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The 3 Ways to Earn Cash Money Online

September 30, 2010 By 6 Comments

If you are new to the online business world, there is a good chance you are confused about where to start. You have 4 million options in front of you. Everyone is telling you they make a wonderful living do “x”. You don’t know where to start. You don’t know what to do. Now here you are reading my blog. At the end of the day, there are only three ways to earn cash money online.

All three of these ways to make money are valid, profitable avenues. However if you are new to online business, they should be mastered in a specific order. Jump too far ahead of yourself and you may well fail.

As I am getting ready to hit my 3rd Anniversary working from home, I am in the midst of adding another income stream to my business. I have been in a panic lately. I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do. I didn’t know if I have been building my empire in the right way. Was I going too fast, too slow, in the wrong order? AHH!

I had the opportunity to get insight from an Internet Marketing coach over the weekend. I found the relief and motivation I have been looking for. Here are the 3 ways to earn money online, and the order he suggested taking them in.

  1. Sell Your Services – If you do not know where to start online, a great place to learn is by offering services to other online business owners. You will be making money and have the opportunity to see how they run their businesses. Watch how they market. Pay attention to where they spend their time, effort and money. See what works and what doesn’t. During this step, keep learning new skills. Choose skills that you can use in your own business first, that you can market to clients second. Don’t just learn things they want you to know, make sure it will be useful in your own business going forward. Thankfully, this was the first step I took when I started VA business three years ago. It’s still going strong.
  2. Sell Other People’s Products – After you have gotten a good feel for what it takes to make it online, the next step is to sell other people’s stuff. (I.e. Affiliate Marketing) In this step, you get hands on experience with what makes people buy. You get to earn while you learn. Pay attention to what people are looking for, what they want from you before they buy, and what makes them click that button. I added this step at the beginning of this year when I started this blog.
  3. Sell Your Own Products – Now that you have mastered what it takes to make a sale, you can start selling your own products. Take that passion, problem or fear people are experiencing and create something to solve it or make it more enjoyable. If you have dominated the last two steps before moving on, you are confident in taking this on. You know what it takes to make it online. (Hopefully, you’ve been here awhile by now. This isn’t a 3-week process.) You know how to market, sell and create. The next logical step is to make it your own. I am just now adding this step with my new site.

Needless to say, I am now confident going forward. After three years, I have never abandoned a website I have started. I have always been willing to do it wrong until I do it right. The biggest lesson I took away from Mr. Internet Marketing Coach: Be patient, be generous and be ethical. Words to live by…

Tell me where you are at online. What order did you take these steps in? Did you master each step before moving on, or do you have abandoned projects all over online?

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With:

How to Sell Articles You Create: Follow-Up

September 28, 2010 By 1 Comment
how to sell articles you create

how to sell articles you createToday is a follow-up post to last week’s How to Sell PLR: Business Niche Idea post. If you missed that post, it was announcing the release of Tiffany Dow’s new PLR ATM course. In the course, she teaches you how to sell articles you create for a long-term, passive income.

I have followed Tiffany for quite some time. I know the income she generates from her own PLR store. I know she does that without being a bondservant to her store. Needless to say, I was on board for this release. In fact, I had been counting down the days for weeks waiting for its launch.

I was so confident in this product having been a follower of Tiffany, that I even purchased a domain and set up my buy PLR products site over a week ahead of time so I could start backlinking and getting indexed. She always over-delivers, so I had high hopes that I would be able to hit the ground running. I did of course have certain fears:

  • Being a follower of Tiffany, I knew her store wasn’t on WordPress. I have had sites on other platforms, and I don’t want to mess with that junk. Am I going to be able to do this on WP?
  • Seriously, what is this going to cost me?
  • Can I handle a third income stream?
  • How in the world am I going to get my husband to agree to another investment?

First things first, I had to get my husband on board. This was a little more pricey than my usual $10 ebook purchases. Thankfully, he was easy to persuade for once. So, I got up at 2:30 am on launch day like a little kid at Christmas to make my purchase and start learning.

The outcome to the rest of my above concerns:

  • Tiffany actually recommends building your store on WordPress for increased search engine optimization. We all know Google loves blogs, and with plugins like All-in-One SEO it is a “must do.”
  • Tiffany gives both paid and free alternatives to all the tools you need to build your store. For Pete’s sake, the girl started her success stream by selling PLR off of a Squidoo Lens. I love people that accept the fact that not everyone who needs money can invest money.
  • Can I handle this? I no longer have any doubts. Everything can be automated. I get can help in promoting my store. There never has to be messy returns. You play by your own rules. You reap the full rewards.

Other useful information she includes:

  • Where to find a ghostwriter. I haven’t made a final decision on this yet, though I am gathering names and trying a few people out. I am only 1.5 months away from my 3rd anniversary online. I know how to create content for sure, I am just not sure about the time investment. It would be nice to have someone writing for me. (At a reasonable price.)
  • You don’t need a full library to start selling. As soon as your first product is created, you can start making sales. Whew!
  • You make the rules. If you only want to create short blog posts, do that. If you want to write 500 word articles, do that. If you want to create PLR ebooks or autoresponder series, do that. It’s your business, you get to decide what you are going to do, nothing more.
  • She teaches you how to retrain your brain. The keyword research for creating PLR is entirely different than for creating your own content. I had a feeling this was the case, but she reiterated that and tells you the process.

Okay, this is turning into one lengthy post. But, I wasn’t let down. She did over-deliver, as always. I cringed a little when I saw there was both an ebook and videos. I’ve told you before how I always tell people I don’t like videos. However, these were essential and I didn’t mind at all. She shows you how to get things installed, etc.

There was also an amazing bonus video included of her and another Internet Marketer. It proved to be an invaluable resource, as he is COMPLETELY new to PLR. So some of his questions were things I hadn’t thought about before from a newbie perspective.

This is a really great product. We all need to be responsible for our financial success.

You may need to start earning right now. Take control of the situation.

You may not have an immediate need for the money, but eventually you might. Take control of that situation, too.

Take charge of your life. Now, go buy Tiffany’s PLR ATM.

Filed Under: Home-Based Business Ideas Tagged With: , , ,

Step by Step Affiliate Marketing: Choosing a Niche

September 27, 2010 By 1 Comment

Step by Step Affiliate Marketing

The first step in successful article marketing is choosing a profitable niche. However, what is profitable and sustaining can be confusing. Choosing the wrong niche can cause a great loss of time. When working through the step by step affiliate marketing plan, there are some easy tips available for finding a profitable niche.

1. Brainstorming - Take time to compile a list of your passions, problems and fears. Choosing topics that are relevant in your own life will help eliminate the possible boredom that may arise down the road. You will also be able to answer questions from consumers if you have personal knowledge relating to the niche. This will build trust with potential shoppers.

Passions, problems and fears are also where consumers spend money. They pay out on the hobbies that make them happy. They allocate funds to help them solve problems or overcome fears. Eventually your goal is to create a product related to your niche in order to receive 100% of sales, as opposed to a percentage from being an affiliate for someone else’s product.

2. Keyword Analysis – After compiling your list of possible niches, you will want to check for buying-related keywords and search volume relating to the topic. The Google Keyword Tool will return a list of connected to the topics on your list. It will also give you an idea of the volume of searches being done each month.

Google Trends is the next step in the process. Analyze how your possible niches have performed over time. Avoid those that seem to be losing momentum. Look for any seasonal trends that may impact your affiliate marketing.

3. Research Products – The final step in choosing a profitable niche is to see if there are products available to promote. ClickBank is a great place to discover if a niche is profitable. If there are numerous products available related to your idea, someone is obviously buying them. If there are very few products connected to your topic, there may not be much of a market. Or, it may be an undiscovered niche. If you can create the product that solves the problem, you can have affiliates working for you.

Picking a profitable niche is not overly time-consuming or complicated. Take some time to analyze the potential before diving in.

Need more affiliate marketing tips? You will find them in my Step by Step Affiliate Marketing Guide.

Filed Under: How to Make Money with a Blog Tagged With: , ,

Search Engine Optimization Strategy

September 24, 2010 By 22 Comments

The Search Engine Optimization Strategy Survey results are in. As I suspected, there are many of you still struggling with the Search Engine Optimization process. The two biggest complaints: the inability to “get it” and the suggested tools are far too expensive.

I have also struggled in the past with trying to figure it out. After investing in a few products awhile back, I finally got my “AHA!” moment. I’m not sure why everything wasn’t clicking before. But for some reason hearing some of the experts discuss their strategies, what I was supposed to be doing finally started making sense.

I have put together a tutorial report of the SEO keyword research strategy I have been using and getting results from the last few months. No fancy, expensive tools here. Every tool I use to do keyword analysis is free and available to everyone. You won’t even find “free trial” products in my report. When I say free, I mean free.

You can get my Niche Site Big Book, which includes my keyword research strategy. I have included screenshots for those of you that said you are visual learners. I do hope it helps, and please let me know if you find any holes in the process that need further detail.

Filed Under: How to Make Money with a Blog, Running an Online Business Tagged With: , , ,

Article Marketing Made Easy: Repurpose Content

September 23, 2010 By 6 Comments

Article Marketing Made Easy: Repurpose Content

Article marketing is one of the most effective forms of driving traffic to your website or blog. However after creating content for your own site, you may find yourself too drained to keep composing for the purpose of article marketing. You will find article marketing made easy if you repurpose content that you have already authored. A few easy steps will make the process more effective.

1. Get Indexed First – Before submitting existing content to article directories, wait for it to be indexed on your own site first. You can get a notification of when Google indexes new content on your site by setting up a Google Alert. Create an Alert with your site’s name and each time Google indexes your new website copy or blog post, you will receive a notification. After you have been notified, feel free to start submitting that content to other sites.

2. Change the Title – Use a different, but related keyword phrase for your article submission. By using another title, you give potential readers yet another way to find your content. If you are using EzineArticles for your article marketing needs, use the Title Suggestions under your Author Tools. Search for a keyword phrase related to your article for potential search-ready titles.

3. Revisions - Every article directory has their own rules. Read through their TOS for any possible problems that may arise with your existing content. You may need to remove pictures or links, or revise the voice of the article from promotional to informative. If the content will be seen by a different market, alter the article to include that audience if necessary.

With these simple steps you will reap the benefits of article marketing without adding more work to your already hectic schedule. Take a few moments to tweak your existing content once it is indexed and start reaching a larger audience.

Note: This is an old post. Please read my future of article marketing post for the latest info.

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With: , ,

How to Sell PLR: Business Niche Idea

September 21, 2010 By 7 Comments

I am so excited to introduce you to how to sell PLR. Business ideas are always abundant, however this one is a little different. I know I have a lot of fellow freelance writers and bloggers that visit this blog. Since you are already familiar with creating online content, this may be of particular interest to you. It is something even those of you not creating content can do.

Tiffany Dow, an Internet marketing teacher and former ghostwriter, launched a new course called PLR ATM that teaches ordinary people – some of whom have a zero dollar budget – how to set up a shop of their own selling content to marketers who are looking to spend money for private label rights.

Dow shows you how to make easy money online just catering to the niche needs of others. Some want half page blog posts. Others need full page articles. Many are seeking complete packages with an eBook, sales copy, and email autoresponders. Could you be the one to provide that and make a nice residual income selling PLR?

The way it’s taught in PLR ATM, even those who can’t write well themselves have a good shot at selling PLR to a hungry audience. And you’re given two options – launch without it costing you a single penny – or launch with a few lost cost tools like a domain, hosting, and email autoresponder system. It’s truly a way to make easy money online – and still have your conscience intact when you do it.

I have been a follower of Tiffany Dow for quite some time. I was up at 2:30 this morning to make my purchase, as I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this product for weeks. So much so that I got a jump start and setup a new website for selling my own PLR. It is just in it’s start-up stage, but you are free to take a gander at Buy PLR Products. I will start adding Private Label Rights for sale over the next few weeks.

I am so excited to have yet another passive income stream! Go purchase PLR ATM, and let me know. I’d love to talk shop during the process.

Filed Under: Home-Based Business Ideas Tagged With: , , ,

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Running a Christian Home Based Business

September 21, 2010 By 1 Comment

Running a Christian home based business is hard work.  Any type of home based business takes a lot of work, but in my opinion a Christian home based business is harder.  Not only will people think and expect more from you, but you answer to higher power – God.

Below are 3 things you need to keep in mind when running a success Christian home based business:

1.       Put God First – No matter what type of home based business you start, it will not be successful if you do not put God first.  Weather it is an online or offline business, God is ultimately in control.  Remember Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”

2.      Pray – Pray for God’s direction and guidance in your business.  If you are following God’s will and doing the business He has planned for you, then everything else will work it’s self out. That’s not to say you don’t have to work at it though.  Running a home based business is hard work but by turning it over to God in prayer makes a huge difference in being able to see it through to success.

3.      Be Honest & Trustworthy – Being honest and trustworthy in your business may seem like a no brainer but you would be surprised at how many people are running their businesses dishonestly.   You have to instill trust in your clients and customers so that they will trust you.   Pay attention to what you do, say, and how you act.  It only takes one instance of negative behavior to create doubt in a client or customer’s mind.

Customers and clients may not always believe in the same things you do. However by putting God in first in your business, praying over business decisions, and showing yourself to be honest, your customers and clients will see the difference in you and your business.  This difference is what will keep your clients and customers returning for more business in the future.

Courtney Chowning is a Christian Entrepreneur, online business coach, and web designer who helps Christians start and grow their online businesses.  Find more tips about running a Christian home based business at her blog, CourtneySpeaks.com.

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With:

5 Steps to Online Business Success

September 20, 2010 By 4 Comments

When it comes to online business, there is no cookie-cutter plan. Every business is different, every target market is different, every business owner’s goal is different. However, there are certain steps every business must follow to ensure online business success.

5 Steps to Online Business Success
  1. Content Creation - Content refers to the information you will share on your website or blog. This may be product or service descriptions, blog posts, video or audio. When creating your content focus on the features and their benefits to your visitor. Use “you” and “your” statements, as opposed to “me” or “we.” Your visitor is interested in how the information you are sharing relates to them, not how amazing you and your business are. If you are having trouble creating content, you can always outsource or buy PLR and modify it to fit your needs.
  2. Online Visibility – The more visible you are online the more people will be able to find you initially, and over time start recognizing your brand with repeated exposure. You can become more visible through having a website or blog and utilizing social networking. Set up accounts related to your site on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,  YouTube and industry-related forums.
  3. Traffic Generation – In order to get people to your site to purchase the products or services you are promoting, you need to generate traffic. This can be done through article marketing, social marketing, guest blogging, forum and email signatures, and referral networks. The more external links you have online directing people to your site the better. You may also chose to run advertising or Pay Per Click campaigns if they are relevant to your business.
  4. List Building – Once people get to your site, you want to keep them coming back. The most effective form of list building is through email marketing. Set up an opt-in box on your site to collect emails from interested parties. This will allow you to repeatedly communicate with those that are already interested in your business as opposed to constantly chasing down new customers. Give away free information or a special discount to those that subscribe to your newsletter. List building may also include those that follow you on Twitter or like your Facebook page.
  5. Product Creation – At the end of the day, you want to keep 100% of the profit generated from people that purchase through your site. This cannot be done by solely promoting other people’s products. Eventually, you will want to create your own product. This may be an eBook, training videos, an audio library or a membership site providing ongoing support.

All of these steps to online business success can be modified to fit your individual needs. Adjust methods within the steps to relate to your chosen industry.

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With: , ,
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