I realize I haven’t been writing as much as I should have in this blog lately, and I am really sorry about that. Thing is though that after my break I had come to the conclusion I was on the wrong path, spending my time in ways that weren’t very productive and I was spreading myself way to thin on too many projects.
Having to get into another working schedule has cost me quite some sweat and elbow grease but finally being able to focus is really getting my energy levels up again.
Running this blog has been a great learning curve for me so far, and I have come across some pretty decent advice to finally become serious about business.
During the break I was getting really geared up about setting up BANS sites (building niche stores) and I actually got started to set up different eBay sites. However, during this process it just did not feel right for me.
Maybe I am wrong, maybe not, but already knowing a bit more about the ins and outs of wordpress and setting up regular websites, it just did not feel right to leave that in order to start learning something new and figuring out how to have the design stand out in order to make it interesting enough for a potential buyer to click on eBay products.
I figured I should better stick to what I already knew how to do and focus way more on getting content up and dedicate way more time to building links, instead of spending more time on learning a new process, setting me back again time wise.
Creating unique content, either written from scratch or rewriting PLR articles has always been a slow and difficult process for me, I would only get up to writing a certain amount of articles on one subject and then my attention span would be completely gone, making it almost ridicules to start promotion, there just wasn’t enough to promote in the first place.
However, I finally got to shift that focus span and got into writing big time, having a set dream in mind surely did help and one way or another, winning the manifest a miracle in Hochstadts competition also helped me a bit on the part of focussing on where I wanted to go.
A few months ago I found out about an affiliate program which was giving out $45 in total of sign up bonuses ($10 to sign up, $15 when you started promoting links, another $10 for participating in their forum etc) but after having signed up and find it was not a direct $45 bonus straight away, I kind of set it aside thinking it was just another waste of my time.
Anyhow, I went back to that affiliate program to have a closer look since I was looking for a few good products to promote and found they had a lot of good guides for their affiliate marketers so I started reading them and that is when I really got into things.
There are a lot of extras they offer, like a huge amount of articles to rewrite, website templates to use, complete how-to guides, graphics etc plus an affiliate support team which can help you succeed what you started, and having a closer look at their forum was actually quite surprising. Surprising because they do seem to offer some decent support, working hard to have their members succeed in selling products. Of course, the more the affiliate marketers sell, the more they earn as well, so it is a win-win situation, but I have to say, there are many really useful threads I have been learning a lot from that forum so far.
My goal for today, after finishing this post, is to actually set up a complete new website, write at least 10 articles, reviews, product comparison and put everything into place in order to start promoting the hell out of it through article marketing and building links through directory submission on a continuous base.
I will be posting on my progress over here but it would really be great to see others who are using this affiliate program already to compare experiences. If you have never heard of this program before and are looking for a solid affiliate program and support, you can check it out here.
A little sidenote, you can get a total of $45 in bonuses but you will have to reach $100 minimum payout first, which should be pretty easy to achieve, following their advice, but you have to work for it! 
The first steps to making it big online is to map out a plan – yours looks really good! Best wishes for your future success.
Enjoy,
Barbara
Barbara Ling’s last blog post..Bright Idea – Profitable eBay Alert Trick
Thanks Barbara, I really appreciate the heads up
In the past I have been spreading myself way too thin resulting in hardly any return and way too many hours glued to a computer screen…
That is all I used to really do, build affiliate sites. Then I went to blogging and got carried away. Now I am seeking a better balance between the two. I spent too much time promoting a blog that I hadn’t monetized and not enough getting links to old standbys that have provided an income for up to three years. Sometimes you have to disappear to take care of business. I like my new slow rate of posting. It’s not a bad thing.
Stephan Miller’s last blog post..My Online Writing Resources Directory
I can completely understand what you mean … I like my new slower rate of posting as well, especially since I am way more focussed now to start and carry through with other projects, like this new one
Sounds like you have been quite busy.
I have been expanding as well. I am up to 6 blogs. 3 are mine and 3 as a contributor and I was just asked about doing some guest posting.
I still see myself looking at content first and everything else last. Of my site is a different kind of blog with specific goals targeted around building a brand. Creating a persona that I can use in other projects off the internet.
It’s a slow process that requires me to be focused on sounding like an expert while trying to throw in some entertainment value at the same time. It is quite the challenge but it is the challenge that makes it interesting and helps me stay focused. It helps that I am writing about something that I am quite passionate about.
Don’t lose your passion. When you lose your passion you start working and stop having fun. You start stressing out over something that used to make you happy.
TheMovie Whore’s last blog post..FIB a new kind of movie blog
Mirjam:
Good to see you focusing on something you like. Just my few cents. From my point of view, I will carefully evaluate the affiliate program before spending time on it.
1. Read the affiliate program as a merchant. See how much you will need to pay for the commission and fees to get people to promote your products. Will you do it if you are a merchant? Will you be ripped off?
2. There is no merchant, which wants to pay a lot and get low conversion rate. Do they have testimonials from Merchant? Or just from the affiliates? If they don’t have testimonials from merchant. Be careful! Many affiliate programs are promoting their sister sites such as online casinos.
3. Look at what product the affiliate program are promoting. Would you buy into those products as an end user? What’s their conversion rate. Don’t just do it because they looks promising.
4. Be aware of bad potatoes. Some of the merchants actually have bad reputation or bad products. You will need to do damage control on promote those product in the near future.
5. Read the terms and agreement very carefully. Some affiliate programs will drop your balance to zero, if you don’t make enough sales for a period of time. For example, you have made $99 commission before getting your check ($100). You did not make any sales for 6 months. They drop your commission balance to $0. You get nothing! It just happened to me on CJ. I got paid nothing.
I am hesitate on jumping into Affiliate program or build a niche site, because I was eaten by those programs as a merchant. I will not have enough time to be both merchant and publisher.
However, I do have one friend who have made near US$200K / year NET PROFIT with over 60 niche sites now. He actually did not make a lot money (~$1000 / year) in the first 3 years. It just took off suddenly and kept going. He is now hiring people to do work for him.
Good luck! It takes time to build up something like that. You can do it too!
Terence Chang’s last blog post..Start Last – Finish First – Are you the next Zappos?
Sounds like you are on a roll Jim, great to see!
Focussing on content certainly is a good thing, but without getting traffic to actually read what you are doing it is hard to stay motivated…
I don´t really worry about becoming a persona, my goal has never been to become wellknown but I certainly would like to run a certain amount of profitable sites
So that is why I shifted gears and started changing plans, changing OS in order to automate a lot of things that I used to ignore. Building links is a biggie in that ball park so it is what I am focussing on quite a bit more, but certainly still not enough…
I really do enjoy working online from my home, it gives me so many more opportunities and freedom to be able to do my passion and achieve my ultimate dreams, the work in itself isn´t my biggest passion, but I love doing it because I know it gets me where I want to be, hope that makes sense
Good to see you around here as always!
Wow! 200K / year net profit is great! Haha! Once you get the ball rolling I guess it’s goes all downhill from there. Must learn from the best.
Hey Terence
:D
thanks for that long comment, really appreciate your tips and insight
Thing is, I really needed a plan and work along set lines in order to finish several different proyects. Seems that is finally in place and I am getting on steadily, working on one thing at a time till the end and then once a page is really “finished” and marketable it goes into my linkbuilding shedule.
I have been working with CJ but never had the problem you just described, and do receive my affiliate cheques from them without a prob. Goood to remind me of the TOS though and really reading them, to avoid problems in the future
I do feel it is best not to put my eggs into one basket and work with several affiliate programs instead of just one. MN, yep, they only have a few products to promote, and some I would not want to promote, however, the ones I am focussing on are things I happily get myself and are in my line of interest.
Most probably are their own products, but for as far as I have seen so far, they are giving good support and a great deal of marketing material so you don´t have to re-invent the wheel.
Time will tell how it turns out, for now it is especially helpful to getting into a certain rhytm that I was lacking before. The first site I made is near to be finished, just some tweaking and checking left and already started on the linkbuilding proces, which is a lot more than I can say about the past when I was just floating around in cyberspace
Thanks again for the comments
:D
ehm…. uphill
As far as learning from the best, the difference between successful Internet marketers and the ones who fail, is tat the successful ones are willing to put in the work others don´t feel like doing
I agree with everything you said. I would even go one step further with point #3 and say look what major competitors out there also selling the products are doing. Is it something that a place like Target, Wal-Mart, and Amazon would sell? Are they offering it for a considerably lower price than the affiliate you want to join?
The product might seem great and like something you would want to use, but is it really just a niche product and you happen to be one of the few people who would want it?
Glad to hear things are working out. Keep us updated.
Hey Mirjam,
Looks like a great, fresh network to join. I maybe give it a go soon.
Have a good luck, and don’t forget to update on how things are going.
Remember that a short update will also be appreciated!
Cheers,
Alex
Alex at Net-Entrepreneur.com’s last blog post..On Web-Design and Blogging
Please keep us updated on the progress of your new website. I am just learning to promote a new website myself. I would definitely come back to hear how your experiment went. Thanks for sharing!
thanks for the addition to the tips Terence already gave me, very much appreciated
That is very kind you Jason, thanks
LOL Alex are you thinking of signing up under me
:D
*rolling eyes, looking up at the sky* in theory that would make me your mentor ROFL
Don´t worry, I will keep on posting here eventhough my posting rhytm has slown down considerably (I noticed that a lot of blogs I read are slowing down their pace as well, *wink*)
I just hope I won´t have to grovel and post disaster hahaha
Hi Adam
:D
first of all, good luck with your new website, if you need any help let me know
I will be posting on whatever the results are
Teach me, master…
Alex at Net-Entrepreneur.com’s last blog post..On Web-Design and Blogging
ROFL yur scaring me with that face!! ROFL
)
butta if you do decide to sign up, just let me know and I´ll “lead you around”
Wow. I didn’t realize CJ would drop your commission due to inactivity. I always thought that was just what airlines did to your airmiles. Off to have a closer look at the TOS.
Mark @ WebDiggin’s last blog post..WebDiggin Diary – Make Money Using Sponsored Posts
Thank you for the well presented and informative post. It certainly explains things in detail. Please do keep it up. All the best.
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i think you need a rest…you sounds so busy…but lucky, you still can manage you work/business…yea i also would like to know the new updates about you new websites…kind of interesting!!