Today, I’m going to implement what I learned as an exercise in chapter 5 of the Product Creation Puzzle in my new product. I liked it – hadn’t ever used this technique – and I think it’ll be fun to implement something new. I wrote a review of it on another page here on the blog if you want to read that.

Somebody on my FB fan page had asked me in the private messages how it was that I figured out what I wanted to do online. He has so many options and didn’t know how I just knew.

It’s kind of like trying on clothes. You walk around looking at your options, take a few off the rack and go to the dressing room to try them on. Some make you look fat, some are cute on the hanger but not on your body, and some fit just right.

Same with online stuff – find out what options there are and when you “try them on (out)” see which ones fit for you based on your skills, talents AND enjoyment factor!

Now another person is showing too much enthusiasm for all of their options to the point they’re becoming a flitter. Flitting around is fine, if you have cash coming in. I have the luxury of flitting when and if I want to. But if you’re not profitable yet, then YOU are your obstacle. Your enthusiasm is what hinders your progress in that case.

You might like how something fits at first and then it winds up in the back of your closet – same with online stuff. I liked Bubblews for a few days. Meh – got bored too fast. It’s still there, but I just couldn’t get into it. Glad I tested it out – deleted my PDF on it. Just boring to me. I’d rather talk on my FB.

Okay SEO – I GET it – all the stuff out there about search engine optimization – but stop that! What if…SEO and search engines didn’t exist? Can you think about that for a second? Because that’s what search engines really want from you now. They want you to create content that people will love and recommend.

If you treat your blog like your reputation and value were ALL you had (no spammy Fiverr backlink package purchases), then maybe your blog would begin thriving because REAL people love it SO much that they tell others. They link to you. They Tweet the links and G+ and FB them.

I get tired of reading frantic SEO posts and seeing people trying to interpret what Matt Cutts just said. I’ve done it too – just ready to say “Oh well.” I’ll do ME, you do you, search engines.

Alright time for me to WERK IT, people! Paid off more debt today – sent in $152.45 to my HSBC card and I’ll send more to something else later – probably the kids’ school.

Tiff

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Of course I downloaded because I wanted to see what was said about me. LOL! But anyway, I also glanced at his sales copy and notice a couple of names I recognized as people who wouldn’t offer a phony review, so I wanted to check it out for other reasons to see if it might be something worth mentioning to y’all.

Let me just say that not only is this thing a great resource for you to learn from (and I swear he’s of the same school of thought I am on things) – but you’ll want this just to learn from his example. You’re product creating – look at this and say, “I want to do my eBook THAT way” – because his was interesting and well worth it to his buyers.

Starting off I love his writing style. Casual and conversational, with some quick humor. He’s not sluggish – gets right into it.

Right off the bat, I realized this isn’t for someone creating a huge, blockbuster product. This is for things like my Squidoo Quick Commission Guide or my Guide to Cashing in on Shiny New Object Syndrome – quick reports that you can cash in on.

So for those in the challenge who want something they can easily get done quickly, this is good.

Many of you ask about how I get so much done – page 8 is what I do, too. I like that he covers productivity because that’s what helps you with completing products and launching them.  I find myself laughing on page 12 – he adds cute images and for some reason the “Pew Pew” cracked me up because it’s the kind of thing I’d say.

So part 1 is about productivity and mindset – really good stuff. Ends with an instruction list.

I move on to part 2 and it’s about choosing a niche. It’s exactly verbatim what I recommend, too. Also ends with an instruction list.

Part 3 is about research. You all know I love me some research! Oh I love how he dribbles some pop culture references into the PDF. Ends with instructions.

Part 4 is about outlining your product. Yep! Just what I do. Ends with instructions.

Part 5 is about Chapter Outlines. I do this too! Wow, really good fill in the blank exercise – something NEW for me to try! Never thought about this. It helps you create a product that connects to each “type” of learner. Love it. “Neener neener?” LMAO! I love dork speak. Instructions at the end.

Part 6 is about the writing part! Page 36 is gold. Great example for those who are nervous to create a product.  Page 37 had me laugh out loud. Cute image. He gives realllllllllly good tips and kind of hand holds you through the process, even admitting what he’s feeling as he writes that page and how he gets through it. Transparency rocks. Ends with instructions.

Part 7 is Cover and Images. This is the only place where he and I part ways. I don’t like his cover. It’s amateurish (sorry Jon). He recommends two cheapo ways and I KNOW this is about quick and short reports, but it’s worth the $47 investment to go to someone like Rich Pargeter at QuickSiteStudio.com to put out professional covers.

If I had just landed on this guy’s product I would NOT have bought due to the cover probably. Now he IS right on about the images IN the book – he did a STELLAR job there. Just his cover that I didn’t like.

Conclusion is next. This is just a motivational spiel that every book should have, followed by resources.

At the time of this post the cost for Product Creation Puzzle is $7.60 but it looks like a product where the price rises, so the earlier you get it, the better. I feel like this Jon guy said, “Tiff – you’re too busy to compile a PDF for your challenge, so let me just immerse myself in your brain and compile it all for you.” Because it’s ME – only it’s…not. LOL!

Tiff

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WOOOOO HOOOOOO.

No, I didn’t sit on a hot stick or poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick. You’ll see why I yelled that in a few minutes.

First let me tell you I am a 71 year old widow on a fixed income. I know a lot of you can relate. Either a fixed income or not enough money to go around. Right?

I started out about 10 years ago trying to find something I could do on the internet that would make some money and let me stay home. (got a few health issues) Heck! Even Walmart wouldn’t hire me.(back issues can’t stand on my feet very long)

Well I bought into a few things but they either:

• Didn’t work at all
• Or it was to confusing to understand or it didn’t tell you where to click next.
• Or I was to intimidated and/ or to scared to try them. Telling myself you can’t do this.

Have you ever been there? I have several times. And it’s not fun and it’s not pretty is it? Now there are very few guru’s on the internet I trust but, Tiffany Dow is one I trust. You want to know why? Well first off at Christmas time I read about her Angel Fund and how she really helps people.

She doesn’t just give lip service folks she really does it. And I’ve been getting her newsletter for a few years and she’s just plain out honest. So, I decided I would give her a try and bought “Ghostwriting Cash”. I read it all the way thru and said now here’s something I really can do.

Now, I’m not the worlds smartest or dumbest but, she said ,”if you can write at an 8th grade level” you can do this. I said ok. I can do that.I had never written to much before oh you know book reports for school 55 years ago but I wasn’t going to write a New York Times best seller, just some simple articles.

So I followed her directions and got on the site she recommended and after I signed up I had a writing job in twenty minutes for a $100.00 That’s 100 clams, semolians dollaroos in my pocket. So,WOOOOOO HOOOOO. So, I’m just sayin. If I can do it so can you.

You’re not to old, to sick, to feeble,to dumb or whatever else you been telling yourself. You Can Do It. And Tiff is right there to answer any questions you might have. So come on join this old woman and jump in. Get your Ghostwriting Cash. We all can do it.

Doni

Tiff again – what was that? You say you’re already 60? You say you’re nervous about implementing a product? Mhm that’s what I thought! Thanks, Doni for letting others see that ACTION takers, not EXCUSE makers get the dough!

P.S. I told Doni to shoot me her affiliate ID for ClickBank so I could use it here – because if it’s HER words inspiring you to get over yourself, I want her making a commission! 

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So I hate to say it, but the project is a side project for me.  It’s not my fulltime pursuit. I have to focus on fast, fast money and for ME, since I already have a store and list and customers, PLR is doing it for me. I’ve paid off over $1,300 in debt since last Wednesday – not even a week yet.

Yea!The faster, the better and the happier I become (and my precious babies).

I finished some more ghostwriting this morning and then I started working on another $7 WSO I want to release – this next one will be on diet/fitness and the one after that I’m thinking might be an MLM pack. I feel like, with IM – there are good guys and bad guys and good and bad strategies. Same with MLM – and I want to give the good guys some ethical, empowering content they can use to really nurture their downline and teach good methods.

I also have a “How to Pick a Good Domain Name” report I want to complete – and I want to do a pack on homeschooling since here in the US we’re seeing an EXPLOSION in it.

Alrighty that’s it for me! I’m about to go to the post office and grocery store in a bit but have to get some things FINISHED first – woot!

Tiff

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So I’m dressed in a snazzy new orangish (neon?) t-shirt today. Two of my t-shirts (blue and yellow) got ruined in the washing machine. Ugh. They look like some sort of oil stains got on them, which means time to clean the washer out (we did). So I replaced them with two cheapo, yet comfy, t-shirts from Wal-Mart. I’m in love with t-shirts that are super soft and roomy (Jeni hates it when I wear t-shirts that could cover the house, instead of fitted ones but I’m comfortable lol).

Okay so you guys saw my “Tiffany Slays the Debt Dragon” pic already. I had a different lady do the “post debt/divorce” caricature and yikes – she did a good job with her drawing skills, but the picture had colors like mustard green and poo brown and I look like I’m doing the famous Ralph Machio Karate Kid pose in it.

But Funny Drawing Guy on Fiverr did an AMAZING job! I told him I wanted a picture of me relaxed, happy, and enjoying life. I wanted plenty of sunshine and happiness! He captured it – no need for a literal interpretation of money bags. He did it right. Even included a cabana boy to bring me my SPF 500! LMAO! Click to open a larger version in a new window – he does a great job!

Also, Scarlett and I are working on our children’s book fiction series and this guy does illustrations for books too, so I’m hoping he’ll be our guy! He had some great examples.

The weekend sucks debt wise because deposits happen on Monday mornings – but I foresee another bill gone in full and more to the kids’ school! Can’t wait. I’m addicted. In fact, you know what? right after typing that, I couldn’t stand it – I want to pay SOMEthing EVERY day. So I went into my spreadsheet and decided that on days when I have a teeny bit but not enough to send in a full payment, I’ll point it toward medical debt. So I paid $10.99 to my CT scan bill. From $159.99 to $140.

Look at me eating that big ass elephant one bite (Nibble) at a time! That may not have even been a nibble – maybe more like a lick. LMAO! Oh well, every $10.99 helps, right? (And before anyone emails me thinking all I have is $10.99, don’t worry – I have cash in the bank – but I have that for other things we need, like groceries, gas, etc.).

I got up this morning and cleaned house because my middle child – my son – was going on a movie date with a girl-friend of his and i wanted the house to be perfect if they came in.

I finished my new 10-page Halloween Costumes PLR (for 2013) and I loved doing this – I started seeing costume sales already – ACK! So I needed to get this done. And I love having a slant, so using the 2013 reference, I was able to make it trendy for 2013 movie characters, etc.

I’m also going to be doing a short report on How to Pick a Good Domain Name – but I haven’t decided if I want to sell it as a one owner content, PLR, or a report that I sell cheap. LOTS of people’s domains suck. Problem is, they THINK they’re good at it. Yikes. So they may not know they even NEED to buy this. Hmm…Might have made my decision easier. Won’t sell it as a report, it needs to be something that someone uses as value for their list, so I’ll either PLR it or 1 Owner content it.

Tiff

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This is what I do and what I teach in my Squidoo Quick Commission Guide.

In January, Squidoo sent $134.97 to my PayPal for November’s earnings. Amazon sent me $207.34 for a total of $342.31.

In February, Squidoo sent $192.29 to my PayPal for December’s earnings. Amazon sent me $267.78 for a total of $460.07.

In March, Squidoo sent $171. 14 to my PayPal for January’s earnings. Amazon sent me $135.09 for a total of $306.23.

In April, Squidoo sent $223.61 to my PayPal for February’s earnings. Amazon sent me $112.04 for a total of $335.65.

In May, Squidoo sent me a total of $164.06 to my PayPal for March’s earnings. Amazon sent me $182.53, for a total of $346.59.

Yesterday, Squidoo sent me a total of $321.62 to my PayPal for April’s earnings. Amazon will send me $138.41, for a total of $460.03. 

So far, my best month has been February but that’s for December’s earnings, so that’s to be expected. I’m REALLY happy about this month’s payout because it’s for February’s earnings, and it’s not like I had a lot of Valentines lenses or anything. Yea!

I made us a little graph to see how it’s unfolding (click to view larger):

Squidoo has brought in $1207.69 for the 2013 year so far, or $201.28 per month. I have $334.30 pending in lens money right now, too. When you pair direct Amazon links and average it out, it comes to $375.15 for a monthly average.

My original goal was to make at least $100 a month on Squidoo alone this year. I’ve done that. How about we redo the goal to $350 a month for the second half of 2013? Does that sound good? I’ve asked Amanda to help me figure out earnings as I go. I’m all muddled. I never know truly what I earned until payday and that’s 2 months after the fact.

Tiff

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I’m SO happy today! I worked yesterday from 4:50 AM until almost midnight. Working my BUTT off, people! I only ate a handful of almonds and a cookie and water and coffee – was too tired to eat. That’s not good! Still, it feels good to look back on the previous day and say, “Man, I gave it my ALL!” Every bit of energy and focus I had in me was poured into my business.

I need to make today a healthier day. I slept until 8ish and woke up feeling refreshed (no pink hat today yea!). I started my day off getting my Coaching Squidoo videos done. That was great – I think I’ll be able to help a lot there and helping always feels fantastic!

I responded to some emails for customer service issues (more to answer later for other stuff, but if someone didn’t get a download link, etc., I handle that ASAP).

Today is ALL about 2 things – Ghostwriting and Product Creation. I will be a complete beast. LOL I act like one too when I’m “nose to the grindstone” like this – (Oh and speaking of that phrase – I had an unsub from someone who was turned off by that, saying she wanted to learn from a “successful” marketer who enjoyed life, not someone always working so hard. LMAO!!!). If she only knew what I knew from being on the phone with those “easy life” guys at 2 AM when they were panicking over their projects and income. Oh well, one less idiot to waste my time on.

I talked in today’s video about the financial thing a bit. Two days ago when I made that post about being $60,562.13 in debt, I think a few people may have mistaken that for me “struggling.” So I want to clean that up AND tell you my amazing goal so that maybe if you’re in the same boat, you can work along with me.

Okay first of all, the “tears” I shed about this situation aren’t because I’m struggling or can’t pay bills. I pay bills fine Never missed a payment. Over the past 17 years, we simply put any extra on other stuff – movies, trips, stuff I can’t really talk about because it’s not just me. We never pointed that extra money toward old debt.

The tears were because I look back at ME the last 17 years and I just grieve for everything I was back then – so weak, so not me.  But I’m empowered now to get paid off. It was always “under control” but who wants to control a pile of poo? Not me. I want it GONE, cleaned up, over with.

I had some points left in my Fiverr account from gigs I had done in the past so I used some of them to have this made – a caricature of Tiffany slaying the debt dragon! Click to open in a new window and see it full size.

I think you should be able to click on it to see it better but what do I know about technology? I had the Funny Drawing Guy Tony make it.

I had gone through and his looked most like the professional caricatures I see people do. I ordered the basic head, and added on body, color and background. Turned out really cute – small waist a perk, too! LOL! I think the dragon is cute – he’s back there burning up my money and there I am with my money shield and knife ready to do battle.

This was done purely for motivation and inspiration for myself.

When I made that post 2 days ago, just about everyone got it. A few were confused, feeling bad for me thinking I was unable to pay bills, etc. (So I wanted to clear that up). And I had 1 severe and 1 kinda meh email from people who basically questioned my “success” if I’m sitting here in debt.

Some people just don’t grasp how earnings aren’t the same as financial wealth. I have great earnings. I have excellent financial stability. What I wasn’t doing is wealth building – which means paying off debt and saving. So that’s what I’m doing. I’ve paid cash for car repairs, $120-180 a week in gas, and I paid cash for some of the medical procedures and co-pays. All that kind of stuff, I just debit out. I just never tackled our past.

…Until now. Now that I’m about to be on my own, divorced, with no health insurance – I want the happiness I feel of being free from my marriage to be complemented with financial freedom, too. Does that make sense? It’s hard to explain.

Two days ago I posted that my own debt in my name was $60,562.13. Since then I’ve broken that $60k barrier – I now owe $59,745.23! That’s a difference of $816.90 in 2 days. Not too shabby.

I’ve also achieved another milestone – my kids’ school, which was at $21,250 – is now at $20,950. I love the $1k milestones with that. I was able to also pay OFF Chase WAMU and knock down JC Penney almost in half. (That’s the next one I’m targeting).  The medical debt is technically smallest but it doesn’t do anything for my credit score since it’s not reported there, so I’m going to tackle that last unless it gets to under $100 and then I’ll just zap it.

Because I got more emails on that post than I have on any post ever, with many people doing the same thing – I wanted to invite you to do the same. Get debt free – gain financial freedom by using your job earnings or Internet income to pay it off!

I’ve made a really strong goal for myself. I was tallying up what I might be able to do as far as pouring leftover money into debt and I decided that 5 months (150 days) would do it. It’s technically 152 days until my 10th wedding anniversary – how fitting that this date be my goal to pay off my debt in full and be FREE! That’s $393 a day that needs to go to debt!

I hope I can do it. There are always highs and lows in this industry. I need to be riding a high wave for the next 5 months. I’m determined. Join me! If you don’t have debt, how about you save for something special?

Okay also I talk about people who look weak and pathetic by “threatening” others with their social network. “I’m going to let my FB fans know about you!!” It reminds me of Pee Wee Herman. “I know you are, but what am I?”

If you’re going to negatively review someone, just do it. When you make a threat, you look weak like you’re trying to influence the person because you’re wrong and desperate.  Had this happen to me yesterday and the other day. When I don’t like something someone does, I don’t threaten the person LOL! I just take action. I’m a Texan – we don’t tell you to get off our property or ask what you want – we just shoot.  (Kinda like that right?).

Okay and the last and most IMPORTANT thing we need to talk about today is…HAPPY birthday HELENE! It’s her birthday today and I’m offering up a toast to her – cheers!

Tiff

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So I worked a bit on the PDF – didn’t do a ton, just did a bit. Sporting the pink hat again today because I am just SO busy I’m not taking a second out of my day to style hair in the least bit.

Today I did that financial post – a huge burden for me that I’ve gone through silently. I want to share that with y’all.

I want to tell you about Scott Cottle – he saw my email where I had invited my subscribers to email me if THEY were sad or needed someone to listen and he liked that. Said he likes to be the same way with people, and he had done a “$100 in a day” post where he made $100 on iWriter and he wanted to give 10% ($10) toward the Angel Fund.

As we talked and I told him we don’t need anything for the Angel Fund, he suggested that he donate it to a charity and asked me which one I wanted. So I chose the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence charity. Thanks, Scott!

Tonight I’m doing some Squidoo coaching videos, I got all emails answered and I created a new Squidoo lens. I’m pending over $500 right now on Squidoo! (Using the same stuff I teach in Squidoo Quick Commission Guide.

I’m going to release a 1 owner content pack on Bodybuilding Competitions today! And tomorrow I’ll release a “Sleep” PLR WSO special

Okay time to make some homemade fries and work more before my bath!

Tiff

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So today I want to talk about what I’ve done, I’m doing and what I plan to do – with my business and finances. And I’ll let you tag along on my journey and maybe you can even challenge yourself to do the same if you’re in a similar situation.

The Past

When I first started working for myself online, we were a young, VERY broke couple in our 20s. I moved back into my childhood home (back from college) with my Dad and my now soon to be ex and my son Dylan.

Neither of us had jobs yet so we had to charge our necessities on credit cards. As we got jobs, they didn’t pay well of course – so we were always struggling, and now having to pay off debt.

Every time a NEW credit card would come in the mail offering more instant availability, we signed up. Stupid, I know. But sometimes you sit there going, “I’m broke, Christmas is coming up and I have NO money and a child counting on me to give him a Christmas,” so you sign up, max it out, and add another monthly card to the mix.

Over the years, we’ve gotten cards for other reasons too – emergencies like home repairs, needing to buy a new washer and dryer or fridge because ours broke, etc. Enter the home improvement cards.

Even recently, I had to open a Wells Fargo home Visa to get that plumbing done – but what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t let it sit stagnant. Cash flow is max’d out on all previous debt and tuition – THE most important thing to me – keeping my kids in their school.

Medical debt built up too. Scarlett spent 4 days in Cook’s hospital years ago – thousands I’m still paying off. Last year I had to have a cystoscopy, xrays, CT scans, etc. All debt to be paid.

Over the years we had also borrowed over $18,000 from my Mom. I’ve whittled that down to a little over $3,000. She’s never asked for a penny back but I’m not the kind of person who freeloads, so it’s ME who has to pay that back.

When I first started working online, I was broke and desperate. My son was sick – I had no other choice. I worked my ASS off to get ghostwriting clients. I didn’t slap up dozens of canned bids because I knew it wasn’t quantity of bids that would land me the job – it was quality. I took time to create unique bids for each potential client on Elance.

I always pointed out specific faults of my competitors (not by name, but general stuff I knew the client could find if they checked out other people’s profiles). I also mentioned their specific project and how I could meet their needs. Almost EVERYone else used canned bids. I won almost EVERY project I ever bid on and grew to be known as the “ghostwriter to the gurus.”

I never plagiarized for a shortcut. I bought books for research and used the ‘net. I worked from sun up to bedtime. I wanted it to work. I never half assed it.

But here’s the problem financially. As we started to have money, we’d pay minimums on debt but man, the relief of finally having a little extra to do something fun or allow my soon to be ex to go home where he’s from was a relief – so we never paid off debt – and we never used that excess cash wisely. It was spent.

The Present

Here we are now in our 40s. Massive debt accumulation. No savings. As my income grew, financial aid lessened for tuition, so the more I made the more I owed. We continued accumulating new credit card debt.

I’m now going through a divorce. Together, we’re working on paying off debt before going through the process legally and I’ll need to refinance the house in my name. I have good credit – a score of over 700 – but it still says my debt to availability is a negative for me, so I need to pay down debt a ton to get a good refinance rate and get a nice low payment on my home.

I’m at an over 6% rate right now and I think they’re like 3% or so, so I can just about cut my payment in half. I have to think of my future and that of my kids and I want to play it smart.

I don’t charge anymore. Since we made this decision, we’ve been pouring all leftover (after bills and minimum payments) money into debt payoff. It’s overwhelming sometimes.

My biggest fear is that one day I’ll get a call from the kids’ school saying that since we’re behind, they can’t go there anymore. With this divorce, I want them to always feel safe and secure and they love their school. This past year was a bad year for us – stuff went wrong, more debt, and for the first time I got really behind in tuition.

So let’s take an honest look at my debt – because transparency is key here. I make great money, but it’s spent before I can blink.

I have my regular house bills, which are things like mortgage, electricity, etc.  One of the first things we did was get rid of EVERYTHING that wasn’t really needed or enjoyed. We nixed all insurance on our phones (that saved $50 a month). We got rid of all movie packages on our DirectTV (saving us about $150) and just kept a basic one. We cut down our Sparkletts delivery because we were paying for water to just sit outside (saving us $20 a month). We got rid of all DVD Netflix and just have a basic streaming plan now – saving us about $30 a month. I eliminated my daily newspaper, saving me about $35 a month.

I didn’t have to do these things – we had money to pay for them – but I want to be free from this marriage, so I did it to hasten the process. We never did that when we were together because we wanted comfort. We didn’t want to give up the luxuries we had worked so hard for. But now it’s different – pulling the Band Aid off and giving up comfort for MUCH better future comfort of being free.

Now, here’s MY debt that’s in MY name – he also has some in his name (not mine to talk about), but both are joint debts we built. These are in order from least to greatest.

• Chase WAMU – $170.00
• Propath CT Scan – $176.16
• Cook Children’s Medical – $200.00
• JC Penney – $437.97
• HSBC – $488.36
• HSBC – $571.41
• Direct Merchant – $851.66
• Target – $935.64
• Cap 1 – $939.34
• GE Pearle Vision (eyes/contacts) – $1,258.90
• Walmart – $1,269.13
• Spark Card – $1,496.63
• PayPal Plus – $1,458.82
• Merrick – $1,601.40
• Dillards – $1,699.52
• Sears – $2,635.17
• Amex – $2,802.31
• IRS – $2,907.80
• Mom – $3,570.00
• Chase – $3,814.33
• Wells Fargo Home Visa – $5,000.00
• Amazon Chase – $5,027.58
• Tuition Remainder 2012 – $21,250.00

Total? $60,562.13 (plus more not in my name).

Notice tuition is for LAST year. I still have THIS year to pay and tuition is over $36-37k for the two kids. Yikes. But I will do it. Because they are my world.  Once all this debt is paid off, it’ll be a breeze. I’ll write out checks like clockwork for tuition and never be behind.

Wow just putting this out there makes me sit here crying as I write this. Makes me feel humiliated. How did we get here when I have made such good money? How were we so stupid, so careless? UGH. If only I’d had a backbone… and again, that list doesn’t include our debt in his name – but that’s not my place to list.

But it is what it is and I’m becoming a strong woman now, so fuck it – it’s going out there because maybe it’s going to help other people. That’s what transparency does. It makes others feel less alone.

So where am I now? We’re never (and haven’t been in forever) a family who has missed a bill or been unable to pay for stuff we need – food, gas, bills, etc. Our income has provided well for us there.

The way I work it now is this:

1. We pay for immediate needs FIRST – groceries, doctor’s appointments, etc.
2. We pay bills SECOND (minimums still).
3. We use ALL leftover money to pour into debt.

Because I need my credit score as high as possible, and the only negative is debt to availability ratio, it’s important to get some “100% availables” in the mix. I didn’t track what I had already paid off but a day or two ago, I paid off Kohls for $250.32 in full. That’s now 100% available and no more $25 monthly minimum payments.

Today I paid off my Radiology medical bill that remained for $81.40 in full – no more $41 monthly minimum payments.  I also sent the school $300 in tuition money. (The balance above is after that). I paid $50 to JC Penney because I had them listed wrong and thought it was next in line, but then I sent $121 to my Chase WAMU card to bring it down to $170. It’s the next one on my hit list, along with tuition.

My interest rates range from 6% on the Wells Fargo card to 29.99% on some of the others. Horrible. No wonder I never got them paid off. What’s on all those cards? Some of it I can’t talk about because it’s not about me. Some of it was Christmas, birthdays…convenient when you need them. We’ve charged groceries in the past when we needed to, put gas on there.

I feel like I have nothing to show for it.

The Future

So what am I doing about it? Well, the goal now is to knock these suckers out lowest to largest one by one, with tuition ALWAYS getting money during this process. I am working on my 90-Day product creation challenge and I hope that pulls in a nice chunk of change – especially since I’ll be actively trying to get a few bigger names to promote for me.

I’m also working on tons of PLR. Whenever I create lots, I sell lots! I have tons of new subscribers from my 72-hour  PLR WSOs that I’m running (and I’ll be creating themes for those) and when they see the quality of the WSO, they often go back to the Mini Mart and grab lots more. So sales spike nicely.

My Squidoo and affiliate earnings are growing nicely. I’m pending over $500 on Squidoo alone right now. But that won’t pay off until what, August?

My goal is to get 100% debt free and then REALLY start the process of wealth building. By wealth I mean having an emergency fund set up with 3 months’ worth of bills, a retirement fund for me to live on in my older age, a travel fund that will finally get me and my kids to Disney World (via car since I won’t fly) – I’ve promised Dylan since he was 2 – he’s 20 now, and a home renovation fund because I LOVE my childhood home and it needs so much help and renovations.

So that’s it. That’s what I’m dealing with – and it’s so odd how you can make great money and still feel shame over debt and financial situations. I don’t get it, but I DO know that I’ll be free of it because I’m determined and angry and just want my life all better.

For others who are back in the same situation I was in in the past, I recommend you do whatever you can to steer clear of credit card debt. There’s no course you need to follow – I’ll tell you what I told someone else who asked me “What is the easiest way or most basic way to make money online?”

Here’s my answer:

Tiff

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Okay so I’m going to keep this brief because I have tons more to do. Basically, I did a day in my PDF for the challenge. That’s all on that. LOL!

I wanted to urge you PLR sellers to GET yourself some VOLUME! I’m creating themes for my specials to get this debt paid off. So I categorize my content – just about everything in the PLR store. Each time I run a special, I’ll create a NEW pack AND grab 5-10 other packs to throw in as a bonus.

Can’t do that without VOLUME.

I’ve sold about 155-157 packs of the Healthy Nutrition one, so that’s over $1,000 – paid off a credit card bill and will send the rest to my kids’ school for tuition! That’s what I’m doing with today’s Article Writing special that I’m running for 72 hours. I wrote a new 10-page report and tacked on six freebies, totaling 149 pages.

I’m a woman on a mission, people.

Okay Squidoo news – first LOVE that stats are showing again and I have $480+ pending. Yeah, baby! That’s a bill right there. But  was nervous to hear something about them reevaluating outbound links for Giants so I’ll just hang on to the seat of my chair and sweat it out.

Oh! Got my brown hair mascara – it’s awesome! Mine’s not clumpy and I put it on my finger and it’s not crispy either. So hopefully this will help me go longer without dying that grey

Wanted to end with a VERY awesome statement Helene of Learn How to Do It told me via email. She said, “Not every OUTCOME has to be INCOME.”

Love that!

Everyone who is already successful tells you to follow your passion for a reason – because working for money doesn’t get it. When you find that true calling, where serving is a reward, the money DOES come. It sucks because it’s almost like there’s some force field surrounding you when you’re broke and desperate that keeps you from embracing that. I know the feeling – it’s like “feeling good doesn’t pay the bills!”

So it’s a catch 22. Until you find your passion, you’ll stay broke – but you’re broke, so you feel like you can’t risk passion when you need profits.

That’s why some people make it and some don’t.

Okay I have TONS to do today and it’s already almost 8 PM!

See y’all tomorrow!

Tiff

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So there ya have it! I woke up and saw all my FB friends griping about it being a Monday and how they hated going to work and I leisurely had my coffee, did a bit of work, and went swimming – yea!

What an incredibly blessed life I’m leading.

We had fun, although I’m a wee bit burned on the shoulders. I feel SO amazingly good though. I didn’t mention this in my email or WSO, but there’s a reason I ran that WSO specifically.

The whole pending “D” and “D” (debt and divorce) just made me REALLY want to get something paid off. So I figured I’d run a great, cheap WSO and get volume sales for it and pay off my lowest debt, which is Kohls for $250.32.

I did it! Plus I’ll have extra to send to my kids’ school. I’m going to alternate – run some WSOs with new PLR and bonuses and one time it’ll pay off a credit card and the next it’ll pay off the school.

So plan to see some good stuff from me in the coming weeks in terms of PLR WSOs. It’ll always have new content, but will have some existing packs, too.

As for the challenge, I’m writing a chapter right now! I’m getting one day today (for real!). I have other stuff to work on – ghostwriting, Squidoo coaching videos, etc.

I made a video tutorial for those of you who want to use Amazon image links on your blog using the affiliate code that pops up with the image, but they tend to get all skewed and don’t look quite right on your blog when published (as far as lining up right).

The video tutorial shows you how to do it but here are the written instructions below it:

You want to have your blog page open to a new post, Amazon open, and two Paints open.

Write your text in the blog and wherever you want to post the images, you’ll use the Add Media button.

In Amazon, click the Link to This Page link at the top as usual, but instead of grabbing the code that pops up, click Print Screen on your keyboard (should be near your F buttons at the top).

Paste that image into one of your Paints and crop out the Amazon image. Paste that into a new Paint file and save it.

That file will get added via Add Media to your blog. You’ll hyperlink it using the “Text link” URL on Amazon that has your affiliate code in it. You might have to watch the video if that sounds confusing.

This allows you to manipulate the images better than messing with code IF code is something that confuses the heck out of you.

Okay off to work now! Plan on making some yummy dip tonight and working and trying to find a new TV drama to watch streaming on Netflix – anyone have any good recommendations? I just wrapped up House of Cards and it was AMAZING!

Tiff

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So the first thing I talk about is what I wound up getting done yesterday. Try…nothing. I swore, vowed, promised, and even enlisted the help of Scarlett to try to keep me on track and all I did was this:

Opened the files up, with every good intention, and then simply did something horrible – changed the price point! I blogged about it here: You Think Small Money, You Get Small Money. 

I distracted myself every way I knew how. I cleaned, I cooked – I even started a NEW product! LOL!

So today I HAD to do something to prevent my sneaky self from weaseling out of productivity. So before I even got out of bed I said, “Okay Rocky – err, I mean Tiff – how are you going to be a champ today?”

I told myself I could make and pour a cup of coffee but that’s IT until I had 3 chapters done on that product. No email checking, no Facebooking, no checking my income stats – nothing!

You bet that lit a fire under my ass. I was working and thinking clearly because it was the beginning of the day and all. FANtastic! It went fairly quickly, although I spent some time on it. I pretty much know what I want to say in them and they’re short because I don’t want people getting bogged down in boring text – I want them action-taking.

The product I was messing around with was on Bubblews – and what happened is, whenever I first hear of a site that I want to try, I open up a Word document and start a product on it. It won’t always come to fruition – some I dislike or get bored with and some flop.

But the reason I start writing the course from day 1 (instead of waiting until I’m a so-called expert on it) is because I want to document that newbie feeling – the curiosity, confusion, intrigue, coolness, etc that you feel when you’re first learning the ropes.

I like to also document first impressions because many times, it’s those first impressions of what other people are doing on the site that give me my unique slant. I’ve already experienced that there.

Yesterday I did a political Bubble and today I did an Art one. I had learned about it on Squidoo in the forum where someone mentioned it. Amanda said she’s been blogging about it as well.

Let me tell you what else I’m planning on doing today:

1. One video for chapter 2 of my product I had skipped around previously so I might have day 29 ready for example).
2. A Squidoo lens
3. A toy site blog
4. 5 more articles in a mega PLR pack I’m working on
5. 1 owner content pack on raw food
6. Videos for my Squidoo coaching
7. A text interview

Oh when I was working on my product creation challenge, aside from having to go back and fix my product price gaffe, I was able to turn doubt into a perk.

Remember yesterday and a few days before, how I had concerns about comparing myself to other video producer gurus? Well I started seeing mine as a big perk – my laid back way to vlogging. Sales copy was flowing in my mind about how to spin it for myself, etc. It was nice!

I have many of you guys to thank for that – you repeatedly told me how you wouldn’t WANT that stuffy pro video version. Sometimes you have to pound it into my head, people!

Okay I’m off to clean more, give Scarlett a manicure and play Barbies, and FINALLY make that peach cobbler I’ve been talking about.

Tiff

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You Think Small Money, You Get Small Money.

Not sure how my blog related to this but I sure like the reminder. I even Googled it to see who said it and couldn’t find anything so I guess whoever typed it in was making an original statement.

It made me think about things, though. Over the course of the last couple of days, when I was going through that doubt and comparison stage fright phenomenon, I had quickly gone in to my product launch notes and drastically lowered my product price.

I had gone from $37 week 1 pre-launch to my list and for affiliates and $67 public launch after week 1 to a $27 pre-launch price point and $47 launch price.

Now mind you I had already spent months beefing up my confidence to charge its true worth – and I didn’t just pick a price out of thin air.

I had spent time putting a value on the information I shared, how much it will pay off for the customer, etc.

But one quick moment of hesitation and I almost set myself up for some small money. (I changed it back today after I came to my senses).

It’s very hard to place value on ourselves, especially if we’re not the typical “oozing with confidence” types and although I’m confident in most areas, there are a few places where I lack it.

I see the mindset of small money a lot with newbies – rarely with gurus. In fact gurus often overestimate themselves in my opinion, but I have to remember that phrase, “the market is never wrong.” Whatever people are willing to pay, they’re willing to pay, period.

Newbies often come into this saying, “I’d like to make a few dollars.” So they pursue business strategies that offer “a few dollars.”

For example, right now I’m testing the waters of Bubblews. I want to see if it’s a viable place for extra income and it’s great for personal babbling like I like to do. But I see it as a topping income only.

A newbie might come into the online scene and look to Bubblews because it’s easy – and offers a bit of money here and there.

What I wish they’d do is aim really high with their own product. Then they’d make “a little money” and then some.

I know why some people set their sights low. It’s so:

• You don’t experience disappointment when you never achieve your big money goals.
• It’s easier going after a little pocket change than a substantial salary.
• You don’t want to be embarrassed when you put yourself out there as a real player and flop.

It could be any of those issues – or one of a million more.

Today, walk around with a big money mindset. You don’t want $300 extra a month – you want $30,000 extra a month, even if you only need $300. Give the rest to charity for all I care, but be willing to go for it.

Sound like too much? It’s pocket change for many people – and not just the Donald Trumps of the world.

Let’s agree to put away our small money personalities for awhile and see what we’re truly capable of.

Tiff

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Wanna know what I got done yesterday? Amid all my ambition, I opened up all my product files ready to tackle them…and I…changed a headline.

a headline.

Yep that’s it!

I don’t know whyyyyy I’m at this paralysis stage but this happens every time I’m in the middle of a major product development. Doesn’t happen with my short reports like Guide to Cashing in on Shiny New Object Syndrome or Squidoo Quick Commission Guide – only on major products like Ghostwriting Cash or PLR ATM of my older guides that I launched.

I HAVE been doing lots of other work and lots of cleaning and cooking for my kids.

But today I plan on doing something. LOL!

Also wanted to talk to y’all about Squidoo. It’s been like 3-4 days with no Amazon sales info. Apparently Gil’s working on it. Always loved Gil. But it sucks not being able to see sales! I’m so excited to see what my lenses have earned.

Someone asked me about some forum post re: Squidoo clamping down on “Best of” lenses. I don’t let myself get immersed in the forums – haven’t in a long while (not for specific platforms). Gets way too frustrating. I’ll usually hear about big changes via word of mouth or if I log in and something’s warned, I’ll research it to find out why.

Okay I SWEAR I am going to be productive today ON this product.

Tiff

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It’s like they’re coming out of the woodwork – victims. Not just people who happened to get screwed over once or twice while trying to learn this business, but I’m talking about hardcore, “everything I buy is a scam” types.

I can’t help people like that.

They have this mindset kind of like someone wearing a tinfoil hat you know? Everyone’s out to get them. There are no real people making money – it’s all a lie or theft.

Two instances of this I wanted to share with you.

First there was someone who asked for coaching. This person claims he’s been at this for a decade and never made a cent. He’s bought and implemented dozens of courses and never found even ONE to be truthful. Not one.

Not only that, but everything in his personal like if the same way. Oh he’s being screwed by his ex wife, but the mortgage company, by bill collectors. He’s the target of every scam and hate campaign you could possibly dream up.

There comes a point when you have to stop and listen to yourself and ask, “Am I being a dumbass?” Because if you are spinning your wheels for 10 years and never making a penny and blaming others for your failures – then something’s wrong there.

It might be that every product was crap. But I’m all about taking personal responsibility – start pointing the finger at yourself and saying, “Okay obviously I suck at picking products.”

Then there was a guy who emailed me this week. He wants to know about a product I recommended because he’s tried everything and never made a single cent.

Really…? Not a penny!

So when I tell him how it’s going for me and that I do indeed like the product, can you guess what his response is? It’s to question why I haven’t succeeded as much as I wanted to with it. I’ve made several hundred dollars, but it’s an “income topper” for me – not something I allot a majority of my time on.

But you see, he’s already on the defense. He believes he can trust me, but he’s looking for some excuse he can put in his back pocket for when this fails.

I know someone who is ALWAYS bitching about their job. Non stop. Nobody works as well. Nobody listens to them. Everything’s unfair. They’re all stupid. It gets old.

If people would start taking personal responsibility for stuff, you’d start succeeding!

Like the other day when I told y’all I bought that CB product and later realized it was outdated. I didn’t refund. I didn’t blame the product creator. I pointed the finger at myself. Should have investigated a bit better. MY problem. MY lesson learned.

I had someone ask for a refund on a newbie PLR pack this past week. The person had bought a WSO where not only did they get a significant discount but they also got over 60 free pages as a bonus.

Guess what his excuse was? The content was too newbie and he’d already taught his people that stuff. Well guess what the WSO said in the very first paragraph?

Affiliate marketing is always evolving and there are always newbies coming online to learn the ropes. So I created a brand new MEGA pack of PLR content for affiliate marketing!

Guess what the very first article in that pack is titled?

What’s the Definition of Affiliate Marketing?

…and all the others were very obvious beginner topics.

Guess what else he said in his request to me for a refund? That he was on a very tight budget. Ah. There we go. Looking for a freebie. Not taking responsibility for the fact that he either didn’t read what was in the pack or just wanted to download it all anyway.

Did you know that I know MANY guru level marketers who won’t even RESPOND if you email them with a victim attitude? It’s okay to have gone through hardships, but you’d better showcase some go getter “I’m not giving up and I know I’ve made some mistakes” attitude, too, baby!

Sometimes I feel like not even replying either. Sometimes I want to set the person straight. They’re taking up my time and wanting me to help them – why? So they can blame ME as another person who steered them wrong in the future?

No thanks.

I won’t make myself part of your story if you approach me with zero personal responsibility. And I hope you don’t ever let me use that kind of crap in my life, either. If I do, shake me out of it, will ya?

Tiff

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So guess what I noticed? Yesterday when I posted my blog, my wish was that I would wake up today full of energy and direction. That happened!

Man, you should have seen me all day. I started off with a healthy to do list – really organized and all. I had planned to hit my product creation hard core. Get tons done. It was #1 on my priority list in fact – with everything else to be done later.

I started off going through my folders – of which socialization is one. I land in the Warrior Forum. I see some thread about video creation that I had already posted in and someone mentions someone else’s video product.

ACK! I didn’t want to know someone else had a video product. I mean logically I know they do, but I’m not aware of them. I don’t want to be aware of them. I know what product I want to make and how I want to make it.

I start reading the comments and people are talking about equipment and lighting and audio booms and all that crap and suddenly it’s like I’m slowwwwllly backing away off into the shadows.

I don’t know all that stuff. I don’t want to know all that stuff. I just want to create a video blogging course. Now I’m focused on how much less I am than that competitor. How he’s all fancy schmancy and I’m I’m just an iPhone and open curtains kinda girl with ugly brown couch pillows.

I sat here all day doing everything BUT my project. I cleaned the heck out of the house. I wrote a new content report, I did some email responses, and I organized some outsourcing.

It’s almost 6 PM and that to do list for the project is still staring me down, almost yelling at me to get my attention. But man does my house feel inviting! LOL

Unfortunately, a bright sunshiny house won’t pay the tuition for my babies. So I have to do what scares me. I decide to do one last procrastination task – this blog post here – and before I do, I thumb through Time Warrior – this time, not randomly picking and choosing a chapter, but intentionally looking for something that will speak to me.

I find it

Page 137 – chapter 70. “There is no such thing as worthiness.”

I feel like I’ve gotten an answer to a scary question or something. Steve Chandler cracks me up with his statement about there not being a worthiness center we can call. He says we can’t call up and say, “How worthy am I?” and have them respond with, “Well, let me call it up on the screen. Just a minute please. What’s your Social Security Number? Thank you. It says here on a scale of 1 to 10, you are a 3. You’re not very worthy.”

LMAO! I laughed so hard when I read that and it just brought me back to the realization that I’m being absolutely ridiculous.

That other guy? For all I know he’s a perfect 10 in the worthiness department. He might be very valuable to people who want to buy and master expensive recording equipment, lighting, audio, etc.

That’s not who I’m targeting. I’m targeting the newbiest of newbie when it comes to video blogging. The casual, “I’m so scared I can’t breathe” marketer who knows s/he wants to make the video connection but can’t even fathom having to learn all that technical stuff on top of mustering up the courage to sit down and record the freaking thing.

Steve says that worthiness and being deserving are just concepts – they “have nothing to do with a life of action.”

So you’ll excuse me as I make this live so I can get my butt in gear and take action, won’t you

Tiff

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When I got up, I had tasks to do but I flitted. You know, answering emails, Facebooking, trying to figure out what tasks to do for my task list.

I got plenty of sleep. I felt good. I was in a good emotional state of mind (lol), but I was scatterbrained.

I wanted to email out before I took the kids swimming, and I wanted to do a 90-day challenge blog post with some good insight.

I just could NOT for the life of me, find ANYthing that remotely satisfied me. It’s so funny because I did (and scrapped) SO much today!

1. I read a chapter of Time Warrior. It was some 4 pager (which for that book is long). I liked the message, but it was like I felt like, “Well, he said it all so there’s nothing more for me to say.

2. I scrolled Warrior Forum. The main one, the mindset, the review, the War Room. Nothing.

3. I dusted off my Digital Point forum login and scrolled there. Nope.

4. I started three different blog posts – THREE  where I wrote at least half a page each – and deleted all three of them. I just wasn’t impressed.

I was starting to get frustrated now, so guess what I did? Went to ClickBank and in the marketplace I searched for “niche” because I LOVE getting tips on finding niches that I can use on Squidoo, in my PLR store, as auction content, etc.

I find some Niche product that’s only $17 so I grab it. I speed read it (thank God for that skill) and I find one almost nugget. Almost because it’s okay, but I had to really stretch to turn it into a nugget myself. And it wasn’t even that great.

The product was written okay – but it was from 2009 I noticed later – and most links in it were defunct.

Oh I was so annoyed by this point. I figured a little swimming, a little sunlight and I’d come home raring to go. I sat down and nope. Same situation.

I verbalized it to my daughter and you know what Scarlett said?

“Mommy! Take a day off! You’ve been so busy being a Mommy and cleaning and working. You just need to not work tonight.”

It’s already not a day off – I’ve worked today. But she’s right. Sometimes you just have to stop trying so hard. Let your mind and body rest. Veg out.

I just kept feeling like I wanted a big eraser for my blog so I could start it from scratch and teach something start to finish. I started getting irritated that my blog began when I was in the middle of my journey instead of a nice, tidy start to finish journey. How ridiculous is that?

I’m also feel a bit uncomfortable because there’s a niche I want to go into that’s not IM. I don’t want my name diluted. In fact I want to be in this niche but not have my name or face or voice associated with it at all.

It’s not a dirty niche or anything – just personal and with that stuff, for the sake of my kids, I want to be 100% anonymous. But the only way I personally know how to be successful online is by being…personal!

How am I going to get that level of personalization that I have with you guys with just text?

I just don’t like the idea of not being able to vlog or podcast ever in this niche. It’s such a deeply personal niche that it needs a face and voice.

Can I do it? Any tips on that? I need to do this. I need to.

If text is all I have then so be it.

As for the 90 Day Challenge – oh gosh no it’s not happening today. It’s already 6 PM and all I have in me is to cook some homemade spaghetti for me and the kids and then cut open a big watermelon for dessert. I’m going to tune into episode 3 (and maybe 4) of House of Cards, too.

I so love Kevin Spacey and when he plays a “Southern Gentleman” it just melts me. His accent, his mannerisms. Such a great show – and dirty politics included. Heaven. I just want to recharge tonight.

I hope tomorrow I have more direction. I feel like someone caught me in the water and I’m flopping on the pier not knowing what world I’m in tonight. LOL! (Content wise I mean).

Ever have one of those days?

Tiff

P.S. After writing this blog post I went to my stock photo site to find a relevant pic. Yep, you guessed it. Nothing looked right. LMAO!

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So in today’s video blog, in addition to talking about how I plan to work a lot on my product today, I also mentioned how people still come to me daily – with such enthusiasm about their niche – and such dedication to learning.

They’ve taken precautions to find out who to trust, they’ve purchased products on an array of topics – blogging, Facebook marketing, membership building, Kindle – you name it.

Then they get so excited and arrive at that point where they email me, explaining their niche enthusiasm and what all they’ve learned and they ask…

If you were me, what path would you take?

Problem is…I’m not you. I’m me. And my path would turn out completely different from yours. Even if we BOTH chose Kindle, for instance, you might make tons f money and I might make a little side money – all because my enthusiasm for the process isn’t there.

Now did Geoff Shaw’s Kindling curl my toes?

Sure did! Still one of my all time favorites ever. And I love the process of Kindle and I plan to really hit it hard with my fiction someday. But for me, I don’t enjoy the promotion process required to earn the money I can make on a more autopilot or personalized system off of Kindle – like on a minisite (for non fiction).

My enjoyment will be totally different from yours. Maybe you can’t stand blogging every day and coming up with content – our skills sets and preferences are different, even if they’re somewhat the same.

What I suggest is that you find all of the paths you think interest you – and pick one to start with. Try them all out eventually, because multiple streams of income = peace of mind financially. You might see an entire income stream tank one morning and instead of panicking, you’ll be disappointed, but okay – because you have:

• A blog that promotes affiliate products
• Kindle books
• A membership site
• Your own minisites…etc.

Plan to do everything that interests you over time, and pick the one that – in your gut – sounds most ENJOYABLE to you. It’s very important that you enjoy this process and don’t find it to be a chore because your fun will translate into earnings for you.

On to the Time Warrior! Today I read Chapter 73 – Well begun is half done. Such an awkward sentence. I prefer, “Just start shit and then you’ll be on your way.”

In today’s chapter, Chandler says, “If there were a beginning happening, there would be no procrastination.” Sometimes we just have to start. I know in all of the writing workshops I’ve taken, then always tell you to just sit down and let it all flow onto paper – not even worrying about the quality.

You should do that with your business, too. Get going and tweak as you go. Don’t wait to get going until it’s perfect. Trust me – it never will be. Someone, somewhere will hate something you do. They’ll hate your brown pillows like they hate mine. (By the way I’m thinking when I replace this couch I might get soft white leather with blue, white and yellow pillows).

Chandler says we don’t begin, “Maybe because we are believing something negative about the task we are putting off.” I do this! Tell myself what a chore it will be, how boring, how tired I am, how I’d rather be doing something else.”

SHUT UP, Tiffany!

Just get started. Sleeves rolled up (even though I’m not a sleeve person), ass in chair, mouth and mind zipped shut – and get started.

“Poor time management,” he says, “is always a problem of belief.”

Hmm. This is true, right? We could get so much more done if we just got our butts in gear and did it rather than spent time thinking so much about it.

So today if you’ve been putting something off, click out of here and start working on it – even if it’s for 5 minutes. Do something and then you’re no longer a procrastinator.

Tiff

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Okay so in today’s video blog I first say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister Jeni, whom many of you know. Then I go into Time Warrior – my current favorite book. I read chapters 94 and 95 yesterday but the video I made was so flat due to it being the end of the day and me being so tired that I wanted to re-talk about it today instead and toss the other video.

Chapter 94 of Time Warrior is called Waking up feeling bad? How many of you do that? I know sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t even know why – I just wake up with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach like something’s lurking out there waiting to get me that day. Chandler says that a “true warrior takes up arms against depressed feelings.”

We have to fight BACK, not let it defeat us before we even step out of bed. He talks about how  ”Fears sweep in like the monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Monkeys aren’t supposed to fly,” he says, “but the story-telling mind can make even little monkeys be evil fliers. ”

So it’s like my mentor Craig Desorcy tells me – we all have our stories. Personally, I told myself the story that I couldn’t leave a bad situation because it’d be too scary – too hard on my kids, etc. Story! They’re much better now and I’m stronger than ever, even at my VERY lowest moments – the contrast between a low Tiff now and a high Tiff then is still enormous, with low Tiff being a million times more powerful than high Tiff was during those dark days.

I do the same with work. Storytelling about what people are willing to pay, how I have to be there for the masses of little guys who need everything free. You can help without sacrificing your business and worth.

In Chapter 95, Chandler titles it, “Stop all that thinking.” Love that. He says all that thinking we do is “a kind of sick form of self-hypnosis.” We tell ourselves something enough, it becomes our truth, right?

He says, “That’s, in fact, the only thing that can ever weigh me down. My own thinking.” How true. I always blamed outside factors for everything – personally and professionally. If someone else wouldn’t be a certain way (customer or personal), then I wouldn’t have to react or act the way I have to in order to deal with/handle it.

Hmm not true. People can stand on their head in front of me now for all I care. I am in control of how my thinking evolves. If someone’s an asshole, I can either get myself riled up thinking about it or let them be an asshole and have it be on them. Not my problem. It only becomes my problem when I believe I need to have a reaction.

Now here’s where it’s funny. Chandler says something I didn’t expect him to say. “Stop trying to replace negative throughts with positive thoughts.” LMAO! Really?

I swear I just knew he was going to go all “stare in the mirror and chant a positive mantra” on me and he didn’t! He says positive thinking is overrated. Well sometimes it is! He says doing is underrated.

Ah – back to what my mentor Craig says. Not to let fear and whatever other emotion is destroying your progress rule you – to roll up your sleeves and dig in, mistakes and all. Thoughts out, action in. I likey.

Okay on to the other stuff. Someone had asked me if I’d noticed comments were down on the blog. I don’t normally notice much like that on a regular basis – especially if I know why ahead of time.

I do notice when people go missing. Tamsin, Mama Red, Paul, Minna, etc. – I have noticed them gone. I go check people’s blogs.  Sometimes they are going through something – they purge lists, check out of the online world, and take care of themselves.

Sometimes overall comments go down because of me, not the individuals.

I would worry if I was still churning out amazing thought-provoking blog posts like I was conscious to do during the John Chow blog review, but for the past couple of months, I know exactly why comments were less.

I was blah.

Simple as that. My posts were basically, “Hey this is Tiff. I got this task done. Not in the best place. Bye.” That’s not the kind of inspiring content that has people pouring their heart out and saying, “Wow this was great – I’m sharing this!”

But here’s the deal…I’m okay with that!

I am not a robot so I can’t be “on” 24/7/365. I am human and will go through down times when I’m no more inspiring than a bump on a log. I was proud of myself for still showing up, even if I was on the sidelines sickly so to speak.

I know people who go through down times and you see them go MIA from their blog for a month or more. I don’t like doing that. It makes people worry – especially when you’ve built a relationship with your audience as I’ve done.

Another thing – the bond I have with my audience makes them connect with me personally. MANY emails have poured in instead of public comments. So those yucky days when I was barely a shadow of myself, I’d get loving emails from men and women saying, “Chin up lady! I’ve been there. You’re going to get through this,” etc.

I guess that’s why I didn’t notice the actual on site comments were low – people just emailed me. They’d share their personal stories about divorce or tragedy and how they got through it. Not things everyone feels comfortable putting on a public site.

Now I feel like I went through a big low spot recently – where I got knocked down out of the blue and had to cry and feel helpless, etc. I got over it and came back stronger than before. It had caught me off guard.

But my traffic and sales didn’t seem to suffer. Oh! Speaking of which… why is my cpanel stat area showing an increase in traffic and keywords while Alexa shows a drop? Not sure I grasp all that. Cpanel shows my site traffic growing to over 4k visitors a day while Alexa shows a drop for 7 days, month, and 3 months. That doesn’t appear true based on what I’m seeing.

Very odd. How do they compile their info – anyone know?

Alrighty I’m off to work hard today! I woke up, threw open my curtains (I love saying that – feels so dramatic LOL), let the sun pour in. I put makeup on, curled my hair, had coffee, and now I’ll tidy my mostly straight house, get more work done, and I plan to go to the store to get things to cook and bake with my kids this week.

Feeling strong, baby. Strong. I won’t always be this way. But thank God I have you guys to pick my sorry ass up off the floor when I’ve fallen. That’s what friends do for one another, isn’t it?

Oh I also made a video of Honey the vicious chihuahua for Philip, Sam and Titan – her 3 biggest fans She’s trying to impress you with her mean high pitched girly growl.

Tiff

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So this blog post will explain what these packs have in them, and then you’ll know next time if this is something you want to bid on:

1. Idea for the 5-page opt in report – outlined with five things to talk about.

2. 52 article ideas that will cater to an audience weekly on your blog or in your autoresponder for an entire year. You’ll be given the title of the article, which is built around a concept or keyword in the niche, and sometimes a few words to direct you about what should go into the article if it’s unclear. Sometimes it’s more than obvious.

For example, if the title of the article is “Three Ways to Save Money Today” then I might put in parentheses: (raise thermostat in house, ask creditors for lower interest rate, and cancel extra movie channels).

3. Title and 10-chapter basic outline for an eBook you can create for this niche. The basic outline will include the chapter titles and a few short blurbs about what goes into each chapter.

For example, if I listed a niche eBook about Stress Relief, then I might have a chapter titled: “Improve Sleep Hygiene to Lower Your Cortisol” and I might make a few notes such as: white noise, temperature, comfortable bedding, aromatherapy, no technology before bed, light snack)

4. Links to 10 digital products you can promote in this niche on ClickBank. The products have not been vetted by me, I’m just choosing them as a convenience to you so you can test them with your audience and see which converts best and retains the sale (aka: no refund).

5. Links to 10 tangible products you can promote in this niche on Amazon. This could include books, software – anything. If it’s not clear why I may have chosen something, I might also give a little insight into why or how I would present this item to my readers as relevant to this niche).

The reason I like doing these is that I love research. I love gathering ideas and getting myself organized like this before I create my own content – but I realize this doesn’t come as naturally for others. I thought, “This might be a real blessing for some people – and help me pay off debt in the process!”

So if you’d like to bid on one of these, I’ll be listing them as I create them at http://www.1ownercontent.com and you can check in there to see if I have anything up for auction at this time.

Tiff

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I flipped open to this today and the book spoke to me both personally and professionally. I am at a place in my life (both portions) where my #1 goal and aim is happiness. Pure, unadulterated, gooey, sticky happiness.

No obstacles. No fear. No assholes. Nothing but positive things and helpful changes.

Sometimes it seems like a “theme” will arise over the course of a week or month and this time for me it’s, “If it doesn’t make me happy, it’s gone – out – poof!”

I loved Lynn Terry’s blog post called Overwhelmed? Make Your Business FUN Again! I so adore that attitude because as much as you may want to believe that success is all about steps and strategies and keyword volumes and JV partnerships – it’s flat out NOT.

Success is for people who ooze enthusiasm for what they do – and enthusiasm doesn’t come if you’re miserable, does it?

So back to Time Warrior. It takes true inner strength to have this attitude. Fear up against you is like David and Goliath, right? It’s intimidating – has a reputation for crushing millions of people. You have NO idea if you have it in you to fight back but there are only two options for you – get crushed like a coward or at least TRY to win the battle by fighting back.

I feel different lately. Like I’m waking up to realize that there are a zillion small changes I can make in my life that seep into other parts of my life and affect them in good ways, too.  Let me give you a for instance.

For so long my home has been dark physically. I never thought of it much. I just knew someone else liked the curtains drawn, less light, etc., so I did what you do when you don’t speak up – when you’re a people pleaser. I had black out blinds AND black out curtains covering up my gorgeous huge living room window. I have dark navy carpet. Brown sofas. A black entertainment center and brown end tables.

In the kitchen, there was clutter that other people never wanted to get rid of – old stuff not being used. Just taking up space, blocking the view to the backyard completely.

I woke up every day having to work in this environment but never even realized it affected my productivity. Yesterday I spent about 2 hours throwing that clutter out, steam mopping my floor, vacuuming – and this morning I threw open my curtains (tore the blinds down a few days ago) and the sunlight is POURING into my home from one side to the other – no clutter blocking it.

I literally feel, as I sit here writing this, like I’m on some energy drink or something. I’m able to take a deep breath and turn my head and look at a lush green view with blue sky for a few seconds and turn back and write more. I don’t sit here with no place to glance but my screen or TV (the TV is off – who needs it today?) like I did when there was no natural light – when all I had to look at was a pitch black curtain and a pile of shit (clutter) at each end of my house.

So that small change that took me two hours has now improved my productivity! Why? I’m happier! I’m less stressed. Less gloomified.

The Time Warrior says every day we wake up empty and scared. We have to make a decision. Most of us sit down and start working, right? SCREW THAT! He says no – do something filled with happiness for you! Develop beauty and make yourself smile – kiss the ground so that you’ll be in a better place to develop that enthusiasm and happiness that helps you achieve.

HA! Right here – I had to save this as a draft and leave the house and go outside to make me happier. Why? I’m tired of listening to something specific that I can’t talk about. So I just opened the door and stayed outside until it was over. That felt SO much better! No more keeping myself in an unhappy instance even for a second. I’m in control.

The Time Warrior says we have to “work the areas where you are not yet fearless.” It’s almost like a muscle we have to exercise. We might not have the strength to lift 100 pounds yet (or make big leaps), but we can make small efforts and get stronger with every single thing we do, right?

He says that darkness isn’t anything is it – absence of light – while light IS something. What are you bringing to the table today in your personal and professional life? If you do nothing but sit in fear, then you’re letting nothing rule you.

Now on the last page, I love this quote by Alexander Solzhenitsyn:

If you desired to change the world, where would you start? With yourself or others?

What a great question! I formerly believed in helping others make change. Friends who have problems…people who I know have something wrong with them that needs to change to make them AND me happier when I had to be around them.

But really, it starts right here – inside me. It starts with making myself happy despite everything else going on in this world. Not letting other people’s worlds smash into mine and clutter it up. I can visit theirs, be there to offer a shoulder if I want to, but I don’t have to let it spill into my world.

It also means making myself as perfect as I feel I could be. Then if that somehow has a butterfly effect on the world, that’s wonderful.

Tiff

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So I already stated what I’m doing today in terms of the challenge.  Another thing I talked about is how annoying it was when I went through my to do list that included social networking online. I visited 6 blogs and rotated them. I did some G+, FB and Twitter. Then I took a stroll into the WF.

Found a thread about whether or not Squidoo is still viable. Well of course I posted on it, expressing my acknowledgement that some people are nervous now (as was I), but how my conversions and traffic have improved. I shared a screen shot of this month’s earnings to date of over $382 and 144 lenses, saying that that’s $2+ per lens – but only 22 lenses are profitable in this month, so that’s $17+ per lens for those ones.

I mentioned how I started doing them differently this year, heavily focusing on personalization and I shared some examples for personalization in product reviews.

So what do you think happened? My post got zapped. Why? Well who knows – but I’m guessing it’s because one of my staple 3 sig file links is to my Squidoo product. Can’t have someone who is considered a LEADER for a niche topic actually participating and sharing good tips while using a sig file, can we? That’d be scummy.

So ridiculous. One guy posted there the other day about how anyone who isn’t actually in a niche should not be allowed to participate in threads. Ridiculous, right? I can have an opinion on something I don’t use – and say WHY I don’t use it. But God forbid anyone who is actually succeeding with a strategy tries to offer FREE helpful advice. That’s downright evil.

It irks me, people. Irks. Me.

But oh well. Two of my previous posts went through on other threads and those two people private messaged me to tell me thank you for being so helpful. So it gets through – little by little. When the post patrol hardasses aren’t looking to squash good information.

So off my soapbox.

Today I’m working on a new 1 owner content pack that is awesome! It’s all about video marketing – making people want to subscribe to your channel and watch your videos, as well as getting traffic to your videos. I got the idea from looking at the top 10 ClickBank products and one of them is called TubeLaunch or something.

I’m also doing another Time Warrior chapter and working on my inner strength PLR pack. Will be building another Squidoo lens today too. I got my top 10 toys for 1 year old girls post done for that toy blog last night. Traffic over there is growing nicely, as are sales.

Also want to try to do an IM John Chow review and peek again at my Human Herd series of fiction.

This – in addition to doing some work at home – almost have all laundry done, everything’s clean. I got rid of TONS of clutter yesterday and wow it has changed the kitchen and living room dramatically to me! Shawn’s taken the table outside and primed it once (two more times to go). We’ll be decluttering the front yard so we resemble Sanford and Sons a little less.

I swear this small home improvement stuff is very cathartic for me.

So tell me – what did you do today for the 90 Day Challenge?

Tiff

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Today for the challenge I’m going to be adding more to my sales copy. I want to make sure I have everything in there from some new decisions I made. It’s easy to have a decision inspire you one day and a week later you forget it. Doing the sales copy along with it keeps it all on track

One thing I want to talk to y’all about today. It’s one of those things where it’s a good thing – until it becomes too much of a good thing. It’s about surveying your customers.

I’m getting feedback in emails and a few comments here about people surveying customers – and that’s a GOOD thing. I recently did it with my PLR buyers, right?

But some people seem to be mapping out survey after survey and surveys that are too broad or too detailed. I wanted to cover some potential missteps about that.

FIRST of all, let me preface this by saying what’s GOOD about surveys:

1. They show you care about your customers’ needs.
2. They show you’re willing to listen to them and not force things on them.
3. They’re easy to conduct, free – and valuable.

But – if you rely on surveys as a crutch, it can chip away at your credibility as a niche leader. You run too many surveys and you might look like you’re not really leading.

You need to balance the surveys with some direction. Your followers – many of them – won’t know what it is they need to know, so if your question is too broad, like, “What would you like me to teach you?” it might not be helpful to a large segment of your subscribers.

They might choose something out of thin air, but as the leader, you’re expected to have some things that YOU know they need to know. You might present something – an option – that they didn’t even know existed! 

And stand behind that.

On the other hand, some of your readers WILL know what they need to know – and look to you to be the one to provide it. You can do something more detailed, such as, “I’ve pinpointed three areas where my subscribers really need help improving on their skills – article marketing, social networking, and list building. I’d love to see which of the three you rank as a priority in terms of your own needs.”

This is a balance. You’re being a leader – showing that you know your audience – and they still have input. You can also add something like, “If your most pressing need isn’t listed here, feel free to list it for a future lesson.”

Sometimes something good can become a crutch for us. It’s the easy way. It’s less risky – because what if we chose list building and nobody needed to know that?

Well the key is to find out WHY they need that – visit their sites, see if they’re list building properly, and then point it out to them in a way that doesn’t point fingers at anyone in particular, like this, “I’m seeing seven HUGE mistakes you guys are making with list building, so I’m developing a report that’s going to help you increase opt ins and improve conversions with those subscribers.”

So I hope that helps.

As for me today, I’m working on 1 owner content (and one ends today on sleep/stress), I did a Time Warrior blog post, I’m working on a self help “inner strength” plr pack, and I have leftover tasks from yesterday with blog posts for my toy site, a squidoo lens to build, review to do and fiction to peek at. Also working on a mega pack on Article Writing.

Also going to go outside and declutter an area of my front yard and plant flowers with the kids! I chose a variety of sunflowers, Scarlett chose petunias, and Shawn chose Snapdragons.

I also made time to visit 6 blogs and comment today. I got overhwelmed trying to keep up with commenting on everyone’s blogs during that challenge – plus the personal crap I was mired in – so I started going back and rotating the blogs and participating there.

Oh! Helene gave me this exercise for personal reasons but in a sec I’ll share how it can relate to your business. I had told her about how my property is coming to life and I’m finding myself walking outside to walk around it and prune things and check berries and enjoy my home again.  She knows about the repainting of furniture and tearing down of black out blinds. I want LIGHT and to see the lush green trees outside!

So she suggested, since I had shared with her a few weeks ago how I’ve cried because I look at my former self from age 27 on to now and I grieve for that girl. I want to hug her and tell her that someday she WILL have the inner strength to get out of the situation she was in.

She suggested I mentally take that girl on a stroll and show her what all I’m changing. So last night, thanks to a steroid shot in the butt for my eye allergies, I was awake from 1 Am to 7 AM, lying in bed annoyed. I started thinking about that exercise. I imagined my current self going to pick my 27 year old self up in my mini van. Then I went back to my home several times to pick up a different version of myself throughout the years – all moments I felt were crisis moments or low points.

In the end, I took them inside the house and I can’t share the personal stuff they experienced but the 27 year old self started crying and apologizing for everything she’d put ALL those other “selves through.” They all just hugged her and said it was okay – she was young and didn’t know.

At the end we all came back to see future me, but I could only picture myself the same – I could envision the house different, though. Fixed up and happy. They (my former selves) were all so proud of me and I felt like I didn’t have as much guilt and like I gave them hope or something – almost like a time machine. They would survive through it and come out stronger.

I know it sounds hokey but it felt good.

We tend to beat ourselves up whenever we are because we take personal blame so much to heart. Whether it’s personal or professional, we are REALLY harsh on ourselves. We call ourselves names like “stupid” when it comes to learning tasks or succeeding.

If you’re disappointed with where you are now, maybe you should take that stroll with a former you. Sit him/her down and show them how far you’ve come – how once upon a time you didn’t know what “hyperlink” meant. Celebrate that growth.

Okay I’m back to work mode. Have a good one y’all and check in with your progress!

Tiff

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I LOVE how he starts off immediately talking about how most “time management systems” leave little room for freedom and passion.

Think about that for a sec.

As a work at homer, part of why you did this was to have freedom and share something enthusiastically with others. Maybe you don’t even know what to share enthusiastically, but it’s part of your dream.

And if you stick to someone’s rigid time management system, it doesn’t enable you to be creative. What if from 2-3 PM you were supposed to be working on an article – but suddenly, you had a great thought to share with your audience and you wanted that enthusiasm to shine through on a video blog?

Some people (I KNOW) would sit there and say, “Well, video blogging is scheduled from 4-5, so I’ll just do it then.”

Pffft!

You just popped your own balloon. You tamped down your enthusiasm and trust me – from 4-5 it won’t be the same. The two can coexist on the same schedule if you allow them to.

Steve shares a story about sobering up and taking each day one step at a time. Not my favorite analogy for this, but it’ll do.

You shouldn’t be on such a rigid schedule for your WAH journey that you are almost wearing a straight jacket, being allowed to be free and creative on your own terms when someone else sees fit.

Now at first I looked back at his title “Passion to transform your world” and I wondered how the rest of the content got n there about time restrictions. But after thinking about it, it makes sense.

You can’t FORCE passion and enthusiasm. You can’t force it when you have none – and you can’t force it on some phony schedule. Instead of dictating specific times to do things, try giving yourself a certain amount of time you want to work on certain elements of your business each day and then try to do it.

But if something genius or fun or expressive tries to sprout up from you during a mundane task, don’t you DARE silence it! This isn’t some weed that has to be culled from your garden – it’s LIFE springing forth in your sharing process.

People want to see that – they want to feel that. They don’t just need an article on gardening 101. They need a video blog from the very SECOND you walked back in the door to find your first vegetable growing in what you thought was hostile soil.

That smile you’re wearing, the tone of your voice – it isn’t captured later in the same way.

Tiff

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And HEY – I fully intend for y’all to keep me kicking butt, too. Don’t coddle me because I’m going through a rough time. Do what Helene does and toughen me up when I’m feeling low. I have WORK to do, insight to share, lives to change!

Okay here’s your video blog for the day and text below:

Today I was making some decisions about some tutorial videos I want to have,. For a fleeting moment I had considered finding random videos on YT and using those as examples of the wrong way to vlog. Then I realized that’s hurtful. Can’t do that. I’m not even talking about anyone in IM, just vlogs in general, but I don’t want to go there.

So what I decided was to make example videos tutorials that show right/wrong ways to do things. To me, it’s just as important to learn and see what NOT to do as it is to see and learn what TO do.

I got a lot done today! I finished up a new 1 owner content pack and I did it the way I teach others – by having an ear to the ground and staying tuned into news and new happenings. My content pack was based on an AOL news story from Huffington Post that I read about yesterday that said in a study, people listed lack of sleep as their #1 stressor.

Makes sense. We’re over-scheduled. We joke about wishing there were more hours in the day. But really, we sacrifice sleep (even if you GO to bed the same time, you might be thinking about what all needs to be done, right?).

Being news-relevant is GREAT because you put something out and then your niche hears it from you and THEN sees it on the news OR says, “Wow I just read that too – she’s on top of things!” and that looks GREAT for you as a leader.

Read some more Time Warrior today (see my other post on that to see what it was about – it’s right before this one).

I’m having a good time soaking up my kids now that summer’s here. And like it says at the top of this blog, DO that for yourself unapologetically if you need to. We have to take care of ourselves.

Right now I’m about to work on a new set of PLR blog posts. Instead of half pagers like I did before, I’ll be doing longer ones. It’s going to be on building inner strength because that’s what I’m personally doing right now, so I’m “into” it and in learning mode.

I also have some top 10 toys content i need to launch and some Squidoo content written. Oh! BTW my earnings are REALLY climbing! If you look at the previous months of 2013, you see earnings combined from Squidoo modules and Amazon of a little over $300. Well I just checked in and combined, the two are at over $600 right now – woot! Traffic’s growing for me on Squidoo AND my blog. Maybe the algorithm change helped things.  Who knows?

I still need to do my IM John Chow course review because I’m continually paying $47 a month for that and I need it finished! LOL.

I even have my Human Herd fiction series listed on my to do list – yea! I got a new review the other day for The Feast and it wasn’t someone I knew so it made me feel really good that people are waiting for part 2. Need to DO IT.

Alrighty off to make dinner!

Tiff

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Steve Chandler talks about “longings caused by deficits of inner peace” and it made me realize how anxious we all are over – something. Not sure what it is for you. I know what it was for me before my divorce, and we all have something professionally that we’re not at peace with.

I get nervous just like the rest of you. There’s always that next rung up the ladder where I want to be, wondering if I’m “enough” to be there. Oh gosh Chandler talks about how we let our overwhelm and huge task list lead us…to playing on the computer. LMAO!

Okay yes, been there. When you get SO overloaded that you suddenly find yourself on Pinterest. Maybe you even started off with your “Pinterest Marketing” hat on but soon it’s got nothing to do with marketing and everything to do with slutty brownies. (They’re good – one of my ONLY Pinterest non-failures).

He speaks of carving out devoted time with a samurai sword. Picture yourself taking a big sword and slicing out a part of your day JUST for something important.  Picture it – LOL:

Woof! But you know what I mean. Envision you being a warrior of time management. It’s your sole job in life to carve out time for YOU to get THAT thing done.

So you wake up tomorrow (or maybe it already IS tomorrow in your part of the world) and you say, “Self! From 2-3 PM, (or whatever time you want to pick), I will do NOTHING but work on ______. No TV, no phone calls, no web surfing, no random trips to the fridge, no daydreaming about Ian Somerhalder…just pure focus on _____.”

I can do this in small chunks. Maybe my sword isn’t quite as sharp as someone who can carve out entire days at a time, but it works for me.

Tiff

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Nothing wrong with that – sometimes a day of doing exactly what you relish is what helps the creative juices flow and the productivity soar, actually. 

I took my kids to a nursery (garden) and looked at bushes for our flowerbed in the front yard. Then we went to Home Depot and got stuff to let them (with me supervising) repaint an end table for the living room.

After that I took them to Toys R Us to pick out a game each. Shawn got Checkers and Scarlett got Guess Who – cute game, by the way, with  extra printable sheets online.

Leaving there we had to get a Krispy Kreme donut since we don’t live near it. Last, over to Walmart where we got groceries and the Boxwood shrubs we chose to fill the flowerbed. They’re tiny now, but we’ll love them and help them grow.

I felt good because I installed Mom’s WP Auctions plugin on her site and she listed her first 6 1/2 page report that sold for $74. She was happy that it worked and it sold.

When we got home from errands, I let the kids sand the end table and I made a 7-layer dip. Then I played Scarlett’s new game several times with her and now I’m pooped.

Again, don’t freak out if you miss a day – or 2 or 3. Just get the product done within your 90-day period and you’ll feel great!

Tiff

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Ad Space

Sidebars aren’t the only place you can run ads (ads for tangibles, info products, and your own stuff). You can also place an ad under your header and text ads (or image for that matter) inside each blog post.

You can sell a block of ad space to individual buyers (but set rules on what you will and won’t allow in terms of animation and subject matter). You can also stick AdSense in there. 

When it comes to the space under your header, you can have one ad that runs on your home page of your blog and another that runs on individual blog posts.

Key to ad space is relevancy. When I conducted my analysis, I saw so many random ads on sites that had nothing to do with the site’s topics. If you’re using AdSense, you can have it tailored to that user’s interests (which could be anything they’ve searched for – including dating sites, etc.) – or, you can keep it topic-specific.

This is preferable to me, since many households have more than 1 person using a computer.

Opt In Form

This is a long-term monetization option. You don’t have someone sign up and profit right that second, but you do get them as a subscriber so that you can promote things to them later as you build a relationship with them. You’d be surprised at how many people aren’t building a list from their blog.

I now have my main opt in form at the top of the blog, and I post it under each blog entry.

Pop Up Offers

I normally abhor popups. But one day I was on Nicole Dean’s site when I saw the popup on her site and it didn’t bug me. So I asked and bought what she was using – Covert Messenger Pro. I like it because it’s not as intrusive to me as other popups that block the center of my screen. It’s quietly off to the lower side, but you see it, so it gets noticed.

Mix Up Your Offers

A little digital here, a smidge of tangible there. Once in awhile a service. Don’t be all or nothing with any of those options. Take any niche – IM, weight loss, whatever – and look for a variety of things to talk about that can convert into sales.

IM IE:

• A gazillion info products teaching how to make money online.
• Tangibles – books, voice recognition software, desks, chairs, tech gadgets, etc.
• Services that you or someone else offers where you get a commission.

Weight Loss IE:

• Digital – Courses or memberships that teach how to lose weight and keep it off.
• Tangible – exercise equipment, supplements, DVDs, etc.
• Services could be some form of online coaching or counseling or fitness training

Personalized for Trust

Have I drilled this into your brain enough, people? I don’t buy from people quickly unless I trust them. I don’t trust them if I don’t know them. If you let me get to know you, or I feel your personality shining through and I feel a little connection that you’re REAL, then I can buy quickly and easily.

Example: I look for reviews on a toy for my kids. I land on a “toy site” with a sterile article about the specs the toy has. No thanks. I land on a Mom blog where a Mom is telling me that her daughter Sarah who is 8 LOVES this toy – and she tells me a story about Sarah playing with it.

Well then she’s got me. I can picture Sarah and Scarlett playing with this toy in the same way. I see the Mom’s excitement over the toy and her happiness at how her daughter is entertained, so I want that for my own. I feel a sense of trust even though I don’t really know her.

Sell or Promote SOMEthing

Some people who I analyzed were so embarrassed by one specific thing. They came to me saying, “I’m blogging and I’m getting traffic but I haven’t made ANY sales.”

Guess what the problem was?

They weren’t selling or promoting…anything. The site was completely void of ALL monetization and yet they couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t making money for them.

It sounds obvious but for MANY people, it’s not. They blog and forget about the text hyperlinks and image ads that actually generate the revenue.

Another problem is relevancy – I saw sites for example where the topic was parenting or dogs and the ads were promoting make money online stuff. Not AdSense ads, mind you – these were little buttons specifically promoting HostGator for instance.

Now what does a mom who is looking for help with diapers or a pet owner looking for potty training info need with a HostGator ad? They don’t. So they never convert.

Hope this helps. Go analyze your blog. See if anything’s missing.

Tiff

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So the question was basically from someone who has done everything right. He has a product created. He got traffic to it and he even built a list. But the sustainable income still isn’t there. So he wanted to know how you find out what an audience is willing to pay for.

1. Become a part of their community. 

I see too many people picking a niche based on what some guru told them was profitable, or what keyword volume showed. They have no personal investment in that niche. I don’t believe this is where success lies – and if it is, someone else must be teaching it because it’s not something I teach.

2. Level of info doesn’t matter. 

There’s no higher level of information they’ll pay for in comparison to basic info. As a consumer, I know I’ve bought beginner, intermediate and advanced information.

More importantly, you have to be:

• Findable – if you can be the one they land on using long-tail keyword phrases, then you have a better ability to convert them.
• Thorough – no missing ingredients in what you teach. Build a reputation for quality.
• Personable – would you rather learn from a sterile third person voice or someone with a real connection to the niche?

3. BRAND YOURSELF!

There are tons of competitors out there. What makes YOU so special? Guess what…? YOU have to be the one to tell them. And it doesn’t have to be anything particularly unique. You just declare it when no one else is.

What separates you from others is your clout in the marketplace. You have to go around like you OWN this niche. I started that 30 Day Branding course (which is still a work in progress) and each element is just $1 so I suggest you start there and learn how to do it.

So instead of focusing on Getting Traffic, focus on Building a Buzz instead.

Instead of Building a List, focus on Building a  Relationship.

Instead of Getting a Product Out, focus on Serving your audience.

When you’re part of their community, when you truly let yourself feel for them, you’ll know what solutions they desperately need. Create those products and build those relationships and your income will rise.

Tiff

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Here’s my vlog and text below:

So I like to fluctuate between research and creation. Today’s task is for me to research resources for the bonus item I want to create for professional video creation. I need to find out what elements I need to know – lighting, sound, sets, etc. I want to start mapping that out and figure out who I need to learn from and how I want to educate myself.

I’m also working on some ghostwriting, new 1 owner content, my toy site and Squidoo lenses, etc. I noticed a little spike in traffic recently. I know some sort of change took place but I’m not really tuned into that a lot.

What are you up to?

Tiff

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So today what I did in regards to the challenge is made a decision about the product itself. Originally, I had wanted to show the example videos as “examples in action,” which would have pointed people to video blogs that I created especially for my blog.

But then a part of me didn’t like that. I know as a buyer, I want exclusive information – stuff not found elsewhere. So instead, I want my PDF to have videos that accompany it that are ONLY available to these buyers. I can share examples of community interaction separately, but the video samples will be only shown to these people.

So that was a major shift from what I was doing.

Now I also wanted to go over a question someone posed to me that I get asked a lot. Here’s the question:

You always talk about how great it is to have the kids home from school.  I love my kids and love having them around, but…. I find it so hard to get work done when they’re home.  I know how productive you always are.  So my question… How do you do it?

Well first of all, I have to be in the mood and mindset to work. If I don’t want to work, it doesn’t take much to distract me. But otherwise, I’ve trained myself to see everything as white noise.

For example, I use a fan in my bedroom to drown out any small noises – like a cat purring or the house creaking. But I’ll know if someone breaks into my house because some noises trump the white noise.

I allow the noise of kids, TV, video games, etc., to blur out and become white noise, but my ear is always tuned in enough to know when something’s wrong. Like if they start arguing over something, I break concentration to fix it.

I think it’s similar to how you train a dog for agility training. With agility training, focus has to be 100% or he’ll lose points. And in competitions, there are ALWAYS distractions.  So you have to train with distractions.

Do the same with yourself. Put the TV on something you’d never be interested in watching – something boring. Cspan? Whatever you would snooze with. You can’t train when you’d be glancing sideways at see what’s being talked about.

With kids, as long as they’re safe in in your sight, you just have to sit and work and if they say, “Mommy?” you get interrupted. If they’re old enough to understand, then let them know that you’ll be working.

One thing I love (and how funny, Scarlett just interrupted me to talk about her yearbook so I stopped, gave her my attention, and resumed), is that we CAN be here for our kids.

I’m one of those people, though, who LOVE the sounds of family in my house. I read a quote from Brad Pitt yesterday about how he loves the chaos and sounds of lots of kids. Me too. Some people – it grates on their nerves. If they’re MY kids, it’s like angels singing to me or something – pure Heaven. Means I’m surrounded by love.

It might not be right for everybody and if it’s not right for you, then you might need to work during quite times – before they wake up, after they go to bed, and while they’re busy playing quietly.

Tiff

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What did you do on the challenge today?

Tiff

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So as you’ll soon find out, today was shot. All for a good cause I think. But I’m focused on me, fixing my business, cleaning, and my kids. Here’s my vlog for the day:

Tiff

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So I’m having a great Sunday! I got up, cleaned the kitchen since it was a mess from our cooking last night, and then made buttermilk blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

I’m working today- on PLR, Ghostwriting and a new 1 Owner Content Pack. Also figuring out what I want to do on my challenge this week.

I did talk about 2 things in the video…

1. I’m not in the WF as much as I once was. I find that every time I start a thread – whether it’s a good tutorial/lesson or a question or concept to generate a discussion, it gets zapped. Poof! Bye bye.

For someone who provides value and ethics, I find that annoying – especially when you see some of the other posts that are worthless getting by. So then it becomes a deal where all you’re doing is commenting on repetitive threads day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Zzzzzz

Once in awhile I’ll post if I see something new in the discussion, but there’s not a lot there right now I feel interested in. Maybe that will change. Not sure. Feels like the only way you can show value is via the paid areas – WSOs (since mine are quality) and War Room. Otherwise, you spend time creating a valuable thread and it doesn’t get to help anybody.

What I primarily do now is just scroll around seeing if there’s anything to contribute to that I haven’t done 20,000 times before. Otherwise for common problems, I’ll just address them on my own blog.

2. I still hear people using excuses and when they have an excuse, they leave it at that – they don’t stop and remove the excuse. Here’s an example:

Me: “You should do such and such…”

Them: “Yeah but I only have a list of about 200 people.”

Me (in thought only): “Um, okay, so why is the conversation ending there? What are you doing to grow that list? Why aren’t those 200 people good enough to receive the same service or product from you that 200,000 people would enjoy?”

Don’t look at ANY situation and answer, “I would, but…” and leave it at that – stop and remove that BUT from your pathway. Make a plan, fix it, turn it around and that way you can say, “Sure! I’m going to do that!”

Okay that’s it for me ladies and gents! Back to work

Post your Sunday vlog down below!
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Today I was gone most of the day but I managed to work on the chapter I had started but not yet finished. I didn’t get a ton done – just a page. But it was progress!

Remember, we won’t be doing the challenge on Saturday or Sunday, so you can either take a break or get caught up – or plan next week.

Tiff

P.S. I am SO freaking proud of you guys. I’m seeing some real action taking and people being inspired by themselves – I LOVE that!

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So what are you doing today?

Tiff

P.S. Just realized watching it back that the pink lipstick is just as bad as the red. Too harsh.

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So yesterday I read through everything of mine to get caught up on what I’ve done and today I spent some time jotting down exactly what I want inside my affiliate toolkit.

So for example, where I previously had “banner ads” I went through and detailed how many vertical, horizontal, button size, animated and static. I want to give Rich (my graphics guy) plenty of time to create what I need for the launch.

What did you do for the challenge today?

Tiff

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This is what I do as detailed in my Squidoo Quick Commission Guide.

In January, Squidoo sent $134.97 to my PayPal for November’s earnings. Amazon sent me $207.34 for a total of $342.31.

In February, Squidoo sent $192.29 to my PayPal for December’s earnings. Amazon sent me $267.78 for a total of $460.07.

In March, Squidoo sent $171. 14 to my PayPal for January’s earnings. Amazon sent me $135.09 for a total of $306.23.

In April, Squidoo sent $223.61 to my PayPal for February’s earnings. Amazon sent me $112.04 for a total of $335.65.

Yesterday, Squidoo sent me a total of $164.06 to my PayPal for March’s earnings. Amazon is going to deposit $182.53.

Squidoo has brought in $886.07 for the 2013 year so far, or $177.21 per month. I have $238.94 pending in lens money right now, too. When you pair direct Amazon links and average it out, it comes to $358.17 for a monthly average.

Not career determining yet but it’s getting there. I’ve definitely met my goal of at least $100 a month this year just from Squidoo only. Maybe starting next month, I’ll increase it to $150.

Tiff

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Vlog #1:

Vlog #2:

So what did you get done yesterday or today?

Tiff

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There’s no official sign up process. The goal is to participate here and ask questions, help others and share insight. Here’s a vlog for the day – excuse my Texas windswept hair. I just spent 3 hours outdoors.

Questions? What did you do today to work on your challenge?

Tiff

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Here are the notes from the video:

- It doesn’t matter if YOU hate sales copy. Sales copy converts. And your affiliates will want it. FIRST let’s go over technical stuff:

- Use a formula but be flexible

o Headlines
o Sub-headlines
o Storyline
o CLEAR Bullet points!!!!!!!!!!!!!
o Testimonials? ONLY if real!!!
o Order button
o Post Scripts (PS)

- Use video/text combo

- Don’t put affiliate program link at bottom initially during launch.

- Graphics, graphics, graphics!!!! – header, footer, background, ecover, testimonial box (PLRATM), bulletpoints, order button

- ON WRITING: Be yourself. Do not be a used car salesman hyped up spammy ass marketer. Down to Earth.

- If you have a story about why you did this, tell it. (PLRATM)

- THEN focus on how it can change THEIR life. – what will they get? Less stress? More confidence? More money? RELATE to their feelings. How will they FEEL earning more money? Don’t just say, “You’ll be able to earn more.”

- WEED OUT who it’s NOT for!!! (GWC)

- Don’t lie about scarcity or price increases. SCUMBAGS!

- Write like you’re explaining it to a good buddy.

Tiff

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There are different ways to price your product – one time payment, monthly ongoing indefinitely or for a certain # of months.

Do you want a low entry point with add-on one time offers and upsells? Some marketers who have multiple components of their product take ONE to use as a low entry point ($27 or $37 for instance) and then tack on the rest as upsells or OTOs.

Don’t price off page count! You can’t price a product based on whether it’s 7 pages or 700. Don’t do it! Volume does NOT matter.

Price for your target audience. What will and SHOULD they pay?

Think of your product as a college course more than a book.

Think of your affiliates – make it worth their while. (Many won’t promote for under $20).

Compare it to others in the marketplace. But don’t get too wrapped up in that. Just get a spectrum – for instance, there are $0.99 hamburgers and $1,000 truffle-laden burgers at a fancy restaurant that people eat with a fork! Be in between – or not!

Remember you can tweak it up or down. Nothing’s set in stone and it takes seconds to log in, change a price and save. Don’t hyperventilate over it.

You can split test. There are tools that let you test all elements of a site. Price is one. See which converts better.

It doesn’t have to end in a 7. I always use that as an example though. I dislike prices that end in 9 personally because as a consumer I’m always wondering why they didn’t just bump it up to the rounded number. But a 7 means I’m saving $3. LOL

Remember this: The marketplace is NEVER wrong. Ever. If someone’s willing to pay $1,000 for that truffle burger, then that’s prices correctly, period.

Do NOT price based off your self doubt. I don’t want you to price it low because you’re new or unknown or any other bullshit excuse. You go into this thinking you ARE the shit and price it accordingly. Being the shit doesn’t mean you overprice your product. It means you’re pricing it according to what you truly believe is the value is provides.

And if you price it too low, ask yourself why – does it NOT include enough value? Back to the drawing board then. If it’s a simple tip in a short report – as opposed to a full scale product, then a lower price point might be okay.

Tiff

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The reason it’s important is that people recommend products AND people (entrusting people in your care can be scary if they value their reputation).

Don’t socialize ABOUT your product launch at first. Talk about other things. Save the product launch talk for much, much later. Get to know the actual person who will be promoting for you.

NEVER start it at launch time. That’s too late. I get emails from people who say, “Hey Tiff! Long time follower of yours. Love your stuff! I have a product you might want to promote…”

Really? How come I’ve NEVER heard of you? How come you’ve never said hi? How come you’re not specific on what you love about me so much? Because your turn product is obviously something I wouldn’t promote – so no, mister – you don’t know me.

Don’t ONLY contact people about the launch. Contact them about THEIR stuff, too. Whatever they have going on – not necessarily business. See what’s going on with them personally. Do you remember how to form new friendships? Yeah, do that!

Give before you get. Roll up your sleeves and help people. Be there to guide them and answer questions and support them in their professional and personal life.

First, find your audience.

- Find people creating and selling in your niche
- Find affiliates promoting in the niche
- Find customers of the niche

Then take those names and find them on social networking sites and get to know them.

- Twitter
- Google Plus
- Blogs
- Facebook groups

Engage in conversations. Start being a leader now – helping people. Form friendships.

Then 3 months from now when the product is complete, you announce “OMG I’m so happy! I finally released my product!” And you won’t even HAVE to ask. People will just say, “Oh we’re so happy for you! I’m going to tell everyone about it.”

Why? Because those are the kinds of things we do for people we like.

Okay now it’s time for my Sunday vlog on Monday – part personal, part business:

Tiff

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The ghostwriter was on Elance when she was invited to bid on a project. I’ll change up the details to protect identities, but basically (this is common) – she was offered a VERY low up front payment with a percentage of the future earnings of the product. The project was HUGE too. So it basically boils down to earning about $1.33 per page – for GHOSTWRITING, not PLR.

:/

I hate reading these offers. I remember them from my days on Elance. They’re common. Chances are, someone has offered that deal to you – or they will. 

Here’s why I get annoyed with this:

Nine times out of ten, this is someone who has been “taught” by seedy gurus that they can weasel their way out of freelance fees by offering this kind of deal.

They have zero intention of paying you a fair share of the earnings.

YOU have zero control over whether or not they properly promote the product. What if they launch and no one buys? Enjoy your $1.33 per page then.

Do you have money for a lawyer to draw up paperwork for the legal arrangement? Do you have money to sue if they violate the agreement – or ANY way whatsoever to check on the sales in the first place?

Probably not.

This is WAY more hassle than it’s worth – and it’s most likely just a way for a cheapskate to get some cheap writing. But unfortunately, many of these guys make themselves look like proper marketers – or companies with lots of books on the market. Unless it’s a household name like Harlequin or something, SAY NO!

Saying yes? Well, you might as well find a barrel, bend over it say, “Okay I’m ready!” Because you are about to get screwed royally.

So here’s what you say instead:

“I’m sorry but I don’t bid on projects where shared royalties are involved. There’s no way for me to monitor and ensure proper product promotion, and it requires a lot of legal paperwork to set things up. I only work on an upfront per page basis. But thank you!”

Save yourself a lot of time, energy and frustration. Wait for clients who have money to pay upfront. And one more thing – many of these guys are just testing you. If you’ll go for it – they’ll LOVE to pay you some crappy amount for writing. But if you say no, IF they really want to hire YOU specifically, they will reply with, “Okay we can do that – go ahead and bid for the full project!”

If that “company” or “marketer” is so successful as they’re probably claiming, then they WILL go ahead and pay upfront. If they offer shared royalties, it means they’re broke.

…and THAT’S that you want to take a chance on?

Nope.

Hope this helps you guys protect yourself. I hate seeing my GWC students get offered deals like this.

Tiff

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No product is mind blowing. None. Hate to break it to you, but you’re not inventing the phone or discovering electricity – you’re simply sharing good information in a thorough way.

Some you get more nuggets out of or enjoy more than others. (toe curling). Someone mentioned sometimes being disappointed in knowing 75% of the information in a book they buy, but think of it optimistically – you’re getting a 25% boost in knowledge. That’s great!

I consider products like a stepping stone – every rung on the ladder it helps me climb is a positive thing.

Quit trying to think of some dramatic twist and concentrate on being a good sharer.

Start with a How To Outline and later change your titles. Let’s look at two niche examples.

How to Relieve Stress – book title

then your chapter titles…

- How to Use Aromatherapy
- How to Eliminate Toxic People from Your Life
- How to Eat Better for Less Stress
- How to Get More Sleep
o How to turn your bedroom into a sanctuary
o How to use white noise for better sleep
* How to figure out which white noise works for you.
* How to shop for a good deal on a white noise machine

Turn that outline into a non How to Outline:

6 Ways to Destress Your Life in an Instant – book title

Then turn your chapter titles into non how to titles…

- Use Common Scents That Soothe Your Soul
- Say Goodbye to People Who Drag You Down Into Depression
- Eat to Fortify Your Body and Mind Against Stress
- Sleep More, Stress Less
o Décor and Design That Decreases the Occurrence of Insomnia
o Block Out Sleep Interruptions With a White Noise Machine

Now let’s look at a different niche – and how to create a broad how to outline and then turn it into a specific slanted outline for one target audience…

How to Make Money Ghostwriting – book title that’s for a broad, catch-all audience

- How to find out if your writing is good enough.
- How to create a portfolio if you have no clients.
- How to write a good profile.
- How to get ghostwriting clients
o How to get clients on Elance.
o How to find clients on marketing forums
* How to use a signature file to get more business
* How to approach clients with a freebie for more work deal

Now – think about the various target audiences for ghostwriting. Stay at home moms, people who need supplemental incomes, retirees, and something in the news lately – college students and grads who see ZERO job prospects. So let’s choose them to morph our how to outline into a slant just for them.

Ghostwriting for College Graduates Who Can’t Find Work – new book title

- Can you write for consumers instead of your professor?
- Replace term papers with a talent-showcasing portfolio
- Playing up your college experience with prospective clients
- Finding clients who love hiring college grads for ghostwriting jobs
o Paid and free markets for student ghostwriters
o Socialize your way to success (since they love web 2.0, we could talk about finding clients that way AND making sure they don’t have shady stuff online that might hurt them)

Forex, dog training, dating, making money, health – they all fit the how to outline model. I can’t think of one that doesn’t.

Tiff

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Here’s the vlog and then some text below (and OMG thank God I got some touch up hair color – my gray roots make me look like I have no hair about an inch off my scalp!):

So here’s what I discussed in the vlog for the two tips:

Landing Page Versus Sales Page

People use words interchangeably for this stuff – Squeeze page, opt in page, landing page, blog, sales copy, sales letter, etc. To ME, a sales  page can be either text or video or audio or a combination.

A landing page is technically any page a person lands on – but when someone talks about it in regards to a product site, it can often mean squeeze page, where there’s a freebie offer and opt in form.

I HATE those kinds of sales landing pages. As an affiliate, I won’t promote to them. If someone has contacted me asking me to promote for them, I will never send to an opt in page – I dislike it because I want my people to have a chance to convert right then and there and I want to see how they’ll be sold to.

I don’t want them getting on someone’s list and encountering God knows what kind of verbiage to get them to convert into a sale. So it’s sales copy or nothing for me personally.

As a seller AND as a buyer, I’ve come to appreciate a combo video/text sales letter. Video up top for whoever likes it, and to personalize my message – and text below to spell it out and for print preference visitors.

I don’t like videos with no pause or time noted. I don’t like PowerPoint with audio. I want to see a person’s face and hear a genuine message about the product. I like the way I do it – and I’ve seen a couple others do it – but not many. Most are tryhards.

Don’t Compare Your Challenge Progress to Others

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

I’ve quoted that here before. I wanted to send out a quick message to be careful during this challenge (even now as you see people formulating their ideas and getting excited about the challenge) – don’t compare your product creation journey to ANYONE else’s.

It’s human nature. We all peek sideways saying, “Hmmm look at her – she’s already launching and I’m still on chapter 3.” Smack yourself and STOP THAT! (A reference to the video I put on my Facebook page that Craig shared with me of Bob Newhart counseling someone who had a phobia).

Everyone will go at a different pace. Everyone will have a variety of formats. We’ll all end up with different sized products and different price points.

This isn’t called the Cookie Cutter 2013 Challenge, is it? No. So be ready to be unique.

Tiff

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It’s kind of like preparing a dinner for a party, right? You don’t decide ON the day of the party what you’re going to cook – or who to invite – you kind of have an idea beforehand, do a little shopping early so that everything’s ready the day you need to get cooking in the kitchen.

So here’s a vlog and then text below:

So here’s what I discussed in the video blog:

We’ve scheduled a good 60 days to actually research and create the product – but everyone will have different time available and unique skillsets on how easy it is for them to research and create, so if you want to get things bubbling in your head, go for it.

Here are some things I do to get prepared when I know I’m about to go into product creation mode:

Make Sure You Feel Comfortable With the Niche Topic and Its Audience

I’ve said this before but have you done it yet? You might spend 5 days in a row writing a 5-page report. How do you feel writing about this topic daily? Sometimes you discover it sucks.

How do you feel about the niche audience? Get in there in forums and blogs and see how they act. You might not like some of them. IE: With dating for men, there are two audiences – men who want to find a wife to settle down with and men who are players learning how to pick up chicks.

With Internet Marketing, there are you guys – who like ethics (which means you probably have them yourself – and there are those who drool over the IM party lifestyle and that image – not my audience.

Preliminary Quickie Research on Your Niche’s Needs

Use this time to find out if your topic is something people need. If I had just looked on YouTube, I would have seen hundreds of marketers video blogging – and thought there wasn’t any need.

If I had just gone by what people specifically asked me how to do – I would not have thought of a video blogging course – because people who are too scared of something won’t seek it out (well a few will, but that’s rare).

I had to interact and see those fears and needs unfold on my own.

Put Aside Money for Things You Know You’ll Be Paying for

I can’t stress enough how important it is to pay for professional graphics – a minisite – header, footer, background, eCover, banner ads, etc. I reallllllllllllly hope you don’t take the do it yourself route because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve landed on a site and instantly recognized DIY graphics and clicked out – sales letter unread.

If the person has amateur graphics then a.) I won’t be promoting and sending people there and b.) it makes me feel like they’re not professional – so if they can’t put together a pro package, I won’t waste my money on the ecourse.

What else do you need money for? If it’s going to be a video course, then maybe you need equipment there – or editing software or screen capture tools.

If you’re going to put it on ClickBank, then you’ll need the fee to list it there. Make a list of the money you need to get started and start putting aside a few dollars here and there.

What if you’re broke and have no money? Well then still make a list, and save your change up in a jar until you can go cash it in and get that stuff one at a time – like an ecover – save up to $47 or whatever and get it. Doesn’t matter if it’s 4 months after the challenge ends – tweak as you go and spiff things up.

Buy Research and Skillset Books

…or check them out of the library. I personally go to Barnes and Noble and walk out with $100+ of books – because I can and I like a variety. You don’t have to do that. You can get 2-3 books.

Get books on your niche as well as books to help you learn things if you feel like you don’t know them. IE: If you need to know how to do a podcast, because part of your course will be an audio podcast, then set aside funds for that OR go out and gather the instructions for it online free now.

Schedule Your Time Somewhat to Focus on Getting It Created

I’m horrible about time management sometimes – well, to some degree. I get a lot done, so it’s not like my time is spent watching TV and eating bon bons. I just have many plates in the air – put it that way.

You need to look at what time you have available for this challenge (hey you MIGHT even have to schedule your alarm for 30 minutes earlier each day) – and set aside a block of time for product creation.

Here’s the link to the calendar you might want to use to create a schedule.

Make Sure You Have Other Income for the Product Creation Period

You don’t want to be rushing to hurry up and create your product so that you can get back to things that make you money. You’re going to need income while you create. I have residual money, but I still set aside time to work on current money stuff (like PLR or one owner content packs).

You want the pressure off, so if that means working for money 7 hours a day and only working on the product creation challenge for 1 hour – and stretching it out longer than 90 days, go for it!

What else do you do to prepare for challenges – this one specifically? Do you work on pumping yourself up mentally? Do you announce it like a dieter who announces their plan for accountability?

Tell me how you’re preparing – so that it helps other participants learn – because all of us will have unique prep steps.

Tiff

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Have a great week ahead!

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Here’s the vlog (starts off with a sneeze by Dylan LOL – sorry about that)!

If you have anymore questions about the outline process, let me know and I’ll answer them here. Here’s an additional unrelated video about the WP Auctions plugin I installed and an unsubscribe topic – shame of ghostwriting.

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Here’s the vlog and then I’ll put some text below:

So here’s basically what i said in the video, without extreme detail:

Personally, I would have a minisite set aside for each product – like I do with Ghostwriting Cash, PLR ATM, 30 Day Branding, etc. You can ALSO add your products to your main blog, like I will do here at the top of my blog (someday when I quit procrastinating), but having a separate site is good for branding and I think – good for affiliates.

Let’s go over some of your options:

ClickBank – my preferred affiliate program of choice both as a seller and an affiliate. I don’t care that they take a little more OUT of the sale – that’s because they handle all the CRAP I don’t want to handle.

As an affiliate, I want to make sure I get paid on time, every time. They do this. As a seller, I don’t want to mess with affiliate payments. They handle this – tax stuff too. Ahhh. I likey.

Now you don’t have to pay for a new CB account every time you have a product UNLESS you want it to show up in the marketplace. I have mine all posted in EasyClickMate – so I paid CB ONCE and can list (without approval I might add) as many products as I want in that account.

I’ll let you sign up to see how ECM works: My Sign Up and My Log In Area.

Now IF you decide you want your product in the CB marketplace, then you can pay for a new account each time. It’s ridiculous I think – especially with the various “must have 5 sales and different payment forms” BS but IF you go that route, make sure that before you PAY after approval, you notify them that you already have another account and they will knock off 50% I believe it is.

PayDotCom.com is another option. I quit selling there ONLY because I kept forgetting to log in and pay fees and crap. I hated that so I nixed it.

PayPal is another type of order button you can use – but this is a payment process, not an affiliate program. You can still use PayPal, but you have to have an affiliate form on there – like CB, PDC, etc.

JVZoo is one that I LOVE using as an affiliate – because it means I get paid straight to PayPal fast. But as a seller, distrusting everyone as I do, LOL, I don’t use it much – because you either approve everyone or manually whitelist them – and if you deny people – well how awkward.

Same thing goes with Warrior Plus. Love it as an affiliate – I’m skittish as a seller.

Amazon – another platform where you can sell an eBook (and you can have a course on CB with videos, PDF etc., and Amazon with only the PDF).

Every one of these systems probably has an explanation area where they tell you how to get set up. If not, ask. Google. Look for it Sometimes we have to try, fail, pull our hair out, figure it out, smack our foreheads when we realize we left out a simple step, etc.

Oh, and here’s another (short) video just catching up with y’all – and I apologize for the hideous hair. For some reason it looked much cuter in my small mirror than it does on video LOL!:

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Here’s a combo of the vlog for the end of the challenge and my Sunday vlog:

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Here is a vlog and then text below:

So here’s what was discussed in the video blog:

Before Looking, Consider Who You Want Associated With Your Product

Initially, you might not care who promotes it – you just want as many people onboard as possible.

Only … that’s not always good, either.

You want ethical promoters. You don’t want spammers who use shady tactics to promote your product because people WILL associate YOU with that – especially if they affiliate is trying to make it appear as if the promotion is being put out directly by you and not under their own names.

Who do I like to promote my products?

People like me – sort of. I like people who have a loyal following because of their commitment to recommend quality items to their customers.

I don’t care for affiliates who will promote anything and everything. So be choosy. If you’re using a site like JVZoo or something, don’t whitelist everyone – whitelist people you know and who can tell you how they’ll be promoting.

Otherwise you might have someone using stolen credit cards or hacked PayPal accounts, getting their commission quickly and leaving you holding the bag for all the chargebacks.

Now you’ll be ready to go out and actively search for people to promote your product. Let’s look at how to do that:

Get affiliates by contacting affiliates that are already promoting in that niche.

Got o a site like ClickBank and look up product names in your same niche. Then Google the competition product name + the word review. You’ll find people with blogs reviewing or promoting that product.

Contact them and say, “Hey I noticed you have a review of (product name) on your blog! I’m in the same niche and I wanted to give you a complimentary copy of my product for you to review (or promote) if you’d be interested!”

Never ask to send it – just send the download links. Don’t make them take even ONE more step to get there.

Get affiliates by contacting other product creators – your competition.

Remember what I always say about people buying products in a niche – they usually buy multiple resources. Sometimes consecutively, and sometimes all at once. This is true in most niche markets.

If you had a list of 10,000 buyers of your product, wouldn’t you consider promoting another product in that niche? Don’t get hung up on the word “competitor” – think of them as “fellow niche marketers” who can get into a mutually beneficial promotion arrangement with you.

Look for JV and affiliate recruitment areas online.

I’m sure there are others, but I’m just going to show you this one spot called Warrior Joint Ventures. People have all sorts of JV and affiliate opportunities in there in many niche markets – dating, health, Internet marketing, etc.

Depending on the niche, recruit your customers to become affiliates.

I used to do this all the time until I forgot about it. I remembered when doing this blog post. This is a strategy that works in an obvious way with the IM niche – but can also work in other niches.

What you do is, at the end of your course (for me, the last page of the PDF), you put something like this:

“Did you enjoy the Ghostwriting Cash course? If so, I invite you to earn 50% commission on each sale if you choose to recommend it to others. Check out the fully loaded affiliate toolbox here and start earning today!”

If it’s not an obvious “make money online” niche and they may not know what “affiliate marketing” means, then you can say something like this (let’s use a scrapbook product example):

“Do you have a scrapbooking blog or Pinterest account where you talk to others about scrapbooking online? Well if you enjoyed this course, I’m willing to give you a 50% commission every time someone buys it through a link with your ID in it! Check out how that works here and maybe you can earn more cash for your scrapbooking habit today!”

Regular people (non IMers) have blogs, Facebook pages, join groups, etc., online – you just may need to send them to a page that explains what affiliate marketing is in layman’s terms so they can start promoting your product.

Put your product up in multiple affiliate systems.

Don’t just use one program – affiliates always have preferences on what they’ll promote. Put your product up for all of the main affiliate marketing systems – JVZoo, Warrior Plus, ClickBank, Amazon, PayDotCom, etc.

Promote your affiliate program, not just your product.

This is something I really need to remember. I had one guru who used to outsource his eBook creation to me. His MAIN concern? Not the product at all. He knew by hiring me that it would be good.

He spent all of HIS time promoting his affiliate program. He wanted that affiliate program thriving because then HE had to do less work to attract buyers and convert them.

You know how you focus so much on promoting your blog, getting traffic and backlinks to it, etc? Well promote your affiliate program the same way. Target keyword phrases like, “Make Money Online” and “guitar affiliate program,” if the guitar niche is your niche.

Once you create an amazing affiliate toolbox (which I’ll teach you later), then you’ll want to promote IT in addition to the actual product you’ve created.

But that’ll come during our 30-day product promotion challenge that comes afterward, right?

Tiff

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