Mike Hill – Your Internet Marketing Start-Up Kit.Mike Hill has been earning a full-time, online income since 2006, but not because someone handed it to him on a silver platter. A four-year internet marketing veteran, Hill previously pursued offline direct mail opportunities and "studied" late night infomercials. This is where he cut his marketing teeth, but making good money proved elusive. The former Canadian Armed Forces soldier kept learning from countless mistakes while inching his business forward until things finally clicked.Do as I Say, Not as I Did...Mike created his own product right off the bat, but recommends affiliate marketing for beginners. Why? Learning affiliate marketing is a quick way for pure newbies to gain business experience. In addition, he urges folks to immediately incorporate list-building into their efforts. Hill regrets ignoring list-building until later, because it was only after capturing its (and e-mail marketing's) essence that he achieved meaningful success.To help generate recurring revenue streams, Mike recommends promoting products that can offer regular monthly income (e.g. autoresponder services, web hosting, personal development systems etc.). Differentiate yourself from other affiliate marketers by offering supplemental reports with existing products. They will add to your credibility, especially product reviews and specific information that go "outside the box". Your transition from affiliate marketing to unique product creation - which is eventually where you want to be - will be easier.Mike Hill reminds us to buy and test affiliate products before promoting them. Sales success is all about trust and credibility, so be fair about your evaluations even if you end up giving some products a "thumbs down".Blogging for the Long-Term.To support your affiliate marketing campaigns, Hill recommends that you start a hosted blog. Apart from learning valuable skills like set-up mechanics and content generation, you can master online research tactics that lead to great search engine rankings.Potential sources of blog material can be as diverse as public domain directories and your local coffee shop. Mike suggests that newbies avoid the BizOpp and 'Make Money Online' niches, and instead opt for profitable market segments where your expertise can make an immediate impression and dominate.While blogs are a risk-free way of gaining confidence and establishing your online presence, don't think for a moment that riches will follow immediately. Their main function is to act as a long-term branding tool, so put your personality into it! They will help you connect with like-minded people and make friends.List-Building: Don't Forget About Your Opt-in!Experts often talk about the "Opt-in Bribe", where you offer something of value like a report or e-book in exchange for a prospect's name and valid e-mail address. However, Mike Hill wants you to take things a step further by split testing both voluntary and non-voluntary opt-ins.Also, consider offering "dollar sales" on your Thank You page. For example, you could offer 12 expert interviews for $1. This tests the sincerity of your prospects and screens out cyber "dead weight". You need action takers to thrive, so take note of what promotions attract them.Contrary to many marketing heavy-hitters today, Mike questions the use of one-time offers (OTOs) on opt-ins. You have not built up the "know, like, and trust" factor yet, argues Hill, so why risk alienating new recruits at this crucial junction? Instead, put up a survey that can help mold future offers, products etc. Of course, OTOs are great with existing list subscribers, because they know you already and are familiar with your marketing style.Using Keyword Research to Establish Presence.Hill offers simple advice for people struggling with keyword use and niche selection: Choose a keyword or keyphrase in your niche (e.g. weight loss) and perform a search based on websites where relevant information is likely to be found. Consider the following example:- "weight loss" FAQ- "weight loss" Forum- "weight loss" blogTake a look at the most popular websites and key in on how experts market their products and services in this category. Then, craft a winning plan that takes the best of what's already out there and combine it your outstanding ideas.Give Writing an Honest Effort!Article marketing is far from a free ride, but there are possibilities that go way beyond its stale, plodding image. Consider the following:1. PowerPoint-based videos (with or without voice-overs) and uploading them to YouTube and other repositories.2. Audio podcasts based on articles to iTunes.3. Text submissions to article directories, ezines, etc.Pay-Per-Click Ideas.Mike Hill suggests that 75% of all organic traffic generated from keywords comes from the top two positions on the first page. Achieving such a high ranking is a daunting task for seasoned professionals let alone newbies. However, are Google Adwords campaigns and other paid advertising options worth the trouble and expense?Before spending any money, Hill suggests taking the following steps:- Check out the direct competition to your offers/website, so that it's easier for your ads to get onto their pages (e.g Google Adsense).- Do keyword research using words with quotes, without quotes, and hard brackets.- Negate "free" on your filters to eliminate casual browsers and "tire clickers"When you are ready, Mike recommends using one keyword with two separate ads to get higher click-through rates (CTR). Tie your advertising and list-building together, since subscribers can give you feedback on things you missed or should have left out from your campaigns.Final Buzz Thoughts...Mike Hill opined on some online buzz phrases and topics of interest to serious and casual marketers alike:- Domain names: Mike suggests that virtual real estate (VRE) is a growing wealth generator, with domain names moving beyond its basic website branding function. Believe it or not, some marketers pay companies to inform them about domain name availability. Keep your .com names because they are still the most credible business extensions today.- Giveaways: Increasingly popular, yet Hill gives the concept mixed reviews. To fully participate and benefit, donate and/or take original products that offer great value and enhance credibility and knowledge. It must be targeted; creating giveaway-specific products is not only acceptable - it's encouraged.- Overdelivery: Everyone talks about "overdelivering" for their customers and subscribers, but what does that really mean? The best way to make people stay with you is to demonstrate that you care about them, love helping them succeed, and are humble about your own success.Conclusion.
Mike Hill says that people who believe entrepreneurship is the path to financial independence must embrace "business" thinking. There is no substitute for planning ahead, because money follows and rewards speed. Mike's own breakthrough was in large part due to two years of diligent testing and performance tracking.Unfortunately, few beginners view success as a scalable concept. As a result, most internet marketers end up with nothing to show for their efforts, or at best become one-hit wonders. Without a system to follow, activity is focused solely on the "last" best idea - not structures, plans, goals, nor strategies.What's the solution? Concentrate on what you are doing now...and always keep the big picture in mind. Hill recommends that we focus on communicating with others and thinking about the best way to help people. Only then will the money follow.--------------------------------------------------------------Rahul Majumdar is co-author of The Best of List Profit Academy with Brian Edmondson. To claim privileged insider information, click here.
Eric Rockefeller's Rock Star Approach to Affiliate Marketing.Party like a rock star, party like a rock star...Online "Rock Star" Eric Rockefeller is an affiliate marketing aficionado who also creates his own "How to" products. If Internet Marketing is about living the life of your dreams, then Rockefeller's dreams came true in 2006 when he successfully launched his debut, interview-based list-building home study course.Early product creation success has led Rockefeller to other projects with his JV contacts. Indeed, Eric has created several new products in the past two years - mostly related to the affiliate marketing niche. His Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising expertise allows him to earn steady affiliate income and to grow his subscriber base.Making Every Moment Count.Starting out, Rockefeller took a dual approach to affiliate marketing:1. Seeking out personal coaches whose teachings he could relate to.2. Purchasing select marketing materials.
By presenting himself to top marketers at numerous seminars and live events, Eric was able to earn their respect and friendship. Not surprisingly, he recommends that newcomers step out of their comfort zone and raves about the positive energy generated by going out on the road to network.Implementing Your Affiliate Strategy.How do you decide what affiliate products to promote? Check out the competition in your chosen niche and run some small PPC tests on products with similar themes. Track your keyword research results; use one keyword per landing page to make results tracking and interpretation easier.After deciding on your affiliations, optimize each component of your sales path. You may create a product review page that redirects to the affiliate page afterwards. Alternatively, to ensure that your visitors do not "disappear", add an opt-in page with an "ethical" bribe to grow your subscriber list. If prospects do not purchase right away, getting their name and e-mail address ensures that you can at least follow-up at a later date.Don't Forget About Building Relationships.Eric Rockefeller is a PPC devotee, which explains why he went against the grain to establish his online presence, i.e., creating a product before building a list. However, he concedes that the key to earning repeat affiliate commissions for most lies with relationship-based e-mail marketing. PPC is expensive, so why not hold onto the customers you already have? That is why he still writes his own sales copy and important list broadcasts, even though he outsources other non-core activities. Rockefeller does very little with other traffic strategies, and maintains healthy skepticism about emerging technologies. He does however see monetization potential with blogging using Web 2.0 techniques.Joint ventures (JVs) and cross-promotion are excellent for expanding your reach in cyberspace and the real world. However, marketers must balance the desire to create mutually beneficial partnerships (friendships) with sound business decisions. Remember - your reputation is on the line!Eric recommends a sales funnel for beginners in the Business Opportunities (BizOpp) niche:A. Low-cost, high quality digital products (e.g. e-books, software widgets).
B. Physical products (books, DVDs).C. Home study courses.D. Coaching programs as you develop your expertise.E. Membership sites, paid weekly or monthly newsletters.
Conclusion.If you have followed Eric Rockefeller for any length of time, you know that his "Rock Star" image is just that. In reality, he is a regular guy who worked smart to achieve huge initial success, then scaled his business model using marketing strategies that he was comfortable with. Simple tactics like placing products on trusted and reliable websites like Clickbank increase exposure and can encourage repeat business. So, instead of daydreaming and feeling overwhelmed on your Internet journey, learn by taking massive action.------------------------------------------Rahul Majumdar is co-author of The Best of List Profit Academy with Brian Edmondson. To claim privileged insider information about it's impending launch, click here.
Learning the Affiliate Marketing Ropes with Matthew Glanfield.Hilary Stewardson's final June 2008 teleseminar guest was noted Internet entrepreneur Matthew Glanfield. Since bursting onto the scene in 2005, Glanfield has parlayed several strong selling online properties into a solid six-figure annual income. Matthew's passion for helping others succeed in the often brutal world of online marketing is evidenced through his groundbreaking video tutorials. Small wonder that most of his 25,000+ list subscribers are "newbies" or relative newcomers to making money online.Capturing Affiliate Marketing Success.The internet attracts people from all walks of life who dream of becoming financially independent, or at the very least supplementing their present income. Matthew Glanfield suggests that 99% come online without prior business experience and a lack of money. However, they should not be discouraged from achieving success. Chances are that their working knowledge and special interests can trigger some growth, especially in affiliate marketing.Glanfield offers the following advice for selecting a good affiliate program:- Learn what products are selling and NOT selling. Use search engines to isolate the most popular sites, and those that are most likely to attract and convert other marketers and advertisers.
- Investigate how other people generate leads and traffic for their affiliate pages. Go to where they are!
Contrary to popular belief, affiliate sales competition is good because it indicates that a particular product is highly valued and a good seller. After all, why else is it being promoted?Making the Most of Your Affiliate Marketing Efforts.New marketers often pour money haphazardly into advertising, thinking that the volume of "one-time" affiliate sales will eventually offset their costs. However, even a respectable 1-2% conversion rate means that 98-99% of your visitors leave your affiliate site without giving you their names and e-mail addresses.What Matthew would call "Leaving money on the table"...So, what's the solution? Incorporate list-building into your affiliate marketing campaigns. Put up a squeeze page that offers a free, quality report in exchange for a visitor's valid contact information. Then, direct the person to your 'Thank You', i.e., affiliate page. Although they may reject your current offer, you now have a chance to build a real relationship with subscribers. Something that can become much more valuable in the long run.Matthew's Traffic Generation Primer.Glanfield defined targeted traffic generation as finding your niche market, then getting in front of it at the right time. Look to attract people who are actually interested in what you have to say.How do you do it? Here are Matthew’s suggestions:- Buying Leads: A definite NO-NO!- Google Adwords: Learn how to do it properly, test it out, and then ask yourself: Is it profitable or not profitable?- Banner Advertising: Although expensive in the pre-Internet Bubble era, a careful web search can reveal quality services (e.g. graphics, video impressions) and banner exchange websites at a reasonable price.- Video Marketing: An essentially free traffic generation tool where you present yourself as the expert. Present tutorials in an entertaining format that highlight your personality. Use screen capture videos or motion pictures; all it takes is a camcorder and some software to post content on video sharing sites like YouTube.- Article Marketing: A time-intensive, long-term traffic method. Focus on offering unique and insightful articles (not generic advice). Use software or outsourcing to handle ezine directory submissions.- Forum Marketing: The raw frontlines of Internet Marketing. Can be rewarding, but need to discipline yourself to fixed time limits.- Blogging: Great communication tool to establish your credibility and gain exposure; 2-3 entries weekly for maximum benefit.Traffic Conversion Hints.Matthew Glanfield believes that tracking website traffic flow can lead to positive adjustments for your sales conversion rate. What is tracking? Simply the best answer to the question:"Where are my current sales coming from, and where are my future sales likely to come from?"Many free products, notably Google Analytics, can be used to track and test your web pages. Split testing can be used to optimize every aspect of a salesletter (i.e. header, call to action, postscript, etc.) as well as determine what traffic methods lead to the highest percentage of paying customers. Why spread yourself thinly across 5-10 techniques once you learn what works, and more importantly - what doesn't?Glanfield is among marketers who believe that human behavior is predictable, and that proper statistical analysis can provide great insights into your conversion rates. Ultimately, it will make you a better and more profitable marketer.What to Consider when Approaching Joint Venture Partners.Joint ventures (JVs) are considered by many Internet Marketing insiders as the best way to generate traffic, grow subscriber lists and generate sales. Yet beginners have a difficult time figuring out who to approach, and how to promote themselves to get their "foot in the door". Matthew Glanfield advises the following:
1. Understand your market niche. Relevant and applicable knowledge is powerful.
2. Is the potential JV partner is a good personality fit for you? Is he very money-driven, or more fun-oriented? Do you complement each others strengths and weaknesses, and is there an opportunity to cross promote?
3. Never underestimate the value of "Internet Marketing"' bartering. Whereas the "9 to 5" workplace is a straight “time for money” operation, be prepared to present a "skills for traffic" proposal to more experienced partners. There are numerous tasks that marketers need done, and becoming the person they turn to can explode your business prospects.
4. Show people what you've done, and solicit their feedback. Getting their attention is always easier with products in hand. If financially feasible, use live events to improve visibility and build your reputation.Membership Sites Alert!It's common knowledge that one-time sales are easier to generate than regular, residual income. Yet, viable continuity programs (i.e. membership sites) that offer fresh content and minimizing attrition are high maintenance vehicles that are viable for only the most spirited and dynamic marketers. So, Matthew asks the newbie-to-intermediate crowd to consider a compromise: Offer high quality, high converting, front-end products followed by a mouthwatering membership offer with monthly fee attached.Conclusion.Matthew Glanfield's fast start in Internet Marketing ($100k in six months, 2005) has not diminished his drive to connect with more and more people. Admittedly, the overwhelming majority of his list subscribers are newbies. Yet, he has used that reality to become a recognized expert in "How to" video marketing to address beginners’ needs. Glanfield has forgone the mentality of making a quick buck in favor of the mentality to build a real business.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rahul Majumdar is co-author of The Best of List Profit Academy with Brian Edmondson. To claim privileged insider information about it's impending launch, click here.
Mike Hill – Your Internet Marketing Start-Up Kit.
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