How I Get Business and Article Ideas

December 19th, 2008 Comments Off

It’s so easy to spend hours at the computer working with what I do – writing and internet marketing. But there is one thing that I learned – if I spend too much time at it, I plateau. No new ideas, losing my gusto for the ideas I do have… In order to get fresh material I need to get out into the world. This is something I still need to work on. Here are some things I enjoy:

Fitness. I make time each day to go to the gym. Three days a week I go to my tae kwon do class. The other two or three days a week I spend doing cardio. I also walk with a weighted backpack throughout the week whenever I feel like it to get in shape for hiking. And I also hike on the weekends.

Foraging. This is one of my biggest hobbies. I’m an herbalist so I like to get out there in the woods and in chemical free lawns and go nuts. I have chickweed growing under my water faucet, lambs quarters growing in some of my flower pots, and there are dandelions all over the place. It’s satisfying knowing that my lunch was fresh picked and come from outside.

Arts and crafts. I want to learn how to draw. I love crochet. I tinker with soft pastels. I even enjoy coloring. I can’t even remember the last time I completed a craft project. It’s been at least a year.

Books. I love to read but I don’t do enough of it. So today I think I am heading to the book store to see what’s new in the literary world and see if I can find some new magazines to query.

Music. I love to sing, I want to learn guitar, and I’m always listening to music. The great thing about this is I can listen to music while working. But I can only listen to classical and downtempo (bistro music) while working otherwise I’ll just be tempted to sing or dance. So I need to make time for musical pursuits beyond that.

Cooking. I love cooking. It has been SO LONG since I hit the kitchen and followed a new recipe. Food writing is also a great joy. It’s been over a year since I’ve had any food articles published.

This is a good jumping off point and I see the potential for some niche sites and blogs in here. What kinds of things do you guys enjoy? Can you turn any of them into any business ideas or articles?

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How to Tell People You’re a Writer

December 18th, 2008 3 Comments

When I first started out as a freelance writer, I had a hard time telling people what I did for a living. Looking back on that time, I have no idea why. I’ve learned that if I speak confidently about what I do, people will respond to that confidence. When I faltered people would stare at me, waiting for more information. My family members constantly told me to get a “real” job.

I Was in the Hot Seat!

A few months ago I saw a comedy show and I was in the hot seat. You know, that seat where some poor sap answers the comedian’s questions. When asked, “What do you do for a living?” I said, “Writer.” Of course, he made fun of that a little bit. He said, “It’s complete sentence day for the writer in the room.” It was funny and I didn’t care. People weren’t laughing at me and my profession. They were laughing at the comedian’s joke. That’s a difference I wouldn’t have made when I was first starting out.

Learning to Say “I am a writer”

So if you’re a beginner, how do you get to that point? For me, it was a gradual change. As I become comfortable in what I was doing and as I had deadlines and other things to keep me busy, I had no problem telling people about what I did as a living. And it is this confidence that helped me land new jobs.

I’ve thought long and hard about how I can help people get that confidence. So I’ve put together a short list of tips and techniques you can try. It’s better to practice this from the beginning of your career. The sooner you gain confidence in your abilities, the easier it will be to reach your personal goals.

  • Say, “I’m a writer” to everyone who asks. Don’t stutter or elaborate. Leave it at that unless people ask you questions.
  • When people ask where they can see your work, point them to your website.
  • Get business cards printed that say you’re a writer. Include your website URL.
  • If you don’t have a website, get one for free at blogger.com, wordpress.com, or any of the other free sites.

And that’s it. That’s all you need. You’re not out to prove to these people that you’re a writer. You’re simply telling them. Too many writers turn those innocent questions into a defense. Remember, it’s not proof people are after – they’re simply curious.

If you don’t want to spend money on business cards, try Vista Print. You get 250 free cards that are high quality. They have over 40 templates to choose from if you get the free version. You can pay for add-ons, but you don’t need to do that. Stick with the free version and you’ll have a card that is professional enough to advertise what you do for a living. :)


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How to Be Successful With Internet Marketing – FOCUS!

December 17th, 2008 1 Comment

One thing I’ve found is that discipline is important to finding success and this doesn’t exclude internet marketing.  It can be frustrating – especially when you work on something nonstop with little to show for it. Well, I used to simply give up and move on to something else.

This is just about the worst thing I could do. Instead, it is much better to keep working and focus on one thing and make that successful before moving on to something else.

How Do You Know You’re Not Just Spinning Your Wheels?

Let’s say you have been working on something nonstop for several months and have very little to show for it. How do you know if your efforts have been worthwhile or if you are just spinning your wheels? Unfortunately, you don’t  know for sure.

The best way to figure it out is to try several different things. For example, if you choose to monetize your blog, you may want to try several different affiliate programs. Once you start making sales, focus on promoting the ones that have been successful.

Focus Really Does Work

Case in point: 90% of last month’s income came from one source. It is something I had been working on for the past year. In October and November, everything finally clicked. I want you to see the same kind of success.

It’s all too easy to get distracted. My advice to you would be to find one thing that you want to do. Do you have a blog? Monetize it, write blog posts, and promote it. Set an income goal. Don’t move on to anytihng else until your blog reaches that goal. Focused effort will breed success.

Focus on One Really Good Resource or Method

My advice to you would be to find one really good resource. For affiliate marketing, my favorite is the Super Affiliate Handbook which focuses on affiliate marketing. Ros makes at least $50,000 each month on affiliate marketing, so she knows her stuff.

Other methods you can use include the Bum Marketing Method, finding clients for a freelance writing business, or writing eBooks and selling them for a profit. Remember that no matter what you do, you should not fall into the trap of trying several things at once. Make this your motto: Focus Builds Success. :)

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Affiliate Marketing Method to Try – Fun and Easy Way to Get Started

December 14th, 2008 2 Comments

Are you just getting started in affiliate marketing and internet marketing? If so, it can seem overwhelming on where to start.

At the Warrior Forum and in ebooks and special reports that I read, one thing that I’ve noticed is that everyone who’s ever made money at this has come up with some sort of method, or routine, that they follow. And I’ve seen A LOT of these “little routines”.

The nice thing about them, is that you can set it up using free websites. I’ll come up with one right now that’s simple and that you can use.

  1. Choose a product. Go to clickbank.com or commissionjunction.com and sign up. Choose a product that looks like something you’d enjoy promoting.
  2. Research keywords. I use either http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com or google’s keyword tool. Or, I just come up with keywords that make sense and search for them in google to see if things actually come up.
  3. Make a lens. If you haven’t signed up for Squidoo yet, do so right now. This is my favorite tool and it’s free… Before my favorite affiliate program ceased to exist, I was making at least $60 each month from that one alone.
  4. Article marketing. Now, choose five-ten keywords are write 5-10 articles of around 400 words in the same niche subject as your lens. Submit them to ezinearticles.com and put the lens URL for the product to get traffic to your lens.
  5. Submit articles. Rewrite the articles slightly or just resubmit them to Associated Content as “non-exclusive” to potentially get paid even more for having written them. Do the same with Constant Content, making sure that you don’t select unique rights because they aren’t available – you’ve already published the article.
  6. Rinse and repeat. Repeat this each time you find a cool program to promote.

Let me know if you try this! Think about all the things you can do to promote affiliate programs. Come up with a simple method of your own, or just use this one. Tell me how you did.

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Online Success – I’m Being Pulled in Different Directions!

December 13th, 2008 4 Comments

My brain comes up with ideas faster than I can execute them. That’s why I never relate to the idea of writer’s block. That’s also why it is hard for me to help someone through a bout of writer’s block. I call this my idea flood. And while it may seem like a blessing (in many ways it truly is) it can also hold me back.

You see, I often feel frozen because I can’t figure out what to do next. I need to literally force myself to either let an idea go, or put it on a list and tend to it when (or if) I ever get to it. I also need to resist the urge to jump from one idea to another. In order for something to be successful, it needs to be nurtured. I won’t get articles published in magazines if I only send out two queries and move on to something else. This blog won’t become successful if write a few posts and then ignore it for months. Things need to be nurtured.

So now, I see myself at a crossroads. My client work has been reduced down to next to nothing – on purpose, of course. I simply feel like it is my time to apply all that I learned as a ghost writer to my own business. I want to write an ebook and actually get the credit and the earnings! It’s selfish, I know. But a career built on deadlines is stressful and stress makes me unproductive.

That’s where I stand now. I’ve learned the power of sticking with it as I am starting to see success on the revenue sharing sites I am involved with. Right now, my focus is on Squidoo and turning that into a viable income stream.

Focus. Determination. Stubbornness. Those are the three words that seem to be the most helpful. I think of them every day. If it weren’t for these, I would be working in an office somewhere – likely worried about my job because the economy has tanked.

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How to Get More Traffic to your Blog or Website

December 12th, 2008 2 Comments

I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this one. Have you ever signed up for something that you THOUGHT would bring in a substantial amount of traffic… only to realize that you may be lucky if it brings in one new reader a day.

I’ve been there.

I’ve signed up for social sites, participated in forums and discussions, done article marketing, used social bookmarking. Some of these things have worked for me, and some haven’t.

That’s why it’s important to keep track of your stats. I use statcounter – it’s a free tool that has served me well and meets my needs for the moment. The important thing is to try one new thing for bringing in traffic at a time so you can track and see whether or not it’s working. Things that have been successful for me:

  • Article marketing
  • Squidoo lenses – Links coming in from my lenses
  • StumbleUpon – I stumble my best posts
  • Warrior Forum – I have my website in the signature
  • Other Blogs – when I comment, I leave my website URL

Some people have had success with other techniques, such as link exchanges and Pay Per Click campaigns. I’ve tried other things that haven’t worked – such as paying attention to my Facebook account and visiting other forums. Those ended up being time wasters, but there was no way to know that going in. It was only after I started tracking the stats that I figured it out.

I haven’t tried PPC yet, but it’s on my agenda. What traffic generating techniques work for you?

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Being Successful Online is About Knowledge and Discipline

December 7th, 2008 2 Comments

When I first started out, it took me a while to learn that discipline is one of the success secrets. Even now that I’ve learned my lesson, it still can be hard to focus. For example, it is really sunny out and I would love nothing more than to shut the computer down and go outside.

I can be easily distracted. I often think about other business opportunities I can pursue or other internet marketing methods to follow. For example, with Christmas coming up, I’ve entertained the idea of starting a handmade chocolate business. I’ve even considered GPT programs, MLM schemes,  mystery shopping, and even paid surveys.

But I do know what works – and that’s making money with blogging, internet marketing, and writing. I’ve tried other things and they haven’t been as enjoyable to me as those three things.

In the end, I return to the task at hand – to learn how to make money online through affiliate marketing the right way. Building a proper business online can be a fairly slow process.

If I jump from project to project before anything gets completed, I’ll never see the success I want. I’m using the Super Affiliate Handbook to help me learn. In addition, I use these tips to help keep me motivated.

So how do I stay focused?

  • Set my timer for ten minute intervals
  • Resist the urge to get up, surf online, and even do housework
  • Schedule time each day to handle other tasks, such as going laundry or washing dishes. Otherwise I’ll just get up to do housework all the time.
  • Give myself time to relax – I can’t work all the time!
  • Set clear goals so that I can know what I want to accomplish.
  • Make a daily to-do list that is in line with my goals.

After having my own business for the last few years, I’ve finally learned enough tricks to keep my attention on my business and not on distractions!

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Making Money Online is About Doing the RIGHT Things

December 4th, 2008 Comments Off

I’ve been online for several years – first as a writer – now as a writer/internet marketer. I’ve made plenty of mistakes – and I keep on making them! And yes, I’ve done some things right, too. So I thought I’d take the time to reflect on what I’ve learned over the past year or so since I made the transition into internet marketing.

  • Start building a list right away. It’s an excellent way to communicate with your readers. It doesn’t even need to be complicated – just an update over what’s going on in your blog or website will do the trick.
  • Always specify a tracking ID when using Clickbank. At first, I didn’t. Now, a product I promoted a while back is starting to see some sales, and I don’t even remember where my content page is where I put the links! I started right away with Commission Junction but I’ve been making more sales with Clickbank products lately.
  • Pick one thing and stick with it. I’ve spent at least the past three months trying something and not sticking it out. Pick SOMETHING and stick with it. Lately I’ve been “going back to basics” and learning about starting an affiliate business from the bottom up. I’ve been reading the Super Affiliate Handbook to help me get there. I’ve read a ton of ebooks about successful internet marketing, but none of them have been this comprehensive. Rosalind Gardner even outlines how to set up the organizational system behind the business.
  • Stick with my passions. I knew something was wrong when I started a blog on “How to Save Money on Gas” and I got so bored, I stopped posting to it. The research into the topic indicated that it would be a good market to promote. I just had no desire to write the content required to back the topic up. I believe that people can tell if you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing and they respond to that. And, the last thing I want is to have a J.O.B at home when I have full control over what I do
  • Start a website right away. I am having a lot more fun with this blog than I ever had with my free blogger blogs. There’s something about having your own site … It’s much like having your own house as opposed to renting an apartment. The sad thing is, I had this domain reserved for well over a year before I did anything with it.
  • I went with the wrong web host at first. I started off using a hosting company that I didn’t end up liking. They were expensive, their service wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, the customer service was frustrating. I made the switch over to Hostgator and have been much happier.
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Selfish Writing in 15 Minutes a Day – Creative Writing Exercises

December 3rd, 2008 Comments Off

Yes, I blog. I write articles. But I’m talking about fiction, creative non fiction, poetry – that kind of thing. I write most of the day, but it has been a long time since I’ve actually done the kind of writing that a literary publication would pick up.

I love all forms of writing. Blogging has been my most recent favorite. But what I’m finding is that I can’t ignore that part of me that enjoys writing essays and poetry and stories… I need to keep that in my life somehow.

This is my pact. Each day, I will make it a point to write in my journal. I even bothered to buy a small one that I can keep in my purse. And I’ll write whatever I want in it – the beginning of a story, a poem, an essay. I’ll go through it every now and then and develop the works into something more, if they want to be taken in that direction.

And why not? What do I really have to lose? And fifteen really isn’t that much. I can surely commit to that, right?

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How to Write a Winning Resume – Resume Writing Secrets

December 1st, 2008 2 Comments

Most people just through together a resume as an afterthought. They list their contact information, the type of job they wish to do, and some basic information about previous jobs. But if they want to have an edge in the marketplace, this is a not a good approach.

A good resume should be used as a sales tool. It’s what basically convinces the potential employer whether or not they want to hire you. If you create something that doesn’t sparkle, you won’t even get a call for an interview.

WHAT IS A RESUME?

If you learn to see the resume for what it is – a sales tool that is designed to convince the potential employer of your worth – it will be a lot easier to write one that does it’s job. Now, that doesn’t mean that you need to use annoying “sales-y” tactics to get the job done. Just remember that it’s acceptable and expected to toot your own horn. You will not look conceited, you’ll look competent.

WHAT GOES IN A RESUME?

There are a few basic elements that go into a resume. Most resumes should be 1-2 pages long. If yours is any more than two pages, you’ll need to condense it. Keep in mind that most people don’t look beyond the first page anyway. Keep the font simple – I typically use Times New Roman 12 point for mine.

The basic format is as follows:

Name and contact information. Make sure to list where people can reach you.

Education. List your high school, undergraduate school, graduate school, as well as the degrees you earned at the schools.

Experience. List your former jobs, their contact information, and what your role was there.

Additional information. This is where you list your skills, any hobbies you feel are relevant to the position, and any awards you may have one.

TYPES OF RESUMES

The information that goes into a resume is basically the same. But, there are different kinds of resumes out there. The difference between them is how this information is arranged. Think about the kind of job you are applying for and the type of experience you’ve had. Choose the resume that best highlights that experience.

Chronological. This type lists your experience in chronological order. That means that the most current job you’ve had will be first.

Functional. A functional resume is designed to highlight your skills. So, if you have managerial experience, you’d list that as a category and then all the positions you’ve had that illustrate that. You can list jobs under more than one category.

3. Combination. The combination resume combines the two types. You list your experience chronologically and at the same time highlight your skills.

DO YOU NEED A RESUME IF YOU’RE SELF EMPLOYED?

The answer is yes. I have one. I use it to apply for blogging and freelance writing jobs I find on Craigslist. I don’t use all the categories. Instead of listing former jobs, I talk about the publications that I have work in. I also list my websites and blogs as well as my skills. The nice thing about a resume for the self employed is that you can use the categories you need and even create categories.

FIND A GOOD TEMPLATE

One last tip. Use a template. My first resume was a disaster. Then, I decided to revise it by looking for templates. I used Word.

If you have Word search in their template database. I searched for “writer resumes” in their database and pulled up something that I use now. They have a bunch of professions listed and you can format it and adjust it for your needs. Made my life so much easier.

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