Where to start!

by 33 replies
33
Hi all,

I need some guidance on where to start. Here are some thoughts after looking at a few things etc:

1. I could do affiliate marketing but don't know how to build a website.

2) I thought about doing an online business selling web hosting, web amarketing services or even something to do with mobile sites. I don't have the skills to design sites or provide hosting but can help people find the right hosting or outsource it.

Ø not sure how to get started?

I'd like something to provide full-time income eventually. I'd like something I can do all online around my own hours etc.

Thanks for any help.
#main internet marketing discussion forum #newbie #start
  • Why wouldn't you just push on getting more traffic to the website in your sig?

    Are you Stephanie?
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [2] replies
    • Yes, this is a bit perplexing. Looks like her Site is already up and going unless the OP is breaking the Rules here and having Sig go to a Domain/Site not her own
    • Sometimes it's hard to see the hot sun beaming down on your face.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [2] replies
  • If that's your main concern about affiliate marketing then don't write that off as an option yet.

    There are tons of free tutorials on YouTube showing you how to build a website or blog, and it's straightforward as long as you take your time in following the directions.

    Affiliate marketing is one of the simplest ways to make money online.

    Sure, it requires work like anything else but the process itself is pretty easy to understand.

    With affiliate marketing you can eventually achieve that as well, so you should definitely consider it.

    Regards,
    Daniel
  • why not try with web hosting reviews site or similar site where you can offer your service to people.
    if you don't know how to build a website, just hire some one on freelance to do it for you. build a website now is very cheap and fast with wordpress.
  • You need to have a report written and then setup a squeeze page, drive some targeted traffic to the squeeze page and then work to build your email list by writing some articles to drive targeted traffic. Make sure your content is top notch and you can be making money in 90 days if you cultivate your list correctly.


    Joel
  • Hi all,

    First, thank you all for your replies. The site in my signature is indeed mine; I had it designed. However, in spite of the fact that I have used facebook adds, and posted to fb groups I'm netting no signups. So I thought perhaps this isn't going to work out after 4 months of trying.

    I'm frustrated.
    • [2] replies
    • I'd suggest you stick with it.

      Here's the thing. If I do a search for "learn piano online" there are google ads on the page. This is a good indicator that this is a buyers niche. People are paying money for this.

      The problems you think you are facing now are the same issues you are going to have with marketing other/new sites.

      You need to learn about testing and tracking your ads and web pages.

      Are people even clicking through to your site? How long are they on a web page? Which page are they exiting on?

      The niche is not the problem, your problem is driving traffic and conversions. And possibly your understanding on what the niche really wants. Don't give them what they need - always give them what they WANT and then you slip in what they really need.

      Study your competition and see how their sites/courses are laid out. Take a look at their backlinks to their sites and see where their traffic is coming from. Look at their calls to action and page headlines.

      Also, I'm a little confused. Is this local lessons only? Or is there full online help for the students?

      Do you have pre-prepared files/downloads so there is less work for you? Video lessons?

      Your domain "piano on the net" tells me this should be all piano lessons and things piano that I can get online.

      I think your piano site could be salvaged in possibly a few different ways.

      Your rates could be underpriced as well.

      Personally, I'd not push you into any of those things you mentioned until you had a better understanding on the site you have.

      It sounds like you should have the expertise on the niche itself.

      If you want to learn this other stuff or sell other stuff, here is my problem with that thought:

      If you can't make your current site work or at the very least have an understanding of why it isn't working, how are you going to convince me       that I should buy hosting by your recommendation or that I should buy marketing services you suggest? Don't you think you could use some clue as to how these things really work?

      Your current site is just "ok" but could use some help. How are you collecting names? I see a "subscribe" but that is for payment. I've just been to your site. What if I didn't make the decision right now and wanted to ponder it. And then I forgot where I came across your site.

      Wouldn't it have been nice if you'd taken my email information while I was just visiting, and then you could've sent me a reminder that I'd visited and you could have offered help in me making the purchase decision?

      Where is your youtube video? I spend a lot of time there. Maybe I was looking up piano lessons on youtube and didn't find you? Never was directed to you as you only have a facebook group?

      Here in the US we have a commercial with the slogan "never let em' see you sweat." I think you should get rid of this comment on your facebook wall:
      Don't be asking possible future customers why there is no interaction on your page. These are things you need to research how to improve on.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
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    • You need to focus on the right things, as far as self-education. From your first post:

      Lemme rephrase that for you:

      I could do affiliate marketing, but don't know how to do affiliate marketing.

      That is your real problem, not a lack of knowledge about building a website. Today, websites are nothing more than a commodity, and you don't need to know how the sausage is made to buy and cook with it just fine. And Aff Mkgtng is about more than the mechanics we all read about here - send traffic to a website, collect emails, etc. It is all much more nebulous than that in reality, however, and sometimes, in some cases, success has been due mostly to luck.

      I'm not trying to be negative, so please don't take it that way. Before you spend any more money on ads, analyze your sales funnel. Analyze other SUCCESSFUL sales funnels, even in other niches. Sign up for email lists from successful people to help back engineer their funnel to see how they are doing things, etc.

      Then comes the whole process of evaluating your ads - making sure you are testing them to find what works best, etc. There are plenty of people that will tell you, "You've only been at this for four months, and you haven't seen much success yet? Well, what did you expect? It took me almost two years of trying and learning, and losing money and time, before I got it all figured out and started seeing success."

      So, don't let your frustration make you throw in the towel, just yet. At least not without taking a break from thinking money will come tomorrow while you spend a period of days/weeks trying to figure out a plan that is a bit different from the one you are following right now. Be prepared to spend four more months researching, thinking, and trying different things to see if you can get something to work for you. And be prepared to have to come up with that plan on your own.

      You have a skillset people pay money for and you have a product. Analyze all the different ways people package music lessons on the internet, and use that info to evaluate how you do things. You have no choice but to study advertising and copywriting in depth.

      What you want to achieve is dependent upon your MARKETING and the channels you use, your ability to get in touch with prospects and then sell to them, not your technical skill with computer programming and building a website ...
  • Hi,

    Have you thought of Affiliate Marketing?
    Everything is done for you by the product vendor.
    Just go to Fiverr.com and pay someone to get a website up and running for you.
    Then all you need is to start driving traffic to your site.
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  • 1) You can use premade website templates from WordPress.

    2) I had a business where I did the same thing it is called Arbitraging, you can outsource the jobs to Fiverr. This can work as a full-time business if you are willing to put in the work.
  • Nowadays it is no longer an issue to get online help. There are many Freelancer are working virtually. You can hire any freelancer from any freelancing market place. They will be able to do all kind of work as you need. Do it is no problem to you. Just start with anything & take help from expert. Thanks
  • you can hire freelancer services to get better traffic
  • This may sound simple but it does require work but it's fun.

    The formula for affiliate marketing success is..

    1) Build a List
    2) Build a Relationship
    3) Monetize

    Find a coach that will teach you these 3 steps and focus on those daily.
  • I guess you need to find out what's not working on your current website. If the business model is broken or has no viability, then you might prefer to jump into another opportunity.

    But if you can't make money with your current website simply because you can't, for example, get traffic, then no matter which niche you're getting into you'll have the exact same problem.

    You can easily outsource the website if necessary, but if I was you I would start by looking into your competition and see exactly what's wrong with your website.

    If you are good at getting leads, then you might prefer to join an affiliate program and send them the leads directly. It would be better if you have your own website and send the leads to your email list first, but it's not completely impossible to send leads to an affiliate program.
  • Thank you all so much for ywords of wisdom, and there's a lot of that on this thread.

    When I first did the site, I asked someone to do the site for me. That went ok but he didn't quite know about the list building etceaaI don't think. After struggling locally for 4 years to teach piano, I thought maybe teaching online via skype would be the way to go.

    Lessons would be via skype, and the lessons would be geared to teaching the customer what they want to learn, be it chords, or actual songs.

    However, I realized that I'm not going to be able to teach too many people at once as I'm only one person. I also realized with I'd lost my passion for teaching after struggling so long. That's why I have decided right now to try to make a new start.

    Also, I am on a pension and just don't have much money around to throw around. I'm thinking of startbucks, as I do have a passion for all things web. Just need to found a short, catchy domain name if I go that route. I hate writing, which is the main reason why I haven't gone for affiliate marketing (apart from the lack of experience).

    Hubby retires in 2 years, and my aim is to making it full time making money online by then. We also have 3 kids aged between 5 and 12, so need something flexible.

    Anyway, I've found this a very helpful thread... Keep the ideas and thoughts coming!
    • [2] replies
    • So, this is where you consider creating a lesson plan, making videos on it, and selling that - with the massive upsell of that additional private tutoring via Skype.

      This way people can learn your trade and you make the video once but sell it as many times as you want.

      But if you're all done with the music biz I get that as well.

      But what you "could" do with that site you have in the mean time is use it to sell other piano courses on the web - as an affiliate for those things.

      Because you have an indepth understanding on the subject already.

      You can affiliate with Udemy for example. I recall seeing this when I was looking up your stuff before.

      See if you can make what you have convert or use it some how to learn.

      Take some time to go rebuild that site yourself if you want.

      Use what you already have to train yourself a bit.

      But again, if you are done with music, go for it but just know you are on a bit of a tougher path.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • Just a quick tip that hope it's useful for you. When someone provides you with a terrific post and is really giving his best to help you out, you can thank his post by clicking the "thanks" button.

      That helps their reputation and it's kind of fair to show your gratitude to some of these warriors that are providing such a great advice in your thread.

      Jill Carpenter and Christopher for example are really providing amazing advice and going the extra mile to help you out. You're the one that knows how good is any of the replies you're getting, but when you see someone providing that much great advice, you should really thank them.
  • I actually did think of doing this. I don't want to create video lessons as many have already done that... and personally I think live tutoring is better.

    I actually did think of re-doing the site as an affiliate marketing site. I know there's lots of courses, like rocket piano, hear and play, and others through clickbank.

    I'm just feeling like a change, I can always go back to the site later or work on it part time along side other stuff.
    • [1] reply
    • Ok then.

      Well, you are starting from square one for the most part.

      Let me simplify things for you as best I can.

      1. Find a niche with a problem
      2. Solve the problem
      3. Sell the solution.

      That is the simple version.

      How you do it is going to be determined on the actual niche and what your research gives you in answers on how to deliver it.
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  • The place to start is to flip your question over and ask, "What problem can I solve?" (or "how can I provide some value?") instead of "how can I make money?"

    Providing value - which means making people feel better in some way, about themselves or life or even some tiny problem - will bring you money and it will also bring you fulfilment so you'll get out of bed every day loving what you do and doing what you love.

    I have to agree with the person who suggested driving more traffic to the link in your sig file.

    Affiliate marketing is fine - but in the end you're just a sales rep for other people who are providing value. If you sell a dud, it's YOUR reputation that sinks and your list will be reluctant to buy the next thing you recommend.

    Plus, you're always moving onto the next thing ... and the next crowd.

    It's a great by-product of having your own stuff, but on its own - it's not as easy as it sounds and ultimately boring!

    I've had a quick look at your "learn piano" page - you're off to a good start but I can see why it's not working for you.

    If you'd like a free consultation, send me a PM here on the forum.

    Hope that helps!

    Good luck,
    Trevor.

  • look into clickbank i recommend it because they are the only affiliate network i have use to banks some serious money with
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  • Start your own thread.

    Promote a product or service that isn't available for free in a Gazzillion places...

    Excellent idea! Promote a service that people need and will pay their subscription every month. Look for affiliate programs that pay recurring commissions.
  • Just dont buy traffic, lol most is a scam. All i know at this point, seo is so confusing lol
  • Well you have a sig file so you can start there! Affiliate marketing is very easy cause you don't have to deal with anything really. What matter what you do your going to need a website so....

    If you do choose affiliate marketing it's criticle that you do build your own website tied to your affiliate offer. So many people simply direct link and you could get away with that 10 years ago but not today. Just to much traffic out there.

    See most people have the problem of getting traffic or at least they think they do. Traffic is not the problem. Its seperating yourself from your competition. 23 hits today and 3 sales with one of them being a $100 commission. That is called conversions what most people lack when you direct link.
    • [1] reply
    • Hi Stephanie,

      If you can't sell a service where you have MASSIVE experience how do you think you will do in selling a service where you have no experience at all?

      If you want to sell hosting or mobile sites you'd better know how to set up your own website, how the different types of servers work and which one is the best fit for who.

      You can go that route, and I bet there's lots of money to be made. Specially if you combine to sell that hosting with building websites for local small businesses. There's money to be made in that. And you can outsource the website creation - just make sure the person you find does know what he's doing.
      This won't be easy and it will take a lot of time and effort, just to learn the basics to get started. Once you know them you'll still have no experience to show.

      On the other hand you are already an expert on the piano. It would be much easier to become successful there. However, your problem is your website. It's not selling you or your services very well.

      What would I do in your situation?
      1. I'd sit down and reconsider the options. Either learn something new from scratch and then try to make money with it, or use your skills where you already have proven success and experience.
      2. I would rebuild the website and get a wordpress blog up and running instead. Either set it up yourself - it's super easy and can literally be done by anyone. Or pay someone on Fiverr to do it for you for 5 bucks.
      3. I would research other music teachers that offer online training. What are they doing that you could do too?
      4. I'd start blogging about pianos and piano lessons. I'd set up an amazon associates account and recommend keyboards, note books and other piano stuff on amazon and get some commissions.
      5. I would consider doing YouTube videos. Play piano, teach some basic stuff or talk to people over video.
      6. If you don't want to create a video course tell people WHY. Be upfront and tell them you would make a lot more money by selling a video over and over you created once, but it's not the right way to teach and why. This will sell your courses.
      7. I would sign up here: https://takelessons.com/teachers and create a fiverr account and look for other places to sell piano lessons. Just to get the ball rolling and to get some initial people on board.
      8. I would offer a 30 minute free consulting to any visitor to your site, before even talking about price. You need to give something before you can get anything.
      9. I'd remove the buy button and start building a list instead. I'd write 5 or 7 emails talking about YOUR piano lessons while teaching them something. Check out The Sovereign Man as a perfect example to how to sell your service while providing value.
        Once again, offer them a free consulting session or a discounted trial lesson
      10. After that initial 7 day autoresponder sequence you'd know who is interested in your training and who is not. Now you can start to sell affiliate piano video lessons if you want to.
      11. Promote, promote, promote.
      12. Don't try to please everyone. Target a specific group of people and offer them what THEY need. Ignore the rest. Don't be afraid to step on people's toes.

      The hard part is to get started, and I know exactly how frustrating it is if you don't see any results. But keep at it, look for alternative ways and model others if you know they are successful.

      Oh yeah, and one more thing: People by people. Make your business about YOU. Since you offer personal skype lessons make the whole thing more personal. Unless you are a company write your about page in the first person and substitute every "we" with "I". (And you need a picture of you on your about page.)

      But that's just what I'd do...
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  • Building a website is the most common way affiliated launch themselves into the affiliate marketing world, and if you're interested in creating a long-term business you'll inevitably need to put together a website
  • quickest way to $5k per month.

    1) Build landing page

    2) Send crapload of traffic to that page.

    3) Help your list

    4) BANK serious $$$

    In that order too.

    The most important part of this process is 1 and 2.

    Infact, there are 2 warriors in here that do not have a website, and do not have affiliates, and do just 1 and 2 week in and week out, and bank more than $5k a month.

    List building is where you BIG ASS $ will come. If you are not LIST BUILDING in 2016, you will not win at this game.
  • If you don't know how to do something, either invest some time and learn how or pay someone to do it. Saying you don't know how to do something isn't a valid excuse.

    As others have said, create a Youtube channel. You can give away lessons for free and earn from AdSense and/or selling other folks' products as an affiliate. All you need is a decent video camera and a decent external mic. Learn to promote your Youtube videos and channel(s).

    Then put the training videos on Udemy as a free course. This will basically be the same as building a list as Udemy allows you to send emails to everyone that enrolls in your course. Learn how to market with Udemy.

    Learn how to record quality audio recordings. Record a bunch of stingers like they used in old time black and white movies like to use for humor, suspense, anticipation, etc. that people can use in their videos. Make a variety of versions of each with different lengths like 1 second, 3, 10, etc. Now you have a collection of 100 stingers.

    Network with some successful video marketers and have the marketers add your stingers as free bonuses for their own products. Have it so their customers need to sign up for your email list to get your stingers. This will build a list of BUYERS.

    After your stingers JV campaigns stop getting you email addresses, promote your free stingers on social media, forum sigs, etc. But don't start this promo until AFTER your JVs have run their course. You want to make sure to add perceived value as possible to benefit your JV partners. Use these subscribers to build a second list of freebies, keeping your list of BUYERS separate. Learn how to network with marketers and influencers.

    Also, create some music of your own, either original or public domain that people can use as sound track for their videos and use your list of buyers you build through your lists to sell your own music. You can also use your list to sell other marketing and video related affiliate products. Learn about email marketing.

    By creating assets like stingers and your other music, you have things you can sell, barter, JV, build email lists, etc.
  • Hi there. You don't know how to build a website, that's not the problem, you can totally build a landing page to build your list. My friend he have no website, just only Squeeze page but he could nomally earned nearly $30K per month. He already took 5 years for that. I did not tell you that we can be someone like that, with that income fast, but just let you know it is possible to earn money without a Website. Have a nice day man!
  • Best way to start in my opinion is to get sales funnel: squeeze page, OTO, download page. You will be building list and making money at the same time. Best place to promote free offer is here on WF through WSO section or just by placing signature link and being active here.
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