Where I've Been and What I've Learned...so far

Five months is a long time to be away...especially from something that had captured my interest and ignited the feeling that I had finally found exactly what I had been searching for. I had really believed that internet marketing and building a website to share my knowledge and teach others about my passion was what I was meant to do.

Recently, when I first realized how long it had been since I last posted, it brought forth a feeling of sadness and disappointment in myself...that once again I had started something "full throttle" then left it unfilled. I know exactly when my steam began to fade: After thinking I had made my first big commission from an affiliate program, only to find out that the customer asked to switch the credit to another person. After finding out the "back story", I understood and agreed that there was validity to the customers request. She had originally clicked on my link, so had my affiliate cookie. However, from a forum, she had received answers and guidance to her particular questions and needs. The other person (who I know and consider a great mentor and friend) really had been of service with her knowledge and experience during the "information gathering process" that proceeds any major purchase.

In the end, it really wasn't that big of a deal, but no matter, like the air seeping out of a balloon, my energy and interest towards anything related to internet marketing dwindled. My belief in what I was doing wained. Eventually I stopped blogging, participating in forums or even studying for building my website.

During the last five months my husband and I stepped-up our home search by traveling the Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coasts. For the last two years we were "temporarily" living in an apartment...the result of having sold our business and been blessed with the chance to begin an early "retirement". After viewing around 60 houses we finally found a home...truly somewhere that feels right. Anyone who has ever moved knows that no matter how much you organize and prepare, it's hard work. Before, during and after. Thankfully we are just about 2 months into the after, and though we still have some unpacking and minor tweaks, it's definitely feeling like home.

Now you know the "Where I've Been" part of this post...on to the "What I've Learned"....

I honestly think the break has been very productive. Granted, it feels like my internet marketing brain is filled with cobwebs, but I'm feeling the stir of interest to begin again. And, it really is like a new beginning, but better. This time I'm not setting out to make a business solely by being an affiliate. It didn't work for me. Representing products, blogging and writing articles gave me knowledge and experience, but all in fragments. To create something that is going to last, grow, benefit others and actually be successful I must create a website.

Not just a website, but a great one. An excellent resource full of content, advice, examples, and yes...specifically chosen affiliate products, but only those I fully believe will benefit my visitors. No more representing a product just because it offers a high commission. And that's a positive thing, for it will really narrow my focus to what is relative to my passion.

If you have read any of my earlier posts you know what I think about SBI! (Site Build It!), the website building+so much more company. Like an athlete warms up before the big race, last night I began watching the 1st video of the free version of the Video Action Guide (VAG) to prime myself on what to expect when I purchase my SBI! site. (It's the same guide actual SBI! users use, just without access to all the research and marketing tools you get once you own SBI!).

The first lesson I will apply is "Don't get distracted"... Faithfully focus on the steps of the Action Guide and stay the course.

That's a great lesson, for distractions come in many forms. Participating in forums, reading RSS feeds, reading and writing HubPage articles, chasing down affiliate programs...all these are things I spent my time on...before. Don't get me wrong, these aren't bad things. They are just not things I want to have clutter my mind or steal my time...been there, done that...have nothing to show for it. Lesson learned.

When I first created this blog I did so with the intention of being honest in my choices and experiences with internet marketing. That hasn't changed. I'm not sure how often I'll post while studying the Video Action Guide, but, I'll definitely update here along the way.

As I sit here in after thought, I realize that I'm feeling more clear headed and confident. I enjoy doing this...writing and sharing what I know. Truly, truly, everything is going to be just fine.

Affiliate Streams of Income and related points

Making my official "entre" into Internet Marketing, my first affiliate network to sign up with was an easy choice. With the sea of a zillion programs and products to choose from, I think it's best to choose one you know about. For me this meant signing up with Plimus to be an affiliate for Holly's Book Honest Riches.

Since signing up to be an Honest Riches affiliate, there are a few points I've learned along the way to take into consideration:

1. The affilate commissions will vary, from very low to very high commissions.
2. The payout can be a one time commission affiliate program or a lifetime commission affiliate program.
3. When starting out, it helps to choose programs or products to represent that you can use and market from a 1st hand experience. (Notice I didn't say "sell"?)
4. Start with a program or network that you know is legitimate. You can discern this by what you read in blogs, forums and online. Try searching for the name+review in your Google search and see what types of feedback you find.

The temptation to sign-up with any affiliate program you read about and lots of affiliate networks can be a big mistake...think about it, how many things can you do at once? Or, do well anyway.

Once you decide on an affiliate program to represent, you will have access to marketing links that you can use in text or banners to market your product. When you start posting your links, keep in mind that there will be sneaks online who will try to "steal" your commissions from you. The best way to prevent that happening is to "cloak" your links. Once you have a website there are a lot of ways and products you can use to cloak your links, but before that, there are a few free products that I have found. Not only can you gain the benefit of protecting your links, but with many programs you receive statistics for the number of clicks as well as where the clicks came from. After trying Addme.com, URLFreeze and Clickfire.com, the free link cloakiing program I use is ViralURL.com. One word if warning: before you sign up for this progam, consider getting a free e-mail account. Right after I signed up I did receive some spam mail as part of the marketing program they offer for their members who have upgraded to the paid service.

Speaking of free e-mail programs, I'm a total gmail.com believer. I really expect to eventually convert all my e-mail addreses to gmail so I'll never have to change again! (I know, never say never.)

Internet Marketing Can Be Addictive!

Even though I'm not yet really "marketing" anything! There is so much to learn, so much to try, it is never ending…and because it is something I am enjoying, I don't want it to end. Just look around my house and desk at the evidence of "things left undone".

Part of this is totally "me". When I find something new that I am interested in learning or working on, I get pretty single-focused. And, you see, this competes with my natural preference of being somewhat organized and "scheduled" with my housework and deskwork. Realizing this upfront is probably a good thing, so hopefully I can "nip it in the bud". My incentive to buckle down and get caught up comes from wanting to get rid of that "knot" sitting in the middle of my stomach. You might be familiar with this. Think back to when you were school age and it was 6pm on Sunday night. If it was during the school year and I hadn't finished my homework or studies, I would always get that sinking feeling when the theme music for The Wonderful World of Disney television show would come on. Hearing that music signaled to me that the weekend was almost over and if I didn't get busy, my battleship would be in line to be sunk, come Monday morning!

Well, I may not be hearing the Disney theme music, but I am feeling that lump in my stomach, and I don't like it. As much as I want to do nothing except for Internet Marketing oriented tasks, it's time to "face the music" and set my priorities. No matter what, if I stay up until 3am every night working, there will still be more to do. So…how should I approach this? How do I divide my time so that I keep moving forward, yet get my discipline back to reign in the wildness of my home and office?

Ok, here is my plan:

Get back to what I know, first, and get a handle on my responsibilities. My dad once told me, when I was really behind in a course my freshman year of college, to knuckle down and get caught up, THEN, keep working and get a little bit ahead. I'm going to do that. Get caught up on my deskwork, bills and such, then get caught up on the housework and laundry.

Prioritize what needs to be done, in order, with regards to my Internet Marketing business so I can stop trying to do too many things at once, and ending up feeling guilty for not getting anything completed.

Focus on researching legitimate paid surveys to sign up with
Be more diligent in making timely blog posts
Order Honest Riches
Read Honest Riches

Make myself get back to exercising at least 3-4 times a week. All this sitting at the computer is starting to find it's way into the old muscles! Now this one is going to be easy, for I have a great collection of exercise DVD's and workout equipment.

Set a "stop working" time: Computer off at 11pm. (Since it's 10:37pm right now, I'd better wrap this up if I want to post it tonight!)


My conclusion is this: Excess in moderation is fine! There is nothing wrong with pouring myself into learning all I can about Internet Marketing, but, do it smart. I plan to be around a long time, so instead of running down the mountain at full speed, I'll take it a bit slower, and walk. I'll still get there, but in my own time!

How could an Internet Marketing Business help you survive a natural disaster like Hurricane Ike?

For years I have watched news coverage on natural disasters around the world. Images of the destruction and loss impacted me, but, in a removed way. The closest I had ever come to the effect of a hurricane personally was during Hurricane Irene, a Category 1 storm that popped up during a trip to Key West, Fl. That storm was an inconvenience to the Keys, but for the most part, business and tourism was able to resume within a day or so of the storm. My next exposure was from our prior business when we experienced evacuees of Hurricane's Ivan, Katrina, and Rita. Hearing the tales of how a normal 6 hour drive took 24 hours was surreal. Listening to person after person tell of how they packed up all the belongings they could before evacuating, painted a slight picture of what it must have been like for them. Watching a customer pace with worry, wondering if there would be anything left of his two car dealerships, made me realize that everything was at stake for these people. A place to call home, the possessions they held important, even the ability to create a living, hung on the fate of what the storm would do. The storms hit, the evacuees moved on, and thoughts on these things were replaced by new events and circumstances.

Last year when we moved to the Texas Gulf Coast, I started wondering a bit about the likelihood of a tropical storm or hurricane striking our area. There were a couple of times we had to pull in the balcony furniture and make sure we had bottled water, but, nothing more than a strong thunderstorm came through. This year has been different. We've had several times where the paths of the hurricanes were tracking close enough to our area on the coast that our response to the possible storms was more specific and defined. "Be prepared" was the message on TV, in the newspaper and on the radio. It's natural to take steps to prepare for the storm. But how can you be prepared for life after the storm? It doesn't matter where you live, how much money you have, or what type of career you have. Bad things happen. For eventually, a storm will hit, and when it does, lives will be interrupted. (Ok, I will add that the super rich and ultra successful have means and ways to deal with catastrophic loss that I don't have…Actually, that most people I know don't have. So when I write my opinion here, it applies more to the average person.)

The people in my community are dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane. But, anyone could find themselves facing catastrophic loss from causes like fire, flood, tornado or earthquake. I really started thinking about this last week after we had evacuated, post Ike. When the reports on TV started showing the specifics of what businesses had been damaged or completely ruined, I wondered what the owners would do? Would they rebuild, or call it quits? What about their employees? With the damage to the restaurants, stores and offices, it could be months before some are ready to open. That means it could be months before there is any income. That's pretty scary. A night or so later, as I sat in front of my computer, I realized something. If an Internet Business is built successfully, it works for you during the storms. If you have to flee from danger, the business is still safe. With the power out, you can still earn an income. If your home is damaged, you can still generate money. It's like a pipeline that pumps, whether you are present or not. Sure, I'm a long way from having the flow of income that will give my husband and myself financial security to survive even a light breeze, let alone a hurricane force storm. But, this experience has left me feeling more committed to forging ahead and finding the right combination of Internet Marketing products to create a successful business. For I want to be prepared, not only for the next storm of life, but for after the next storm of life.

Looking to Yesterday, to find Tomorrow

Have you ever had one of those "Oh, I see it now" moments? Like, when all of the sudden you have this understanding of how some of the seemingly unrelated events and experiences of your life, actually, happened for a reason. Well, it happened to me, and it's sort of a cool feeling. And, it's also a reassuring feeling, because, it further supports my belief that I am on the right track with building an Internet Marketing business.

This "epiphany" occurred when I was reflecting on a couple of "selling" ventures I tried several years ago. The first was when I was in college, and I was "recruited" to sell Mary Kay Cosmetics. I was drawn to the idea of joining Mary Kay and creating a business because of the independence it offered. Since I was in college, I pictured this opportunity being something I could fit in with my academic schedule. Well, that was my "idea". However, the reality was that from the very beginning I was uncomfortable. The idea of asking people to gather their friends and schedule a skin care class so I could try and sell the products to them and possibly sign up some recruits, was just plain torture for me. Needless to say I didn't earn a pink Cadillac. I didn't even earn a pink lipstick! In fact, I didn't sell enough cosmetics or skin care products to put a dent in my inventory. Guess what people received for birthday and Christmas for a few years? About ten or eleven years later, the next venture I tried was with the company Quixtar. I was more drawn to this program because I was really thinking I could build an internet based business without having to do F2F (face to face) sales. In retrospect the business model was similar to Mary Kay's, for though you are selling products, the main emphasis of the program is that you are trying to get recruits to sign up and create an earnings "down line". Again, to do this would require actually talking to people! Ok, the talking to people isn't what bothered me the most, but the selling to did. I don't like the feeling of being "sold to" and I really don't like the feeling of "selling people". You probably have guessed by now that when this business attempt came to an end, I didn't have to do any shopping for gift giving for a while, yet once again.

My point with all this is not that I have anything against the companies of Mary Kay Cosmetics or Quixtar, for I don't, but rather, that by my failing to find any success with building a business with these two ventures, I actually did find success. I learned something very important about myself. It was there all along, but I did not recognize it. Or if I did, I ignored it. I was not being true to myself, but I was letting other people convince me of what I would be good at doing. When I was younger, an organization I belonged to had the motto "To thine own self be true". I understand it now. It really is ok to be ok with who you are. When I look back over the 15 years that my husband and I spent developing and running our own business, I see that the times I was the most successful with our customers were when I was just being myself. When I would apply my own style to how I conducted business, it seemed that no matter what, I felt like I did everything better. In addition, when I look back over all of my adult work experiences, and reflect on what I did well, and, that I enjoyed, I see an outline that if I strive to follow and apply to my Internet business development, should give me great satisfaction and success.

Maybe in the past, the perfect "opportunity" did not exist for me, because at that time, it had not yet been created. Or if it had, perhaps I wasn't in the right place in my life to see it. I now know what I'm looking for, and I know that I'm on the right path. I can feel it. With a little more work, and a little more research, I'll find it. And this time, I'll know it when I see it.

And So We Begin

Not wanting my blog to be all full of flash forwards and flash backs, tonight I began working on an outline of what I have been doing as an Internet Marketing Newbie, up to this point. If the whole point of this blog is to be a record from the beginning, I figured I'd better start at the beginning!

Just a little more than a year ago, my husband and I had the joy of selling our business after having developed, created and run it for over 15 years. We scaled down, packed up, and moved from living on beautiful wooded waterfront acreage, to living in the balmy climate of the Gulf Coast. For all practical purposes we are now "retired". To clarify though, we're a couple of "not ready for the rocking chair" type of retirees. There is still plenty of living to do, places to discover, and new things to learn. Oh, and a lot of odds and ends that we have realized we can live without and want to get rid of.

During our short time being retired, we have enjoyed ourselves, and relished having the freedom to do what we want, when we want to. In fact, now that we have enjoyed our first year of time-off, we've started thinking of how we could make a little extra income. With the recent changes in the economy, it started us thinking. Of course you never know what tomorrow will bring, and with that, can you ever really feel that you are totally "prepared"? Completely through trying to add "a little bit more" to your nest egg? We both enjoy working on our computers and with our past business, feel comfortable being online. So, what could we do on our computers, online, working from home to create a bit of an income stream? Little did I know, my husband would come up with an idea that would start this whole ball rolling!

Internet Marketing: Just Starting Out

For me, when I start something new, something I know nothing about, but have a strong interest in, it can be exciting, confusing, intimidating and enthralling, all at the same time. Being brand new to Internet Marketing with the hopes of creating and growing multiple income streams has me feeling all of the above, and then some!
As I begin this new venture and personal journey, I imagine I'm not the only person, or the last person, trying to figure out how to develop an income from working online, so, why not chronicle my progress? Why not record from the beginning why I'm doing this. Map out what led me to this idea. Outline what I try. Explain what I learn. Share when I succeed, and even, when I fail. This will be a great way to see my own progress, but even more valuable, I intend this diary to be something that others can follow and learn from...maybe be encouraged by, inspired by and motivated by.
Who knows, my foray into Internet Marketing may be nothing more than a great education in how other people are making money on the internet, or it could turn out to be the perfect way to launch into a new and exciting stage of my life and discover how to combine my interest and callings with a way to make a living.
I'm ready to find out...