I've written about this month's subject before but I
think it's worth mentioning again and hope it will be
worth reading for you!
I'm not the most egotistical person in the world. I
don't let people walk all over me but in a roomful of
people I certainly wouldn't be the one you noticed
first.
This is why internet marketing suits me perfectly. I
don't have to push my opinions in a boardroom or even
have to walk around a seminar stage giving a high
paying audience the benefit of my wisdom (although I
was recently offered a very nice deal to speak in South
Africa)
And I think there's a missed market here.
One prominent UK marketer is almost evangelistic about his opinion
that you MUST develop a network of JV partners and
'buddies' to make a decent living online.
And I don't think that's true. I first got into
internet marketing because I wanted to work for myself
with no interference from anyone else.
The set up here isn't exactly
like that but works pretty well.
I think that anyone (if they want to) can operate on
their own and still make very good money in internet
marketing.
You don't NEED JV partners if you have a decent mailing
list yourself.
Strangely enough when you DO have a
decent list you'll find that people approach you asking
for Joint Ventures and then you can choose whether or
not to accept.
Now I undertake JV's from time to time - in fact
there's a very good one in the pipeline that I'll tell
you about when and if it happens (I reckon about 40% of
all JV's that are started are never finished)
But I chose to do it because it's good for me and my
subscribers.
The obviously point is I don't NEED to do them so I can
cherry pick. Great situation to be in .
But I've also sat at my computer in the early days
extremely worried because all my JV offers were going
either unanswered or getting refused. Actually you're
quite lucky as an inexperienced marketer if you even
get a refusal - most marketers don't even bother to
answer, which could be argued is understandable if you get a
shedful of JV emails every day?
But I remember what's it like when everyone tells you
you MUST get JV's or your world will cave in.
I'd say forget it.
At least until
your business is more established.
You'll waste loads of time and effort tying to nail
JV's that won't happen in a million years. That big
guru isn't going to JV with you unless there's
something HUGE in it for him, and if you're a newbie
then that's not likely to be the case.
Even well-known marketers often have to offer 100% (yep
- ALL of it) commission to supergurus just to mail
their lists about a product.
Of course once that's done they are perceived to be in
the 'inner circle' and can capitalize on it from there,
but is it really worth
it?
By all means give it a go - contact gurus and try any
means to get a JV. Why not?
But do it with a light hearted attitude and don't sweat
it if nothing happens. At the same time spend all that
energy and time building your list so you don't NEED
JV's.
You can make a good living from a list of 1000 people.
Most people assume this means sending a sales email
every week selling something, but that's absolutely the
wrong way to treat your subscribers if you want to do
this full-time.
'Making a good living from your list' means treating
them with respect. You can get away with blasting them
with sales emails for a while. I reckon you could do 4
months before you had to go begging your boss for your
old job back.
If you help your subscribers and treat them well you'll
make more money.
And guess what? As well as making sales you'll find
that your rep will spread and more people will come
looking for your products, but also they'll be happy to
act as affiliates for your products, offer testimonials
and (yet again) JV with you.
Obviously this takes some time, but building a list
doesn't. And once you got 500 people on your list
create a product and mail them asking if they want to
buy it. This is an incredibly scary thing the first
time you do it, but do it you must if you want to be a
full time IMer.
How do I know?
Because I sign up for other people's lists - and not
just because I want to 'keep an eye on them' - I do it
because I buy their products.
We bought DLGuard from the incredibly helpful Sam
Stephens, (and actually received a free update
today). Should he decide to launch more software this year I'm
pretty sure I'll buy it if it helps my business.
I signed up for a free newsletter about sailing,
enjoyed the monthly info then happily bought a book
they recommended as an affiliate. As a marketer I know
all the 'tricks' - the free newsletter, then the sales
email offering the book. They didn't even cloak the
affiliate link because most sailors just want the
book and don't know what a hoplink is.
I subscribe a quite a few lists - seeds (gardening),
sustainable living, cheap flights etc
They're all marketers and they all use the same sort of
system - offer a free report or free info to sign up to
their list. Then send a regular update or newsletter
interspersed with sales emails for products.
There's no con - I buy pretty regularly because they're
offering products I like or want.
Internet marketing is the same, so why feel as though
you're somehow 'conning' people into making a sale?
You're providing helpful, needed or interesting info
that people love to buy from you.
I say forget the JV obsession that most new marketers seem
to get fixated on and shove all your time into building
a list.
Offer quality free info to get people onto your list -
ideally of a quality that YOU would happily pay for.
Then send the regular updates/info in the shape of a
newsletter or non salesy emails.
Then from time to time offer them a product. Ask them
if they'd like to promote your products for a
percentage too.
And when the others in your niche see how you're
getting a great rep through honest, caring marketing,
they'll bang on your door for JV's
At this point you can decide whether you want to JV
with them, and the best bit of course, is that you've
built up a self-sufficient business.
More next time
Sara
x
================================================ Newsletter / Copyright Info
================================================
IMPORTANT - You may use this newsletter how you wish but it must be
left intactand all links and articles included. You may not
separate articles
to use.
=====================================================
US
Contact:
Laycock Publishing Limited, International Parcel Services, 14350 60th
St North, Suite 976, Clearwater FL. 33760
UK Contact: Laycock Publishing Limited, Northbridge House, Elm
Street Business Park, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 1PD, UNITED KINGDOM
