Thursday, April 26, 2018

15 Persuasion Techniques Stolen from Emails That Make $10K/Month on Autopilot

Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?

Not just making $10K/month, which would be awesome all by itself, but making $10K/month on autopilot.

My guess is that this dream has tickled your brain once or twice.

The good news is that you can make it a reality. The bad news is that this takes time.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t start making money from your blog right now.

You won’t earn $10K/month right from the start, but you can earn something. You just have to learn how to sell. You have to learn how to persuade strangers to take out their credit cards and buy your products and/or services.

And who better to learn from than Jon Morrow himself?

After all, he’s the guy who wrote the emails mentioned in the headline — the ones that make $10K/month on autopilot.

How This Blog Makes $10K/Month from Selling a Single Course

Jon has created several courses over the years, but the one we’ll take a look at is his GuestBlogging course.

How does he sell it?

Through an automated email sequence.

People who subscribe to his email list get a sequence of emails that builds Jon’s authority, builds trust with his readers, and builds a desire for his course.

And boy, does it succeed. Just look at this screenshot from his earnings the last few months:

GuestBlogging earnings

Today I’ll take you through his email sequence and reveal the persuasion techniques he uses to earn over $10K each month. (If you want to read the full email sequence, sign up here.)

Technique #1: Use Dreams to Pique Interest in Their Inbox


 
Want to be a columnist for a big magazine or newspaper?

The first step to persuading your subscribers to buy your product is to persuade them to open your emails. The best way to do so is by invoking their dreams.

Jon’s course is aimed at aspiring writers, and he knows their dream is to be featured in big magazines or newspapers. They dream about becoming highly sought-after writers.

So using that exact subject line hits right on one of their deepest dreams and desires.

But subject lines aren’t the only place you want to do this. Jon does it again in the body of the email:

And afterward, EVERYONE wanted me to write for them. I got offers for book deals, paid columnist positions, and hundreds of high-paying freelance writing gigs.

The aspiring writer would love to have everyone approach them for book deals, columnist positions and hundreds of writing gigs. Jon positions himself as the person to whom they should listen if they want a taste of the same delicious success.

Technique #2: Build Credibility Without Sounding Like A Pompous Ass


 
A few years ago, Forbes approached me about writing a column for them. I was already booked solid, so I politely turned them down, but I still couldn’t help feeling flattered that they offered.

Here, Jon builds credibility by suggesting Forbes (i.e. the 82nd most popular website in the U.S.) approached him to write an article for them. And not just that — he had to turn them down because he was booked solid.  

That’s some serious bragging rights. It builds instant credibility.

But because Jon doesn’t want to sound like a pompous ass, he adds a line about being flattered. It shows humility.

He does it again later in the email:

In my case, Forbes approached me after one of my articles went viral and got over 1 million visitors.

It feels strange to say that, by the way. I always wanted to touch a lot of people with my work, but I never figured just one article would reach more than a million people.

Again, Jon builds credibility, but he immediately humanizes himself afterwards.

Yes, his article reached one million visitors, but he’s still as amazed by that as you would be.

He shows he’s not superhuman, and that if he could do it, you can too.
 

Technique #3: Make Them Self-Qualify as Your Perfect Customer


 
Let’s say you’re a beginning writer. You have talent, you’re willing to work hard, and you genuinely respect the craft.

Any beginning writer who reads this will nod their head and think, “That’s me!”

This is qualification in action. By describing his audience, Jon makes them feel like he’s talking about them. It signals that they should pay attention to what Jon has to say.

But that’s not all.

It also starts them down the path of potentially buying something. After all, his product is for beginning writers, so by nodding along to these statements his readers pre-qualify themselves for his offer when he sends it.

Technique #4: Pinpoint Their Most Pressing Problem


 
How can YOU write an article that goes viral, turning you into a writer everyone wants to publish?

Nobody tells you. Like it’s some big secret or something.

Jon points out a big problem his writer audience has: They want their articles to go viral so they become more prolific, but nobody tells them how to do it.

If your reader is struggling with this problem, you agitate their frustration and fuel their desire to see it fixed.

When you pinpoint a problem they’re struggling with, you capture their attention because it suggests you’ll have a solution.

And lo and behold, Jon does:

But that’s silly. If more talented writers knew how to get the traffic they deserve, the whole world would be better off.

So, I’ve decided to do something about it.

I’m releasing a case study of how I wrote and promoted the article that got over 1 million visitors. I’ll send it to you in pieces over the next few days.

Technique #5: Use the Power of Subtle Implication


 
It won’t cost you a dime, either. I could easily charge for it, but I’ve decided to release the entire case study for free.

You might not see it at first, but Jon sends several messages to his audience besides, “You’re getting something for free.”

He also implies that: a) the case study he’s giving away is valuable, and b) that he’s a generous person.

These subtle implications change the way his readers view his case study and him. Two lines are all it takes to build a more positive picture in the reader’s’ mind of who Jon is.

Implying positive attributes about yourself or your product works better than outright stating them.

Technique #6: Tell Them Exactly What’s Coming


 
Over the next few days, I’ll break down the writing, the strategy, the traffic techniques, everything.

Sound like a good deal?

In Jon’s emails he consistently sets expectations so his readers know what’s coming.

When people read this, they know they can expect more emails that break everything down. This boosts the chances that his next emails will get opened and read.

He does it again at the end of his email, where he gets more explicit:

Watch your inbox. You’ll get an email tomorrow with the subject line “How to Become a Highly Sought-After Writer (Part 1).

Here, he tells the reader the specific email subject line to expect.

And when that email arrives, his readers will recognize it, which will make them more likely to open it.

Technique #7: Leverage Other People’s Praise with Pride


 
Alright, then. One more thing before I give you the link to the article…

Don’t just read it. Read some of the comments too.

There are hundreds of them. The site eventually got so overwhelmed with moderating them all that they shut the comment section down.

Jon doesn’t stop at telling people to read his viral posts, which will already boost his credibility. He also tells his subscribers to read the comments.

And when they do, they’ll read a ton of comments like these:

Persuasion Techniques - Use Other People's Words

If he still had readers with any doubt that Jon knows what he’s talking about when it comes to viral posts, comments like these squash them all.

Jon builds credibility and authority by letting other people do the talking for him.

Are there awards, accolades, blog posts, videos, or third-party ratings that you can show your audience?

If so, use them and watch your persuasion and influence increase with every email you send.

Technique #8: Set Yourself Apart from the “Bad Guys”


 
Also, let me say one thing…

A lot of people like to brag about their traffic. Especially guys. If they write a popular post, they strut around like peacocks, feeling superior to everyone.

But that’s a bunch of crap.

Traffic isn’t about giving yourself an ego boost. It’s about changing people’s lives.

Jon puts himself on the side of his readers here by setting himself apart from the braggers and from the people who fake their success online.

He creates a “bad guy” — an enemy he shares with his readers — and he positions himself as the antidote to that, as the guy who shares his readers’ values, and who cares about their lives.

Think of ways that make you different from so-called “gurus” who lead your readers astray. How are they hurting your readers? What information do they give that’s broken?

Look for opportunities to show people what makes you different and you’ll make a lasting impression.

Technique #9: Give Your Emails a Hint of Intrigue


 
I’m worried about today’s lesson.

It’s advanced. Very advanced.

Not just difficult. It’s the equivalent of an Olympic athlete running a four minute mile.

Here, Jon cleverly teases the lesson he’s about to share in this email.

Rather than tell them outright what he has in store for them, he builds it up as something special. Few will be able to resist clicking his link.

Why?

Because Jon has intrigued them. He has created a question in the reader’s mind that has to be answered: “What Jedi-level writing trick is Jon about to share?”

Continually building intrigue like this keeps reader engaged throughout your email sequence.

Technique #10: Be Their Reassuring Voice


 
Even if you only apply 10% of what I’m about to teach you, your writing will take a quantum leap forward. And if you apply all of it? Hell, you may just write a million-visitor post of your own. 🙂

Click here to get the lesson.

People are self-conscious, and when learning new things, they can feel overwhelmed. They may feel like they’re not ready yet to implement your advice.

It’s your job to reassure them and make them feel confident that they can.

That’s what Jon does in this excerpt. He tells his readers he’s about to share an advanced lesson, which builds intrigue, but many people may feel like they’re not ready for advanced lessons.

Then he reassures them that, even if they don’t apply it 100% perfectly, they will still see a major improvement in their writing.

Your readers need to feel like your advice or your product will be helpful to them, and that it won’t be too hard for them to apply. They will be more eager to discover your advice.

Technique #11: Make Them Wait with Bated Breath


 
I’ll show you a ridiculously simple promotion strategy. Believe me, ANYONE can do this, and you’ll be shocked at how much traffic you’ll get.

It’s counterintuitive, though. For instance…did you think posts go viral because readers share them?

Wrong. Shares from readers are a byproduct of the strategy I’m about to teach you, not the cause.

Want to learn the cause?

Open my email tomorrow. 🙂

As mentioned previously, Jon continuously sets expectations for his next emails so readers know they’re coming. But here, he takes it a step further by leaving his readers with a cliffhanger. He leaves questions in his readers’ minds, the answers to which they can only get by reading his next email.

This creates enormous anticipation.

Using cliffhangers is a powerful way to get your email series read consistently.

And the more of your email series someone reads, the more they’ll see you as an authority, and the more likely they are to buy your offer.

Technique #12: Bond Through Relatable Tales


 
When I was twelve, my mother and I hit a rough spot where we couldn’t even afford to buy food. We used to go to churches to get meals, because otherwise, we would’ve gone hungry.

But I had an idea.

In one of his emails, Jon shares a story about how his family was poor, and how his parents struggled to put food on the table due to staggering medical bills.

He explains how he felt guilty and wanted to pitch in, how he earned his first dollars, and finally, how he learned a few valuable lessons about making money from his writing.

This story creates a powerful bond between the reader and Jon. He makes the reader feel like they know him, and like they can relate to him.

The stronger a bond you can create with your readers, the more they will trust you, and the more likely they are to buy from you.  

Technique #13: Call Out Their Bullshit


 
We love to write. We love to share our gift. We love to see it touch people.

But when it comes to promoting our writing? Or even worse, asking for money?

We feel ashamed. Dirty. Afraid. So, most of us never promote our work at all.

Jon boldly calls out his readers’ bullshit that keeps them from achieving financial success.

He knows many of his readers have all sorts of hangups about promoting or selling their work, and he convinces them they had better get over them if they want to succeed.

But that’s not the way the world works.

If you want to succeed as a writer, you have to be brave. You have to fight for your work.

[ … ] if you’re willing to do the work [of promotion], you’ll be shocked at what will happen.

Truths like this can be painful, but relevant.

Jon doesn’t intend to wound people’s egos and then abandon them. Instead, he squashes the mindset that it’s shameful to promote your work, while handing out a new mindset to adopt — you have to fight for your work.

If you can be the person who calls your readers on their bullshit, do it. If you can reshape the way they see themselves and the world, they’ll have already opened themselves up to your influence.

Technique #14: Encourage Courage


 
If you want to succeed as a writer, you have to be brave. You have to fight for your work.

With this line, Jon inspires you to be courageous. He inspires you to fight for your work.

Inspiring courage is an effective way of getting readers to follow your lead. When you inspire courage in your readers, you inspire them to see triumph down the line — triumph that they want to see in their own lives.

When you ignite these feelings in your readers, they’ll open themselves to your influence, because they’ll see you as the person that will take them to that triumph.

Technique #15: Use the “Gain, Logic and Fear Trifecta”


 
I’m looking for a few serious writers to join me in an online class, where I’ll teach you everything I know about writing for big sites like Scary Mommy, Lifehacker, Forbes, and The Huffington Post – all sites I’ve helped previous students get published on.

Once you complete the class, I even give you a certification you can show the big magazines and blogs to prove you know what you’re doing. It’s a huge advantage.

In the last three emails of his sequence, Jon uses a three-part persuasion tactic known as the “Gain, Logic and Fear Trifecta.”

It works like this:

First, you show the readers what they’ll gain from buying your product or service. Then you give them a logical reason for why they should buy your products. And lastly, you tap into their fear to make them want your product now.

Using these three angles together is immensely persuasive.

In the example above, Jon accomplishes the first step. Immediately the readers knows what they’ll gain — Jon’s insider knowledge of writing for big sites, which they can use to get published there themselves, and a certification that proves they took the course.

That’s persuasive on its own, but in his next email, Jon ups the ante:

Put yourself in the shoes of an editor for a moment.

On an average day, you might get 50 different pitches from writers you’ve never met before. Well, who are you going to pay most attention to?

  1. A complete stranger pitching you out of the blue
  2. A professional writer certified by the most prestigious training program online

Whose pitch are you going to read first?

Here, Jon taps into his readers’ logical side of their brain. He has them imagine two scenarios and deduce which one would win.  The answer seems obvious, doesn’t it?

Some readers need a logical justification like this to help them make their decision.

But Jon doesn’t stop there. In his last email, he uses his readers’ fear of missing out to persuade any last indecisive readers:

Today is the LAST day to get your $100 discount on our certification program. At midnight, the price goes up by $100, and you’ll miss out on the discount.

Click here to get your $100 discount before it expires

Not trying to be pushy. Just want to make sure you don’t end up having to pay full price for this. That would suck. 🙂

He gives them that extra bump they need to decide they want to buy his course and that they better do it before their discount expires.

As you can see, mixing gain, logic and fear makes for an effective persuasion bomb.

Steal These Persuasion Techniques and Boost Your Sales

If you want to sell products or services to your readers, you must learn the art of persuasion.

You must persuade your readers that your product or service is worth the investment. You must persuade them you’ll fix their most pressing problems. You must persuade them to trust that you’ll deliver.

Jon’s emails are a great example of persuasion in action. You can steal his techniques and use them in your own emails.

And who knows, maybe one day you’ll have an email sequence that makes you $10K/month as well.

Doesn’t that sound dreamy?

About the Author: In 2008 Jared Kimball became addicted to email marketing. On his blog he shares hacks, tricks, in-depth reviews and software tutorials that helps people launch sales-generating email campaigns faster. Every month he gives free pre-written email campaigns to his subscribers called Marketing Automation Plans (MAPs). Get next month’s here.

The post 15 Persuasion Techniques Stolen from Emails That Make $10K/Month on Autopilot appeared first on Smart Blogger.



source https://smartblogger.com/persuasion-techniques/

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

332 How to Make a Part-time Income with Your Blog

Have you already made your first dollar from your blog?

Are you looking for ways to increase that to a part-time income?

In this post, I will share a step by step process for making it happen.

Listen to the episode

My part-time blogging business

We walked into the house like it was any other day. But this day was different.

As she walked in, my wife saw something that surprised her.

There was a brand new living room set. SURPRISE!

She stood there wondering what was happening.

This was the first time it became real to her. All that time I spent in front of my computer blogging was more than a hobby.

It was actually starting to make money that affected our daily lives.

I went pro.

But how does one make money with a blog? Let's review . . .

Review of how to make money with your blog

In last week's episode, I spoke about how to make your first dollar with your blog.

essential elements making money

Three essential elements for making money

I covered the three essential elements for making money:

  • A specific audience with a
  • Specific problem to solve and a
  • Specific solution to that specific problem

Once you have these three elements, you can start making money from your blog.

The keys to going part-time

To get to the next level, you need a way to make a consistent income with your blog. Here are the keys to doing that:

  • Going part-time

    Keys to going part-time

    Create consistent content that provides value. This will be the driver of everything you do in your business.

  • Consistently get the right people to your content. If you don't have anyone visiting your blog, it won't make any money.
  • Have a process to convert those visitors into subscribers. Your email list will be one of your most valuable assets. You want to get as many of the right people on there as possible.
  • Have a process to convert those subscribers into customers. This is where you will make actual money.

If you have all these four elements in place, I guarantee that you will make money.

Now let's dive deeper into the making money part.

How you will make money

While there are many ways to make money with your blog, I'm going to share the ones that I like most.

These are the ones I've used over and over and are responsible for the bulk of my income. You can choose to use one or all.

Promoting products and/or services as an affiliate

This is where you get a commission whenever someone you refer buys something. I cover this in great detail in my last episode so I'll refer you over there for more info.

Selling your own digital product

This is my favorite way to make money with my blog. Let's address the pros and cons.

Promote your own products or an affiliate's product

Promote your own products or an affiliate product

Pros:

  • You make ALL the money (minus transaction fees of course). When you promote something as an affiliate, you only get a percentage of the sale. With your own product, it's all yours.
  • Selling more doesn't take a lot of extra effort. Whether one or 100 people buy your digital product, the sale doesn't take extra effort. It's digital. It's a beautiful thing.
  • You can refine/optimize the entire process. If something isn't working well, you can always tweak. You are in full control.

Cons:

  • You have to create the product. This takes time and effort. And in most cases, there will be a lot to learn.
  • You have to provide the support. Customer support/service can take a lot, depending on the product you create. You're now fully responsible for this process.
  • You have to create the process. Yes, that includes sales pages, emails, and setting up the technology.

Providing a service

This is another way to make money with your blog. Here are some of the pros and cons.

Provide a service

Provide a service

Pros:

  • You don't have to create a product. This can reduce the hurdles you need to overcome to get started.
  • Leverages an expertise you already have (or are learning). Often, this doesn't take extra effort on our part, because you already have the knowledge.
  • You can start selling quicker. Because there isn't as much to set up, it's easier to get started.

Cons:

  • It's dependent on your time. Your time is a limited resource and this will limit how much you can do.
  • To make more money, you have to do more (or charge more). There is a limit to how much a person can do because you are exchanging time for money.

How to make a part-time income with your blog

Now that you understand three of the ways you can make money from your blog, let's talk about the process.

The first step in the process is to plan the journey. Here's how you do this:

Identify your first three affiliate products

These three products should solve three specific problems for your target audience.

Identify products to offer

Identify products to offer and services to provide

You will focus all your affiliate marketing efforts on these 3 products. Don't worry, you can expand in the future. But it will be good to have more focus in the beginning.

Choose a product to create a service to provide

What kind of product will you create? Will it be an Ebook or a course?

Or will you be providing a specific service like tutoring or coaching?

Make a decision based on what provides the most value to your audience and what you're able to do.

Plan the most logical customer journey

Now that you know what you will be promoting, it's time to plot out the most logical customer journey.

This is the journey that makes the most sense. Create a narrative for this journey that goes like this:

  • Stumbles onto your posts and wants to know more
  • She gets directed to a page that highlights logical sequence of content
  • She sees you have a valuable lead magnet and opts in
  • She goes through a logical, value-added sequence of emails
  • She gets introduced to the products/services you recommend/provide. This happens in a specific series.
  • She buys something.
  • She buys something else.

Fill in the details of what this looks like for your business.

Create your content calendar

Your content will drive your business so it's important to get it right. Plan your content with your audience's goals in mind.

A great resource for helping with this is my Blog Content Calendar Spreadsheet.

Create your content calendar

Create your content calendar

Here are some ideas for content that is effective for selling:

  • Why You Should [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • How I Got into [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • X Mistakes [INSERT AUDIENCE HERE] Makes when [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • What to do Before [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • How to [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • A step-by-step Guide for [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • How [INSERT PRODUCT/SERVICE HERE] Can Help you [INSERT TOPIC HERE]
  • What Success Looks Like (or will look like)
  • Case Study: How [INSERT NAME] [INSERT TOPIC HERE] and [INSERT RESULT HERE]
  • A Call to Action: Do these X Steps Now

Here's the great part – if you create content in that sequence, it can be easily repackaged into a product.

Create your lead magnet

lead magnet

Create your lead magnet

This is the free resource you create to convince people to join your email list.

It should solve a specific problem for your target audience and can be very simple.

Here are some examples:

  • Top five tools to help you [INSERT GOAL HERE]
  • How to [SOLVE PROBLEM]
  • A utility. This is something your audience can use to help them on their journey. For example – my blog content calendar spreadsheet.

Create your product or service listing

If you do decide to step things up a bit and create a product or provide a service, let's get that going.

  • product or service listing

    Create your product or service listing

    Create an eBook. These are simple to create. You can use any word processor and export the file as a PDF. If you want to dig deeper into this, check out my episode on creating and selling ebooks.

  • Create a course. If you decide to go this route, I recommend using a service like Thinkific or Teachable. These services make it ridiculously easy to create courses.
  • Provide a service. This can be anything from consulting to coaching or tutoring.

Create a sales page

Sales Page

Create a Sales Page

There are many options out there for creating sales pages. Here are three:

  • Create a regular page on your blog. This is not the best option, but it lowers the barrier to entry. You don't have to buy anything extra to get started.
  • Use a landing page generator like Thrive Architect or LeadPages.
  • If you use Teachable or Thinkific, they have their own built-in sales pages.

Create a goal-directed autoresponder campaign

Now that you have everything set up, it's time to create the campaign to make sales.

When doing so, keep the customer narrative in mind (customer journey).

Create your Sales Funnel

Create your Sales Funnel

Ask the following questions:

  • What info do they need to accomplish goals or overcome hurdles?
  • How can you give them a quick win?
  • How can you provide them with VALUE?

Equipped with your answers to these questions, create your autoresponder campaign.

This is a part of your blogging sales funnel. To dig deeper into this, check out my blogging sales funnel talk from Social Media Marketing World.

Your goal is to create one sales funnel, refine it, perfect it and then repeat the process.

Get the word out there

This is the part that takes time, but it's a necessary part of the equation.

Here are some things you can do to make this a reality:

  • Get the word out there

    Get the word out there

    Keep creating consistent content.

  • Learn about and optimize your content for the search engines (SEO).
  • Optimize your content for social sharing.
  • Choose a social network to focus on and go all in.
  • Diversify your social strategy over time.
  • Collaborate with other bloggers.
  • Nurture your community.

Does that sound like a lot? Great. Then I painted an accurate picture of what it takes to do this ;).

Analyze what works

This is the part that most bloggers overlook. They get on a hamster wheel of creating content and pushing things out there.

Analyze what works

Analyze what works

But they never stop to analyze what's working so that they can make improvements.

You will be different. Your goal is to analyze your results and tweak your processes over time.

Use the data you collect to improve and refine what you do.

This will set you up to become a full-time blogger. But we'll cover that more in next week's episode.

Resources Mentioned

Infographic

Part-time Income with Your Blog

Infographic: How to Make a Part-time Income with Your Blog

The post 332 How to Make a Part-time Income with Your Blog appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel.



source https://www.becomeablogger.com/26068/make-part-time-income-with-your-blog/

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

331 How to Make Your First Dollar with Your Blog

Are you looking to start making money with your blog?

Do you wish you could get to that first dollar of revenue but feel like it won't happen?

In this post, I will walk you through a process to help that money to start flowing.

Listen to This Episode

My First Blogging Dollar (or $3,000)

First Blogging Dollar

My First Blogging Dollar

I can remember it like it was yesterday. I started my blog in August of 2008.

In September of that year, I made $3000. It was an AMAZING experience.

No longer was it only an idea. It was a reality. I could do this.

How did I do it?

First off – this is NOT typical. The reason I was able to make that amount of money so fast was because I already had an audience.

I had spent the previous 8 months working my behind off to build up my reputation in a forum.

When I started my blog, the audience came quickly because of the work I had done beforehand.

It was an audience of people who were looking to make money using Freebie Websites.

I was teaching them how to do it and I figured out a problem they needed solving.

Most of them were sticking in the forums all day trying to get people. But they didn't have a site of their own.

My solution was simple – I would set up a site for them (from a template I made).

All they had to do was use my affiliate link to sign up for hosting. Each of those transactions made me $100.

And in my first month of promoting that offer, I got 30 people to say yes.

Why did this work so well? Here are Five reasons:

  • I had a targeted audience. These weren't random people looking to build a website. They were people interested in starting websites for their freebie trading businesses.
  • I found a need. I knew how much time they were spending going after people in forums. But I also knew that they didn't have their own sites to send them to. Their processes were inefficient and I could help them do a better job.
  • I provided an EASY solution. The key here is the word easy. They didn't have to do a lot of work. All they had to do was sign up for hosting and send me their info. Easy peasy.
  • There was a low barrier to entry. They didn't have to spend a ton of money to get in. Their cost was only $5/month.
  • I offered extra value. Not only were they getting what they signed up for (hosting), I sweetened the pie. I offered them a customized site at no extra cost.

All in all, it was a successful first campaign.

Why it's important to make your first dollar

In this world of online business, there are so many scams out there. I've lost money on scams before and it ain't pretty.

Getting to your first dollar is important because it:

  • Proves that it IS possible. Most people who try NEVER make a dollar on the internet. That's VERY discouraging. By making something, you move from the realm of possibility to certainty.
  • Validates your business idea. Is the solution you're hoping to provide something people are willing to pay you for? You never know for sure until you get people to actually pay. Getting to that first dollar is a great way to validate your idea.

Your mission (if you choose to accept it) is to get to that first dollar quickly.

What you need

To make your first dollar with your blog, you will need three things:

  • A specific audience.
  • A specific (pressing) problem to solve.
  • A specific solution to sell to that specific audience to help them solve that specific problem.

Start with the specific audience

specific audience

Start with the specific audience

In trying to decide on a specific audience, answer the following three questions:

  • Who is he/she?
  • What are his/her goals?
  • What are his/her struggles?

Answering these three questions will help you in the next step. If you haven't narrowed down your niche and target audience yet, listen to this episode.

A specific problem to solve

Once you've identified your audience, you should have an idea of what problems they face.

For this activity, choose the most pressing problem to move forward on.

Ask yourself this question – Which problem are they most likely to spend money to solve?

Beyond that I want you to think about problems where the barrier to entry (of the solution) is low.

Finding a Specific Solution

specific solution specific problem

Offer a specific solution to a specific problem

Now that you've identified a specific problem, it's time to find a solution.

Since you're still new to this, start with an affiliate product. These are products where you refer people using a special link (affiliate link). If someone decides to buy, you get a commission.

Here are a few reasons why I recommend starting with an affiliate product:

  • You don't have to create it.
  • You don't have to provide the customer service/support.
  • You don't have to set up the sales process.
  • You can focus on one thing – making the sale.

This will be great practice for all the amazing things you will do in the future.

IMPORTANT: It's very important for you to choose a compelling product. Here's what I mean by compelling:

  • It solves a pain. This is not just any product. There should be a clear pain point that it provides a solution to.
  • You believe in it. This is important for the brand you're building. Don't promote something because it makes money. Promote it because you know it's an A+ product. This means you will have to do your research (if you haven't done so already).
  • It should be very shareable. Ask yourself this question – If I create content about this product, are people likely to share it?

Where to look

Affiliate marketing has come a long way. There are many companies that offer affiliate programs. Here's where I would recommend for you to look.

Consult your past experiences.

This is the best option for finding great options for products/services to promote. What have you used and gotten value from in the past?

When searching, it's great to try something that offers a decent commission. But it is not necessary.

If you don't know if a particular product has an affiliate program, here are two things you can do:

  • Scroll to the bottom of the website and look for a link that says “Affiliates”. If there isn't a link then…
website affiliate

Example website: Amember.com. Link to their affiliate program can be found by scrolling down to the bottom of their webpage.

  • Search the website for the word “Affiliates”. If there is no search bar (or you don't find it this way), then…

Example website: Amember.com. A search tool is used to find the word “Affiliate” on the webpage.

  • Do a Google search for “Product name + affiliate”.
Google search affiliate

Example of a product, GetResponse, with affiliate program searched using Google by typing “GetResponse + Affiliate”

I generally find that by doing these three things I can find the affiliate program. Or, I find out that there isn't any.

Amazon

Amazon is a great place to look for products to promote because they sell everything (almost).

The affiliate commissions are pretty low (between 1 and 10% depending on the product sold).

But you make a commission on anything that person buys within 24 hours of clicking on your link.

So if you recommended that diaper and they buy a couch, you will be happy.

Another great option is that they pay a flat bounty for audiobook sign-ups. You can recommend a book, refer someone to get 2 FREE books and make $5 for each signup.

Check out Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates

Other places

There are other affiliate networks that you can check out that list all kinds of products. Here are a few:

Whatever you decide to promote, I recommend you try it out first. NEVER recommend something you haven't used yourself.

Create a Detailed Review of the Product/Service

Once you decided on an affiliate product/service to promote, it's time to create content.

Create a detailed review of the product

Create a detailed review of the product

Create a detailed review of this product. In doing so, I recommend you share your story.

How did you stumble onto the product/service? How did/do you use it? What were the benefits you experienced?

Then switch to focusing on them – what specific problem will it help them solve?

Your goal here is to give as much detail as possible to help them make an educated decision.

I also recommend including lots of pictures and even video (if you want to be ambitious).

Here are a few more tips to help you be successful:

Craft a compelling (non-boring) title

This is something you should spend some time on. You want to have an element of curiosity in there. But you also want to show that it's a solution to a specific problem.

Here are some example titles that would work well:

  • How we Saved Tones of Money on Movies Using Moviepass
  • How the Instant Made me an Instant Chef
  • How I fell in Love with a Boring Hosting Company
  • Five Products that Literally Transformed my Marriage
  • How Poo Pouri Transformed my Bathroom-going Experience

Spend some time to get this right. It will pay off in the future.

Use a compelling open graph image

When someone shares your post on social media, this is the image that will show up.

Select this image carefully. Remember – it's NOT about the product. It's about the transformation.

It's a good idea to use curiosity in the image. Pay attention to the images you click on. What do they have in common? How can you use those elements in the images you choose?

Get the word out there

Now that you have your awesome article written, it's time to get the word out there. Here are a few steps you can take.

Email your list

Get the word out there

Get the word out there

It doesn't matter how large or small your list is, use it. Send out an email letting them know about this amazing solution.

Don't tell them all about it in the email. Instead, let them know they can find out about it in your latest blog post. Then link to that post.

Share on social media

Social media can be powerful for helping you get the word out there. Here are some things you can do:

  • Go live. Yes, pull out your phone (or webcam) and do a live video talking about the post. Well, not about the post – about the solution. Then point to the post for people to find out more.
  • Pre-recorded video. Maybe you aren't comfortable going live. That's fine. Upload a prerecorded video and link to your post.
  • Create a story. Stories are becoming popular on more platforms these days. Take advantage of this cool feature.
  • Written story. I find that writing out a short story on Facebook tends to work well for getting people to engage.
  • Share the link. While this isn't as effective as it used to be, you can still get some clicks by sharing the link with a little bit of info.

Message people you know would be interested

This can be annoying. But if you do it right, it actually provides value.

Do you know people who would find value in the product/service? Send them a PERSONAL message. Let them know why you thought of them.

Note: this should NOT be a template email. It should be personal.

Also, feel free to ask them to share it with others who might be interested.

Other tips

Facebook engagement

Engage people in Facebook groups

Here are a few other things you might want to try:

  • Engage people in Facebook groups. While most groups won't allow you to post links to your blog, they are great for relationships. Find relevant groups, engage in the community and nurture relationships with key people. As these relationships develop, feel free to reach out to your new friends when you post (but not too often).
  • Drive targeted ads to that post. I hesitate to recommend this because I know that it's easy to waste money on ads. Especially if you don't know what you're doing. But if you get the targeting right, spending a few bucks can help you validate an idea quickly.

Time to celebrate your win

If you take the steps outlined here, you are on your way to your first dollar.

Once you make that first dollar, I want you to go all out and celebrate that win.

Do a happy dance (or whatever celebration looks like to you). Don't let that moment pass you by. It's the first of many.

Your turn

And now I turn it over to you. Once you've decided what product/service you will promote, let me know in the comments.

And if you need feedback, feel free to ask.

Resources Mentioned

Infographic

First Dollar with Your Blog

Infographic: How to Make Your First Dollar with Your Blog

The post 331 How to Make Your First Dollar with Your Blog appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel.



source https://www.becomeablogger.com/26003/how-to-make-your-first-dollar-with-your-blog/

Monday, April 16, 2018

What Is GDPR and How Does It Affect Bloggers?

What is GDPR? And are you wondering if it affects you as a blogger?

Well, they most likely do. And in this article, I will explain what GDPR is and how it pertains to us bloggers.

Disclaimer: I’m not a legal professional nor do I play one on the internet. Consult an attorney to make decisions for your blog/business related to GDPR.

Side note: Yes – this is a long article. If you'd prefer to be lazy, you can jump to my summary for lazy people at the end in the form of an infographic.

Don't worry, when I say lazy, I say it with love, lol.

The Privacy Problem

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation

It's the buzzword these days – privacy. Everyone wants it, but nobody seems to have it.

Sites like Facebook seem to throw privacy out the door with the baby and the bathwater.

So many news agencies are up in an uproar over Cambridge Analytica. Russia seemingly undermined the U.S. elections.

What's a country to do? Well, the continent of Europe has decided to do something big, and it's called GDPR.

What is GDPR?

GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. According to the GDPR website, the goal is “to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy.”

In simple terms, Europe wants their citizens to have more control over how and when companies use their personal data.

A VERY Brief History

Every European state could create its own local laws based on the directive, which became difficult to enforce.

Back in 1995, Europe established the Data Protection Directive. This had some general guidelines for data protection.

But every European state could create its own local laws based on the directive. As you can imagine, this resulted in a messy situation with laws that were difficult to enforce.

Some states had very strict privacy laws. Others were more lenient.

The EU parliament wasn't feeling this and wanted something more uniform.

So on April 14th, 2016 they approved the GDPR, and the world turned upside down (hat tip to the Hamilton soundtrack).

There is one HUGE difference between the GDPR and the data protection directive of old.

The GDPR governs ALL member states.

So Does it Affect You as a Blogger?

If you collect ONE email address from ONE EU citizen, the GDPR applies to you.

The GDPR affects any blogger who collects any data from EU citizens.

It doesn't matter if your blog or business is in Europe or Timbuktu.

Let's say you're building an email list (which you should be doing). If you collect ONE email address from ONE EU citizen, the GDPR applies to you.

In other words, if you're a blogger, it's safe to say that it applies to you.

I mean – I'm an EU citizen (bet you didn't know that). If I'm on your email list and you don't uphold the GDPR, I can probably report you ;).

So what exactly does this mean for you? I'm Glad you asked.

Get Consent and Make it CLEAR!

Consent

Be explicit when getting consent.

This is one of the most significant tenets of the GDPR. They are very explicit in their statements on how you should get consent.

Let me make it clear for you. Let's say you're collecting email addresses to build your email list. Make sure to follow these guidelines:

  • Be clear about who you are. They should know who they are transacting with.
  • People must opt-in to receive your messages (HALLELUJAH). If you've been adding people to your list, STOP IT NOW.
  • Consent must be “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous.” Use clear and plain language letting them know what they signed up for.
  • If you are using their personal data in any way, let them know how.
  • Silence is NOT consent. In other words, they have to actively show that they want to join your list. Do not use any pre-checked boxes or anything like that.
  • Only collect what's necessary (they call this Data Minimisation). Don't collect any data that's not needed for the intended purposes.
  • “It must be as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give it.” In other words, don't have those hidden unsubscribe links that nobody can find.

The Burden of Proof Lies with YOU

Keep a record of proof of consent.

Keep a record of proof of consent.

It is now your responsibility to be able to prove that you have consent. You have to keep a good record of this.

Fortunately, good service providers are aware of these changes. They should be taking steps to be compliant. To be on the safe side, check with your email service providers to see what they are doing.

I use Drip. They are aware of the situation and working on making sure that they are compliant by the deadline.

So is GetResponse, the service I recommend for beginners. Even Thrive Themes, the company behind Thrive Leads, is making changes.

But it doesn't end there. You are the one that needs to make sure that everything is being done to meet the regulation.

What About Existing Subscribers?

So Leslie, what about my existing email subscribers? Surely I don't have to do anything about them since they subscribed before the GDPR took effect. Right?

WRONG!

Based on the GDPR, you have to bring those subscriptions up to the current standards.

If the EU citizens on your list have not given the kind of consent required based on the GDPR, you have two options:

  • Get the kind of consent I spoke about earlier. It must be “freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous.”
  • Remove them from your list.

How do you know if you have EU citizens on your list? Most email service providers will allow you to search by Time Zone.

In Drip, you can search for anyone with a Time Zone in Europe.

Drip_Filter

Through Drip's filter, I can have an overview of the number of European subscribers in my list.

Just to give you an idea, I have 16,880 people on my email list. 1,507 of those people are in European time zones.

But this doesn't account for EU citizens living outside of Europe.

So What if I Do Nothing?

Do nothing

What if I do nothing?

I know – it's tempting to think this. I mean, what's the big deal? Nobody's coming after me, right Leslie?

Well, they are taking this seriously. Not following the regulations can lead to some pretty significant fines.

How big? Up to €20 Million, which is almost $25 Million US, or 4% of global annual turnover – whichever is HIGHER. I read that and chuckled.

The exact thought that came to mind was – DANNNGGGGGG, these EU people are SERIOUS.

And yes – they are. Will they come after you? Technically, they can. But I would imagine that coming after small bloggers would be quite an undertaking.

So What do YOU Think About this Leslie?

Yes, this is a HUGE change for the industry. Yes, the requirements are stricter. But you know what?

I LOVE IT!

Does it make it harder to grow your email list? Yes. But I believe it gives you a much higher quality subscriber.

high quality subscriber base

Personally, I believe this will gives us a higher quality subscriber base.

Instead of using shady tactics to boost our subscription rates, we have to do it by providing value.

  • We have to be more transparent about what we're collecting. Transparency breeds trust, and I love it.

So I won't complain about the GDPR. Instead, I will embrace it as an opportunity to up my game. I look at it as a challenge to become better at what I do.

And I always love those kinds of challenges.

But it's not all about me.

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments section below.

Resources Mentioned

Infographic

what GDPR

Infographic: What is GDPR and How Does it Affect Bloggers?

The post What Is GDPR and How Does It Affect Bloggers? appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel.



source https://www.becomeablogger.com/26123/what-is-gdpr-how-it-affect-bloggers/

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

330 How to Build a Blog While Working Full-time with Toddlers – with Marcus Kusi

Do you find yourself struggling to build a blog while working full-time?

Do you have little kids at home and feel like you can't ever get anything done?

In this episode, I talk with Marcus Kusi. And he shares how he was able to build a successful blog while working full-time with Toddlers.

Excuses . . . Be gone!

Listen to the episode

Marcus' Story

Marcus immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana. After marrying his wife, he found himself unable to work due to not having a green card.

While going through the legal process to get his green card, he needed something to do.

Marcus Kusi

Marcus Kusi

Fortunately, he stumbled onto two books that changed his perspective on business.

Those two books were The $100 Startup and Entreleadership. Through the $100 startup, he saw that people were starting businesses for under $100.

While being in a challenging financial situation, Marcus saw hope. If others could do it, so could he.

His monthly budget for personal money was $5. So Marcus did what most people wouldn't do.

He saved that $5 for four months and used his accumulated $20 to start a business.

Based on his research, he saw that people were making money selling stuff online.

As a college student, he knew a lot about textbooks. So Marcus decided to buy books on eBay and sell them on Amazon.

It took a lot of work, but with his $20 investment, he was able to make $20K in his first year.

When he got his green card, he was finally able to start working part-time. This eased their financial burden a little.

His wife also gave birth to their first child that year, which added to the complexity of their lives. But he kept plugging away.

In 2013, he was able to ramp things up. Their 3rd bedroom was full of textbooks, and he did it all. He was the buyer, seller, packager, shipper and customer service representative.

And his efforts paid off. He made $48K in his second year of business.

Starting their blog

Marcus started learning about blogs back in 2008. But he didn't know too much about how they worked.

In 2013, a stranger came up to him and his wife in a grocery store and made a profound statement. He said that they gave off a peaceful vibe.

At home that night, they thought about it and concluded that they had a peaceful relationship.

They thought about what they could do with that to help others and decided to start their blog. Our Peaceful Family was born.

Our Peaceful Family

Our Peaceful Family

Through that blog, they shared their story to encourage other families. Since they were still newly married, they decided to focus on newlyweds.

And they've been helping families ever since.

Turning the blog into a business

In 2014, they realized that they could make money from their blog. They started reading articles online on the topic.

They also started listening to podcasts and found out about Pat Flynn.

When they found him, they saw his income reports. That's when they knew it was possible.

They also discovered Steve Scott and saw that he was a best-selling author.

They realized that they had a free ebook that people were downloading every day.

Kusi's books sold on Amazon.com

After thinking about it, they decided to sell that ebook and people started buying them. Now, they've written and sold 4 or 5 books, and their blog is making money.

How they grew the blog

SEO and Article Writing

Marcus studied SEO and spent a lot of time writing content that people wanted to read.

Marcus listened to my podcast and learned a lot about how to grow a blog from it. He knew that he could focus on many things, but that he had limited time.

So he decided to focus on creating great content and optimizing their posts for traffic.

He studied SEO and spent a lot of time learning how to write articles people wanted to read.

Here's what Marcus describes as the keys to writing great articles that rank well in Google:

  • Figure out if there is demand for it. Use the Google Keyword Planner to find that out. He looks for keyword phrases that have at least 1000 monthly searches. When you don't have lots of time, you need to make sure you're spending time creating the right content.
  • Write the article and make sure the content is practical and easy to follow.
  • Provide value. Yes, this is very important. Your content will be judged on the value itprovides. Make sure to overdeliver on this.

How to Build a Blog While Working Full-time with Toddlers

Here are Marcus' tips for building a blog while you have lots going on (like a full-time job and little kiddos).

Make sure your spouse is on board

Spouse on board

It's easier to get things done when your spouse is on board.

If your spouse is not on board with what you're doing, it'll be hard to make it work.

When Marcus first started, his wife didn't really get what he was doing. She did support his interest but wasn't all in yet.

But one month, his little side project made $500, which was more than they were paying for rent at the time.

At that moment, she knew it was real, and she became more supportive than ever.

Start your mornings off STRONG!

In 2016, Marcus discovered the Miracle Morning concept and applied it to his life.

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod helped improve Marcus's productivity

He Googled the miracle morning and found a worksheet that showed the practice. After going through the recommended 30-day challenge, his productivity skyrocketed.

Since then, he has been waking up at 5 am and going through a routine that works for him. Here's how his mornings look:

  • Wake up (at 5 am)
  • Turn off the alarm – he intentionally places this in a corner away from his bed.
  • Thinks about things he's grateful for.
  • Check sales for the previous night.
    • He does this to see if they are on track to reach their monthly goals.
  • Starts working on his to-do list

Focus on what you want to achieve (your end goal)

Focus end goal

Focus on your end goal

What do you want to accomplish with your blog? Decide that first. Once you've made that decision, you have to figure out what you can do to get there.

Work out a strategy. Will you create courses, write books, or do something else?

Marcus' goal is to be able to resign from his job, and he's well on his way to making that a reality.

So what about you?

Do you have a full-time job? What about kids? Or maybe you have a lot going on in your life? And are you trying to grow your blog?

Well, you are not alone. But here's the thing – it CAN happen. You have to make it happen.

Marcus, myself, and many others have done it. Will you?

Resources Mentioned

Infographic

Marcus Kusi

Infographic: How to Build a Blog While Working Full-time with Toddlers

The post 330 How to Build a Blog While Working Full-time with Toddlers – with Marcus Kusi appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel.



source https://www.becomeablogger.com/26066/build-a-blog-full-time-job/