Mindset

Internet Marketing: Solve One Problem At a Time

February 25, 2017

It really bothers me when I see people stressed out about the wrong things online (although, if you've been worried, it hasn't been you fault up until this point)...

Worried about what people will think about me or if there's a single typo on a web page... but in five years, or even one year, will anyone even remember?

Obsessed with having a beautiful web page or "just the right branding"... but what if I told you that those uglier websites make way more money than the pretty ones? And making more money is the point...

Worried about refunds... make some sales first!

Worried about running out of space or bandwidth with your web host... probably won't happen and worry about that problem IF (a big "if") that ever becomes an issue...

One step (or one problem) at a time.

  • Do you have a website yet? If not, let's fix that...
  • Do you have an opt-in page I can use to subscribe to you?
  • Do you have a sales letter with a FUNCTIONING buy button?
  • Do you have an email followup sequence? (most people are missing this one)
  • Do you consistent get people signing up and buying from you? (Traffic)

I want to make it clear, easy, and repeatable for you in our course here: Income Machine

P.S. "Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher. Life is already filled with those who want to bring you down." -- Oprah Winfrey

229: Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaires, the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and Social Policing

January 20, 2017

Today's Sponsor: Website Remote (manage all your WordPress sites)

Important Quotes from Famous People

  • "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." -- Henry Ford
  • "The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." -- Charles Bukowski
  • "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." -- John D. Rockefeller
  • "Don't compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel." -- Pastor Steven Furtick
  • "Are you losing belief or do you just wish it was happening faster? Balance ambition with patience." -- Gary Vaynerchuk
  • "Every successful person has a rule to never spend more than 10% of time on a problem, but at least 90% on a solution" -- Anthony Robbins

Reminders from Robert Plank

  • People have less of what you have and are happy. Others have exactly what you want (if not more) and are unhappy.
  • Being upset or stressed about your business is a good thing if you channel it into something positive (growth)
  • You're exactly where you're supposed to be right now in your journey. The present probably came very close to not happening as it was supposed to, and the future is probably very close to not happening as it should
  • If things are tough, is it possible you're being setup for something better?
  • Haven't there been times when you enjoyed taking some action?
  • If things are difficult, it's because you're being tested. It's an opportunity for personal growth (feast and famine)
  • Your life isn't a straight line or a curve of up's and down's... it's a series of 3-5 year containers
  • Have an abundance mindset instead of a scarcity mindset (don't let the little stuff like grudges use up 100% of your CPU)

Talking Points

  • Be careful of social policing: it's not up to you to save the world, all you can do is look out for yourself first (but that includes feeling good about helping others)
  • Many people aren't calibrated to where they need to be -- Four Daily Tasks, thinking too far (or not enough) in the future or past
  • Have the right metric: make money, reduce hours... not just to "show off for them"
  • Excuses: "I'm tired" or "I don't have time" or "People aren't buying now" or "I need to wait until..."

Dont's

  • Don't be a downer, a victim, a person who puts themselves down
  • Don't be a predictable, one-note, cardboard character
  • Don't give up, don't use any old excuse to stop unless you seriously believe it
  • Don't stop doing something unless you replace it with something else

Do's

  • Make it work even if it "seems" the universe is conspiring against you (even though it's not)
  • Decide to: let go, have boundaries, get the right priorities, and find the time
  • Switch gears, recharge your batteries and take time to calm down instead of just going through the motions
  • Wish you were better -- your best is enough but make sure it's your best
  • Use failure and frustration as fuel to do better in the future

228: Are You Afraid?

January 19, 2017

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original."
-- Ken Robinson

Here's why I ask if you're afraid...

A bunch of years ago, it was around the holidays and I was hanging out with some friends... we were playing Monopoly and you might know that it's the sort of game that leaves a lot of players super angry by the end...

Well, I didn't mind it too much that one of the guys in our group kept making us start over... as in... if HE was the one who was down on his money, even if the rest of us were doing well, he would suddenly act super sad and push and prod us until we gave in and restarted the game...

If he was raking in the money in Monopoly, he had no problem continuing the game... even if others were having trouble.

It's just a game, we were having fun, and I don't think we actually saw a complete gamethrough to completion that night... BUT... it got me thinking...

Imagine if that friend of mine (I didn't know him that well, he was just someone's brother who happened to be there) had saw one of our games through? Maybe he'd still lose or maybe he would have come out of those "tough times" on the other end, and really enjoyed that rollercoaster ride?

As opposed to starting it over and playing it safe...

What does all this have to do with internet marketing, being an entrepreneur, and growing your online business?

Many People Are Afraid To Actually See Their Business Become A Business...

  • It might get tough and scary
  • They might have to change course
  • They might get confused and not know what to do next
  • They might have to admit they were wrong or that something isn't working

Is this "fear" problem something that you can solve in the next 10 seconds? Is it something that won't rear its ugly head sometime later? Heck no... BUT...

If you've felt that you've "restarted the game" too many times and you haven't finished that sales letter, product, or have neglected that blog or podcast... it's possible that you needed to ride the wave of failure down only to ride an even bigger wave of success back up...

But YOU are the only one who can say that statement is true...

I honestly believe that you should focus on whatever you think your best chance of making money is for the next 30 days... commit yourself to that singular goal and take four actions per day in service of that goal...

I also think that a long term goal of yours is to have 300 pieces of content (whatever that means to you -- quick YouTube videos, short podcasts) that lead back to you and your websites, your opt-in forms, your sales letters.

Not 300 pieces of content overnight, but that should be your long-term goal in order to bring in enough traffic to sustain you and your business.

WP Import and Podcast Crusher

I think that our WP Import plugin is a great tool to fill up a blog with content (whether you did or didn't write it yourself) and our Podcast Crusher podcasting course is a wonderful complement to that tool, because podcasting allows you to quickly speak out whatever's on your mind...

AND even have other experts create the content for you, which they will gladly do. I've interviewed 125 people for my podcast in the past 143 days -- it's only been an extra time commitment of about 4 hours per week on my part (it would be a lot less if I chose not to publish 5 days a week which I can always change) ---

It's increased the blog traffic big-ly, opened up a ton of doors (joint ventures) I didn't have previously, and I'm already on the schedule with a few other marketers to appear on THEIR shows, provide value to THEM and introduce ME to THEIR audience.

I hope that in the coming year you aren't afraid to set yourself on the path that has the best chance of success for you, repeat for 30 days with 4 daily tasks with the ultimate goal of 300 pieces of content, repeat / follow-through, and then look back at those 30 days of successes and failures with self-awareness so you can course correct.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you're kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you're successful, you'll win unfaithful friends and genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you're honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy it overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

-- Mother Teresa

Claim the $7 WP Import Plugin

Online Business Success: Why Some People “Make It” With Internet Marketing (And Others Don’t)

December 24, 2016

This scares the heck out of me and maybe you can relate...

I'm not sure how long you've been building your online business, buying courses and plugins, how long you've been on different marketers list and seen the affiliate contests and big launches...

I ask myself these sorts of super scary questions all the time:

"If such and such had a million dollar launch back in 2014, why haven't I heard anything from them since?"

"If this other marketer made 2 million dollars in a day back in 2012, why are all their websites dead and gone just 5 years later?"

The short answer is that they didn't systematize and checklist-ify their business using a something like this:

Time Management on Crack

Tons of internet marketing names have completely disappeared from the face of the planet and I don't think they were abducted by aliens... so why do some people seem to:

Have made money back in the day but seem to be struggling now (not really mailing or promoting)...

OR: Been super successful back then but now I can't find any websites or even what I bought from them...

What's the difference? Here's what I think it is...

1. they actually have a way to make consistent money over time (as opposed to the huge launch where 30% goes to refunds and 60% to affiliates)...

... A launch of any kind with affiliates is a great way to build a list, but if you don't monetize that list into some recurring passive income within a few months, you'll find that the list goes cold/stale and you'll have to rebuild it every year...

2. they have fun with this internet marketing thing (hint: seeing money come in every day from your efforts is a huge way to have fun with your business)

There are going to be up's and down's in your business and what's frustrating sometimes is that you DON'T get paid while you're building something (sales letter, product, membership site) but then you DO get paid after it's done -- so you have to "have faith" and enjoy the adventure, be an entrepreneur and rise to the challenge to overcome whatever obstacle is in front of you

3. they reinvent themselves every few years: I see some people trying to teach article marketing and "how to make an e-book" using the same stuff they taught 10 years ago...

It's perfectly ok to sell your best and classic stuff, and if it's still selling, keep promoting it! It would be a waste to just throw away old products and websites if they still deliver great value... BUT...

I believe that you and your business are screwed if you aren't looking to reinvent yourself every 3-5 years or so.

  • I used to be known as just a PHP programmer
  • Then a WordPress person
  • I sold low priced plugins for a while
  • Then transitioned into high ticket courses
  • Then built software into our courses
  • And now we're building some software-as-a-service tools such as Website Remote

4. and finally, successful people use systems, templates, and checklists so they can get those daily repetitive tasks (writing content, creating videos, running webinars) completed (those add up to a lot over time) AND have fun doing what pays the bills and get to the creative and weird stuff...

I take tons of time off in my business and you don't even know it because everything still runs... emails still go out, membership sites take orders and the help desk tickets are still answered. All those recurring payments come in every morning, and I want that for you too.

If you feel like in 2016 you could have done more, you were burned out every once in a while and didn't know why or how to avoid it (or shorten the burnout length of time) next time, if you weren't having fun, if you felt like you started more things than you finished... and you want to CHANGE THAT in 2017, then I believe this is the guide for you:

Time Management on Crack

193: Madly Chasing Peace: Use 3×3 Focused Meditation to Find Inner Peace and Wisdom with Dina Proctor

December 1, 2016

dina-proctor

Dina Proctor, author of Madly Chasing Peace, wants you to meditate in short bursts: just three minutes, three times a day. Dina was battling clinical depression, planning her suicide and dealing with alcohol addiction when she began to sit still and focus on her breathing for just a few minutes a day.

After eight weeks, that nagging inner voice in her head was gone and she was able to focus on every activity at hand. She found that inner peace and wisdom, and wants to show you how to do the same.

191: Power and Bliss: Find Clarity and Focus Through Self-Care, Meditation and Consistency with Avalaura Gaither

November 29, 2016

avalaura-beharry

Avalaura Gaither has a background in psychology and social work. She found herself trapped in her career and became an entrepreneur by becoming a guide for others in the areas of daily self-care, meditation, and stress relief.

Resources

189: Live With Purpose, Overcome Limiting Beliefs and Focus on One Thing with Author, Entrepreneur, and Speaker Joe Apfelbaum

November 25, 2016

joe-apfelbaum

Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union, has had quite an entrepreneurial journey and wants you to live a life of purpose, on purpose. Topics covered:

  • how to get past the rough years, discover your reason, develop an abundance mindset
  • the difference between being "satisfied" (a temporary solution to hunger which is a slow painful death) and being fulfilled (self aware and successful with perspective)
  • how to focus on one thing: how Joe went from being spread too thin with seven side businesses, to making a lot of income in a short amount of time (less is more)

Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvpQzKaHSXI

188: Take Inspired Action and Use Boundaries to Create More Freedom with Petra Monaco

November 24, 2016

petra-monaco

Petra Monaco from PetraMonaco.com wants to give you more confidence and a bigger vision, so you can push yourself further. She also provides coaching for authors to deal with mindset, accountability, and excuses. She sells a course about how to start an Etsy e-commerce store selling handmade goods.

Too Many Ideas? Drain the Website Swamp and Don’t Make Your Site Fancy Until Tomorrow

November 10, 2016

Can you relate to having "too many ideas" and you're not sure if any are any good?

Maybe you've done the legwork for this website or that website... registered some domain names, setup an empty WordPress blog that will "one day" hold your membership site... maybe you've bought some resale rights content...

Maybe you've recorded some interviews, videos, audios, or written some sort of report down that you one day want to put into a membership site... a site where someone pays you to get access.

And then what happened? Life got in the way, right?

Something came across that was more urgent and you had to switch gears to make money now...

Or you came across something more exciting and you said... I'll put my current hopes and dreams on the "back burner" to try something else...

I'm not sure about your current situation, but many people that are currently struggling with making money and creating a profitable membership site have this problem:

-- not enough time, too distracted, too overwhelmed, too stressed out
-- confusion about what to do next or what to "click" and generally getting FRUSTRATED with websites in general

And even worse, the "sting" every time you check your internet marketing business on your phone or your computer. I'm sure you know what the sting is:

  1. there's a little of bit of that sting or that anxiety when you check your email, stats and sales and the number is either at zero or you wish it was way higher
  2. another bill for that web host, a quick charge for those handful of domain names you didn't use... should I continue renewing those domain names every year or cut some of them loose? And then what was I paying that yearly domain fee for?
  3. thinking about or browsing through the massive clutter of half finished projects, ideas, websites, and files... just a huge mess... sting
  4. wondering if this will all be worth it and feeling the "lifetime cost" of all the little e-books and things continues to pile up and sting...

Can I tell you what my personal opinion is (which you can say is either right or wrong) about you, your upcoming membership site, and the future of you and your online business?

You may have heard that you should narrow your focus down to just one website at a time, dedicate X days or X hours to getting it done...

Maybe you've also heard that you should make the simplest, ugliest, most no-frills site as possible that DOES have a buy button, so you can get just one member and go from there...

And... what is/was very reassuring to me is that after you FINISH that first money making site (FINISH meaning you get one single paying member) then not only does it become a lot easier to make your next site (because you've done it before), it's actually more fun because you now know this money making thing "works" and isn't just a hobby...

So can I tell you what I "think" you should do today?

Unsolicited Piece of Advice #1: Drain the Website Swamp

Your previous websites, business expenses, half finished sites, etc. don't matter. If you have a mess of a folder, a mess of 10 half finished sites and you aren't making progress on any of them, isn't it time to clean up the mess and drain that huge "swamp" of stuff? Get some simplicity, clarity, focus?

I'm no neat-freak, but if I sit down on the couch to relax and there's papers or "stuff" on the counter, I get huge amounts of anxiety... enough where I can't calm down and I can't think... not a good mental place to be. I'm the same way with any clutter on my desk OR if I have a ton of files on my desktop OR a ton of dangling unfinished projects...

Put it all away. You can bring "the mess" back to the forefront after completing just one membership site... so how do you do that?

Unsolicited Piece of Advice #2: Make it Pretty and Perfect "Tomorrow"

Priorities. What do you need in order to take payments online?

  • a domain name (.com name such as membershipcube.com that people can type in to find your site)
  • a website and landing page (a simple sales letter, we include Paper Template in our Membership Cube course)
  • a way to take payments (we use PayPal and if you want something fanicer, switch out that piece later)
  • a membership site to take payments, control access and provide content (PDFs, videos) -- we provide this in Membership Cube as well

What about... 1-click upsells? Downsells and OTO Fancy graphics? Professional videos? An affiliate contest on social media? Those are nice to haves and not must-haves...

Here's what I think... setup your membership site today with Membership Cube (we provide the 1-click template so it's done in seconds) and don't worry about that fancy stuff until "tomorrow"... just get that functioning membership site completed today.

Your membership site is done today in one click and by the time tomorrow rolls around, it will be "today" again and time to focus on the important stuff... filling up the membership site with content in a day (module two) -- and you can save the fancy graphics and everything until "tomorrow" (which is still a day away at that point)...

Day three... you could jump into module three of Membership Cube which is the one to beef up your sales letter and make it easy for others to join your site -- but guess what? Fancy graphics and procrastination land is still "tomorrow" at that point...

Unsolicited Piece of Advice #3: Don't Plan, Course Correct

Finally, many people think they need a master plan of some kind. They can't make membership site #1 because they want to know what membership site #10 is going to be...

If that has been your way of thinking up until now, how has that been working out for you?
Sure seems like a recipe for stress and being spread too thin, if you ask me.

The problem with mapping out your entire life is that the sales and feedback you get from the mini-launch of your next membership site will completely change the trajectory of your internet business moving forward.

For example, you might setup that quick golfing membership site and it leads to a couple high ticket coaching clients that wouldn't have paid you unless they find you through that single-payment training course they bought from you (membership site) first...

Or maybe you whip up a single-payment quick weight loss membership site and it leads to you setting up some sort of monthly auto-ship service where you mail your members a bottle of pills or a some sort of algae liquid through the mail. You wouldn't have scaled your business to that point unless you had that validation -- sales of the weight loss course to prove that your idea works. Stepping stones.

Perhaps you create a training course about drone flying and you realize that there is a huge demand for an additional membership course about drone racing. Your "first wave" of members actually ask you to create something for round two, and they buy it.

What Your (Attainable) Goal Needs to Be

It's good to have a goal, but if you don't have cashflow in your business, your goal is very simple: to just make one sale of ANYTHING, even something that's 10 or 100 bucks. Once you see how easy that is (and maybe you've been making it too complicated without even realizing it) you might say:

  • that was fun, I want to do it again
  • I want to scale my business so the next site makes even more money
  • this small success gives me an idea for the next thing that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise
  • I finally see the value in focusing and finishing what I start as opposed to being spread too thin or spinning my wheels

There definitely is value to trying out a couple of things (think of it as "career day" or that "starter income") and then look back and think... did I enjoy that? Did I make enough money and if not, what small steps will I take so that not only make more money, but I generate that doing the things I enjoy doing?

To make sure you're on the right track,
look BACK at your past mistakes
in addition to looking FORWARD
so that you don't continue making the same mistakes.

Setup a membership site quickly so that your thinking doesn't have time to get in the way of you taking action. Making money is more important than being 100% perfect and planned out, and this is the path you can jump on right now to flesh out your idea, click a button and set it up using our template, and have a site ready to take orders... not in three months from now, not in three weeks from now, TODAY:

Claim Your Access to "Membership Cube"
and Get All The Training, Tools and Templates
to Create a Membership Site All in One Place

178: Financial Alchemy: Overcome Money Limitations and Increase Your Happiness with Morgana Rae

November 10, 2016

morgana-rae

Morgana Rae, author of Financial Alchemy, gives us a healthier, and more productive, approach to handling our relationship with money in the following steps:

    1. Uncover the Root Cause of your financial situation (hint-it’s never really about money)
    2. Personify the root cause into your "Money Money"
    3. Get rid of your Money Monster by any means necessary
    4. Meet your new relationship with money—your "Money Honey"
    5. Dialogue with your Money Honey
    6. Take concrete, measurable action

Resources

Back to Top