Friends and Tools

Here's the latest update on the pre-launch experiment. The "masters" have added another section to the backroom members site that includes more tools, resources and web promotional stuff to help promote the program. Some of it is really great. You really have to see the "Kiss Me" promo... it's a gas! And I've attracted three new members to my team. Welcome to Ray, Jagadeesh and Joe. As our team grows, so does our prospects for future success. On the other hand I've noticed a marked increase in the number of other people promoting the program in a variety of channels. I've upped my efforts and that seems to have had a pretty positive effect. But I worry that the market is starting to saturate. On the other hand, with the deadline for phase one registration is fast approaching, it will be interesting to see if more people take the bait and jump on board. Keep reading to find out.

Hot Reads

Since I've been doing a little travelling lately, I've managed to spend time catching up with my reading. I've dug up some hot new releases that should be a part of every business person's "off line resources" shelf. You can get details over on my main web site, which I've just updated with these finds.

The first is Donald Trump's latest called "Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men - One Message" and was co-authored with Robert Kiyosaki. Trump is, well, Trump. Kiyosaki is famous for penning the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" books. According to the Publisher's Weekly review "[These] Money-bags know their business. We're talking billionaires here, and really, how can you argue with success?"

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by Harv Eker is a wonderful read that analyses our personal motivations and helps us focus on what works as we start our businesses. Eker started his journey to wealth by taking out a credit card loan and opening one of America's the first fitness operations. Ten years later he sold the business for nearly $2 million - and that was in 1987!

If you're looking for the right niche or market to start you online business, then Harry Dent's latest offering is for you. Called "The Next Great Bubble Boom: How to Profit from the Greatest Boom in History - 2006-2010" this work offers insight into the next few years and looks at what will be the hot economic drivers.

All are great reads. Check them out today.

Back on Track

After changing tactics a little, it seems we're back on track with the pre-launch experiment. After a slow week signing up new members for my team, I now have three new friends to add to my list. Welcome to Deepak, Stanislaus and Patricia. These wonderful folks joined up after I tried out the new mail blaster that I reported on yesterday. It's called Blast 4 Traffic and it obviously did the trick for me in drumming up some new interest.

Site Updating is a Blast

Just wanted to let everyone know I've made a few more updates over at the main web site that may be of interest. Check it out here. I'm particularly excited about a new find in Blast 4 Traffic which I've added as links in the Traffic and the Promotion Lessons. A comprehensive set of options and extras makes this traffic system one of the hottest exchanges I've found recently. With a reach of more than 2 million active addresses, it really helps to promote an online business with a splash. And the simple set up and registration process is a big plus too. If you're looking for more traffic, check it out here.

Traffic Jam?

Slow, slow, slower than slow.... a snail comes to mind. Another week has gone by and my little experiment with the pre-launch of the GWB opportunity seems to have stalled a bit. As in the previous weeks, I've used e-mail blasters and networks to promote my affiliate site. For the first few weeks, I was rewarded with my efforts with a couple of people signing up through my site time I blasted. But this week the well was dry. Not a single new member. I have noticed a couple of others promoting the program using the same networks as I have been using, and I wonder if we're all tapping the same old tree (to use a maple syrup analogy... in my part of the world, we're beginning that spring ritual... yum!) I also wonder if the program is starting to gain momentum and that the folks who have already signed up are now just competing for the same "next level" of recruits? Are we all just getting caught up in web traffic? Once people have seen the same message for a while, they start ignoring it. Well, I'm going to take my message to a new pool and use a couple of new promotional venues to see what happens. I'll let you know. If any of my faithful readers have been involved with a pre-launch before, please let me know. Is this an experience you've faced? Is it a normal occurrence or something you had to work around. Your feedback is most appreciated.

Pre Pre Launch?

I've been playing along with the GWB folks to see how a pre-launch opportunity turns out. Check my other posts on the topic to see how it's been going. So this week, I've followed up with a couple more mail blasts to promote my very own affiliate site and managed to attract another new team member. Welcome Mohammed! We're all happy to have you with us. I've managed to resolve the problem I was having getting into the member's forum and there's a lively group of members taking part in the Q&A's listed there. And finally, this week the program developers spilled a few more beans about the system and added a few more perks in the backroom section of our members web sites. The backroom now includes banner ads and html's for use in promoting the program and two sections of detailed information on the way the system works. First is information on compensation and the second is a description of how the "matrix" will work. Both interesting reading - although it may take a few reads before it all sinks in. The interesting twist, however is the claim that the program is really in a "pre-pre-launch phase. In other words, the current members are only reserving a place in a the pre-launch phase. I guess it's sort of like standing in line for concert tickets and then finding out that all we'll get at the end is the right to buy tickets rather than the actual tickets. Of course that's all well and good if we see the benefit. And the benefit sounds pretty good - the claim is a minimum of $5466 per month of income based on a monthly membership of about $20. Not bad. And by having members sign up their downline in advance, it encourages everyone to buy those memberships once the REAL opportunity comes up because I see how big my eventual profit downline can be. It's a tidy little program aimed at both drawing us in and keeping us there. I can't wait so see what comes next.

More Bubbles

The SOAP experiment continues and it seems to be working well. I've been in touch with my new friend in Montana and we're looking into ways to improve site traffic there. And as part of the process, I've been contacted by another SOAPer who's reviewing my sight and offering advice in return. Thanks to Sham for the great tips. I'll be watching your blog to see what wonderful things you have to say in the future.

Pass the SOAP

While the idea isn't new, Easton over on the Business Blog Wire Blog recently started a SOAP network aimed at helping folks get some advice on improving their blogs. You can learn more about how the SOAP network works here. Well, I decided to join in and see if I couldn't help out in some way, and hopefully get some good advice in return. It's a great idea that not only provides the members of the network some good advice, but also helps them build a profile and improve traffic and links to their sites. As the originator of the network, Easton looks after putting people in touch with each other based on their particular needs and topics. I've been asked to review a blog by the owner of a B and B in Montana. It's probably a site I'd never think of looking at, but found a wealth of wonderful things there, so I'm really glad I joined the SOAP network. I've just initiated contact, so I hope we'll be able to help each other. Check out the blog here. If you have any suggestions to pass along, let me know and I'll be happy to do so.

What the....

In my ongoing series of tips on what not to do... check out this site.... Don't Do This...

Off and Running - Pre-Launch Part 2

The GWB experiment has begun and after the first few days, I've been pleasantly surprised. reasonably impressed so far. Last week I signed up and received the usual welcome messages and access to my "backroom" site. I followed up with two quick e-mail blasts on two of my free PPC networks - they work wonders for quick traffic hits. The first was on Your Ad Blaster and the other through the Storm Pay system. Following those blasts I received two new sign ups. Not bad or the first run! The really neat thing was that when my new "team" signed up, the GWB system notified me by e-mail and recommended that I send a personal greeting. That was a nice touch. These kinds of reminders are the things that successful operators need to do in order to build great teams, so the system appears to be well thought through. Welcome to Natalie and John! This week also saw the start up of a members forum for sharing info, posting questions, etc. I had to sign up separately for access to that service, so haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but I'll let you know how it goes. Finally, on Friday we received our first weekly update which claimed the GWB program had signed up over 8000 members in the first four days of the pre-launch promotion. While I'm a little sceptical of that kind of hype, I have already encountered three or four other individuals promoting the program in a variety of networks, so it must be getting out there. It will be interesting to see where it all leads. Keep following along here and see how I and my team do.

Show me the noney - A pre-launch test

As you all know the web and our e-mail boxes are filled with countless offers and opportunities to make it rich. After all, this blog is all about just that. But during my time in the trenches, trying to make an honest living online and from home, one of the things I've never tried is a Pre-Launch scheme. The idea behind a pre-launch, is that a "select few" can get into a good marketing program on the ground floor. It's supposed to work to everyone's advantage - the originators of the program get a solid foundation of network members to help promote the program once it goes public, and the folks who get in early get to share the best rewards. The simple truth is that you'll never be able to make any headway if you're the last to join a network and this well-known adage keeps people from joining into programs they've seen a million times before. So the whole idea of a pre-launch is to overcome that hesitation and jump in with both feet. Even if you don't really know what or how well the program will be. It's a little like playing the stock market with a new issue. You just never know.

Anyway, the point of all this is that I got one of those pre-launch offers in my in-box the other day and thought to myself that I should put the whole concept to the test. And better, yet, I should share the experience with you. So follow along with me and let's see where this one goes.

So, let's start at the beginning. I replied to the email and got this site. Take a look and see how the pitch goes. The program is called Global Wealth Builders Offshore Privacy Club. Ohhhh... sounds snooty! Well, once I signed up, I got a confirmation message and access to the "backroom" members area which had some vague instructions to be patient and wait for more info. I also got a whole whack of free e-books. I assume these will be to help me market the project more effectively in the future. Next I got a welcome message from my "sponsor". This time the message was to not only be patient about the details, but to also start promoting right away. Hmmm... I'm not sure how to promote something I don't know about, but what the heck. Want to see more? Sign up here. And now we wait patiently to see what happens.

Throw Away E-mail

Martha, over on the great blog Work at Home Momma, recently posted this comment about wasting time requesting information from sites that offer potential business opportunities. In particular she mentions being bombarded with e-mail spam the minute she tries to get the details. It's a well known fact among online business operators that addresses are like gold. That's why sites are set up to get those names on a list that can be sold. The good sites are carefully constructed to provide as little information as possible so the visitor has no choice but to sign up before they know what they can get. That's not to say there isn't a good opportunity available behind that curtain. But we all have to be smart enough to realize what they are doing. Protect yourself and you'll be okay. Try getting a free "throw away" e-mail account to use when requesting information from these sites. That way when the spam starts coming - and it will - you can just switch to a new account when it gets to be too much to handle.

Lost in the Mail

I regularly use e-mail blasters and marketing networks to boost traffic on my web sites, so I do my fair share of clicking through e-mails. And the thing we all need to remember is that these systems serve two purposes. First you use them to increase traffic by getting more people to look at your site -and hopefully to buy your product. And second, you should be using them to increase your traffic for ranking purposes. While you can use the same services to achieve both purposes, you need to remember that there are two different end goals and your ads must be aimed at achieving those goals separately. In other words, you need more than one kind of ad.

First you need killer ad content to get your ads into the hands of people who will honestly be looking to buy your service. These should be targeted to the consumers and limited to the ad blasting services. Need help? Try a product like Glyphius software which helps you develop great ad copy. It's an award winning product that you use to compare and rate your own copy to a huge database of successful product pitches. The system then spits out suggested alternatives to maximise your marketing pitch. And it comes with a money-back guarantee.

The other purpose is simply to build traffic and you should use your network services for this. I use a great system called Your Ad Blaster for this purpose. The idea is to join a group of people who all help one another by visiting each other's web sites. This helps build traffic rankings. But the most important thing to remember is that people who use these systems - including me - have little interest in the products you're selling. Sure we'll click on your site and take a look to help you out, but our goal isn't to make you rich, it's to make ourselves rich, so we probably won't be buying. And more importantly we want to make our jobs as easy as possible. In other words, we want to accomplish our goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. So when I get an e-mail that makes it hard to find the site link, or is cluttered with too many links - I just read one a few minutes ago with 27 links! Each one for a different site! No Kidding! - I usually just skip it. It saves me time and it defeats the purpose of you sending it to me in the first place. So make your ad short and easy. Put the links up front so I don't have to scroll down. Forget the great ad copy, just get to the point. And that way you're ad won't get lost in the mail.

Site Building Software makes your life easy

Unless you’re a hard core computer whiz, forget the big name web site products. It’s not really likely that you’ll need the high end features these products will give you and besides, they are really meant to be used by professional developers. Internet marketing is a specialized field, and a number of great products have been designed to address the specific needs of this business activity. Some things to look for are easy to use software that is adaptable and able to grow with you as you develop your business and ability. You want something easy to use and learn, but also able handle more advanced designs as you need them. Customer support is an absolute must in case you run into difficulties. Many good products also have features designed specifically for online marketing businesses including things like affiliate tracking tools, built in online sales processing, and Search Engine Optimization tools. As always, the first step is to learn all you can before you invest money in any product. The lesson on web site development is here. Look for more detailed tips and product reviews at our main web site at The Money Tree Guide.

Selling Products Online

It’s no mystery how money is made by selling products. You either make or buy an item and then sell it at a price that recovers your costs and provides a little extra on top as profit. Think about ordering a cola in your favorite restaurant – the cola mix costs just a few cents per serving but the customer will pay a dollar or two. That’s a huge mark-up, but it also factors in other costs like labor, the cup and lid, a straw, ice and other shared overheads like marketing that are spread over all the items on the sales list. But even when all these costs are factored in, the profit is perhaps as much as a dollar per serving. It’s one of the highest profit margins there is in any business on a single item.

It’s a business model that millions of businesses are using every day – in restaurants, in stores, at roadside stands and on the internet. So why don’t you do it too. Sounds simple – right? Well, it can be. It can also be time and labor intensive and risky. So be sure you know all the ins and outs of selling before you take the plunge. Start by doing your homework - read the lessons at the Money Tree Guide and then you'll be ready to take on the world!