I thrive on change. I must be strange because most people avoid any form of change, yet I love it.
If ever there was confirmation that I am right in loving change a post written by Christine at Self Made Chick yesterday is it!
I feel another immediate change is imperative for me having read what Christine has to say. I agree so entirely with her comments that I need to immediately re-think everything I have planned for the coming year. How inspiring is that?
My main online focus is not blogging (although I do run several including this one) but Christine has encouraged me to completely change the style of what I am and have been doing with my blog writing.
I hope you’ll notice the difference here in the coming weeks but for now I urge you to read:-
I started a blog a few years ago (that you’ve probably never heard of) that went nowhere at all. When I started this blog, I made one conscious decision to use more of one particular word - and that I believe has made all the difference.
To find out what that word is you will have to visit Self Made Chick. I make no apology for that because you really should read the whole article - if you don’t subscribe to the RSS feed there I’ll want to know why.
Let me know what you think of the article and what you are going to do about your own style going forward.
Following on from my post about video and audio on squeeze pages - Magnetizer Page Mastery - I decided to join the PreSale Videos program promoted jointly by Todd Gross and Derrick VanDyke.
I’m really pleased with the simplicity of this.
Effectively you get a link to a webpage with a pre made video already embedded wth your affiliate links to a range of products that Todd and Derek know sell well. Typically they are high fliers on ClickBank. For example, here’s the video for the craze of the last week or two.
As soon as the video ends your visitors go to the relevant sales page for the product they’ve just been hearing about.
What is really good is that you don’t even need a website to run with this because they host the videos so all you need to do is get the link to your subscribers. It really is as simple as copy and paste.
Personally I prefer to work a little harder by putting the links on relevant web pages but for those looking to just dip their toes into internet marketing this could be a great way to get started.
There are 12 videos available immediately, all professionally presented by Todd Gross (ex weatherman turned internet marketer) and the plan is that 2-4 will be added each month. In addition members are actively encouraged to recommend products to promote and these will also be added each month. Todd will even create a video for your own product at what I think is a very low cost.
If you are looking for a professional squeeze page I think this is well worth your consideration although you should work out a way to add a name and email capture form into your strategy.
You even get a free 7 day trial. Take a look at the quality of some of the videos here:
I’ve neglected my duties to this blog this week! It’s amazing how the days slip away without notice and then you measure by reference to the last blog post. And there’s me working so hard at reducing the time spent on “stuff” so as to use my time more wisely on effective tasks!
In fact, that’s exactly what I have been doing. After finishing my usual business tasks this week I’ve focused on finalising the “pieces” for one of the online businesses I’m creating using the 6M Profit Method.
MAGENTIZER or SQUEEZE?
I’ll be updating the My Action Line page in due course but for now I want to talk about squeeze pages or as Lisa Diane prefers, Magnetizer Pages. I quite like that term. magnetizer pages, myself because of the positive connotations rather than the thought of any visitor to my site being squeezed!
As my focus for this particular business is affiliate products rather than my own I needed to put up a magnetizer page so I can record visitors for future contact and to provide them with ongoing help with their businesses. Most “affiliates” just send people via their link direct to the “vendor’s” site and thus miss out on the possibility of developing a relationship with those visitors, which may get a sale from time to time but is no way to build a long term business.
VIDEO or AUDIO?
Now, I’m not certain whether magnetizer pages work best with audio / video / or just words but as I’ve seen so much about video being necessary on sites these days I thought I’d give that a try first. I guess much depends on the PC and connection specification of the visitor but as I already had access to a professional video I put it on my Ultimate Internet Business magnetizer page.
I plan to test response by also using a non-video page and I’ll post the results after a trial period.
BRANDED or UNBRANDED?
I have a question nagging away at me to which I cannot find any online wisdom - maybe I’ve not looked too hard. Should a magnetizer page be in the same style as the rest of the site? From a branding point of view I think it definitely should but since the objective is to get the visitor to sign up I’ve started to convince myself it’s not important as the branding can take place with actual subscribers. Let me know if you have a view on this by posting a comment below.
At this stage, unless someone convinces me otherwise, my non-video magnetizer page will not be site branded. Although I’ve become OKish at creating web pages from templates I really am not skilled at design work - you know layout etc so I started to look around for some templated squeeze pages. I don’t want to pay the monthly cost of some of the services available but found a really good low cost option with some designs I like. Obviously they won’t be original but with a bit of tweaking I’m hoping one of them will do the trick. I’ll give you link to take a look as soon as I’ve finished.
SUCCESS UPDATE
As an aside, following on from my post about Success Defined last week I am pleased to say the sales are continuing at a similar level this week - pretty much on autopilot from the work I did several months ago. I’m beginning to really believe I can move on to this full time at some stage!
I received an email this morning that made me stop and take stock of where I am with my life and my progress since starting out with the 6M ProfitMethod nearly 6 Months ago.
The email was from a lady who has taken some positive action as a result of my recommendations in my “Nothing Changes Without A Change” report. (You can download it from the Missing Link box in the right sidebar).
She wrote about her situation and how glad she was to have found this blog and the information it led her to - just when she needed it. Wow, that is really something.
It’s all very well promoting products that you think are great and will help (I only recommend things I’ve personally used) but when you receive such positive feedback it puts everything on a different plane.
That one email sparked so much emotion and thought that I immediately posted the following at the 6M forum. My wish for you is that success to you also equates to helping someone else - it feels real good.
BEFORE 6M
I’d been dabbling with the internet - I had a free blog with some Adsense and a few affiliate links together with a big dream of online success. I had “sold” a few affiliate products that amounted to diddly squat. I was receiving emails from every corner of the planet about traffic building, squeeze pages, mentoring programs, autoresponders, rss feeds blah, blah, blah. Like most people I subscribed, downloaded and bought all sorts of stuff (some may have been really good quality) BUT it was at the wrong time. A bit like buying a Ferrari when you can’t drive yet! Fantastic to look at but doing nothing.
POST 6M
In less than 6M (remember I have a full time business already that takes up c10 hours a day) I have taken massive leaps forward with my life. Now that may or may not be totally down to 6M. It doesn’t matter because whatever the reason 6M has been the catalyst to that progress.
My mind is totally focused on where I will be in a few years time. I start everyday “knowing” that I will be closer to my goals at the end because I know what I have to do and that I will be taking some action, albeit very small some days, towards my targets.
I’ve reduced my current client bank by a very time consuming 25% with plans for a further 25% reduction in the next few months. This has to be managed carefully since I know them all personally and I need to feel happy that they will be looked after properly in the future.
This has freed up some time already that has enabled me to spend sometime on my online business.
I’ve stopped looking at sales emails unless they relate to an area that I know I need help with or the product is something that will be of benefit IMMEDIATELY.
Financially, I had a revelation today. My income from current offline business is greater on a rolling 3 month basis than it has ever been! My Adsense income, although small is regular. The visitors to my sites has increased dramatically despite me doing nothing other than “socialising” IE no Adwords / Advertising or Co-Reg yet and I am getting affiliate sales at least weekly ranging from $29 to $500 a time.
I’ve put up a full site last weekend for my golf apartment - http://WarmGolf.com - that I’ve been “getting round to” for the last 6 months and more importantly (for me at least) I’m mixing with some incredibly motivated and positive people - yes you guys he says blushing - who are helping to keep me focused and on track.
Today I received an email that REALLY touched me. It was from a lady who had found my 6M blog whilst looking for some information on magnetizer pages. She downloaded my report and took some action as I recommended and ordered a course about mindset / belief etc. She felt compelled to write to me thanking me for bringing this into her life (the email contains some personal details that it would be inappropriate to share here) and why it has helped her. This it what life is all about for me. Yes, of course like everybody else I want the financial rewards but not at the cost of fleecing other people. If I can help someone find what they need to improve their life then I am happy.
It is very easy to look at what’s not happening (my million isn’t in the bank) but for me you just need to celebrate what you have achieved and use that as a springboard to the next success.
Is this change in my attitude down to 6M - without a doubt. The course has changed my focus and opened my eyes to what I need to do not what I don’t want in life. I’ve supplemented Lisa’s teachings with more in depth reading** for sure, but I don’t think that is necessary. Just choose your path and follow it with unwavering belief.
A few weeks ago I was posting about being in the zone and how positive energy manifests good things. Well this week has not been good. You will have got a flavour from my posts about the “weasel”. Well things got worse by the end of the week.
This is imperative reading if you are thinking of working from home and it is something you need to get clear with your partner and family before you give up your day job!
GROUNDRULES
I need to take you back about 10 years to the first eruption!
Shortly after I first started working at home my wife, who commuted to London for her job, put some washing on the line outside before leaving for work. During the day, the heavens opened and down came the rain. Now being a focused individual I did not notice the rain, or at least it did not register that I was “expected” to bring in the washing. Upon return from work I was told in no uncertain terms how inconsiderate I’d been and it would only have taken 5 minutes etc etc.
Now had I still been working out of the house the washing would have got wet anyway and my stance was and still is - I am at work and anything to do with the household is not my concern (short of a fire perhaps!) I NEVER answer the home telephone during the working day - it is imperative to be totally disciplined or you end up with very blurred edges and you find yourself doing things that are not effective towards your goals.
So the family groundrules were put in place and there have been no issues until this Friday.
BROKEN GROUNDRULES
My youngest son was sick. My wife has a part time job that is important to her and on Friday she was the only one who would be in the office and she had to be there. I would “have” to look after the little boy - “I’ve checked your diary and you don’t have any appointments so it will be OK”.
Excuse me, but no meetings doesn’t equate to no important work!
I very reluctantly agreed in the full knowledge that the demands of an unwell 5 year old would stop me from achieving any of the tasks I had for the day.
I SAVE THE DAY!
At the risk of becoming something of a groupy I need to refer you to another post by Christine the Self Made Chick. Last week Christine took 7 hours to fully create a website she had been thinking about for some time.
Remembering her words I decided I would use what time I could during Friday to do something I’ve needed to do for the last 6 months but just haven’t got round to. Christine had effectively laid down a challenge, or rather I had to myself because of her action, and I decided I would create the website for my golf apartment.
I’d actually already decided I would use a Word Press blog rather than a website since my html is not good and I just find blogs so simple to construct. I really like the clean look of SelfMadeChick (that’s the site - I can’t comment further as I’ve not met Christine ) and followed the link to the designer of that WordPress Theme, Cory Miller. Several of his Themes are free but I decided to spend a few pounds, well $ really, to get his Real Estate template that I thought would work well.
In between requests for drinks, cuddles and wiping of nose, I found a few plugins I wanted for the site (have you tried finding a really simple to install and use photo gallery? Most I’ve come across before caused all sorts of problems and are really difficult to install) and set about adjusting some photographs for the header and writing some of the text.
Now, I should point out, my design skills are not good but working with Cory’s template I created what I think is a very pleasing site. No, I didn’t get it finished in 7 hours, I didn’t actually record the time, but I did have the core built on Friday and finished off on Saturday. There are still a few sections to add but this hasn’t stopped my going live.
LESSON LEARNT
I could have spent all Friday fuming about the situation and effectively wasting an opportunity to get something done that was actually a drain on my energy since it was nagging away in the back of my mind.
We discussed the “issue” on Friday evening and the status quo has been resumed!
My Golf Apartment site is up, my mind is clearer and I have a sense of having achieved two really important things on Friday. Being with my son, who really appreciated his Dad being there for him and creating something with my time that was possible rather than dealing with a complex report that would have demanded my full attention and would never have got completed.
The week actually ended on a high and I’m back on a very positive roll!
I’m listening to “Up the Junction” by Squeeze as I write this post - chosen because the story it tells is that far too many people find themselves living. I’m just so thankful I’ve found the way out of the trap.
Yesterday morning I left home for a 1 hour drive to the office of the organisation that does some of the administration for my IFA (Financial Advice) business.
The sun was shining and the blue sky was cloudless. I was listening to one of the 6MProfitMethod CDs and was feeling on top of the world.
The reason for feeling so good was that I was on my way to making a a big dent in the volume of regular work I have to undertake. I was about to offload about 25% of my client load to a colleague who has more time available. This suits him as he is looking to build his business, it suits me as I need to find sometime for my online business and it will suit the clients because they will receive more attention. A total win-win-win situation.
For about 5 years I have known this is what I should do, all that time I have been talking about it but frankly was afraid to do it because my income would undoubtedly suffer - something I couldn’t afford back then.
So what’s different?
The 6MProfitMethod has taught me that I need to focus totally on what I want - not what I don’t want
I totally believe that the time freed up will enable other more remunerative things to flow into my life as I make more effective use of my time - thus my income will not suffer
Tim Ferriss’s book - referred to in my “how to find the time you need” post, has inspired me to take action on this long standing challenge
I am now totally committed to making my online business work**
What’s the worst that can happen?***
**It is no so much the business itself that I am focused on but the lifestyle it will give me. No, I don’t just mean the money - I mean the freedom do do as I choose, when I choose. Although I’ve run my own businesses for the past 13 years I didn’t think about the end result before I started. The consequence - I have a job that I created for myself. If I’m not here nothing gets done, the income stops and there’s a mountain of work when I return!
***Thanks again to Tim Ferriss for this thought. What indeed is the worst that can happen? My income drops a bit for a while BUT I have a big chunk of extra time (this group of clients took up a disproportionate amount of time - see 80/20 rule) that I can use to better effect with my remaining clients if absolutely necessary. Oh life is so simple with some clarity!
So today, I feel really good. The doubt and worry has gone (that’s always the case after making a decision - good lesson to learn) and I’m moving forward with more time on my hands. Now for the next 50% of clients!
Let me know what inspires you and makes you feel good about yourself.
The 4-Hour Workweek is so important to absolutely anyone looking to improve their life this post will run into a number of parts!
You’ll know from previous posts that Wizzer (yes, that’s me) was fortunate to be the Weekly Winner at Create Business Growth a few weeks ago and I chose “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss as my prize. (Sadly I’d not heard of this best seller at the time but thought the title sounded interesting). At that time I was posting about being in the “zone” and how things you need manifest themselves at the right time. I also said that I’d undoubtedly find something in the book that was appropriate to my needs.
Wow - what an understatement!
This book is essential reading for ANYONE
looking to make improvements in their lifestyle
For years I’ve been making excuses to myself for not doing things due to a lack of time, you know “I’ve got too many important things to do - that will have to wait” - steady, I think I saw you nodding in agreement Well not anymore!
Although I am very familiar with a few of the concepts Tim writes about; Pareto Principle (or the 80/20 rule); Parkinson’s Law (activities expand to fill the time available) and for years I have not read a newspaper either, I have never considered taking such a radical approach.
Following Tim’s suggestion I have drawn up a list of my best clients (in my day business) and have made a decision to concentrate on only them. The time this will save me will be incredible - time I can devote to being effective in moving my life forward.
I’ve also set up a system for minimising the time spent on idle chit-chat at the start of any phone conversations and to prevent email interruptions during the day. I’m taking a leap of faith with this but have every confidence it will work out.
I’ll be posting more about my progress and with reference to this essential book over the coming weeks.
This isn’t what I planned to post this morning but it is so important that my other post must wait until later.
A few days ago I decided I needed to be more proactive and ask the world for more. I can’t categorize this as anything in particular - possibly law of attraction / seek and ye shall find - I’m not really sure it matters. What I discovered, which I already knew deep down, is that there are some fantastic people in this world!
It’s so easy to focus on the bad & evil, particularly when the TV and newspapers seem to only reflect on negatives (I haven’t read a newspaper for years for this reason) but since we’re in a POSITIVE ZONE here I want to highlight two people who really touched me.
Yesterday, I asked for some help in getting my Costa Esuri lens up the Google rankings. Within a few hours it was up from position 11 to 8 and two people in particular may have helped. Neither sought anything in return and both just gave freely. Now the “human kindness” is working here. They helped me and I hope by mentioning them this post will in some small way help them.
Suzie in her post about abundance says “The words themselves conjure for me a variety of different images and feelings: images of the sea, the waves rolling in, white sand that stretches for miles, a wad of hundred dollar notes, a pile of gold coins, feelings of happiness and joy, full of vitality , energetic, expansive, a knowing I can do anything, there are no barriers. A total absence of scarcity.”
For me, knowing that people I’ve never met have helped me towards abundance has given me those feelings of happiness and joy and I’m feeling energetic and believing. Thank you Suzie.
Jes writes a great blog about fitness and very interestingly for me, many of her posts also contain “life lessons” - whether that is part of her strategy I’ve not asked yet. Perhaps you’d like to comment here Jes? In her post about Burning Fat she says:
“Like my friend, we can all learn to work smarter instead of longer. Working longer often leaves you frustrated and fat. Take the time to identify your problem areas in each of the 4 areas of fitness success (cardio, strength, nutrition, mindset) and the results will come faster and easier than ever before!”
I’d like to add to that -it’s not related to body health but mind health - “the longer you work the less you achieve”.
Radical? Maybe but concentration levels fall, mistakes happen, energy depletes and if kept up regularly long working hours lead to physical illness. I’ve been there - stay away!!
Reducing working hours may seem impossible but it’s really a question of sorting out your priorities and what’s really important and focusing on the activities that will move you towards your goals. I found myself working very long hours recently and in the main I was doing what I call “stuff” - that is shuffling paper, reading articles that might help next century etc.
There’s also possibly a deeper reason for working longer hours - escaping from something else?If you find yourself working long hours stop and think very hard - “Am I avoiding something else by working”.
I leave you with that thought as I now head off for some much needed exercise. Thanks for reminding me Jes.
It’s arrived. Yes, my pack containing my 6MProfitMethod has finally been received.
While waiting I’ve not been idle! I’ve decided that initially my business focus will be on selling other people’s products on an affiliate basis.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been bombarded with emails telling me that “video” on websites is the way to go. So, perhaps just as a test to start with, I’ve created a squeeze page with a video that offers a free report about affiliate marketing.
On the back-end of this I’ve attached a great product by Ewen Chia -one of the most successful online affiliate marketers - that provides a step-by-step blueprint to starting an online affiliate business. I’ve also made the product available via Clickbank with a 50% commission if anyone wishes to copy my strategy. The product is simple to use and includes a series of top quality videos. I’m convinced this will do well subject to the biggest challenge faced by all online marketers - getting the right targeted traffic to the site.
I’ll be really grateful for any feedback if you take a look at the process.
There is no point in starting any business until you get this right.
Since I took the decision to focus on just one thing - one business, no more new courses, no more “must have” products my mind has been clearer as to what I must do BUT…
There’s no sales pitch, nothing to buy simply a great 15 minutes or so explanation of what EVERY successful person has in place BEFORE they really get running.
Don’t miss it - allocate 1/4 of a hour and focus on this - it could save you an enormous amount of money in the long run.
Inspiration (A new window will open for you to hear the message )
) and followed the link to the designer of that WordPress Theme, 
Well not anymore!
