If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
What have I done in 2008 (not 2009), that really impacted my business - either at a core profit level, or a core efficiency level. Here’s my Top three things I’ve done that have had a huge effect on my business. If you’re starting a business, or growing your business, these might make a big difference!
1) Apple, Gmail, and the Ultimate Shift in my tools and resources…
Ever seen those Apple commercials? Ever wonder if maybe they were right? 2008 was the year of the Apple, and while I still use my PC for certain things, my switch to Apple, and Apple products, proved hugely beneficial to my business!
I can get into specifics about why Apple versus PC, and why, and what tools I use on each, but I’ll save that for a longer, specific post. Suffice it to say, this was a huge time saver, and my business works better on Apple. now have 3 Imacs, 2 Powerbooks … and no headache.
2) Gmail and Google’s paid suite of business tools.
I may live to regret this, but since I was on PC, I used Outlook. Outlook is a horrible program, but I was so stuck in it. So many years wasted… so many emails lost…
Outlook is… quite possibly, the devil.
With my switch to Mac, I made the switch to Gmail, which was very difficult, laborious, and to my way of thinking, a waste of time. Yet, no single thing has catapulted me in productivity than switching to Gmail, and Google Docs, spreadsheets, etc…
Yes, I may live to regret this, putting so much faith into one company, but the paid version (pay the paltry $50 per person), is amazing beneficial to me, my employees, my company, and our productivity.
They simply work, and they work anywhere. I can travel, and be completely connected to my business. Does anyone still actually use Outlook? I feel like I was a late adopter of Gmail, but it has catapulted me to a better Internet Lifestyle (work and play together).
3) Focus on fewer sites…
We have hundreds of websites. Yes, hundreds. Sometimes it feels like even more!
In 2008, we trimmed it down. Fewer, larger sites were the word of the day, and guess what? It’s working! Follow our lead … this is the wave of the future.
Ever notice how hard it’s getting to rank in Google? Yep - big sites win. Focussed sites win. I’m not saying the ocassional sales letter site can’t garner an easy 20-100k, but if you’re around for the long run - think big, and think, single or small group of sites.
What about link farms? Blog Farms? Etc… Been there, done that!
Save those for the people whom want to work harder than you do! You simple won’t need them if you work on creating a big site, with big content, and big community. That’s a fact!
What’s your top 3-5 business changers? What have you done in your business to blow up your productivity or bottom line? We’re getting our 2009 list ready, but would love to get your thoughts and insights first.
What are your game changers?
If you’re a leader, there are people copying you, it’s that simple!
If you do things well, you’ll have people steal your ideas, and, in some cases, entire sites. It happens. It’s expected, and in at least some cases, can lead to positive, unexpected, results.
A perfect example of a leader is David DeAngelo (Eben Pagen) of DoubleYourDating.com, the most copied squeeze page for obtaining email addressed in the world. I’ve never seen one idea copied so incredibly often, and improved upon (at times).
I just launched a social network (one of three), and within days, I had two people launch the exact same network (in some cases using the exact same software), and in one case, even in one of my niches. If you’re leading, you have to expect, and even desire, the competition. In all but a few cases, as long as you stay true to yourself and your goals, your competition will fall by the wayside, copying you or not.
In every instance, it is better to be the leader than the follower. In this case, the people following me followed the wrong path, and chose poorly (as I myself did), the wrong community software. Whoops. This mistake, for me, pretty fixable (as this was just a test). For them, probably a disaster that they’ll not recover from. If you’re going to follow, and copy, make sure you choose wisely. More on that in a second…
Why talk about this? Because, while I prefer to lead, I think copying what works is the easiest way to success online! Let me repeat that, copying what works (not copying other people’s work) for most people, is the quickest most assured way to success online. Find what works, duplicate, add your own spices, and duplicate.
The problem is, what if you attempt to replicate the wrong things? In this case, the person (blindly) followed the worst of my 3 social networks. The one with the least likelyhood of success. In another case, a seperate person copied my squeeze page (which was being randomized via Google Optimizer), and copied the worst performing one. So let me be clear…
There is no point in copying, unless you are testing and tracking! Not many people do this, but it is key to success online. In fact, some consider this the true secret that NO ONE talks about. If you are not doing this, you are stumbling around blind, copying random things, and always falling for the next fad. It’s a necessity! It also is the fastest guarantee to MORE money, if you are already earning some.
But, I won’t get too sidetracked (this is all covered in my upcoming book). The entrepeneur must walk a thin line between trying what’s worked, and creating new things and ideas. I relish peole copying me! Let me say that again. I relish when people copy me. NOT when they try to steal my work mind you, but when they try to take it and Improve it, I can attempt to learn something (and perhaps, will get the chance to replicate their success). 
That won’t always be the case. In fact, it will rarely be the case. People who copy other people’s work are not typically the type of people whom are going to add to it in a meaningful way, however, when it happens, both of you get better. You raise the stakes for whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. However, when we do "copy", let’s follow the rules:
1) Never copy content, and don’t outright steal ideas. That’s not right! In fact, in some cases, it’s downright illegal.
2) Ask permission whenever possible - if someone else is there first, respect it!
3) Don’t copy for the sake of copying! Have clear objectives…Ideas are free (for the most part), it’s implementation and execution that’s important…
4) Read #3 four more times, and then add the words marketing and promotion.
5) Whenever possible, lead! That doesn’t mean you should follow every crackpot idea you have however. I already told you the easiest way to success is to follow what’s working. However, if you improve on it, your success is that much closer to guaranteed.
6) Don’t copy everything! My god. Everything I do is copied online now SO quickly, it’s staggering (even to me). I fail at over %50 of what I do. Ouch. Yep, I’m coming clean. Maybe it’s not that high (ha - actually it’s higher), but if you’re following my lead (dance talk), copy the right %50. It’s amazing that I can have huge succcesses that are completely left untouched, and yet my failures are replicated ad-nauseum.
The greatest success will always come to leaders, both in life and in business. The success I want in my life, will come from leading, and partnering with leaders (good people, with good ideas, that are willing to take chances). Which road will you take?
February 15, 2008
Internet Marketing on The Caribbean Seas…
Ok, it’s true, I’m doing Internet Marketing from the high seas. Managing a team in India and the Philipines, and actually, making some good money as I sail around the Caribbean on my salsa dance cruise (http://www.SalsaCruiseCrazy.com). I’ve fallen behind in writing the book, but the content is stellar. Truly, you’re going to find it does extremely well based on it’s exceptional content and clarity in setting up your own residual income stream, and … let’s not forget life of leisure. ;) Ha, joking… (a little at least…)
Anyway, just got back from Sydney, then Hawaii, then cruising. I haven’t been home in months! Crazy as it sounds, this has been the most profitable two months I’ve had in quite some time. There’s no secret here. It’s good planning, good support, and good structure. I’ll teach it all.
This is a book that’s really going to help a lot of people! No further updates this month…title announced soon.
Why post from the high seas? Because, I got an email about the conference I’m attending next month, and you should go. I’ve mentioned it before. It’s Yaniks. Here’s the link:
This is looking like it’s really going to be great, and if you’re going, drop me a line and we can grab a cup of coffee!
Hope all’s well, and really looking forward to teaching you this year (and now, back to the beaches…)
