Please Critique My Plan for 2009 in Affiliate Marketing

Charles, It looks like you have a very extensive list there.

The only thing that I would caution you about is to take it step by step and make sure that one task is complete before moving onto the next one. Unless of course you will be doing plenty of outsourcing.

Also, you can kill 2 birds with one stone in many cases by finding products to promote that also allow you to build a list at the same time such as the quilting and the learn to play guitar.

So, your funnel might look like this...

1. Get good PLR report to offer as a giveaway
2. Find viable products to promote as an affiliate
3. Set up website with opt-in form
4. Set up website that is fully monetized
5. Social bookmark
6. Set up mini-network around each niche
7. PPC or AM to drive traffic
8. Evaluate progress
9. Make necessary changes
10. Ramp UP

Once you get these things in place and running smoothly you can then move on to other things in the same niches if they have proven to be profitable. Some of the things that you might consider at that point are....

1. Long term membership sites - memberships that consistently have new content added.
2. Fixed term membership sites - membership sites that run for a specified amount of time which allows you to never have to come up with new content
3. Possible site flipping

Also, one other thing that you might consider if your niches are profitable is to actually have your own product created in one or both niches that you are involved in. Especially if you know that they have proven to be profitable on more than one front.

Hi Charles,

You've got some really great comments from people far more successful than I. Nonetheless, I'd like to share with you my first impressions.

Your plan does seem ambitious, and I'd hope that as you begin to take action, the implementation will not be so overwhelming as to cause a loss of focus. I would try to structure the plan into logical, sequential, achievable steps.

A question about this:

11.) Niche membership site
12.) New product to sell
13.) Sell off niche with a track record.

I'm not sure I understand how the new product to sell fits into the flow of the rest of this plan.

Also, in both models you've mentioned, your last step is to sell off. Have you considered just keeping the niche or membership sites as an ongoing income stream? Certainly flipping the sites you've developed is one business model, but both models that you've listed don't necessarily have to lead to selling.

In whatever model you choose, perhaps one interim goal may be to eventually begin to outsource some of the tasks - so that you're not just trying to build an income, but to build a business. With respect to this process, I've found the following thread particularly inspiring:

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

I can see from that post that Michael is really ramping up his business, and taking it to the next level through outsourcing. Not always possible or appropriate, but good to think about.

I have a couple of additional thoughts to share with you, probably via PM, and likely in the morning - gotta get to bed for the night.

Take care, talk soon.

- Kat

Hey Charles,

Great plan, as I always think an outline for goals is always better than not having a plan at all.

I am not going to repeat what others have said as they all have some good points.

I would assume you chose your niches based on your knowledge base or a subject you are passionate about as do most people.

1.) Digital Product or Physical Product to Promote that converts well...test briefly with PPC if necessary. --- An Ebook or Report perhaps

2.) PLR in niche --- PLR -- Are you considering offering them for sale? I would advise you to keep your content for yourself until you become more established.

3.) Wordpress Blog -- Always a good idea. Google loves WP,

4.) Automate Content -- I know what you mean -- Smile

5.) Article Marketing -- Oh ya

6.) Social Bookmarking -- Oh ya

7.) Review Site of Other Products -- For sure

8.) Microblogging (Twitter) -- Always a good plan

9.) List Building - Natural part of product offerings

10.) Market By E-Mail -- Again a natural part of the plan

11.) Niche membership site-- Alot of work, would wait until your sites are established, and you build upon your base, as you will need lots of content to keep your members happy.

12.) New product to sell -- New Product Development - Keep the ideas rolling

13.) Sell off niche with a track record.- Nah, once you have put all the work into these two niches, I bet you will want to keep them.

Time Management --- It is very important that you and your wife keep a set schedule. I don't know if you both work a real job, or if you are working full time online, but each and everyday you will need to stick a daily work plan, as though you are working a regular offline job.

Believe in your project and yourself. Let your sites grow slowly and naturally.

Keep a diary --- Then you can share your experise with others -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. "Smile"

Go get umm!!

Tina

Charles,
First, I want to really congratulate you for doing some planning and getting started!

The easiest way to climb a mountain is to consistently put one foot in front of the other.

You're well on your way.

Here's my 2 cents (and that + $1.99 still may not buy you a Starbuck's cappuchino)

1. Be the right JACK.

The common saying is:

"Jack of all trades, master of none."

but some have said the original plan was for the phrase to be:

"Jack of all trades, master of one."


You can make a good living if you are practicing the second version...but the first one is NOT desirable.

The Lithuanians say it best in their version:

"For the man who has 9 trades, his 10th is starvation."


Take your list of tasks and find out which one you will be the MASTER of. Then determine how to monetize THAT task.


2. Always remember the BIG 80/20

You've got some really good steps in your task list. You've obviously been working hard at learning the different skills!

I learned Pareto's Principle the hard way...80% of what you do will only translate to 20% of your profits...but 20% of what you do will make up for 80% of all your profits.

I'll explain.

I own a retail store. We design, manufacture, produce, and sell our own physical products online.

When that business was started, I had the "grand idea" that if your web presence was "pretty enough", people would just automatically fork over cash to you. (DUMB>>>DUMB>>>DUMB)

So, I spent hundreds of hours working on web design, layout, and all things "pretty".

The business nearly failed...and what I learned, was that "design" was firmly in the 80% pile...in other words, that thing I was spending nearly all of my time on was actually only resulting in a VERY SMALL percentage of my sales. (I learned this by accident, when our HTML coding was broken and the design was completely messed up...and SALES STILL CAME IN!)

Now...for every market, different things make up that 80%.

Let's take the quilting market.

You may find that creating a membership site for quilters turns out to be the best thing you ever did...It's firmly in the 20% pile.

But later, you may discover it to be a total BOMB in the guitar market...firmly in the 80% pile!

No two markets are the same...because they are made up of people (of which no two are the same!)

In a nutshell:
What looks good from the plane window, looks different from the street corner.

The only way to KNOW for sure if something is in the 80% pile or the 20% pile is to TRACK everything down to the $ per hour.

So, your list may end up looking like this:

1.) Digital Product ($398 per hour) or Physical Product ($27 per hour) to Promote that converts well...test briefly with PPC if necessary. ($2 per hour)
...

You simply have to be able to track your sales to each task and divide by the time it takes to perform that task.

which leads me to #3...

3. Know WHEN to quit.

Not IF but WHEN.

Have the proper mindset going in that SOME of the things you have outlined above are going to FAIL. (That's perfectly FINE and Normal!)

For instance, you may find that:

8.) Microblogging

Is a total waste of your time.

DROP IT.

Don't be so stuck to your SYSTEM that you let the squeaky wheel lose you the race.

It can be tough to admit that something you have worked 100 hours developing is a total failure...but there is no glory in letting that take down all the other things that have worked so well...simply because you have a checklist that you need to adhere to.

Realize at this point, everything is just ink on paper and give yourself permission to CHANGE, REMOVE, or DISCARD anything, at any time.

Remember:
The business plan was made to benefit Charles, not Charles was made to benefit the business plan.

---

You're going to do great!

Just keep up the good work, take lots of notes, and keep focused on that bottom line.

We'll be cheering for you at the finish line,
Jack

Charles in addition to what you listed, I would market offine in magazines or trade journals that match your niche.

Hey, Charles!

I think you have a very comprehensive list and have gotten some very good ideas from this thread.

I start small and then branch out instead of doing everything at once. I am not saying that is the best way, but it helps me stay focused.

Hope that helps.

So, a website with a list and a successful track record of making $500...$1,000....$2,000 a month has no value if there are hyphens in the domain, lol? Really?

Ummm, yeah, might want to re-think on that one a bit.

Not at all!

I think he and his wife can do this and more - I was just giving my input.

Hi Charles, as other have mentioned you have put together a good lists of tasks for each niche or site. But, to me it does not look like a business plan.

Of the list I agree that those are great tasks to complete. Again like others have said, that can be a lot of work. One thing to look at is completing a few of those tasks, and it they are working then you can begin those tasks for additional niches.

You say you and your wife, but you do not include info on which skill sets you have between you and who is responsible for what. IN a business plan, I would expect to see your skill sets, time frames for reaching certain levels, income projections, etc.


Now on a technical note, I looked at the blog you listed, learning guitar. The one thing that stood out was all the youtube videos. Personally, I would consider that to much leakage, going back to youtube. One or two videos is fine, but you seem to have a lot ov videos.

Kelvin

Hi Charles,

Your blog is not private. One of the advantages often talked about is how quickly your WF blog is spidered.


Kelvin

HI Charles,

there is a ton of good advice in the responses, but I wanted to add something that has been on my mind that relates to this.

It is the new year (in case some one her didn't know and I too make and re-evaluate plans, goals, objectives.

Something that is missing and important - at least to me is milestones and measurable objectives.

What I mean is - it is very easy to have an objective of I will do 'x' or I will learn this, or I will go there.

But something I learned in my studies (I am a board certified, licensed OT as well as Entrepreneur) is measurable objectives and outcomes.

You can't say in the hospital that the goal of therapy is that Charles is going to use his right arm again with full recovery. We set measurable, viewable objectives and goals.
Charles will weight bear for 30 seconds on his elbow/forearm with support.
Charles will reach with an extension of 60 degrees in the right elbow to touch wall.

I know I am getting boring now, but my point is how will you know when you have achieved your goals.

These are different for each person, niche, objective, but they are really (IMHO) where people get lost. They try something and move on to something else and then try something else and then cant figure out why they make no progress.

It is similar to the testing mantra. Testing tells you what you did right and what you could do better. Measuring tells you when you are ready to move to the next step or step up your efforts in other areas perhaps.

ANyway, without getting too boring some ideas, are
100 backlinks in 3 months
250 subscribers to the list in 3 months
10 purchases a week in 3 months

these are vague and may not apply to you exactly, but the point is decide on an acceptable first level of measurable results in a particular time frame.

Then re-evaluate those milestones/objectives regularly to see if you are on track - and to GET YOU BACK on track.

Then you can decide what steps to take in your list.

THe list is great - now apply time frames, and measureable goals to them.
And as someone else said, be ready to move on if all else fails.

Don't fall in love with the product.

Just my 3cents

K-