The Hardest Part

July 16th, 2009

The other day Vincent, a Twitter friend (who I just met last weekend offline) sent me a direct message.

He wanted to know more about blogging.

“I just came across your website(s). (Oh, Google.) Love to talk about blogging/passive income someday. I’ve had an idea for a blog since forever but have yet to do anything. Would love to talk to you about how you maintain a schedule, etc. Just process sort of stuff.”

- @Volfro of BigSweaterDesign

My first thought was, umm… what can I teach a young single guy about time management? Haha!

My idea of time management is figuring out how to get work done with 4 kids underfoot.

But then I realized.

Maybe I AM the best person to teach someone about productivity. After all, if I can manage profitable blogs in 15 minute increments, anyone can.

Speaking of 15 minute increments…. that was actually a tip I picked up from Nicole Dean. Nicole is a well respected information and affiliate marketer. She is also the affiliate manager for Jimmy D. Brown.

I read an article of Nicole’s in which she suggested you set a timer for 15 minutes when you sit down to the computer.

If you have children, you probably know how efffective a timer is for setting boundaries with your kids.

“When the timer dings, XYZ will happen.” Often, it means someone gets a turn, or they get mom’s attention.

But even if you’re not a work at home mom, working fast and hard in short increments is a wonderfully effective way to stay uber focused.

Nicole just finished up a free report with more of her tips on staying productive when you work from home.

Honestly, the hardest part of owning an online business or blogging is this: staying focused and productive when you don’t have deadlines, work hours or a boss to be accountable to.

Launching a successful blog requires a commitment to creating high quality content on a regular basis, and it can be overwhelming. Some good time management strategies are definitely helpful.

You can download the .pdf report here.

It’s full of practical advice from a busy mom of two and full time online business owner. Let me know what you gleaned from the report in the comments!

Tags: Blogging, business motivation, focus, jimmy d brown, nicole dean, wahms, working around kids
Posted in Wahmmy Life | 3 Comments »

You Want Me To Be Your Affiliate?

June 22nd, 2009

Then don’t go about it the wrong way.

I’m not talking to any of you, because I know my blog readers would know better than to send me unsolicited email pitching their affiliate program.

This is how *I* get new affiliates. Because I’m a classy online marketing kind of gal.

(Hint: It’s all about relationships.)

- Affiliate marketers join my affiliate program and promote my products because we’re part of the same tight knit networking community.

- They join because they are in a similar niche and market to likeminded people.

- They join my affiliate program because I’m their affiliate.

- They join because they are a customer and like the content, see its value, and want to promote the product to their peeps.

- They join because they follow me on Twitter and know I’m the real deal, not some smarmy creepy anonymous person who wants to make a quick buck without delivering real value.

- They join because I have sent them my product(s), free of charge, for review with the hopes that they will see its value and want to promote it in order earn commissions.

They don’t join my affiliate program because I sent them an unsolicited email asking them to join.

Because I don’t do that.

They also don’t join because I sent them yet another unsolicited email to “follow up” on the first email that I never responded to in the first place.

Now.

Do you want me to join your affiliate program?

Here’s a couple of things you need to do.

1) First, know what I’m all about.

If your product is the greatest “how to improve your golf game” ebook EVER devised, so what?

That’s not my niche. It’s irrelevant to my market, and a waste of my time.

2) Second, learn the art of the approach

IF you have a product that is *actually* of interest to *my* target market, then send me an email with the product attached or with the download link to the product.

Better yet, send me an email asking *permission* to send me an email with your product attached.

IF I like it and IF I have time to consume itand IF I think it would add value to the lives of my listeners/readers/subscribers and IF I decide to (and WHEN I decide to), I will join your affiliate program and promote your product.

And please don’t insult my intelligence by trying to explain what an affiliate program is, or how much commission your program pays, or how well your site converts, or any of that stuff.

It’s like telling me how wonderful you are when we’ve only first met.

I know how this stuff works, umkay?

Just sayin’.

Posted in Internet marketing | 7 Comments »

Why the Mom Market?

June 16th, 2009

True story.

When I built my first website and started making money online, I was not targeting the mom market. It took me a couple of years of jumping around to find my market.

But I’m glad I did. Here are some interesting stats for you if you do target the mom niche in your business. Encouraging!

Did you know that companies are spending billions of dollars every year marketing their products to Moms? If you’re in the Mom market yourself, you know you’re in the right place. If not, then why aren’t you?

Services like Mom PLR eBooks make it easy for you to tap into this market, too. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of room, as you’ll see in our Top 10 reasons why the Mom market rocks:

1. Moms make up a huge market. There are over 80 million Moms in the United States, with 1.4 million new Moms giving birth for the first time every year (US Census).

2. Moms spend a lot of money. Moms spend $1.3 trillion every year (Marketing to Moms by Maria T. Bailey, 2002). Have I mentioned the Mom market is huge?

3. Moms make a lot of buying decisions for their homes and families. Moms account for about 50% of spending on consumer electronics, food, health and beauty aids, home furnishings, and clothing (MRI, 2004). If you’re still looking for products to promote to the Mommy market, let this guide you.

4. Moms are web savvy. About 70% of Moms surveyed say they use the Internet to research before buying products (Marketing to Moms, 2002).

5. Moms like to shop online. The majority of Moms say they buy products online (Marketing to Moms, 2002). I told you, you’re in the right place. Internet marketing is the way to go!

6. Moms read their Email. Moms check their Email messages all day long (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media). Whoever said Email marketing was dead, was wrong.

7. Moms take Email messages to heart. 71% of Moms say their buying decisions are influenced by Email messages (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media). Not only do Moms read your Emails, they act on them, too.

8. Moms make things go viral. 80% of Moms say they forward useful Emails to their friends (Lucid Marketing & BSM Media 2004). So make your Emails useful!

9. Moms buy, not only for their spouses/partners and children, but for their parents as well. Up to 40% of Moms reportedly are involved in purchases for their aging parents (Marketing to Moms Coalition, 2007). This is a wonderful insight – let’s remember that Moms are somebody’s children, too.

10. Moms rely on their communities or tribes. 64% of Moms say the recommendations of others influence purchases they make for their home (Marketing to Moms, 2002).

Moms are the chief financial officers of their homes (and many have their own businesses as well). They buy a lot of stuff, both online and offline. They rely on other people to make up their minds about what to buy, and they appreciate getting really useful information that makes their lives easier.

What’s the take-away lesson for marketers here? You better be marketing to Moms and you better be doing it properly.

Moms are craving useful information – are you providing it?

Moms PLR eBooks can help you give Moms the content that they’re looking for online. You’ll get high-quality content written just for Moms, to use in your websites, infoproducts, Emails and more.

Use coupon code “momsrule” (without quotation marks) to get $10 off your first month of membership.

Give Moms content and products they love and they’ll spread the word for you. Moms ROCK!

Tags: marketing to moms, mom niche, plr, private label rights, website content
Posted in Internet marketing | No Comments »

Free Guide to Mom Masterminds

June 16th, 2009

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ve heard me wax poetic about Mom Masterminds. Any woman who is serious about her online business should seriously consider membership.

Mom Masterminds is celebrating its 5th Anniversary and just gave away a complimentary membership to 5 moms.

They’re always doing things like that!

If you’re not a member yet, go here to pick up a free pdf guide to the resources available in the member’s only section. The resources alone are reason enough to join – but they are only one of the assets available there.

Check it out – there is a free trial membership so what have you got to lose?

Posted in Coaches and Mentors | No Comments »

Internet Marketing Lifestyle

June 4th, 2009

Yesterday I was at Starbucks getting some work done without interruption for a couple of hours while the kids played at my mom’s house. Of course, I did a little Tweeting from my phone too.

I’ve also been tweeting a bit while watching the lifeguards my kids enjoy their swimming lessons. After what seems like a solid month of rain here in Atlanta (we’re no longer in a drought!), I’m enjoying the summer with my kids and trying to work a little less and enjoy this time.

This morning I got a DM from a Twitter follower, Victor Hernandez. He asked:

@vhernandez But also…what is it exactly that u do? Ur & other WAHMs tweets have me intrigued – always home, w/the kids, successful

Unlike most of the people I network with online, Victor is someone that I knew offline. We met around 15 years ago, through mutual friends. I’ve actually gotten to know him a little better now via Facebook and Twitter. It’s quite obvious to me that family and being a great dad are huge priorities to him. He’s just that kind of guy. It makes perfect sense that he would ask me this question.

I thought about responding, but attempting to answer in 140 characters or less seemed a little daunting so I asked him if I could post the answer here.

The Internet Marketing Lifestyle

If you read my blog for any length of time, you know how grateful I am for the lifestyle I have. I don’t make a ton of money, but I have what I consider to be truly important: time freedom. I’m able to raise my kids myself and be the breadwinner for my family – as well as a full time mom.

I started my internet business 6 years ago. I stumbled around, made a lot of mistakes learned a lot of important lessons, then settled into my niche about 3 years ago when I launched my podcast. I listened closely to businesswomen like Alice Seba, Kelly McCausey and Lynn Terry, who had what I wanted: a full time income from their business.

My path was different from that of many “mom bloggers”. In fact it was only recently that I embraced that designation. I consider myself to be more of an “internet marketer” than anything else, although I have in the last year put more focus on my parenting focused blog.

That’s because I came to the internet with the goal of earning money. I didn’t launch a blog over 6 years ago just so I could write.

This is how many mom bloggers get started. They enjoy writing, they need the outlet, the creative expression, the social aspect. I was on the front end of blogging and in fact there weren’t that many of us blogging at all. It was far less social and most of the bloggers were business people who did it for the increased exposure. So, my perspective reflects that.

Not long after I started my first website, I joined Mom Masterminds. I was serious about earning money online and knew that I had better get smart so as not to spin my wheels. I didn’t have time to mess around.

The thing about being a mom who works from home?

You get really good at making your work time count.

Here’s an example.

Last weekend when my kids were with their father, I sat down and in a couple of hours, wrote two weeks worth of blog posts, so I now have three weeks of content scheduled to publish on my other blog even if I don’t touch a keyboard.

When I started my business, I understood the concept of passive income. I’ve made an effort to focus on activities that produce passive income for me. I know the phrase is overused – but you know what I mean. I focus my time on activities that require up front investment of time but that require less maintenance to keep the ball rolling.

This lesson was really underscored for me when I became pregnant with my fourth child and became very ill. Looking at the computer was intolerable so I did little or nothing to build my business for almost three months. (According to my midwife, a pregnant woman’s eyes are more sensitive to the flickering lights of the screen, so it made sense.)

And yet during that time period, my income remained constant. Many people don’t have the luxury of building their business slowly, they need “right now” money. When I started, my family needed my income but I wasn’t the sole provider.

Now as a divorced woman, I’m exceedingly blessed to not have to get a full time job outside the home to support my kids! I am deeply grateful for that.

Now to answer the question of “What do I do?”. I usually tell people “I’m a writer”, because saying I’m an affiliate marketer, information product creator, podcaster, and blogger is too confusing.

What I Do:

– Create information products (digital products like ebooks, instruction videos, etc) for sale
– Partner with other people in joint ventures (increased exposure for a share of profits)
– Smart networking with like-minded people in my niche
– Build my email lists so I can market to people again and again
– Create affiliate websites (which promote affiliate programs that earn commissions) that rank well in search engines

These are the things that make up the bulk of my income. (I do a little bit of coaching and ghostwriting when I can.)

What I love about what I do is that one: I can do it anywhere (I just published my first blog post from my phone the other day!) and two: I can do it anyTIME. There have been plenty of early mornings working before the kids get up and late nights working after they’re asleep, don’t get me wrong – but most days I can squeeze in my work while they’re busy doing other things.

Of course, this lifestyle has its challenges too.

There are times I crave (for a few minutes anyway!) to get a job where I have a steady paycheck instead of an income that is variable, where I show up at a certain time and leave, where I’m told what to do, etc… some days that seems easier.

But mostly that’s due to poor planning on my part, or it’s caused by stress that comes from something else in my personal life. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else than what I’m doing.

I’ve written more on this topic in these posts:

Why I’m Glad To Be a Work at Home Mom

Wahms Aren’t Making the Feminine Mistake

How to Earn Full Time Money Online

That’s my story.

If you want to share yours, please link to it in your comments below.

Posted in Internet marketing, Reviews | 11 Comments »

10 Ways to 10K

May 31st, 2009

I almost didn’t post this.

In fact, this report has been sitting on my computer for weeks.

You see, I trust Jimmy D Brown and consider him one of my most important mentors.

I just have a hard time with the whole “10K” thing. It’s a little to swallow.

Now don’t get me wrong. I do absolutely believe that it’s totally possible to earn that kind of money on the internet.

It’s just that my goal here on this blog is to share stuff that is working for me. When I’m earning 10K a month, trust me.. you’ll be the first to know!

I didn’t want to appear disingenuous by offering this, so I procrastinated.

But then I got over it.

Why?

Because I took the time to actually READ the report.

And it’s got some great advice in it.

You can download it here.

I can’t promise you will earn 10K per month in your business overnight, but hey – it’s not a bad goal to shoot for, is it?

10 Ways To Make 10k

Tags: jimmy d brown
Posted in Coaches and Mentors, Internet marketing | No Comments »

Hot Summer Learning

May 30th, 2009

This year, Kelly McCausey’s Hot Seminar Series is a bit different.

Previously, the series focused on learning more tips and tricks to help you succeed in your online business endeavors.

This year, the focus is on STARTING your online business.

There are 8 HOT online business models that Kelly will spotlight. For each, she is featuring an expert in that particular area.

If you haven’t yet started your website, get yourself a pass so you can nab all of the recordings.

Get your Hot Seminar Series

Posted in Coaches and Mentors, Internet marketing | No Comments »

Earning With Reports: 31 Ways

May 28th, 2009

I just got this email with some cool tips for earning money with reports. You can write these yourself, but it’s a lot easier and faster to buy PLR reports and edit them!

I’m as guilty as the next gal of not utilizing reports as much as I could, but I DO use them. I’ll admit that I have not used all of these tips. I bolded the suggestions that are my personal favorites.

Here you go:

30 (actually 31!) Ways to Earn with Special Reports

Internet marketers love special reports. They’re quick to make and easy to sell, which means you can make money from them – fast. Plus, there’s more than one way to earn with special reports. In fact, I came up with a list of 30 ways!

But first, if you think you can’t possibly make your very own special reports, check out the Special Report Club – and use the code “save10” to get $10 off your first month.

So here it is, my super list of Top 30 Ways to Earn with Special Reports:

1. Sell it – and keep all of the profits. The most obvious way of making money with special reports is to sell them.

2. Sell it through affiliates – and keep some of the profits. This is the similar #1, but your affiliates lead buyers to your sales page and pocket a commission from the sale.

3. Sell it through affiliates – and give them all of the profits. How does this make you money? Well, you build a list of buyers plus you can earn money on the back-end, either by promoting other products in the report itself, or as part of the sales process, or both.

4. Give it away – and build your list. Use the special report as an incentive for people to join your list.

5. Give it away – and make affiliate sales. Embed affiliate links in the report, and you can earn commissions by giving it away. Just add a “Resources” page or sprinkle affiliate links where appropriate.

6. Break it up into blog posts. A blog needs regular content. Write blog posts easily from a special report.

7. Give it away as a bonus to a paid product. Increase the perceived value of a paid product by including a special report – or several – as a bonus.

8. Combine them into an E-book to sell. Turn each special report into a chapter, add an introduction, conclusion, new title and cover, and you’ve got a brand new E-book to sell.

9. Combine related special reports into an E-book, to give away. Same idea as #8, but you give it away for list building and/or affiliate sales.

10. Combine related special reports into a physical book, to sell. Turn the E-book from #8 into a book that buyers can publish-on-demand, such as on Lulu.com.

11. Use it as a basis for an article. Get the most actionable points from the special report, turn them into an article, and submit it to Ezine Articles or another online article directory.

12. Create an audio version to give away, or sell. Some people prefer audio products they can listen to while they’re on the go or doing other things. Give in to their demand by converting the special report into an audio report.

13. Use a special report as the basis for tutorial videos – to give away or sell. Videos are hot nowadays, so turn a special report into video format for increased value.

14. Combine the audio and video versions into CDs and/or DVDs – and sell physical products. Physical products don’t cost a lot to produce, but have higher perceived value than digital products.

15. Use the special report as the basis for a series of marketing videos to build your list and/or drive traffic to your site. Get 3-5 top tips from the special report and turn them into a video you post on YouTube and other video sharing sites, for instant traffic for your blog or site.

16. Use it as the basis for videos to promote affiliate products. Similar to #15, but use the videos to drive traffic to products you’re affiliated with, using your affiliate links.

17. Make it a prize on your Twitter giveaway. Want to get more Twitter followers? Offer a special report to all your new followers.

18. Give it away in exchange for answering an online survey to do market research. Set up an online survey and give respondents a free special report for their time.

19. Make it a surprise bonus for your customers or subscribers. Delight your existing customers with a free special report they didn’t expect to get and make them loyal to you, for life.

20. Create a teleseminar out of the special report. Create a list of frequently-asked questions the special report addresses, and set up a teleseminar.

21. Make it a monthly resource in a paid membership program. Add useful special reports in the members’ resource area, or make it the featured content of the month.

22. Break it up into an E-course, to sell or give away. Chop up a special report to create an E-mail course or pre-recorded audio course.

23. Use the special report to create free Web 2.0 sites, such as Squidoo and Hub Pages. Create content for Squidoo lenses, Hub Pages and other Web 2.0 sites that promote your products and/or services, or affiliate products.

24. Break it up into autoresponder messages for your subscribers. Use the special report to give your subscribers useful information regularly.

25. Rewrite it to cater to a different or more specific niche. With a few tweaks, you can make a special report appeal to a completely different niche or market. For example, turn a general business report into one just for work-at-home Moms.

26. Use the content to create a mini-site for affiliate marketing. Set up a mini-site (5 pages or less) to promote an affiliate product. Get content from a special report.

27. Create a podcast. Use a special report as the basis for a podcast, which can be in audio or video format.

28. Use it as an upsell or downsell to another paid product. Offer a special report to buyers of a related product.

29. Turn it into a brandable report for your affiliates to use to promote your product or service. Let affiliates give away a special report to draw leads to your site or list.

30. Cull out the most actionable tips from the special report and turn each one into a Twitter Tweet. Shazam, you’re an instant expert.

Surprise! I actually came up with 31 ways. Here’s the bonus:

31. Turn special reports into hand-outs, checklists or even main resource materials for a coaching program.
Ready to make money with special reports? You can jump-start the process with a special report, sales page, e-cover and more done for you month after month. Find out how at the Special Report Club. And don’t forget to use the discount code “save10” (without the quotation marks) to get $10 off your first month with Special Report Club.

Then all you’ll have to worry about is which of these 31 ideas you will do to earn from special reports!

Tags: plr, private label rights
Posted in Internet marketing | No Comments »

Running an Online Business With No Internet

May 15th, 2009

I moved on Wednesday and so haven’t had an internet connection for several days. The cable guy came yesterday to get me wired for cable internet, but he couldn’t finish the installation. He contracted an electrician to come over and do some essential wiring.

So I’m offline until Tuesday.

Running on online business without an internet connection sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it?

Doesn’t have to be.

With my Blackberry I’ve been able to keep in touch with Virtual Assistants who are keeping things running for me, emailing future guests for my podcast, getting important updates from colleagues, etc.

I’ve also done some spring cleaning on my laptops, deleting stuff I no longer need.

I’ve edited PLR (private label rights) articles that are on my computer, so it will be easier and faster to use them once I get back online.

I’m at a wi-fi hotspot right now, doing a little Twittering and realized how much I miss it. I can do it on my phone but it’s tedious, and ReTweeting is nearly impossible because I have to re-type the entire thing.

Are you on Twitter yet? If so, follow me. Then, send me a Direct Message or @ me – and I’ll follow you back.

I tell you, it’s darn frustrating to have ideas for blog posts come into my head and not be able to publish them immediately! I have bits of paper all around the house with blog post ideas.

When my kids are with their Dad next weekend, I plan on checking myself into a hotel so I can blog my brains out with no distractions.

How did you handle a period of being offline when you run an internet business?

Posted in Wahmmy Life | 3 Comments »

Blah, Blah, Blog

The Hardest Part

You Want Me To Be Your Affiliate?

Then don’t go about it the wrong way.

Why the Mom Market?

Free Guide to Mom Masterminds

Internet Marketing Lifestyle

The Internet Marketing Lifestyle

10 Ways to 10K

10 Ways To Make 10k

Hot Summer Learning

Get your Hot Seminar Series

Earning With Reports: 31 Ways

Running an Online Business With No Internet

Pages

Archives

Categories

Blogroll

Meta

Then don’t go about it the wrong way.

The Internet Marketing Lifestyle

Get your Hot Seminar Series

I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

Blogroll

Meta