Affiliate Marketing Business Blog

I recently got an email from someone who told me that he’s spent over $15,000 trying to build an affiliate marketing business. And I know from experience that this isn’t atypical. Most businessmen (me included) do spend a lot of money building their business. And although $15,000 isn’t a ton of money when you compare the costs of starting up a normal bricks and mortar business, it’s still a lot of money. I’ve personally lost tens of thousands of dollars making all sorts of mistakes while building my business so I know how painful it is.

The real question isn’t how much you’ve lost, but how much you’ve learned. Despite losing all that money, I feel tens of thousands of dollars wiser because of my mistakes. So the question I have for you is, was the amount of money you’ve spent worth it? If not, please stop spending money and take a step back for a moment. Go through the money you’ve spent and figure out the value that came from spending it. Sometimes, it’s only a matter of saving you from making the same mistake again. Sometimes there was great value that was there but you missed. But sometimes just learning that something isn’t for you can save you all sorts of headaches in the future.

I know that building a business is the road less traveled and can be a difficult one. I want to try to keep you from making the same mistakes I have and losing the kind of amount of money I have. So I’ll continue to keep you posted about what I discover to be the safest, most cost effective, and most profitable paths to take.

I’m curious to know what are the best lessons you’ve learned from the money you’ve spent building your business. Feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Matthew Glanfield

Ok…maybe hate is a little harsh. But you’d have to admit that many internet marketers don’t really want to have anything to do with you. They don’t want to hear what you have to say, they don’t want your questions, and they certainly don’t want you to be able to contact them. They want you to buy their product and just leave them alone.

Now I’ve always tried to provide as much support as possible for all of my products. But as I’ve been building my business outside of Internet Marketing, the importance of interacting with your customers has become even clearer. People want to interact with the people they buy from. And lots of people are willing to pay more to do it.

In my current little niche, I charge more than many of my competitors for the exact same items. But my business has dominated that niche because we are continually interacting with our customers. We happily answer their questions, make a ton of videos, and encourage them to interact with us at every turn. What has that done for us? Well in 2009, we saw an explosion in growth while many other businesses were hurting.

So if you’re looking for a tool to explode your business in 2010, my advice is, don’t hate your customer. Interact with them every chance you get.

If you have success stories with how interacting with your customers has helped grow your business, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

To Your Success,

Matthew Glanfield

Yesterday I posed the question, “What Is A Real Business?” A real business is made up of two basic elements and these two elements should be the main focus of every business owner. If you find yourself working on other things, you need to shift your focus.

So what are the two elements? They are Traffic and Conversion. Any business activity, whether the business is online or bricks and mortar, can be summed up in these two elements.

Traffic:
This is perhaps the most important element in building your business. Lots of people think that if you have a good product, the customers will come running. But most of the time, that isn’t the case. Here’s an example why. Lets say, there are two men who own hotdog cart businesses and they want to sell hotdogs around the superbowl stadium. The first one has all the best hot dog toppings one could imagine, and he gets a spot a few blocks over from the main entrance to the stadium. The second man just has the basic toppings but he gets a prime spot located right in front of the superbowl stadium. Which one is going to make more money that day? Of course the guy with the basic toppings but a prime location. This is the reason why McDonalds is so successful. McDonalds focuses on prime traffic locations. That should be your focus too. It isn’t uncommon for a savy internet business owner to start building traffic before they finish or even start the website.

Conversion:
The second most important aspect to running a business is conversion. Once you have the traffic, you’ve need to get them to buy. You might be asking, “Don’t you need to worry about your product before thinking about conversion?”

My answer: No. Athough both are elements of conversion, good marketing is more important than a good product. The product is important in the sense that you want happy customers who buy and keep buying from you. But no one will even understand the value of your product without good marketing. It’s up to you to let them know that you’ve got something of great value and why it’s of greater value than the amount of money you’re asking for it.

Now, pretty much any aspect to business will fall under one of these two categories. Your job as a business builder is to find the most effective ways for you to achieve these two things. Sometimes that depends of the market but often when you’re starting out, much of it depends on you.

A Real Business’s success depends on how well you can focus on traffic and conversion.

I could go on, but I’d like to hear from you. What are the most important activities you find that fall under one these two categories?
Or would you like to share what your thoughts about traffic and conversion, feel free to leave your comments below.

Matthew Glanfield

I got an email last week asking me if I have any recommendations for building a “real” Business. It was a good question because, if you are reading this blog, that’s exactly what you want to build. Too many people buy courses and training and think, “that’s going to make me money” and don’t give much thought to building a “real” Business. That’s a huge mistake. If you just want to make a quick buck, you are reading the wrong blog. But if you want to build a solid business, keep reading. Actually, if you’re just looking for a quick buck, you probably need to stick around more so I can convince you that it’s not the way to make money online.

Now, with that in mind, let me be clear. Affiliate Marketing, Membership Sites, etc.. are all real businesses. These tactics can be used to get a quick buck, but lots people use them to run legitimate businesses. In fact, almost anything can be built into a real business. You’d be surprised to learn about many of the zany and off the wall businesses people are building out there and making good money. My point, is not that you need a crazy idea to have a business, but whether or not it’s a real business is dependent on how you run it more than what you do.

So when you see someone offering to teach you how to make money online, ask yourself one of these two questions.

1. If you’re just starting out, “Will I be able to make this into a real Business?” or,

2. If you’re already running a real business, “Is this something I can implement now to help grow my current business?”

If you can’t see yourself using their training or service to build a real, viable business, don’t bother looking at it any further. It’s not something you want to get involved with.

In fact, last year, my attention was almost completely outside of internet marketing because I’ve been building a real business in a niche that’s a ton of fun for me. I feel like I get to play all day. When you find something like that, it makes building a business so much easier.

How would you define building a “real” Business? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Matthew Glanfield

In Yesterday’s post I talked about how education can be the best friend and the worst enemy to your business. Now before you think that I’m against educating yourself, I want to make myself clear. Education is Critical to building a successful business. But it’s important to be strategic and Find the Best Kind of Business Education.

So what IS the Best Business Educational System? The best education you can get is in The Doing. Actually running a business, making decisions and taking action will help you learn quicker than any “Guru’s” course ever could.

Have you ever wondered why McDonalds requires that you work there before you can own one? It’s a system of success. You need to work in a business to learn how to make it successful.

There’s a lot of people out there that don’t want to believe you have to do it to learn it. They have their sites too focused on the idea of the quick buck and easy money. They keep buying product after product thinking, each time, this one will be the Magic Bullet. But it never seems to happen because it doesn’t exist.

Now, while there may not be a Magic Bullet, there are shortcuts. Don’t buy anything thinking it’s a magical solution. Look for shortcuts, not magic.

So what’s an example of a shortcut? One example is to buy an already functioning business from someone else. Even if it’s just making $1 a month, that’s a great start! By running the business, you’ll get the best kind of education possible. It can often be better than investing in a course or educational product.

That’s just one example of a shortcut to success. What do YOU think are some of the best shortcuts to building an online business? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments below.

Matthew Glanfield

In order to succeed online it’s vital that you invest in your education. All the successful entrepreneurs I know invest heavily in their education. Investing in my education literally helped me make the huge leaps I needed each time I launched my business to the next level. Yes, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on my education but that education translated directly to hundreds of thousands of dollars in my pocket.

But there’s a dark side to education as well. Some people become so wrapped up in purchasing educational products, they buy everything that comes their way but don’t do a thing with it.

Of course, there’s always a reason why the last product wouldn’t work. Perhaps buying the latest course just feels better than doing nothing. Or maybe they just feel a little more secure knowing that product is on their shelf/computer (just in case they need it someday). But also people get overwhelmed with too much information that they don’t know where to start.

Whatever the reason, the end result is the same. The educational “investment” doesn’t get implemented and they never get their online business off the ground.

What’s important to understand is that investing in your education is much more than plopping down some cash. Investing in your education and business is, as much if not more so, about taking the time to implement the things you learn. The biggest investment you can make is using your time and energy to do what you’ve learned. Educational products aren’t an investment unless you use them.

Now that doesn’t mean that you’ll use every bit of the information you buy. Most of the educational material I’ve purchased, I didn’t do a thing with. In fact, I probably only use about 10-20% of what it all had to offer. But implementing just that small percentage has helped me run a very successful online business.

And that’s the great news! You really don’t have to implement everything you learn to be successful. Just do something. The best education you can get is in the doing.

I’m curious to hear about your own successful experiences with education products. How much do you invest in your education and what percentage of that do you actually use and implement to see success. Leave a comment below.

To Your Success,

Matthew Glanfield

You may not know this but it was just a few short years ago that I launched my internet business. It all started with a little niche website that I setup with no intention to make money. I simply put it up as a resource for myself and others in that niche. Soon I noticed lots of people were coming to my site. I figured I might be able to make a little money from Adsense. So I put some Adsense ads on the site and made a some money but nothing to write home about.

After a short while I purchased a small ebook from a guy named Joel Comm about improving your Adsense revenue. I figured I might be able to make a bit more money so I bought it. I followed Joel’s book to the ‘T’ and then something totally unexpected happened. My revenue didn’t just improve, it exploded! Joel and I later became friends and I’ve had several occasions to work with him and several other big name ‘gurus’ out there. But it was that little website and Joel’s ebook that launched the successful business I run today.

So what can you learn from this story?

* First, Stop trying to make money and start providing something of value to people. If you do, the money will follow.

* Second, that your education is key to making money. When you need to move your business forward, find someone who can teach you what you need to do to take it to the next level.

If you follow these rules, I have no doubt that you’re going to do well this year!

If you have any other suggestions for those struggling to start their business or just want to comment, please scroll down and leave your comments below. I’d love to hear what you think.

Matthew Glanfield

Most people think that a recession is the worst time to start a business. But if there’s one quality a business owner needs, it’s to always question conventional thinking. How could a recession be the best time to dominate your market and steal it away from the major players? Could a Recession be the best time to start a business?

It absolutely is! Last year I was able to double my business and dominate my market. In a market that had nothing to do with Internet Marketing.

Why is a recession the best time to start and grow your business? Here are three reasons:

1. Recessions Clean Out and Remove Bad and Lazy Businesses

It’s sad to say but most people are lazy. They want to do the least amount of work possible. Those businesses will hurt significantly during or simply won’t survive the recession. So unscrupulous and underhanded marketing will stop working. When money is tight, people start to be smarter with their money. That’s a good thing. It gives good businesses like yours a stronger foot in the market.

2. Recessions Give Those Willing to do More a Huge Advantage.

In a recession, the gap between you and your competition, is now smaller. Many of them, instead of reevaluating their business, simply blame their woes on the economy and throw their hands up thinking there’s nothing they can do. There’s a good chance they won’t wise up and do what needs to be done to improve their business. Just having a big list no longer means what it did in the previous financial boom. In a Recession, it’s more important than ever, that you give more and develop a greater relationship with your prospects and customers. And if you do, and your competition doesn’t, you’ll be able to grow your business and surpass them. So now’s your chance!

3. Recessions Force You To Do More And Be Better.

And finally, a recession will force you to find the most effective and best tools and education to help you grow your business. Sure a lot of marketers grew their business in a financial boom, but is their business model strong enough to face a financial down-turn? If you build your business in a recession, you’ll understand what it takes to survive any shift in the market. It forces you to have a better business and be a better marketer.

Can You Start/Grow A Business In a Recession?
A Recession is the perfect time to start and grow your business. In fact, I can’t think of a better time to do it. It’s certainly been a time of growth for my business.

To Your Success!

Matthew Glanfield

P.S. How about you? Has the recession helped or hurt your business? Feel free to scroll down and share your comments below.

We’re at the beginning of a new year and I think 2010 is YOUR year! The year you grow your successful business. The year you make the income you’ve been working hard for. The year you stop spinning your wheels and grow a solid business.

But in order to make that happen, I need you to stop what you’re doing and pause with me for a minute. I’m going to explain two things that could possibly effect everything you do and transform every aspect of your life: your health, your relations, your quality of life, and of course, your business. I’ve broken them down into two easy steps.

There are two factors you need to know to make this YOUR year. The first is the “Vision Factor” and the other is the “Now Factor”.

Step 1:
What is the Vision Factor?

The Vision Factor is simply knowing exactly what you want. What is your Vision of 2010? Do you know what your goals are for this year? The greater detail you understand your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. It’s not magic or hocus pocus. It’s simply easier to grasp something if you know what you’re reaching for.

If you don’t already have Clear and Well defined goals for 2010, make them now. What exactly do you want to see happen in 2010? Make a list. You’ve probably heard this a million times (and there’s a reason for that, it’s necessary) but make sure you write down and define, in great detail, your goals for the year. It’s worth the time and effort because you aren’t going anywhere without a vision. Without vision you’ll end up spinning your wheels, working inefficiently all day and getting nothing done.

After you’ve worked out the details, write down your goals in a clear sentence or two and post it on the wall right in front of you so you can’t miss it. Go ahead and do it now then come back for step two.

Step 2:
Did you do it? If you did you’re off to a great start for the next step. If not, you’re not ready for the next step. Stop reading and do it now.

Ok, now that you’ve completed step one, I can talk to you about the Now Factor. What is the Now Factor?

This is the most important lesson I have for you today so feel free to reread this section a few times. This is your power tool to get everything you want in 2010. The Now Factor is a focused effort to start living and working in the Now. Now is all you really have. The past is over. The future hasn’t come. Your power is Right Now.

The key to the Now Factor is to make your “Now”, the Best and most Efficient “Now” you possibly can. You may not like where you are. You may want a new job or new vocation or a new business of your own. But to achieve that, you need to make the most out of exactly where you are now. It doesn’t matter whether you like where you are or not. Do every task the best you possible can right Now and exactly where you are. The faster you learn to make the most of every moment, the sooner you’ll reach your goals. Having Highly Efficient Nows are a powerful and fast way to get out of bad situations and achieve your vision. Once you learn how to apply the Now Factor, I’m confident that you’ll reach your goals and grow a successful business in 2010.

In a moment I’ll let you to go back to doing what you were doing. When you do, I want you to start paying attention to the moment. Ask yourself, “How can I make this moment more efficient?”

If you start making every Now the best and most efficient it can be and have a clear vision of your goals, I’m sure that by the end of the year, you’ll find that you’ve accomplished more and had far greater success in 2010. Otherwise, this year will end up being just another year of working hard and accomplishing little.

Thanks for you time. You can go back to work now. Let’s have an amazing 2010 together.

To your success!

Matthew Glanfield

(I’m going to share an important traffic tip in this blog post. I’m not selling anything - I promise. You can get more free traffic tips and tricks here: http://www.bbotrafficseries.com)

I get a lot of emails asking for the best sources for free traffic.

The only problem with this question is that there is really no such thing as free traffic.

Sure, there is traffic you don’t pay money for, but every source of good-quality traffic will either cost you TIME or MONEY.

And since we all know that Time = Money, good-quality traffic really costs you MONEY or MONEY.

Think of it this way: If you spend 10 hours on a “free” traffic generation method, and you value your time at only $10 per hour
(it should be worth far more than that), then you have just “spent” $100.

You could have been building your business by many other methods, such as developing products, building relationships with JVs,
hiring, outsourcing, tracking and testing your opt-in pages and sales pages, but instead you were driving traffic.

Is there anything wrong with this? No, of course not, especially if you are working on a low budget.

However, eventually you are going to want to outsource any “free” methods so you can focus on more important aspects of your business.

For example, right now in my hobby-niche business I have two employees who focus on traffic. One creates awesome videos and
posts them to YouTube (and soon to other sites as well). The other posts on forums, finds links, and will soon be managing affiliates and banner advertising.

That frees my time up for product creation, website optimization, and business development (actually, I have an employee doing the product creation as well, so I have more free time sometimes than I want!).

There is a fine balance between saving money by doing things yourself and growing your business as fast as you can by outsourcing, without going bankrupt.

The general rule I use when hiring is this - if the new employee makes me no extra profits, can I still afford to pay him? If the
answer is yes, then I hire. If the answer is no, then I wait a little longer.

This rule might not work for you - you might instead have a lot of money that you are putting into your business. If that is the case, then hire sooner than later so you can grow your business faster.

Trust me, you will eventually grow tired of managing Adwords campaigns, creating videos, writing articles, and posting on forums.

You are the business owner, and as such you need to manage more than you already are, growing at a pace that works for you and your budget.

So what is your next step? Sign up for more free traffic tips (not just about free traffic, but the tips are free) here:

http://www.bbotrafficseries.com

Work on what you can, outsource the rest. Eventually you shouldn’t be doing any of the traffic generation in your business, although it might not be until you’ve been in business for 3 or 4 years that that happens completely.

Have fun!

Matthew Glanfield