This is an article taken from one of my favourite forums. The copyright and author details are listed at the end -
WARNING: this post is not for the faint of heart, those looking for an easy way out or those who are not ready for the truth.
The REAL secrets are NOT what you think.
They are definitely not what those who are happy to "sell" you a secret will tell you.
In January 2007 I had an Instant Message conversation with a new, young internet marketer who was currently in college at the time.
he found and purchased the right to resell an ebook that tells how to make all kinds of money in a short amount of time.
He said he was having money problems, so he needed to make a lot of money, and fast.
He said he didn't want to just "get his feet wet"
He said he wanted to be successful and "take off with this stuff"
I told him there were 3 things he needed to do...and they are the 3 things that most do NOT do.
After talking to him, there was a fourth I later told him about.
I see post after post, on forum after forum of people who are frustrated they are not making the "easy" money of Internet Marketng.
some for YEARs and not quite "making it"
some spend $1000s on ebooks, videos and courses
only to end up frustrated and out of money
In the end...I see IMers are just like any other entrepreneur...who is striving to start a business.
There are 4 Foundational KEYS To Success
these 4 keys will not be done by 90% of those who want to get into this field
I bet 90% of the people who read this post wont do it either
That means, odds are, you are likely one of them who will laugh, taunt, scoff, deny or just outright ignore what I am writing.
Note: You can't do 1 and not the other 3, you can't do 3 and not the other 1
you must do them all, or be stuck in the land of mediocrity
if you think you are ready...hang on, here they are
Key 1) Make a budget
Inevitably, someone will ask you what your budget is for this or that.
"I havent thought of one", "I don't have one", "whatever it takes" etc are all cop outs and are the result of someone TOO LAZY to make a budget or has ZERO DOLLARS.
It does NOT matter how much it is, but you should have a SPECIFIC amount set aside to do your project. Be it $10 or $10,000...have it available, up front.
Break your budget into unequal 3rds (whether you do it yourself or outsource, there will be expenses)
1/3 - Development/setup/Production (programming, writing, plr, editing, etc)
1/3 - Marketing - (ppc, jv, print, myspace)
1/3 - Maintenance (responder, shopping cart, hosting)
your budget wont be equal parts for each! But just make sure there are 3 parts allocated.
The idea is to make sure you account for all the aspects
what??!!
No one told you it takes money to do this stuff??
Well, it does..or at least the resources/ingenuity to get those things that cost money.
Key 2) a Written Plan
A plan "in your head" is not enough. WRITTEN is the key
Why?
Because, it forces you to think and research and actually map out your budget.
You should have a marketing plan and a marketing calendar to track your marketing efforts.
The old saying holds true
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those who fail to plan, are planning to fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
its not about being long, wordy, fancy or elaborate.
It IS about having a road map that covers all the bases so you can be PREPARED for what comes next.
Ever notice how many forum posts go something like this:
"Hi,
I just started a (blog, website, business), and I have done (this, that and the other thing). Can someone tell me what to do next? how do I ________?"
Well, that person definitely does NOT have a plan.
When you have a plan, you are ALREADY PREPARED for "what do I do next"
You know when to do it and how much it costs, because you already researched it, and WROTE IT DOWN.
You spend more time WORKING THE PLAN, then figuring out what "to do next"
A plan also allows you to gauge your pace and level of success. Are you on track, off track, behind schedule or ahead of it?
How will you know without a plan?
Here is a quote from me that summarizes this
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Improve something you cannot track or measure, and its almost impossible to measure something withou a plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which of these things is completed successfully with quality and has no written plan
A College Degree
Building A House
Starting A Business
Retirement
A Bus Route
An Airplane Flight Path
TRICK QUESTION
The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.
If you ever see a successful model of one of the above...someone, somewhere wrote down a plan.
Would you spend your money to be involved with any of the above, if you knew the people in charge had NO PLAN???
Key 3) Get A Mentor/Coach
If you think this is an expense you can not afford..then YOU ARE IGNORANT...not stupid, just ignorant of the truth that coaching, like advertising is not an expense, but an investment.
The truth is YOU CANNOT afford NOT to have a mentor/coach..not if you want to achieve greatness...if OPRAH has a coach...don't you need one?
Every champion has a coach...EVERY, single one of them.
Now, if you are fortunate enough to get one to do it for free...then count your blessings and do not abuse the relationship...follow instructions to the letter.
I was helping a young woman start her PR business, so she could quit her school teacher job. She didnt do the homework assigned, missed appointments, and worked on everything except getting her business together. Despite me sternly telling her to start taking this serious several times, and giving FREE sessions (including after hours), and REFERRALS...she refused to appreciate the situation.
I charge $150 per hour for coaching...She was getting it free, after hours, PLUS she was getting new business from me.
When I told her I would no longer do it, because she was not taking it seriously, she cried.
But the fact is, there are people who APPRECIATE what I do AND PAY ME, and so there was no point wasting my time on someone not serious about their goals.
Now you may think it was because she was getting coaching for free...it was not. I fire PAYING clients who do not follow directions also...it's a waste of my time and energy.
I only want to help those who WANT to be helped.
My time is important to me, and I demand it be respected...the same as I respect others time. Regardless of how much money is involved, if any at all.
The truth is many people SAY they want to be successful, but are not truly willing to do what it takes.
If you find a coach or mentor - appreciate and respect them!
Their time is valuable and they will help you:
==Save Money (they know where to get things for the best price and quality...you don't)
==Make Money (they know the tricks to increase performance..you don't)
==Get Free stuff (they know the secrets...you don't)
==Succeed (they have been there, done that, got a T-shirt and taught a class about it...you have not!)
Having a Mentor or Coach is a crucial step that many overlook, and therefore beat their head against the wall over and over again wondering why they don't get anywhere.
KEY 4) Operate with integrity
Don't tell people how to make $284,432.21 in 30 days, and don't attempt to sell something that tells how to...if you have not done this yourself!
So let's go back to the Instant Message Conversation for a moment.
I asked the young man, since he has money problems, why doesn't he just follow the advice in the ebook he is selling...here is an excerpt of our dialogue (igrowyourbiz is my screenname, his screenname blocked out for privacy):
======================
[15:26] igrowyourbiz: if you are in need of money, why arent you doing what you have outlined in your ebook?
[15:27] igrowyourbiz: ?
[15:28] HIM: I have had friends that have made money using what is discussed in the ebook, but I have not implemented it myself yet. I'm trying to promote the ebook.
[15:28] igrowyourbiz: how do you know it works if you have not done it
[15:29] HIM: Current Buyers have bought the ebook, implemented it, then wrote me back emails.
[15:29] HIM: Then, some close friends have used it.
[15:29] igrowyourbiz: i would caution you about trying to tell someone how to do something, you have not done
[15:30] HIM: Ok, Thanks for the advice!
======================
Is that not one of the most ridiculous things you have heard???
Hey, sorry to be so blunt, but if you do not see whats wrong with the above response he gave, then its because YOU think the same way.
There is an old saying
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Never Take Advice from a Bald man on how to grow hair.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All I am saying is, it is gonna be hard for you to convince someone how to make money online, if you can't do it yourself.
NOTE: this may present a CATCH-22
You might be thinking...
"then how do i sell IM products, if I have to be successful first?"
The answer is actually simple...sell something you are knowledgeable about.
If you are not knowledgeable..then do whats in the ebook/product etc FIRST and THEN sell/tell others how to do it.
Or simply try selling a product like hosting or software or something else that is not based off of "experience".
I am just saying you need to BE REAL...or you can not truly expect to be successful...if you lie, you're just a scammer.
Now, of course there are some other keys to success...but these are the foundation
These 4 are REQUIRED...like basic math...
If you can't understand
1+1=2
&
1-1=0
Then money, geometry, calculus, royalties, percentages and any other higher maths just won't make sense...because the more complex areas of math, all boil down to the simple concept of 1+1 and 1-1.
You can't multiply if you cannot add...
You cannot divide if you cannot subtract...
You cannot exponentially equate if you cannot multiply...
You cannot geometrically equate if you cannot divide...
and so on and so on.
Likewise, if you don't know the 4 Basic Keys, you cannot be successful in business.
Forget about it.
See, many are mistakenly under the impression they just need ONE thing.
And their sheer willpower or desire will be enough to make up for the rest.
WRONG!
They feel all they need is this one thing, they have been missing. Man, you are so sure, if you had the ONE THING, you would be a superstar! The magic bullet!
Maybe you think its a good JV partner with a huge list!
or maybe a great product no one else has yet!
or maybe you think its your own list you need!
or all you need is a little more money so you can hire a good writer to help you make a kick butt sales letter!
WRONG!
Forget all about the following:
=guerrilla marketing
=JV
=List building
=delegation
=outsourcing
=research
=sales letters
=back end sales
=one time offers
=affiliate
=niches
=blogs
=web 2.0
=squeeze pages
=viral videos
=social bookmarking
=sales funnels
=memberships
and all the many other things that in reality, you DO, in fact, need to know...
The problem is...
if you don't have the foundation outlined above... NONE of those things will work for you.
There is no magic bullet!
People are looking for the ONE THING.
Whats the BEST place to advertise?
Whats Better a blog or a forum?
Whats the BEST place to get hosting?
Whats the best EBOOK to sell?
***NEWSFLASH***
THERE IS NO ONE BEST THING FOR ANYTHING IN BUSINESS!
Success comes from a series of little things, that when all are working together as a whole, they bring about a specific goal.
My prayer is that this will open the eyes of at least ONE person and help them to see they need a foundational change to move towards making their dream a reality.
If 10 million other people read this and ignore it, I will be happy for the one.
HERE is the bottom line...
its about taking ACTION
Now the lazy man in you may have a "YEAH BUT" or "WHAT ABOUT" or "THATS NOT TRUE BECAUSE" comment...
You probably will come up with a far fetched example of "SO and SO did this without that?"
The fact is you're not where you want to be, and haven't yet figured out how to get there..so I am not the one who is wrong...its you.
I challenge any SUCCESSFUL "guru" to tell you any different. They will all tell you its the same as I have written.
It starts with your thinking,
and moves to your action.
At the point of action,
you need the above 4 to achieve success and achieve it rapidly.
If you do the same thing that everyone else does..,
well just be prepared to get the same results as everyone else...and from the looks of the majority of posts on many internet forums...that strategy wont be "getting" you a whole lot.
If you want to get something DIFFERENT than everyone else (i.e. success)...you need to do something different.
You already know most people wont do the 4 things I listed here...
you also can see what they are (not) getting.
So, the question is:
what will you get?
Will you do what the others won't, in order to get what they don't?
Remember to Picture Your Success!
©2007 Maurice Evans. All rights reserved. You may reproduce this article only so long as this full copyright and author information is included. Maurice Evans is an author, dynamic speaker and Guerrilla Marketing-Style Business Coach for http://www.aBusinessCoach.com. Since 1992 he has assisted entrepreneurs in boosting profits while spending little or no money. For coaching sessions or speaking engagements call Toll Free: 1-800-691-2WIN
WARNING: this post is not for the faint of heart, those looking for an easy way out or those who are not ready for the truth.
The REAL secrets are NOT what you think.
They are definitely not what those who are happy to "sell" you a secret will tell you.
In January 2007 I had an Instant Message conversation with a new, young internet marketer who was currently in college at the time.
he found and purchased the right to resell an ebook that tells how to make all kinds of money in a short amount of time.
He said he was having money problems, so he needed to make a lot of money, and fast.
He said he didn't want to just "get his feet wet"
He said he wanted to be successful and "take off with this stuff"
I told him there were 3 things he needed to do...and they are the 3 things that most do NOT do.
After talking to him, there was a fourth I later told him about.
I see post after post, on forum after forum of people who are frustrated they are not making the "easy" money of Internet Marketng.
some for YEARs and not quite "making it"
some spend $1000s on ebooks, videos and courses
only to end up frustrated and out of money
In the end...I see IMers are just like any other entrepreneur...who is striving to start a business.
There are 4 Foundational KEYS To Success
these 4 keys will not be done by 90% of those who want to get into this field
I bet 90% of the people who read this post wont do it either
That means, odds are, you are likely one of them who will laugh, taunt, scoff, deny or just outright ignore what I am writing.
Note: You can't do 1 and not the other 3, you can't do 3 and not the other 1
you must do them all, or be stuck in the land of mediocrity
if you think you are ready...hang on, here they are
Key 1) Make a budget
Inevitably, someone will ask you what your budget is for this or that.
"I havent thought of one", "I don't have one", "whatever it takes" etc are all cop outs and are the result of someone TOO LAZY to make a budget or has ZERO DOLLARS.
It does NOT matter how much it is, but you should have a SPECIFIC amount set aside to do your project. Be it $10 or $10,000...have it available, up front.
Break your budget into unequal 3rds (whether you do it yourself or outsource, there will be expenses)
1/3 - Development/setup/Production (programming, writing, plr, editing, etc)
1/3 - Marketing - (ppc, jv, print, myspace)
1/3 - Maintenance (responder, shopping cart, hosting)
your budget wont be equal parts for each! But just make sure there are 3 parts allocated.
The idea is to make sure you account for all the aspects
what??!!
No one told you it takes money to do this stuff??
Well, it does..or at least the resources/ingenuity to get those things that cost money.
Key 2) a Written Plan
A plan "in your head" is not enough. WRITTEN is the key
Why?
Because, it forces you to think and research and actually map out your budget.
You should have a marketing plan and a marketing calendar to track your marketing efforts.
The old saying holds true
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those who fail to plan, are planning to fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
its not about being long, wordy, fancy or elaborate.
It IS about having a road map that covers all the bases so you can be PREPARED for what comes next.
Ever notice how many forum posts go something like this:
"Hi,
I just started a (blog, website, business), and I have done (this, that and the other thing). Can someone tell me what to do next? how do I ________?"
Well, that person definitely does NOT have a plan.
When you have a plan, you are ALREADY PREPARED for "what do I do next"
You know when to do it and how much it costs, because you already researched it, and WROTE IT DOWN.
You spend more time WORKING THE PLAN, then figuring out what "to do next"
A plan also allows you to gauge your pace and level of success. Are you on track, off track, behind schedule or ahead of it?
How will you know without a plan?
Here is a quote from me that summarizes this
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Improve something you cannot track or measure, and its almost impossible to measure something withou a plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which of these things is completed successfully with quality and has no written plan
A College Degree
Building A House
Starting A Business
Retirement
A Bus Route
An Airplane Flight Path
TRICK QUESTION
The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.
If you ever see a successful model of one of the above...someone, somewhere wrote down a plan.
Would you spend your money to be involved with any of the above, if you knew the people in charge had NO PLAN???
Key 3) Get A Mentor/Coach
If you think this is an expense you can not afford..then YOU ARE IGNORANT...not stupid, just ignorant of the truth that coaching, like advertising is not an expense, but an investment.
The truth is YOU CANNOT afford NOT to have a mentor/coach..not if you want to achieve greatness...if OPRAH has a coach...don't you need one?
Every champion has a coach...EVERY, single one of them.
Now, if you are fortunate enough to get one to do it for free...then count your blessings and do not abuse the relationship...follow instructions to the letter.
I was helping a young woman start her PR business, so she could quit her school teacher job. She didnt do the homework assigned, missed appointments, and worked on everything except getting her business together. Despite me sternly telling her to start taking this serious several times, and giving FREE sessions (including after hours), and REFERRALS...she refused to appreciate the situation.
I charge $150 per hour for coaching...She was getting it free, after hours, PLUS she was getting new business from me.
When I told her I would no longer do it, because she was not taking it seriously, she cried.
But the fact is, there are people who APPRECIATE what I do AND PAY ME, and so there was no point wasting my time on someone not serious about their goals.
Now you may think it was because she was getting coaching for free...it was not. I fire PAYING clients who do not follow directions also...it's a waste of my time and energy.
I only want to help those who WANT to be helped.
My time is important to me, and I demand it be respected...the same as I respect others time. Regardless of how much money is involved, if any at all.
The truth is many people SAY they want to be successful, but are not truly willing to do what it takes.
If you find a coach or mentor - appreciate and respect them!
Their time is valuable and they will help you:
==Save Money (they know where to get things for the best price and quality...you don't)
==Make Money (they know the tricks to increase performance..you don't)
==Get Free stuff (they know the secrets...you don't)
==Succeed (they have been there, done that, got a T-shirt and taught a class about it...you have not!)
Having a Mentor or Coach is a crucial step that many overlook, and therefore beat their head against the wall over and over again wondering why they don't get anywhere.
KEY 4) Operate with integrity
Don't tell people how to make $284,432.21 in 30 days, and don't attempt to sell something that tells how to...if you have not done this yourself!
So let's go back to the Instant Message Conversation for a moment.
I asked the young man, since he has money problems, why doesn't he just follow the advice in the ebook he is selling...here is an excerpt of our dialogue (igrowyourbiz is my screenname, his screenname blocked out for privacy):
======================
[15:26] igrowyourbiz: if you are in need of money, why arent you doing what you have outlined in your ebook?
[15:27] igrowyourbiz: ?
[15:28] HIM: I have had friends that have made money using what is discussed in the ebook, but I have not implemented it myself yet. I'm trying to promote the ebook.
[15:28] igrowyourbiz: how do you know it works if you have not done it
[15:29] HIM: Current Buyers have bought the ebook, implemented it, then wrote me back emails.
[15:29] HIM: Then, some close friends have used it.
[15:29] igrowyourbiz: i would caution you about trying to tell someone how to do something, you have not done
[15:30] HIM: Ok, Thanks for the advice!
======================
Is that not one of the most ridiculous things you have heard???
Hey, sorry to be so blunt, but if you do not see whats wrong with the above response he gave, then its because YOU think the same way.
There is an old saying
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Never Take Advice from a Bald man on how to grow hair.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All I am saying is, it is gonna be hard for you to convince someone how to make money online, if you can't do it yourself.
NOTE: this may present a CATCH-22
You might be thinking...
"then how do i sell IM products, if I have to be successful first?"
The answer is actually simple...sell something you are knowledgeable about.
If you are not knowledgeable..then do whats in the ebook/product etc FIRST and THEN sell/tell others how to do it.
Or simply try selling a product like hosting or software or something else that is not based off of "experience".
I am just saying you need to BE REAL...or you can not truly expect to be successful...if you lie, you're just a scammer.
Now, of course there are some other keys to success...but these are the foundation
These 4 are REQUIRED...like basic math...
If you can't understand
1+1=2
&
1-1=0
Then money, geometry, calculus, royalties, percentages and any other higher maths just won't make sense...because the more complex areas of math, all boil down to the simple concept of 1+1 and 1-1.
You can't multiply if you cannot add...
You cannot divide if you cannot subtract...
You cannot exponentially equate if you cannot multiply...
You cannot geometrically equate if you cannot divide...
and so on and so on.
Likewise, if you don't know the 4 Basic Keys, you cannot be successful in business.
Forget about it.
See, many are mistakenly under the impression they just need ONE thing.
And their sheer willpower or desire will be enough to make up for the rest.
WRONG!
They feel all they need is this one thing, they have been missing. Man, you are so sure, if you had the ONE THING, you would be a superstar! The magic bullet!
Maybe you think its a good JV partner with a huge list!
or maybe a great product no one else has yet!
or maybe you think its your own list you need!
or all you need is a little more money so you can hire a good writer to help you make a kick butt sales letter!
WRONG!
Forget all about the following:
=guerrilla marketing
=JV
=List building
=delegation
=outsourcing
=research
=sales letters
=back end sales
=one time offers
=affiliate
=niches
=blogs
=web 2.0
=squeeze pages
=viral videos
=social bookmarking
=sales funnels
=memberships
and all the many other things that in reality, you DO, in fact, need to know...
The problem is...
if you don't have the foundation outlined above... NONE of those things will work for you.
There is no magic bullet!
People are looking for the ONE THING.
Whats the BEST place to advertise?
Whats Better a blog or a forum?
Whats the BEST place to get hosting?
Whats the best EBOOK to sell?
***NEWSFLASH***
THERE IS NO ONE BEST THING FOR ANYTHING IN BUSINESS!
Success comes from a series of little things, that when all are working together as a whole, they bring about a specific goal.
My prayer is that this will open the eyes of at least ONE person and help them to see they need a foundational change to move towards making their dream a reality.
If 10 million other people read this and ignore it, I will be happy for the one.
HERE is the bottom line...
its about taking ACTION
Now the lazy man in you may have a "YEAH BUT" or "WHAT ABOUT" or "THATS NOT TRUE BECAUSE" comment...
You probably will come up with a far fetched example of "SO and SO did this without that?"
The fact is you're not where you want to be, and haven't yet figured out how to get there..so I am not the one who is wrong...its you.
I challenge any SUCCESSFUL "guru" to tell you any different. They will all tell you its the same as I have written.
It starts with your thinking,
and moves to your action.
At the point of action,
you need the above 4 to achieve success and achieve it rapidly.
If you do the same thing that everyone else does..,
well just be prepared to get the same results as everyone else...and from the looks of the majority of posts on many internet forums...that strategy wont be "getting" you a whole lot.
If you want to get something DIFFERENT than everyone else (i.e. success)...you need to do something different.
You already know most people wont do the 4 things I listed here...
you also can see what they are (not) getting.
So, the question is:
what will you get?
Will you do what the others won't, in order to get what they don't?
Remember to Picture Your Success!
©2007 Maurice Evans. All rights reserved. You may reproduce this article only so long as this full copyright and author information is included. Maurice Evans is an author, dynamic speaker and Guerrilla Marketing-Style Business Coach for http://www.aBusinessCoach.com. Since 1992 he has assisted entrepreneurs in boosting profits while spending little or no money. For coaching sessions or speaking engagements call Toll Free: 1-800-691-2WIN