5 Final Pillars of Internet Independence

Click here to read the first 5 pillars of Internet Independence

Just got back in from another walk in the park with Bally the Dog, where he was eating up some snow and rolling in it too. Did you know that one of my most successful sales emails from 2010 was “written” by Bally the Dog?

Yeppers, good ol’ dog earned his chow that day. Which brings me to…

Pillar #6 – Consistent & clear communication as a credible personality

In one of Dan Kennedy’s products, he said the wise words, “Be a welcome guest, not an uninvited pest.”

You want your communications, whether they are emails or videos, to be pleasantly anticipated by your audience.

If you take a look at some internet marketers, all they do is send pitch after pitch, without any content, or any reason to anticipate their next email.

Now there’s nothing wrong with following a few gurus, and in fact I recommend being on the email list of Frank Kern, Ryan Deiss, and Yanik Silver, but you can also learn the right way to contact your readers by taking a look at who YOU can’t wait to hear from.

After all, as Yogi Berra said, “You can observe a lot by watching.”

Take a few minutes extra every day to study your favorite author’s communication style, and then insert your own personality, and then practice.

I’ve written over 2000 emails to my readers, and with each one I get better and better (I hope!).

Again, it comes back to doing something you love, and communicating with your readers with passion and personality.

Of course, with the rise in internet video capabilities, you may do better with video content if that suits your personality. Do whatever allows you to provide your readers with the best combination of content and personality.

Pillar #7 – Track & Test

Whether you choose to become an SEO expert, a PPC expert, a Product Launch expert, etc., make sure you are committed to tracking and testing your efforts. Numbers don’t lie.

The most successful guys I know in the information publishing industry (from fitness to finance) watch their numbers like hawks, while the beginners who struggle tend to ignore this aspect of their business and then wonder why nothing is working.

It doesn’t take more than a few minutes each day to go over the big numbers that matter. Start today.

Pillar #8 – Movement & Mission

I covered this on Tuesday, and every day that goes by makes me think more and more that this is going to be an essential strategy for every online industry in the next couple of years.

A mission IMMEDIATELY sets you apart from your competitors. It’s that powerful, and it makes you harder to forget. You’ll stand out from the crowd if you can involve your readers in a life-changing movement.

Pillar #9 – ABC (Always Be Connecting) – Networking

Like it or not, “Who you know” is often still more important than what you know.

That’s why you have to be out networking and connecting, both online and offline. There’s simply no “social media” replacement for buying someone a drink in a bar or a coffee at a seminar.

I go to at least 6 marketing seminars each year (two Dan Kennedy events, Yanik’s Underground seminar, Ryan Deiss’ traffic event, a fitness info event, and at least one other random event that pops up).

Those are all high  quality events. Sure some folks go on-stage and sell products at the events, but there is always worthwhile content AND you’re guaranteed to meet good people willing to help you out.

Bonus Tip: Make sure you network inside AND outside your industry. Some of my most valuable business mentors – and best friends – are not in the fitness industry.

Pillar #10 – You must have an “I will succeed come hell or high water attitude”

This, along with Pillar #1, is my favorite, and again, one of the most overlooked of all the characteristics needed to succeed.

Of all the fitness experts I’ve coached, every one of the top success stories had an attitude – right from the start – that nothing was going to stand in their way.

Ol’ Yoda had it right…”Do or do not. There is no try.”

But don’t worry, if you don’t have that level of confidence yet, I’m going to continue delivering amazing content that will get you to take step-after-successful-step, until you do have the confidence you need and the independence you deserve.

Keep pushing on,

Craig Ballantyne

“If you diligently and successfully apply each concept…and you continue to push in a consistent direction…accumulating momentum step by step and turn by turn, you will eventually breakthrough. It might not happen today, or tomorrow, or next week…But it WILL happen.”
Jim Collins, “Good to Great”

Click here to read the first 5 pillars of Internet Independence