Make Money Online: The Dream and the Reality
This blog post is for you if you’re looking for ways to make money online.
If that does include you, you’re in the company of hundreds of thousands of other folks!
And as you likely have found out if you’ve been in this space for even a short length of time, it’s not something that lot of people achieve.
The big question: Why is it so hard to make money online?
The reality is that online business, despite appearing on the surface as though it should be easy… it just isn’t!
From the complexities of learning SEO, to the mechanics of setting up a blog including knowing what plugins to use, the challenge of traffic generation, to the intricacies of lead conversion, the learning curve is very steep. Add to this learning about pay-per-click and pay-per-view campaigns, blogging, article and video marketing, Facebook and Twitter marketing, and on and on…
Yes, the learning curve to make money online is much, much steeper than most people lead you to believe!
When you start to look at all the moving parts to online marketing you’re quickly hit with the realization that this is NOT a slam-dunk, that it’s going to take more than a couple of weeks to figure this whole thing out!
Is it hopeless to want to make money online?
Lest you start feeling a wave of despair washing over you just about now… relax!
There actually is an answer… but let me give you some context first.
A blog, yes. But not just any blog
First, you need to understand that to make money online these days it’s an absolute must that you have a blog.
But it can’t be just any blog!
And that’s a major problem for most people. Why? Simply because it’s not enough to just create a blog, say in WordPress or any of the many other blogging platforms, and start writing.
That’s what most people do. They might learn a little SEO along the way, maybe get an SEO plugin, and then think they’re marketing their business… that they’re well on the way to the dream of making money online!
In reality, those blogs are rarely, if ever, found by the search engines and therefore they are rarely, if ever, read by anyone other than the author and a couple of friends!
Most people, even “seasoned” professionals don’t understand what needs to go into making a blog really work as a marketing tool.
To make money online you need an authority blog
Let me give you the answer: use an existing platform that has achieved “authority” status, that is SEO optimized and is found and indexed regularly by the search engines!
This solution immediately cuts through all of that learning curve and needing to spend months and months just figuring it all out like I just talked about.
To make money online you need to search out and investigate The Empower Network.
Not only is this the perfect blogging platform to promote any business, it’s got a powerful affiliate program attached to it that pays you…. now get this… 100% commission.
Yes, you read that right. A blogging platform that is indexed and searched regularly by the search engines, and that you can share with other marketers and get a 100% commission.
I see this as a classic win-win.
Are you ready to make money online?
Have a look and let me know what you think.
Is Business Supposed To Be This Much Fun?!
This past week has been a blast! And the truth is, I never had so much fun doing business before!
I guess that’s what happens when you get involved in a wildly successful venture. If it’s new and growing like wildfire, well, hold on to your hat and hitch a ride!
Maybe you’ve been hearing about the Empower Network? That’s what’s got me excited.
Just in case you’ve not heard of it, or if you have but haven’t looked into it in detail yet, let me give you a bit of information.
Just what is the Empower Network?
In the words of David Wood, one of the co-founders, “…the Empower Network isn’t designed to be a Network Marketing business, and it’s not designed to replace anyone’s core business – it’s designed to give you the ability to leverage [co-founder] Dave Sharpe’s lead conversion and email skill, and my content, traffic and sales ability – and give you a process that converts – regardless of whether you understand the sales psychology in action or not.”
He goes on to say, “The model is superior in every way to traditional online sales processes, and has allowed a startling number of people all over the world to recruit more into their primary network marketing business, and simplify their online marketing process into ONE TASK: Getting Traffic.”
Let me add, that in addition, this is a powerful income generating business. In fact, it’s safe to say that more money has been made, by more people, through the Empower Network, in an extremely short amount of time (try 14 days!) than you’ve ever seen before.
Why such rapid and dramatic success?
Naturally there are a bunch of factors that go into making something wildly successful. In the case of the Empower Network some of those factors include the large following that David Wood built up (and no doubt Dave Sharpe as well, although I’m not so familiar with him) over his years in the network marketing industry.
You need to couple that with the expertise that both of these guys bring to the table. Which of course is why they’ve been so successful!
But that’s only part of the story. Because really, there are lots of people out there with large followings.
The thing that sets the Empower Network apart is the unique business model they created.
Can they really pay out 100% commissions?
if you’re looking into a business opportunity, and it pays you 30% commissions. And you look at another one that pays you 100% commissions, which one is going to cause you to have a closer look? Silly question I know. But that’s what these guys have created… a business that pays out 100% commissions.
In addition, there is an extremely effective sales funnel that does the initial selling and up-selling for you, a product line that includes a “ready-to-roll” blogging platform and two exceptional training products. So when someone comes on board they’re getting huge value, they can start earning almost instantly and they can create residual income from the get-go.
If you’d like to read in detail David’s entire blog post about Empower Network be my guest. The blog also has a dial in number to listen to a recent call.
Or to learn more here’s a video from the two Dave’s I think you’ll enjoy.
Or feel free to visit my Empower Network blog.
Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
Kim Thornton
780-918-3764
How To Determine The Best Mlm Business
If you wish to join a MLM or home based business platform you should know that there is a world of network marketing options to choose from today. Numerous MLM opportunities or companies are launching regularly and they all claim to have the best product or service and corresponding opportunity or compensation plan. The following five points will assist you in determining how to narrow down your selection process and ultimately decide which MLM business you should settle on.
1) Would You Personally Purchase And Use What A Specific MLM Is Offering?
An initial step that you should be prepared too take is to purchase and use the products or services being offered by the network marketing company in order to check if they meet your needs. If you don’t acquire, and more importantly, use the items being offered by the business you will have a very difficult time persuading other individuals to consider joining your venture and marketing the products. Remember that you are getting into a new business and it should be approached in this manner meaning that you should not be opposed to investing some time and money in your initial assessment of the platform. Note that the potential opportunity that you will be presenting individuals can only be as good as the merchandise or service that is on offer.
2) Make An Assessment Of The Stability Of The MLM
I will draw a simple analogy to highlight this point. Consider the circumstance of making an investment in the stock market. Are you more likely to purchase the stock of an organization that is established and has a track record or would you acquire the shares of an entity that is about to be launched via a public offering? The answer is pretty academic because you do not have to be a rocket scientist to sense the greater risk associated with the latter choice. This business arena is no different and you should certainly choose a MLM company that has been in existence for at least 3 to 4 years! As you gain information about the industry and some of the top companies you can always switch or even add different options but do not start off from a position of weakness in terms of making your selection.
3) Beware Of An MLM That Boasts The Creation Of Overnight Millionaires!
Let me make it clear that the best MLM opportunities are not “Get Rich Quick Schemes”! They require a consistent work ethic and take time to build! Bear in mind that anything worthwhile in life evolves from effort and sometimes even springs from failure! So if the potential revenue appears to be overly mouth-watering, free your mind and tell yourself to “Get Real”! Make sure that you thoroughly assess the compensation plan and keep your eye open for companies that offer exaggerated monetary rewards. Usually this is red flag because the odds are it is not sustainable. In fact the top organizations offer conservative remuneration and are the best entities for you to consider. The ideal MLM company is one that compensates you adequately in the beginning stages and also as you move from one level to the next.
4) What Do Your Inner Thoughts Convey About A Given MLM
Beware of the recruiter that almost brow beats you to join the business immediately because you will miss out on something and claims to be making large sums of money. Do not rush into the scheme and definitely do not become involved with the company if you are skeptical as your non-committal attitude will be revealed at some point to the people you are marketing to and ultimately hope to network with. Certainly, if you do initially feel doubtful than be able to communicate plausible reasons to your prospects as to how you overcame your doubts. Do not merely state that you side-stepped these feelings as folk will see right through that and you will not generate success this way. Be able to state that you investigated the opportunity thoroughly and that the pluses far outweighed the negatives using a few illustrations.
5) Select An MLM Platform That You Enjoy
Finally, make sure that you adopt an MLM program that has an internet presence, allows you to promote the opportunities online from home and that you enjoy sharing with people. Ultimately, that is what you will be doing, relationship marketing. To be a top “10″ marketer you will do well to put your best foot forward and be enthusiastic about the platform. Your purpose, beyond becoming monetarily successful, is to enrich your entire system of living. Again if you are not a fully committed end-user of the items or service it will be apparent to your prospects and this will definitely erode your potential achievements. There are numerous MLM companies to choose from and you merely need to do a little online research in order to determine what suits you and your objectives.
By: The Bermudian Network Marketer
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
If you found this article to be helpful you may wish to visit Marketing Using Video where you will be able to access general marketing articles and a synopsis on the number one MLM platform in the market place today – Talk Fusion. The products associated with this entity are all digital and video based. Note that video content in emails, on websites, and the social networks represent one the mega trends on the internet in terms of the overall communication industry! This certainly explains why this company is ahead of all other MLMs currently doing business and if you are seeking an opportunity in this field this platform may address all five points outlined above!
Internet Marketing Help: What You Need To Know When Seeking Business Help Online
Be suspicious of any internet marketing help group that promises fantastic, almost unbelievable web traffic results for your site if you will simply sign up for their program.
While there are many legitimate, professional SEO companies online that truly offer high quality services that will increase your small business profits, there are also many fake internet marketing help companies that offer similar results but in the end only take your money for little gain on your side of the equation.
Always research the company that you are dealing with. Cross-check what they tell you with other sources that you know are reliable. Wait before you subscribe or give them any credit card details. Always make an informed, wise decision when receiving internet marketing help online.
The Internet is a big world, and trying to navigate it all by yourself is almost an impossible venture if you expect any tangible results for your small business.
Signing up for an affiliate program that acts as your online advertising team can be an incredibly valuable asset for any small business and has the potential to significantly increase your sales. When you are seeking out internet marketing help, make sure that the company you are dealing with is a dedicated team of true professionals. Make sure they are qualified and have the skills to offer you high level internet marketing help which will actually increase your business’ reputation online.
Finding the right internet marketing help can be the difference between being successful online and simply existing online without anyone knowing about you. Having an affiliate program that works for you, running your customized advertising campaign can truly take your small business to the next level. Talk to any e-marketing experts and they will tell you that having an affiliate program is critical to the online success of a small business. Consider joining an e-marketing affiliate organization today who can look after running a large portion of your online business. It will make your job a lot easier and over time has the potential to dramatically boost your profits.By: Timothy S. Young
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
We invite you to visit us at breaktheblog.com to learn more about how to have a successful web business. If you are interested in starting your own home business, fill out our free request information form at breaktheblog.com/partnerprogram.php to get started. Timothy S. Young is the founder of eMarketing International, a web-based company that specializes in home business development.
A Craving To Belong We All Share
What is one thing that we, as human beings, crave?
It’s a sense of community, the need to belong to a group and the support that we find there.
Take a look as society and we see it all around us. Community service clubs, churches, neighborhood coffee clatches, business networking groups, work and community sports teams, volunteer organizations, the list of groups and organizations we belong to is endless.
And they all serve a very important purpose in our lives: the sense of belonging to and being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
This is a basic need that nearly all of us have to some degree or another.
And for some, the search for the right “fit” can take a while. Others find it quickly.
I know a lot of folks have found their sense of community and belonging through our business.
Although business generally isn’t where people find this, our business model stands out as a place where every individual receives the support and encouragement they need.
This is remarkable to me in that the reality in most business situations is a sense of competition that prevents people from going too far out of their way to help someone else.
Surprisingly, we don’t have this problem! In fact, just the opposite is true. People joining our team experience an almost unbelievable level of support. This in turns leads to their wanting to give back that same kind of support to others. And so the “pay it forward” philosophy takes hold and plays out in ways that most people find remarkable.
Why? Simply because it’s harder and harder to find a group of individuals who care so deeply about the success of others within the organization, regardless of whether or not there’s a direct financial benefit to them personally.
I’ll finish with this: if you’re wondering, “where do I belong?”, if you’re looking for a home business where you’ll receive not only an unprecedented level of training and mentoring, but also a true sense of community and overall support and caring, let me know. This is one aspect of my business I love to share, even though it’s tough to convey. You really have to experience it to believe it!
Curious? Learn more here.
Radio Interview Reveals Fear and Ignorance
I just heard a story on the radio where a reporter interviewed a number of random folks “on the street” to get their thoughts about what’s been happening in the economy these past few weeks and months.
What was most interesting was the wide variety of responses which ranged from “I’m glad I don’t have any investments now because I’d probably have lost it all” to “I don’t know what’s going on but I hope things get better soon” to “I wish I had my money in a sock under my mattress.”
Are these typical reaction that most people have to the economic turmoil the world is experiencing now? I don’t know, but I suspect they’re not far off.
It seems that most people either don’t know what’s going on and simply hope for the best, or they rely on their financial adviser to make the decisions for them.
I contend that neither of these options are good strategies.
Because when it comes right down to it, if you are not proactively taking charge of your own investments, educating yourself on what’s going on and what to do to protect your assets, nobody else, and I mean NOBODY else, has your best interests at heart.
If you’re one of those who is hoping and praying that things get better soon, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I believe you’re in for a shock. And if you’re relying on someone else to make your investment decisions for you, you’re also likely to be very disappointed.
I know because I used to be one of those who didn’t really understand what was going on and how global conditions affected me directly. I used to rely on a financial adviser, someone from a large well-respected company. And I have no doubt he was a nice guy, but he also oversaw a 6% decline in my portfolio over a three year period.
A year ago I made some drastic changes. I took control of my entire portfolio, I educated myself on what was going on in the economy, I found a financial genius who has had exceptional returns on his investments and who writes a newsletter outlining his own investment strategies.
The net result for me has been a dramatic improvement in my portfolio’s performance. This of course leads to peace of mind at a time when it seems as though most people are scared or in denial.
How about you? Are you in control of your finances? Are you making the best decisions? Where are you getting your financial education?
Where is the world headed???
Kip Herriage, CEO of Wealth Masters International with Sandra and Kim Thornton
We’re on our way to Rome after an unbelievable M3 Private Wealth Group conference in Sorrento, Italy.
The power of the information we were exposed to is hard to quantify.
What’s happening with the current global economic crisis and how does it affect each and every one of us?
The beauty and power of the information we were exposed to during 4 packed days puts each of us in a position to not only protect our assets, but to know what to do to grow and profit, regardless of the economic fall-out.
Ironically, the day after our conference ended we learned that Italy was on the verge of defaulting on their debt and that the USA had their credit rating reduced from AAA to AA+ by Standard and Poor’s.
Beyond the financial knowledge, there were several other fascinating speakers covering various topics, but all focused on exposing us to little known, and in some cases, hidden information. For example, Russ Baker, author of Family of Secrets, talked about the Bush family and the mis- and disinformation that has kept some very disturbing facts from coming to light. I recommend his website, www.whowhatwhy.com in addition to his well researched book.
One of the most important aspects of Wealth Masters International is the exposure to contrarian points of view. As WMI CEO and Co-founder Kip Herriage commonly says, don’t be one of the sheeple being lied to. Get exposed to different points of view. Understand that there are things you can to do profit during this world-wide depression. And yes, we are in the midst of a depression.
The massive transfer of wealth that is happening right now is going to hurt a lot of people and will surely wipe out the middle-class.
I’m very thankful that, because of the knowledge gained through WMI I’ve seen my portfolio grow, whereas we had been losing money before. And the potential for substantial gains over the coming years looks very positive. I know I would not have been in this position had it not been for WMI!
If you’re uncertain about what the economy is doing to you and your portfolio, if you’ve lost confidence in your financial adviser, if you just want a fresh point of view on what’s going on in the world, get in touch.
Network Marketing: Business or Hobby?
I’ve just posted an article about understanding the difference between those who treat their network marketing business as a hobby and those who treat it as a real business.
You see, starting a network marketing business is really easy. This ease of entry is both a good thing and a bad thing.
The bad part is, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up with lots of people joining your team with an “I’ll try it to see if it works” attitude.
If you’re building a real business, this is something you want to avoid.
As a team leader, you invest a huge amount of time and emotional energy in supporting, motivating, mentoring and training your team members.
So it makes sense to qualify your prospects early in the process. If you can weed out those with the “I’ll try it” attitude, you’ll be a lot further ahead.
Let someone else sponsor those weak prospects! You don’t need or want them on your team. They’ll drain your energy and waste your time.
The most important thing you can do in the prospecting stage is to make a decision: Is this person someone I want to invest my time and emotional energy in?
You need to qualify your prospects to determine if they are going to be serious about building a business.
Are they willing and able to devote the necessary time?
Are they willing to invest in their own training?
Are they ready to respond positively to training and to do things that are outside their comfort zone, that is, are they coachable?
These are just some of the things you need to learn about your prospects.
You might think that it is worth sponsoring anyone and everyone just to see what “sticks”. In fact, some organizations train their distributors to do just that.
I think this is a bad strategy. Let me explain why.
When you invest emotional energy in a new distributor, and they quit your business a short while later, it is a draining experience. A real downer. There are enough obstacles in this business to deal with without adding one that you can easily avoid.
And that brings me back to qualifying your prospects.
You can’t, of course, know with 100% certainty that someone will succeed in your business, regardless of how well you qualify them. But by employing some time-tested techniques you can filter out a lot of those who are all talk and no action.
I strongly encourage my team members to learn from the best. There is no point in trying to figure everything out on your own.
Mike Dillard interviewed one of the industry’s top recruiters. Click here to watch this very informative interview. And it’s free!
Note that I am both an affiliate and a user of Mike Dillard’s products.
Business Advice I Learned From My Dog
We just got a new dog. Not a young puppy though. She’s about 8 months old – a rescue dog – and appears to be a husky/shepherd cross.
We got her as a companion to our other dog, a lab/boxer cross. You see, we just moved into our new home on a large acreage and felt that “Jed” needed a companion.
Not being interested in all the work and possible damage that can come with a very young puppy, we searched for and found a dog that was almost full-grown.
So “Tasha” joined our “pack”.
For any readers of this who are dog lovers, you might be familiar with Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan.
His mantra is to be calm and assertive. You must be the leader of your pack in order for your dog(s) to respect and follow you.
And this is where my dogs have taught me some very valuable business advice!
Just like Cesar says, you must assert your leadership to your pack. So it is in business, you must demonstrate your leadership to your team, and those around you!
This is a simple concept, but not always an easy one.
This article is not about dog training, it’s about being a business leader. And so it is vital that you begin to establish yourself as a leader. But what exactly does that mean?
Here are some considerations.
First and foremost, decide what it is you’re trying to achieve. If you are going to be a leader, you must have a clearly defined set of goals and objectives that you are aiming for in order to lead others who are on a similar quest.
The other critical aspect of leadership is you must add value to those you want to lead.
Let’s briefly explore these two items.
Where are you going?
If you ask a lot of people who have a network marketing business to tell you their specific goals and objectives, you’ll find that the vast majority of them have only a vague idea of what they want to achieve. It goes something like this: “I want to be rich.”
This is not a goal, it’s a wish.
A goal is a specific target, within a given time period with measurable action steps laid out as to how this goal will be achieved.
This could be along the lines of, “In six months I have a monthly income of $____. To reach this goal I will generate X leads per week, and sponsor X new distributors per month. To do this I will spend X hours per day working on my business in the following activities: X% of time on marketing, X% on calling new leads, X% on training and X% on follow-up calls.”
There are actionable steps with success indicators along the way to gauge progress.
That’s quite a different scenario than the lottery mentality of “I want to be rich!”
The other critical factor I mentioned is adding value to those around you.
This one stumps a lot of people, especially people who are new in an opportunity.
They don’t feel they have knowledge to impart, or that they are too new and therefore come across as weak and indecisive.
Mike Dillard talks about “Demonstrations of Higher Value” (DOHV) and the opposite, “Demonstrations of Lower Value” (DOLV).
The only way you can establish yourself as a leader in the eyes of someone else is if you consistently demonstrate to that person the higher value they will find through their relationship to you.
The fact that you are reading this article is an example that you are acquiring knowledge. And this knowledge can be imparted to others as part of your DOHV.
One of the most important things you will do as a leader is to continually learn. Make a point of exposing your mind to new training material and self-improvement on a daily basis. That way you’ll not only keep yourself motivated, you will have new and exciting things to share with others, which will go a long way to establishing you as a leader.
The other part of this value is simply the ability to provide positive support to those around you, particularly those on your team. Giving encouragement, which can be in the form of challenging people in a positive way to do better, is another great aspect of leadership.
Of course leadership is a massive topic, one that many volumes have been and continue to be written about.
But the business advice from my dogs holds true! By being calm and assertive, and in the case of business leadership, assuming a posture of confidence, you will attract others to you simply because these are qualities people want to associate with and be close to.
One of the best books on this topic as it relates to network marketing is Mike Dillard’s influential work, Magnetic Sponsoring.
But even before you get the book, you’ll have access to 7 information packed videos that will reveal some startling facts about this industry.
If you’re serious about success in network marketing, the best business advice I can give you today is to check it out!
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