get indexed at Google damn fast and as you've seen, some videos have hundreds of thousands if not MILLIONS of views. But...in order to have this happen, your video better be something that people are going to talk about and pass around. If your video doesn't get somebody's attention right away, you're dead. Nobody has any patience anymore. They want instant entertainment and excitement and that's what your video has to bring them, otherwise, they won't watch. It's that simple. There are a few good books out there on how to create videos that will make people want to watch. And don't go by my videos. I'm just a tell it like it is guy and my videos are far from entertainment and don't get many views. I do mine strictly for a very select groups of people. Now, there is another problem with video. Even if you get a lot of traffic, you will find, depending on your niche, that a lot of this traffic is worthless. Why? They're just surfers. They're not really looking for any great solution to a problem OR they're looking for a free one. You will find many reports from people saying that their video traffic doesn't convert well, if at all. Bottom line: Video is a crap shoot, even WITH a great video. Depends on your product and what you're offering.
Effectiveness Rating - 2
Speed Rating - 10
Social Bookmarking
I'm not going to go into a long spiel on this because my experience tells me that this is not a quick fix. In order to get any significant results from social bookmarking sites like DIGG, you have to constantly bookmark the articles on your blog, site, whatever, and write constantly. Over time, you'll see some results. But again, just like video marketing, which at least is fast, the traffic is pretty crappy unless you're bookmarking something that is really so incredible that people have to have what you're selling in relation to it.
Effectiveness Rating - 2
Speed Rating - 4
Search Engines
Ultimately, this is what it all comes down to. Bottom Line: Somebody types in "How To Fix My PC" and your site ends up on page X. That's it. That's all that matters. I've been fighting the search engine wars for over 5 years now. With some keywords, you'll find me on page 1. With others, you'll find me nowhere. It all depends on the competition and how much time you want to spend working on: Optimizing your page versus the other guy Getting backlinks Doing link exchanges Off Site SEO And so on. This is the slowest traffic generation method in existence, trying to win the SE wars. Good luck. I don't even bother trying anymore. Instead, I focus on using promotional techniques that get my message in front of my prospect quickly and cheaply. Over time, these methods do build up momentum and do bring me in a nice income. Here is the breakdown, percentage wise, of my monthly income. Article Marketing - 67% Safelists, TEs, FFA Sites, Message Boards - 20% Forum Participation - 13% My monthly advertising expenses - $200 My average monthly income - $10,000 I'm cheap, but my ROI is also ridiculous. Do I work a lot of hours? Yes. If you look at my above analysis of traffic generation methods, you'll see why. Now, I haven't covered everything as far as traffic generation. I've leftout things like buying leads, classified ads, banner exchanges, soloezine ads, and a few others, either because they are insignificant, don't work or are just not cost effective enough. Solo Ezine ads actually can be very good if you know some tricks. I'll cover that in another thread someday because they'll take a whole thread to explain properly. There is an art to solo ezine ads. Anyway, I know this was long (took about an hour to type out) but I hope it was helpful to somebody. As you can see, there is no magic bullet to traffic generation. I doubt that there ever will be.
Hoped you liked this article, Written By Steven Wagenheim This was written by Steven Wagenheim from the Warrior Forum,
Today I want to share with you a great post that Steven Wagenheim put up, talking about different typesof traffic generation and their effectivness.Read this and learn from it, so you have more ofand understanding about what it takes to drive more trafficto your websiteHere is is:
===================================
The Truth About Traffic Generation
===================================
I'll be rating each method on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best) for speedand for effectiveness.
Article Marketing
Thanks to Travis Sago's Bum Marketing, this has become very popular among those who don't have a lot of money to spend. I'd been doing article marketing long before Bum Marketing ever became a household word. I'm glad I did, or I'd be having a very hard time today. Article marketing is cheap, no question about it. Hell, it's free. But it's also a slow process. You can't write one article and expect to get thousandsof people to your web site UNLESS you're in a niche that is virtually unknown. But then, if you ARE, how much traffic do you REALLY think you're going to get? If there is that little competition, then more likely than not, there isn't a lot of traffic to begin with. Article marketing requires you to write constantly. Naturally, if you're in a niche that isn't too saturated, your articles will get indexed higher in the search engines. If you're in a competitive niche, not so high. The only views you'll probably get are the ones from people going directly to the article directories themselves. I'll touch on search engines last so don't worry, we'll get there. Article marketing can be very effective in any niche, provided you write good articles and submit to places that get a lot of traffic, like EzineArticles. All my niches, regardless of what they are, get good amounts of traffic from submitting there. So from my experience, it's safe to say that you'll get a good amount of traffic just by doing this. However, you have to write a ton. There is no way around that unless you outsource all your articles. Then, it's no longer cheap.
Effectiveness Rating - 10
Speed Rating - 5
Pay Per Click
This can be the best or the worst form of advertising in the world. The problem with pay per click is two fold.
1. The cost factor, depending on your keywords.
2. The skill factor, depending on how well you can write a 3 line ad.
I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this because there are a zillionbooks written on this subject, but I will briefly touch on the two points above so you understand why pay per click can be such a bitch.
1. The cost factor - Some niches are dirt cheap. You can get a 3rdposition listing for 5 cents with no problem. Have a good landing page, as per Google's "definition" and you can clean up. My friend Juan Walker makes a fortune on his acne product using Adwords because he has the most relevant product for those keywords and has been around a longtime. Look up acne cure and you'll find his product number 1. However, some niches are a fortune. I don't use Adwords for my IM products because the CPC is about a buck. Let's do some math. Let's say your product converts at 2%. That means, in order to make 1 sale, you need 50 clicks. That's $50 at a buck a click. If you're selling a$19 ebook, you better have one hell of a backend that converts like crazy, or you're going to go broke. That is just simple math. There is no way around the law of mathematics. So the cost factor of pay per click can make it so that it's just not feasible to use for your business model.
2. The Skill Factor - In the few niches I am in that are not IM where the CPC isn't so bad, there is still another problem...how well your ads are worded. I split test all my ad groups and you'll be surprised how just ONE word can make the difference between a CTR of 1% and a CTR of 5%. I am no expert on 3 line ads. I have to work very hard at it. Somebody just starting out with no copywriting skills at all is going to get buried by a low CTR. Why? The lower your CTR, the higher your CPC. Is pay per click highly targeted? Yes and no. Yes, it is if your ad exactly matches the page that the prospect is landing on. But if it doesn't, you run a great risk of having that prospect close up your page because it doesn't match what he's looking for. Pay per click is NOT for the feint of heart, regardless of what anybody tells you. There is a ton to making it work just right, which is why there are so many books on the subject. I know very few people who have figured this beast out themselves. My ratings below are based on the AVERAGE PPC user, NOT an expert.
Effectiveness Rating - 5
Speed Rating - 10
Forum Participation
So many people say, "Participate in forums" to promote your product. Well, guess what? This doesn't work in every niche. Some niches don't even have forums. Other niches are so strict that they don't allow signatures at all and even a hint of self promotion and your butt will be thrown out of the place. So forum participation is a very select method of promotion. And even at places where they do allow signatures, you still have to follow the rules. I'm not going to get into rules and etiquette here. I want to focus strictly on the effectiveness and speed of forum marketing. It isn't the magic bullet people think it is, even at forums that allow promotion. When you first arrive at a forum, unless you already have a big name in your field, you're a nobody there. You are unknown. So the first thing you have to do is introduce yourself. Now, don't think that once you've done that, people are going to come flocking to your sig file. They won't. You have to establish a presence there. You have to build trust. This takes time...LOTS OF TIME. You have to constantly add to the community while at the same time, not step on any toes of the long time members. Some may take offense to you coming in and offering your 2 cents on every subject in discussion. So you have to tread lightly and carefully. This is one hell of a balancing act and trust me, I am speaking from painful experience, it is NOT an easy one to do. Point is, while forum participation can eventually make a name for yourself, provided you REALLY have something to offer, it is not an overnight thing. It can take months before you're "accepted" by the community, if you're ever accepted. Sometimes, people just don't like you and there's not a blessed thing you can do about it.
Effectiveness Rating - 10
Speed Rating - 3
Safelists & Traffic Exchanges
Now we run into forms of traffic generation that ONLY work in the make money niche. Forget about trying to get somebody to buy your get out of debt product through safelists. This form as well as the others that follow is just not targeted to anything other than opportunity seekers. But why? The reason is simple. The people who join safelists and traffic exchanges are interested in just one thing...promoting their business. They are NOT your prospective customers in any manner, shape or form UNLESS you have a way for them to improve THEIR business. Otherwise, don't even waste your time. So, if you are in the "make money" niche, the way you reach these people is by giving them free info on how to get more traffic to their site and make more money. Don't try to sell them anything. You're wasting your time. Then, once you have them on your list and have gained their trust, then you can try to sell them. The following ratings apply ONLY if you are in the "make money" niche. I have built some decent sized lists using these methods. The good thing about them is that they are free and used correctly, they do work fairlywell.
Effectiveness Rating - 6
Speed Rating - 10
Video Marketing
This is a relatively new gimmick. Truth is, it can be very effective or it can be a total waste of time depending on your niche and what you have to offer. There is no question that in the right niche and with the right keyword tags for your videos, you'll get indexed at Google damn fast and as you've seen, some videos have hundreds of thousands if not MILLIONS of views. But...in order to have this happen, your video better be something that people are going to talk about and pass around. If your video doesn't get somebody's attention right away, you're dead. Nobody has any patience anymore. They want instant entertainment and excitement and that's what your video has to bring them, otherwise, they won't watch. It's that simple. There are a few good books out there on how to create videos that will make people want to watch. And don't go by my videos. I'm just a tell it like it is guy and my videos are far from entertainment and don't get many views. I do mine strictly for a very select groups of people. Now, there is another problem with video. Even if you get a lot of traffic, you will find, depending on your niche, that a lot of this traffic is worthless. Why? They're just surfers. They're not really looking for any great solution to a problem OR they're looking for a free one. You will find many reports from people saying that their video traffic doesn't convert well, if at all. Bottom line: Video is a crap shoot, even WITH a great video. Depends on your product and what you're offering.
Effectiveness Rating - 2
Speed Rating - 10
Social Bookmarking
I'm not going to go into a long spiel on this because my experience tells me that this is not a quick fix. In order to get any significant results from social bookmarking sites like DIGG, you have to constantly bookmark the articles on your blog, site, whatever, and write constantly. Over time, you'll see some results. But again, just like video marketing, which at least is fast, the traffic is pretty crappy unless you're bookmarking something that is really so incredible that people have to have what you're selling in relation to it.
Effectiveness Rating - 2
Speed Rating - 4
Search Engines
Ultimately, this is what it all comes down to. Bottom Line: Somebody types in "How To Fix My PC" and your site ends up on page X. That's it. That's all that matters. I've been fighting the search engine wars for over 5 years now. With some keywords, you'll find me on page 1. With others, you'll find me nowhere. It all depends on the competition and how much time you want to spend working on: Optimizing your page versus the other guy Getting backlinks Doing link exchanges Off Site SEO And so on. This is the slowest traffic generation method in existence, trying to win the SE wars. Good luck. I don't even bother trying anymore. Instead, I focus on using promotional techniques that get my message in front of my prospect quickly and cheaply. Over time, these methods do build up momentum and do bring me in a nice income. Here is the breakdown, percentage wise, of my monthly income. Article Marketing - 67% Safelists, TEs, FFA Sites, Message Boards - 20% Forum Participation - 13% My monthly advertising expenses - $200 My average monthly income - $10,000 I'm cheap, but my ROI is also ridiculous. Do I work a lot of hours? Yes. If you look at my above analysis of traffic generation methods, you'll see why. Now, I haven't covered everything as far as traffic generation. I've leftout things like buying leads, classified ads, banner exchanges, soloezine ads, and a few others, either because they are insignificant, don't work or are just not cost effective enough. Solo Ezine ads actually can be very good if you know some tricks. I'll cover that in another thread someday because they'll take a whole thread to explain properly. There is an art to solo ezine ads. Anyway, I know this was long (took about an hour to type out) but I hope it was helpful to somebody. As you can see, there is no magic bullet to traffic generation. I doubt that there ever will be.
Hoped you liked this article, Written By Steven Wagenheim This was written by Steven Wagenheim from the Warrior Forum,
Thursday, August 07, 2008
So Why Do You Do What You Do?
This topic is a favorite of mine. I'm about to share with you a very, very vital (yet overlooked) technique that never fails. That’s right. NEVER fails. I always stress this technique when I’m coaching new Home Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. Works like a charm.
As a matter of fact, I’m even giving you some homework this weekend because I think the dog days of summer may be getting the best of you and I want to keep you sharp ;)
So let’s dive in…
In today's society we often put a lot of emphasis on HOW things are done. Present a plan with lofty goals to the board of directors of any company and surely they will ask you how you suppose those goals will be met. Apply for a mortgage and you will be asked to demonstrate how you plan to pay it off. Give a professor the correct answer to a complex question and chances are you'll be asked how you arrived at your conclusion.
The HOW is often so predominant that the WHY is sometimes completely forgotten, as if the WHY is of less importance. Nothing could be further from the truth. WHY you want something is infinitely more important than HOW you think you're going to achieve it.
Phew. That was tiring just to write. Did you get all that?
If you’re reading this newsletter today, chances are you’re a Home Business Owner and Entrepreneur and there is a reason WHY? But do you know the reason WHY??
I hope you do…
But if you don’t (and most don’t), then it’s time you found out. If you’re not achieving the results you would like to be achieving in your Home Business enterprise, chances are very good that this is why (no pun intended).
Stay with me now. It’s gut check time…
To find out what you’re WHY is may just be as simple as identifying what it is that you want, right? Everyone knows what they want, right?
Wrong…
It's a bit more challenging than one would think. Ask an adult to write down everything they want on a list with a minimum of 10 items and you will find that for most it turns out to be quite difficult.
Stating that you want a certain amount of money, want to quit working or just want a bigger car than your neighbor can cause people to experience discomfort. After all, it may make them appear greedy or lazy and that's not generally considered positive. So they try to come up with something that's socially acceptable and in doing so, make what they want subject to the opinions of others. Not good.
Here’s the interesting part…
Kids on the other hand have no problem here. They'll come up with 10 items and more in no time, listing things you didn't even know exist. They don't worry about what others may think of it, whether it makes them look greedy, lazy or whatever. All they know is that they want it. Fascinating when you think about.
You see, kids have not yet been brainwashed or conditioned into thinking that they can’t have certain things. They just assume they can have anything they want, right?
And so can you. You just may not realize it yet.
Here’s a very effective exercise for you that will really bring to light exactly what it is that you want in life so you can pin point your WHY.
Chances are you've never done this...
Figure out what it is that you DON’T want first and what you do want will become crystal clear. This is a technique called “clarity through contrast” and it basically states that when you observe what it is that you don’t want in life it then it delivers clarity which makes it clear what you do want.
Easy enough right? Here comes the hard part…
Write it down now. Make a list of the things you DON’T want in life. It will only take you a few minutes and it’s actually a pretty fun exercise because when you actually come to terms with what you DON’T want it becomes clear what you DO want. The peace of mind you will experience by being clear is just, well…you’ll see.
After you’ve identified what it is you want, then you get to your all important WHY.
So why would you want all those things? Again, kids have the upper hand here. They'll be quick to point out why they want it all: mostly the fun they will have and the popularity it will give them. Ask an adult why they want something and you'll enjoy watching the expression on their face. You'll see them searching for an answer.
Why would you want to be rich? Why would you want to quit working to have your own business? What would you do if you no longer had to go to a job every day? You may decide you want a bigger house than anyone in your family before you ever had.
But what does that do for you? Would you sleep better? Would it make your life better? Would it make you happier? Whatever it is, it's critical that you know.
Exactly HOW you plan to achieve your success is far less important, especially early on. Too much focus on the HOW early in the process can have a devastating effect. It could paralyze you. I call it "analysis paralysis."
If your financial situation is so bad that you're actually below broke then achieving financial independence can seem so far fetched that reaching it appears impossible. You might sell yourself on the idea that it's so far out of reach that you couldn't possibly make it happen in this lifetime. As much as that may seem true at the time, it doesn't have to become your reality. Don’t be sold.
However, in order to get there you will probably have to overcome some serious hurdles. And for that to happen, you need a reason to get up and take the necessary action. That reason needs to be strong enough to pull you through the tough times that inevitably will come. That reason is your WHY.
History is packed with unbelievable stories of accomplishment. People facing seemingly insurmountable odds who overcame obstacles you wouldn't believe. Individuals with relentless determination who decided to push on in situations where most people would give up.
Why is that so many people throw in the towel when things don't go their way and only a small number of people seem to persevere?
It's not because they are genetically stronger and it's not because they have been dealt a better hand in life. What sets them apart is their WHY. That's what keeps them in the game. Their WHY is so strong that whatever gets in their way, they will find a way to deal with it. They don't have all the answers, but what they do have is an inner conviction that they can and will find the answers.
...And they are crystal clear about what they want.
Nailing down your WHY is one of the most powerful ways to improve your chances of success with your home business. So make sure that you know what your WHY is. Find it and refine it over and over again. Make it so strong that achieving it becomes an absolute must for you and the HOW will absolutely reveal itself to you over time. Trust me.
Take action.
P.S. Don’t forget your homework assignment. Make a list of the things you DON'T want and you will instantly see what you DO want. Your WHY will appear right before your eyes. Don’t take this assignment lightly. I’ve done this many times and it is quite dramatic what your new found clarity will bring you
This topic is a favorite of mine. I'm about to share with you a very, very vital (yet overlooked) technique that never fails. That’s right. NEVER fails. I always stress this technique when I’m coaching new Home Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. Works like a charm.
As a matter of fact, I’m even giving you some homework this weekend because I think the dog days of summer may be getting the best of you and I want to keep you sharp ;)
So let’s dive in…
In today's society we often put a lot of emphasis on HOW things are done. Present a plan with lofty goals to the board of directors of any company and surely they will ask you how you suppose those goals will be met. Apply for a mortgage and you will be asked to demonstrate how you plan to pay it off. Give a professor the correct answer to a complex question and chances are you'll be asked how you arrived at your conclusion.
The HOW is often so predominant that the WHY is sometimes completely forgotten, as if the WHY is of less importance. Nothing could be further from the truth. WHY you want something is infinitely more important than HOW you think you're going to achieve it.
Phew. That was tiring just to write. Did you get all that?
If you’re reading this newsletter today, chances are you’re a Home Business Owner and Entrepreneur and there is a reason WHY? But do you know the reason WHY??
I hope you do…
But if you don’t (and most don’t), then it’s time you found out. If you’re not achieving the results you would like to be achieving in your Home Business enterprise, chances are very good that this is why (no pun intended).
Stay with me now. It’s gut check time…
To find out what you’re WHY is may just be as simple as identifying what it is that you want, right? Everyone knows what they want, right?
Wrong…
It's a bit more challenging than one would think. Ask an adult to write down everything they want on a list with a minimum of 10 items and you will find that for most it turns out to be quite difficult.
Stating that you want a certain amount of money, want to quit working or just want a bigger car than your neighbor can cause people to experience discomfort. After all, it may make them appear greedy or lazy and that's not generally considered positive. So they try to come up with something that's socially acceptable and in doing so, make what they want subject to the opinions of others. Not good.
Here’s the interesting part…
Kids on the other hand have no problem here. They'll come up with 10 items and more in no time, listing things you didn't even know exist. They don't worry about what others may think of it, whether it makes them look greedy, lazy or whatever. All they know is that they want it. Fascinating when you think about.
You see, kids have not yet been brainwashed or conditioned into thinking that they can’t have certain things. They just assume they can have anything they want, right?
And so can you. You just may not realize it yet.
Here’s a very effective exercise for you that will really bring to light exactly what it is that you want in life so you can pin point your WHY.
Chances are you've never done this...
Figure out what it is that you DON’T want first and what you do want will become crystal clear. This is a technique called “clarity through contrast” and it basically states that when you observe what it is that you don’t want in life it then it delivers clarity which makes it clear what you do want.
Easy enough right? Here comes the hard part…
Write it down now. Make a list of the things you DON’T want in life. It will only take you a few minutes and it’s actually a pretty fun exercise because when you actually come to terms with what you DON’T want it becomes clear what you DO want. The peace of mind you will experience by being clear is just, well…you’ll see.
After you’ve identified what it is you want, then you get to your all important WHY.
So why would you want all those things? Again, kids have the upper hand here. They'll be quick to point out why they want it all: mostly the fun they will have and the popularity it will give them. Ask an adult why they want something and you'll enjoy watching the expression on their face. You'll see them searching for an answer.
Why would you want to be rich? Why would you want to quit working to have your own business? What would you do if you no longer had to go to a job every day? You may decide you want a bigger house than anyone in your family before you ever had.
But what does that do for you? Would you sleep better? Would it make your life better? Would it make you happier? Whatever it is, it's critical that you know.
Exactly HOW you plan to achieve your success is far less important, especially early on. Too much focus on the HOW early in the process can have a devastating effect. It could paralyze you. I call it "analysis paralysis."
If your financial situation is so bad that you're actually below broke then achieving financial independence can seem so far fetched that reaching it appears impossible. You might sell yourself on the idea that it's so far out of reach that you couldn't possibly make it happen in this lifetime. As much as that may seem true at the time, it doesn't have to become your reality. Don’t be sold.
However, in order to get there you will probably have to overcome some serious hurdles. And for that to happen, you need a reason to get up and take the necessary action. That reason needs to be strong enough to pull you through the tough times that inevitably will come. That reason is your WHY.
History is packed with unbelievable stories of accomplishment. People facing seemingly insurmountable odds who overcame obstacles you wouldn't believe. Individuals with relentless determination who decided to push on in situations where most people would give up.
Why is that so many people throw in the towel when things don't go their way and only a small number of people seem to persevere?
It's not because they are genetically stronger and it's not because they have been dealt a better hand in life. What sets them apart is their WHY. That's what keeps them in the game. Their WHY is so strong that whatever gets in their way, they will find a way to deal with it. They don't have all the answers, but what they do have is an inner conviction that they can and will find the answers.
...And they are crystal clear about what they want.
Nailing down your WHY is one of the most powerful ways to improve your chances of success with your home business. So make sure that you know what your WHY is. Find it and refine it over and over again. Make it so strong that achieving it becomes an absolute must for you and the HOW will absolutely reveal itself to you over time. Trust me.
Take action.
P.S. Don’t forget your homework assignment. Make a list of the things you DON'T want and you will instantly see what you DO want. Your WHY will appear right before your eyes. Don’t take this assignment lightly. I’ve done this many times and it is quite dramatic what your new found clarity will bring you
Monday, August 04, 2008
Multiple Income Streams- Got Some?
-why you want to make sure you are diversified!
Joseph Demasi
You see it all over the net- Multiple Streams Of Income On Autopilot! What is that autopilot thing all about. I have never seen a business on autopilot and I don't think it exists. There are some things that are close don't get me wrong. There are definitely people out there that have mastered Google Adwords and just run a campaign and the money rolls in, but even that has to be tweeked every now and then. Well that's a bit off topic-
Why is it so important to have multiple income streams online? It is important offline as well, but since we are all online here we will adress online. Review the following scenerio: You have just found that geat biz, the opportrunity that is going to take you to 6 figures a year and beyond. You met the CEO and he is an upstanding guy. The payplan is terrific and no hints of a ponzi scheme or an illegal pyramid. You are set to go. You put everything into it and for 2 years you have concetrated on this one business, you are going great and making $15k a month and more. Unfortunately something goes wrong- your upline is no longer returning your calls, the people at the corporate office are polite but you sense somethin amiss. The very next day you learn that the company is being investigated and all the accounts are frozen. The CEO is nowhere to be found and you are owed 2 months commissions.
You have spent 2 years of hard work and your invaluable time to build a business that dissappears. Can't happen to your company? It can happen to any company! It has happened to many companies throughout the last 50 years and it will happen to others. It may not happen to your company, but you need to protect your income. I have seen it happen to many people- an income that dissapears.
Having multiple income streams will protect you if one of those streams decreases or dissappears.
One of the other reasons I like having multiple programs is the ability to offer a full spectrum to people. You have to agree not every program is for everyone. Some people like programs that payout $2000 per sale- the high ticket programs. Some people are looking for lower cost program, some people-free programs, etc.
I like the fact that I can offer a wide spectrum of things, kind of like, something for everyone. It is important-if you want to make a good 6 figure income online, that you find a way to be able to offer more than 1 thing to your list. Does it make sense to have a store and only stock 1 product?
You may or may not agree, but here is a list of my programs that I am promoting, this will give you an idea of the wide range of offerings:
1. Golden Ticket - this is a mid priced program promotng Shaklee (probably the best Network Marketing Company Going Today) - Excellent for long term residual and a stable company.
2. Abunza - A great high ticket program- paying out 100% on 2 levels - perfect for the person who is looking for high return and getting to 10K per month quickly. FYI - Over 80% of the people making 6 figures online are doing it with high ticket programs.
3. iBuzzPro - A phenomenal prospecting tool that you can also sell to anyone that has a business. A tool that will allow you to call thousands of prospects within hours- and have the serious ones call you back! - Everyone can use this! Imagine prospects calling YOU!
4. ASD and Golden Panda- These are 2 Advertising sites - surf for pay sites that pay 1% per day for surfing other sites. See update blog for info- Sites are not operating right now and are being looked at by the Governement to make sure they are operating within the law.
5. Unselfish Wealth - I have been seeing this all over with their claims of marketing for you and all that. So I thought I would put them to the test. Click the link for the blog to see updates on how this is going- I will update weekly.
Imagine if you were the one that was only promoting ASD or Golden Panda, your income stopped right now and the future was unknown. Worst of all you have nothing to do until the feds finish up. Now ASD and Golden Panda will probably be fine (no I don't know anything), but you are losing valuable time while everything gets sorted out.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions. I would love to help you.
-why you want to make sure you are diversified!
Joseph Demasi
You see it all over the net- Multiple Streams Of Income On Autopilot! What is that autopilot thing all about. I have never seen a business on autopilot and I don't think it exists. There are some things that are close don't get me wrong. There are definitely people out there that have mastered Google Adwords and just run a campaign and the money rolls in, but even that has to be tweeked every now and then. Well that's a bit off topic-
Why is it so important to have multiple income streams online? It is important offline as well, but since we are all online here we will adress online. Review the following scenerio: You have just found that geat biz, the opportrunity that is going to take you to 6 figures a year and beyond. You met the CEO and he is an upstanding guy. The payplan is terrific and no hints of a ponzi scheme or an illegal pyramid. You are set to go. You put everything into it and for 2 years you have concetrated on this one business, you are going great and making $15k a month and more. Unfortunately something goes wrong- your upline is no longer returning your calls, the people at the corporate office are polite but you sense somethin amiss. The very next day you learn that the company is being investigated and all the accounts are frozen. The CEO is nowhere to be found and you are owed 2 months commissions.
You have spent 2 years of hard work and your invaluable time to build a business that dissappears. Can't happen to your company? It can happen to any company! It has happened to many companies throughout the last 50 years and it will happen to others. It may not happen to your company, but you need to protect your income. I have seen it happen to many people- an income that dissapears.
Having multiple income streams will protect you if one of those streams decreases or dissappears.
One of the other reasons I like having multiple programs is the ability to offer a full spectrum to people. You have to agree not every program is for everyone. Some people like programs that payout $2000 per sale- the high ticket programs. Some people are looking for lower cost program, some people-free programs, etc.
I like the fact that I can offer a wide spectrum of things, kind of like, something for everyone. It is important-if you want to make a good 6 figure income online, that you find a way to be able to offer more than 1 thing to your list. Does it make sense to have a store and only stock 1 product?
You may or may not agree, but here is a list of my programs that I am promoting, this will give you an idea of the wide range of offerings:
1. Golden Ticket - this is a mid priced program promotng Shaklee (probably the best Network Marketing Company Going Today) - Excellent for long term residual and a stable company.
2. Abunza - A great high ticket program- paying out 100% on 2 levels - perfect for the person who is looking for high return and getting to 10K per month quickly. FYI - Over 80% of the people making 6 figures online are doing it with high ticket programs.
3. iBuzzPro - A phenomenal prospecting tool that you can also sell to anyone that has a business. A tool that will allow you to call thousands of prospects within hours- and have the serious ones call you back! - Everyone can use this! Imagine prospects calling YOU!
4. ASD and Golden Panda- These are 2 Advertising sites - surf for pay sites that pay 1% per day for surfing other sites. See update blog for info- Sites are not operating right now and are being looked at by the Governement to make sure they are operating within the law.
5. Unselfish Wealth - I have been seeing this all over with their claims of marketing for you and all that. So I thought I would put them to the test. Click the link for the blog to see updates on how this is going- I will update weekly.
Imagine if you were the one that was only promoting ASD or Golden Panda, your income stopped right now and the future was unknown. Worst of all you have nothing to do until the feds finish up. Now ASD and Golden Panda will probably be fine (no I don't know anything), but you are losing valuable time while everything gets sorted out.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions. I would love to help you.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Are You Better Off With A High Ticket Program Or Low Cost Program?
by Joseph Demasi
I have pondered this question more times than I would like to admit. I have been told that it takes the same amount of effort to market a low cost program than a high ticket item. I have definitely found that to be true. You must go through the same things when marketing anything online or offline.
When deciding what you want to market and promote you must ask yourself how comfortable you are with the price. Now that seems to be an easy one for some, but I have seen many programs priced between $20 and $100 that I would not pay 2 cents for. I have also seen programs priced over $2000 that I have seen an incredible value in and would have paid more for.
The bottom line is- what do you think of the value? If it is valuable to you then the price is right. You have to remember 1 thing in marketing- you are selling the value not the price! I have many years experience in the Mortgage Loan business and it was drilled into my head from the very begining- "sell the sizzle, not the steak".
People want value for what they are getting. People may say that it is the price, but that is wrong- they know it. People rarely buy on price, they almost always buy on value. Some people think it is easier to market the lower priced programs- that is not true at all!
If you want to be a successful online marketer- regardless of what you are marketing- then you need to realize that price does not matter. What are you giving people in return for the product. Can they reach their goals with what you have to offer or not?
A question for you if you still think it is all about the cost. If I told you that I had a winning lottery ticket in my possession and it was a guaranteed winner of $1,000,000. I was going to tell you where that ticket was and all you had to do was get it and cash it and the $1,000,000 was all yours. Now, for that information I was going to charge you $2500, but that was only available today and I needed cash. Would you be able to find the $2500? What would you do to get the money. You wolud exhaust every avenue to get that money- you would leave no stone unturned. You would even go as far as putting off your house payment for a month!
WHY?
Because the lottery ticket worth $1,000,000 is far more valuable than the cost of $2500. End of story.
Value trumps cost all day long!!!
In the end it is you who must decide what program you are going to go with. Do yourself a favor and make your decision on the value of the product and not the cost and expect that your prospects will do the same!
Have a Great Day
Joseph
by Joseph Demasi
I have pondered this question more times than I would like to admit. I have been told that it takes the same amount of effort to market a low cost program than a high ticket item. I have definitely found that to be true. You must go through the same things when marketing anything online or offline.
When deciding what you want to market and promote you must ask yourself how comfortable you are with the price. Now that seems to be an easy one for some, but I have seen many programs priced between $20 and $100 that I would not pay 2 cents for. I have also seen programs priced over $2000 that I have seen an incredible value in and would have paid more for.
The bottom line is- what do you think of the value? If it is valuable to you then the price is right. You have to remember 1 thing in marketing- you are selling the value not the price! I have many years experience in the Mortgage Loan business and it was drilled into my head from the very begining- "sell the sizzle, not the steak".
People want value for what they are getting. People may say that it is the price, but that is wrong- they know it. People rarely buy on price, they almost always buy on value. Some people think it is easier to market the lower priced programs- that is not true at all!
If you want to be a successful online marketer- regardless of what you are marketing- then you need to realize that price does not matter. What are you giving people in return for the product. Can they reach their goals with what you have to offer or not?
A question for you if you still think it is all about the cost. If I told you that I had a winning lottery ticket in my possession and it was a guaranteed winner of $1,000,000. I was going to tell you where that ticket was and all you had to do was get it and cash it and the $1,000,000 was all yours. Now, for that information I was going to charge you $2500, but that was only available today and I needed cash. Would you be able to find the $2500? What would you do to get the money. You wolud exhaust every avenue to get that money- you would leave no stone unturned. You would even go as far as putting off your house payment for a month!
WHY?
Because the lottery ticket worth $1,000,000 is far more valuable than the cost of $2500. End of story.
Value trumps cost all day long!!!
In the end it is you who must decide what program you are going to go with. Do yourself a favor and make your decision on the value of the product and not the cost and expect that your prospects will do the same!
Have a Great Day
Joseph
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
YOU MUST TAKE ACTION IF YOU ARE TO SUCCEED!
"Nothing Happens Until Something Moves..."
Trivia question: Who said those famous 5 words?
…Albert Einstein - quite possibly the greatest mind of all time.
I just finished an impressive book titled: "Action! Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" by Robert Ringer and as I often do when I come across great material, I want to share some key thoughts that may help you greatly...
The "Action Phenomenon" is more important than you may understand and actually goes much, much deeper than you may realize.
This week I'm going to share with you Robert Ringer's 4 Pillars Of Action that MUST be present or else…
…No results, but more important, no "happiness." More on that in a moment.
The 4 Pillars Of Action That Must Be PresentFor You To Move Forward
1. Nothing Happens Until Something Moves:
Ideas, preparation, knowledge, and wisdom are all essential in the pursuit of achievement, BUT…ideas, preparation, knowledge and wisdom are useless without action, because action is the starting point of ALL progress…
…Always remember that. Here's a good rule of thumb:
Your feelings lead to your thoughts, your thoughts lead to your actions, your actions leads to your results.
Feelings --> Thoughts --> Actions --> Results
Remember, it's the results that count. It's the results that liberate you...
2. The Universe Helps Those Who Help Themselves:
Love this one...I despise the entitlement mentality that is running on overdrive in this country right now. People are constantly looking for a hand out or the Government to bail them out. It's getting ridiculous.
Isn't it interesting that the ones with the most "luck" are the ones who are often implementing (putting into action) the most plans? This may be a little deep for some but I have news for you…"Outside forces" always come into play when one takes action and the bolder the action, the more powerful these outside forces seem to be.
3. The Law Of Averages:
Coming from an extensive sales background I really appreciate this one. The Law of Averages is actually a universal principal which means it never fails to work. It applies to every aspect of life -- from finding a spouse to closing a sale to applying for a job. Wait a minute…we don't talk about 'JOBS' here at The Home Business Insider. Let's rephrase --how about applying for college acceptance? Better? Good.
Remember from Pillar 2 about those that help themselves? Well, the more you help yourself (the more action you take) the more The Law of Averages will work for you. This is when things are just clicking for you. You're attracting all kinds of opportunity. You're in the zone. Phenomenal feeling...which leads to what? More thoughts, which lead to more action which leads to...You guessed it, RESULTS!
4. Action Produces Genius, Magic, And Power:
Action is the key to the brains ignition. Here's my favorite part, and may come as a surprise to many: You DO NOT need to be motivated to act! Read that again.
If necessary, force yourself to take action, and motivation will follow. I bet if people knew that there'd be a whole lot more people having results out there…
Most people have it the other way around. It's the combination of action, genius, magic and power that produces motivation, which, in turn leads to even more action.
Action stimulates both the body and brain cells. It brings you in contact with surprising things, unexpected events, and incredible people who have the potential to be critical to your success. Take action first, even just to explore possibilities, and your creative juices will follow.
And here's where it gets interesting: "Long-term happiness is a result of taking rational actions that are in accordance with universal principals."
Aristotle said: "Happiness is a condition not a destination."
"Real happiness lies not in the achievement of goals, but in the striving toward goals. "Striving" implies action; achievement implies inertia, or an end to the action that brought the achievement"…
…Fascinating.
You see, most people "wait" to be motivated to take action which is why most people are stuck "waiting" for opportunity to hit them over the head. Opportunities never come to those who "wait." Ever...
I highly suggest you grab yourself a copy of: "Action! Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" by Robert Ringer. This was a NY Times best seller and the story about the bold action the author took to make it a best seller is incredible. I won't give that part away...
The book does a nice job of really breaking down the so called "Action Phenomenon" a lot further than I did here and will help you get clear on why you may or may not be taking the necessary action in your Home Business enterprise.
It's essentially comes down to strengthening your personal infrastructure and making sure your purpose is in line with your goals otherwise taking action becomes pretty difficult. You may be surprised at what you find.
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."
Take Action!
"Nothing Happens Until Something Moves..."
Trivia question: Who said those famous 5 words?
…Albert Einstein - quite possibly the greatest mind of all time.
I just finished an impressive book titled: "Action! Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" by Robert Ringer and as I often do when I come across great material, I want to share some key thoughts that may help you greatly...
The "Action Phenomenon" is more important than you may understand and actually goes much, much deeper than you may realize.
This week I'm going to share with you Robert Ringer's 4 Pillars Of Action that MUST be present or else…
…No results, but more important, no "happiness." More on that in a moment.
The 4 Pillars Of Action That Must Be PresentFor You To Move Forward
1. Nothing Happens Until Something Moves:
Ideas, preparation, knowledge, and wisdom are all essential in the pursuit of achievement, BUT…ideas, preparation, knowledge and wisdom are useless without action, because action is the starting point of ALL progress…
…Always remember that. Here's a good rule of thumb:
Your feelings lead to your thoughts, your thoughts lead to your actions, your actions leads to your results.
Feelings --> Thoughts --> Actions --> Results
Remember, it's the results that count. It's the results that liberate you...
2. The Universe Helps Those Who Help Themselves:
Love this one...I despise the entitlement mentality that is running on overdrive in this country right now. People are constantly looking for a hand out or the Government to bail them out. It's getting ridiculous.
Isn't it interesting that the ones with the most "luck" are the ones who are often implementing (putting into action) the most plans? This may be a little deep for some but I have news for you…"Outside forces" always come into play when one takes action and the bolder the action, the more powerful these outside forces seem to be.
3. The Law Of Averages:
Coming from an extensive sales background I really appreciate this one. The Law of Averages is actually a universal principal which means it never fails to work. It applies to every aspect of life -- from finding a spouse to closing a sale to applying for a job. Wait a minute…we don't talk about 'JOBS' here at The Home Business Insider. Let's rephrase --how about applying for college acceptance? Better? Good.
Remember from Pillar 2 about those that help themselves? Well, the more you help yourself (the more action you take) the more The Law of Averages will work for you. This is when things are just clicking for you. You're attracting all kinds of opportunity. You're in the zone. Phenomenal feeling...which leads to what? More thoughts, which lead to more action which leads to...You guessed it, RESULTS!
4. Action Produces Genius, Magic, And Power:
Action is the key to the brains ignition. Here's my favorite part, and may come as a surprise to many: You DO NOT need to be motivated to act! Read that again.
If necessary, force yourself to take action, and motivation will follow. I bet if people knew that there'd be a whole lot more people having results out there…
Most people have it the other way around. It's the combination of action, genius, magic and power that produces motivation, which, in turn leads to even more action.
Action stimulates both the body and brain cells. It brings you in contact with surprising things, unexpected events, and incredible people who have the potential to be critical to your success. Take action first, even just to explore possibilities, and your creative juices will follow.
And here's where it gets interesting: "Long-term happiness is a result of taking rational actions that are in accordance with universal principals."
Aristotle said: "Happiness is a condition not a destination."
"Real happiness lies not in the achievement of goals, but in the striving toward goals. "Striving" implies action; achievement implies inertia, or an end to the action that brought the achievement"…
…Fascinating.
You see, most people "wait" to be motivated to take action which is why most people are stuck "waiting" for opportunity to hit them over the head. Opportunities never come to those who "wait." Ever...
I highly suggest you grab yourself a copy of: "Action! Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" by Robert Ringer. This was a NY Times best seller and the story about the bold action the author took to make it a best seller is incredible. I won't give that part away...
The book does a nice job of really breaking down the so called "Action Phenomenon" a lot further than I did here and will help you get clear on why you may or may not be taking the necessary action in your Home Business enterprise.
It's essentially comes down to strengthening your personal infrastructure and making sure your purpose is in line with your goals otherwise taking action becomes pretty difficult. You may be surprised at what you find.
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."
Take Action!
Friday, February 08, 2008
TAX BENEFITS OF A HOME BASED BUSINESS
Let's talk about one of the top benefits of Owning Your Own Home-Based Business.
Tax Incentives.
Many people overlook this very important benefit but it can make a huge difference for you come Income Tax Day. Running a business out of your home can save you up to $5,000 or more on your taxes every year even if you don't have success!
Here are just some of the things you can write off:
--- Your business start-up costs
--- A portion of your house payment or rent
--- A portion of your utilities
--- Car expenses
--- Travel
--- Meals
--- Magazine subscriptions
--- Child care
--- Telephone bills
--- Postage
--- Office equipment (need a new computer?)
--- Software
--- Bank fees
--- Your Internet service
The list goes on. Many of these things you have and pay for anyway. But now that you can operate a business from home, they become a tax write off.
You can even pay your kids to work for you and write it off. Now that's a smart way to save for college.
Of course you'll want to consult your accountant as laws vary from state to state, country to country and year to year, but I can promise you this: having a home-based business will help keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket instead of The Tax Man's.
Seriously, we don't understand why everyone doesn't start a home business? It must just be a lack of education in this area.
Get educated, it's worth a GUARANTEED $3,000 to $5,000 a year in tax savings or more...
Here are the tremendous tax advantages from our business and you can instantly have them too:
http://lifetimeincome.net/assets/video/cantx2/index.html
I realize it can be a big decision to start a home business. But, please don't hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or just want to discuss options.
Until next time.
Did you know that you can start getting all these tax advantages just by getting started for $39.95? Click below and get started or call me and well help you get set up.
Your paying more taxes than necessary. Let's change that starting today!
You can find out more at www.josephdemasi.com or call me at 626-224-2422
Let's talk about one of the top benefits of Owning Your Own Home-Based Business.
Tax Incentives.
Many people overlook this very important benefit but it can make a huge difference for you come Income Tax Day. Running a business out of your home can save you up to $5,000 or more on your taxes every year even if you don't have success!
Here are just some of the things you can write off:
--- Your business start-up costs
--- A portion of your house payment or rent
--- A portion of your utilities
--- Car expenses
--- Travel
--- Meals
--- Magazine subscriptions
--- Child care
--- Telephone bills
--- Postage
--- Office equipment (need a new computer?)
--- Software
--- Bank fees
--- Your Internet service
The list goes on. Many of these things you have and pay for anyway. But now that you can operate a business from home, they become a tax write off.
You can even pay your kids to work for you and write it off. Now that's a smart way to save for college.
Of course you'll want to consult your accountant as laws vary from state to state, country to country and year to year, but I can promise you this: having a home-based business will help keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket instead of The Tax Man's.
Seriously, we don't understand why everyone doesn't start a home business? It must just be a lack of education in this area.
Get educated, it's worth a GUARANTEED $3,000 to $5,000 a year in tax savings or more...
Here are the tremendous tax advantages from our business and you can instantly have them too:
http://lifetimeincome.net/assets/video/cantx2/index.html
I realize it can be a big decision to start a home business. But, please don't hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or just want to discuss options.
Until next time.
Did you know that you can start getting all these tax advantages just by getting started for $39.95? Click below and get started or call me and well help you get set up.
Your paying more taxes than necessary. Let's change that starting today!
You can find out more at www.josephdemasi.com or call me at 626-224-2422
TAX BENEFITS OF A HOME BASED BUSINESS
Let's talk about one of the top benefits of Owning Your Own Home-Based Business.
Tax Incentives.
Many people overlook this very important benefit but it can make a huge difference for you come Income Tax Day. Running a business out of your home can save you up to $5,000 or more on your taxes every year even if you don't have success!
Here are just some of the things you can write off:
--- Your business start-up costs
--- A portion of your house payment or rent
--- A portion of your utilities
--- Car expenses
--- Travel
--- Meals
--- Magazine subscriptions
--- Child care
--- Telephone bills
--- Postage
--- Office equipment (need a new computer?)
--- Software
--- Bank fees
--- Your Internet service
The list goes on. Many of these things you have and pay for anyway. But now that you can operate a business from home, they become a tax write off.
You can even pay your kids to work for you and write it off. Now that's a smart way to save for college.
Of course you'll want to consult your accountant as laws vary from state to state, country to country and year to year, but I can promise you this: having a home-based business will help keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket instead of The Tax Man's.
Seriously, we don't understand why everyone doesn't start a home business? It must just be a lack of education in this area.
Get educated, it's worth a GUARANTEED #3,000 to $5,000 a year in tax savings or more...
Here are the tremendous tax advantages from our business and you can instantly have them too:
http://lifetimeincome.net/assets/video/cantx2/index.html
I realize it can be a big decision to start a home business. But, please don't hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or just want to discuss options.
Until next time.
Did you know that you can start getting all these tax advantages just by getting started for $39.95? Click below and get started or call me and well help you get set up.
Your paying more taxes than necessary. Let's change that starting today!
You can find out more at www.josephdemasi.com or call me at 626-224-2422
Let's talk about one of the top benefits of Owning Your Own Home-Based Business.
Tax Incentives.
Many people overlook this very important benefit but it can make a huge difference for you come Income Tax Day. Running a business out of your home can save you up to $5,000 or more on your taxes every year even if you don't have success!
Here are just some of the things you can write off:
--- Your business start-up costs
--- A portion of your house payment or rent
--- A portion of your utilities
--- Car expenses
--- Travel
--- Meals
--- Magazine subscriptions
--- Child care
--- Telephone bills
--- Postage
--- Office equipment (need a new computer?)
--- Software
--- Bank fees
--- Your Internet service
The list goes on. Many of these things you have and pay for anyway. But now that you can operate a business from home, they become a tax write off.
You can even pay your kids to work for you and write it off. Now that's a smart way to save for college.
Of course you'll want to consult your accountant as laws vary from state to state, country to country and year to year, but I can promise you this: having a home-based business will help keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket instead of The Tax Man's.
Seriously, we don't understand why everyone doesn't start a home business? It must just be a lack of education in this area.
Get educated, it's worth a GUARANTEED #3,000 to $5,000 a year in tax savings or more...
Here are the tremendous tax advantages from our business and you can instantly have them too:
http://lifetimeincome.net/assets/video/cantx2/index.html
I realize it can be a big decision to start a home business. But, please don't hesitate to email or call me if you have any questions or just want to discuss options.
Until next time.
Did you know that you can start getting all these tax advantages just by getting started for $39.95? Click below and get started or call me and well help you get set up.
Your paying more taxes than necessary. Let's change that starting today!
You can find out more at www.josephdemasi.com or call me at 626-224-2422
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