The “Reverse Opt-in” Technique

Hello readers!

I know it’s not often that I just hand out information, but I figure it’s something you can use to actually build your list, but to also get a greater amount of response to your mailings.

This technique is nothing new, and I know for a fact that I’ve talked about it before.

It’s called the “Reverse Opt-in” Technique. Many marketers have used this marketing strategy over and over again with great success. All of those big ‘make money online’ gurus use it from time to time, whenever they launch a new product that they expect to make them $1 million.

It’s really simple. Think about how most people have their opt-in/lead capture page. Usually, they saying everything that they want you to hear to get your name and email information, right?

They’ll make outrageous claims that can only be accomplished by signing up for a free report. That’s what usually happens. Honestly, I’m not going to knock it. Why? because I still have many lead capture pages out there on the internet which are still like that

But, when someone does something outside of the ‘mold’, it stands out. The reverse opt-in approach simply does the opposite of what many marketers do. Instead of withholding information until you get the contact info; you actually give them some information right off the bat, to show them that you know what you’re talking about, and that you’re a credible source for information and advice on your niche. After that, you ask for the opt-in for more based off of what you just divulged to them for nothing.

Pretty much, you’re instilling confidence in your potential prospects that you are something worth following. And that by giving you their name and email, not only will they be in touch with you, but that you’ll continue to divulge more valuable content, advice and recommendations.

In other words…give them some valuable content first that they can use right then and there, and then ask for the name and email if they want MORE.

Get it?

The best time to ask someone for their name and email is when they’re TRULY interested and trusting in YOU and what YOU have to say.

Yes, you can get people interested in you by doing what most marketers do…which is withhold information until they get the signup. You can always generate interest by using hype and mystery.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t generate trust…

And that’s the second part of the equation. Usually when people get the initial opt-in, they do one of two things.

1) Work on building trust and a relationship with the subscriber.

2) Start piling on email ads trying to make a buck.

Either way, you might be kicking your own a$$ doing both. It’s obvious that if you start promoting new products to a new subscriber, you’re gonna piss them off and make them unsubscribe. That’s a given.

But working towards building trust through a series of emails, can also work against you as well. To build up trust, you can’t really ask for money right away. And in the meantime, a HUGE portion of your subscribers are gonna get on that ‘free ride’ mentality, and not wanna pay for nothing when you DO ask.

That’s why we have low conversion ratios in the internet marketing industry, like 1-2%.

But think about this…

You initially come off the bat, very confident in yourself, by just throwing valuable information at them. You’re building a relationship with that person right there and then, by showing that you know what you’re talking about; and that you didn’t even force them to do anything at all to obtain the information.

That exudes confidence with your visitors. And even if your visitors do nothing more than absorb the information, and never sign up for anything, you’ve already scored ‘brownie points’ with them. The next time they hear about you, you’ve already broken the trust barrier, and can get a better response from them.

And think of this…

You give them free info for nothing, no purchase, no signup. Of course, you don’t give them ALL the information right there and then.

There should always be MORE to the information.

EXAMPLE: You could have a website that serves as a lead capture page, with a nice letter explaining what ‘private label rights’ are and how anyone could make money from them.

This information is helpful to them, because you just showed them a new avenue to making money from the comfort of their own home.

Of course, to learn the steps to making it all work, they should sign up for your free report on how to set it up.

Then naturally, you have the report showing them how to do it, how to edit, revise, and create a new digital product from PLR. Now, you advertise the source of private label products, so they can get started right now.

See the process?

1. Free No-Risk, No Pressure Information
2. Free Signup for More Information
3. Recommendation of a Resource related to making the information WORK

Step one makes the visitor comfortable, trusting and interested in you. You’re giving them information (interest) for free (trust) without having to signup (comfort). A triple whammy!

Step two naturally scores you the opt-in of a highly-targeted lead with high-interest.

Step three makes it easier to get paid.

The way 99% of email marketers out there do this, is that they do the same steps above, expect Step One.

And as I’ve pointed out to you, Step One secures the interest, trust, confidence and comfort of a new subscriber. So, by not doing Step One, you’re just getting a basic lead who has shown interest, but still have no trust and/or confidence in you. And by the way, until they get to know you from your email marketing campaign, they won’t feel comfortable with you just yet. They’re just opening the door to possibly building a relationship with them.

And that’s where many marketers SCREW UP. They either wait too long to build the relationship and lose all profitability of the lead…or they force new products on the lead and look like a money-hungry hippo.

That’s why I believe it’s good to give out information that they can run to the bank with. It secures your credibility, and instills the interest, trust, confidence and comfort in a new potential subscriber. That way, when they sign up, they’ll be super receptive to your every word, even if it’s an affiliate offer disguised as a ‘product recommendation’.

In a sense, the ‘Reverse Opt-in’ is using reverse psychology on your visitors. They’re assuming that they’re gonna have to sign up for something first before they get the goods. Instead, they get the good first, and are lead to sign up for more (once you’ve always got them drooling with the valuable gems of information/goods you’ve given them).

Hope this helps all my struggling marketers out there. Go out and prosper!

-T.M.-

Affiliatenaire - How to Promote Any Affiliate Program In 5 Easy Steps

Hey guys! I got a hold of this great article to help you out as affiliate marketers. It’s from one of my favorite authors, Jimmy D Brown, so please enjoy!

_____________________________________________________

How to Promote Any Affiliate Program In 5 Easy Steps

By Jimmy D. Brown of "Affiliatenaire"

.........................

Using ezine articles is a great way to promote your favor
affiliate program. What I'd like to do in this article is
provide you with a simple system for effectively writing
an ezine article that strategically promotes your offer.

There are five steps...


1. CHOOSE THE OFFER YOU WISH TO PROMOTE

This one is kind of a no-brainer. It all begins with deciding
what you want to promote. What offer would you like to
send traffic to.

HINT: You can promote your affiliate link directly, but
what works better is to promote a list at YOUR site which
you then use to promote your affiliate link over and over
again after the visitor becomes a subscribers.

2. DETERMINE YOUR "USEFUL, BUT INCOMPLETE" APPROACH.

I love to use what I have coined as the "useful, but
incomplete" approach when using freebies of any kind.
(Ezine articles, free eBooks, reports, eCourses, etc.)

What I mean by that is simply this: You provide your reader
with "useful" information (something they find of value and
are able to actually apply) but make certain that it is
"incomplete" in that they can better use the information
by making a purchase.

That's "useful, but incomplete." And it works like a charm.

The idea is to use your content to build up to your desired
response. You provide the reader with content, and then
you make an offer that allows them to fully utilize the
content, gain extra insight from the content or maximize
the content in some additional way.

Let me give you an example -

If I wanted to promote an autoresponder service in an
ezine article, how could I do it? I'd write an article
that explains how to benefit from using autoresponders.
My article would exlain different uses of autoresponders
and how the reader could profit from implementing the
ideas.

** I.E. 7 Ways To Create Revenue Streams With Autoresponders

Naturally, they will need an autoresponder service in order to
use the information, right? And I just happen to know of a
great service they can use. More on that later.

OK, so that's an example of how to promote a SERVICE offer
with your ezine article. What about a software product or an
eBook?

Want some examples?

Good, because I've got two...

TO PROMOTE A SOFTWARE PRODUCT. Let's suppose you want to promote
a software program that creates "ecovers". How can you do it?

-- Write an article outlining how important presentation of your
offer is, and how creating a cover graphic can increase response
rates by up to 1300%

-- Write a step-by-step tutorial article for "do-it-yourselfers",
explaining how to design your own graphics from scratch. Then
promote the software as a super-simplified way of doing it.

TO PROMOTE AN EBOOK. Let's suppose you want to promote an ebook
that teaches advanced list-building strategies. How can you do it?

-- Write an article that covers the "basics" of building lists,
and then promote the eBook as the "advanced" tactics.

-- Write an article on how to profit from a list, and then promote
the eBook as the "how to build the list."

See how easy this is?

That's how it works. Determine what your "useful, but incomplete"
approach will be, and then...

3. TURN YOUR APPROACH INTO A TIPS OR TUTORIAL ARTICLE.

Let's use my example again. I decided that I would describe various
uses of autoresponders and how the reader can actually profit from
them. What kind of tips list or tutorial could I create?

* How to Generate More Subscribers, Sales and Profits With
Automated Follow-Up Messages"

* 7 Powerful And Profitable Ways To Use Autoresponders To Skyrocket
Your Sales and Subscribers!

* Want to Increase Your Online Profits And Leads? Here are 7 Ways
to Do It...

I actually went with the middle title. I wrote my list of the 7
ideas that I wanted to share. And I had the makings of a perfect
article to promote an offer.

That's all you need to do. Determine your end result. Decide how
to get there with your "useful, but incomplete" approach. And then
develop a list, or even a step-by-step tutorial for your article
that leads the reader along.

With each new "idea" or "way" or "tip" or "step" or "strategy"
that you share, you can further direct the reader towards
realizing their need of your upcoming offer, and lay the
foundation for them to accept the offer.

4. EXPAND ON EACH POINT TO BUILD YOUR CONTENT.

Here's more of the easy part. Just "fill-in-the-blanks" to complete
your article. Write 1-2 short paragraphs for each of your points.
Make them good. Provide quality content. The offer you will soon
make will see poor results if your information isn't useful.

Remember, you are trying to presell the reader on the idea that
they are going to need your offer. If you don't provide them with
quality information that they WANT to begin using immediately,
then why will they want to buy what you are promoting?

Light a fire in them. Motivate them. Challenge them. Give them
such nuggets of gold that they want to keep mining until they
hit the mother lode!

5. PUT ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES WITH THE "FIVE PILLARS"

There are five things that you should always do to finish up
your ezine article. Don't skip any of them. They are all
critical...

* POLISH. Re-read your article. Does it provide information
that really is "useful" to the reader? And yet leaves them
wanting even more? That's what you want. Polish it. Put
on the wax and make it shine. It has a very specific
purpose -- make certain it has the means to achieve it.

* PROMOTE. Use your resource box to promote your offer. This
is why we've written the article, right? Remember step one?
It's time to put it into play. Give the reader what they
(hopefully) are wanting...a way to maximize the information
you gave them.

* PROOF. Don't do this yourself. Have a trusted friend, relative
or co-worker check your article for grammatical and
typographical errors. The last thing you want to do is present
a poor image after sharing some high quality information.

* PUBLISH. Zip your new article out to your favorite list of
publishers. Submit it to the announcement lists and the ezine
directories. Don't forget to publish it yourself in your own
newsletter!

* PROFIT. If you've covered all the bases that I've mentioned,
then profits are almost certain to start coming in when your
ezine article is published. You deserve it. Be proud of your
accomplishments.

And then start it all over again!

That's how you promote your favorite affiliate program in 5 easy
steps using ezine articles.

Obviously, there are many other ways to promote your affiliate
program, as well as a considerable more "details" in the strategy
we've looked at today. If you'd like 52 great ways to promote
your affiliate link AND complete step-by-step details for each
of them, be sure to read the important details below...

…………………….

Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Affiliatenaire“, teaching
you how to create big-time affiliate commission checks in
only 1-3 hours each week. Discover how you can get cash in
the bank without a website, experience or even an idea!

Visit Affiliatenaire

…………………….

What happens when everything becomes "rehashed"?

As an online marketing consultant and product provider, I hear a lot of talk about products and content being 'rehashed'. I hear, "This ebook is just straight rehashed material".

You know, that's when you see the same tips, tricks, websites, tactics, templates, etc. that everybody else has sold you on already.

And I'm sure that if you're not new to internet marketing, and still haven't made a dime off of it yet, you're probably singing the same tune, correct?

You betcha!

So my question to you is...since it's all rehashed content, what are you going to do next?

There are three choices in which you can take.

OPTION 1: Wait for the next miracle product to come out so you can buy it and bet all of your hopes, wishes, dreams and future into it...hoping that IT will make you money, miraculously.

OPTION 2: Get pissed and quit making money online altogether (since it supposedly doesn't work for you - curses!)

OPTION 3: Actually DO what you've read and purchased a million times already!

Many people (about 99%) of "internet marketers" choose option 1. Why? Because they're lazy cruds who think that buying an ebook is going to make them rich.

Seriously, the only way you can make money off of buying an ebook, is if you're getting the PLR rights to it, so you can legally steal it, make it your own, and flip it as soon as you're done.

But that requires work...and that's something that people who choose option 1 will never do. They'll never pick up a product to actually do WORK. They just wanna KNOW how to make money online...that's it!

It makes them feel so much more damn important than anyone else to know that they know how to make money on command. They'll never do it, though.

So, in summary...option 1 is BAD. If this is you, the type that likes to buy books and hang on to dear life that it will make money for you...*pimp smack* STOP IT NOW! ...or you're destined to fail (and go bankrupt, too).

For those who choose option #2, you're just as bad as those who pick option #1!

Let me explain...

You can't call it quits...and I'll tell you why. Yes, quitting IM won't be a waste of money, because you can always get refunds (if possible). But there's one thing that will always be a waste, no matter HOW you look at it...

You've wasted your time...and you can't get time back. PERIOD.

Think about it. How long have you been after the glory and the riches that being successful in internet marketing can bring?

You've probably been at it for a while...whether it be a week, a month, a year or even YEARS.

Now think about what would happen if you quit...all that time would have been for nothing. Yes, I said it...NOTHING.

It's like blowing thousands of dollars to attend the best universities and other forms of higher education...and then, after all that money is gone, and all that time has past...YOU QUIT.

All that time is wasted, because you gave up and sacrificed many things, good times, and events in life...just to try and make IM work for you. What do you have to show for it? If you quit...you have nothing to show for it. If you still try, at least you can say that 'you're working on it'.

Me personally, I could be at this for years. I've been at it for 4 years already. If I quit now, and I didn't make a dime, what would I go back to my friends and say? I wasted 4 years of my life, cancelling nights at the bar, not showing up to BBQ's, etc...for nothing. I hope you get my point.

Time is the most valuable asset in life next to happiness, spirituality and money. With happiness, you can get it back. Spirituality, you can get back in the spirit of things. Money, you can get it back. Time...well, once it's gone, it's GONE. Can't get it back.

So what about Option #3? That's the best solution for you. You already know that everything is rehashed, right? You already know about the same topics that every ebook talks about, every video course displays to you, and every tip, trick, tool and website to check out.

So why not put this information to good use?

And if it doesn't work, look at what you're doing. Ask people for advice who are in (or near) your level of success/failure.

We always want to blame something or someone else when IM doesn't work...but we never blame ourselves. That's why it's best to get someone else's opinion on your websites, marketing strategies, and ideas. That way, you can get an honest, unbiased opinion. Wait, that opinion will be unbiased, especially if you tell people that it's your "friend's" idea, or website, or strategy. :)

For instance, a while ago, I wanted to pack up and quit IM altogether, and go back to 'slave labor' working for these money hungry corporations saying 'how can I help you?'. I wanted to blame everyone BUT myself.

I wanted to blame the guru's for snagging all my potential customers.

I wanted to blame the economy and the corporate media for planting fear into people and having them slam their wallets shut.

I wanted to blame everyone else with a mailing list, because they didn't want to promote my stuff, or even give me the time of day.

I wanted to blame Google for not putting me on the first page of search results for my keywords.

I wanted to blame every other internet marketer on the planet for launching a new product every single day and getting 100's of others to plug it for them...thereby taking all the attention away from my measly little promotions.

I was even so distressed that I wanted to blame God for not blessing me with success in my most darkest of times, financially and emotionally.

I even remembered posting my thoughts saying 'I QUIT' on an internet marketing forum that I was heavily into.

You know what happened? People started giving me advice...and crazy enough, it was advice I didn't want to hear at all (but I needed to hear it).

First, I couldn't blame God, because I should've already seen how he HAS been blessing me with two young beautiful children, a roof over my head, food on the table, and even a wife who stood by my side.

I couldn't blame every other internet marketer for taking all the attention away from my promotions. They took the time out of their schedule to go out and contact as well as follow up with 100's of people in the first place to promote their stuff. I could've been doing the same thing.

I couldn't blame everyone else with a mailing list for not promoting my stuff. I just didn't know what to write to these people to get them salivating over my offer. I didn't know that most people want to see test data before they wanna promote anything. They wanted to see how I did selling my own stuff, before they decided to put their faith in it.

I couldn't blame Google for not putting me on the first page of search results. I just didn't know how to optimize my page for my keywords, and I sure wasn't out there building links to my site like I should have.
I couldn't blame the economy and the corporate media for scaring folks into slamming their wallets shut. Why? well, other marketers were getting people to open up their wallets again to shell out hundreds of dollars on 'rehashed crap'...so my approach must not have left people compelled to trust in me, and buy my stuff, regardless of economic circumstances.

I couldn't blame the guru's for snagging all my potential customers. The key to making money online is finding out what people are willing to pay for...and then get them to trust you, so they can ultimate feel more comfortable about buying from you. I strayed away from that thinking, and that was to blame instead of the guru's.

So in the end, I was to blame for not having effective copyrighting, not spending more time getting my prospects and customers to trust me, not optimizing my web pages right, not having test data and the right words in a JV proposal, and everything else.

Sometimes the best ways to figure out why internet marketing isn't working for you; is to stop looking for who (or what) else you can blame, and starting asking yourself (and others) what YOU are doing wrong and what YOU could do different the next time around.

If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting something different to happen...then you're insane. Matter of fact, that's how Albert Einstein defined "insanity"...and I totally agree. So, if you're stuck on doing things your way, the same way, again and again, and expecting it to finally make you money...then you're insane enough to really believe that it will work (because it's NOT).

Sometimes, the ebooks with 'rehashed' crap isn't the problem. Sometimes, those lengthy video courses aren't to blame. Sometimes, it's not the gurus, or Google, or other websites and products that are out, or even the people who are involved in promoting them.

Sometimes...the problem is YOU.

And I know for a fact, that many people hate to hear that they themselves are to blame...but guess what?

THE TRUTH HURTS...but it's needed. Can't keep living a lie, because those lies are keeping you BROKE!

I hope this opens up your eyes a little bit, and inspires you to look over your business in a whole new light.

If you think you have that perfect website or promotion, and nothing is working for you/it, drop me a line at my helpdesk:

http://www.tmharris.net/helpdesk

If the problem is simple, and I have enough time, I'll answer and show you what's wrong. If it requires more thought and strategy composition, I'll have to charge you for coaching :)

But, I'm only going to do this with 10 people only. If I answer more than 10 people, it's because I just plain lost count. :)

Enjoy yourself,

T.M. Harris

4 Ways To Get Your Opt In Subscribers To Trust You Quickly

While the rest of the world have developed many barriers and protections to keep their e-mail accounts spam-free, there are also those that subscribe to mails that promotes their products, services and their site. This is mainly because these subscribes wants to know more about what these sites are offering and can be beneficial for them. They expect to get be kept posted on what they are interested in and what are new in the market or field they have chosen.

Businesses would be so lucky to have these kinds of customers; the basic element needed to get these types of people is trust. When your customers trust you they will reward you with their loyalty. Many internet users have gone to great lengths in protecting their email accounts from spam mail. Some free-mail internet providers and internet service providers offer spam protection while there are also some internet based companies that screen your mails for you.

With an opt-in mail list, the mails you send containing your promotional materials such as newsletters, catalogs and marketing media will go through. Your intended recipient will be able to read and view what you have sent making it a successful transfer of information. To be able to be allowed to do so, you will need permission from your recipient, to get this permission; you need to be able to get their trust. With the great lack of disregard for privacy in the internet, getting the trust of an internet user you don’t personally know is a big achievement.

To build a good opt-in list you need people to trust you, for a faster and quicker build up, you need to get your opt-in subscribers to trust you quickly. The faster you build your opt-in list the faster word about your site and company gets to be spread. The bigger the scope of your opt-in list the more traffic you get spelling more profits. Its easy math if you thin about it. Getting the numbers is not that simple though, or maybe it is?

• Getting the trust of your clientele shouldn’t be so hard especially if you do have a legitimate business. Getting your customers trust should be based upon your expertise. People rely on other people who know what they are talking about. Garner all the knowledge and information about your business. Ell, frankly if you decide to go into a business most probably you have an interest in it. Like how many basketball payers become coaches, you don’t really venture into something you don’t have any interest in.

• Show your clients that you know what you are talking about. Provide them with helpful hints and guidelines that pertain to what you are selling. Talk about how to install a roof if your into hardware products or provide articles on insurance settlements if you’re a settlement lawyer. You don’t have to be a big corporation to make use of an opt-in list. If your customers see you as someone who knows what he is doing and saying, they will trust you quickly.

• Be true to your customers, if you want to hype up your products and services, provide guarantees. The more satisfied customers you get, the bigger probability there is that they will recommend you. Generally, people will trust someone they know, when that someone recommends you then you’re a shoo-in. They will go to your site and check it for themselves and be given a chance to experience what the other shave experienced from you, so make sure to be consistent in the service you provide.

• Another tip in getting a customer to trust you quickly is to provide them an escape hatch. Show them that you are not there to trap them. Keep a clean list that would enable them to unsubscribe anytime they want. Elaborate your web form by providing information on how to unsubscribe from the list. Guarantee them that they can let go of the service when ever they want to. Many are wary that they may be stuck for life and would have to abandon their email accounts when they get pestered with spam.

Remember that when you get the trust of your clients don’t lose that trust. Because if you do anything with their email addresses like sell them or give them out, you will lose many members of your list as ell as potential members. The true quickest way to gain the trust of your subscribers is when you are recommended by someone they trust.

If you wanna learn more about building a profitable mailing list, I highly suggest INSIDE THE LIST. It's a book I've been recommending ever since it was first released, and it's still a trusted guide for building a profitable mailing list online.

REVIEW: Wild SEO Unleashed ebook - For real?

Hey readers!

As you know, I’m supposed to provide reviews and such for internet marketing products.

This one I haven’t reviewed yet, but I believe I can get the picture, just from being in the game for 4 years now.

*clears throat*

It looks like a very good ‘angle’ to sell an over-hyped ebook about SEO (search engine optimization). It’s funny, I had a question today about SEO. Good thing I’m talking about it now…

Anywho, SEO is delicious. There’s no other word to describe it. Depending on how hard you work, you can siphon a lot of traffic to your websites, absolutely free, because of back links and your popularity amongst several search engines.

I love SEO, and I continue to use it everyday to help get more traffic to my websites, and obtain rankings when people search for my niches.

So, if you’re into another Clickbank ebook about SEO…be my guest.

CLICK HERE to check out Wild Seo Unleashed

Cya later readers!

T.M.

Review and Goodbye to 2008…Welcoming In 2009

Hey readers! Yeah, this is going to be my last blog post for 2008. :(

Oh well...gotta get ready to work even harder in 2009! That's how I view it. The economy isn't going to get any better in 2009, so that means that as business entrepreneurs, online and offline, we're just going to have to suck it up, and do what's necessary to profit from a scared economy.

Speculation killed the US stock market in 2008; and in turn, it killed off banks, forced others to merge just to stay afloat, almost killed an auto industry, and as a result killed many people's retirements and savings.

Crazy stuff, right? I got some common sense, and it smells of a conspiracy, but I'm not going to go there.

But one of the things that this speculation did kill...was the overall confidence of the consumer.

I mean, with people getting laid off like no other, it's not wonder their confidence is low when it comes to making normal purchasing decisions.

Prices are rising to compensate for a low consumer turnout and spending. This cause consumers to have to really think twice about buying something, because the wages haven't adjusted to the rate in which prices are going.

And in turn, the ecommerce industry also took a hit. It didn't matter WHAT niche you were in, you saw a loss. Even those big rough and tough 'gurus'...they saw losses. Yeah, they were still pulling in 6 figures from product launches and such...but they're used to making more, still in that 6-figure range.

You get what I'm saying? People aren't buying like they used to...and I don't blame them one bit.

That's why I'm advising you, regardless of whether you continue to do so or not, be very very very careful of the purchasing decisions you make online. It doesn't matter whether or not it's an ebook, a tangible product, a service, a ticket, whatever...think it through wisely in 2009.

You have to sit down and really think...'do I need this?', instead of 'should I buy this since everyone else is?'

Don't follow herd mentality...that's how thousands of people get sucked into buying stuff online. The testimonials, the reviews, the comments, etc. It's all social proof to invoke that deep innermost psychological trigger called 'herd mentality', and how you should follow the herd to be accepted.

OK, let me stop rambling like I'm preaching. Maybe that's what I need to do...

But, let me get back to business. Before I close out this post, I wanted to give you an overview of the top 5 products I've talked about this whole year of 2008. I'm only doing this, because in 2009, I have a whole new game plan to teaching others this marketing thing...and it's going to blow blogging and emailing out of the water.

As usual...you won't have to break the bank to get your hands on them.

So, let's close out this blog's life in 2008 with a bang, and a reminder to those who still need to learn all they need to know to make internet marketing their occupation for 2009.

1. Cash By Choice - I got some good reviews on this one when I first told my friends about it. The reason being because it was truly geared towards the newbie who doesn't know JACK, and has NADA to work with. Plus, it lays everything out in a step-by-step fashion that's easy to follow and understand. The main point about it, was that it's a blueprint to $100 a day where it didn't require a website or even a domain name (.com).


2. TrafficHybrid System - This was a website that I actually talked about twice this year, and for good reason. When it first came out, it shocked the internet marketing world with its unorthodox traffic scheme. I talked about it a second time, because they lowered the price tremendously down to just $4.95, when it was so much more when it first came out. It's definitely a system that anyone can use, regardless of what the economy looks like, and still get a boatload of website traffic to your websites instantly.


3. iSpy Auction Riches - This was another goodie I spoke highly of. My friend Adeel Chowdry had compiled over 80 videos of how he was pulling in tons of cash from Ebay. In the package, he also included the actual software that he had personally made to assist him in his Ebay ventures. This wast he real deal, and many people agreed. I was given a special license to resell it, and it's still $30 less than what he charges for it on the main site.


4. 20 Ways to Make $100 a Day Online - This was the ultimate handbook in terms of different ways and standalone methods you could do and use to make $100 a day online. It was compiled by 20 of the most regarded internet marketers who use these easy methods to make $100 a day everytime...one of them included is Willie Crawford, one of my marketing mentors.


5. IM Triggers - This was a combination of books and software that not only teach you, but help you make your marketing efforts more noticeable, but also get people to BUY NOW, instead of later. When it first came out, it made people really stop and think about how they were doing their online marketing, and how they could make more sales quickly, and continuously.

Those are my top 5, dead or alive from 2008. :) If you're serious about using the internet to siphon easy to make money, and you wanna start 2009 with a bang...check out those sites above.

I don't know about your New Year's Resolution(s), but mine is simple...work harder and more tenaciously, for 2009 is going to be a tougher year than ever for online marketers. And if you don't start the year off with the proper knowledge, tools and determination, you're doomed to fail like the millions of newbies that came into the game this year.

And 2009 will be my 4th year as an online entrepreneur...and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. :)

Definitely leave comments, and I'll see you next year!

God bless,

T.M.

The “anti-gift” from T.M. Harris

Hey readers!

I see all of these marketers out here giving out digital ‘gifts’ to
their subscribers as a way of saying “happy holidays”.

Well, I’m going to be dead honest with you…I’m not doing it. That’s
my gift to you. My gift is not hoodwinking you with a bunch of free
crap that you’ll probably never use, never read, and never fully
utilize of comprehend because it’s FREE.

For example, take two books on the same subject.

One of them you pay $19.95 for, and the other you get for free.

Which one do you think you’re going to actually read all the way
through, comprehend totally, and then actually utilize?

The paid one, of course. We as humans tend to put more perceived
value into things that we have to make a sacrifice for. If some
thing is just handed to us, we tend to forget it, right?

Just think about all of those holiday gifts you’ve gotten over the
years. How many of them do you actually STILL USE?

Compare that to the number of items that you have personally bought
yourself with your hard earned money. How many of THEM are you
still using now?

I have holiday gifts that are still sitting around here collecting
dust. Whereas, I still have a cheap pair of earbud headphones I paid
$1 from at the dollar store…and I still use them 3 years later.

Do you get my drift?

I’m not giving you an ebook, a report, a piece of software or
anything for this holiday season. And I’m mad that a lot of marketers
are actually taking the time out to give stuff out during this…
the time of ‘giving’.

They’re only doing it for obvious reasons. If you don’t know what
they are yet, check out this blog post I wrote exactly a month ago:

http://tmharris.net/blog/2008/11/why-marketers-are-always-giving-away-free-stuff/

I figured this…if a marketer is serious about GIVING stuff out,
then why the hell haven’t they done it the other 11 months, 3 weeks
and 6 days before this holiday?

Let’s be real here…

So yes, it may seem as if I’m playing the Scrooge of internet
marketing…I’m just being real with you.

Why WAIT for that one day of the year to give something to the .
people who have not only helped propel you to success and online
celebrity status?

I mean, if you truly appreciate your subscribers that much…give to
them ALL YEAR LONG…not just on Christmas!

If you’ve been reading my blog long enough, you know that every now and
then I like to give out things. I just don’t WAIT until it’s
Christmas time for the spirit of greed to subside like other guys
do.

And with this message, I actually wanted to be a little broader, if
you don’t mind.

Like I said above, many many marketers wait until the holiday season
to give things to their subscribers and customers, for free.

And likewise, people also WAIT until this holiday season to give out
things and do good deeds “because of the holiday spirit”.

There are 364 days of the year to do the exact same thing. Why do
you need a reason (a holiday) to do what you should be doing in the
first place? …giving to your fellow man/woman.

Like, you know that you have a friend who’s been having trouble
quitting smoking cigarettes. So, when new years day comes around,
you do nothing for him. Valentines day…nothing.

St. Patricks Day…nothing.
Easter…nothing.
Memorial day…nothing.
Ramadan…nothing.
Rosh Hashannah…nothing.
July 4th…nothing.
Cinco de Mayo…nothing.
Yom Kippur…nothing.
Thanksgiving…maybe a little bit, but overall nothing.

Christmas…ALL of a sudden NOW we wanna give him/her that Quit
Smoking Hypnosis DVD to him…letting him go 364 others days coughing
up his lungs and losing his breath.

Do you get what I’m saying?

This is the lesson I’m trying to let be known. There are other days
beyond the ‘holiday season’ to promote peace on earth and to do the
good will that mankind so rightfully needs right now.

Don’t just save your generous spirit for the last week of December.
Spread it around ALL YEAR LONG.

Get it?

I’m gonna go make a quick cup of tea, and get ready to get the kids
all dressed up for 1 of 2 holiday parties occurring today and
tomorrow with family and friends.

Christmas is definitely for the kids, though.

But take heed to what I said above, and hope that the lesson sinks
in with you.

Happy holidays,

T.M. Harris
tmharris.net
timharriswebsites.com

P.S. - If you celebrate Christmas, just remember that Jesus is the
reason for the season, not all the gifts you get on the 25th thanks
to good old Santa Claus.

If you celebrate Hanukkah, remember that it’s all about the Festival
of Lights, the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after
Antiochus IV’s forces destroyed it, as well as commemorates the
“miracle of the container of oil”. It’s not about presents, either.

Just keep in mind that holidays are ‘holy days’ not commercial days
off.

Some Other Top Marketer Confesses to Alcohol and Drug...(the anti-promo)

Hey readers!

I don’t know about you…

But I’ve received quite many emails from marketers, and even some
that I haven’t heard from in a while.

They’re all advertising about how a ‘top marketer’ confesses to
being a former drug user and alcoholic.

This guy is named Michael Cheney from the UK.

I guess this is his selling point to convince others that THEY can
do it too.

Just so you know…many marketers do this, and that’s because they
want you to trust them, and gain a sense of hope. I don’t know a
single marketer that hasn’t done something like this…confessing to
being a ‘bad boy’ back in the day to get some sales NOW.

The question remains…should you listen to someone who used to be
an alcoholic and a drug junkie? YES. Does that mean listen to
Michael Cheney?

I’M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT.

Why? because after hearing about Michael’s journey…it reminded me
of my own journey in life.

So, call this my confession.

Yes, I used to do heavy drugs. Mostly marijuana, but I was coaxed a
few times to pop some pills while I was in college. And during that
same time, I used to stay with 3 40oz bottles of Old English 800 in
my mini-fridge.

I used to always go to class drunk, high or both…and that pretty
much helped dismantle my own college career.

And then of course…from not completing college, I had to enter the
blue-collar work force, and from there…came internet marketing.

Wanna know what got me to stop the drugs and the boozing?

No, it wasn’t internet marketing.

It was religion…not some magic product in a box, or some expensive
training course on how to teach others how to do the same thing.

I got right with my faith, and I ended up having kids. That’s what
turned me around…not the internet marketing industry.

I.M. was a way for me to help provide for my family, not to overcome
my addictions.

Now, I will be the first to admit. If I go to a cookout, I’m going
to have a beer or two. But, I used to be heavy on 40oz malt liquor
and hard liquor like whiskey, vodka, and in some instances…corn
liquor (Everclear).

But all that stopped when I got locked up years ago after getting
piss drunk, getting a slight concussion, and being thrown in jail
after flinging my arms at a nurse in the hospital.

I haven’t touched a sip of whiskey since. Thank God, because I used
to be a real jerk when I was drunk off of hard liquor.

There, that’s my confession. Am I now going to tell you to buy my
stuff because of this? NO.

If you’re religious, get right with your faith. If you’re not, then
get right with YOURSELF. Internet marketing is only a stream of
income…not a way to get out of your addictions, like some
marketers are trying to impose on you.

Sorry, I had to rant about this…because I see a lot of marketers
telling their tales of overcoming addiction thru internet marketing,
and then robbing your wallets at the same time.

So to end this email, I just wanted to remind you of a modestly
priced course ($9.97) that’ll keep you ‘in the know’ in regards to
the internet marketing scene.

Here’s the site:
Marketing in the Know

If you don’t remember anything else, remember this.

Someone ‘upstairs’ loves you. And if you don’t believe in the man
upstairs…then remember that I love you. (no homo, though)

I love you enough to at least tell you the truth, and help put you
on the right path to get right with yourself, and the internet
marketing scene.

Enjoy yourself,

T.M. Harris
www.tmharris.net

The Connection Between Cults, Brainwashing and Online Product Launches

Hello readers!

I already know for a FACT, that I'm going to lose a LOT of partners in the online marketing field for this post. Honestly, I initially intended to actually repackage this same information, and sell it via a high-ticket course and retire from the sales LOL

But, I chose not to. I seriously don't know why...but I feel it's my DUTY as an internet marketing advisor and consultant (and dear friend) to inform you of this stuff.

Now, I just want to let you know that a lot of what you see and hear on the internet all refers back to SIX ideals and factors that are somehow connected to the continuity of destructive and non-destructive cults via 'brainwashing'...and if you want to be politically correct...'thought reform'.

I want you to think back to any and all of the product launches that you've been exposed to recently. I mean, there were SO many...the most infamous ones being Frank Kern's Mass Control launch, and Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula 2.0.

Now, I respect these guys for their hustle, and their success is truly something to be admired and studied from. But I'm about to let you in on some information that'll blow your mind, and how it relates to these two launches, as well as other launches you've seen over the years.

It all starts with a book written by Robert Cialdini in 1984 titled "Influence". Robert studied the human psychology behind human obedience mechanisms and why we as humans obey certain commands and requests from others through the form of 'suggestions'.

Although Robert's book is very long...I found an article that basically acts as the 'cliff notes' (so to speak) for this book. The article was written by the Rick A. Ross Institute of New Jersey as part of their studies into cults and thought reform.

All I ask is that you read this article summarizing Robert Cialdini's book. Notice as they outline the 6 characteristic behind human obedience and influence, how internet marketers and their million dollar product launches tie in so well with this information.

Here's the link...

Summary of "Influence" by Robert Cialdini - rickross.com

You WILL learn something from this that you can instantly inject into your own online business...GUARANTEED.

Please leave comments and voice your thoughts about this, OK? Hopefully your comments will convince others who read this to go and read the article from the Rick A Ross. Institute.

Enjoy yourself,

T.M.

Why the Rich Stay Rich, and the Poor Stay Poor Online

I wanted to tell you a secret that most of these online 'gurus' are using to bring themselves more profit than you are. And the sad thing is...you've been programmed to think this way since you first learned about internet marketing.

This in fact, has led to the demise of MANY aspiring, worthy future wealthy internet marketers, and honestly, I'm sick of it.

So...here's this big secret. Whether or not you choose to use it is totally up to you.

...

Form 'Mastermind Groups'. Point blank.

You know you can't do everything yourself. You're taught how to implement a marketing strategy or how to carry out a particular tactic or two...and you do it all yourself. Why? COMPETITION. You're taught about competing online when it comes to Google Adwords ads, SEO, Social network marketing (myspace/facebook), building email lists, etc.

STOP THINKING THIS WAY!

I mean, it's cool to learn about everything so that you build upon your own talents and such that you can perform. But, if there's one thing all the top marketers do not dare do..is DO everything themselves. In some cases, they form a business entity (company or corporation) and hire employees to do that. But even within their corporate structure, they create 'mastermind groups' within their ranks.

Like I said, they either create a company structure and either hire employees (as a company or corporation would do - Inc. or LLC) or get partners and form a short-term or long-term partnership agreement and/or business structure (LPs, LLPs, Ltd.'s)

In any instance, these people all bring something different to the table. When their different talents and forces combine, you get efficiency and the utmost performance.

They say that 'two heads are better than one'. This is true, especially in the corporate and business world.

You put a bunch of profit-minded individuals or 'minds' together, who all can do different things to help your business (and theirs) and you create a 'mastermind' from all of your combined efforts. This is where the term 'mastermind group' has come from.

Here's an example:

You want to put an ebook sales page together. You know you're horrible at putting together an entire sales site. But, you know that you can write a good ebook.

So, you go out and either hire or partner with a:

• Sales letter copyrighter
• Web/graphics designer
• Payment processing/tracking expert
• Affiliate manager

Like I said, you can hire or partner with these guys. Either pay them a fee outright for their service/expertise, or form a partnership with them, and offer them all an equal portion of any income that the partnership accrues. In the example above, I have myself and 4 other people, making 5 people in total.

Why not form a partnership and split the profits of the partnership 20%-20%-20%-20%-20% ?

That way, all are working towards a common goal in which you all split equally.

(NOTE: Be careful who you hire or partner with, though. Only hire those will be loyal and truly work towards your goal. And, partner with those who you feel comfortable with, inside and outside of the business world).

Instead of now having one person working on numerous tasks towards on a single goal, you now have five people with insights and expertise in the different tasks to quickly get to a goal. Instead of taking 5 weeks to perform all of the tasks I previously mentioned, you can split the tasks, and get it done in 1 week.

And in this organization, you can pretty much bounce ideas off each other, and even get good outside advice from others about your ideas.

In my example above (let's say it's a product about golfing):

• You could be writing the ebook about golfing.
• Your copyrighter could be writing up the sales copy.
• Your web designer could be designing the actual sales site, and how your visitors will perceive it.
• Your payment processor expert can set up the payment gateways like Paypal and/or Clickbank, and set up everything so that all parties (including affiliates) can receive statistics on profits, losses and/or commissions.
• Your affiliate manager can start recruiting people to participate in a 'joint venture' with your partnership as a third-party affiliate marketer.

When the book is done, the sales copy finished and added to the website, the payment gateways fully functional, and a list of affiliates ready to promote...

YOU LAUNCH (or pre-launch, if you want to pre-sell them before the launch)

Now do you see the importance of why so many successful marketers have adopted the 'mastermind group' idea into their respective online businesses?

You should too. Not only will you get the job done quicker, and gain the full cooperation of everyone involved, you'll also be building lifetime business contacts in which you can repeat the process for in the future...almost like a 'brotherhood of profit'.

This explains the whole 'Inner Circle of Gurus' within the Internet Marketing community. They've created their own 'mastermind groups' in which they get together, create a project, and they all offer whatever they can to the project. Almost something of a 'I.M. conspiracy' if you ask me. But now, you have been endowed with this knowledge so you can use it to your advantage...making the playing field in the online marketing industry now LEVEL and EVEN.

Enjoy yourself,

T.M.

Taxes and Willie Crawford

Hey readers!


I had two things that I wanted to tell you about.


1, if you're an American citizen, you know tomorrow's the tax
deadline. So, make sure you file your taxes to avoide late fees and
additional penalties. And yes, Paypal counts as income. Even
though they're not a banking institution and even though they don't
give you 1099 forms, Paypal is still income...so claim in on your
Schedule C when you file your taxes.

Now, I'm not a tax professional, so I advise you check with one
before you file your return this year. I had to kick out some major
dough for last year.


2, my idol, Willie Crawford released the recordings to a 2-hour
teleseminar he did with his list all about generating free traffic
to your website. Since I'm on his list, I got details of the call,
so I listened in for a few minutes (since I'm not crazy about phones
at all).

The content he was spitting out was priceless, and something that I
myself will be implementing in my own online business.

Seriously, if you've been on my list for a while, then you know how
much I praise Willie all the time. Not only is he an inspiration to
me as a black internet marketer, but he's one of the smartest guys I
know when it comes to online marketing, in general.

I mean, he started out with an ebook about soul food recipes, and
the results from that were so amazing that all the 'gurus' were on
his Johnson trying to figure out what he did to really dominate the
cooking niche.

That's why, whenever Willie speaks, I listen with an open ear (even
though I got tiny ears...my daughter's are bigger than mine LOL)

Anyway, I'll always stop to listen to what he has to say. Crazy
enough, I've been so privileged to even have direct email contact
with him (and I still haven't asked him to JV with me yet LOL)


So, if you wanna grab this 2-hour audio course about generating free
traffic, then you need to stop stalling, and visit:

http://www.tmharris.net/freetraffic

I don't know what else to say about it, though. It's really THAT
precise and to the point.


OK guys...I'm out of here like I'm at a backyard barbecue and they
ran out of food and beer. LOL




Regards,

T.M. Harris
www.tmharris.net

Honest Review: Product Launch Formula 2.0 by Jeff Walker

Hey readers!

Today, Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula 2.0 gets released today. There's one thing though...I'm not promoting it...and for good reason.

Number one, my prospects just don't have the money for Jeff's expensive courses. All of his courses are at least $1000+...no wonder he makes good money from his business. When you charge a minimum of $1000 for your product, even one sale makes you a 'thousand-aire'. And with so many people promoting his site today and over the past month, I'm sure he's going to clear the $1 Million mark.

So, I wish Jeff good luck with his launch today...but I'm not promoting it.

If you want my honest opinion...Product Launch Formula is merely a nice bundle of relationship marketing techniques to create a more personal environment for potential customers rather than a pushy sales environment that we're all used to when we see sales pages, timers, limited discounts and 'fast action' bonuses.

I actually have an entire blueprint behind how you can pretty much carry out your own product launch the same way all of Jeff's students do.

The article is called "The Psychological Backbone Behind a Product Launch", and I invite you to read it. It basically shows you the 5 psychological elements that must be present in your advertising campaign so that when the time comes to launch your product, you'll have the biggest amount of mental and financial leverage to really succeed.

I hope you enjoy it, folks!

T.M.

P.S. - Doesn't Product Launch Formula sound a little like Frank Kern's "Mass Control" launch back in February? I noticed when I was viewing the pre-launch videos for both, they almost seemed alike...and they even did a video together (ironically). Get the skinny behind it all from "Mass Control Revealed!" when Frank Kern did a teleseminar with Simon Hodgkinson and Jeremy Gialason.

Stop Trying to Guess the Product Launch Formula

With all of the hooplah involving product launches and such…I wanted to point out a few things to you about them, and how YOU can easily replicate them easily.

Don't worry...there's no sales promo or affiliate link for Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula 2.0...although I wish I had one, as his stuff is damn good.

Let me break it down to you…this unique ‘product launch formula’ is nothing short of relationship marketing. This is the idea of creating a different buying environment for people instead of a pushy sales page with all types of bells and whistles and windows that pop up when you try to leave.

It can be easily accomplished as long as you can provide that different buying environment for your potential customers. It doesn’t matter what niche you are in.

There are five things that you need to have in a product launch in order for it to be a success…

1. A sense of authority
2. A sense of credibility
3. A showcase of your personality
4. A sense of community
5. A limited offer

That’s pretty much it.

You need to show a sense of authority so that people will understand that you are the ‘go-to’ guy/gal in whatever niche you’re in. You can easily do this with content, people. He who has the answers to people’s problems/concerns, holds the authority. That’s why all these internet marketing ‘gurus’ get huge masses of people flocking to their website during a pre-launch. They have the answers to our problems through content, and we’re hooked.

Look at Frank Kern’s Mass Control launch earlier this year? He had 50K+ subscribers during his pre-launch, and only had 500 spots open on his training course. But he drew all those people to his page by getting his JV partners to promote his free content to draw them all in.

Notice during these so-called ‘pre-launches’ how they give out a lot of good stuff to get you hooked and to get you to believe that they’re the sh**. Well, it works…and the millions of dollars these guys have proves it.

Credibility, that’s when your stuff is believable. You’re trying to get people to recognize that you’re that ‘go-to’ guy. And sometimes content doesn’t always do it. Sometimes you need the affirmation of your peers saying that you’re the real deal. That’s what testimonials and even blog comments are for. I know this one has you thinking…doesn’t it???

Personality. Basically, people aren’t going to buy from someone that they don’t feel comfortable handing over their cash to. That’s just a known fact. The only time that statement isn’t true is when it comes to paying the tax man. LOL

Anyway, if you’re just an average Tom, Dick or Gregory on the internet, I’m not handing you my money for nothing! So, why not show a little bit of personality in your writings? Give the person a reason to like you. Your most valued customers are going to be the ones who actually like you for who you are.

Don’t believe me? Take a moment to email your list and tell them a little bit about yourself, and how you can relate to them (if possible). Show them you’re human. Show them that they’re not just dollar signs to you, but rather actual people. Because in the end, at the other end of the PC, there’s a human being with thoughts, emotions and rational thinking that you want to give you their money.

Community. When I say community, I basically mean leave your content open for discussion by those who read it. Blogs are your best source for this. Notice how all of these million dollar product launches post all of their pre-launch content on a blog? That’s so people who read/view the content can see their peers giving credibility for the content and the author. Notice how you never see a bad comment get posted on these pre-launch blogs. Bad comments = Bad PR for their launch. Always keep it positive in your community, and your community will be positive when it comes launch time.

And make sure that you answer any objections on your blog. That shows a little class and that you can handle anything…hence, showing more of your authority.

The limited offer. I’m sure you’ve seen them before. Frank Kern did it perfectly. He had 50K during his pre-launch and limited his launch to 500 customers…plus, he mentioned how he was going to pull it down when he reached around 500 or so since he didn’t want to take too many people on board.

He limited the quantity and the time on his offer. Of course that’s gonna stir up a buying frenzy, especially when he gave out free content, got good feedback on it, got his readers talking on the blog, and showed them that he’s a normal guy from California who likes the same stuff we do.

So, he had the ultimate product launch formula behind him. Hence, he pulled in 1 Million gross sales in 53 minutes when his offer went live.

When you put it all together the right way, you can have a million dollar launch.

I hope you know this is all information that’s in my 100-page ebook “Internet Marketing Mastermind”. Given the response I’ve been getting to my blog posts recently, I think that Tuesday I’m going to release a few copies to the general public.

Here’s where I would want you to comment…how much would you pay for a 100-page ebook? Seriously, I’ve never written or sold a book that long before…so I’m curious as to how much you’d pay for something like that.

I’ll post some more content tomorrow for you guys. Make sure you subscribe to my blog or my mailing list so I can keep you informed, OK?

T.M.

How to EASILY Promote Any Affiliate Link - With No Money

Taken from:
http://tmharris.net/blog/2008/03/easiest-way-to-promote-any-affiliate-product-with-no-money/

Hey there readers!

I learned about this recently, and I wanted to share it with you, because in all honesty…you can use this to EASILY promote any affiliate link with damn near perfect success. Seriously, I wanted to show you this, because I actually want to teach people how to promote MY products so that we ALL can make money. LOL Gotta love my hustle, right?

But anyway, let’s get down to business.

First off, you need a blog. If you don’t have one, get one. It’s free, buddy…no matter which way you look at it. Get a blog, get a blog, get a blog! Go to blogger.com or wordpress.com and get one for free. Thank you.

This might sound cheesy, but the fact of the matter is, this translates into traffic, that converts into sales, especially if you do this simple tactic.

Set up your free blog, and then hit up Google.

Using the dating niche as an example, this would be my search…

dating sucks forum

Yup, I’m going after disgruntled people in that niche, and trying to satisfy them in a personal manner. Watch.

I’ll visit the forum, and look at a few threads, just to see why these people hate dating so much. These types of hate forums are nothing but complainers, always talking about why they couldn’t get down with whatever your niche is.

So, they’re telling you what they’re looking for! You don’t have to ask for it, or even have to post the forum asking a question to find out what they want. The entire forum is for people to talk about their hate for a niche, and discuss why they hate it. You’re going to turn this into a nice “pre-sell” for any affiliate product.

Sooooooo….

We jot down these frustrations, because we’re going to repost them in a blog post. When I was searching dating hate forums I would jot down what they’re talking about. People were saying how, I can’t get a girl because I’m fat, or I hate online dating ’cause I only find whackos…so I copied this down and put it in a blog post.

I’d start off a blog talking about “why would anyone hate [niche]?” Then I’d outline each reason in a new paragraph. After all of it, I would say, “but even though someone could hate [niche] for those reasons, they probably haven’t seen this website that I found today”.

Then I’d say “On this website I found out these things about why you shouldn’t hate [niche]”

I’d proceed by rewording a few benefits from the site’s salespage, or I’d just reword their bullet points.

Then I would say “For someone knowing a little bit about why people would hate [niche], I seriously believe that this is something that would make you no longer hate it. I know they have a guarantee on the website, so they must stand by their promises.”

Then I’d present my affiliate link (cloaked, of course), and then throw this in…

“If you’ve heard of this website before, definitely post your comments about it, so that others can read it and make their own decision for themselves.”

Then, I’d simply accept good comments, and reject bad comments. I’d always make everything on my blog reassuring to the reader, from the content to the feedback. Make sure that on your blog you can moderate all comments before they get posted.

Any negativity (bad comments) is only going to kill your promotion. You want everything to be on the up and up for everyone, so that everyone who reads will feel more comfortable with going to the site and making the purchase.

Make sure you ping your blog when you post it, and ping it when comments have been accepted. Usually a blog should have two feeds. One for your posts and one for your comments. That’s because people sometimes subscribe to the comments of a blog, since they were a part of the discussion.

Anywho, I’d return the forum, register for it for free, and then edit my ’signature’. In my signature I’d post a link to my blog post saying “Why Would Anyone Not Like [niche]? - My Thoughts”

I’d B.S. some quick two-lined posts just to start getting my name around on the threads, and subscribe to the thread via email. That way, I can monitor how many people are viewing my signature, especially in a niche where I have the solution to their ‘hate’ for a niche.

They’re in distress, and I’m their hero…but I’m feeding off of their hate in a personal manner via forum, and good blog copy based upon the feedback THEY were already putting out on the forum.

Hope this helps you out! And make sure you subscribe to my blog if you wouldn’t mind.

If you want to learn a little more about some advanced affiliate marketing tactics that you can use NOW, check out this offer from Andrew Fox…he’s one of the experts on affiliate marketing. I should know because I’ve read his stuff, and he’s damn good.

He's got a course on it, and I recommend courses, only because it paces your learning and helps you to better comprehend the information and the values behind those teachings.

So go check it out, OK?

Until tomorrow,

T.M.

The Poor Black Woman From Mississippi Who Surpassed Every Online Guru

Hey readers.

This post is going to shock you and might even make you dummy smack yourself...

Today, I wanted to talk about a black woman from Mississippi who came up poor and instantly became the world's #1 super affiliate marketer. She never created an ebook on her success as an affiliate, she didn't offer any high-priced seminars showing people how she did it. As a matter of fact, about 99.99% of people who know her have no idea she's even the world's #1 affiliate marketer.

Who is this woman? OPRAH WINFREY

Think about it...she embodies everything that a super affiliate marketer is supposed to be, and has done everything that these affiliate gurus do.

• She has a following that hangs off her every word (Oprah's Book of the Month Club & TV Audience)
• She constantly has new content to build her authority as an expert (her TV shows interviewing experts)
• She makes heartfelt recommendations based on the needs and desires of her followers

Now, I want you to seriously think. This woman is well worth billions beyond billions of dollars. Do you really think she recommends other people's products and items on her show for nothing?

Every book she recommends to her 'book of the month club', she's probably getting royalty and commission checks for it.

She probably gets paid to recommend half of the stuff, anyway. These are things that the 'super affiliate marketers' do daily. They promote other people's products for a commission. They take money and contact their vast list of followers with a 'paid advertisement'.

The super affiliates interview experts and become experts by association (like Oprah does).

The thing is...Oprah's been doing this a long time, and she's still going strong, whether you like her or not. Honestly, I respect her hustle, as it should be an example to all affiliate marketers worldwide.

1. She built a following (a 'list' to us marketers)
2. She has a big venue to deliver her message (TV for her, websites and blogs for us)
3. She has credibility by association by interviewing the experts (marketers do this via teleseminars, webinars, and interview transcripts)

These are things we all should be doing to build our affiliate marketing business. And, the best example by far, that hasn't been publically documented, is by watching what Oprah does everyday. I don't watch her show. It's too girly for me...but you have to respect the fact that she has a targeted list of leads (her TV viewers and book club members - mostly women) and she advertises to them without pushing them to buy anything. She gives her recommendation, offers a review of it by telling her feelings about it and divulging some of the content, and she makes the call to action ("Ladies, this is a must-have, go pick it up at your local bookstore")

So, before you decide to pick up that book by some 'beach bum turned affiliate marketing millionaire' or that skinny guy from Singapore, or from the guy who went 'from food stamps to 6 figures'...remember, that the best affiliate marketing lesson can be learned from a daytime talk show.

You probably weren't expecting me to do a whole blog post on Oprah, did you? :)

T.M. Harris

______________________________________

This post was taken from my other blog:

http://tmharris.net/blog/2008/03/the-black-woman-from-mississippi-who-became-the-worlds-1-super-affiliate-marketer/

How ebooks saved my life, and can possibly save yours

This is actually from the blog that I host myself:
http://tmharris.net/blog/2008/03/true-story-about-how-ebooks-saved-my-life-and-can-save-yours/

I just felt the need to share it with everyone who reads this blog of mine, too. Enjoy!
====================================================

Hey there readers!

I hope you were one of the hundreds who downloaded my ebook "30 Tips for Ebook Authors" that I started to give away yesterday by Jimmy D Brown. I hope it inspired you to at least get into the ebook game.

The reason why I want you to download this book so bad, is because people keep asking me about getting ONE thing right online. And honestly, if you have your own ebook, you can't go wrong at all.

So, what can you do with an ebook of your own? Check it out:

* Bribe people to sign up to your list
* Sell it and make some profit (and build a list of paying customers)
* Use it as a bonus for other people's product packages and launches
* Build credibility for yourself or your business
* Pre-sell another product that you're an affiliate for

Seriously, every internet marketer especially in the 'internet marketing' and/or network marketing niche uses ebooks to leverage themselves to either build their list, build their reputation, or just build a bigger bank account. Think ebooks won't work for the average Joe like you and me?

Hmmmm....OK time for a case study!

Look at my ebook Ebay Profit Loophole ...

Do you know how much it cost me to create that ebook? NOTHING

An ebook is nothing more than a document...preferrably converted to PDF.

By having that ebook, I was able to do a lot. Crazy enough, that simple 20-page report of mine has done everything I mentioned earlier...

* I use it to bribe people to sign up to my list. If someone orders from one of my affiliate links, and they weren't on my mailing list before, I use it to get them to sign up to my list afterwards.

* I sell it to make profit (of course! look at the website!) and it helps me build my mailing list (which of course YOU are on)

* I've used it as a bonus for two of my friend's product launches last year and pulled an extra 150 subscribers as a result

* It's definitely built my credibility as now I get more requests for consultations and other freelance services I provide...as well as now I get more people wanting me to promote their stuff. Now, I'm no longer the hunter, but the hunted (ooooo so macho sounding!)

* It presells another product or 2 that I truly recommend. If you didn't notice, read the book.

So, from one simple 20-page report, I was able to do so many things, and mind you...it wasn't that hard of an ordeal. Think I'm one heck of a writer? Well, on my SATs in high school, I got a 1250 on my SATs. Mind you, my verbal score was only 530...I really excelled in math, though.

So, according to the SATs (and my high school teachers) I'm horrible at English grammar and writing. I always suffered in my English classes, and almost took a remedial course in English in school...whereas, I was in Advanced Placement Calculus, yet my writing skills SUCKED! I believe I squeeked by high school with a D average in English, because I hated writing book reports and it definitely showed back then.

I even went on to Rutgers University here in the U.S. and did exceptional in my Calculus and marketing classes...but since there were freshman pre-requisites that required writing classes in my curriculum, that held me back, and eventually I had lost a scholarship over it, and ended up pulling myself out of school (since I couldn't afford it anymore).

So, all in all, you don't have to be a Ph.D or some Nobel prize writer to come up with an ebook that'll boost your business and skyrocket your profit.

Interesting fact, there have been over 1600 customers for Ebay Profit Loophole, which translates into over $16,000 in gross (noticed I said GROSS) sales for me, my affiliates and my partners. My cut of that was $4000, but honestly, I had it as a $7 product using that infamous script...so I wasn't collecting sales off it anyway. I only switched to clickbank because the script was giving my webhost problems. But in the end, since switching, it put an extra $4K in my pocket over a few months, as well as a list of people I can truly call FRIENDS.

Mind you, this all started from a simple 20-page report that I (the writing expert) wrote up one day. I wrote it while I was actually on the job, bored out of my mind. And the only reason I did it was everyone that I was talking to stressed to me the importance of having my own actual book to help me boost my own business.

Think you can't do it? Think again! You have all the tools you'll ever need to write up an ebook and convert it to a PDF.

You have a computer, right? (DUH!)

You have a word processor. Even old versions of Windows come with Wordpad, the oldest of the old.

If not, just remember that you can easily go to Google Documents and not only type up your book, but also convert it to PDF right there.

Seriously, it's not that hard my friend! It doesn't matter what niche you wanna enter, or how much money you have...you can do it.

Hey, if I could do it while working for Wal-Mart, living in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment in a neighborhood taken over by Bloods, crackheads and hookers, anyone can do it.

And I'm not lying about that either. Now I have a 4-BR apartment for me and my family, where I turned one room into my private office.

I used to live right across the street from a crackhouse ran by members of the Bloods gang. I saw crack cocaine sales right outside my window, and even noticed a crackhead sleeping right in front of my place once. I had my old car broken into, vandalized, kicked and dented by bad a$$ kids, and couldn't go to sleep 'til 3AM in the morning every night.

Not because of my internet marketing, but because of the fights over money and drugs, loud music and the heavy police activity with their loud blaring sirens and such all night long. And you have to throw in the EMTs too, since five people died on that same street that year. One was right in front of a elementary school during school hours, which really depressed the area.

Now, I don't live in that section anymore, as I live in a much better part of town with peaceful people, a bigger place where I've had no problems, and more comfort for me and the family.

Crazy enough, it all started changing once I wrote up that ebook, Ebay Profit Loophole. The sales that came in helped me out. The leads I acquired helped too. The boost for my business' reputation brought more customers, prospects and even new partners.

Seriously, if I had not have written ebooks, I'd still be trying to raise both my children out of a tiny cramped 1BR apartment in the middle of the ghetto. And probably, I would've been locked up for having to do the unthinkable again to make ends meet. Yes, I used to do my dirt back then, and I'm not proud of it. But I turned over a new leaf once I saw my oldest, my daughter, being brought into this world. That made me change up the game plan, so thank God for ebooks.

With all that being said, I want to introduce you to an ebook that I purchased and read last year that really helped me out when it came to writing my first ebooks. Now, the author is actually one of internet marketing's most elite, as SHE is a ghostwriter for many of the so-called 'gurus' that you've drained your bank account over. Yes, she was responsible for that, since he wrote their ebooks and even some of their sales letters.

Her name is Tiffany Dow, and her book is called "Building an Ebook Empire". All jokes aside, after I read this and released Ebay Profit Loophole (with success), I emailed her back and thanked her. Now, there's only a few people that I have personally emailed my thanks and regards to. She was one. When you teach me something that has a significant life-changing effect on you, I'm not only going to thank you, but I'm also going to tell the world about what you did for me.

Can it do something for you? Well, I know so. Look at my story above. It's 100% real...I can't make that stuff up, and who would want to? You know what type of situation you're in. You know you want it to change. You just think..."it's never going to happen to me". You think you're in such peril that it prevents you from doing what you know you have to do to make some coin online.

I was that person. You don't know how many times I've thrown my keyboard, mouse, cell phone in frustration. Trust me, I can show you the patches in the wall at my old place where my cell phone used to play tag with the wall. LOL I hated days when I logged into Clickbank to see a big phat ZERO. I dreaded days where my Paypal account would read $0.00.

And in all honesty, it didn't start working until I wrote up my first ebook and just sold it! I will admit that my first ebooks I used to sell on Ebay w/ a $20 featured listing. But even at that...ebay didn't charge me that $20 until the end of the auction. So for 7 days, I would be out there hitting people when they were outbidded on similar auctions, and get them to buy my ebooks for a cheaper price. That started building my list. I had a nice 30 people on my list from Ebay.

But in the end, the money, the notoriety, the success, it wouldn't have been possible without God (first and foremost), my own ebook...and Tiffany Dow's "Building an Ebook Empire". This was the book that I read that got me making my own ebooks to leverage my business.

So, I'm going to stop ranting and raving about my 'rags to riches' story, and simply show you the step-by-step guide that got me going with all of my online ventures...

Building an Ebook Empire

Don't sell yourself short. Anyone who has a right mind, and has something to say, teach or pass on can write an ebook and build an online business from nothing (like I did). So do me a favor and build your own ebook empire, will ya?

T.M.

REVIEW: Niche Annihilation Method by Rob Benwell

Hey readers! I had the opportunity to review a killer product recently by Rob Benwell. Me and Rob have been in communication lately, and crazy enough, I only heard of him when I purchased his "Blogging to the Bank 2.0". Good stuff...real good stuff. Check it out if you get a chance.

Anyway, Rob wanted me to review his guide "Niche Annihilation Method". See, the thing is I haven't heard from Rob in a while, and we used to talk a lot. Come to find out, he's been doing a lot of niche marketing, in the most profitable of niches on the internet. This had me thinking about really stepping it up in the other niches I promote in.

Well, I read Rob's guide last night in its entirety, and there was one thing about it that had me reading.

It's no fluff and to the point.

Usually, if I'm trying to learn something, I just want to be told HOW to do it, without all the useless banter and such. That's how I write my own stuff, so I was hooked from page 1. Seriously, there are a lot of guides about niche marketing, and to be honest, they are all really good. I'm not going to lie. But Rob's is more concise, and gets right to the point. He basically teaches you the exact same thing HE does. When he talks about the websites he uses to promote his niche sites and products, he blew my mind. Seriously, half of the sites I had never heard of before reading it.

Me, I usually know where all the good sites are on the internet to use for promotion and services. I'm Mr. Cheapskate, remember? :)

But he gave me some news ones that I tried out last night, and it's already been bringing me traffic to my niche sites. As far as sales, there's no sales. My niche sites are for building mailing lists. If the articles generate sales, then cool. Otherwise, I'm trying to build my lists.

But seriously, Rob has outdone himself on this one. The last part of the book, he literally gives you a step-by-step action plan towards creating your own niche site, and bringing in the business right away. Rob uses the same exact action plan when he creates his own niche sites...so it's definitely something I'll be following from now on.

Anyway, definitely pick up a copy of Niche Annihilation Method by Rob Benwell. For the price tag that it's at, it's a steal, especially for some million dollar information.

REVIEW: Atomic Blogging

Is your blog bringing you massive free traffic?

Is it ranked in the top 10 on Google?

If not, you might want to check this out...

Atomic Blogging contains LETHAL secrets on how to get your blogs into the top ten rankings on Google.

Instead of the usual way people create blogs and submit articles, Atomic Blogging puts the entire process on steroids.

Want proof?

Pictures speak louder than words, so you'll want to see this...

Atomic Blogging

Alvin lives and breathes blogging. It's his passion.

And as you can see from his rankings and his earnings, he's managed to discover some amazing secrets along the way.


Don't take my word for it, here's what Ewen Chia says...

"Hi Alvin! Many people may not know this but you're really good at blogging. In fact you're one of those 'undiscovered' blogging experts who are quietly making a good living from blogging."

"Atomic Blogging " is a great step-by-step guide for people who seek to learn and profit from their own blogs. I enjoyed it and it's a straight-forward, no-fluff blueprint which will help many
new bloggers. Good job!"


Alvin's blog traffic jumped from 2,000 visitors within a month to well over 20,000, and that's just on one of his blogs.

Using Alvin's system, YOU can begin to increase your Blog's traffic and popularity in the next 5 MINUTES!

In fact, put his system to the test, and if you aren't experiencing HUGE increases in your blog traffic and popularity within eight weeks, get your money back.

Yes, it's THAT GOOD.

Atomic Blogging

Seriously, who wants to constantly update their blog, only to see a trickle of traffic?

Just think of what hoards of traffic to your blog can mean for you and your other sites.

Whatever you're earning now, imagine getting TEN times the traffic and making TEN times the money... now THAT'S something to get EXCITED about!

And if you haven't started your blog yet, think of the advantage you'll have when YOU know the secrets to getting your blog ranked sky high on the search engines...

The “Test Ride” - An Age Old Preselling Tactic

OK, this is going to seem like a dummy smack for some, and rehash to others, but this is how I'm going to break it down to you...

Think about the experience you would have if you were to go buy a car. You go there with the intention of buying a vehicle because you need one. There's no question about that. But of course, you know how car salesmen are. Their job is to put you in a car, by any means. They want you to 'sign and drive'. I'm not here to knock car salesmen and dealers. They have a hustle just like I have an online hustle.

But at the end of the day, they gotta get people into cars. So, they feel you out, and get to know you a bit, and see what it is you're looking for, and how much you'd be able to afford on your budget. Once they levy all this information out in their head, talk of financing the car kicks in. The customer gets defensive in the back of their mind, and gets kinda scared, because they hate credit, of course.

So what does the salesman do? Time for a test drive!

They let the car sell itself. What better way to sell a product than to let the person USE IT? If a person REALLY likes the car after the test drive, they'll have a connection with the car itself, and will start rationalizing ways in their mind, to afford the expense of the vehicle. They start talking about getting a second job, they start digging up a down payment just so they can finance it...you know how it goes.

The same goes for internet marketing. The biggest launches in internet marketing history let you sample the product before you invest the $197, $497, $997 into it. You get videos, you get audios, you get ebooks, blog posts, case studies galore...and you get it for free, right?

Hello?! This is a common example of the “test drive”!

People always want to talk about how they dumped so much money into seminars, DVDs, workshops, ebooks, mastermind groups, etc. But in the end, they were invited to sample the product, and they wanted it enough from getting a 'taste' of it that they rationalized ways to come up with the dough to fork out.

I've personally done that, SEVERAL TIMES. I used to get the 'pre-launch' phase of products, and they were really just samples of the products that they were ultimately selling. I like what was going on, and I'd start thinking of ways to give up the rent money to buy it. I would say to myself...hey, this program is going to make me SO much money anyway, so I'll recoup my investment real soon. You know what? I'm sold!

And the product owners are grinning all the way to the bank. It's their ultimate goal to get a specific amount of money from you. And they know that a long boring sales speech is going to drive people away. So instead of doing a traditional launch with the long sales letter and the other crap, they simply let you try out the product.

So, why aren't you letting people test drive your product? If you have an ebook with 8 chapters, give out 2 of them to your list or your prospects over a period of time. If you have software, get a shareware software enabler, and turn it into a 'trial version' of your software.

If your product is good enough, it'll sell itself. Letting your product 'do the talking' shows your prospect that you have the utmost confidence in your product. People like buying from people they only feel comfortable with. What better way to make your customer feel better about a purchase than by letting them try it out, without you pressuring them to buy?

Just let people try it out, and make the decision for themselves whether or not they really want it bad enough after sampling it. The only thing you'll have to do it carry your sacks of money while you're laughing all the way to the bank.

So, if you're an affiliate marketer in the online marketing field, how can you let someone 'test drive' a product that's not yours?

Have you ever thought of publishing a report that displays a need for your affiliate product? People do it all the time! Give out a report that's relevant to the topic of your affiliate product, and find a way to implement the use of the product with the content.

For example, you want to promote Affiliate Elite, which is a software that helps you find super affiliates on the internet. So, why not write a report all about the importance of recruiting affiliate marketers? That way, you can recommend Affiliate Elite within the report as the 'all in one' solution to finding and recruiting affiliates...especially after you give them a good reason why they should.

There you have it. A simple pre-selling tactic that any affiliate/internet marketer can use now to sincerely profit from any product they release or promote.

BTW, be sure to check out my friend Dylan Loh's Clickbank Profit Machine. He shows you other ways in which you can truly profit from your internet marketing and affiliate marketing projects.