SUBJECTS: My "secrets"
I am going to be blunt...
I have had some huge success online. In fact, I've
sold millions of dollars of stuff in my various
Internet businesses.
And since most of that stuff has been information
products, most of those sales have gone straight
to the bottom line.
In other words, those millions in sales have
translated into millions in PROFITS. That's an
important distinction that a lot of people gloss
over.
I don't say that to brag.
I just want to make sure you realize that I know
what I'm talking about. Because I'm about to share
the real secrets to my success.
And one other thing - I don't want you to think
that I was an instant success...
In fact, my first full year online, I worked
insane hours on my business and my profits were
only $11,764.87. That was in 1997.
Not exactly a king's ransom... but the handwriting
was on the wall, and I knew I was going places.
In any case, I was recently interviewed... and the
interviewer really did a great job of forcing me
to boil down my nearly 11 years of online
experience into just a few reasons (or "secrets")
for my long term success.
After really reflecting on this, I was able to
boil it down to three things.
And you might be surprised that "product launches"
is NOT one of the three.
Here they are:
1. Focus on building a list above all else.
2. Build a relationship with that list, and
continue to follow up with the people to on the
list to strengthen that relationship.
3. Never create anything unless my list and/or the
market has told me they want it.
Sounds too simple, doesn't it?
Well, I have found over and over that, at least in
business, simple beats complicated pretty much
every single time.
Those three "secrets" (obviously, they aren't
really secrets - I more consider them RULES for my
businesses) are the reason that I stumbled upon
the idea of "squeeze" pages way back in 1996.
They are why I was surveying my list way back in
1997, before ANYONE was talking about surveys.
Those rules are why I was focusing on giving high-
quality original content in the summer of 1996,
before I even had a web site.
They are the reason that I started publishing
quality Internet marketing information nearly
three years before I started selling products
about Internet marketing.
Now I might be a little obsessive about this. And
you don't need to go to the lengths that I go. But
if you follow those rules, then it is really
difficult for me to imagine a scenario where you
won't succeed.
Sure, it won't lead to overnight riches. And yes,
it will actually require some work.
But it's as close to a sure thing as I know.
Now I am going to throw one more thing in here...
my FOURTH secret to success.
This is one that took my existing success and put
it in overdrive. Too bad I didn't figure it out
until I had been in business for about four years.
But once I found it... well, my business doubled
in the following year.
So here it is, my fourth secret to success:
4. Attending live seminars and workshops.
The power of meeting, networking, and
brainstorming with other entrepreneurs is
something that you just CANNOT imagine until
you've experienced it.
You meet people that will stretch your picture of
what your business could be. You will learn tricks
and tactics that can instantly flow through to
your bottom line. You could meet a joint venture
partner that will give you an instant surge in
sales.
The first event I went to was in January 2000...
it was a Jay Abraham event that cost $5,000.00 per
head. At the time I couldn't conceive of spending
that kind of money... but I worked as a "site
reviewer" and I got a free pass.
That really was a life-changing event. I learned
all kinds of great tactics and strategies. And I
realized there were lots of other folks like me,
sitting in their basement working away on their
web businesses. And I made a few key contacts
that have lasted to this very day.
And in the following year, my income doubled...
much of it directly related to the knowledge and
contacts I gained at that seminar.
The next quality event I heard about cost something
like $3000.00. I didn't hesitate for a second this
time... I was happy to pull out my credit card. It
was an epic event, and the connections I made were
amazing (including meeting Yanik Silver, who was
just really getting started at the time.)
At that point, I was hooked. Since then I have
probably attended 25 events. Much of the time I
speak at these events, but I still go to
additional events as an attendee... just to learn
and network.
That last word - "network" - is key.
If you want to find people to promote your
business, there is NO better way than meeting
someone face to face. That is how deals get done.
In fact, when I rolled out Product Launch Formula
I had approximately 45 launch partners. They
included virtually every single major player in
the Internet marketing space.
And guess what... I had personally met all but
maybe four or five of those partners. In fact, I
had shared a dinner or a beer with most of them.
When I was ready to roll out my product, I had
their cell phone numbers or their personal email
addresses. Not a single person said "no" to me
when I asked them to promote.
Now here is a KEY PIECE for you to understand...
When I met those major players and got to know
them, I was NOT selling Internet marketing stuff.
I was selling information about the stock market.
In other words, you do NOT need to be selling
Internet marketing stuff in order to make key
connections at these seminars and workshops.
There will be people in the audience (and up on
the stage) in virtually every niche and market...
including yours.
OK, this has gotten overly long, so I am going to
wrap things up here...
But I know that some of you are wondering what are
the key events that I will personally be at this
year.
Well, there is ONE event that I simply refuse
to miss... and that's Yanik Silver's Underground
seminar.
In the last couple of years this has become THE
"go to" event of the year... primarily because
Yanik features speakers who are having real
success in markets other than "Internet
marketing".
These are folks who are having big-time success in
all kinds of niches (often strange or
controversial niches, or niches you didn't even
know existed).
This means you are NOT seeing the "usual suspects"
who speak at every other event. It isn't the same
tired old material.
Of course, I am probably biased - Yanik is a good
friend of mine - we often brainstorm and
mastermind via instant messenger or phone. And we
have actually met up four times in the last year
for mastermind sessions (twice in Vegas, once in
San Diego, and one time was a Vail ski trip...
"masterminding" on a chair life on a powder day is
really the way to go!).
But trying to stay as objective as possible - the
Underground is the one event that is an "automatic"
must-attend event for me (and for lots of other
folks I know.)
Here is the link for Yanik's event:
Underground SeminarThat's it... those are my FOUR secrets that have
led to my success... and brought my business to a
level that I simply couldn't have imagined back
when I started.
I know the first three "secrets" sound a little
too simple... but they have made all the
difference.
And that fourth "secret" - well, that's one where
a lot of people have a huge blind spot. And if
that's one of your blind spots, I hope you
reconsider.
best regards,
Jeff
P.S. I hope to see you at Yanik's event. And one
thing I forgot to mention is that there are
several bonuses AND the price is about to go up on
the 31st. Here is the link again:
Underground Seminar