If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

This is so important. Video Marketing is the wave of today, and the wave of the future, and frankly, one of my old mentors just blew the lid of this thing.

All free, unbelievably awesome info:
http://www.VideoBosses.com

All I can say is WOW. So much info for free, and so much more coming. This is the kind of stuff I like to see on the net, and is very cutting edge. The video is cool, relaxed, and straightforward. It’s NOT salesy, and there’s REAL information.

Warning: This is information that ALL business owners need to know - whether they are on the net or not. Everyone NEEDS to know about online video.

I’ll be talking more about this soon!

http://www.VideoBosses.com

Ok, following up on my last post, this should be titled, MarketingCrazy’s crystal ball, but it’s not. This, frankly, is coming so quickly - a lot of it is here already, regardless of whether anyone knows it.

And the fact is, very few people do know it. Prepare for Internet Marketing knowledge that will be commonplace in 2011, but for now, is cutting edge. Only three fortune tellings for now, as I’m off to the movies (all play, and NO work, not good - so here’s my work).

1) The Year of Universal Search screwing everybody up!

What is universal search? it’s when a search engine brings in items from other properties, and puts your organic search results (that you’ve spent years creating) toward the bottom of the page (yikes). It’s when, instead of 10 organic search listsing, there are only 5, below youtube videos, google news clippings, comparison shop and search engines, etc…). It’s the process by which a search query, on all major search engines, returns results not only from it’s organic listings, but from myriad (”universal”) locations.

Oh, and it hurts!  And it’s going to hurt you … unless, you can ->

2) Be Everywhere in 2010

I hate Web 2.0, as you know. Hated more in 2008 than now, but still - what a waste of time. Argh, so much time spent in front of the computer versus at the movies, or on a beach. However, if you were #4 in google for removing “soap scum” and are now not even on the first page below all the youtube videos, news clippings, facebook pages, yelp reviews, and other “universal search” items that are appearing above your hard fought for organic search listing, you’ll immediately see the need to be everywhere.

It just got a whole lot harder (or a whole lot easier, depending on your perspective) to snipe someone’s top listing, or lose yours. A well done Youtube video can take #1 search rankings away from you in a week or less. A well crafted yelp (or insert web 2 property, flavor of the day) review can easily knock you off your pedestal.

That being said, it also allows brand new people to get into the game, if they understand what a game changer this is, and know how to capitalize on it. Let’s pray they don’t (or at least don’t read this blog, since I’m going to pretty much give all that away).

3) Local Search is king, and all the Search Engines know it …

The direction of the world is local. Local this, that, and the other thing. I’m just getting my hands around this power, and work, that will be involved in the rapidly growing local search market. It’s huge and the tools coming online, including google’s own local search business center, are massive. Every search engine, and every SEO firm, are creating tools like mad to harness it - even me.

So, apart from me ranting about these changes, and how it’s going to actually require me to work to keep my dominating web presence in every niche I play in, what exactly am I recommending?

You mean, apart from the enormous amount of work it would require to “be everywhere”. Time to learn Youtube - it’s now the second biggest search engine behind google (yes, it’s #2, Google is #1). Time to learn Facebook and Twitter (and by learn, I mean have a presence there). Time to focus on your local search listings, and time to make sure your Yelp listing are truly up to snuff.

And yes, this is on top of (and in addition to, as well as relation to), Hubpages, Squidoo Lenses, etc … Why do I get the feeling I may have to work really hard this year? Darn it! I’m going to do that right after I get back from Hawaii …

Until then, what are your game changers? Write em’ below!

Also, take a look at our new MarketingCrazy Podcast and Online Business daily video show, http://www.MarketingCrazyMinute.com

Drum roll please … I promised you some results (in my previous post), good or bad.  Here it is, results from the Mass Control 2.0 4 day cash machine experiment.

So, here they are: Internet Marketing Results 101.  I like Frank Kern. Really - this guy is a riot. Funny, smart, and deserving of attention. The full course I can review a bit later, but the 4 day cash machine was presented simply, straightforwardly, and so a baby could do it IF (and only if), he had his basic internet marketing skills down (autoresponders, list, landing pages, sellable product, etc …). Let’s get to the stats, right after some basics about my execution:

1) I completely turned off my brain, and tried to follow instructions to the letter (not one of my strongest skills mind you).  So, you’re getting Internet Marketing Results 101, from someone whom has graduated 701 (i.e. 7 figures).

2) I did the exact plan, mirroring the landing page, AND 4 follow up emails, exactly, with no changes. In fact, I even left the word “Dog” in there instead of my chosen market. Whoops! So, my market has nothing to do with dogs, or dog traing, and this of course brough up some pretty funny questions.

3) I did this work myslef. No employees, no outsourcing. It tooks about 7 hours. I did the web stuff, AR’s, buy links, thank you pages, upsells, all by hand (and all by lonesome). I loved it - but felt constrained to follow instructions to the letter. There were many ways I felt I might improve results, but I did not want to do anything to throw off the expriment.

4) I chose a 12k cold list, filled with what was, at one time, targeted optins. The list had not been mailed in over 1 year. Of the 12k list, 10.5 were sent each email, and around 8k active received them.

5) My open rates were around 8-10% or less, using all the chosen headlines.  1ShoppingCart was my mailer - and yes, Aweber might have done better.

6) My product was $137, with two upgrades at $47 each.

and … care to guess? How many sales?

Sales were 20.

Upsells were 7.

Thank you sales were 2 (not talked about here, but results in ongoing income).

So, what do you think? For the newbie, I think it’s extasy, and opens up a new world of possibility. For the expert, it’s a disaster that I am REALLY GLAD I DID!

Ok, so the results stunk (from my perpsective), but the process was something I hadn’t done in years, and I did enjoy it. The feeling that a) I might be missing something, and b) there might be huge sales from this, and c) I didn’t know exactly what would happen was … really quite fun. Will I do it again - No.  Will the learning process improve my existing marketing? Yes. I think it will.

Honestly, this covered such basic stuff, and the real money, as I’ve said before, is all in the basics. The fundamentals! It’s not the next big thing, the new software program, the silver bullet, but rather, returning to the fundamentals of Internet Marketing, again and again, that creates real money on the internet.  It is through trial and error that almost all internet marketer’s succeed!  It’s that, and obsessive testing, tweaking, and tracking.

But you all know that already, right? If not, perhaps it’s time for you to visit the upcoming Basement Empires? Regardless, this brought me back to earth.

Other stats? Can you believe, only 61 people unsubscribed? Crazy eh? Makes me think FEWER people than reported ever saw the email. That’s just too low an unsubscribe rate!

Even more funny, are some of the emails I am recieving from friends whom are also great marketers, whom are testing out the exact same thing. I can’t name names, but I’ve gotten the exact emails from various people in various niches. It’s hysterical. I have sent them emails to confirm their results as well, so I may be able to post a follow up message.

And, now … the review of the Mass Control 2.0 course? The first course like this I have purchased in a long time (and now I went and purchase Russel Brunson Micro Continuity too, argh…).  Perhaps we’ll hit that in a later issue.

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?

No, I can’t review it just yet, and yes, I will review it soon, and no, I am not going to post an affiliate link for it, nor sell it, until I see it, use it, touch it, and put it through it’s 30 day test period.  Even then, It would be a miracle if I ever sold this, or marketed it. For, lo’ and behold, in a moment of stupidity, and dreams of grandeur, I have purchased Mass Control.

For those unfamiliar, this is yet another huge guru marketed product, with an absurd price tag, outlandish testimonials, and promises of internet riches. It begs the question though …

IS IT TRUE? DOES IT DELIVER?

One would think I’ve stopped asking this question! I certainly preach others to (stop buying, start doing), but … everyone wants to keep learning, right? I do! I want to believe I can keep getting better at what I do. And yes, I like to read some of these sales letter, and still get excited.

If you want a mass control review, and was thinking of purchasing this massive two thousand dollar product, then I’m about to make your decision about Mass Control either a whole lot easier, or a whole lot harder. Either way, don’t believe the hype - if it’s sold out now, it will likely be on the market again shortly. Perhaps it will be called Mass Control 3.0? Wow - that does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Anyway, I ordered it, and I plan on devoting actually two days to it. Now, many of you already know, I make thousands of dollars a day on the internet, and for me to devote two days to anything (beyond travel or a gorgeous, intelligent, entrepreneurial brunette), is a massive opportunity cost. I plan on actually devoting two days to plan the four day launch that Frank talks about. He claims you can recoup the cost of the course and more (in just four days). Or at least that’s what I think he claimed.

Of course, for it to be worth it, I not only have to recoup the cost of the course, but recoup the days of opportunity cost. And guess what?

Other people might simply return it if it didn’t work, but my opportunity cost, and the value of my time, is so ridiculously high, that returning it does not “make me whole”. Not even close. Basically, I need this thing to work, as intimated, and I’m going to do all the work, all the preparation, all the hours of note taking, planning and implementation, to try to do a launch beyond my typical 20-xxxxxk AND …

I’m going to take you guys along for the ride. You lucky few who have stumbled across this blog get to come on board another crazy launch (relaunch really), in the dance niche. Using Mass Control, and a massive ad budget, and NO affiliates (well, maybe SOME, haven’t decided yet), I aim to give Frank Kern’s Mass Control a real review.

Guess what, I’m going to tell you what happens. I have the time, did you get lucky enough to stroll across this page? Did your web surfing finally pay off?

Anyway, no updates on when and where quite yet, but I’ll bring you a long for the ride, I promise!  Until then ->

Anyone else out there purchase Mass Contorl? Anyone else out there have a Mass Control review (that isn’t just some trumped up affiliate link)?

SHARE IT!

To Real Marketing Success, The Honest, Straightforward, and totally Crazy Way!

MC (MarketingCrazy)

PS - I will admit, I like Frank. i want him to hit it out of the park, I really do. I want this product to deliver! I could use another new car (I think I want the latest Lexus IS Coupe). Good Luck Frank, I promise to try my best to use and apply your material!