Focus - Staying The Course

I have a blog called "Serendipity Express". The premise of this name has two basic parts:

1. Express: This word denotes freedom of speech. The Internet affords anyone this right - to a point. As we've learnt from current events - in the offline world - FOS isn't always without it's repercussions. Especially if respect is left out of the mix. "Express" denotes the freedom to express myself. But this is only half the equation. There's also...
2. Serendipity: Here's a good definition of the word: "Serendipity is finding something unexpected and useful while searching for something else entirely." This is an interesting word and is a great way to describe the online experience. You go online with one objective in mind and then you end up getting sidetracked and lured away by something that piques your curiosity. So you follow it up and click on through to that page or website. Before you know it you've got 10 windows open and no clear objective.

This word serendipity is what I want to talk about...

You see, it seems to be a major reason why focusing - staying the course - can be a difficult feat for the average Internet marketer. Especially since we don't have a boss looming over our shoulder micro-managing us.

The fact that the Internet is serendipidous by nature makes it a challenge to keep focused on what you had set out to do in the first place (whatever that was). So we need a solution, something that will carry us over into the 'End Zone'.

I've noticed that when each step is clearly mapped out step-by-step, focus is alot easier. When it isn't focus is more likely to be at the mercy of the forces of serendipity

Goals > tasks > schedules > ...

Focus > Context: Does this move me closer to my goals for the day? The same question can and should (this is one of those 'shoulds' - but it is really helpful rather than hurtful) be used with all purchase considerations too.

To Multi-Task or Not to Multi-Task?

The Jury is still out on this one. Some Internet marketers report that focusing on several ventures at a time is completely okay, while others attribute their success to focusing only on one project at a time. The concensus seems to be in favor of this view.

By spreading yourself thin you dilute your effectiveness. So one way around this is to outsource the tasks you aren't good at, don't like, or are too time consuming. This will free you up to focus on where you're strong.

Perhaps the most important thing is work on the business not in the business.

To be continued...

How To Make Online Purchases Without A Credit Card.

Credit cards are the most popular form of online currency exchange. They're convenient and they are the life blood of ecommerce.

However, they can be a financial hazard if not handled with care. Case in point...

I have this friend who had her credit card account closed down by the bank. She wasn’t too happy about this, understandably, but the bank has a thing called terms & conditions. She failed to take this into consideration when he decided to make a few too many late payments - 3 months worth.

Anyway, she had a dilemma; on the one hand she still wanted to make online purchases but on the other she no longer had her trustee credit card.

So she set out to find alternative ways to make online purchases. Here's what she found discovered...

Option #1: Sign up for a free PayPal account!

Now here’s the deal…

You can make your online purchases by attaching a bank account (of your choice) to your PayPal account. This is a relatively easy process – and it’s free!

All it takes is three easy steps: (The following is taken directly from the PayPal website)…

Step 1: Log in to your PayPal account and click on Set up bank funding on the left hand side of your Account Overview page. When prompted, enter your bank details and review our bank funding agreement.

Step 2: When we have received your bank details, we will deposit two small security amounts into your bank account. When you see your next bank statement, make a note of these amounts.

Step 3: Log in to your PayPal account and tell us what these two amounts are. When you have completed all three steps, you can then start sending PayPal payments funded by your bank account.

An official statement from the website states the following:

“Bank Funding lets you easily make payments with PayPal using your bank account. Plus, you'll be safe because PayPal never debits your bank account without your authorisation.Make sure there are sufficient funds in your bank account before sending a bank funded PayPal payment

Option #2:

This one is a personal favorite…

A debit card! In America it is commonly known as a prepaid credit card.

Additionally, there are options for the “credit impaired” consumer. BUt I won't cover that at this time.

The danger with the Internet is that if you do not track your finances - i.e. your purchases -they can easily get away on you. That's why a debit card is so valuable. You have to put your own money on your debit card before you can go online and buy anything. No interest, no woriies.

The other benefit is that it trains - or should I say rehabilitates - the "credit challenged" because they have to save up first before they buy anything. Thus, new, better habits are formed & everyone wins!

Oh, I think that's a knock at your door. It's the repo man. It looks like you'll have to get a new debit card! : b

I'm out.

Paul

How To Create PDF Files For Free

As an Internet marketer building your own mailing list is very important. Your profits are made in repeat sales from your current customer base. In Internet marketing this is known as the "backend".

But to benefit from this you have to get people on your mailing list first. Using incentives in the form of free reports, mini-ebooks, etc have long been the staple incentive options for Internet marketers.

Most of these are PDF files. The problem for the budding Internet marketer here is that they simply don't have the cash to just throw around to buy a $100 peice of software. But thankfully I've found a way to create PDF files without using expensive software. In fact you can do it for free!

Ever wondered how to do this?

If you already have Adobe Acrobat or you've found another way to do it then stop reading right now. Otherwise read on...

I'm gonna keep this short & sweet:

One word: Open Office. It's completely free! Download it here.

Open Office is an equivalent to Microsoft Office. OO contains speadsheet, presentation, database and other capabilities. The one we're interested in here the word document moduule - OO's answer to Microsoft Word.

Now here's the deal: You write up your document, edit it, include your affiliate links & whatever other links you want.

Notice in the toolbar a PDF icon. When you're finished editing your document you just need to press this icon and OO will save it as a PDF file. Links and all!

The drawbacks
So far one drawback I can find is that you can't mask your affiliate links. There are a number of ways around this:

1. Use a URL redirect service such as TinyURL.com. You can also see if your webhost has this feature in their service. How to do it: Get your tinyURL URL and then go back and insert it into your document - before you export it as a PDF.
2. Direct them to a affiliate landing page (your affiliate website) where you further pesell them & warm them up first. The URL will of course be your own, not the merchants.
3. You can use an autoesponder sevice like Aweber to rediect to the sales page. I don't know how to do this but I recommend you visit the site www.aweber.com to find out how to do it. Failing this just "Google" the term "URL redirect" & see what comes up.

Alternatives

Acrobat has a 5 document trail, so you can go ahead and use this. But I wouldn't do so until I had all my documents (reports, mini ebooks, guides, cheat sheets, etc) ready first. Then it's just a matter of copy-&-paste.

Alternatively you can pay $9.99/month for unlimited PDF files creation. Clik here for more info.

In conclusion...

There are more complicated ways do create free PDF's. Uni students are often told about these, so we'll leave it to them. Otherwise if you know any just send them here to this post!

Yours in Life & Prosperity,

Paul Lambert.

Keyword Reserach - Small to medium Business

Today I did some keyword research for Iinternet Marketing. I didn't know what to expect but I can tell you that I certainly didn't expect to see the results this keyword research yeilded...

Okay, so here's the skinny: It seems that - yes, as the title of this blog entry suggests - that small to medium businesses are going online to expand their visbility.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I can only surmmize that the word on the 'street' must be that the Internet is definitely effective for reaching a wider audience. But unlike the global thinking of most Internet marketers these people are searching for something closer to home, something more local.

So they're going online to find out how to do it.

Thus an irony has arisen out of the commercial chaos. While our offline counterparts are seeking an online presence, online businesses are seeking to expand their brand awareness by exploring their offline options.

My Findings
What I found was that there were alot of searches for local internet marketing services. By local I mean on a state level. There was the odd local - as in City based - search. But thet majority were by state. USA had the most searches of tis nature. Then Canada and the UK were probable about the same. Here's a sampling of what I found:

• 1511 search queires for "san diego internet marketing"
• 1127 search queries for "denver internet marketing"

Secondly I found that there were mostly service oriented businesses seeeking out this Information also. Businesses like:

• Dentists
• Real estate agents
• Law firms
• Ophthalmologists
• Cosmetic & dental surgeons
• Doctors
• ... & more.

My Point...
There exists an opportunity for savvy Internet marketers to meet this demand. Allow me to explain. Since these people are looking for 'how to' information, for know how, you - the Internet marketer - can position yourself in their 'flight path' and reel them into your marketing funnel.

That's obvious but here's my plan:

• I'm going to promote SiteSell first & foremost, as it is such a comprehensive mix of both necessary tools and knowledge that the Internet newbie just cannot do without. I don't know of any other service that contains so many user benefits and necessary features.
• Alternatively I will promote my book and XsitePro. This tool is a quick & easy way for any newbie to create websites without knowing any HTML.
  But honestly, I think I'll stick to promoting SiteSell to these people since it is just so damn good.

Finally Thoughts...
Now these people/firms already possess a fair degree of marketing knowledge so it just becomes a matter of transfering and adapting that knowledge to the online world. This is why I still may go with promoting my book and XsitePro.

I would recommend you do the same and go in and target this market. Well, that's all for now my jolly fellows.

Yours in Prosperity & Life,

Paul Lambert.
http://www.your-money-tree.com/ (Coming soon).
~

Hickory Dickory Dock...

Hello to everyone! I am so busy these days; what, with all my online ventures all jealously competing for my attention, I feel like a kid let loose in a candy store. What to do, where to start first? Argh!!! So many juicy things I could do.

I find myself focusing only on the 'sexy' things first. When I get bored with that I jump ship onto the next sexy thing.

But this 'promiscuity' poses a major problem: Slow and staggered progress.

At least it's progress. However I should really focus just on one thing at a time, get my priorities straight, make a plan, and then work it baby work it!

'Tis the plight of many an Internet marketer to suffer from time distortion, 'missing time', & time management issues. "Time flies when you're having fun".

And things like sleep, eating, blinking, and even breathing become necessary evils; inconveniences of which we can do little to remove, without - well, suffering or even DYING!

These are things - necessities of life - we may have to live with for the time being since they are really out of our control. But time management is something that is definitely within ones control.

This I must remember & follow through on.

If you can relate to this let me know. Meanwhile I have some GROOVEY recommedations & timely tips. I would like to call to your attention:

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" By Stephen Covey. What can I say? "Mad props" - hows that? Okay, seriously though I would highly recommend this book as a life management tool not just a time management one.

If you can get a PDA or a Blackberry. Get some kind of time management tool you can use on your PDA. FranklinCovey has a free trial for one of their main time management tools. Go here to check it out. (I've created my own TM tool based on Habit 3: "First Things First". BTW, get this book too).

Tips:

• It has been said that Mary K. Ash (of Marky K Cosmetics) used write down the 5 most important things she needed to do that day. She would then carry them out starting from the most difficult & then on down the list to the easiest item of business last. (did you get all that?)
• Stephen Covey talks of a Personal Intergrity Account. Each time we follow through with our commitments/plans/'to do' list/etc, we will make a 'deposit' into this account. The net effect over time is an increased sense of self-worth, self-confidence. Success breeds success as they say. Conversley, the opposite is also true - (like so many of these natural laws we come to discover through playing with fire).
• Turn off the TV. This is the one hypnotic device that seems be able to garner ones undying devotion and single-handedly responsible for the urban phenomenon known as "missing time". This is a job for er, not the Cable Guy, but Dr Who: "Put down the remote. Put your hands where I can see them"

"The future is not set; there's no fate but what we make for ourselves." - T2