I'm freeeeeeeeeee (Part Deux - giving back)

About six months ago I wrote the post linked below because I wanted to share my joy with everyone about how I was finally done working for "the man" and would now be dedicating my time 100% to my own business.

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...eeeeeeeee.html

Since then I've made some great friends and contacts here and learnt some absolutely invaluable lessons. Today I want to share some of that with you and give something back to this great community.


Reckless Action Trumps Perfect Understanding

I have no idea who said this originally, I've just seen it in several peoples' signatures. I'm a perfectionist/completionist by nature and it holds me back. I want to know what I'm doing and how to make it work before I start. But in the last 6 months my biggest successes have been the ones where I've "Just Done It(tm)". I've made tons of mistakes but I've stopped making the biggest one of all, waiting to understand completely before starting.

You never will. So just make a start and learn as you go. Mess up, say sorry (if it affected other people) and move on. You'll learn so much more that way and have way more success.

Let's illustrate with an example. When I released my recent SEO product I set myself the challenge of getting our good friend Allen to promote it here on the Warrior forum. Mostly because a load of people said I couldn't do it

I started off looking at other offers he'd promoted. Then I researched the background of the people who he'd promoted. I made contact with some of them looking for advice. I got in touch with a couple of well respected Warriors to ask their opinions. Ultimately John Taylor was good enough to put me on the right track (Thanks John!).

In summary -

No the lesson is not to just start PM'ing Allen every time you release any old product! For one thing he'll probably ban me for writing this if you start doing that

The lesson is to stop doing busy work that feels like you are making progress and do the one thing that actually moves you forwards. Go write to your Allen.


People Matter

I'm a technical guy. I happen to be quite extroverted and sociable (which helps) but ultimately I'm happiest when I'm writing cool software at my computer. Unfortunately, that doesn't ship product. The relationships you form are worth far more than any individual ability you might have.

By far my best affiliates for my last launch were the guys I spend most of my time with on Skype. We talk to each other often. We keep each other sane. And it was a complete no brainer that they'd promote me when I launched.

One guy even let me send to one of his lists with no affiliate code as a thank you for all the help I'd given him with another project of his. Did I help him out in the hopes that he'd do this? Of course not. I did it because I like the guy and I want us all to succeed.

I now make it a policy to make contact with a few new people every month. Not to try to sell them something. Not to try to get them to promote something of mine. Just to say hi and see how we can work together. I started with the guys and girls working in the same niche as me but I'm gradually branching out and making new friends. Believe me, a well intentioned, getting to know you email is far better received than a "would you like to be my affiliate" one.

Start with someone who has a problem you can solve. Do it for free with absolutely no expectations other than getting to know someone new. Don't ask for money. Don't turn the conversation around and try to get something out of it. Just get to know people.


Have a plan

While this may sound like I'm going back on my first point, I'm really not. Bare with me.

I've seen far too many people on here get sucked in by one over hyped product after another only to discard them and move on to the next thing a few days later. If you need to buy a system to help you get started then by all means do so. (Join one of Jeremy Kelsall's bootcamps, they're excellent). But follow it. Do it. Don't buy the manual. Think you know better. Do nothing. Then complain when it fails.

Far better is to figure out *your* plan of what you want to do then only spend money to fill in the gaps.

As an example from my recent product launch -

• It wasn't worth the time to make my own affiliate/sales software so I bought RAP.
  
• I write terrible copy so I paid someone to write my sales letter for me.
  
• I can't make graphics so I found someone to make the minisite for me.
  
• I knew a lot of people who would promote it but I also wanted to cast a wider net so I setup a two-tier system.

Use your money to fill in the gaps where you don't have the right skills or you want to save time. Don't buy something based solely on hype.


So thank you Warriors for all your great help over the last 6 months and here's to the next 6 being even more successful.

Andy