Internet Marketing Explained

If you're interested in, or considering your own internet business, or already have a business and want to move up to the next level, this will interest you.

Every so often I receive something which is a bit different, maybe even controversial from one of the top internet marketing guys, and this month it is Armand Morin: someone who consistently makes millions of dollars each year through his internet businesses. He also consistently expands his business year on year.

With the New Year upon us, many of us look to make a new start. Some of us will look at how we can improve our business in terms of customer service, efficiency, getting our message across, encouraging visitors to buy from us. People in the internet marketing and business world have already been discussing what will be "hot" in 2008 and one of the most common topics has been VIDEO. That's not surprising really but I think the difference is HOW video will be used.

There's a lot of talk about the significance of his video, 'The Relaunch' which gives tremendous insight regarding the emergence of entertainment and marketing working together in the same video. Armand has put together something very similar to a "movie trailer" which is generating a lot of excitement - especially when people are finding out that it leads to a TON of free video lessons.

So why not:

1) Watch the video and learn - There's a copy on this blog below (and if you get problems you can always watch the Relaunch video here).

Notice how it creates an element of "curiosity" and draws you in - very powerful for maximizing conversion.

Ask yourself this - "How could I use a similar approach in 2008?"

2) Claim your free video content.

After you watch the video you'll be redirected to an optin page where you can claim an entire month's worth of free video content. Armand has already posted 6 videos and he's adding more throughout the month of January.

By the way - don't forget to comment on the blog as Armand is frequently responding to thoughts about each video (you'll see his response outlined in blue).

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Armand has produced a FREE 51 page report containing the same methods he uses in his own business. It's packed with great ideas and practical help on running an internet business and how to make it successful, without being complicated. A copy is attached to this page for you to download for free.


To download your copy from this page, either ...

1. Click on the file to open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader. When it has opened click on 'File' on the top menu bar and select 'Save a Copy ...' from the dropdown menu. Choose where you want to save it on your computer and press 'Save'
2. Right click on the PDF file link below, choose 'Save Target As...' or equivalent (depending on which browser you use) and save it to your own computer.

It's that simple!

Enjoy and to your success.

An_Obvious_Truth_Armand_Morin.pdf

What Does 2008 Hold?

In short, I've no idea!

But I do know that there is great potential for all of us ... potential to succeed, potential to make mistakes, potential to learn from those mistakes, potential to improve, potential to do something we've never done before.

This year for me holds much in store as I start full-time in my own business having taken redundancy from my job last August. With so much still to do, so many unanswered questions, so many doubts and fears it would be easy to be overwhelmed by what 2008 holds in store.

BUT, there is also great excitement as I look forward. Amongst all the new, uncertain, unfamiliar paths that I will walk this year I know that in many ways, I hold the keys to my success. I don't believe in fate; I don't believe in just believing strongly enough and something will happen. I don't believe in karma. But I do believe that I can make 2008 an exciting and exhilarating year.

I wish you all success, happiness and a very happy new year.

Stuart

Happy Christmas - Enjoy a Break

Today is Christmas Eve ...I love this time of year because I try to take time to rest, relax and recharge.

It's very easy to get caught up in the hype, the adverts which tell us that in order to be happy we must buy this or that product ... until we feel that we're on a carousel we can't jump off.

So, why not find somewhere quiet and amongst the joy, partying and celebrating take some well-earned rest and recovery!

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas & Peaceful New Year.

... and if you like poetry, here's something I wrote about the first Christmas ...

THORNS AND STRAW

A back street stable in a crowded town.
Anguished screams; an occasional moan
Go unheard in the noise of a night
Of hustle and bustle, and rooms packed tight
With people, so busy and unaware
That a virgin's sweat means God is here.

No warm, cosy glow; only candle-lit straw.
A manger and oxen and filth on the floor.
No sweet smelling incense or soft comfy chair,
But cold stone walls; acrid smells in the air;
And the breath of animals to supply the heat,
In this hole in the rock on an unnamed street.

But God's not ignored the place that He's chosen
To visit as a baby, when the night air's frozen.
He treats some shepherds, the lowest of the low,
To front seat tickets at the greatest light show;
And singing and music like they've never heard before,
Which leaves them face down, shaking on the floor.

"Get up! Rejoice! For your king is here!
Run to the town and worship Him there.
Not in the palace so lofty and tall,
But lying in a stable, accessible to all.
So go! Take gifts and sing and feast,
For the mightiest God, has come down for the least."

And in palaces and castles hundreds of miles away,
A country's elite, at the end of the day
Study changes in the stars and heavens which bring
News, that on earth is born a king.
A king so great that creation bows down,
And brings its own offering, unseen in the town.

Their journey is long and filled with pain,
Across scorching deserts and rugged terrain.
As days turn to months and months to years;
Following the bright star whenever it appears.
Then rejoicing and thanks when at last they find
A small boy, just walking; the Lord of mankind.

With regal bows and language unknown,
They offer their gifts to Mary's son.
Gold, incense and myrrh; "What can I believe?"
His mother wonders as the visitors leave
To journey back east, their hearts on fire.
They've seen and worshipped the true Messiah.

And as years roll on by and the crowd's anger grows,
In reaction to this radical who constantly shows
That God has no favourites; our rules don't apply
To the values of heaven. "Crucify!" they now cry,
So He's crowned and beaten and then nailed to a tree;
This King, Priest and Sacrifice; thorns and straw set us free.

Are We Really in a New World?

I see lots of notices and receive many communications telling me that we are 'entering a new world'; 'a new world is upon us'; 'the old has gone, the new has come' etc. But when I woke up here in the UK this morning it was the same sun shining through my window and I'm pretty sure it was my same wife and children who were in the house!

I think that sometime amongst all our terminology and push to be contemporary we miss a basic truth ... we are dealing with the same people (okay, a few more join each day, just as a few leave) who have the same concerns as yesterday (possibly more) and who are looking for the same as they were yesterday ... to be treated in a way that says to them, "YOU MATTER".

So the technology may change, the pace of life may increase, stress may increase, the feeling of a need to escape from the race may intensify, but this underlying need remains the same. As we serve our customers, what are we doing that is adding to their lives?

It's a sobering thought that we may not be doing very much, because we are giving them the wrong message before they get chance to ask the question.

So, are we in a new world, or just a new way of seeing what has always been?

Until the next time ...

Change or Common Sense?

I don't know about you but I never cease to be amazed that no matter how often we ignore common-sense for the latest ideas, tools and strategies, we always seem to come back to the same starting point ... 'We are human beings who like to be respected for our views, intellectual faculties and the ability to make adult decisions.'

I've received some really great materials recently form a range of different disciplines ... marketing, education, sales etc, and do you know the latest ground-breaking, stellar secrets they're all telling me? 'Human beings like to be treated with respect and as human beings.'

I'll say that again, 'Human beings like to be treated with respect and as human beings.'

AMAZING! How simple is that?

So, I take heart that my convictions for ethical business are seen as important by others. It's not what we sell, or to whom ... but probably more to do with how we sell it.

Put yourself in your customers' shoes and ask yourself, "Would I buy this product from you and if so, why?" If you honestly can't answer both of those questions then perhaps we need to revisit the drawing board and re-think our approach. Until next time ...