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Newbie with some IM experience

by Argo
10 replies
Hello!

I just joined the forum (after months of reading it - really great resource). Not sure if my situation is standard, but here it is. Last 7+ years I worked for different IM agencies - provided services such as SEO, PPC, web analytics, etc. On side I built a couple of own websites which make about $100/month on AdSense. Have some experience with web-design/development (HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL), web usability (building landing pages, etc), email marketing.

At this point I'm looking for a way to build stable income and, as result, leave 9-5 job. Where do you think I should focus? Affiliate marketing? Drop shipping? Other ideas? Should I find a mentor? I have just 3-5 hours a day outside of job. Also, want to stay away from providing services. I would really appreciate any advice.

Thank you!
#experience #newbie
  • Profile picture of the author sonnt
    I think you should find a mentor. But before finding him/her, you must have your target market to focus on. It depends on you!
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  • Profile picture of the author martimoney
    Two words "list building." Research the threads here regarding the building of your own list.
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    3 step guide to ensure you never get burned again purchasing a solo ad!
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    • Profile picture of the author mfarg
      Originally Posted by martimoney View Post

      Two words "list building." Research the threads here regarding the building of your own list.
      I agree. Whatever you do, make sure you are building a list. There are so many ways to make money with a decent list.

      Here's a quick action plan:
      1) Pick an evergreen niche.
      2) Put together an enticing freebie that anyone in that niche would want.
      3) Build a simple squeeze page that "sells" your freebie and gets your visitors to trade their name and email address for your freebie.
      4) Create a backend one time offer (OTO) to sell to your opt-ins.
      5) Write a few emails for your autoresponder series to send to your list. Have at least a 2-1 ratio of valuable info to promotions.
      6) Send traffic to your squeeze page.
      7) Check conversions and change as needed.
      8) Treat your list like you would want to be treated (don't send them too much, make them happy to see an email from you)
      9) Rinse and repeat
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      • Profile picture of the author mfarg
        Originally Posted by mfarg View Post

        I agree. Whatever you do, make sure you are building a list. There are so many ways to make money with a decent list.

        Here's a quick action plan:
        1) Pick an evergreen niche.
        2) Put together an enticing freebie that anyone in that niche would want.
        3) Build a simple squeeze page that "sells" your freebie and gets your visitors to trade their name and email address for your freebie.
        4) Create a backend one time offer (OTO) to sell to your opt-ins.
        5) Write a few emails for your autoresponder series to send to your list. Have at least a 2-1 ratio of valuable info to promotions.
        6) Send traffic to your squeeze page.
        7) Check conversions and change as needed.
        8) Treat your list like you would want to be treated (don't send them too much, make them happy to see an email from you)
        9) Rinse and repeat
        As for #5, I mean a few weeks of emails. Set them to go out every two or three days. Make your emails very relational. Become their friend and gain their trust.
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        • Profile picture of the author Argo
          Originally Posted by mfarg View Post

          As for #5, I mean a few weeks of emails. Set them to go out every two or three days. Make your emails very relational. Become their friend and gain their trust.
          Thank you for detailed information!
          Questions:
          - What is the best way to drive traffic to the opt-in page (with freebie)? SEO? PPC? Other?
          - In regards to building own product... What would work better - tangible product or intangible (ebook, video course, etc)?
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          • Profile picture of the author mfarg
            Originally Posted by Argo View Post

            Thank you for detailed information!
            Questions:
            - What is the best way to drive traffic to the opt-in page (with freebie)? SEO? PPC? Other?
            - In regards to building own product... What would work better - tangible product or intangible (ebook, video course, etc)?
            The best way to drive traffic will depend on your resources. IMO, solo ads are the best way to start. Find a marketer or ezine publisher with a list that matches your niche/product. You can find solos listed on WF. Just make sure you get someone reputable as there are some charlatans. Also, don't get someone who sends out multiple offers a day. You want to be the only one that day (or even two or three days). A solo ad run will help you see if you have a winner - (converting offer).

            If your offer converts and you get some takers on your OTO, then ramp it up with PPCs and other types of paid traffic.

            As for SEO, you obviously have some experience there and I'm not an SEO expert, but I don't see being able to rank a squeeze page very easily. The only way I could see to do it would be for low comp keywords and have standard squeeze above the fold and then do keyword rich text below.

            If you want to go the SEO route, it would be better to do a keyword rich site and then have an opt-in banner and/or light box with your offer. That way you could get SEO traffic via an optimized site and get opt-ins. The problem is that you will probably get far lower conversions this way because people generally don't opt-in on regular pages as often.

            Of course, you can do both by setting up an optimized site with opt ins and having a hidden squeeze page you send paid traffic to.

            As for products, that depends on you and your target buyers. What really matters is that your product fits your target buyer. If your product solves their problems. it won't matter what format it is. They will buy it so long as it's priced right. That said, I think videos work well because we are such a visual society. Digital products are obviously easier to produce and have less logistics involved.

            I do know of some marketers who like to do physical products and say they convert better because people like to get something. Personally, I haven't gotten into physical products. If you go that route, you'll probably want to outsource production and delivery. I think Amazon has a division that can handle that kind of thing.

            Hope this helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author Resale Rights Ninja
    In an nutshell: build a list, create your own products and then recruit affiliates to sell those products.
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    • Profile picture of the author lindamriana
      why do not you do a test of some of your work, then you focus on the best income.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    Originally Posted by Argo View Post

    Hello!

    I just joined the forum (after months of reading it - really great resource). Not sure if my situation is standard, but here it is. Last 7+ years I worked for different IM agencies - provided services such as SEO, PPC, web analytics, etc. On side I built a couple of own websites which make about $100/month on AdSense. Have some experience with web-design/development (HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL), web usability (building landing pages, etc), email marketing.

    At this point I'm looking for a way to build stable income and, as result, leave 9-5 job. Where do you think I should focus? Affiliate marketing? Drop shipping? Other ideas? Should I find a mentor? I have just 3-5 hours a day outside of job. Also, want to stay away from providing services. I would really appreciate any advice.

    Thank you!
    You should have to concern just about "Affiliate marketing".
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  • Profile picture of the author phil838
    Originally Posted by Argo View Post

    I built a couple of own websites which make about $100/month on AdSense.
    If you've successfully built adsense sites in the past when why don't you continue to do so? If you can make a couple that bring in $100 each per month, then over time you can build 50 that make $5000 per month.

    I do understand that it would take a lot of time to build these sites and wait for them to start making money, but you can sell some of your sites on Flippa after they start making a dollar per day. You can sell a $1-per-day site for around $300 on Flippa.

    Make sites like crazy, sell half on Flippa to make money faster, and keep the other half as a long-term adsense strategy.
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