The Expert List Building Home Study course is way more than a superb way to learn how to build a list. It also has a section where you select the Traffic building methods that suit your skills. We even call this part – “Finding Your List Building Personality”.
We’re not talking Psychotherapy here. We’re focusing on our strengths and talents and building our business on what we do best.
Marlon Sanders is taking this kind of approach here. He is looking at different business models so that you can see what the best one for you is.
Then you focus on that 100% and ignore all else and unsubscribe from all offers and newsletters that distract you from your chosen path.
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do -do it with thy might”
How to Evaluate ANY Money Getting System — And Save A Small Fortune In
Time and Money, Plus Get Better Results Faster
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Every week a new barrage of email promotions likely hit
your inbox.
A few are good.
The others I’m not so sure about.
How do YOU see through the hype and get to the truth, so
you know WHAT do do, and what NOT to do?
You’re probably on a limited budget with limited time and
resources to spend on you Internet marketing activities.
How do you be a wise steward of what you DO have?
In other words, how can you get the maximum payoff with
limited time?
First, get to the CORE of the model asap
Any “money getting” system, to use Frank Kern’s wonderful
term, works on the basis of a few models.
When you GET offers in your email box, you have to ASK
yourself, “What’s the core model?” Then you have to apply
rational thinking TO that model to think about it.
1. The “Product Launch” Models
You’ll see screen caps of massive numbers that make your
head swim.
Sometimes these figures come in fast. Like 5 or 10 MILLION
dollars in 30 days, or faster.
Realize that these are extremely complex models based on
herding cats. The cats are the joint venture partners who
all email the same offer during a 1 day to 2 week time
span.
Getting these joint ventures involves highly sophisticated
personal relationships for the most part.
Fact is, if people mail for your launch, most will expect
a reciprocal mailing. And you’ll be obligated whether or
not you believe in the product.
There are also issues with your merchant account getting
frozen due to the unusual influx of funds. Refunds can run
up to 30%.
This isn’t a method for the shy or timid.
Now, you CAN run a product launch model without those
drawbacks. But if you do, your income won’t remotely
resemble the gigantic numbers thrown out in the examples.
First, let me say that the way Jeff Walker teaches the
Product Launch Model is NOT the way it’s often done, used
or taught by others.
I know Jeff and think very highly of him and his methods.
I’m talking here about a more general model of product
launches that has evolved and isn’t necessarily advocated
by any ONE person.
I’m NOT targeting an individual with these comments. I’m
just talking about the overall model. Frank Kern? Cool
guy. Very talented and funny too. NOT talking about Frank
or Mass Control.
I’m JUST talking about a model that is a general consensus
or a standard method of operation that has evolved.
Consider these drawbacks:
a. Product launches can absorb 3-6 months of your time.
So what APPEARS to be overnight money actually took 3-6
MONTHS.
b. You’ll lose ANOTHER 3-6 months doing all the reciprocal
emails you owe pleople.
c. Merchant account issues
d. Refund issues
e. Sales issues
You have one shot to get the product to sell. If you
screwed up your sales letter, you’re a dead duck.
More people flop at this than succeed. But a number DO
succeed. I’m NOT against the model as long as you
understand the GAME you’re playing and you aren’t all
glossy eyed over the big numbers without knowing what goes
into it.
I’ve seen some very good marketers work HARD to get others
to promote a launch for them and end up with paultry
results. I’ve also seen a few unknowns crush it with the
right offer at the right time.
High risk. High potential reward.
2. Affiliate models
In these models, you don’t create a product. You sell
OTHER people’s products. Just think:
* No customer service * No product fulfillment * No
complaints * No hassles
Sounds awesome right?
A lot of beginners get started as affiliates and that’s as
it should be. No problem with that. You’re learning the
ropes.
But you DO need to consider the following:
a. Most of the affiliate checks that are sizeable I see
are based on getting top Google ranking for the product
name about a week before the launch.
This means you need to get good at beating out others for
the SAME product names and you need to to do it in a short
time span.
Just understand what Game you’re playing.
Still, if you ARE going to play the affiliate Game, this
is one of the best ways to play it. You leach off of
product launches and your traffic comes from people
searching for the product name.
The downside is a lot of other affiliates play the same
Game and you’re competing against others who are really
good at this. By the samme token, if you promote a product
launch that fails to generate buzz, no one searches the
product name or the author’s name and you don’t make
diddly squat.
b. Some big affiliate success stories are based on the
list
A lot of times, it comes back to good ol’ basic evergreen
marketing, the kind of stuff I teach.
The person created special reports, got people onto their
email list, built the list OVER TIME and then just did a
big bonus offer for a new product launch.
You’ll see people pull in $30,000 to $50,000 by promoting
a big, juicy bonus bundle to their list for a product
launch offer. BUT that person usually has their OWN
products and a great reputation and relationship with
their list.
Otherwise, the bonus products have no value.
What I’m saying is, what APPEARS to be an affiliate
marketing model is really NOT. It’s a product creation and
promotion model where a list was built THEN used to
promote a product launch via a special bonus offer.
Here’s the CRUX of the issue:
Where will the TRAFFIC come from?
If YOU are the affiliate someone else is paying you a
commission in exchange for YOUR traffic. So where are you
going to get the traffic and how?
Usually the traffic comes from organic seo, which involves
a lot of article writing, web 2.0 sites, backlink creation
and so forth.
c. You CAN build an evergreen affiliate business
1.) In niches, you can build a list off of a pay-per-click
campaign. John Barker from Adwords Blackbook fame is a
master of this.
2.) You CAN build a list without your own product via
giveaways, ad swaps and other methods.
Then you use the list to promote special offers to.
d. TRICKS of the Game — A LOT of times those giant
numbers on screen caps were produced promoting an offer of
questionable value like ringtones or an offer with
recurring billing that is buried.
If the letter doesn’t say WHAT was promoted, it’s probably
because it was an extremely broad product that involved
buried recurring billing.
That means you aren’t likely to replicate the success.
3. Paid Advertising Models
Some of the most dramatic success stories are based on
paid advertising models.
These often involve a high level of skill NOT
duplicatable by the novice or even intermediate marketer.
The BEGINNING media buys can be $10,000+. This fact is
conveniently left OUT of the sales letter.
4. List Building Models
The model that comes closest to my model is the list
building model.
Theses people advocate building big lists or small,
responsive ones. It’s hard to argue with that.
My only caution on these is that a lot of the list
building methods taught are dubious and don’t work.
Your BEST list building comes from creating your own
products and getting people who ALREADY have lists to
promote them via email to their lists. And yes, there
might be some reciprocity involved.
But you can LIMIT this to products and people you believe
in and know are quality.
4. The Evergreen Model
I advocate what I call “The Evergreen Model” because it
has been working for 1,000+ years. You create products and
sell them via a network of sales people. In this case,
affiliates and joint venture partners.
The drawback is getting affiliates isn’t “push button
easy” or crap like that. But it IS doable with attention
and focus.
a. You don’t have to join a coaching program to figure it
out
There ARE details involved, most of which I explain in low
cost products.
b. It relies on a dose of creativity
You need to have a bit of an eye for a topic that will
sell well.
c. You build a relationship with your list
Since the products you sell are created by you, your
customers develop a relationship WITH YOU, not another
marketer.
d. You build over time
A lot of advertising-based models don’t build lists that
grow over time. So a year from now you’re no better off
today.
I like growing an evergreen business where you develop a
list.
============ Conclusion ============
a. Stop chasing rabbits
KNOW what marketing model you’re following and don’t chase
a new marketing model each week.
b. Get good at ONE model
c. Realize no model is perfect
There IS no perfect model. And if the model sounds
perfect, someone is leaving something out. Every model has
an aspect that is less than desirable.
If youre eyes are glazing over because you’re so excited
about a model, you’ve likely bought into hype and a smooth
pitch.
d. Consistency of effort is key
The key is to know your model, focus on it over time and
improve it.
=======================================================
Marlon Sanders helps people with hopes and dreams figure
out how to turn those into reality by selling stuff on
the Internet. http://www.thewritersecret.com
Alex and Kathy
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