Online Marketing From Home

There are many online marketers that I respect and admire… But, one marketer has a very special place in my heart… Dr. Mani. I really love this guy! He works tirelessly to promote awareness of congenital heart defects in children and has established ‘The Dr. Mani Children Heart Foundation’ to raise funds for this worthy cause.

On the 12th of September Dr. Mani started a ’24 Hour Heart Kids Twitter Marathon’ and raised thousands of dollars for children with congenital heart defects.

This year his theme was “Passion Purpose Persistence” and he asked me if I would be willing to write an article in support of his ‘HEART KIDS TWEETATHON’ initiative. I immediately agreed!

In keeping with the theme of the event I wrote an article called “How To Make Money Online By Following Your Passion” and since the event has been concluded I thought it would be a good idea to post it on my blog. So, here goes…

How To Make Money Online By Following Your Passion

Many people dream of making money online from the comfort of their own home. If you are one of them I sincerely trust you will enjoy this short article and benefit from it.

Maybe you just want to supplement your existing income or maybe you would like to be your own boss someday and like the idea of working from home…

There are probably hundreds of reasons why people are attracted to online marketing. Let’s face it, the entry barriers are very low and it’s relatively cheap to get started. Chances are you already have a computer and access to the internet!

The key question is… HOW TO START?

There is no shortage of people that will gladly relieve you of your hard earned cash in exchange for some “make money online” information. Still, where do you start? Google lists more than 13,000,000 (yes 13 MILLION!) search results for the exact phrase “make money online” and that does not even include the 22 pages of sponsored links on the right side of the search results!

So what do you do? Do you just click on the best looking link? The one that tells you how easy it is to make $1,000 a day while sipping pina colada’s next to your swimming pool? Want to see some other options? Okay, here you go…

“Generate $5000 to $50,001 daily! New, Easy Online Cash. Join US.” (Actual sponsored link)

“Earn $1,000 Per Day PT/FT – Make Money Online Within 15 Mins.” (Actual sponsored link)

“Join our Team Now & Stop Losing. Start Getting $6K to $60K Monthly.” (Actual sponsored link)

Fact of the matter is that there are thousands of get rich quick scams on the internet. There are also many different ways of earning an honest income online.

Remember that if something seems too good to be true it normally is too good to be true… And, don’t waste your time searching for the “best” way to make money online. There is no best way! If there was we would all be doing it!

You need to find the right way for YOU!

I am often asked by new marketers “Where do I start” and my answer is always the same… It is advice based on my own personal experience that I would not hesitate to give to my own children if there were interested in learning how to make money online.

Here goes…

Find a viable market you are passionate about or at least interested in that’s full of hungry buyers that are willing to spend money online and give them what they want.

It’s really that simple! Let’s look at it in more detail…

“Viable Market” – The market should be big enough!  

How many people will be interested in buying a report on the endangered Miami Blue butterfly? How many copies can you expect to sell every month?

The market must be big enough to make it worth your while!

“Passionate About Or At Least Interested In” – Don’t do something you don’t enjoy!       

Studies have shown that the majority of Americans are not happy in their jobs and would rather be doing something different. In fact, I think this is true in most countries!

If you have the choice to enter any new market why would you consider a market that you don’t like, don’t understand or have no interest in? Why would you do this to yourself? Because the potential money you can make looks promising?

Well, here’s a Newsflash…

You are going to be competing against many other marketers that are passionate about what they do, have lots of knowledge and experience, an established client base, and loyal followers.

Think you can effectively compete with them as a new online marketer in a field that you know nothing about and are not even interesting in? Good luck!

Note: As you gain experience you will be able to enter other profitable markets, even ones you are not really interested in. However, I will not recommend it to a brand new marketer.      

“Full Of Hungry Buyers” – Tire kickers and freebie seekers are not going to pay the bills!

Many people may be interested in a certain topic. However, that does not necessarily mean they are willing to spend money on it! Some markets are simply flooded with people searching for free information. People that have no intention of ever taking their wallets out of their pockets to pay for the information they are looking for.

You need to make sure that people are willing or even eager to pay for what you have on offer.

Note: It is often possible to eventually turn tire kickers and freebie seekers into buyers by giving them free ‘what to do’ information and selling them the ‘how to do it’ part. However, you will be much better off by focusing on selling to hungry buyers right from the start. 

“Willing To Spend Money Online” – Some people hate it!

This part has actually got two components…

The first component is ‘Trust, safety and credibility’ and the second is ‘Nature of the product’. Let’s consider them one by one.

a. Trust, Safety and Credibility

It’s one thing walking into a pet shop and buying a book on how to build an aquarium. It’s a different thing ordering a book online. You cannot touch the book and browse through the chapters to make sure it has the right content you are looking for.

Remember that your buyer may be thousands of miles away and has to feel comfortable buying your product or a product you are recommending as an affiliate. Some people just don’t like the idea of spending money online!   

b. Nature Of The Product

I don’t know about you but I would rather buy my shoes in a shoe store than order them online. I simply like to try them on and walk around a bit before buying a pair.

On the other hand, many people would rather buy sexy lingerie online than in a shop…

Take into consideration that some markets may be huge and have lots of hungry buyers but that does not necessarily mean that they will order online. 

“Give Them What They Want” – Do not make assumptions!

Many people and even large corporations make the mistake of offering people something they need instead of something they want. You may have a great product but unless people want it you are not going to be making a lot of money!

For example, many people need to lose weight but unless they want to lose weight they are not going to buy your product. Many people need to stop smoking but unless they want to stop smoking they are not going to spend money on a ‘how to stop smoking’ product. Clear?

It can be very difficult and expensive to create a market where there is no market despite the fact that you may feel people need your product. Do not make assumptions!

I see this very often in internet marketing… Someone has a great idea for a new product and he is convinced that it will benefit other marketers. He really thinks there is a need for it. He spends a lot of time and money developing the product and ends up selling 10 copies… Very often the reason is that people are simply not in the market for what he has on offer.

There is a big difference between a product that’s ‘nice to have’ versus a ‘must have’ product. 

Play it safe, especially if you are a new marketer. Do your research. Give people what they want and not what you think they need.

Don’t be under the illusion that you need to find something new that people really need. In the words of John Reese “Stop trying to come up with the next ‘Big Thing’. Let other people *Show You* what’s making money. THEN EMULATE SUCCESS.”

Moving forward…

There are many ways you can reach your market and give them what they want. It’s beyond the scope of this article to examine all the options available to you. There are simply too many…

You can build a content rich website, also called an authority site, and monetize it with Google Adsense as well as discreet links to suitable affiliate programs. You can build a one page sales website and promote a report through Google Adwords. If you don’t have any money to invest you can get a free Blogger account. The list is endless!     

The first and most important point is to identify the right niche market. The more passionate you are about this market the better you will be able to serve it.

Here are seven additional tips that can help you succeed…

1) Always try to help people.

Your first aim should always be to help other people. Few things are as important online as your credibility. It takes time to build it up but it can be destroyed very quickly.

Don’t sell or promote junk just to make a fast buck. Don’t promote a product as the best thing since sliced bread when it’s barely average to say the least.      

Always ask yourself if you would sell or promote the same product to your mother. For example, assume you are promoting a product that helps people deal with epilepsy in children. Would you like your mother to buy that product if you were the child suffering from epilepsy?

2) What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?  

What makes your product or a product you are promoting as an affiliate special? Why should people rather buy from you than from anyone else? Do you have a competitive advantage over your direct competitors?

Many markets are highly profitable but also very competitive. You need to find ways that will enable you to stand out from the crowd. Having a USP can give you a huge advantage in the market.

3) Keep an open mind.  

What may be working for other people may not always work for you. This does not mean that you are right and they are wrong.

Internet marketing is not black or white but comes in many shades of gray. Don’t be quick to believe everything you read but don’t be quick to discard it either.  

4) Don’t give up too quickly.

Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, it takes time to build a successful online business. Do not expect great results if the beginning.

Sidebar: You may be surprised to know that most of the people that are today considered as “internet gurus” really struggled for a long time before they made it.

5) Don’t try to be everything for all people.

A very common mistake that it’s nearly always fatal is trying to cover a broad niche from A to Z.

For example, the pet market is very big. But, don’t even attempt to try and cover the whole market. It’s simply too wide! Try to narrow it down as far as possible.

For example, instead of focusing on a very broad niche such as dog owners rather focus on a specific breed of dog and research what type of products or information these dog owners want.   

Visit specific websites, blogs and forums. Have a look at what questions are posted on Yahoo Answers. Do some keyword research and find out what key phrases people are using when searching for solutions online. Try to dig deep!

6) Build a long term business and large client base.    

The most profitable businesses are those that can build up a client base and supply those clients over and over. It’s much more difficult (and expensive) to gain new customers than to serve existing customers.

Always try to find a market where you have the possibility of getting repeat business from your loyal customers. Take the internet marketing niche as an example… I can sell many different reports to the same customer. The one report may be about how to find and research a niche market. Chances are that if my report is very good that the same customer will not think very hard about buying my second report that covers how to build a successful blog or my third report that covers how to get a lot of traffic to your blog, etc.

Here is another example, the pet niche. Let’s assume your target market is Doberman Pinscher dogs. Chances are you can sell or promote several reports over a period of time to the same customer ranging from how to select a puppy, how to ‘house train’ a puppy, how to teach your dog obedience and new tricks, essential dietary requirements, etc. This is just off the top of my head. I don’t know anything about Doberman Pinscher dogs but you get the point.   

7) Always look for golden threads of wisdom.

I often see marketers complain on forums about “rehashed information” that’s included in new marketing reports. Well, what may be old news to them will be brand new to a newbie.

I have learned a long ago to always search for ‘golden threads of wisdom’. Let me explain…    

I have more than 30 books that deal exclusively just with affiliate marketing. Many of these books include information that I am very familiar with. Does this mean I should not buy any more books on the subject of affiliate marketing? No!

You see, what I have found is that even though two books may basically cover the same techniques there is always something I can learn that I can apply to my own marketing strategies. Even if it’s only a short reference to a website or resource that I am not yet familiar with!

A single sentence or paragraph in a report can often give me a massive return on the money I invested in buying the report. This is what I mean by looking for golden threads of wisdom.

It makes no sense to buy the one report after the other report and not to apply anything you have learned. It also makes no sense to completely change your strategy (that you haven’t even fully implemented) with every new report you buy.

I am not saying that you should buy every single report on a topic you can get your hands on! But, remember that online marketing is a continuous learning curve and that you need to occasionally invest in your business. It’s just like any other business.

Remember that by maintaining the status quo you are not really staying where you are but you are actually moving backwards as your competitors move forwards.

Always be on the lookout for golden threads of wisdom that you can incorporate in your own business strategy. Test and monitor the results of everything you do and always strive towards continuous improvement!

Thanks for reading!

To YOUR Online Marketing Success!

Francois du Toit

If you are a serious internet marketer you cannot ignore the power of online video.

It’s estimated that more than 130 million Americans watch videos online every month. That’s 3 out every 4 internet users!

A site like YouTube gets about 16 billion visits per month! That’s serious traffic!

But here’s the thing…

What is the point of getting 1000 views per day if nobody visits your website?

We all know the importance of copywriting as far as a website is concerned. The average conversion rate for a website is only about 2% and that’s still a lot higher than the average conversion rate of a video on YouTube!

So what’s this all about?

Well, I read an interesting report recently published by a guy that has cracked the YouTube conversion code… One of his latest videos is converting at a massive 70%!

Think about it for a moment… For every 100 views he gets on YouTube he gets roughly 70 new and highly targeted visitors to his website!

…and get this. He recorded that video in just over 5 minutes!

This is not simply a “what to do” report but a “how to do it” report that lists his ‘7 Simple Steps To Killer Video Conversions’ that anyone can copy and apply to their own videos!

I was so impressed with this report that I bought the Private Label Rights to it… In fact, I ended up getting the exclusive ownership rights as well!

And, this means I can offer my list and blog readers a killer deal that you cannot find anywhere else!

If you have videos on YouTube that’s getting a lot of views but you are not getting traffic to the website or blog you are promoting or you are thinking about using YouTube in the future as a way of generating traffic to your website or blog then you really need to check this out.

Click this direct link for details: Killer Video Conversions

To YOUR Online Marketing Success,

Francois du Toit

They say the money is in the list… And, they are right! Well, sort off… It really depends a lot on how you treat your list, why people signed up in the first place and how / where you found your list members…

Anyway, how do you go about building a list? Let’s make it more interesting… How do you go about building a list for free?

Many people simply set up a website or blog, sign up with a company such as Aweber, place an opt-in form on their website or blog and wait for people to sign up for their ‘newsletter’ by offering them some free content such as a free report, video or audio course.

Well, should you place an opt-in form on your website or blog it? Sure. Are you going to get a lot of new subscribers this way? Not necessarily… Unless you are able to drive a lot of traffic to your website or blog and give people a very good reason to opt-in! Your average website or blog will probably not get more than two or three signups a day…

Here are two free list building strategies that have worked very well for me…

1. Free Reports

How it works…

You compile a good quality report on a hot topic that you know your target market is interested in and set up a squeeze page to collect names and email addresses. Set it up in such a way that a new subscriber must first confirm his request for information before he gets a copy of your report.

Even a free report must be sold. I get many offers every week for free reports and ignore the majority of them simply because my time is valuable and the fact that I am offered something for free does not mean I want it.

You have to convince people that your report will benefit them by highlighting as many benefits as possible. In addition, give them a reason why you are giving it away for free… Many people think that a free report has no real value!

Do not make the mistake of giving away a report that is full of fluff and affiliate links and expect people to opt-in before they can read it. Yes, you will be get new subscribers even if the report is crap. But, subscribers do not pay the bills… customers do! By giving away a crap report you will damage your credibility before you have even started building a relationship with a new subscriber!

If I give away a report as an incentive for someone to subscribe to my list I want them to think only one thing, namely: “If he is willing to give away such high quality information for free I can only imagine how good the content is that he is actually selling!”

Tip: Make a note every time you sign up for a special offer, promotion, free report, etc. How was it presented to you? What made you sign up? Copy and test what seems to be working for others!

Do I need to write my own report?

It depends on how / where you are going to promote the report. Let’s look at a couple of options…

WSO (Warrior Special Offers) at Warrior Forum

Okay, this is not free but for only $20 it’s as good as free… I have gained many subscribers by giving away a report as a WSO. It must be your own report! For example, you cannot list a report for which you have acquired resell rights!

Ad Swap (actually a ‘List Swap’)

This is a great way to build your list!

In principle two marketers agree to cross promote a free product to their respective lists.

Okay, let’s consider some common questions…

Do I need a huge list before I can participate in a list swap?

Short answer… No. Even if you only have a list of say 500 subscribers it can work. If your ‘partner’ has a bigger list he is obviously under no obligation to email his whole list and only needs to send an email to 500 subscribers.

How / Where do I find possible list swap partners?

I suggest contacting other marketers that you feel positive about, for example marketers that post good content on forums and that’s on a similar level to you. In other words, focus on your peers and not on contacting gurus.

What do I say to them?

You have to make a proposal. Here is a short and simplified example…

Hello {name},

I really enjoy reading your posts on {forum} and I think we share very similar views on {topic}.

I am going to get straight to the point…

I am very interested in the possibility of doing a list swap with you. I have a list of {number} double opt-in subscribers and was wondering if you have a report that I can email my list about that they can get for free by subscribing to your list?

I have a very good report about {topic} that I sincerely believe will benefit your list members. Here is a link to my squeeze page and a direct download link for my report – {links}.

I am convinced that by doing a list swap we can both gain a significant number of new and responsive subscribers. In fact, it’s a win-win situation… I am sure your list will appreciate getting my report for free and I know my list loves getting quality content.

I look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

{Your Name}
{Your Contact Details}

A couple of tips…

Do not send reminders! Once your potential partner has indicated his interest you can suggest a date and time, and provide him with a proposed message that he can email his list (he can obviously edit it or use his own).

If your potential partner is interested in your proposal but does not mention the size of his list or the product he wants you to promote ask him for this information. Do not email your list about a product that you have not reviewed. If the product is crap walk away!

Can I trust my partner to email his list?

It really helps to know your partner and to be on his list before you approach him about a list swap. I have done a couple of list swaps and only had one case where a partner didn’t email his list as he said he would.

Tip: If you get a good report for free from another marketer that’s using it to build his list contact him. You already know he is offering his report for free as an incentive for people to join his list and you have already determined that his report is good.

Lastly, I suggest that you use your own unique report in a list swap. You will look very unprofessional to a potential partner if you do not have your own report. If you want to use a report that you have private label rights for I suggest you completely change the report to make it unrecognizable from the original report!

Giveaways

Participating in a giveaway event as a contributor can be a good way of building your list fast. In fact, it’s recommended by most gurus… But, there are some things you should consider before participating as a contributor…

A typical giveaway event will stipulate that you should have a list of at least 500 people and that you need to promote the giveaway to your list. In addition, many giveaways insist that you only list your own unique product and some even request that it must be a product that you are currently selling.

The more people you refer and that sign up under you the better. You usually get more points for referring new contributors than “normal” members and the number of points you have will determine whether your gift is listed on the 1st page or the 30th page. Obviously the 1st page gets a lot more traffic!

There is normally also an OTO (One Time Offer) when you sign up but that another story…

Is the structure fair? Yes. But, that does not mean it’s always a good idea to participate. No, and here’s why…

Unless you can get your product close to the 1st page you are not going to get a lot of people to opt in to your list in exchange for your free report. I often see claims about how you can add thousands of new members to your list… Take it with a shovel of salt!

What about the new members you gain? Well, chances are they signed up for many other “gifts”. They don’t only have a truckload of new products to digest (serious risk of indigestion or information overload) but they are also getting a lot more emails than before.

Remember that at the end of the day an unresponsive list is as good as having no list and you run the risk that some of your previously responsive list members may be less responsive afterwards.

All in all it’s not a bad way of building your list but I very seldom promote giveaways to my list. I normally only participate when I can buy a spot on the 1st page without having to email my list.

But, do you not always need to be a follower!

Here are two ideas you may want to consider in the future…

One - Host your own giveaway! Why not? Learn from what others are doing and copy what works.

Two - Contact a couple of reputable marketers and set up a Giveaway JV with them. This is a similar to a ‘list swap’ except that instead of only one partner you will now have four or five partners. The products can be placed on the home page of a newly created website and the partner with the biggest list can get the top position. Even if your product is the last of five products listed on that page you will probably get more new subscribers than with a traditional giveaway!

Here is one last tip on building your list with free reports…

Tip: Ever heard of article marketing? Sure you have! Well, why don’t split the free report you have created into several articles and submit it to an article directory such as Ezine Articles? At the end of each article (in your author bio box) you mention that this article is an extract from your special report on whatever topic but that they can get the whole report for free by clicking on the special link you have included (that will take them to your squeeze page). I’ve done it… It works!

2. The $7 Script

Just in case you have not heard about the “$7 Script” here’s how it works…

In a nutshell it gives you the ability to run your own affiliate program from your own website. One of the main benefits of the script is that it can pay affiliates 100% commission straight into their Paypal account immediately after a sale. Once you set it up the script takes care of it.

I am surprised not more people are using it…

I think I know why… People often focus too much on the $7 part (you can actually set your own price) and the 100% commission part… They don’t like the idea of paying affiliates 100% commission. But, you know what? They are missing the point!

As far as I am concerned the main benefit of using the “$7 Script” is list building!

I am sure you have heard of “viral marketing”…. I have seen many people advocate that you should give away a free report and encourage others to give it away as well…

Well, here’s a newsflash…

MOST FREE REPORTS NEVER GO VIRAL!

You know why? Because there is no direct monetary incentive for others to promote it!

Marketers want to make money. When they email their list it’s normally to promote a product that will give them the opportunity of earning money. Telling their list about a free report is simply not a priority. In some cases they will promote a free report if they can rebrand some affiliate links with their own but even this is an exception.

Promoting someone else’s free report with no way of capitalizing on it? Yeah right!

Now consider this for a moment… You write a good report and sell it for $7. Your affiliate only needs to add his Paypal address to the url and will earn 100% commission on every sale he refers. In addition, all the people that bought the report through your affiliates will also be able to promote the report for 100% commission. Can you see how such a report can go viral?

It does not matter that you do not get any money on the front end sales of your affiliates! You basically have an affiliate army that’s building your list for free!

By the way, nothing stops you from adding an OTO! You can for example stipulate that your affiliates will earn a 100% commission on the front end and 50% commission on the OTO!

Before I forget… The “$7 Script” is not an expensive product. In fact, it’s only $7! However, unless you are very familiar with installing scripts it can be tricky to install as the installation instructions are not very clear!

Kevin Riley recently launched a new report called “All-Thumbs Guide To Installing $7 Secrets”. The report only costs $9.95 (last time I checked) and includes a copy of the $7 Script meaning the actual cost is only $2.95 since you don’t need to buy the $7 Script separately. It’s over 50 pages long and includes many screen shots that will walk you step by step through the installation process.

Kevin also mentions several precautions you need to be aware of in order to be compliant with Paypal’s policies! This in itself is worth more than the cost of the report!

Click this link for more info on Kevin Riley’s report: $7 Secrets

Tip: Once you have your first report (that is using the $7 Script) up and running you can list it for free on ‘7 Dollar Offers’!

Here is the direct link to ‘7 Dollar Offers’: 7 Dollar Offers

If you have a bit more money to invest then I highly recommend you take a look at the “Rapid Action Profits Script” by Sid Hale. The best way to describe it is “$7 Script on Steroids”! It’s more expensive and will set you back $177 but it worth every cent and more.

I recently started using the Rapid Action Profits Script and can kick myself for not getting it sooner…

Click this link for more info on the RAP Script: Rapid Action Profits

Okay, there you have it. Some of my best free list building strategies!

As always I welcome your comments and will reply to all questions.

Wishing you all the very best!

Francois du Toit     

It’s no secret… The Warrior Forum is the Number 1 Internet Marketing Forum on the web. It’s the place where many of today’s top internet marketing experts and gurus hang out. In fact, many of the members rank amongst the most successful online marketers in the world today!

So, what is this all about?

Well, recently Allen Says the owner of Warrior Forum posted a challenge that was hard to ignore! He asked a simple question…

“If you were talking to someone brand new to the Internet and they asked you how they could make money in the shortest time possible, what would you tell them?”

At stake was a free copy of Traffic Secrets 2.0 by the ‘Master of Traffic’ John Reese for the top 20 answers… A course that’s selling for $397!

Several top marketers accepted the challenge… In fact, the question got 205 answers! Some of the greatest minds in marketing history participated in the event!

The majority of answers posted were nothing short of amazing!

But, here’s the thing… Working your way through 205 answers is not a walk in the park!

Well, I have some good news for you!

You see… Dean Shainin spent dozens upon dozens of hours reading every single reply, distilling the best answers down, extracting duplicate answers, adding back links to each of the 99 Warrior members profiles that made the grade, contacting members and creating this guide for easy print access in an organized manner.

End result?

The Definitive Job Slayer Warriors Guide - A comprehensive guide detailing 99 of the “Best Of The Best” strategies on how YOU can make money online in the shortest possible time!

And, you can get your hands on this valuable resource for less than what you would pay for a small pizza! Not only that… You can also promote this report for 100% commission paid straight into your Paypal account!

I always say that the best way to succeed online is to help other people! Well, not only will you pick up several gold nuggets in this report for your own use but you will also get a great opportunity to help others!

Here’s the link…  The Definitive Job Slayer Warriors Guide

Check it out!

To YOUR Online Marketing Success,

Francois du Toit

P.S. Don’t be fooled by the low price. It’s a special introductory price and may be increased at any time without prior warning.