Day 12 - Review: the Pause that Refreshes

About this point, I want to do a quick review of what we've covered.

No, I haven't started running thin on material by a long shot.

But I wanted to put this material in order so it makes sense. Because I want to ensure that you have the basics down before we move into the "Special Sauce" section, which can be confusing.

Basics, however, are basics.

1. First we covered that you needed to know what is most interesting to you and you like to do the most. Somewhere around in all that is your basic purpose. (Or at the very least, a more fun way of doing life.)

2. The Internet runs on content - fresh, original, search-engine-optimized content. Almost no one creates this stuff, so someone who can routinely create content focused on a single (remunerative) theme can pretty much ensure that they can earn extra income.

3. The whole point of marketing is to find where there is a problem and offer a valuable solution. People who express interest in your solution are called "leads" and converting them to buyers is the trick.

4. In order to find this problem area, you can start by "scratching your own itch" - meaning that you consult what you are interested in, and search through related communities to find something they want or need that you can provide. This can be your own product or someone else's which you offer as an affiliate ("Hey, I know someone who has some of these for sale - just like what you're talking about...")

5. The search engines make it simpler to do market research, as there are well-used keyword phrases that people use to find what they are looking for. If you carefully look these over - and find those which have good "commerciality" (people pay good money to advertise products with them), then the chance is good that if you put your target in front of where people are aiming, you can get this traffic to your web pages. To do that, you simply create content which has those keyword phrases describing it, or in it.

6. Content doesn't have to be all written - but it does have descriptions about it, and that is where you artfully place the keyword phrases (and links to your other content - like your main website) so the search engines can send traffic your way.

7. Search engine optimization is quite simple. You simply find what Google has been saying for years about what a "good" website consists of. And then follow their instructions to the letter.

8. The ideal is to offer several products, preferably those which have to be renewed, or replaced after they are consumed. If you are offering someone else's products, then you can work at getting affiliate commissions for those continuing purchases. This can make your income more or less on "autopilot" if the clients are treated well. Another possible point is to get in with multiple-tier affiliate programs or even "network marketing".

9. I've given you a longish list of very good affiliate programs and why I consider them good - but that doesn't mean they are right for you. Consult your own purpose and see if they will make your life simpler and/or bring you greater peace.

10. The other advantage to offering someone else's products is that these commissions you receive can give you income while you continue learning and improving on your marketing skills. As well, if you are developing your own product, it can pay for your R&D while you do.

And that's the 10 basic points from what we've covered.  I didn't mention some points like auto-responders, but that's because it's a "how", not a basic "why".

At this point you are ready to read something with a critical view. Stone Evans wrote a substantial book called "DotComology" years ago - and it has been passed around for free ever since. A great example of true value. Now some of it is dated (and ignore the stuff about reciprocal linking, which I'll cover in the "Secret Sauce" lessons upcoming) but now you know enough to have a critical view of how things fit together and when someone is blowing smoke (or smoking something odd.)

See you tomorrow...