Top 5 Tips for Newbies Thread!!

[Cherilyn Woodhouse]

Hi all! Its been awhile since I've posted in the main forum, so I thought I would start a thread that has been at the top of my mind lately...

From experienced IMers, what are your top 5 tips for newbies?? I'll give mine below, and I encourage you all to post your valuable, actionable tips in the thread! Lets see how many people we can help get to their first dollar online!

Okay, my top 5...

1. Focus on traffic first. Absorb everything you can about getting traffic. Everything else you learn, from affiliate marketing strategies to blog income to product creation and list building are completely useless if nobody sees it. I am speaking from experience... I learned things backwards. I knew everything BUT how to drive traffic. Once I learned to drive traffic, I got hooked... Now I absorb everything I can on traffic. Even if something only contains ONE new piece of info, it is enough for me!

2. Focus on building responsive lists in the niches you want to work in. If you can build a list, there are potential buyers in that market. Even if you only market affiliate products to them, a list is an income stream.

3. Stay out of the IM niche until you're ready for it, and have something truly valuable to offer. There are lot of people with six figure incomes (and higher) who aren't remotely involved in the IM niche. And that isn't just some lie the gurus tell you to keep competition down, I personally know of people who have been making VERY comfortable livings outside of IM for years. The IM niche has high refund rates, more customer service issues, and is a much harder market to break into in most cases. Some may have a different experience, but from those who have gone from outside the IM niche to promoting IM products, most of them agree that it is more difficult.

4. Outsource, outsource, outsource. Once you can afford it, figure out what makes you money when YOU do it, and what makes you money when it gets done in general. Things like article writing and copywriting can be left to the experts for better results. And I don't just say that because I'm a copywriter by trade, I say it because of what my (and other service providers') clients experience. If someone else can make you MORE money by doing an activity for you, or if you can make more money letting someone else take care of busy-work (like emails and customer support), then outsource as soon as you can afford it.

5. Think ROI. Stop buying into the dream, buying every product that promises you millions. Develop a plan of what you want to do, and only purchase products that do two things... One, they work into your plan. They will help you achieve part of your plan faster, cheaper, or better. Two, they have a conceivable return on investment. Don't pay $1000 for something you don't beleive willl bring $1000+ back. And don't think of things that follow that criteria as an expense. It is not "lost income", or money you could have spent on food or bills (unless you can't buy food or pay bills if you make the purchase, in which case you need to remember your priorities!). Instead, it is an investment in the future.

So, what are your top 5 tips for newbies?

- Cherilyn

[TLTheLiberator]

Here's my 5...

#1: Search for and obtain a online business model or plan or attack such as the affiliate model, the cpa model or the list building model.

This will quickly destroy your confusion and info-overload.

#2: Research an get a initial niche to work in - stay out of the IM niche for now.

#3: Learn how to slap up a web page or blog page.

#4: Become a master of traffic generation - free or paid:

#5: Become a master of conversion: ( Everything is simply a test )

#6: Eventually, figure out ways to reduce the actual work you're actually doing yourself and still earn great money.

Hope This Helps!!

TL

[Michael Oksa]

A lot of this list is based on the free coaching I offer people, but still applies to many differnt situations.

1. Be willing to fail forward, but...

2. Learn from other people's mistakes. This means you actually have to apply the advice you receive from trusted people.

3. Listen. When you're arguing, you're not listening. When you're making excuses, you're not listening.

4. Create (or have someone create) a product of your own. You will have more control over, be able to keep all of the profits, get affiliates to sell it for you, and have the ability to re-purpose it as you see fit.

5. Don't jump on the "latest and greatest" bandwagon. Or, if you do, stay on for the entire ride. Going from one thing to another is a waste of time, money, and resources.

All the best,
Michael

[harrisunderwork]

Great thread I must say.

[Ken Preuss]

Wow, great stuff on this thread already. Here are my top five for those who are intent on earning $10K+ per month or more.

1) Go where the competition is

A lot of times people say to stay away from highly competitive niches. For those who want a serious income from IM nothing could be further from the truth.

If there's a lot of successful competition that indicates a hungry market that actually BUYS. I always tell people to go into the big ones (they're not as big as you think): make money niches like real estate and IM, weight loss, dating/find love, etc.

These buyers are rabid. Just a small slice of the action in any of them can make you 6-7 figures per year - even without being a big player.

2) Sell what people are already buying

Figure out what the specific market is *already* buying like hot cakes, then sell THAT. This could mean creating your own version of it (recommended) or finding a product to market as an affiliate.

Bottom line - if you sell what people are already buying you will make far more than if you punt or guess.

3) Think traffic quality vs. traffic quantity

One of THE keys to building a successful IM business is getting traffic cheaply and easily. However if the traffic is junk it will take a long time to reach your goals.

What I do is focus *only* on warm leads that have already bought or at least already have a relationship with the marketplace. That boils down to two words: joint ventures. They are king. 'Nuff said.

4) People want to be led

This one's big. People today are conditioned to *follow*. So those who are willing to stand up and lead are automatically giving themselves a massive income boost.

Figure out how you can *lead* your market in some way that provides value - then make sure they know it. As soon as they know it, they will follow. Guaranteed.

This is powerful stuff - use it wisely.

5) Model, model, model

In every single market there are million and multi-million dollar businesses literally *showing you* what those customers are buying, how much to charge for it, even how to sell it effectively to that market.

Model these businesses' core elements with your own spin in the same market..... and there's almost no way you can't make serious $$.

Success to all,
Ken
_________
Ken Preuss

[TLTheLiberator]

Originally Posted by Razer Rage

TLT...I don't know how to tell you this...but you listed 6 tips, not 5 like you said. XD

Ok, I can't count.


TL

[joe.marsh]

Here are 5 more for you.

1. Keep it simple. If you try and over complicate things you will never follow through. Keeping things simple alllows you the opportunity to move fast.

2. Dont reinvent the wheel - Model what is succeeful and look at others doing what you want to do. You can always make changes later and tweak things as your going.

3. Create checklists for yourself - When you do things document it. This will save you time later and it keeps you from thinking. Thinking oftent gets in the way of success. It's easy to follow a step-by-step plan.

4. Strike while the iron is hot - Keep building on the momentium of successes, even small ones. You will find the longer you take to move and create action the harder it becomes. Remember success likes speed.

5. Surround yourself with experience - Everyone needs help now and then. Create a group of experinced friends that you can go to for help. Dont abuse them and expect them to do your work for you but when you have a queston ask. Get their opinions on ideas and watch how they do things.

These tips has helped me and I am sure we all can find use from them.

My best warriors to you and your families.

Joe

[PVReymond]

1- LEARN MARKETING!

2- Find your strength, skills and abilities

3- Narrow all down to one topic

4- Do a research to see if it is profitable

5- If so, get your domain, host and autoresponder

6- Find a good affiliate program

7- Set up your autoresponders, load it with your follow up
messages giving tips and advice and offer the affiliate product
when it is time

8- Put up a page to capture names and emails (give something
away in exchange)

9- Drive targeted traffic to your opt in page

10- Create your own product to offer in the back end

Ooops! More than 5

Thanks
^PV Reymond

[Cherilyn Woodhouse]

Great tips here guys! Keep them coming, lets see how many newbies we can help to take action!

- Cherilyn

[CmdrStidd]

1. Find someone that motivates you and is a winner. After all, the old saying of Birds of a feather flock together is very true. If you hang around with a winner and you read their posts, you will learn from them and you can grow.

2. When just starting out, find cheap ways of doing everything. I have found a way to accomplish list building for just a $20 USD investment. As you grow then you can expand into more of the frills but think cheap as in inexpensive.

3. While it is true that you need a plan, what good is the plan if you never leave the driveway? Once you have the plan, jump in with both feet and do it. You will surprise yourself at what you really can accomplish if you only just go for it.

4. Remember that you are working for delayed gratification. Nothing out here is going to make you a millionaire over night. Everything takes work but the best part is that the more work you do now, the better the income will be later on.

5. Don't ever lose site of what is really important. I have seen some really good friends begin to see that success and before you know it, the money is all they see and they have lost sight of the bigger picture. Remember what brings you to this way of making money in the first place. Is it your kids and spending more time with your family, or is it having the money and the time to be able to help others? Whatever it is that brought you here is the important thing. Don't ever lose it because once you lose sight of it then you have lost sight of everything that is really important in this world.

[AfteraDream]

Great thread!!! Thanx guys