May the Fourth Be With You
My friends,
Happy Star Wars Day!
So anyway the boss is back, no I don’t mean ‘she who must be..’, I actually mean ‘He who must be …’ PM Boris and I’m really glad he’s okay, like I said I think if anything had happened then it could’ve made a bad situation worse.
So my blog is now fully updated and ongoing, as always a work in progress, but I feel things are progressing well and for the time being at least things are again inching forward. Not sure about you, but I always feel good at the beginning of a new month as it can seem like a new start.
Anyway to get serious here, I’ve had several ‘strange’ conversations this past week and I’d like to know your view regarding it.
Its like this, during lockdown and in our current situation do you think we should continue to do business?
It has been expressed by some that it shouldn’t.
Indeed one person even told me that she thought we shouldn’t even be sending things out in the post, as it puts the poor ‘ol postie at risk.
So the question is…Is it okay to sell online courses and products in general during the global pandemic?
Some believe that during this time, that we should all pull together and offer products for free or at a huge discount, because by doing so that’s the way we will sell something.
I get this argument, as someone who has been affected by this sudden world change.
But here’s my two pence
I personally believe this is wrong and bottom line is that Business should continue after all as you say its money that makes the world go round.
I mean are the utility companies letting you have free or discounted Gas and Electric? Or maybe the supermarkets have slashed all their prices (even though they have no toilet rolls). I believe the answer is no to both
I believe that business should and will continue. The news can give a conflicting story by making it seem the world has come to a STOP. But in actual fact it has not, it is still inching forward albeit at a slower pace for now.
As I said It’s also something I have seemingly found myself when my day job was the first to let me go.
However my inbox tells a different story with every seeming intrepreneur inviting me to a webinar to learn this or other, most of which are good natured and mean well with free or lower priced offers but also some not. I’m still tempted but believe I have enough ongoing right now.
This was a choice now it’s essential, this has proved there is no guarantee about your job/future,
Its been advised that 1 in 10 could be unemployed afterwards.
As for myself, I believe the world is changing, and indeed this has been coming for sometime it just could now be quicker. I have always tried to have a plan B, but obviously didn’t see this crisis coming.
So I have therefore amended my lead offer as needed which obviously provides free information. Reduced my books and ebooks and set out a business plan to ‘bounce’ out the other side.
Some people will buy some won’t but when things improve they may consider it again. The one gift this has given us all is TIME and we should use it well. Do you not agree?
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“He’s Not The Messiah… He’s A Very Naughty Boy!”
My friends,
I have had several emails from different companies I have dealings with (and even some I don’t) in the last few weeks telling me how they’re dealing with our current crisis.
What…you’ve had those too?
So you know the ones I mean, ones from the CEO or the Customer service director, and how they are looking after the business, staff and us customers
Allowing the staff to finally ‘work from home’, and asking customers to be patient while we all get through this together…
Great…
Except I don’t believe them – do you?
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in good customer service like the best of us and believe there’s a need for it now more than ever.
But its few and far between so many companies continue to get it wrong, and when they get it wrong, they can seriously get it wrong.
I was told once ‘the customer comes first, last and in the middle’, however I don’t believe the customer is always right
I actually think there is a case for teaching companies how to do it right, perhaps we should put them where we are and see what it’s like?
Take my autoresponder company, for example I sent them a support request a few days ago as I can’t get to my responder messages, however it’s now over 14 days without so much as a thanks for your request.
And yet they are happy to continue charging my monthly fee and tell me so.
They even still send me marketing tips.
As if that actually helps to get my problem solved.
Don’t they know how frustrating it is to be trying to get something done when it’s completely out of your control and time is money (lost)
And like I said not even a thank you for your request.
So anyway the two day timescale turnaround has now been over 14 days.
Perhaps it’s time to move providers after all like many things there are always other choices and you can always vote with your feet. Shame though, but it is always a buyers’ market.
So on that basis here’s one I found earlier, if your looking or are just unhappy and this one is FREE for life. No card fee Ever.
https://groovesell.com/?aff_id=2607
Rant over.
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Where does he get all those wonderful toys? (subject lines)
My friends,
Another day, Another Sunday (literally)
I know everyday seems like a Sunday, and I’m talking about the original ones you might remember before the Sunday Trading laws got changed – remember?
However today is actually Sunday and as I pick up my desktop to put text to document…I review what tweaked my interest this week.
Well two things really…
Possibly like you I seem to have gained an influx of email in recent weeks, there just seems to be more right now, like I’ve said before, I currently have approximately 10,338, (but not all from the last week).
That’s because one of my interests is subjects’ lines.
This veritable library gives me a base for my own ideas, and is one subject that fascinates me.
Why?
Well mainly because you could call this ‘The Art of the Click’
Aka ‘How to get people to open your emails’
If you can get people to open your emails then your one step nearer a possibly sale. Believe me I spent an extraordinary time studying this subject which I feel is really useful to know.
The one thing the additional time gives is the time for study.
Anyone who knows me, will note my love of subject headers from the movies as I feel they can provide brilliant inspiration and lead-ins, but there are several types of subject lines including, curiosity ‘ Check out these great pictures (the third one made me cry)’, intrigue, ‘How to blow up your Instagram Account in 2-3 days’, time limited ‘Final Notice: Webinar registration ends at midnight’ even humourous ‘How big’s your package?’ (possibly from a courier company), and there are many more.
And another thing, make sure your item link in your email to either your lead magnet or product works because the worse thing ever is to send out an email to your list or other and find it DON’T work. So always test it first.
So if your looking for an idea for your subject line header, maybe I can help?
One of the many other emails, I did get this week was a report on how to sell your ‘junk’ on ebay and elsewhere.
I told ‘she who must be obeyed’ about it, and she has now started ‘Operation Bounce (aka ‘the Spring Clean’ – geddit?), so it would seem therefore I could be busy this coming week…
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Time on our Hands…
My friends,
Happy Easter.
So I sat there, in the garden on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon sipping my cold beer, deep in thought.
My thoughts turned again to the current crisis, and how she who must be obeyed would pester me every Easter to make use of the time we get at easter to go ‘out’. The mileage accumulated during these few days doesn’t bear thinking about. Beaches, Theme Parks, Leisure Pools, Events and long distance friends…
However, on this particular Saturday, the sound of a lawn mower could still vaguely be heard, but there was no traffic on the road outside. The world was effectively broken, still, resting and effectively ‘locked down’. I hope that someone is documenting this unique moment in history as I do hope it will never come again.
The time provided has certainly clarified my thoughts, sure I was worried about the long-term income aspect.
But I now at least had a plan, ideas and plans were constantly being thrown at me from all directions.
Been actioning some copywriting this week
We all love a ‘Top 10’ type article … and don’t advertisers know it. A visit to almost any site will present you with a selection of ‘recommended reading’ ‘related posts’ or ‘from around the net’ type stories all promising to list the ‘20 greatest fashion disasters’ ‘top 10 movie mistakes’ or ‘5 biggest secrets the food companies won’t tell you’
This sort of thing is obviously very popular … and I suspect we’re all going to weaken and fall into this particular time-waster trap every now and then, so when you do – keep one eye on the techniques that are being used.
Firstly, look at the copywriting tactics used … whilst far from new, the methods used to create the titles are specifically written so you click on them, so they may merit some study …
So, even whether the article you clicked on was quite niche like ’20 ways to clean your Labrador’ or something more general and emotive like ‘The 5 best pictures I’ve ever seen (the 3rd one made me cry)’ examine what it was that appealed to you and made you want to click through and read more .. then obviously have one eye on this when you write your own ads, article or email titles…
Secondly, the delivery of the information all follows a similar pattern – where the nuggets of wisdom you clicked through to read are almost buried under a pile of advertising and delivered as a list or slideshow … which means either you have to scroll past a whole load more advertising as you work your way down the ‘list’, or every slideshow frame refreshing the page so that a new mass of advertising is displayed.
The result of all this is, of course, that whoever owns the website exposes the visitor to a lot more advertising for just the one click, and generating 5, 10 or 20 times the amount of revenue they normally would.
It’s an interesting business model which is only really viable if a post goes spectacularly viral, so the obvious strategy is to make the content as shareable and clickable as possible to get this to happen, (regardless of actual quality of content).
Let me be clear though, I’m not suggesting anybody copy this model exactly (for the very reason I’ve pointed out above) … what I am suggesting is that you see what and how you can adapt their techniques to work for you … something like, if your articles or posts are a little ‘wordy’ try spreading over several pages to increase any advertising revenue or look at the way these article titles have been written and use similar tactics in your own work…
Oh did you know?
All the following ebook subjects are selling very well at present…
Language Arts and Disciplines
Arts
Crafts and Hobbies
Games and Activities
Cooking
Gardening
Education
Sports and Recreation
Strange that isn’t it?
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‘Shout, Shout and Shout Again’
My friends,
Good to see you, virtually that is and does that even make sense?
Spring has sprung, She who must be obeyed thought she had gained an hour over the weekend until I respectfully pointed out we had ‘LOST’, an hour (Spring forward, Fall back), I tell you, she was most disappointed. Here at Rusty Nutt Towers Grass cutting season has commenced in earnest, the fact we still have a ruddy great tree in it is beside the point.
My headline quote this week comes from…no I’m not gonna tell you. You tell me and no cheating…hmmm?
So what am I talking about?
Marketing of course.
Marketing is another of those essential tasks to get your message out there, so in effect you have to ‘shout, shout and shout again’.
For example, last week, I had to update a report, and also upload it to an Amazon Web Service (the most reliable in the world), and then update and rewrite my autoresponder in order to get it out there. It was touch and go for a while until a good friend helped me out.
I also added not one but two Facebook adverts, I do find it enjoyable setting it up, selecting your audience and in effect letting it go and then you see the results.
Another friend asked me to action some copywriting last week, I have to say I’m looking forward to it as a new challenge and currently have no idea how its gonna turn out yet.
Now my WordPress is up and working I have also continued my blog, WordPress problems notwithstanding and will be moving a copy of it also hopefully to ‘Blogger.com’, where I hope to maxiize it more.
One of the things I’d thought I’d do this week is give you some ideas to make some quick cash especially if your having a spring clean.
Ziffit.com / MusicMagpie.co.uk
These will give you money for your old CDs, DVDs and video games, and in the case of Money Magpie your mobile phones, iPads and wearable technology.
CashInYourGadgets.co.uk maybe a good place to try and sell your old laptops, Macbook and PCs. You get paid within 2 working days by Bank Transfer or Paypal and there’s free postage.
Paperclip.co is a platform that allows you to selling unused items including many trending items during the current crisis. Other items include digital cameras, old games consoles, Lego sets
Discogs.com is a great place to sell your CDs and vinyl records if you still have any and particularly if you have a few rarities, which can fetch huge prices
Printercartridgerecycling.co.uk is a place where you can sell any old printer cartridges for as much as £2 each.
Gold-traders.co.uk Gold and silver prices tend to go up in times of crisis, so you could sell gold and silver to website like this, or unwanted precious jewellery at HattonJewels.com
Vinted.co.uk You can sell your old vintage fashion here
Well that’s all for now, hope your all well in this strange ‘Twilight Zone’ of a world we currently live in and I hope to see you soon.
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Groundhog Day
My friends,
Okay, so not sure how you feel but one week into semi-lockdown feels a bit like that movie Groundhog Day. You know the one where it’s the same day being repeated until he gets it right. In our case it feels like Everyday is actually Easter Sunday, the only day when all the shops shut due to the religious reasons involved…
Anyway, if your still working great, thanks for keeping the country moving. And if you’re not as such like me then, I still hope your safe and well and using any available time to push ahead on your internet business.
There is a massive land grab available on the internet, with the increasing demand there is more room for sellers than ever. Scale of the increased demand?
Amazon are now hiring 100,000 new warehouse staff in the US, and another 10,000 in the UK just to keep up with the huge surge in eCommerce sales amid the Corona crisis!
Also did you see that FREE report last week?
You can still get it here…
If you got it great. If you didn’t it’s well worth it. Although not actioned by me yet, it can also be rebranded with your affiliate links and used to build that all important marketing email list too, not a bad thing right now. Obviously so many lives have been affected by the crisis we find ourselves.
Okay so I still have NO regular income, but this past week has been great for getting organised as well as getting on with things too. Its important, I believe, to have a plan and structure your days otherwise they could be all the same. In our case we will work on our internet businesses during the week and leave the weekend to chill (well cut the lawn, do the housework etc)
Firstly, last week has been what I call a changeover period for my Ebay business where current auctions come to an end and are updated with additional new listings in order to set them up for the next 8 week period. This then leaves them to be sold on auto each week. I was also relieved to find that going to the Post Office is still allowed enabling me to get those important customer orders out. If your interested I typically have about 450 listings on at any one time.
My great friend Tom Hua has requested that I look at creating an ebay ecourse. This is one thing I cannot continue to ignore. As he says do something ONCE and get paid FOREVER. Therefore, this coming week I will collate the framework and content in order to make a start.
The internet is great for many things and another area I’m now looking into is content writing. This means providing articles and posts on any subject in order to help with your content marketing. Would this be useful? Drop me a comment below.
Due to my love of writing, I’ve slso been reading up on Copywriting. It’s a really great subject to learn and can provide a good income when you know the basics even if initially you use it to just create blogs or Facebook adverts. When you know it better the power to use just words to sell your products is obviously useful to have. As they say the pen is indeed mightier than the sword.
So, I have another ‘freebie’ for you today.
Traffic is the lifeblood of your business. My friend Russell Brunsen has written another book in his ‘Secrets’ series. Entitled ‘Traffic Secrets’ he reveals all he knows regarding this fantastic and very interesting subject. So if you willing to cover the shipping cost he will send it to you Free. If your quick you also have the chance to grab some brilliant bonuses too.
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Traffic Secrets
Time to Take Stock
My friends, we are living in extraordinary times.
After a week, that seemed like living in a horror movie, it was only normal for me to find I was one of the first casualties. My ‘boss’ kindly phoned me on Wednesday to tell me I wasn’t needed anymore.
Normally I would feel resentful, but strangely I didn’t, possibly because I foresaw it coming at the beginning of the week. I predict that I’m looking for at least 12 weeks until things could be a little better. Let’s face it the schools are expected off until September BUT its also expected it could even be TWO years.
I stand on a ledge (figuratively speaking) watching the approaching storm as the world comes to a stop literally. And many things we’ve known fall into an abyss.
However, there is some good news…
Internet business is sky rocketing in many areas, some more than others. Google reports a huge increase in the key words ‘Make money from Home’ as people scramble to find new sources of income.
This is huge to the way we live today. And when we come out of this holocaust then things might just be that little bit different.
Time to Take Stock…
As we are facing an unprecedented challenge both at home and around the world with the threat of CV19, it’s clear that millions of people are going to be spending even more time online for information, education, distraction and diversion. It will be a time when many others will be looking for new income opportunities so it makes sense to look closely at what opportunities are available to you.
So what opportunities have I got in my internet toolkit?
Ebooks and ecourse creation, Affiliate marketing, share/currency trading, Ebay, Amazon FBA, Social Media and Chatbots, Traffic Generation along with several ‘Pocket Money’ systems, PLR and ‘Money Hacks. Also hundreds of Business Books to continue on many subjects. Plenty to keep me occupied then.
So together we will look at the various opportunities to see what works well or even better.
Today I want to give you something from my friend Nick James
Its totally FREE, Feel free to give it to anyone who needs it at this most trying of times
Instant Startups – FREE
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The View from the Gallery
By Michael Rust
Hello
It’s a tough world and it’s getting tougher with the current situation in the country as a whole.
So to recap, I was effectively ‘laid off’, from my day job last week as a member of the gig economy. I currently feel I’ve been ‘fired’, although this is not the case as the country comes to a gradual stop.
However on a more positive note its like being on holiday, and this allows you to get those little jobs done (you just have to try to forget your NOT being paid, and perhaps hope the country will look after you as we do contribute £305 billion to the economy every year).
Due to my love of writing, I decided to start a blog during this crisis with the time I now seem to find myself as I continue on my journey to find the holy grail of internet entrepreneurship.
So what to call it?
Diary of Corona virus retiree? (No too negative, also not true as I hopefully I’m still very well)
Time on my hands? (might not always be true when the economy bounces back to normal (?)
I favour this one …wait for it…
The View from the Gallery
I like this because it seems that’s where I am right now, sitting on a ledge (or gallery) watching the world go by as I try to see things objectively.
So I want to blog my days in the weeks ahead (scary thought), with what internet thoughts and ideas on all things I have in order to push through this.
I like giving things away so if you visit I also have FREE gift for you to cope with this Corona Crisis.
Please feel free to comment, criticise, even disagree if you want in order to be to the benefit of us all.
So I will see you all on Monday?
Please stand back from the Subject Line!
Now I don’t get hundreds of emails but possibly like many of you. I do get a ‘few’.
Now I’m not saying I receive emails on the scale of say Tom Cruise, or even an extra, who appears on Eastenders. For instance, after today’s blog I would expect to receive at least three emails from people telling me I look NOTHING like Tom Cruise (why ‘she who must be obeyed’ insists on emailing me to tell me she’s just realized this after all these years – I just don’t know). But I do normally get a few emails which I go through on a Sunday morning with the essential large coffee. I also check emails on a daily basis for anything that looks important (like ones telling me I’ve still not paid that very urgent gas bill).
Anyway I thought this was a great subject title, so what does it mean?
As you know the internet is a strange and magical place, full of ideas and lots of promise. You do need to try and understand it a little, how it works and learn these new ideas in order to best help you with your ‘grand plan’.
It’s very easy in today’s society to give up with your current business opportunity and try something else. Move on to the next ‘subject line’ that arrives in your inbox.
We live in a world of very little time and multi commitments. The world today moves at a hectic pace.
I was once told the definition of madness is continually doing the SAME thing over and over but still expecting very DIFFERENT results.
So there comes a time when you need to make a stand. You have to have some BELIEF in what your doing.
You will always get like-minded emails in your inbox. Emails you signed up to at one point or another for an idea or product you were vaguely interested in. Strangely this could also be a market you may now be considering entering into one day yourself soon.
However you also liked the idea of the opportunity you are in now.
You made the decision to open that ‘subject line’ read about it and eventually sign up.
So don’t just give up on it, if that’s what your now thinking.
I continually see this trend happen all the time, Person buys option A, does not complete the actions required to make it work and eventually gives up and moves on, wondering why they bought it in the first place.
Heck, even I’m guilty of this too, but for a very different reason. I have a drawer full of opportunities which I originally bought with good intentions but never found the time to actually put them into action so at least I do understand why they didn’t work. Something which I now aim to change.
But could you continually keep buying options and effectively write them off when they don’t work for you without understanding the reason WHY. Especially if you’ve not actually DONE anything at all. It would be lovely, if your chosen business opportunity arrived at your house, unpacked itself, set itself up and money ‘poured’ into your bank account shortly afterwards.
If you think like this then it simply will not happen. Even in today’s modern world the ‘push button’ business does not exist. I understand people want everything now. But let’s be realistic almost everything takes time. (even pizzas take approximately 30 minutes to get delivered – and I should know)
So now I want to ask you a question?If not this option, then WHAT? And if not now WHEN do you want to change your life – forever?
So, back to the subject of those emails, at the time of writing I have 28,734 in my inbox. Maybe I should delete just ‘a few’ of them? So if you’ll excuse me, I may be ‘busy’ for a while.