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Approaching A Year In Business. Need Some Help!

by OpenMindsEnt
12 replies
I haven't posted on the Warrior Forum for awhile. I should though, because this forum has helped me accomplish really good things!

I am no marketing expert by any means, but if anything this forum gave me the motivation to start an online business and make a full time income which is growing each month.

I first want to start off by saying Thank You to all of the members of this forum. I have managed to achieve the top spot for my main keywords on Google and receive top spots for many other keywords. I get around 2300 visits per day, a number which has been growing like clockwork each month. I've got 14,000 mailing list subscribers, and best of all I'm making a nice income.....all things that I owe to YOU guys here at this forum!

Despite my successes, I actually come here in an almost desparate state...

- I've become lazy. I go to sleep at around 5am and wake up at 1pm. I answer some customer emails and work on my craft just a few hours a week. I do nothing to expand on driving traffic to my site, because I figure people will just find my site through Google.

- I am scared to spend money on anything (other than too much food) and put 80% of what I make in a savings account. It almost seems unreal that I am making a full time salary off of under 10 hours of work per week. This scares me and causes me to think it is too good to be true, and that I must save all of my money because one day I will not be making any money online. [P.S. - This may be a bit off topic, but can anyone offer me a good way to invest money? (ex: bonds? stocks?) And if so, are there any sites in particular that I should visit to learn more?]

- Between texts, telephone calls and emails I probably receive around 20-25 customer contacts per day. However I often get bogged down sometimes and do not respond or answer promptly.

- I feel like I lack the burning desire (which I had when starting the business) to grow and become more successful.

Next month will mark our 1-year anniversary of business. I knew there was only one place to come for some advice on how to break the habits, find new ways of marketing, and become more successful in the upcoming second year than I can imagine. Thanks immensely for any words of motivation and marketing techniques you can offer me!

Tim
#approaching #business #year
  • Profile picture of the author kennethtang
    One sentence: face facts, don't kid yourself, get off your @$$ and get to work
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    • Profile picture of the author OpenMindsEnt
      Originally Posted by kennethtang View Post

      One sentence: face facts, don't kid yourself, get off your @$$ and get to work
      Thanks man. Sometimes a simple, swift kick-in-the-ass statement like that is all it takes!

      I will definitely let your words help to motivate me.

      Originally Posted by JWB View Post

      I would love to have your problems....tell us
      what niche are you in...how did you build a list that big..

      Do you sell your own product or have you ever done any affiliate marketing...

      BTW, I can relate to the going to bed late and sleeping till noon...
      I am actually a music producer who composes instrumentals for Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rock artists. I've built my list by offering free instrumentals to those who sign up to the mailing list.

      I sell my own product. I have dabbled in affiliate marketing with a fitness product, but I honestly did not put in enough effort to see any profitable results. I did however learn a lot about article marketing and site design during the process, all things which have helped toward my current business.

      And yeah...this sleep thing sucks! I love waking up early, but apparently not enough as to force myself to get into a good sleep schedule.
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  • Profile picture of the author JWB
    I would love to have your problems....tell us
    what niche are you in...how did you build a list that big..

    Do you sell your own product or have you ever done any affiliate marketing...

    BTW, I can relate to the going to bed late and sleeping till noon...
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  • Profile picture of the author Kyle Tully
    Tim if you're making decent money hire an outsourcer to handle all the customer stuff and let the thing run on autopilot.

    Focus on what you enjoy doing.

    That could be growing this business strategically or it could be going into a new niche. Or just playing golf

    Once you get "outside" of your business and away from the day-to-day stuff you'll likely find a renewed passion for the business.
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    • Profile picture of the author OpenMindsEnt
      Originally Posted by Kyle Tully View Post

      Tim if you're making decent money hire an outsourcer to handle all the customer stuff and let the thing run on autopilot.

      Focus on what you enjoy doing.

      That could be growing this business strategically or it could be going into a new niche. Or just playing golf

      Once you get "outside" of your business and away from the day-to-day stuff you'll likely find a renewed passion for the business.
      Thanks Kyle. It's funny that you mention getting into a new niche, because I would really like to put my future efforts on something in the fitness market, another one of my passions.

      Great advice with outsourcing customer service. It is hard for me to do because I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to the things my customers are being told. I guess I just need to get over that though.

      And yeah man...golf sounds GREAT. I really want to get into that, haha.
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  • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
    Depending on SEO and SERPS entirely is a very risky business strategy. Perhaps you sensed it and this is one reason why you are scared to spend money.

    The first thing I suggest is that you look at paid means of generating traffic to your site e.g. PPC and setting up an affiliate program for your business.


    Derek
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    • Profile picture of the author OpenMindsEnt
      Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

      Depending on SEO and SERPS entirely is a very risky business strategy. Perhaps you sensed it and this is one reason why you are scared to spend money.

      The first thing I suggest is that you look at paid means of generating traffic to your site e.g. PPC and setting up an affiliate program for your business.


      Derek
      Hey Derek thanks for the response!

      Is it recommendable to outsource PPC? Or would you advise that I just learn it myself?

      Also thank you for bringing up an affiliate program. It seems that I have totally forgotten about this avenue of marketing. Where would you recommend that I go to learn about how to set one up? Also, is any kind of e-commerce site compatible with affiliate programs?

      Thanks man!
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  • Profile picture of the author NijThinkIt
    Hey openmindsent,

    Firstly congrats on being able to literally work the 4 hour work week model. So many people are striving to do that every day and you have accomplished it. You should give ya self a pat on the back for that!

    You are getting what I call, success complacency. When we get really comfortable we tend to fear moving out of that comfort zone. But our human nature is all about growth. Unless we continue grow, we will never remain happy. It is just the way our mind works.

    So it is good that you are thinking about diversifying your interests and revenue streams by investing. Right now you couldnt be in a better time financially to make a great investment. Property in USA is probably the best thing to cash in on right now! Its a total buyers market and u could rake in a small fortune if u learn how to do it right.

    Why Invest In USA Property?

    This is an interesting article about it!

    Hope this helps
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    • Profile picture of the author OpenMindsEnt
      Originally Posted by NijThinkIt View Post

      Hey openmindsent,

      Firstly congrats on being able to literally work the 4 hour work week model. So many people are striving to do that every day and you have accomplished it. You should give ya self a pat on the back for that!

      You are getting what I call, success complacency. When we get really comfortable we tend to fear moving out of that comfort zone. But our human nature is all about growth. Unless we continue grow, we will never remain happy. It is just the way our mind works.

      So it is good that you are thinking about diversifying your interests and revenue streams by investing. Right now you couldnt be in a better time financially to make a great investment. Property in USA is probably the best thing to cash in on right now! Its a total buyers market and u could rake in a small fortune if u learn how to do it right.

      Why Invest In USA Property?

      This is an interesting article about it!

      Hope this helps

      Thank you for the kind words and for the investment suggestion.

      What you said about our conditioning to continue to further succeed as humans is very true and so interesting to me. I was never really sure if it was just human nature, or if it was learned through greediness and people always wanting to outdo each other.

      I will check out the article...thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author peter gibson
    Someone else may have mentioned this already. If not, hire a VA or outsource your current tasks, and take a break to clear your head. Take some of your savings and buy a ticket to a country where 20.00 a week is a small fortune.

    You will soon learn that what you have in this world is one of the most precious and delicate balances, something 90+% of the world will never achieve. Knowing that, combined with the sight of people struggling to find enough water to shower with, well it can really light a fire under your ass. Trust me, I've done it myself.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tracey_Meagher
    Tim, it sounds like you're bored with the admin end of your business. During the intitial stages in business, we're up for everything, even the menial tasks we would ordinarily hate, because we're driven towards our goal and achieving success.

    Now that you've reached your goal, the buzz is gone. Trying thinking back a year to how and why you were motivated to get yourself this far. Maybe take on a new project in an area that excites you ... fitness and try and set yourself the goal or repeating your success.

    If you did it once, you can surely do it again. Loose your fears. They are holding you back. Have faith, be happy (not insecure) about what you have achieved. Of course, it will last if you continue to maintain it.
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