Does Internet Marketing Work?

We shall see if internet marketing does work…but first, some big news:

It’s official…Early to Rise has partnered up with Yanik Silver’s Underground Seminar to bring you a special post-Underground 1-day event on Sunday, March 4th, called, “From Your 1st Sale to Your 1000th Sale”.

We have an awesome line-up including myself, Yanik, Matt Smith, and a few other underground online experts…of course.

More details coming soon…

Now let’s get right to this week’s QnA…a tough for me to start, does this internet stuff really work?

Question: Craig – I have been receiving your daily emails for over a year and have been intrigued. I am making my first steps into planning an internet business.

A question I have wondered about for some time is, how many people can you verify that have followed your plan and been successful?(I define successful as creating an internet based business that produces a net income of more than $50K/yr). – Dwight

Answer: Hey Dwight, thanks for being such a long-time reader. I tried to find a way to answer this question without sounding like a braggart, but I couldn’t.

It’s not right that I speak for others or share names in public.

So I will have people answer for me in the comments section of the blog below.

If ANYONE reading this has used what I’ve taught to make a net income of more than $50k/year, please drop by and have your say there.

Maybe there will be some folks who will post, or maybe there will be tumbleweed and crickets chirping and no replies at all.

That certainly won’t look good, but we shall see. Check back there for your answer.

I do know at least one person who has succeeded with my methods, and he’s certainly no genius.

It is, of course, me.

And I’m an introverted, uncharismatic dork with minimal technical skills, anxiety issues, and only 9 friends on Facebook.

So…if I can do it, YOU can do it too.

Anyone CAN do it.

For more inspiration…

If you’re a Financial Independence Monthly member, please listen to the call I did with my most successful student ever, Isabel De Los Rios. She makes more in a couple of days than
I do in a month.

And she started in my Mastermind Group in 2008 with no website traffic, but a good idea and a never-give-up attitude.

I certainly take no credit for her success, as she did all the work, but you can hear her version of the story on that call – just look in the Success Story tab of your FIM customer area.

And I guess I can mention two other 7-figure online business owners who have at one point received coaching from me or attended one of my seminars…they are my buddies, Joel Marion and Vince Del Monte, and I’m sure they won’t mind me mentioning their names.

If they do they can yell at me when we meet again at Joel’s Superbowl party in Florida.

Oh, and there are three success stories given on the sales page for FIM. You can read those testimonials from Jay, Brad, and Kim here.

But most importantly, the best answers to your questions will be from those folks are willing to post in public that I have helped them. I suppose it’s the ultimate test of my system.

If anyone wants to share their success, please post in the comments section below.

Great question, Dwight. Appreciate you bringing that up.

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Question: Craig, just reread all 4 parts of your guide to $100k and
it’s still great info. My struggle is with finding a product.

How do I come up with a product that people need and that
they are willing to pay for? – Jeff

Answer:
Hi Jeff, thanks for the feedback. Frankly, the answer is simple.

Solve a problem.

There are many, many, many unsolved problems in the world. Let’s think about some great products.

1) The iPod.

  • The problem: I want to listen to all my favorite songs, not just one CD at a time…and I want to have something much more compact than a CD player.
  • The solution: The beautiful iPod.
  • Market advantage: Function + aestethics

2) Turbulence Training

  • The problem: Too many people are wasting their time in the gym using out-dated and ineffective workout programs.
  • The solution: My workout system that helped people get more results in less time without boring cardio.
  • Market advantage: My expertise, credibility (being a Men’s Health contributor), and scientific-research to support it, plus word-of-mouth from great results.

3) TOMS shoes

  • The problem:  Children in 3rd world need shoes
  • The solution: With every pair of TOMS shoes you purchase, TOMS will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need.
  • Market advantage: Philanthro-capitalism approach attracts PR and word-of-mouth.

4) Life in Chile:

A Former American’s Guide for Newcomers – by Dr. John Cobin

  • The problem: I want to relocate to Chile for more opportunity.
  • The solution: Here’s a guide to living in Chile.
  • Market advantage: Written by a former American with experience
    and connections to a hungry audience.

5) Financial Independence Monthly

  • The problem: People want to start an Internet business but don’t know how.
  • The solution: A low-cost, monthly newsletter (plus additional fast start coaching guides) that show people how to create a website business from anywhere in the world.
  • Market Advantage: My experience, my affiliate connections, an irresistible offer, a unique selling method, and a hungry audience at Early to Rise.

Jeff, I hope these examples give you some ideas.

It really is this simple, but then again, I’m an entrepreneur and I predominantly hang around other entrepreneurs who see opportunity in everything.

If all of this problem-solution-profit mindset thinking is new to you, then I suggest expanding your social and business circle to connect with more entrepreneurs.

I hope you can also make it to Yanik’s Underground 8 seminar, and you should stay for my bonus day, called, “From Your 1st Sale to Your 1000th Sale”.

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Question: Hi Craig, first off just wanted to say thanks for this newsletter, I read it nearly every day and it really has helped me grow my business.

I made a nice little amount from the launch of 24/7 fat loss and a number of other launches that have happened in the past year. Now however I want to ‘settle down’ as it were and start to rely less on launches and focus on products with longevity.

Sooo my question is, is 24/7 fat loss a good product to promote for the indefinite future? Will conversions be stable 2-3 years from now as far as can be seen?

Do you have any tips for going from product launch promotion to promoting products long term? – Andy

Answer: Hi Andy,

Right now 24-7 Fat Loss isn’t your best promotion option because we haven’t switched it out of “launch mode”. But your question is a reminder to do that.

For nutrition, the best program for you to promote ongoing is The Diet Solution Program. And for workouts, the Truth About Abs or my TT Metabolic Resistance Training program.

Also, I am working on an updated TT site and will have better conversions for it in 2012. Stay tuned.

For promoting products long – term, you want consistent traffic going to a page that pre-sells visitors and sends them to a proven sales page. That’s simplistic, but the right way to go about it.

However, at the end of the day, it is simply getting harder and harder to be a simple “hired gun affiliate”.

I highly recommend you create your own product ASAP.

After all, the real money is in the customer list…which you’ll never get when you are just an affiliate.

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Question: Dear Craig, I have been reader of ETR for past 5 years at least. I have been hooked to the content on and off, but kept
going on.

Now, I have decided to take your offer. I am already is a day job for XXXXX Ltd. In Mumbai India.

I have been associated internally with various performance and business improvement (turn around) programmes. So, I can offer loads of practical insight tips in that area.

Another area I have experience in is how to build business plans and how to get your message across to top managements.

But, I am not sure what value this will have for outside business owners. How does one begin with this back ground?

Another small question – will it work in India? – Manoj

Answer: Hi Manoj, thank you for your info.

Yes, you can certainly create an online business from India and one that serves India, if that is your goal.

The first thing you need to identify is WHO is out there that would be willing to pay for the information you have.

Once you do that, you can start working on your product, offer, and sales message.

But you need to know WHO is interested and willing to pay for your expertise.

You could sell either products or services, it doesn’t have to be limited to e-books or DVDs or a membership site.

For example, I could make a 6-figure income doing phone consulting on how to build a website business (although I choose not to because it doesn’t fit my vision).

So again, identify the best customer, determine their #1 problem, solve it, and build your sales message to suit them.

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Question: Hey Craig, I would like to hear From your experience, what will be more effective to use for making more sales?

Sales letter or video presentation? And in case that I’m choosing to use Powerpoint presentation for my sales letter, how should I do it? Thanks in advance. – Elad

Answer: Hi Elad,

The sales video presentation almost always works better. You’ll need to create a powerpoint presentation and then record your screen (using Camtasia or Screenflow), and then use that video as your presentation.

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Question: What technology do you recommend to record audio interviews?

And I have now written 3 lead magnets/offers but don’t love any of them. Is it better to just put something on your site as a report, even though it isn’t “perfect” and then continue to refine it, test it, swap it out? Or is it better to wait?

Answer: First, for calls, I use a service called InstantTeleseminar.com You can also search for free conference call services as they also allow you to record conversations.

Second, for the lead magnet, do a survey of your readers. Give them 3 options…(3 hot topics they want to hear about).

Write the report based on the most popular.

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Nice big session today.

Good stuff.

If you have a question, or if you want to post a success story, just post in the comments section below.

That was fun,

Craig Ballantyne

Seek out positive people, environments, and experiences. Life is too short for negativity and hurt. Cut the cord quickly and move on to a better life.