11,000 Posts...11 Things That Made Me A Success

Can't believe this machine is still going. Okay, let's forget the chit chat and
get to the brass tacks. I'm going to reveal the 11 most important things I
did in my 6 years of marketing online that have most contributed to my
success. These are in no special order because quite honestly, I could never
even begin to figure out which of these was most important.

They all were.

So let's get started.

1. Organization and Planning - Didn't always have this one, and boy did
it kill me when I first started. I had no plan, was totally unorganized and
didn't have a clue what I was doing.

Today, I wake up each day with a definite purpose. I know exactly what
I am going to do, how long it's going to take me, and what I expect to
get from it in the process. I am so freakin organized these days that I am
almost anal. Don't try to get me off my routine...I'll buck like a bronco.

You have got to be laser focused if you're going to have real success in
this business. Jumping around from one thing to another is a recipe for
disaster.

2. Listening To Others - Boy, was I one stubborn cus when I first started
out and even years later. I wouldn't listen to nobody. I was going to do
it my way and make it work if it killed me.

Then I learned to listen to people smarter than me...way smarter. People
like Paul Myers, John Taylor, Allen Says, Willie Crawford, and the list goes
on and on. These people may not realize it, but they changed my life,
especially the ones who gave me a kick in the pants when I needed it.

Trust me, you do not have all the answers. Listen to those here and at
other forums who have reputations for being successful. Dig for those
golden nuggets where you can.

One of them may just save your business from disaster.

3. Concentrating On My Strengths - I used to try to do it all. Those days
are gone. Today, if there is something I don't do well, I get somebody else
to do it for me.

The only thing I will never outsource is my writing because that is my
personality and who I am. Everything else will be given to those who can
do them better.

I have no more time to fiddle with things that I am just okay at.

4. Spending My Money Wisely - I just killed $200 of monthly expenses
because they weren't bringing me the return that I expected. If you're
spending money on something, such as advertising or a membership site
and it's not bringing you a positive return within a reasonable amount of
time...kill it.

How much time?

That's going to depend on way too many factors to get into here. Some
investment strategies are long term. Others should bring results relatively
fast. So you have to look at each situation individually. There is no one
answer here.

In my case, this $200 was working well up until recently. After a few
months of downturn and finally one month of pure disaster, I realized that
this investment wasn't working anymore and killed it.

5. Always Thinking Of New Ideas - I can't believe how many products
and services I've come out with over the last 3 years. I am constantly
thinking of new ideas. Each one is carefully thought out. Niche research
is done to make sure there is a demand.

I don't believe, unless you have something like Sam Stephen's DLGuard,
that you can ever have just one thing that is going to sell forever. Sure,
there are exceptions, but they are few and far between, especially in the
IM make money niche.

It can never hurt to think of new things or ways to improve the things
you're already selling so that competition doesn't kick you out of the
marketplace.

Never stop thinking...never.

6. Cultivating Relationships - I wore the badge of the loner with pride.
No more. I have made quite a few relationships during the period of time
that I have been hanging out here. I won't drop any names because these
people may not want to be associated with me in public.

All kidding aside, because of these relationships, my income for next year
will probably double. I could have never done this alone. And yet for so
many years, I did it alone.

One word on relationships. Don't try to partner up with a John Reese if
you're a John Doe. Look for somebody in your income level. The stories
about how the boys from years ago (Filsaime and the rest) got together
and made names for themselves is legendary. You can easily do the same
thing. Three or four startup marketers, with the right idea, can make a
killing.

You don't need a top level earner to make your fortune.

7. Testing - I was the laziest SOB when it came to testing. I'd just throw
anything up at the wall and prayed that it stuck. No more. I test every
little thing I do now. I have so many tracking URLs in my collection I'm
having trouble keeping track of them.

If you don't know where your traffic and sales is coming from, you're
marketing in the dark. Unless you're that sure of yourself, this is just
plain suicide.

Test and track...test and track.

Do it until your eyes bug out. Just do it!

8. Experimenting - I am not afraid to try something new and off the wall.
I have tried some things that were total disasters. I have also tried others
that turned out to be gold mines.

You can't be afraid to take chances. If you live in a scared little "What if
it doesn't work" world, you'll never get anywhere.

I took my biggest chance this year with Diceology. I put everything I had
into it.

It was a total disaster. I'm not even going to bother paying for the
trademark that I applied for. It's just more good money after bad. I
misjudged the market and as a result, came up with a dud. I think after
almost a whole year and only 5 sales, it's safe to say it was a failure.

But I also came up with some gems.

Don't let fear paralyze you into doing nothing.

Take chances...For crying out loud it's only time and money. It's not like
you're risking your health or your life.

If it bombs, so what? Who cares? Go on to something else.

But give it a fair chance before you do.

9. Providing Value To My Customers - This seems like such an obvious
duh! But how many of you have bought things from others that turned
out to be utter crap?

I could wall paper the town of Roselle where I live with all the emails I've
received from people saying, "Thank you for such a great product."

You will never survive in this business long if you sell crap.

I think I've made my point.

10. Honesty Above And Beyond - I'm told many times that I am losing
money by telling people that my product isn't for them.

I don't care.

When people write to me and say things like, "Steve, my English not so
good. I want write articles. Will your book give me the help?"

I politely write back and tell them that if English isn't your first language
and you don't feel comfortable writing in it, my book, while maybe being
able to help you somewhat, I don't think it is going to turn you into a
proficient writer of the English language. For that, you probably need to
take a course in English.

And then they write back to me, thanking me for my honesty and I never
hear from them again.

I'd rather this than having them buy the book and then 3 months later
writing to me telling me that every article they submit to EZA is rejected.

I know many won't agree with this but that's the way I am. If somebody
asks me a question, they get an honest answer...even if it means that
I lose a sale.

Take what you want from this, but it's a big part of my success because
people trust me.

11. Customer Service - I can also wallpaper the town with the emails I
get back saying, "Man that was fast!"

I take care of my customers promptly, regardless of what their problem is.

If it's a request for a refund, they get it that day, usually within minutes.

If it's a list of questions, depending on how long those questions are, I get
back to them at least within a day or two.

I take care of my customers. I send each one a personal thank you for
their purchase, something not a lot of marketers do.

I treat them the way I'd want to be treated.

If you treat your customers like crap, you will lose them.

If you treat them well, you will keep them.

Summary - All of the above can really be summed up like this...

I run my business as professionally as I can.

Do I make mistakes? Of course I do. We all do. But I try to keep those
mistakes down to a minimum.

The number of my customers who have been upset with me over the course
of 6 years can be counted on one hand.

How many people can say that?

Please go through the list above and see where you can improve your
business.

I think you'll find that if you do, you'll make more money in 2009 than you
did in 2008.

Happy Holidays and please have a safe and happy New Year.