Work at Home Resources, Tips, Jobs, Scams, Discussion and Services

What Kind of Tipper Are You?

Gayla — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:23:38 +0000

Years ago, I remember reading a great little tip from my friend Char on alternatives to placing Google Ads on the front page of a multi-topic blog. That post is no longer available, but I’ve never forgotten the lesson I walked away with.

One comment stood out and really stuck with me – while not verbatim, the comment was something like:

Keeping ads off the front page gives people who hate ads a chance to read your front page without leaving instantly, and if they like the content they may stay anyway.

Granted, as a former waitress and bartender — I know those people are out there and most likely they’re the ones that leave a $2.00 tip on an $80.00 tab.

For the longest time I took advantage of the enormous amount of information the internet provided. I’m constantly amazed that at the end of my fingertips I have an endless supply of helpful advice, tips and support and I acted as if they were all just whipping this information out, hand-over-fist, JUST FOR ME!

It wasn’t until I began working from home, developing my own sites and blogs and supporting my family with the money I make from these efforts, that I truly began to APPRECIATE other webmasters and bloggers for the amazing amount of time and energy they put into bringing their valuable resources to the web.

I think it’s easy to tell when someone takes their work online seriously and I’d hate to think that the $2.00 tipper is benefiting from the efforts of my favorite bloggers and webmasters only to go on badmouthing them for the “ADS” that appear on their sites.

I always try to make it a habit to visit the SPONSORS of the blogs I SUBSCRIBE to as a way of leaving an appropriate tip for the services they are providing. And even more, if I’m looking to make a purchase online – I purposely seek out affiliate links of friends to make my purchase through. My thoughts are – I’m not losing anything by clicking their links and if someone can make a few bucks off my purchase, Why NOT?

Maybe it’s the waitress/bartender in me from years ago!

My Question for YOU:

I am curious though as to how some of you feel about ads on websites? Do you visit your favorite bloggers sponsors? Do you utilize their links to sign up under them for programs that you enroll in?

What are some of the efforts you make to keep your favorite bloggers blogging by supporting their efforts?

Can a blog be successful without a name or face?

Gayla — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:22:40 +0000

While combing through many of my favorite celebrity gossip blogs this morning, it occurred to me just how little I actually know about some of the writers on my favorite blogs.

As I began looking for an ‘ABOUT PAGE’ I further realized that I’d grown to enjoy the gossipy goodness they’ve delivered for several months without giving any consideration to who is actually writing all that juicy gossip.

On the other hand, when it comes to sources of information that pertain to my primary sources of income, I seem to have a bit of a double standard. I want and NEED to know WHERE the information comes from.

I’m actually beginning to feel like one of those ‘dads’ that has one set of rules for their teen daughter and one set for their teen son. You know the kind I’m talking about!

Typically I’m one of those bloggers that heads straight for the ABOUT PAGE — but I only do that when it comes to topics on MONTETIZING or MARKETING. I suppose having that glimpse of a REAL person makes their tips and ideas a bit more believable.

Oh, I know it COULD be a fake picture, name and bio, but still, it’s providing me with a ‘PERSON’ that I can relate to.

My QUESTIONS to YOU:

Does it depend on the topic as to whether the blog needs a name and a face?

Are you an about page voyeur like me? Do you always check to see if there’s some offering of reality behind the blog?

Or does it all really even matter?

Valuable Advice for Any Beginning Affiliate Marketer

Gayla — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:35:00 +0000

If I could give only one piece of advice to a beginning affiliate marketer, it would be this: stop the spending. Most oftentimes, new Internet marketers and affiliate product marketers grab up products and software packages left and right.

Whenever they see anything for sale – especially if it’s the next big ticket product – they’ll buy it. They’ll get seduced by the copy; and they’ll whip out their credit cards, buying when they really shouldn’t. So, my advice to you is STOP!

Now, you might protest. You might say that you need the information. You might grumble stuff about needing to spend money in order to make money. But ask yourself where you read lines like that. Did you read them on a sales page? Did you hear them coming from someone who sells the products you’ve recently purchased?

If so, that person was almost definitely saying it to loosen up your wallet. So tighten up your wallet again. Build up a resistance to buying.

Now, many people do not realize this, but the Internet is just brimming over with free information. Much of it is comparable to what you will find in products you might pay $30, $50, or even $100 for. While you might expect to get more from those products – or at least some guarantee to their quality – purchasing them is usually unnecessary – entirely.

In most cases, 90% of people who purchase these E-books skim them, consider incorporating a few new interesting ideas into their business models – but, for the most part, ignore the bulk of the text and go on their merry way.

If this is what you do with these E-books, too, (and it probably is), then your wallet would be better served by saving all that cash.

Instead of purchasing E-books you can’t and won’t use, save your money and spend your time getting a first class education from completely free information. If you’re an Internet marketer or affiliate marketer, spend some time on sites such as Problogger.net and the Problogger forum.

Rather than focusing on all sorts of tricks – which have probably never worked once for you – spend your time attempting to improve your current business model, which is likely flawed, but contains many functional elements.

Ask yourself whether there are considerable leakages to your current model that could be improved. For instance, are you tracking all of your advertising efforts? If not, how can you expect to know which ones are successful and which ones are not? Also, are you advertising in every possible place where you could get a decent return? If not, you’re leaving money on the table!

So, rather than consistently shooting for the moon – and spending hundreds of dollars to figure out how to do it – keep that cash in your wallet. Instead, work on slight, but continuous, improvements to your current business model.

This un-sexy approach – slight, but continuous improvements – is precisely what major companies, such as Toyota, have used to continually get better and better, capture a larger market share, and out-compete competitors who are stagnant or are risking too much.

And there you have it – The suggestion I have to any new affiliate marketer is not a “tactic” at all. Instead, I want you to avoid the gimmicks, cut back on unnecessary spending, and focus on your own business model. After all, you know far more about your own business model than any guru does.

So focus on continuous improvement; focus on making more and more affiliate product sales each day; and try to avoid all of the “must have” products. In no time, you’ll be earning what you want.

Good luck and please do share your success stories with us! I love to celebrate with affiliate marketers when they’ve achieved various milestones!

No more whining, bitching, moaning, griping and complaining

Gayla — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:25:49 +0000

The following arrived in my email yesterday via a subscription I have to Darren Hardy of Success Magazine. I thought it made some valuable points to be taken into consideration and thought I’d pass it on.

No more whining, bitching, moaning, griping and complaining.

At a social function recently, 90 percent of the chitchat I heard were whimpers about the economy, how bad Obama is doing and how much the health care plan sucks, ad nauseam.

Finally, I had heard enough and I blurted out, “In the ‘80’s when the economy was booming, did you get rich?”

“Uh, well, no” answered the small crowd’s speaker.

“But Reagan was president and still you didn’t? What about when Clinton was President? He created a big national surplus, certainly you got rich then?”

“If you were standing in the healthcare haven of France right now, as you describe, would you be any healthier than you are now?”

Silence was his answer.

“Look”, I said, “stop worrying about the national economy and focus on your own economy. Don’t worry about who’s running the White House and concern yourself with running your house better. The only health care plan that matters is your health care plan… for you.”

In my observation, it is just as easy to fail in a good economy as it is in a bad one. And it is just as easy to get rich in a bad economy as it is in a good one. Why? Because the economy has nothing to do with it.

I know many good, capable, smart and hardworking people who have been whacked by unexpected consequences of the economic winter we are in. It happens to the best of people even in the best of times.

Instead, start focusing on what you can control, what you can do, what’s possible and what’s great. Note the abundance and opportunity all around you… no matter the national economic report. Just focus on your report… and your life.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, depressed, stressed, defeated or even just uninspired, try this exercise:

1. Make a three-column list.

2. Write down things that are affecting our world, our nation, your state or your business. (Ex.: war in Afghanistan, Toyota and GM recalls, car bombings in Iraq, healthcare reform, etc.)

3. Write down all the news that you or your friends have discussed this week. (Ex.: unemployment figures, who won an Oscar, who shouldn’t have gotten booted off American Idol, 911 terrorist trial location, etc.)

4. Write down all the things you are worried about in your life. (Ex.: finding a job, survivability of your business, kids having difficulty in school, arguing with spouse, health condition of family member, your own health condition, etc.)

5. Next, write down if you have any control affecting the outcome of that situation.

a. If you don’t, stop worrying (and paying attention!) because you can’t do anything about it. It has no immediate impact on your life, so wipe it from your mental plate.

b. If you do, write down what you can do to take control, improve the situation, and most important, what is the next step to take.

6. Lastly, write down your top three goals for the year and write down the next single step you can take to move closer.

Remember, stop giving attention to the things you can’t control and have no bearing on your personal life. If you can do something about it, decide what part of it you can control and affect. Then take positive action.

Don’t get stuck standing still. Contemplating and, certainly, complaining about things you don’t have control over is simply lunacy.

Don’t stop here – there’s more…

What Does “Success” Mean To You?