Good Conversion Rate

Y’all are going to hate the answer I have for you, because really, there is NO answer. Yet this is a question I get all of the time.

Frankly, I do NOT blame you for asking it. You’re curious, and a lot of people want to be reassured.

But the truth, as it so often is, remains politically incorrect.

And that’s my job…to deliver the straight goods, no BS, no hype, just the real deal so that you can take the info and put it to work.

Alright, let’s get at it, because I know a lot of my American friends are ready to kick-off an amazing Memorial Day weekend.

Here’s the question on “conversion rate”, and some awesome rapid fire QnA from my daily sessions at www.SuccessQnA.com

Q: In the last 30 days I’ve had 229 hops on my sales page and 8 sales for a conversion of 3.5%.( I’ve discounted the sales and hops by anyone I know). Is that a good number or is it too early to say?

Answer: It seems great. BUT…it depends on so many things. For example, where is the traffic coming from? Is this ‘referred traffic’ or are you buying it with pay-per-click ads.

The bottom line is that whether or not I tell you, “Yes” or “No”, my answer doesn’t matter.

You must always be trying to improve it.

There’s no such thing as a generic ‘good conversion rate’.

What’s more important is to find where that traffic is coming from and how you can get more of it.

And if you were paying for traffic, it doesn’t matter if your conversion rate was ‘good’, what matters is are you profitable on buying traffic and making sales?

So really, “Is this a good conversion rate?” is just the wrong question.

There are much more important things to think about.

Q: I have created a web site, gotten some traffic, gotten a list, created a product and even written a sales letter.  But I don’t know what to do next.  Do I put the sales page up on my blog, or does it need another URL? 

How do I set up sales and delivery and what about an upsell.  I feel so close but I’m not sure where to go to do this technical stuff.  I don’t want to do it wrong at first so I have to re do it later. Have you covered this already? – Ron

Answer: Yes, here’s what you’ll need (these links are from a new project I’m running with Bedros Keuilian and Dr. Peter Osborne):

a) A sales page like this:

Gluten Free Health Solutions.com

b) An optin page, that can be on the same website, like this:

Gluten Free Health Solutions.com/Freereport

That’s how you’ll separate the pages you mention. You can also have a blog on the same URL.

For all this technical stuff, you can simply go to Elance.com or Guru.com or Odesk.com. You might even be able to find someone on Fiverr.com.

Q: What is the shortest and fastest route to become an expert in a field? And can you recommend any resource that can help?

Answer: I don’t think there is a short and fast way to becoming an expert in a field. You need to study and learn from the master’s.

If you believe Malcolm Gladwell, it will take you 10,000 hours to achieve mastery. But you can be pretty good at something in about 2000 hours of study and practice. (That’s about one year of full time work.)

Q: If (for some strange reason) you could only work on one more thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Answer: I would write. That’s what I do now anyway. So perhaps that strange reason already happened. WhoOOAaa!

Q: Time management is the easy part. Just get up 5 AM each morning and get to work. Outsource whatever you can throughout the day, and you’re on your way to success. The real problem is doing stuff that work in todays market. Blogging? Listbuilding? Product creation? Affiliate? Local Biz? What would you do if you started out today?

Answer: The BIG idea is the biggest thing. You must first have a big idea to communicate to the world…one that differentiates yourself from all others. Once you know it, you need what Michael Masterson calls your “Optimal Selling Strategy”. That is, the most profitable way for you to sell your product.

Next, identify your optimal mode of communication. I’m actually working on a two-part article for Financial Independence Monthly on this topic. Part 1 will be in next week’s June issue.

If you’re not a member, you can join here:

MakeMoreMoneyOneline.com

Q: What are your top three books that you would recommend reading this year? (Business, Self-Improvement, Inspirational)

Answer: I would recommend everyone read Viktor Frankl’s classic, “Man’s Search for Meaning”, and Verne Harnish’s blueprint, “Secrets of the Rockefeller Habits”. And then I’ll give you a choice between Michael Masterson’s new book, “The Reluctant Entrepreneur” or Dan Kennedy’s “No BS Time Management”.

More book ideas here

Early  To Rise.com/mentor

Q: I have several projects going and I find it tough to manage everything at times. Any tips for managing multiple business projects at once so that you reach your goals?

Answer: Prioritize, and cut. I’ve read many articles on Apple’s success, and many of them point to what they did NOT do. That means you say NO more than yes. You cut low priorities and focus only on the BIG levers that can move you ahead. It’s like pruning a rose bush…you focus on keeping the big blooms and lose everything else…and that’s how a garden makes a big impact. Not with a bunch of small, inconsequential flowers.

Q: Thanks for the q&a. This has been a real eye opener. I have 100’s of ideas, what’s the best way to focus on one and grow that idea into something great?

Answer: Happy to help. It all starts with your vision. Do the exercise here – A New American Dream

A fitting video for this holiday weekend,

Craig Ballantyne

“First thing every morning read or listen to something positive. Your mind is like a garden – whatever you plant grows. Plant good stuff.” – Alwyn Cosgrove