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Feeling a bit overwhelmed

by alphalife
34 replies
I've been surviving on redbull and 5 hour energy shots for the last 3 or so weeks. Since launching my blog I've been a bit overwhelmed and am looking for ideas to maximize my time and not burn myself out.

Since starting my blog I've been staying up really late, often times getting 4 hours of sleep. It's just not practical with a day job.

I am not complaining and am really grateful for what I have. Internet marketing is something that I really enjoy doing from the marketing to the content creation and everything in between. Plus I know that what I'm doing will create great value for my readers and I will become very successful. I also realize that it will take time and going through trials and errors.

I guess I'm just trying to find a way to make things more efficient. If you guys can offer some feedback and advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

I was considering the following as options:

1. Finding a quicker method to getting enough income to not need a day job. In my case that would be 3000 dollars monthly for me to be comfortable and to be able to invest more money and more time into my business. If you guys have any suggestions I would love to get your input. I heard that freelancing is a good way to make money quicker as an example.

2. Fiverr - For outsourcing some of the tasks like writing content to offset some of my work. My concern with this is that the content itself wont be valuable. I heard that there are programs that allow you to "spin" articles making them less valuable for the visitors. I don't want to sacrifice quality in any way so I'm a bit skeptical about using fiverr for writers. Have you guys had any positive or negative experiences? Are there certain tasks fiverr is good with?

3. Finding a way to recruit more writers for the blog.

4. Hiring a virtual assistant. I am not too sure about this one but read about this technique in The 4 Hour Workweek. If it isn't too expensive this may be a good option for me.

But ultimately a moderate influx of cash at about 3,000 a month would allow me more time to build my business without killing myself in the process.

Have you guys had similar experiences when starting a new company?

I would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advanced.
#bit #feeling #overwhelmed
  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    OK. I have a few ideas for you.
    1. I am a writer so I can possibly help you with that aspect of your business.
    2. If you want to be more efficient, you need a pen and notepad. Make a list of the tasks you want to get done each day. Do them one by one and you'll find you get more done and you see what you have done so you'll feel better too.

    3. Fiverr isn't the best place for writers as generally the quality is not good.
    It may be good for odd jobs but, as you say, if you want a VA, it is better to find one person who is good at what they do as you don't want to have to spend time chasing them.

    4. You need to get some SLEEP and REST. The amount of hours you're doing will eventually make you crash. If you plan your breaks, you'll be more efficient when you do work so you'll get more done.

    I hope all that helps you.
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Laurence,

      Thanks for yoru advice.

      1. That sounds like a great opportunity. Lets definitely get in touch.

      2. I actually use my iPad and iPhone to organize myself. I have a calendar that I sync up with my devices and I get alerts about each thing I need to get done.

      I devote a time window for content writing, training (currently going through John Reese' Traffic Secrets, blog / social marketing, seo and then if I have time left over I would visit this forum to help others and connect.

      3. That is something I was afraid of. I would definitely not be willing to settle on degraded quality. I believe that everyone visiting my blog deserve the very best in content. This is how you gain people's trust and good reputation.

      4. This has thus far been a problem for me. Will need to figure out how to work that in better into my schedule.

      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      OK. I have a few ideas for you.
      1. I am a writer so I can possibly help you with that aspect of your business.
      2. If you want to be more efficient, you need a pen and notepad. Make a list of the tasks you want to get done each day. Do them one by one and you'll find you get more done and you see what you have done so you'll feel better too.

      3. Fiverr isn't the best place for writers as generally the quality is not good.
      It may be good for odd jobs but, as you say, if you want a VA, it is better to find one person who is good at what they do as you don't want to have to spend time chasing them.

      4. You need to get some SLEEP and REST. The amount of hours you're doing will eventually make you crash. If you plan your breaks, you'll be more efficient when you do work so you'll get more done.

      I hope all that helps you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    Hi Alphalife,

    Good to see you're working hard to make your goals reality.

    I would avoid outsourcing the writing of your own content, but getting extra writers (if they're good) is a great idea.

    YOU are the main thing different from what people can get anywhere else, so leverage that and don't outsource your personality.

    Hiring an assistant is a good idea - as long as you are clear about what you want them to do.

    If you get those couple of things right you can do well.

    It's important also to think about exactly where you're expecting your revenue to come from and to ensure your system focuses on increasing that.

    Andy
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Hey Andy,

      Thanks for your advice and words of encouragement.

      With regards to getting an assistant, I think it would be indispensable help but I am concerned about the cost being too high for me to afford at the current moment.

      To be honest right now I have not made any money with this but I should note that I launched the site on March 1st which is just 7 days ago. Is there a time frame when I can expect to start generating revenue - perhaps after a certain milestone (traffic, alexa rank, etc).

      To monetize the blog I have set up affiliate partnerships and am currently working on a free training program for beginners to give away something of great value.

      Once I get my newsletter and webinar started, I will be focusing on creating a coaching program and a 30 day challenge.

      I know I am good with motivating people and helping them get off their butts. Also I have learned a great deal about internet marketing and am passionate about it.

      With regards to revenue, I would like to start off with generating 3,000 per month which would allow me to have a lot more free time to devote to my business and to take things to the next level.


      Thanks for your advice.

      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      Hi Alphalife,

      Good to see you're working hard to make your goals reality.

      I would avoid outsourcing the writing of your own content, but getting extra writers (if they're good) is a great idea.

      YOU are the main thing different from what people can get anywhere else, so leverage that and don't outsource your personality.

      Hiring an assistant is a good idea - as long as you are clear about what you want them to do.

      If you get those couple of things right you can do well.

      It's important also to think about exactly where you're expecting your revenue to come from and to ensure your system focuses on increasing that.

      Andy
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  • Profile picture of the author WriterWahm
    It's great to work hard but please you need a PLAN!

    What exactly are your goals for your blog?
    How do you intend to monetize it?
    How long are you willing to work before you begin to earn an income from your blog?

    I think you should wait on hiring the assistant until you're clear on what you want to do.

    My suggestion for you:

    1. Begin building your list - you can place an email capture form on your blog (use Awebber or Getresponse or anyone you're comfortable with).

    2. Explore using syndicated content, PLR or request for guest posts.

    3. Blog what you're passionate about. I would suggest getting an old fashioned notebook and writing 50 topics you feel you can be passionate about then blog them.

    4. Look for a great affiliate product to promote on your blog pending when you create yours.

    5. If you want to treat this as a long term business and your main blog, avoid adsense - you want people to click on your affiliate links or pending that, to opt-in to your list.

    Remember that this is a business and treat your blog that way.
    Don't forget to sleep, rest and drink plenty of water. For now, your business depends a lot on your showing up. So don't get sick.

    If you're willing to work hard (and you've shown you are) and you're determined to succeed, you're more than half-way there already.
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      My goal is to utilize the blog to generate targeted prospects and to show my knowledge and build expertise in entrepreneurship and internet marketing.

      There are several ways in which I plan to monetize:

      - Affiliate Links and banners.
      - Honest reviews promoting my favorite internet marketing services and companies (ex: aweber, godaddy)
      - Email Marketing through joint ventures, and product launch promotions
      - Personal Group Coaching
      - Future ebook
      - Live events down the road.

      I am willing to work as long as necessary to succeed. Failure is not an option.

      Regarding your suggestons:

      1. I do have an opt-in form and a giveaway which I am currently working on. I am thinking about changing my opt in strategy from an ebook to weekly webinars, however. In return for a free workshop once a week prospects would sign up for my newsletter.

      I was actually thinking about outsourcing the newsletter part of the work and then editing as necessary for maximum marketability and effectiveness.

      I use Aweber and have the opt-in form prominent on every page on my blog.

      2. I am not too aware of syndicated content. Can you elaborate on that further.

      With regards to RSS, I do have rss set up on my blog and also have a banner and a page for soliciting new writers to contribute their articles to my blog. I also created a graphic specifically for promoting writers as a sidebar widget on every page of the blog.

      3. With regards to content strategy I do have two weeks of posts pre-planned. I am already passionate about internet marketing, entrepreneurship, and technology thus I made those things the focus of my blog. I have an excel spreadsheet where I researched and put together popular topics (researched Technorati in my specific niche) that I write about each day of the week. I also actively look for videos on YouTube and Vimeo that are worth sharing with my audience.

      4. I actually found a few good affiliate programs through commission junction and one that I would like to test out from click bank. All products are perfectly targeted to my audience.

      5. I must admit that I am extremely picky about every aspect of my blog. My number one goal is to create a better user experience. I really want to give a ton of value and create my very best work. I know that adsense can bring in a small stream of revenue but I am not willing to use this if it will devalue my brand and reputation.

      I'm in this for the long run and am willing to explore other avenues of generating some income as I get started and transition from having a day job.

      Ultimately my immediate goal is to free up my time which would require me to generate 3,000 per month. I am considering starting an affordable group coaching program at $97 per month and taking on a group of 30 clients, breaking up my training sessions into 2 groups of 15.

      Thanks for your advice!

      Originally Posted by WriterWahm View Post

      It's great to work hard but please you need a PLAN!

      What exactly are your goals for your blog?
      How do you intend to monetize it?
      How long are you willing to work before you begin to earn an income from your blog?

      I think you should wait on hiring the assistant until you're clear on what you want to do.

      My suggestion for you:

      1. Begin building your list - you can place an email capture form on your blog (use Awebber or Getresponse or anyone you're comfortable with).

      2. Explore using syndicated content, PLR or request for guest posts.

      3. Blog what you're passionate about. I would suggest getting an old fashioned notebook and writing 50 topics you feel you can be passionate about then blog them.

      4. Look for a great affiliate product to promote on your blog pending when you create yours.

      5. If you want to treat this as a long term business and your main blog, avoid adsense - you want people to click on your affiliate links or pending that, to opt-in to your list.

      Remember that this is a business and treat your blog that way.
      Don't forget to sleep, rest and drink plenty of water. For now, your business depends a lot on your showing up. So don't get sick.

      If you're willing to work hard (and you've shown you are) and you're determined to succeed, you're more than half-way there already.
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  • Profile picture of the author ConnorMRR
    alphalife you and I sound very similar! I work online along with working offline (family business), so I can relate with you. In the past I have worked myself to the point when I did crash, totally burnt out, and because I was exhausted I couldn't think straight which seriously affected my creativity.

    I know what you're feeling though "I have so much to do, I cannot afford to sleep", but trust me setting some time aside to rest and relax will help you in the long run. When I've had a good night of sleep the very next day I am on fire working. In my field the competition is intense, a lot of my competitors are also members, so anything I do can and will be devoured within 24 hours, so I had to come up with a plan of taking that pressure off.

    I was going to give you a list of tips but there are some really great tips in this thread already but I can tell you what I do:

    1 - I write a list of tasks to do for each day and complete each one before moving to the next. Just a notepad does this for me, although I have tried mindmap software to put my thoughts into a visual format.
    2 - I work with several coypwriters that I found here in the warriors to help with my content needs, I can tell you who I work with if you like. These copywriters don't just wait on me either, they will write and say "Hey it's time for...." so that has helped. I wouldn't use fiverr for content needs.
    3 - I don't know if this will apply to you, but I bought a laptop, best thing I ever did, means I am mobile and can get online so long as I have a connection of course.
    4 - Passive income streams. I'm not heavily involved with affiliate marketing, but I do have quite a number of products listed on Jvzoo.com, Clickbank.com, Paydotcom.com which all pull in money. I am not saying go out and create your own product! But maybe consider flipping a PLR product or two.

    Anyway, that's how I operate these days, not sure if any of that helps you.

    All the best with what you do, you've certainly got the desire to succeed and totally committed to your online business which is half the battle won right there.

    Connor
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Thanks for your input.

      There were two things that specifically stuck with me from your list of tips.

      1. Working with Copywriters. I have not thought about doing something like that but it really does make sense. If you don't mind my asking how much does hiring such help cost. Do you have a profit sharing model or what incentives do you offer to the Copywriter for them to want to work with you?

      2. Passive income stream isn't something I've considered or tough of. I do have a clickbank account but have used it thus far as an affiliate. Do you have your own products that you sell? I heard that some people use PLR and sell those products via affiliates. Thanks for your tip on this.

      I do have a laptop, an iPad, and an iPhone 4s so I am always well connected. Once I generate 2 grand from this new business, I will invest in a Mac Book Pro so I can do more video editing and better content creation.

      Thanks for your advice.

      Originally Posted by ConnorMRR View Post

      alphalife you and I sound very similar! I work online along with working offline (family business), so I can relate with you. In the past I have worked myself to the point when I did crash, totally burnt out, and because I was exhausted I couldn't think straight which seriously affected my creativity.

      I know what you're feeling though "I have so much to do, I cannot afford to sleep", but trust me setting some time aside to rest and relax will help you in the long run. When I've had a good night of sleep the very next day I am on fire working. In my field the competition is intense, a lot of my competitors are also members, so anything I do can and will be devoured within 24 hours, so I had to come up with a plan of taking that pressure off.

      I was going to give you a list of tips but there are some really great tips in this thread already but I can tell you what I do:

      1 - I write a list of tasks to do for each day and complete each one before moving to the next. Just a notepad does this for me, although I have tried mindmap software to put my thoughts into a visual format.
      2 - I work with several coypwriters that I found here in the warriors to help with my content needs, I can tell you who I work with if you like. These copywriters don't just wait on me either, they will write and say "Hey it's time for...." so that has helped. I wouldn't use fiverr for content needs.
      3 - I don't know if this will apply to you, but I bought a laptop, best thing I ever did, means I am mobile and can get online so long as I have a connection of course.
      4 - Passive income streams. I'm not heavily involved with affiliate marketing, but I do have quite a number of products listed on Jvzoo.com, Clickbank.com, Paydotcom.com which all pull in money. I am not saying go out and create your own product! But maybe consider flipping a PLR product or two.

      Anyway, that's how I operate these days, not sure if any of that helps you.

      All the best with what you do, you've certainly got the desire to succeed and totally committed to your online business which is half the battle won right there.

      Connor
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  • Profile picture of the author nadia712
    Sounds pretty standard for start-up phase. There are definitely lots of things you can do to ease the pressure on yourself, though.

    Before you try to outsource anything, systematize everything you do - figure out what exactly you're doing that's making you money, cut down on administrative tasks that aren't (outsource those first), and once you've got systems for everything that is making you money, gradually start to outsource those as well.

    Outsourcing the tasks that aren't directly generating revenue for you will take the pressure off immediately, and give you a bit of extra time to develop systems. When you've got those, you can start managing instead of actually working your system.

    Make sure to give your outsourcer the system you've developed (equally, though, don't give any one outsourcer your entire business model - break it down into pieces and only give one piece to each outsourcer).
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Nadia,

      Really great information. Thanks for your reply.

      One thing I am going to do tonight is create a mind map with every piece of the whole operation for my business from research to marketing to content creation and everything in between.

      I think that will help to better plan things and get a feel of what pieces of the work I will outsource if it makes sense starting off financially as my budget is limited.

      Outsourcing the things offered for free is a good idea. That way I can focus on the premium products and training. One thing I would like to start as a first product is an affordable 7 week coaching program perhaps at $197 broken down into 2 monthly payments.

      Good idea on creating a system for virtual assistant! I have not thought of that.

      Thanks again.

      Originally Posted by nadia712 View Post

      Sounds pretty standard for start-up phase. There are definitely lots of things you can do to ease the pressure on yourself, though.

      Before you try to outsource anything, systematize everything you do - figure out what exactly you're doing that's making you money, cut down on administrative tasks that aren't (outsource those first), and once you've got systems for everything that is making you money, gradually start to outsource those as well.

      Outsourcing the tasks that aren't directly generating revenue for you will take the pressure off immediately, and give you a bit of extra time to develop systems. When you've got those, you can start managing instead of actually working your system.

      Make sure to give your outsourcer the system you've developed (equally, though, don't give any one outsourcer your entire business model - break it down into pieces and only give one piece to each outsourcer).
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnJonasVA
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Thanks for the excellent response.

      I actually first read about VA's from Tim Feriss' book The 4 Hour Workweek and have thought about incorporating that into my business. One thing I will do is create an operations mindmap for my company and I will determine which pieces I can outsource.

      I have never hired a VA before so if you have any recommendations on useful sites or any other general tips you may be willing to offer, I greatly would appreciate it.

      Having a VA who has seo and blogging experience would be immense because by getting help with the blog I would be able to focus my time on creating a first product.

      Thanks so much for your willingness to help.

      Originally Posted by JohnJonasVA View Post

      Hi, I'm one of John Jonas' VA's. I just want to give you my perspective on this because John has a blog and I'm actually helping him with it. I think having a VA can really help ease your workload in many different ways.

      1. A VA can help look for guest blogger for you so you can have more quality content for free.

      2. You can have your VA upload, edit, and schedule the release of your blogs

      3. If you can find a VA who can write well, why not have him/her write a few quest blogs for you. A good example of this is the Filipino Perspective On Outsourcing series we did for John.

      4. Have your VA do the keyword research for your blog. If your VA knows how to do SEO, he/she can do on-page and off-page optimization for your blog.

      5. Your VA can also help you keep track of the blog entries that you've done. Which entries you can republish, which ones you need to update, what topics you haven't written about yet.

      6. One of the jobs we do regularly that I know John really appreciates is we monitor the comments to keep out the spam. No spam filter is 100% foolproof.

      7. A VA can also monitor your blog's analytics to find out which topics are popular, which ones has the most comments, so you'll know what topics you'd want to focus on.

      These are just some of the things a VA can do for you. Of all the ideas that you had, I believe having a VA would be the one that would give you the best value and results.
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  • Profile picture of the author DannyDisco
    It's tough to get started, I've spent many sleepless nights myself. Outsourcing is great, however, you need to have the capital to do so.

    It all depends on you. If you can spend now to outsource go. Otherwise, punish your body with lack of sleep for a few months and once you are making enough, start outsourcing and get some much needed rest

    There's no easy answer for this. Just do the best you can and constantly try to improve your tactics.

    Good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author eldudebros
    WOW, IM is really some hardwork. I thought it was really easy.
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  • Profile picture of the author TopBackBuilder
    There isn't much reason to work that hard, invest some money in outsourcing, will do wonders!
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Don't get burned out. Everyday just make a list of all the marketing techniques that you want to do. So on Monday you could write 2 articles and make a blog post. On Tuesday you can run PPC ads, and find high traffic sites to advertise on. On Wednesday you could start your own affiliate program with Clickbank or Paydotcom, and then seek out some joint venture partners.

    ... and then just do the same thing with the other days of the week.
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  • Profile picture of the author jazbo
    You need a plan. $3000 a month is NOT a moderate income for a newbie with one blog and no plan. Remember, you are doing the same thing as a million other people and a lot of them are doing it ten time more and ten times better.

    Your goal at the minute should be to LEARN and to PLAN. Talking about how you will invest money in a shiny pc so you can edit video's shows you are completely unfocused - you can edit video on a $200 laptop.

    It is too easy to get carried away with the big ideas without knowing the pitfalls. I did the same a few years ago when I started out, and after a few months of flailing around I stopped EVERYTHING and read solidly for two months, learned everything I could to be SELF SUFFICIENT and KNOWLEDGEABLE and also, most importantly to spot the fakers and the crooks and the terrible advice you will receive at every turn.
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Jazbo,

      Thanks for your input.

      I completely agree that having a plan is important. While I can't say I have the most complete and solid plan yet, I will work on one over the next few days. I'll work on a mind-map today planning out my revenue streams and business model.

      With regards to learning, I am definitely on top of that! Currently I am studying John Reese's Traffic Secrets 2 program and going through Darren Rowse's 31 Days To Better Blogging book. I am completely committed to learning but also implementing what I have learned. Once done with that course I will move on to another and so on. I am a true believer that we are all students and that learning is key to success thus I am fully committed to this and have a two hour block of time devoted to just that!

      While I am be fairly new at this, I don't think my experience has much to do with my success. I am motivated to make this work and will work my butt off to get to where I want to be. I know that for some 3,000 a month may seem a lot but let's say I sell a product whether affiliate or my own at $97 dollars - with 32 customers I have recouped my money and earned that $3,000 as planned. I know it's easier said then done but it it possible.

      Right now I am actually trying to stay focused on one thing at a time. At this moment I am trying to find ways to get more content onto my blog so that I can then increase traffic, get more opt-ins, and get better search rankings. I am putting in concentrated blocks of time to each item that I am working on - training, content writing, seo and social marketing, and product creation.

      I am very serious about making this work and will put in any amount of time necessary. Also I am trying to learn how to do things the right way.

      If spending the 2 grand on a Mac Book Pro is a bad decision, then I will rethink my plan, but please don't judge my ability to succeed on that one decision. I am extremely focused and committed. I know this will work. If I need to tweak my strategy along the way and do things differently to make them work better, then I will do so.

      Thanks for your input and advice.


      Originally Posted by jazbo View Post

      You need a plan. $3000 a month is NOT a moderate income for a newbie with one blog and no plan. Remember, you are doing the same thing as a million other people and a lot of them are doing it ten time more and ten times better.

      Your goal at the minute should be to LEARN and to PLAN. Talking about how you will invest money in a shiny pc so you can edit video's shows you are completely unfocused - you can edit video on a $200 laptop.

      It is too easy to get carried away with the big ideas without knowing the pitfalls. I did the same a few years ago when I started out, and after a few months of flailing around I stopped EVERYTHING and read solidly for two months, learned everything I could to be SELF SUFFICIENT and KNOWLEDGEABLE and also, most importantly to spot the fakers and the crooks and the terrible advice you will receive at every turn.
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  • Profile picture of the author iaffiliatehq
    Originally Posted by alphalife View Post

    I've been surviving on redbull and 5 hour energy shots for the last 3 or so weeks. Since launching my blog I've been a bit overwhelmed and am looking for ideas to maximize my time and not burn myself out.
    OVERWHELMED = STRESS = DOUBT = FAILURE

    Sit... Relax... Close your eyes..... Breath deep..... Inhale.... Exhale..... Inhale..... Exhale... ...... ........ ......

    In the beginning the feeling of being overwhelmed is perfectly natural and a requirement for blogging success. Most folks new to IM blast past the starting gate - running as fast as they can. But soon discover that they ran off the road because their vision was clouded with dollar signs. They remove the clock from their room and work, and work, and work....

    Ultimately you hit "the wall" and you begin to doubt if you are really on the right road to achieve your goals. When that happens, it means it is time to sit back and take stock of every bit of knowledge and work you have so far accomplished. A real careful review on everything that helped you reach "the wall" will reveal your next move....

    TIP: The most important item for you to do is to put your blog on hold. Then take time and do some real IM research. A good place to start is right here on the Warrior Forum. Take a day or two and just explore, and then explore some more. This forum is packed with great knowledge, experience, tips and tricks. It will not be long before you can spot the 'experts' and the links to their profit making sites. Study, study, study. As you explore, take lots of notes. (I use a FREE program called FlashNote from softvoile . com/flashnote/)

    Write out your goals (battle plan) and the steps needed to make your goals a reality. Review, then review some more. You'll know when you're ready. Now about that blog.....!

    To Your Success!
    ----Maria
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  • Profile picture of the author Tadresources
    Fiverr is great if you can find a good writer. The key is to not go into it thinking you can find perfect content for nothing. You either have to accept so-so content that you may have to tweek at $5 per 1000 words, OR you can get great content for more like $5 for 300 words.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kung Fu Backlinks
    I'd like to chime in with a different piece of advice, because I can see a bit of myself in you. About a year and a half ago, I was feeling very impatient with my inability to get ahead. I was frustrated with not having enough time to work on my vision and had convinced myself that until I was able to do IM full time, I would never make it.

    Well... I did a foolish thing and quit my 9-5 to go full time. It was a do or die situation. I urge you not to make the same mistake I made. I even jumped into offline consulting to pay the bills and it is tough. Despite all the WSOs claiming otherwise, it is very hard. Had I known then what I know now, I would be much farther along.

    Here's what I've learned... pick something you're good at and offer it as a service to make some seed money. Offer it here and on other forums. From there you can invest in your IM education and slowly build out a business / blog. I went full tilt without any plan or knowledge and changed my "thing" so many times, just stumbling along, trying to find what would work for me. I've finally found it, but man, what a price I paid.

    Again, I urge you to take your time and not talk yourself into making any rash decisions. Thankfully that's all behind me, but I wish someone had told me the same thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
    Want to work a little smarter and more efficiently for better results compared to the amount of time you put in?

    Okay, at the end of the day you need 3 things...

    1) Prospects (leads)
    You need a landing page, (a.k.a. leads page, flycatcher page, squeeze page) to build a list of interested prospects in the market you decide to venture into. Give them a good free offer. Spend time doing a lot of detailed research and look at other free offers in your market. You just have to be a little bit better than them. Get this part right and you'll have much better success.

    2) Product to sell
    Nothing wrong with promoting affiliate products to your list until you decide you want 100% of the profits from your list and start creating your own products.

    3) Conversion
    Separate the buyers from the prospects on your list. Your goal is to constantly turn more prospects into buyers. Market to them in a genuine and honest way and help them achieve whatever they are wanting within the scope of your niche.

    Conversions also constitutes tracking your landing page results. Make subtle changes to try and improve your optin conversion.

    That in a nut shell is it...

    Everything else like blogging, article writing, reviews, SEO are all just ways people get traffic.

    ---> PS. To get quality traffic you need to be investing a small amount of money and start testing out solo advertising, banner advertising, ad swaps, etc...

    By all means keep your blog and use it like your "home base" but don't waste your time trying to learn SEO or building a bazillion websites that make $0.0001.
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    • Profile picture of the author alphalife
      Mike,

      Great advice.

      I do have a few followup questions.

      I have an opt in form that is 300 x 600 sidebar widget to the right of my blog. It is offering my free ebook in exchange for opt-ins and also my newsletter once I start that next month. I was thinking about switching the giveaway to a free weekly webinar that I will do live to teach about starting an online business and at the end of the 60 minutes do a 10 minute demo of my mastermind program that I will be starting soon at a price of $297 for an 8 week program with 45 clients and 3 sessions of 15 to keep the ratio low. I would also offer an instant promotion to all webinar attendees of $97 off for a total price of $200 for the 2 month program.

      The mastermind program could be a good starting program that I can create as I go. I think of myself as pretty good at teaching and can also record the program for later resale.

      What are your thoughts on such a program / conversion and monetization method?

      Also what kind of opt-in page / form do you recommend for most effective conversion. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

      In addition I was thinking about having the affiliate relationships with my favorite internet marketing services that are essential like web hosting or list building. I can teach list building on the web and offer my affiliate link in exchange for the free training and recommendation. This also would promote the free webinar which in turn would also promote the premium coaching program that will only be offered to a limited number of clients.

      Your comment about conversion really hit home here. I really believe in offering incredible value to all my prospects and customers. I am very strict on quality and would never put something out that doesn't truly help people to move forward and succeed. While I don't yet have a separate list for buyers since I haven't had any sales yet, I do have a list for prospects. Once my first program launches, I will start a separate list for buyers.

      With regards to tracking, I use google analytics and alexa.

      About the advertising, I was actually offered $100 in credit from Google Adwords and I had $100 in credits from GoDaddy. I will learn more about that and will start testing it.

      I currently have $200 monthly budget starting out with things like hosting already paid.

      I was thinking about getting a good virtual assistant to help boost content and help out on the marketing and research side of things.

      Thanks.

      Originally Posted by Mike Hill View Post

      Want to work a little smarter and more efficiently for better results compared to the amount of time you put in?

      Okay, at the end of the day you need 3 things...

      1) Prospects (leads)
      You need a landing page, (a.k.a. leads page, flycatcher page, squeeze page) to build a list of interested prospects in the market you decide to venture into. Give them a good free offer. Spend time doing a lot of detailed research and look at other free offers in your market. You just have to be a little bit better than them. Get this part right and you'll have much better success.

      2) Product to sell
      Nothing wrong with promoting affiliate products to your list until you decide you want 100% of the profits from your list and start creating your own products.

      3) Conversion
      Separate the buyers from the prospects on your list. Your goal is to constantly turn more prospects into buyers. Market to them in a genuine and honest way and help them achieve whatever they are wanting within the scope of your niche.

      Conversions also constitutes tracking your landing page results. Make subtle changes to try and improve your optin conversion.

      That in a nut shell is it...

      Everything else like blogging, article writing, reviews, SEO are all just ways people get traffic.

      ---> PS. To get quality traffic you need to be investing a small amount of money and start testing out solo advertising, banner advertising, ad swaps, etc...

      By all means keep your blog and use it like your "home base" but don't waste your time trying to learn SEO or building a bazillion websites that make $0.0001.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
        Yep, that's a few questions... LOL

        Before we get to any of this do you know who your ideal customer is? Do you have your niche narrowed down far enough to know exactly who your marketing message will address?

        I'll put it this way... If you were to write a headline to single out just one person who would that one person be? What age would they be? What is their biggest problem?

        As far as your price point goes, can your prospect afford that amount and if so what are other options they could choose besides you coaching program? What makes them want to choose you?

        Figure out the answers to these questions first.

        Next is your giveaway... Continue to offer the book but also create a separate landing page offering your free webinars and trial to your program. Then I would promote it using solo advertising!

        You can also setup your affiliate program and get your competitors to become your affiliates for 75% of the profits they refer. They will be promoting the free webinars and may even be able to join you live on the webinar and help you present it. They get 75% of the sales that turn into paying customers.

        Most people don't want to give up that much of the profits but they don't realize they are building a list of buyers and their next product they can keep 100%...


        Originally Posted by alphalife View Post

        Mike,

        Great advice.

        I do have a few followup questions.

        I have an opt in form that is 300 x 600 sidebar widget to the right of my blog. It is offering my free ebook in exchange for opt-ins and also my newsletter once I start that next month. I was thinking about switching the giveaway to a free weekly webinar that I will do live to teach about starting an online business and at the end of the 60 minutes do a 10 minute demo of my mastermind program that I will be starting soon at a price of $297 for an 8 week program with 45 clients and 3 sessions of 15 to keep the ratio low. I would also offer an instant promotion to all webinar attendees of $97 off for a total price of $200 for the 2 month program.

        The mastermind program could be a good starting program that I can create as I go. I think of myself as pretty good at teaching and can also record the program for later resale.

        What are your thoughts on such a program / conversion and monetization method?

        Also what kind of opt-in page / form do you recommend for most effective conversion. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

        In addition I was thinking about having the affiliate relationships with my favorite internet marketing services that are essential like web hosting or list building. I can teach list building on the web and offer my affiliate link in exchange for the free training and recommendation. This also would promote the free webinar which in turn would also promote the premium coaching program that will only be offered to a limited number of clients.

        Your comment about conversion really hit home here. I really believe in offering incredible value to all my prospects and customers. I am very strict on quality and would never put something out that doesn't truly help people to move forward and succeed. While I don't yet have a separate list for buyers since I haven't had any sales yet, I do have a list for prospects. Once my first program launches, I will start a separate list for buyers.

        With regards to tracking, I use google analytics and alexa.

        About the advertising, I was actually offered $100 in credit from Google Adwords and I had $100 in credits from GoDaddy. I will learn more about that and will start testing it.

        I currently have $200 monthly budget starting out with things like hosting already paid.

        I was thinking about getting a good virtual assistant to help boost content and help out on the marketing and research side of things.

        Thanks.
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        • Profile picture of the author alphalife
          Mike,

          I actually spent quite a bit of time researching my demographic which consist mostly of men from the ages of 18 - 34 who are looking to start their own business online but are overwhelmed by the massive amount of information out there. Often times they don't know where to begin and need a plan on where it's best to get started and put their ideas into actionable milestones. This demographic is well educated, the majority consisting of recent graduates who are looking to start their business after coping with a difficult job market. This person's biggest problem is the lack of planning and experience that often makes starting a business difficult. They are often intimidated by the many forms of monetization and have a hard time focusing on just one thing because a lot of information is widely available and often free, creating information overload.

          The only competition I can think of is frank kern. There is also a guy on this forum selling a WSO. Frank charges 10,000 dollars for his program, this individual is charging 500 and it is less coaching intensive then the program I am working on.

          Plus it is different in format but I do think people will be able to learn and gain benefits from both.

          Usually the 200 dollar price point is reasonable for my niche and is a reasonable investment, especially since it can be billed in two separate transactions monthly or with a 7 day trial before charging the full amount.

          They will want to choose me for several reasons:

          1. I am committing to helping them succeed thus I will work with each student as long as they have the drive to show up and reach out.

          2. I will create a ton of value for every client and offer personalized support both via email and skype.

          3. I am more cost efficient which is an important thing for people starting up.

          4. I guarantee you will have your branding and logo, website , a solid 1 year strategy, marketing plan, social media profiles, and mailing list with all opt-ins after the conclusion of my course. Of course this guarantee will only apply to those with perfect attendance and for those who take action.

          5. The value of my program is far greater than 200 bucks but because it's my first program I am willing to over deliver and at the same time under charge. Testimonial here is very important to me.

          6. My ratio will be a strict 15:1 training webinars, teleseminars with 1:1 coaching hour available via skype and email on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

          I don't know if I would be able to afford to give away 75 percent with a live program like thus especially since I can only accept 45 people into the program due to my ratio restriction. I just want to make sure that this program changes peoples lives and gets them off the ground thus I feel like an affiliate program may be more appropriate for the recorded version of this program.

          I should note that I understand and greatly value the power of a mailing list especially of buying customers. I fully intend to use affiliate promotions for all my recorded programs, digital content, and audio books.

          Thanks for all your advice.

          BTW, I checked out your site and really like it. Do you mind if I add your site to my blogroll?

          All The best.

          Originally Posted by Mike Hill View Post

          Yep, that's a few questions... LOL

          Before we get to any of this do you know who your ideal customer is? Do you have your niche narrowed down far enough to know exactly who your marketing message will address?

          I'll put it this way... If you were to write a headline to single out just one person who would that one person be? What age would they be? What is their biggest problem?

          As far as your price point goes, can your prospect afford that amount and if so what are other options they could choose besides you coaching program? What makes them want to choose you?

          Figure out the answers to these questions first.

          Next is your giveaway... Continue to offer the book but also create a separate landing page offering your free webinars and trial to your program. Then I would promote it using solo advertising!

          You can also setup your affiliate program and get your competitors to become your affiliates for 75% of the profits they refer. They will be promoting the free webinars and may even be able to join you live on the webinar and help you present it. They get 75% of the sales that turn into paying customers.

          Most people don't want to give up that much of the profits but they don't realize they are building a list of buyers and their next product they can keep 100%...
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  • Profile picture of the author lindafulkerson
    Starting an authority blog is a huge undertaking. I wrote a post that covered my personal blogging system and I've taught this system to several clients. The first thing I do is set up a Google Home Page and pull in the RSS feeds of related blogs so I can easily keep up with trends & topics and get ideas for blog posts. I also only write two days per week and use the post scheduler to publish the posts.

    Here's a link to the post about the blogging system: Developing a Blogging System | On Blogging Well

    I don't maintain that blog any more, but it still gets over 4000 visitors per month and I've grown an active list from it, so putting a lot of effort into your blog can be worth it.
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    Blog Coach | Social Media Manager | Learn about Blogging -- OnBloggingWell.com

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    • Profile picture of the author mudskippa
      I hear you Alpha - I'm thinking of buying shares in Kenco and Red Bull. Now THAT would make me some good money.

      It's strange because I never started out thinking I would have to get involved in IM so intensely. I am not in the 'IM' business, far from it. But yes I need to be an authority. And the internet is just too huge to ignore in positioning yourself. I have had a very steep learning curve.

      When I have days where I feel tired and a bit drained, I remember WHY I'm doing all this. It's more about my passion than anything else. Keep in mind why you're doing this and mix it up if you can to stop feeling drained. I do a bit of bloging, a bit of backlinking, a bit of SEO work and all the while I'm writing two books and planning a speech - which is more what I REALLY want to be doing.

      Yeah i'm not into the tecchy stuff but i started out with NO money so I had to learn a bit of web development and IM. It'll all be worth it in the end to get my message out there and help people. Eyes on the prize! Enough gabbing. Back to work for me, lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author Micronichedude
    Relax, and take it easy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author fin
      Why do you need $3000 dollars per month?

      Can you not cut it down?

      If you can cut it down to the basics, you could save up enough to last you 6-12 months and quit your job.
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  • Profile picture of the author Maui Mike
    I will reflect what many have posted. You NEED a business plan...period. Almost every single successful person on this planet will tell you so, a good business plan was a MAIN key to their success.

    Plan a full year, break it down into 3 months, monthy, weekly, then daily. Prioritize your list(s) and your production will skyrocket.

    Goodluck in your journey!

    ~MC

    PS~ Outsource what you are not good or don't enjoy. Iwriter, is a great place for your articles.
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  • Profile picture of the author Maui Mike
    One more thing. Stay away from redbull and similar drinks. That stuff is crap and the crash is way worse on your health and mind frame than it's benefits.

    Eat good healthy food, plenty of filtered water and a little exercise out in mother nature's full glory and you will have all the GOOD workflow energy you need.
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  • Profile picture of the author Keith Coppuck
    Hi, I think you need to re-think your approach. If outsourcing give out a trial article, once you find a good writer look after them. Take time out for some fresh air and a little exercise, if you have an exercise bike or similar just do a 3 minute thrash to get your heart racing and drink plenty of water and then some more! Finally make fixed achievable but stretch goals, perhaps break your articles down to more shorter articles. Outsourcing can be successful :-) Take it easy, cheers Keith
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr.Daydream
    As far as fiverr tasks are concerned, I would suggest you look at sites like odesk or elance because they have people who are willing to do tasks for a lot cheaper, and it is easier for you to make sure that you are getting quality
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