My Mom's Valiant Fight Against MRSA, The Super Bug
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
My mother died five years ago today. She contracted MRSA after successful surgery on her noble heart. The triple-bypass surgeons performed restored her blood flow and her rosy cheeks.
But she never got out of the hospital, never got to enjoy her new lease on life. The irony is that her heart was strong at the end. What we feared might take her from us did not.
MRSA is what claimed her.
Occasionally life dispenses some acutely memorable coincidences. Today is one of those days.
My friend Bev Clement and her husband Rob just released an eBook that educates the public about MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Some people call MRSA the "Super Bug" because it resists treatment, often with severe consequences to those who have the misfortune of contracting it.
What I can tell you, from personal experience, is that MRSA is just plain nasty.
I had no idea Bev and Rob were working on this project -- one that hits very close to home. That I found out about it on the fifth anniversary of my mother's death is both coincidental and fitting.
The insidious MRSA story needs to be told. I am profoundly grateful to Bev Clement and Rob for producing their MRSA eBook. They are following it up with a Slide Show.
Today, of course, is a day of great reflection for my family and me. We all miss "Kate," my Mom. My sister likely will call later today; it has become an anniversary ritual. My brothers and I will exchange emails.
All of us will pause to reflect on the events of Mom's life, including the final event. She was so strong in the face of insurmountable odds. I so admired her strength and courage.
After Mom emerged from the operating room after her heart surgery, it took several minutes for me to adjust to seeing her hooked up to so many machines, including a ventilator.
Once I adjusted, though, I was able to see that her rosy cheeks had returned. She was 77 -- and her girlish complexion suddenly was back.
The surgeon told us the operation had gone well. Naturally we breathed a sigh of relief.
Mom was up walking several hours after her surgery. This was miraculous. Down where the truth really lives, I had my doubts she'd even survive the surgery. She'd beaten cancer 10 years prior, surviving surgery and radiation.
Her breathing wasn't good in the last years of her life, because of cigarettes. This was true even though she hadn't smoked for years. Regardless of her breathing troubles, she was still vital. She walked the Bike Trail daily. She loved to be immersed in nature; she loved birds and squirrels.
She paid attention to what she called their "antics."
The doctors told us Mom would remain in the hospital five to seven days. She'd then be discharged to resume her life. All of us planned the homecoming.
That, of course, was before I heard these words:
"Your mother has an infection."
It was MRSA. My recollection is that they tried to treat it with ciprofloxacin. Cipro, as it is known, is a powerful antibiotic used to treat anthrax. It was used in the days after the 911 attack on the United States, when somebody started sending letters laced with anthrax through the U.S. Mail.
The infection started in the chest incision from Mom's heart surgery. Before long it had entered her bones.
This strong woman who'd survived cancer, radiation treatment and heart surgery now had a new invader to battle. The infection necessitated emergency surgery. Surgeons removed her breast bone and part of her rib cage.
They could not close the wound from the second surgery immediately because they needed to monitor the infection. This meant yet another surgery, this one cosmetic in nature, to bind one side of her chest to the other. In essence, she had no sternum left.
That's what MRSA can do.
Mom survived two more surgeries after the cosmetic surgery was performed. These were on her lungs.
But MRSA had ravaged her immune system. Eventually a tracheotomy was performed, and Mom went back on a ventilator. She battled back from that, too.
Never had I seen such strength on display. She had a tremendous will to live. I am very proud of my Mom, the strongest person I've ever known.
MRSA: What a terrible acronym. And to think I was worried that her heart would kill her.
The irony, of course, was that her heart was strong again, the color had returned to her face. MRSA, in effect, kept her hospitalized for the balance of her life: 11o days. She never saw her home again.
I love you, Mom, and I'm thinking of you today. I'm thinking about your strength, your courage under fire, your will to live. And I'm thinking about how much you loved your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren -- and how much all of us loved you.
Mostly I'm thinking about your sense of humor, how you regaled us with your stories.
I told you almost everything I wanted to tell you before God called you home. One thing I didn't tell you is how much your practice of reading everything you could lay your hands on influenced my life.
But you already knew that, of course.
You even knew about MRSA -- and yet you didn't betray your fears when the doctors uttered that terrible acronym. You just battled on.
It's what you always did, and it's what I admire about you most.
All of us still feel your love and are inspired by your strength. We are so very, very proud.
This post is in your loving memory: KH, 1925-2002, a Noble Woman
Your Son,
Patrick
Note to readers: Bev and Rob's MRSA eBook is available here.
Labels: Bev Clement, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 1:56 PM,
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Patrick Pretty: The Prettiest Blogger Ever
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Well, it's official: I'm the prettiest blogger ever.Read all about it here:
http://prettiest.blogger.ever.com/
Can't get any more official than that.
Being the "prettiest blogger ever" is a nice distinction. Thanks to the people at Squidoo for certifying it. I mean, it took me only 15 minutes to memorialize the distinction.
http://ever.com
Another coup for the "Sensational Master Of Eye Candy."
Was there any doubt? :-)
My thanks to Tiffany Dow for pointing the way.
On a side note, today marked my 1,000 post at the Warrior Forum.
Thank you, Fellow Warriors, for sharing your Internet Marketing insights.
Patrick Pretty
"The Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: ever.com, Patrick Pretty, prettiest.blogger.ever.com, Squidoo, Tiffany Dow
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 10:37 PM,
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Bev Clement Introduces Patrick Pretty To 'Gobsmack'
Monday, October 29, 2007
"Gobsmacked" is British slang for "utterly astonished" -- and by that I mean absolutely stunned.
If you're mildly surprised by something, you're not gobsmacked. You're simply "mildly surprised."
The reason I mention this is because my friend Bev Clement used the word "gobsmacked" over at the Warrior Forum today. Bev is a writer and a coauthor of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
Bev Clement is British. I like British speech patterns. The reason I pay attention is because it can help target Internet Marketing offers to a specific audience, meaning the message can be tailored to "speak" to a precise market segment.
Recently I wrote about the word daft -- another word that's been showing up in British speech patterns.
It's good to think about these things. It keeps the mind fresh, and it opens up a world of tailored possibilities.
Idiom is important; it's one of the things I talk about in the bonus chapter included in "Pluck Forever."
Here's a quote from the book:
Idiom is important. Someone in the United Kingdom may know what you mean if you use the expression, "Are your sales in the tank?" Someone from Japan or a Pacific Island nation may not. Writing in a clear and concise manner is critical to your success.
A person needs to understand the audience, of course. An expression that has meaning to, say, British subscribers, may not have meaning to subscribers from Mexico. By the same token, if you want to tailor an offer to a specific target audience, it's good to learn a few things about slang, word choices and common expressions used by members of the market segment.
Some British expressions just delight me. Gobsmack is one of them. Perhaps I'll use gobsmack soon in a sales letter. Maybe I'll throw in daft, too.
Perhaps I shouldn't be gobsmacked by the success of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online" or the success of $7 Secrets.
And maybe I shouldn't be gobsmacked at the success of $1 Ideas from Jon Leger.
But the truth is I am gobsmacked -- and I'm also very happy that I've had a role in bringing these inexpensive products to an audience that is deriving genuine benefits.
Thanks for gobsmack, Bev. :-)
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: $1 Ideas, $7 Secrets, 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online, Bev Clement, Gobsmack, Jon Leger, Pluck Forever
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 10:06 AM,
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Patrick Pretty WidgetBox Weekly Results
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Dr. Mani told me about WidgetBox 15 days ago. I signed up quickly and have been monitoring Widget Box "hits" to my Blog.For the week I had 1,082 hits. Since I built my Widgetbox Blidget On Oct. 13 I've had 2,319 hits. I've also picked up several subscribers.
Here are the hit totals for the week of Oct. 21:
Sunday: 115
Monday: 127
Tuesday: 128
Wednesday: 202
Thursday: 173
Friday: 223
Saturday: 114
I haven't had much time to study in detail what the traffic numbers mean. But I like my WidgetBox.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World"--1964
Labels: Blidget, Patrick Pretty, WidgetBox
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 9:41 AM,
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OneDollarIdeas.com Adds Another $1 Idea: One-Way Links
Saturday, October 27, 2007
OneDollarIdeas.com from Jon Leger has added another $1 idea -- a way to get thousands of free one-way links to help improve your search-engine ranking.
One Dollar Idea For One-Way Links by Jonathan Leger.
Jon started selling ideas yesterday for $1. His initial idea set included two ideas. He added a third today.
Visit Jon Leger's $1 Idea Site For One-Way Links.
Patrick Pretty
"The Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: $1 Ideas, Jon Leger, Jon Leger. Jonathan Leger, one-way links, OneDollarIdeas
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 6:24 PM,
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Jon Leger And Alex Albert News Release
Friday, October 26, 2007
Earlier today I posted about Jon Leger's new $1 ideas site.
A short time after that I heard from Alex Albert about his Minisite Giveaway Event.
Jon, Alex and I are old friends from 7dollarforum. Jon, of course, was the founder of $7 Secrets. Alex and I both were early users of the script.
Because two of my friends had a launch on the same day -- and because I was reminded of my own involvement in $7 Secrets -- I decided to do a single News Release to showcase both Jon and Alex's offer.
Here's the URL:
http://pluckforever.com/news/JonLegerAndAlexAlbert.pdf
The Blog post about Alex Albert is here.
Meanwhile, the Blog post about Jonathan Leger is here.
I was happy to hear from both of my old friends today!
Patrick Pretty
"The Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Jon Leger. Alex Albert
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 6:35 PM,
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Alex Albert Templates-In-A Box Giveaway
You can't beat FREE. Alex Albert is giving away five beautiful website templates.
It's a Templates In A Box Giveaway!
Alex's free templates-in-a-box-offer includes:
- An editable header and footer. The file is in PSD format.
- A fully optimized html template that's editable. Enter the text for your sales copy and you're ready to upload to your server.
- Matching background image.
- Six matching Cool/Hot butttons.
- A complete minisite template.
Make sure you look at the samples of these fine, fine designs. Alex has placed the sample links right at the top of the page for your convenience.
Perhaps I should mention you also get:
- A FREE PLR license for all five minisites.
- An additional header and footer in PNG and JPG format.
- An eBox eCover with matching template.
- An Action Script to create an eBox Cover.
One of the things I admire about Alex Albert goes beyond his design and marketing talents. English is not his first language. But he doesn't let it slow him down. He competes very effectively in the English-speaking market and goes the extra mile to make sure his customers get great service.
Check out Alex's Templates In A Box Giveaway!
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Alex Albert, free templates, templates giveaway, Templates-In-A.Box. templatesinabox. templates in a box
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 4:35 PM,
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OneDollarIdeas: A Novel Approach By Jon Leger
Jon Leger is selling ideas for $1. I bought two of them today. :-)
Idea One is what Jon calls an "incredible pay-for-lead" program. Jon Leger says he converted 463 untargeted website visitors (visitors of the worst kind) into 41 leads.
Jon made $334 from those leads.
Idea Two from Jon is about where to get articles and website content on the cheap.
[EDIT: Added On Saturday, Oct. 27] Idea Three is about how to get thousands of one-way links to your website to improve your search engine ranking, sometimes called "Page Rank."
Check Out Idea One Here.
Check Out Idea Two Here.
Check Out Idea Three Here.
$1 ideas is an interesting approach. I made the purchase for a couple of reasons:
- I like the idea of selling ideas for $1. It strikes me as fun. Jon Leger has one of those minds that just won't quit.
- I wanted to find out what the specific ideas were.
Jonathan Leger, of course, is the inventor and founder of $7 Secrets. Jon sold the company and the "little script that could" to Don Morris last month. I talked about $7 Secrets in "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
And I talked about it when I was a guest on Tim Phelan's radio show last week.
But getting back to One Dollar Ideas: It was worth $2 to me just to find out what the ideas were. And because simple and creative things appeal to me, I was glad to part with the tiny amount of money it took to pry Jon loose of his ideas. :-)
Check Out Idea One Here.
Check Out Idea Two Here.
Check Out Idea Three Here.
Jon Leger is an interesting guy. The $7 Secrets script leveled the playing field for Internet Marketers worldwide, enabling marketers to deliver products automatically, get paid instantly via PayPal, build their own Affiliate programs -- and ensure that affiliates get paid instantly.
At a minimum, $1 ideas is a fun idea. Basically it's Jon being Jon.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: $1 Ideas, $7 Secrets, Don Morris, Jon Leger. Jonathan Leger, One Dollar Ideas, OneDollarIdeas
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 12:25 PM,
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Patrick Pretty And Willie Crawford Chat On Blog Talk Radio
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Hi Friends,
This morning's interview with Willie Crawford is now complete:
Here's the link:
Patrick Pretty Willie Crawford interview on BlogTalkRadio
Willie's show is called "Willie Crawford Teaches Real Internet Marketing."
Willie handled the show well when a phone glitch prevented us from establishing a good connection at first. :-)
A number of callers were on hold, so Willie opened up the switchboard at BlogTalkRadio and answered questions until we could reestablish our connection.
Willie and I talked about "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online" and "Pluck Forever."
We talked about Internet Marketing branding, building customer relationships and doing things to distinguish yourself from the competition. The world of IM is a highly templated one. Step outside of the template, put your own unique stamp on your business and step in front of the website traffic.
Our customers for "20 Ways" have appreciated the "no hype" approach. And Affiliates have embraced the product itself, not just the marketing opportunity it presents.
There never has been a better time to be an Internet Marketer. The world is becoming smaller each passing day. One of our callers today was from Germany, something that demonstrates the power of the Internet and technologies such as Blog Talk Radio.
Two beginners called. I was very happy about that because new marketers struggle every day to make sense of it all. Willie and I gave them some ideas on how to get started.
One woman very new to Internet Marketing declared herself "green, green, green, green, green." It was wonderful to listen to this caller. So many people can identify with her.
Thanks to all the callers!
One of the most exciting thoughts about the IM business is that the world is the marketplace.
Willie Crawford teaches. You'll feel it in this radio interview.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
P.S. Here is a list of my recent interviews on Blog Talk Radio
Labels: 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online, Blog Talk Radio, Patrick Pretty, Pluck Forever, Willie Crawford
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 2:33 PM,
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Patrick Pretty Interview With Willie Crawford at 11 a.m.
Stop on over to Willie Crawford's Blog Talk Radio show today. Willie and I will talk about "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online" and "Pluck Forever."
The program begins at 11 a.m. ET (U.S.A.). Listeners are welcome to call in: 347-215-8784.
Willie Crawford on BlogTalkRadio.
Make sure you look at the post directly beneath this one. Get my free News Release templates and my free report titled, "How To Give Birth To Your Brand."
As my friend Case Stevens at the Internet Marketing Inner Circle says, "Take massive action!"
Warm regards,
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Blog Talk Radio, Case Stevens, Patrick Pretty, Willie Crawford
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 8:38 AM,
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Willie Crawford To Interview Patrick Pretty On BlogTalkRadio: Join Us For The Informative Chat
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Wanted to let you know I'll be on Willie Crawford's Blog Talk Radio show tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 25) at 11 a.m. ET (U.S.A.).Here's the call-in number: 347-215-8784
Hope you have a little time to listen to the show.
Willie and I will talk about the recent launch of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online." We'll also talk about the Internet Marketing Inner Circle and "Pluck Forever," my eBook on using "pluck" instead of "hype" in sales letters, Blog posts, newsletters, News Releases and other marketing materials.
A good number of people say my face "is made for TV," but my voice "is made for radio." Well, they have the TV part right, of course. The jury is still out on the radio theory. :-)
If you have a moment today, grab a free copy of "How To Give Birth To Your Brand." It explains some of my thoughts on Internet Marketing branding and writing. It's a quick read of only 18 pages. Customers tell me it helps get their creative juices flowing.
You might also want to pick up my two free News Release templates. Included are an editable Microsoft Word template and an editable Open Office template. Swap in your own news, save as a PDF -- and start spreading the good word about you and your Internet Marketing business.
Google regularly indexes my News Releases. They're viewable as PDFs and html. You can do the same thing easily.
Hope to hear from you tomorrow on Willie Crawford's radio show.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Blog Talk Radio, Patrick Pretty, Pluck Forever, Willie Crawford
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 10:13 AM,
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$5 Marketing Templates From Robin Araoz Palmer
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
5dollarmarketingtemplates.com has just gone live. Robin Araoz Palmer's site is selling a huge selection of marketing templates for only $5.How many templates constitute a huge selection? Well, 15. Fifteen high-quality, professional templates for only $5.
They're editable with an html editor, so you don't need Photoshop.
You also get a set of blank images for each template. Edit them and include your own text. If you do use Photoshop, you get an action script for the eBook covers.
These are crisp, clear, colorful templates.
Take a trip over to 5 Dollar Marketing Templates. The Testimonials are from people you're apt to know. Rob designed the graphics for the Internet Marketing Inner Circle and has worked for Willie Crawford, among others.
Give these templates a good look. You'll be able to see what you're buying from the links on the page.
You'll be getting an exceptional deal from $5 Marketing Templates and Robin Araoz Palmer.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: $5 Marketing Templates, 5 dollar marketing templates, 5dollarmarketingtemplates, Rob Araoz Palmer
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 11:00 PM,
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Streaming Video Secrets From Paul Hooper-Kelly
Video helps you sell more Internet Marketing products because it the brings the words and actions of real people into the sales equation.
Enter Paul Hooper-Kelly. His Streaming-Video-Secrets helps Internet Marketers master the basics of website video. Scotch your fears! Paul is here!
I was delighted to get to know Paul at The Internet Marketing Inner Circle. I just plain like the way he thinks. It's leading edge -- and yet he walks his audience right through the process in an easy-to-understand way. He's a colloquial chap.
Streaming-Video-Secrets is for Internet Marketers who want to boost their web site sales. Paul greets you right on the page, demonstrating the power of streaming video in the process.
Lots of people have YouTube envy. They see marketers (and sales pages) using streaming video -- and they wish they were doing the same thing. We used video to compliment our sales page when we released "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
Before long, lots of our Affiliates created their own website videos for the product. Paul, of course, was among them. Here's a guy who knows the secrets of streaming video.
Paul Hooper-Kelly's Website Video Secrets gives you a leg up on the competition. It will help you introduce your products to an audience hungry for the video experience. It adds credibility to your site and opens a new pathway to profits.
Think about the power video testimonials can add to your website. A huge new audience awaits Internet Marketers who employ video.
Imagine getting more opt-ins to your list. Have an Adsense site? Video attracts repeat visitors. And because video is more compelling, you're apt to increase sales of your own products and Affiliate products.
Streaming video opens the doors to new niche marketing opportunities. It's a powerful Internet Marketing tool, one you should begin employing today.
Take a moment to visit Paul at Streaming-Video-Secrets.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Paul Hooper-Kelly, Paul Kelly-Hooper, Streaming Video Secrets, Streaming-Video-Secrets, Web Video Secrets, Web-Video-Secrets, WebVideoSecrets
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 11:32 AM,
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Free Reports Can Help You Make Money
Monday, October 22, 2007
Offering Blog and website visitors a free report that solves a problem or introduces them to a method of making money online is an excellent way for you to gain exposure and add to your bottom line.
Many Internet Marketers don't seem to understand that they already own a publishing company. If you have a Blog and use Microsoft Word or Open Office -- and if you have the ability to convert documents to PDF format -- you already have the means to start sharing your knowledge and telling your business story to the world.
Start building customer relationships today by preparing a report that offers Blog and website visitors valuable information on new ways of thinking or interesting problem-solving approaches.
Offer this report free to visitors. Ask them to take a journey with you by absorbing the information in your report, learning from it and putting it into action.
Place a few links inside the report to drive traffic to websites from which you can earn commissions. These links can be for products you've created or for affiliate sites that pay you a commission.
It's critical that the free report you create adds value to the lives of visitors who download it. It can't just be a well-linked, Internet Marketing pitchfest. It has to offer sound value.
Think of your operation as a small publishing company, the electronic equivalent of a newspaper or magazine with a specialized, targeted audience. Feed the hunger of your audience, people looking for ways to make money or save money, solve problems, become more efficient or learn methods to build their businesses.
Before you write a single word, put yourself in the position of your website visitors. Ask yourself if you'd like to receive the information and subscribe to a list to get it. If your answer is no, then go back to the drawing board.
Spend a little more time thinking about the type of information you'd like to receive if you're the customer/visitor. Chances are good that you'll want an information product that:
- Solves a problem.
- Helps you learn.
- Helps you make more money.
- Adds to the efficiency of your business.
- Stimulates your mind.
I offer "How To Give Birth To Your Brand" free to website visitors. This report introduces them to my branding and writing approach and helps get their creative juices flowing. I don't even put "How To Give Birth To Your Brand" on an autoresponder.
Perhaps the biggest reason why is because I've included links in the report that point to "Pluck Forever!" and "WriteFaster, Write Better," two of my paid products. Both of those products give customers the option of joining my list after purchase.
"Pluck Forever" has a single link inside "How To Give Birth To Your Brand." Meanwhile, I've placed a partial screen shot of the sales page for "Write Faster, Write Better" on Page 15 of the report. In a sense, this is a magazine-style ad -- inserted where readers might expect to see an advertisement in a magazine.
It's not obtrusive; it's on Page 15 of an 18-page publication. "How To Give Birth To Your Brand" also includes a link to a Blog post in which I tell readers about my luncheon with the Queen of England:
http://patrickpretty.com/2007/06/have-you-passed-bread-today.html
I use "How To Give Birth To Your Brand" to introduce visitors to "the Patrick Pretty Way," shorthand for building a brand and providing quality content and information products.
My goal, always, is to educate and inform -- while stimulating conversation and encouraging my website visitors to distinguish themselves from the competition by making their visitors' experience memorable.
All of us are living and competing in the "experience economy." That's basically just a way of saying that people who visit your website or Blog want to see something that makes them feel something.
Internet Marketers who provide customers an "experience" have a leg up on marketers who view the sales process simply as a pitchfest or way to harvest names of prospects.
Start putting the power of the publishing company you own to work for you today. Embrace the challenge and take massive action.
Provide an experience. After all, it is the experience economy.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Patrick Pretty is the author of "Pluck Forever," a guide to selling products while steering clear of hype. He also is the author of "Write Faster, Write Better," a guide to improving the speed and quality of your Internet Marketing articles. Patrick Pretty is a coauthor of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online" and a member of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.
Labels: Free Internet Marketing reports, How To Give Birth To Your Brand, Patrick Pretty, Pluck Forever, Write Better, Write Faster
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 10:57 AM,
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BlogRush Bans 10,000 Blogs: John Reese Takes Some Heat
John Reese announced this morning that Blog Rush has declared 10,000 accounts "inactive" after a review process.
John made the announcement at Warrior Forum. He asked Bloggers whose sites were banned not to take it personally.
Some people did take it personally.
Warrior moderators already have locked the thread:
BlogRush Bans 10,000 Blogs.
John launched BlogRush last month as part of his income.com business. It immediately went viral.
People instantly started to "game" it. Some blackhats wrote about it in their Blogs, exposing vulnerabilities of the BlogRush network.
Other marketers complained the system was too large to manage and that John Reese didn't adequately test it.
My take is that John fell short in explaining the launch was a beta. The launch did not impress me as a genuine beta because the universe of testers was too huge -- basically everybody in the Blogosphere.
And I don't believe John has done a good job at managing his message, meaning he could have communicated it better.
The message is decidedly mixed. On one hand, John is asking members whose Blogs were banned not to take it personally because quality or lack thereof may mean different things to different people. On the other hand, people who weren't banned were getting messages of congratulations for passing a review panel's quality test.
The universe of this beta release was just too large. Now a hefty number of people who helped build the network have been made inactive -- without precise directions on what constitutes quality and what does not.
The gamers? Well, they had to go.
John Reese is a renown marketer. I don't believe for a moment he had any ill intentions with Blog Rush.
But I do believe he acted prematurely with BlogRush and then didn't adequately communicate his message or intentions.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Blog Rush, BlogRush, income.com, John Reese
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 9:32 AM,
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WidgetBox Weekly Stats For Patrick Pretty
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Last week I posted about Widgetbox. Now that 7 full days have gone by, I thought I'd thought I'd share the totals for my Blidget.These are the number of hits on my "Master Of Eye Candy" Blidget:
- Saturday, Oct. 13: 47 (partial day)
- Sunday, Oct. 14: 58
- Monday, Oct. 15: 165
- Tuesday, Oct. 16: 208
- Wednesday, Oct. 17: 223
- Thursday, Oct. 18: 142
- Friday, Oct. 19: 286
- Saturday, Oct. 20: 108
I received 286 hits on my Blidget on Friday, 223 on Wednesday and 208 on Tuesday, making these the best days of the week. Saturday had the lowest hit total (108).
Blidgets are cool. I even changed the color theme of my Blog Logo to coordinate it more with my Blidget, although I'm not committed to that change yet.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 9:15 AM,
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Case Stevens On Taking Massive Action In Internet Marketing; The 'Most Important' Success Factor
Saturday, October 20, 2007
(Editor's Note: We are pleased today to offer you this guest column by Case Stevens. Case talks about taking massive action to make your Internet Marketing business better for you and your customers. Case was one of the coauthors of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online," writing a user-friendly chapter on profitable niche marketing. He also was the "20 Ways" project manager, demonstrating daily his ability to take massive action.)
How About . . . Taking Action?
(C) 2007 Case Stevens
Yesterday I received an email from my friend Willie Crawford, pointing out that there's only two months left until Christmas. At the beginning of this week, Willie challenged everyone to end this year with Massive Action, so we all can end the year poised to achieve your dreams in the new year.
I couldn't agree more.
Because taking action is the most important factor to be successful online. All the rest are details.
You see, on the Internet, as in real life, only a small percentage of people let something happen. A somewhat higher percentage watches what happens and the vast majority . . . well, in the end they never knew what has happened.
The funny thing is, that these statistics also apply to people reading this.
And I hate that. Honestly.
That's why today, I want to make it my challenge to you to change these numbers. I really want you to take action and I'll show you some super easy and simple steps to start with that. Read on.
This small amount of people that let something happen are the real entrepreneurs. And they have one particular thing in common that keeps them going and that is their passion and endeavor to take Massive Action.
All innovative entrepreneurs are always searching for what can make their business better for themselves and everyone touched by their business. They look for good opportunities within their own business and industry and then act upon that, which is exactly what makes them successful people!
That's why I was hoping you already downloaded your copy of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
If you haven't, then do this right away. Study and implement. THAT'S taking Massive Action!
That's what makes you an entrepreneur. You don't sit back and simply wait for the muse to strike you. Oh no! You get up, get out and search for those innovative opportunities in 5 key
strategies:
- Unfortunately, it sometimes includes failure. However, innovative entrepreneurs always use failure as an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and create something special. Others will simply give up or mope about their failures. Successful entrepreneurs will rise above their failures and create new opportunities.
- The Inconceivable: You know those things that you feel you have to do even though it's a pain. Entrepreneurs are the ones who see through that and come up with workable ideas to make things easier for everyone. They make the inconceivable seemingly disappear.
- The Process: Inventions for the masses are what make entrepreneurs spectacular. The inventions of the light bulb, the television, washing machine, etc. are all things we use today without a second thought. A few centuries ago, these things didn't yet exist. It was those innovative entrepreneurs and inventors who made these things possible.
- Moving with Change: Entrepreneurs have the ability to see into the future of their businesses and industries. If they foresee a change coming in the future, they will make the necessary changes within their company to flow or even start the change to come.
- Taking Action: Some entrepreneurs see that something will happen, but make no decisions to plan for it. Innovative entrepreneurs on the other hand see that and plan for the future. They take action!
Here's another way to take action: get involved in teleseminars and live events!
You've probably emailed with some of your peers. And sometimes you wonder what they are saying, meaning or driving at. Well, hearing a voice that belongs to such email opens a whole different world! That may sound strange, but it's the truth. And meeting someone in person can definitely change your perception of that person completely.
Get involved! Visit live events. And start with joining conference calls, webinars, teleseminars.
Here's a great start: with some exceptions, Willie Crawford has a conference call every Saturday around noon EST. If I can make it, I'll join (I live in Europe, 6 hours ahead, so by that time my 'social network activities' kicks in!).
I'd like for you to be on a special networking and brainstorming call this Saturday, October 20th, at 11am - 12:30pm. The call is free. On the call I'll hopefully be joined by numerous other very savvy Internet marketers, and we can discuss how to actually find YOUR niche.
To join that call, you need to register at: http://WillieCrawford.com/free-brainstorming-calls.html
Registering will trigger an autoresponder message with the call-in details. Then on Saturday, we can discuss "finding a proven, profitable niche!"
It's completely free, no strings attached and your email is only used to send you the call details. Nothing else. How simple is that? Huh?
Here's another no-brainer: post useful comments at blogs! Start with mine. It's at Affordable Internet Marketing. If I think your comment adds value to the discussion, you'll get a one-way link back to your site!
Geeshh, how easy is that?
Get involved. Build your own network. Take ACTION!
Ok, enough. I'll rest my...
Case.
Case Stevens, online marketing since 1998, is experimenting with different marketing techniques, websites, traffic and lead generation. He shares his experiences in his newsletter Affordable Online Strategies, featuring understandable and successful low cost Internet marketing techniques, articles, news and tips & tricks that any website owner should know.
Subscribe at Affordable Online Strategies
Labels: Affordable Internet Marketing, Affordable Online Strategies, Case Stevens, Willie Crawford
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 8:41 AM,
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$7 Secrets: The 'Little Script That Could' Is Now Is Under The Capable Ownership Of Programmer Don Morris
Friday, October 19, 2007
Lots of people missed the news last month that $7 Secrets has changed hands.Don Morris acquired the script, the ebook, the $7 Secrets sales site and the 7dollarforum from Jon Leger.
$7 Secrets, which has become known as the 7 dollar script or $7 script, is a product that levels the playing field for Internet Marketers worldwide.
Why? It enables you to provide instant delivery of products you create or products for which you've acquired Master Resale Rights and are licensed to sell from your own website.
Oh, yes. You also get paid instantly via PayPal for each sale -- and you can use the $7 Secrets script to create your own Affiliate program.
That means your Affiliates get paid instantly, something that motivates them to promote your products.
Some script solutions cost hundreds (even thousands) of dollars. $7 Secrets costs only $7, an extraordinary value given its versatility. I talk about $7 Secrets in my chapter inside "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
And Tim Phelan and I talk about it in this recent radio interview.
I use the 7 dollar script for a number of my products, including "Pluck Forever" and "Write Faster. Write Better."
People often ask me how to get the best use out of the $7 script and the sales letter templates that accompany them.
My advice always is to make the sales pages seem less like templates. Put your own unique signature on your sales letter and the other pages. Let customers know they're dealing with you, not a template. :-)
Avoid any language on the sales page that sounds like you're promoting the Affiliate opportunity over the value of the product itself. PayPal doesn't like hyped-up sales pitches, so make sure you explain the value of the product.
I don't mention my Affiliate program at all on my sales page. I introduce customers to the program only after purchase.
If you're a marketer inclined toward hype, I wouldn't recommend $7 Secrets. PayPal does not permit MLMs and has been known to restrict accounts of merchants who:
- Use language that sounds like MLM even if the program has nothing to do with MLM.
- Highlight the Affiliate program over the value of the product itself.
Don Morris has greatly improved the scripts. You can do very well with $7 Secrets if you spend some time showcasing the value of your product. It's a nice list-building tool, one that also enables you to make some money.
$7 Secrets.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: $7 script, $7 Secrets, 7 dollar script, 7dollarforum, Don Morris, Jon Leger
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 11:21 AM,
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Patrick Pretty Talks '20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online' On Blog Talk Radio; Interview With Tim Phelan
Earlier today I posted the radio screen for my interview with Tim Phelan on "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
I liked the appearance of the Blog Talk Radio screen, but didn't like the fact it plays automatically on my Blog as soon as the page loads.
That's why I edited the previous post. You can listen to the interview here. It will still play upon load -- but the page is off my Blog site now. Simply press the two bars in the radio screen to pause the interview.
Patrick Pretty
Labels: 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online, Blog Talk Radio, BlogTalkRadio, Patrick Pretty, Tim Phelan
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 8:57 AM,
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Listen To The Patrick Pretty Interview On '20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online'
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Earlier today I posted about my interview with Tim Phelan on BlogTalkRadio. The interview, which concerned "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online," is now completed.
Here is the URL:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/timphelan/2007/10/17/20WaysToMake100com
This was a lot of fun. Just so you know, there is a pause of about 5-10 seconds early on, owing to a Skype glitch. Don't let it throw you. :-)
We talked about the chapters of the publication, providing some background on the individual authors, all of whom are members of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.
My chapter was on branding your Internet Marketing business on a budget.
Tim asked me about the background of the product -- how it was conceived, and how 18 marketers from all corners of the globe pulled it off despite tight deadlines. The bottom line is that Willie Crawford and Case Stevens kept us all together and focused, which is no mean feat.
We had to manage the editorial challenge, of course. But we also had time-zone and other challenges to overcome.
The result was a product that has been well-received in the global marketplace. Sales are brisk, and marketers worldwide now are recommending "20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online" to their own customers.
My appreciation to Tim.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 7:58 PM,
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Patrick Pretty On BlogTalkRadio Today To Discuss '20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online' And Pathway 100
Just a quick note to let readers know I'll be on Tim Phelan's program today on Blog Talk Radio.
http://blogtalkradio.com/timphelan
The show is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT (USA).
Tim Phelan will discuss the recent release of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online."
We'll talk about some other things, too.
Take care, Friends.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online, Blog Talk Radio, Pathway 100, Tim Phelan
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 3:22 PM,
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You Tube Marketer Pro From Steve Mount Helps Internet Marketers Profit By Using The Explosive Power Of YouTube
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
YouTube traffic envy? I don't blame you at all. Here's a way to put You Tube traffic to work for you.
Steve Mount has just released YouTubeMarketerPro; it's an appropriate title, and the publication is a breeze to read.
You Tube has become the 4th-most popular website on the planet. In the past two weeks alone, Steve Mount has recorded 210,000 views of his YouTube videos. Steve is benefiting handsomely from his visitors!
First, a brief biography of Steve. He's an Internet Marketer, of course. But he's also an airman in the U.S. Air Force. I'm grateful for his service -- and I'm also grateful that more and more soldiers, sailors and marines are serving their country and creating fabulous part-time jobs on the Internet.
Steve Mount walks you though his YouTube system in "You Tube Marketer Pro." It's one of those friendly eBooks; it's not filled with fluff. It is packed with information and resources you can put at your instant disposal and start profiting from the explosive popularity of YouTube.
My one concern about the book -- and it's a minor one -- is that Steve is so enthusiastic about Internet Marketing that he introduces visitors to his Affiliate program before he presents the information in the excellent eBook.
No matter; I understand his excitement. And the content more than makes up for this minor peeve.
Here's a PDF News Release that points to my Blog review of "YouTube Marketing Pro."
I very much like the fact that Steve took a little time and included a brief bio in the eBook. More Internet Marketers should do this; it puts customers and ease and lets them know they're dealing with a living, breathing human being.
Steve made all the chapter titles clickable, something that adds to reader convenience. The writing itself is extremely thorough and effective. It's fair to call "YouTube MarketerPro" a roadmap. You'll enjoy the graphics, something Steve uses to walk you through his YouTube marketing method.
It's my belief that beginners, advanced and intermediate Internet Marketers can benefit from this thorough publication. Steve talks about a way to use existing videos to capitalize on YouTube's popularity. As a note of caution, you always should make sure you have permission from the owner of a video before using it.
If you create your own videos, you won't have to worry about contacting the owners of existing videos to seek their permission to use them.
YouTube has a broad following, even in the mainstream. It's not simply a site populated by Internet Marketers. People from all walks of life enjoy YouTube, and it's a great resource for introducing them to ways to make money online.
Steve does this very well in his eBook, which is why I used the word "thorough" higher up in this review. It's literally a step-by-step guide.
I was impressed by Steve's explanations. He mentions how to avoid land mines and shows readers how to benefit even if they don't have their own website or product to sell.
Another thing I appreciated is that Steve gives readers credit for their intelligence. He does not, for example, go into laborious detail explaining what YouTube is. Other authors would have spent page after page explaining the site -- just so they could elevate the word count of their eBooks.
As Steve notes, even his cat -- which is asleep 23 hours a day -- knows what YouTube is. I always enjoy the colloquial approach, especially when it's mixed with serious business.
Make sure you give YouTubeMarketingPro a good look. It's only $7, a bargain indeed.
Labels: Steve Mount., You Tube Marketer Pro, YouTubeMarketerPro
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 11:36 AM,
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WidgetBox Power: The Little Blidget That Could
Yesterday I emailed my list about WidgetBox; I also told members about Steve Humphrey's color-selection tool for website design, and provided a couple of links for my free News Release templates and my free report on branding.Back to WidgetBox, home of the delightful little widget.
My Blidget was up for about eight hours on Saturday, the day I learned about WidgetBox.
It received 47 visitors.
That number increased to 58 on Sunday, usually my day of lowest traffic.
Yesterday (Monday) my Blidget at WidgetBox received 165 visitors. That's a nice number -- and I've gained some subscribers as well.
Every bit of website traffic helps extend the Patrick Pretty brand. Traffic has surged to my sites in recent days, owing to last week's release of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online." I was a co-author, along with more than a dozen other members of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.
Blidgets. Widgets. The viral power of creating an eBook that provides lasting value. All of these things have come together in recent days to produce website traffic.
"20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online" was released nine days ago -- and people are still talking about it on Internet Marketing forums. Over the weekend, we added some additional testimonials to the website -- thoughts and reviews of "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online" from people who bought the product and are putting it to use immediately.
It has been gratifying to read comments from readers who appreciate the "no-hype" approach and are taking firm steps to build their online businesses. Working part-time on the Internet is a very rewarding pursuit.
One of the best things about Internet Marketing is that it can create wealth among people who've been denied access to markets because of their station in life. People from impoverished or politically oppressed nations increasingly are becoming part of the global community of Internet Marketers.
I've used this space before to talk about the economic principle that a rising tide lifts all boats. The Internet is destroying barriers to success and generating global excitement like never before.
Things as simple as a WidgetBox and an information-rich eBook offered at an affordable price are helping drive the engine of commerce.
I love this business. Hope you do, too.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online, widget box. blidget, WidgetBox
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 9:08 AM,
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Free Website Color Selector From Steve Humphrey
Monday, October 15, 2007
Colors anyone? If you're like me, you spend far more time worrying about word selection than the colors and color themes you select for your Internet Marketing website.
Thanks to Steve Humphrey and WebThemeDesigner.com, you now can use color as your secret weapon -- and you can do it easily and free!
What does this give you? The best of both worlds. There's no excuse now for not selecting pleasing website colors to match your beautiful website prose.
I'm a dunce when it comes to selecting colors. But Steve Humphrey and Web Theme Designer take that off the table.
Steve's free color selector will help you choose the colors best suited for your website. Use it to put yourself and visitors at ease.
I'm definitely the sort of person who spends way more time on copywriting chores than website color selection. Hat's off to Steve for making his free website color selector available.
The site includes a brief tutor on the main page to better educate you about website color selection. Steve talks about some of the basic colors, defining what they mean to website visitors for a psychological point of view.
There is considerable psychology to color. You've probably heard that red works in headlines. But Steve talks about blue, green, yellow and purple, in addition to red. This will give you an idea about what visitors experience when they see certain color combinations.
Steve Humphrey's free color-selection tool will make your job easier. You'll not only dazzle customers with your use of words, you'll also incorporate eye-pleasing colors.
Use this tool often. Learn how to apply the best colors and color themes to your website.
I plan to visit "webthemedesigner.com often. It's a great resource, a sort of secret weapon for Internet Marketers who know they're deficient from the standpoint of using color in web designs.
Heck, professional designers can benefit from Steve's site. So can an average person who builds his or her own web pages.
http://webthemedesigner.com
Have a good day, Friend.
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
P.S. Wanted to remind you about "20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online." We're doing well with this launch. Visit the Pathway100.com site soon to see what all the fuss is about.
Labels: free website color selector, Steve Humphrey, web theme designer.
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 5:39 PM,
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Wordplay In Marketing: Will 'Daft' Make The Grade?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Internet Marketing copywriters always are on the lookout for words and phrases that sell.
Yesterday I posted a thread at Warrior Forum:
http://www.warriorforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=190380
I've been seeing the word "daft" in more and more forum posts lately. I used the word as a child, but somehow it left my vocabulary. In any event, the posts reminded me that "daft" is a wonderfully economic word that conveys a lot of meaning.
"Do Internet Marketers who take the lazy way out and send me canned sales pitches think I'm daft?" Do list-owners who put no thought into how they treat subscribers think their members are daft?"
One poster who replied to my thread at Warrior Forum said he believed "daft" was too complicated a word to use in sales copy. Another poster said he believed the word was archaic. There seemed to be general agreement that "daft" is a word used most often by older people.
My instincts tell me the word is more popular in the U.K. and parts of Europe than it is in the United States, my country of birth.
Just because a word won't play in Peoria doesn't mean it won't play elsewhere. It's possible, for example, to tailor sales letters so they'll speak directly to specific audiences.
I plan to use "daft" very soon in a promotion. I don't believe it will go over the head of my U.S. customers, and it very well might speak directly to an audience segment.
Daft is a fun word. It puts a smile on my face whenever I hear it. It could be one of those words that make people feel warm on the inside.
Ever notice that the public often seizes on the simplest of notions?
Wendy's "Where's The Beef?" hamburger campaign from a generation ago (1984) is a perfect example of how "simple" sells. The words were uttered by the late actress Clara Peller in a TV commercial.
"Where's the beef?" became an instant catchphrase, one uttered by children and adults of all ages. It was just plain funny -- and resulted in a marketer's dream.
Simple is good. Customers like to feel warm on the inside. Maybe "daft" can be put to good use -- perhaps not universally, but to a segment that routinely uses the word. And maybe, just maybe, other people might want to come along for the ride.
Daft. :-)
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 2:32 PM,
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WidgetBox.com: Get Your FREE Widget
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Dr. Mani told me this morning about WidgetBox.com.
The widget box starring me (right sidebar) is the result.
And to think I'd planned to take the day off. :-)
Now I find myself compelled to write a brief review of WidgetBox. This means I'll miss my Tee-time. Here's hoping that my golf buddies will wait.
Seriously, though, I like my Widget Box. (The WidgetBox people call it a "Blidget.")
It was easy to make. A boatload of Widget Box options are available. I like it because I could put my picture in my Blidget. (Who can get enough of that, right?)
And I like it because it keeps a list of recent posts to my Blog.
So, thanks for the heads-up on WidgetBox.com and Blidgets, Dr. Mani.
You can check out Dr. Mani's Blidget here.
OK. Off to the golf course now -- thoughts of widget box blidgets on my mind. :-)
Patrick Pretty
The "Most Beautiful Little Boy In The World" -- 1964
Labels: Blidget, Dr. Mani, Widget Box, WidgetBox
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 4:00 PM,
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Guest Commentary: Willie Crawford On '20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online,' Pathway100.com And Creating A Successful Internet Marketing Product
Friday, October 12, 2007
EDITOR'S NOTE: We are pleased today to offer you this insightful guest column from Willie Crawford. Willie spearheaded the behind-the-scenes brainstorming and ultimate publication of "How To Make $100 Per Day Online," offered through The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.This was a labor of love, Friends. Taking an idea, applying the polish, organizing the team, establishing areas of responsibility and deadlines, and shepherding the product from conception to release . . . well, it's no mean feat in a collaborative environment.
In this guest column, Willie Crawford talks about the importance of doing homework and market research. You'll learn a couple of ways to do this easily and quickly.
I am delighted to present Willie's informative commentary to you.
Patrick Pretty
How To Guarantee Your Product's Success Before You Even Start!
Copyright 2007 by Willie Crawford
Today, I'd like to teach you an easy method of researching a product or project idea before you invest a lot of time and other resources in it.
Over the past 11 years I've been shown over 100 products that "seemed like a great idea," but when they were offered to the market, the customers weren't interested. In a few cases the "marketing" was just bad, but in more cases, the product was simply something that the market didn't want.
There are, of course, more research tools available than you could ever learn to use. So, today, I'm actually going to focus your attention on just two -- and they'll both be free.
Free Internet Marketing Tools
First, I'd like to introduce you to Google Alerts! You'll find this handy, free service offered by Google.com at: http://www.google.com/alerts
Note that Google does own the trademarks to all of the terms mentioned in this article that uses their name.
Google Alerts allow you to subscribe to free notifications of when Google discovers new occurrences of a target phrase anywhere on the Internet. You can specify what types of
databases Google provides you with updates from. As you'll see when visiting the site, it's fairly self-explanatory.
I have dozens of these set up. I have it set up so that, once a day, I get a email summary of new alerts for:
- Target keyword phrases
- Target URLs
- Target product titles
- Discussion forums on a topic
- My name and my company name
- My key competitors
- Unique phrases that I created for various purpose
The second free tool that I use is online forums specific to my to