Monthly Archives: November 2016

The Internet Marketing Lifestyle: Online Marketing Tips

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Online Marketing TipsOnline Marketing Tips

Recently I was asked to share what it means to me to have an online business. Tips I shared with the person I was discussing this topic with included details about the time and financial freedom one is able to enjoy as an online entrepreneur, as well as the lifestyle you are able to live when you can work from home, or from wherever you are in the world with an internet connection.

Long ago I worked as a classroom teacher, and to make ends meet I worked simultaneously as a real estate broker and residential appraiser. Over the years I grew weary of working six or seven days each week and still not being able to take time off or save much money. When I made the decision to leave that world behind in 2006 it was to live the internet lifestyle and to create a life for myself where I would have both the time and the income to call the shots every day. My life changed completely when I took action on my dream, and you can do the same thing if you understand what it takes to make it happen.

If this is a lifestyle you are interested in creating for yourself, here are some online marketing tips I will share with you:

  • Be prepared to work longer and harder than you ever have before for at least the first year so that you can “do for a year what others won’t; live the way others can’t, forever.”
  • Be the toughest boss you have ever had in the physical world. Focus and discipline will mean the difference between success and failure.
  • Take action every single day, if only for fifteen minutes. Keep what I refer to as a “dynamic to-do list” and get into creative mode by writing down your thoughts and ideas and then taking action to implement them.
  • Remember that online entrepreneurship is a business. Treat it like a business and it will pay you like a business. Treat it like a hobby and it will cost you like a hobby.
  • Know that the three parts of your business that are most important are posting to your blog at least twice a week, emailing your list as least twice a week, and creating simple information products to sell to others. Good enough is good enough, so do not complicate it.

I hope these online marketing tips have been helpful. You can achieve success and have time freedom and financial freedom if you follow my steps. Having an online business means you are in control of your own life and your destiny, and there can be no greater reward when it comes to your business.

Take a Look at My Internet Marketing Six Pack to Get Started as an Online Entrepreneur.

 

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Live Streaming: Marketing Strategy

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Live Stream Marketing StrategyIntegrating a Live Streaming Marketing Strategy

Marketing tactics, channels, and efforts tend to be more powerful and effective when they are integrated. For example, you might share a blog post on your Facebook account. This is integrated marketing. You’re using Facebook to help promote your blog.

Chances are you might also have social media buttons on your blog, thus you’re using your blog to help build your social media audience. Everything is connected and works toward a common goal. That’s the power of integration.

As you begin to leverage live streaming, you’ll have better and faster results if you leverage your existing marketing tactics and channels. So let’s take a look at how to do that.

If You Don’t Have a Live Streaming Marketing Strategy and Plan, Create One

It’s quite difficult to create any type of consistency if you don’t have an existing strategy to work with. Your marketing strategy answers the following questions:

  • Who are you marketing to?
  • What are your marketing goals? (Hint, they should support your business plan and business goals)
  • How is your competition marketing?
  • What marketing channels will you use?
  • What are your goals for each specific channel?

Your marketing plan takes it a step further. Each marketing channel that you’re going to use will have specific goals and a plan of implementation. For example, your goal for your Facebook page might be to drive traffic to your opt-in offer. You might decide to post an original post every other day on Facebook and to interact with your followers and share on a daily basis.

Identify Opportunities

Taking a look at your existing marketing channels, identify opportunities to promote your live streaming and vice versa. For example, if you’re on twitter then that’s an easy one. Twitter is linked with both Meerkat and Periscope.

Automatic notifications are sent to followers. You can thus promote twitter in your live feeds and promote your live streaming show on Twitter. Both before, during, and after the show you can share tweets about the broadcast.

Measure and Track

Part of any good marketing strategy and integration is the ability to both track and measure results. That means setting goals that support your marketing goals and then implementing systems to evaluate your success. For example, if you want to use live streaming to drive traffic to your opt-in page, then consider creating a unique URL/landing page for that audience. Track how many visits you get to that site and how many sign-ups.

This information gives you the ability to evaluate your tactics and make changes to adapt to your audience. Live streaming can be incredibly powerful to build your business. However, it will generate better results if you make it part of your overall marketing strategy and integrate it with your other marketing tactics.

What is your live streaming marketing strategy?

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How to Create an Autoresponder Series

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How to Create an Autoresponder SeriesLearning How to Create an Autoresponder Series

When is the last time you reviewed your autoresponder messages? While it’s great that you can simply “set it and forget it,” if you don’t take the time to review your results, you’re very likely leaving money on the table.

And if you don’t have a solid autoresponder series in place, you’re definitely missing out!

Start by considering why your subscribers joined your list in the first place. What was the offer she opted in for? Your autoresponder sequence should build on that, leading naturally from one offer to the next while providing additional value.

For example, if you offer a quick start guide to Facebook advertising as your opt-in incentive, then in your follow-up emails you can add value and build your passive income by:

  • Sharing resources for graphics—both free and paid
  • Reviewing a course you took on advertising
  • Sharing copywriting tips and a link to a great book about the subject
  • Providing case studies about your success with ads, with an offer for a full-training program
  • Detailing your opinion on a new tool, such as a retargeting pixel manager

All of this content is a natural follow-up to the guide your readers initially opted in to receive, so it’s welcome information for them, as well as an opportunity for you to earn some passive income by including affiliate links.

If you don’t yet have an opt-in offer on your website, you can create one in just a few hours. It doesn’t have to be complex or even comprehensive. In fact, short content often makes a more compelling offer, so consider:

  • Checklists
  • Worksheets
  • Mindmaps
  • Resource guides
  • Audio or video replays

If you’re lacking for ideas or content, check out some PLR (private label rights) content from Coaching Sticky Glue or Lead Magnets as a starting point. This can be quite helpful whether you’re a new online entrepreneur or a seasoned marketer. Then all you need to do is drive traffic to your free offer. What could be easier? (Or more passive!)

Knowing how to create an autoresponder series and then actually setting it up is invaluable to your business. What are your thoughts on this topic?

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The Art of Writing Persuasive Sales Copy

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Writing persuasive sales copyAre You Writing Persuasive Sales Copy?

Writing persuasive sales copy can change the way your online business is perceived, as well as increase your bottom line. Learning how to write in this way is a skill that can be learned and I will share some tips on that here with you.

  1. Storytelling – We all grew up listening to and learning from stories, so it just makes sense that storytelling would be the magic ingredient in writing persuasive sales copy. Your stories enable you to take complex or abstract ideas and present them in a simple and easy to understand format.
  2. Write Like You Speak – Writing your sales copy in a conversational tone is key. Instead of writing to impress your reader, simple write the way you would naturally speak to them. Writing persuasive sales copy is about communicating one to one through your words.
  3. Features and Benefits – No one really cares about the features of what you are selling; it’s the benefits those features will bring to your prospect that will make them more likely to buy. I have found that by presenting the benefits first, and then relating them to the features, your reader will understand exactly what’s in it for him if he takes the action you are suggesting.
  4. Sub-Headings, Bulleted Lists, and Short Paragraphs – Most of us are “scanners” when it comes to reading through large chunks of writing. If you take the time to break it up into sections and divide the text into short paragraphs, your reader will be able to work their way through your sales copy more easily. They will also be far more likely to purchase. I also recommend sub-headings for each section and bulleted lists that explain exactly what you are offering and what will be included.

I hope this post has been helpful and that you have more clarity when it comes to writing persuasive sales copy.

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Live Streaming – Best Practices

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Live Streaming Best PracticesLive Streaming – Best Practices

Live streaming is a lot like live television, but it’s also part of your marketing plan. So while you can wing it and just turn on your phone and start streaming, you probably want to embrace some best practices so that you can put your best foot, or face, forward.

  1. Plan it Out

Know what you’re going to say, how long you’re going to broadcast, and what your goals are for the broadcast. To put it simply, plan your content. Make sure that the information you are providing offers value to your audience. Approach it like any other content marketing that you use to grow your business.

  1. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice your broadcast. You can, and absolutely should, be authentic and natural. However, you also want to make sure that you are comfortable in front of an audience. Practice can help you calm the nerves. You can never have too much practice.

  1. Notes

You don’t want to read your broadcast so it is not a great idea to write out your script and to read it verbatim. However, it is a good idea to create some short notes. Identify the bullet points that you want to cover in the order that you want to cover them.

This will help you stay on track. It will also help ensure that you can continue where you left off after interacting with your audience. Remember that viewers can post questions and you can respond to them. Notes help you stay focused.

  1. Present Yourself Professionally

While you don’t have to wear formal business attire, you can. You do want to make sure that you present yourself in a way that best represents your brand and your business. Brush your hair. Make sure that the lighting is good and your audience can see and hear you. Also make sure that anything else the viewers can see supports you and your brand.

  1. Engage Your Viewers

If people are commenting during your presentation, that’s great. Engage with them. The beauty of live streaming is this interaction. Don’t ignore your viewers. Identify them, and where they’re from, if possible. Address them by name and connect.

Live streaming best practices are designed to help you create the most professional and engaging live streaming broadcast possible. Follow them and you will achieve better marketing results from your very first show.

These live streaming best practices will serve you well over time.

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Building Your Blog, Building Your Business

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Building Your BlogBuilding Your Blog to Build Your Business

If you are blogging (and you will most definitely benefit by doing so regularly) then your blog is a fantastic source of passive income. I have already talked about adding a resource page in an earlier post, but now let’s dive into the blog posts themselves.

Each and every blog post has a job to do. Please don’t ever spend your time writing, editing, formatting, and promoting a post whose only task is to take up space on your site.

Instead, your each post must have a strong focus that leads naturally to a solid call to action.

Calls to action can be:

  • An offer to buy one of your products or services
  • An invitation to a discovery (pre-coaching) call
  • A recommendation to check out an affiliate or JV offer
  • An invitation to a live/virtual workshop or conference
  • An opt-in offer

Or it could even be a link to read more about the subject, join your Facebook group, or leave a comment.

The point is, each post is an opportunity to grow your following and create passive income—either directly or indirectly—and your call to action should be foremost in your mind as you’re writing each article. Building your blog is worth your time and effort and will pay off handsomely over the years.

Of course, if you’re like most bloggers, you have hundreds or maybe thousands of posts that are not as well monetized as they could be. So for this step, you’re going to log in to your analytics program, sort all your posts according to which ones receive the most traffic, and start creating those compelling calls to action.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll republish the best ones with current dates (that will move them to the front of your blog) and also add them to your social media promotion queue, so you can get more eyes on them. Or, better yet, remove the dates from your posts altogether.

And you’ll want to add evergreen blog posts to relevant autoresponder sequences, so that subscribers who’ve just met you can quickly find your best content. Don’t just wait for a chance meeting—you have to lead them to your most important information.

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Live Streaming Apps

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Live Streaming AppsTop Live Streaming Apps Available Right Now

There are two big players in the live streaming world right now. They are Periscope and Meerkat. However, Facebook Live has been released and there are some other options that we’ll discuss as well. Knowing your options will help you decide where to start and how to begin creating your Live Streaming marketing plan.

Periscope

Periscope is available for iOS and Android. It’s connected to Twitter which means that you can announce a live show on Twitter and Twitter users and followers can easily find your show and view it. If you already have a Twitter account you can, and should, use that business account to sign in and create your Periscope account.

Getting started with Periscope is easy. You install it on your phone, watch the short walk through and manage your settings. There are a handful of features that you’ll likely find useful. They include:

Replay – You can make your show available for 24 hours. Viewers can replay. This gives you an opportunity to promote your broadcast afterwards and to also grow your audience.

Private – You can, if you choose, invite people to a private broadcast. This is an opportunity to broadcast to customers or to people on your email list.

Twitter, hearts, and notifications are additional social media features. Periscope has an intuitive and user friendly interface.

Meerkat

Meerkat is another live streaming app that competes directly with Periscope. It’s also available on iOS and Android. It was launched before Periscope and like it’s competitor it syncs with Twitter. Your Meerkat shows will be pushed to your followers in real time. Here’s the difference with Meerkat, people can only watch it live. There are no options to save. However, there are apps in development that help you record your broadcasts.

The user interface may not be as intuitive as Periscope. However, both apps are highly popular and worth your time and attention.

Facebook Live Streaming and YouTube Ustream

Facebook Live Streaming, and YouTube’s Ustream are other options. They work a little differently than Periscope and Meerkat but are additional options to consider. They are pricier options that allow you to embed live streaming video on your blog or website.

Hopefully it is helpful to understand the different ways you can use live streaming to grow your business.

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Creating Resource Pages for Additional Revenue

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Resource PagesResource Pages to Build Your Online Business

This post is all about how to create resource pages to build your credibility and increase your online income. Resource pages are hand-selected products and services you are recommending to your community. In contrast to a typical blog post, resource pages are designed to be a source of comprehensive information on a particular topic.  While blog posts are typically in the three hundred to seven hundred fifty word range, resource pages tends to be longer because they need to cover a subject in great detail. And they are extremely effective for a variety of reasons.

Got a website or a blog? Of course you do! But chances are it’s not as useful as it could be, just because it’s missing this vital piece: a resources page.

Your readers are curious. They want to know:

  • What tools you use in your own business
  • What training programs you’ve studied and recommend
  • What advertising platforms you use
  • What books you’ve read and loved
  • Whose blog you read
  • Who designed your logo
  • Who you turn to for technical advice
  • Where you go for marketing advice
  • And a host of other resources

In fact, next to your “About” page, a well-planned resource page might just be the most visited page on your site. Here’s an example of a great resources page: http://ConnieRagenGreen.com/resources

It’s time to capitalize on that potential traffic with some strategic monetization in the form of affiliate links and partnerships. You’ll be so glad you did this after your business really takes off.

Start by making a big list of all the tools you use on a regular basis. One good way to create a list fast is to go through your passwords file. You’ll quickly see all of the sites you log into regularly, such as your shopping cart, your membership sites, your favorite theme provider, etc.

Next, think of all the training programs you’ve purchased. You probably have them stored in a folder on your computer, so open that up and make a list of what’s relevant. You can even become my affiliate by signing up here.

What about JV partners? Have you worked with other coaches or service providers you’d recommend? Even if they don’t have an official affiliate program, you may be able to work out a private referral program, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Finally, don’t forget your own products. Sometimes I get so carried away with recommending other people’s products, tools, and services I neglect to mention my own.

Be sure when you’re adding links to your page that you use your affiliate link when one is available, and be sure you have the appropriate disclaimers in place when you do.

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Podcast: Felicia Slattery – Public Speaking

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Felicia Slattery - Public SpeakingFor Felicia Slattery, public speaking became a part of her life at an early age. Whereas speaking in front of groups is frightening to most people, Felicia takes it to a new level with grace and ease. Now she works with business professionals to help them put together effective presentations in order to market their businesses. This includes presenting on webinars, creating powerful videos, and using storytelling to get your message out to the people who need most to hear it from you.

Over the past ten years Felicia and I have crossed paths repeatedly at a variety of conferences and events, and I am honored to have shared the stage with her at several them.

The photo above was taken at her new home near Knoxville, Tennessee. I had the pleasure of spending time with Felicia and her family while I was visiting friends there recently. During that time I was able to get to know Felicia even better and I have the greatest respect for what she brings to the table in both her life and her business.

During this podcast interview (you may listen here on this page or over at iTunes) we discuss public speaking in a way you may not have heard from anyone else.  She feels that speaking is an opportunity to build relationships from the stage and carry them forward into the future. I shared my story of getting started as a speaker with Felicia, and she told me that what I had experienced was typical of someone who had not previously been a public speaker. I was comfortable speaking in front of students while I was a classroom teacher, but speaking to adults in a business setting was terrifying for me. Now that has changed, but it took several years for me to get there. Speaking falls into one of the three greatest fears for most folks, and Felicia says this is with good reason.

Felicia is also a bestselling author of several books on topics around public speaking, and you can take a look at here titles to see which ones are a good fit for what you are working to accomplish in your own business.

We also take a look at Felicia’s “Speaker One Sheet Templates“, a package I highly recommend. These are templates you open in PowerPoint or Keynote and simple copy and paste your photo and information into the areas she has designed. When I first had something like this created for me the cost was over ten times what she is charging, and you can create as many different styles, colors, and designs as you wish in order to let others know that you are a speaker, author, or corporate consultant.

I know you will enjoy and benefit from my conversation with Felicia Slattery. Public speaking can open doors and provide you with opportunities you might otherwise miss, so please listen to this interview to learn more about incorporating it into your life and business.

Subscribe To All Interviews In My Podcast Series

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