Funny how followers follow

You know the advice you've heard from other marketers including me that says... "Sometimes, you'll learn more by observing what they're doing than listening to what they teaching"?

I think I have to take back that piece of advice because it can be misinterpreted. That piece of advice only works if you know what you're doing.

I realized this after I saw what 'followers' are doing.

Now- I want to make it clear you that I'm not intending any negativity on 'followers' in my examples below. It's just a way how I can describe today's marketing lesson and share with you some good points to take hme. So if you happen to be a 'follower' in one form or another, be smart and take this constructively to help you to grow. Successful people became successful because they're willing to learn and don't let their ego to eat them up.

Examples I've seen:

My blog domain name is 'ugly' – www.internetmarketing-tactics.com/blog. What kind of stupid domain name is that anyway? :-)

But followers might think that this is the RIGHT way of buying a domain name by using a hyphen (-) and choosing a long domain name.

Bzzz. Wrong.

The reality is, that's the second domain name I bought back in 2003 or 2004(I've got hundreds of them today) when I first started in internet marketing niche. The first one was automateinternetmarketing.com (another lousy domain name). That time, I ended up buying a long domain name like this is because I wasn't internet marketing savvy and now I'm 'stuck' with it. Then I started doing blogging back in 2004 with blogger.com and I just got lazy to transfer the whole blog to other domain names.

THAT'S THE TRUTH.

Second example - I use blogger.com for my internet marketing blog. Followers might just follow that but the REAL REASON why I use this is because blogger.com was 'hot' when blogging starts and besides, I don't even know how to install Wordpress (WP) at that time. Then I never bother to move it to WP, which I might in the future, because I'm not using this blog for blogging purpose (RSS feeds, social bookmarking, search engine ranking and so on) or branding (look at the blog's design - it's not even unique!).

Final example - I use 3 variations of subject lines for the same email that I send out to you and my other subscribers. So followers would think that I'm up to something and they will ALSO have variations because they THINK it'll increase conversion, open rate or something. What they did not see is the technology we're doing at the back - to track and so on.

I could go on and on with examples how followers follow my stuff and I would chuckle because I know they don't get the whole picture and worse still, leading them to the wrong thing.

Okay, one more example (you can tell I'm sort of liking this) - If a follower copy my stuff and thinking that THIS IS IT, they're in for a big treat. For instance, one of my niche websites is www.boxerdogtips.com. Yeah, that's still making money today after 4 years (or 5 years?).

The thing is, I created that not to make money online. If it does, that's great, woo hoo. I did that because I wanted to prove to my customers at that time that it's POSSIBLE to make money online without being an expert or JV partners in a competitive niche market (dog training's competition is pretty fierce). Secondly, I need something to show as a credibility builder than revealing my long-term internet businesses that I want to keep it hush hush.

And lastly, it's a case study that I use for a product I've created many years ago called, The Online Niche Secrets Audio Course, OnlineNicheSecrets.com. (Don't buy, it's not update.)

To the extreme, I don't even mail to the thousands of subscribers I've built in that dog training list at all!

SO – if you're following that, you might make some money online but you're going to be misleaded big time and wonder why you cannot break your income ceiling.

In my case, what works are what I teach in my courses, coaching program and so on. Am I asking to buy my course? Do I have any order links here? No, right? Point stressed.

Most people try to be cheap and try to figure out on themselves- especially if they think they 'know' it all.

I've seen so many followers copying other guru's squeeze page, video style, etc - but do they really know what is going on?

Heck, maybe that Guru is just playing around and testing some stuff. It's not even the real thing.

Like now you can see doubleyourdating.com is not using a squeeze page anymore. So the followers will rush to start creating a 'content' style page for the main page but do they know what is this $20 million business latest strategy?

You see a world-class copywriter writes a salesletter and you copy that because you think it'll convert like crazy. But do you know what is the actual hook for the entire copy? And more importantly - how sure are you that it wasn't a flop salesletter?

You saw some great gurus launching their products and you follow their product launch. Are you sure you're getting the WHOLE PICTURE?

If there's a lesson to take away from today's sharing is don't assume in marketing – make sure you get the right source of information before you think it'll be a good idea to 'copy' or not.

And yes, COPY is a smart way of working less. I don't deny that. But there's a huge distinction in terms of copy and rip off. (smile)

When I say 'copy', I'm referring to market intelligence - know what your competitors are doing and how they do it to become so successful. Then see if you can do better or along that kind of line.

If you want to create the next Facebok, wouldn't it easier to 'spy' and 'copy' that concept than thinking a new idea? Unless you're Twitter, then I rest my case.

If you've find value in what you read today, please leave a Comment or feedback? Needless to say, I will definitely appreciate it because I read all Comments personally and gotten the chance to know you at the same time.

Patric Chan



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Sunday Email #38: How To Make More, Working Less

If you're new to my subscription and wondering what is a "Sunday Email", it's an email full of my rants, personal tips and opinions on marketing especially in the "internet marketing" niche. Sometimes, opinions on life. Whatever it is... it'll give you value after spending time reading it. To make sure you won't miss any future issue, subscriber for free at www.sundayemail.com.

You know-- sometimes my Sunday Emails can be harshed. Cuts through like a ninja's blade. But come on, they're my rants. If I want to keep everyone happy and write about the colorful rainbow, birds chirping, flowers blooming, etc then I should just opens up a nursery home and take care of children.

So if you can relate to what I wrote when reading it-- good because I know it had just served the purpose of helping people.

One more thing-- it'll offend marketers. I hope you're not the one.

Re: How To Make More, Working Less

It's been a while since I write - I was busy updating the latest Chan Do Internet Success System. The latest version is being 'redesigned' to only show you the quickest way possible to make money online in niche markets. All I can say is, it rocks (self praise).

Also, I'm preparing a product launch in another niche market, the one that's not related to internet marketing.

This leads me to today's rant - I realized that there are hundreds of internet marketers today that are 'real'. Then there are THOUSANDS of marketers who are either scammers or wannabes.

Whatever ideas or strategies you're selling, it'll be everywhere before you know what happened.

I launched my 'site targeting' software called, CPMBidPro back in Dec 2008 for Adwords advertisers. You can see it at www.cpmbidpro.com. No, we don't do the 'usual' way of marketing like blasting to our list and so on - we have our own bags of tricks to sell it online.

Right now, there are 2 other new software which do the same stuff in the market - Placement Locator and Content Bully. As a matter of fact, they probably have more features than mine by now. I predict that more will come out soon because it's now being proved that this sort of software SELLS. Imagine if my sole business is trying to sell my software – I think I would be very stressful.

How about all of these ebooks which are authored by the mysterious X authors?

That is why Affiliate Black Book salesletter is so darn entertaining to read.

Are you sick and tired with that by now, with all of the X's?

Aren't there some creativity left?

Well, here's the thing - it works well in the beginning. Then all kinds of wannabes start following this approach. Honestly, I think it's a brilliant tactic - if you don't have the credibility to be in the internet marketing niche, what's better way to claim yourself to be some sort of 'underground' guru that makes a lot of money?

Then there are gazillion of ebooks telling you how to make money with Clickbank and plaster you with all of their Clickbank income screen shot (which are mostly fake anyway). LISTEN - do you really think there's still a SECRET left?

Making money online with Clickbank.com is almost the same as promoting any other affiliate products. Put it this way -- it's not the same, but it's the same concept.

What you should be learning is AFFILIATE MARKETING from those who make real money selling affiliate programs in all kinds of niches.

Unfortunately, there's no way you can find out whether what the phonies claims on their salesletters are true or not until you see their craps. Then it'll be too late – you've already wasted your time and money.

I still don't understand why many people still don't see the opportunity in niche markets. I mean, if you're more 'adventurous', then go for competitive niches like health, real estate, stock trading and so on niches. I'm sure there is a lot of money in those niches basing on the fact that you can create high-price products in those niches.

I know Greg Poulos of Profits Run, Inc. makes a killing selling info-products in the trading niche.

I don't think niches like those have countless numbers of gurus. Point made.

If you think that I'm telling you this because I'm scared of competitions, you truly need to think wider. First, I'm already in my comfort zone - I'll still be here regardless of competitions. Second, I'm telling you this because I know making money in niche markets work. And finally, even if that's my intention, that's the stupidest method to prevent competition because there are 100 more marketers encouraging people to be in the internet marketing niche. Think.

If you want to stick to the internet marketing niche because you're passionate about it, you think THIS IS where the money is or for whatever reason... well, you can still do this and make money.

But not by coming up with another 'how to make money from Adwords,Clickbank or blogging' product again. If it's nothing out-of-this-world, I think the community really doesn't need to have another one.

Let's say you want to teach someone how to make money online from blogging, I'm sure there's a blogging course that you've learned from (otherwise, how did you learn blogging in the first place?). So why not just be an affiliate and promote that course?

You still make money and you don't need to rip off someone's information and call it yours. And you gain RESPECT.

Then when you're ready, come up with your own super duper course.

Whether you want to be in niche markets or the internet marketing niche, there's one thing that will ensure greater success - POSITIONING.

You have to be unique than the rest, too much noise out there. For instance, there are many internet marketing authors called themselves X's, but there's only one X that people listen when he speaks. There are many people teaching blogging, but there are only a handful of the go-to guys and gals. Same goes with social marketing - only 2-3 guys who have positioned themselves successfully. You get the idea.

A lot people don't understand this. They are not strategic thinker and are limited to only what they know (marketing in just one niche with one approach). If you just spend your time to build your brand, you'll work less and earn more. With a brand, more affiliates will promote you, people start to like buying your product and your list pays more attention to what you have to say.

Oprah Winfrey can sell anything under the Sun because she's 'branded'. Make sense?

If you've find value in what you read today, please leave a Comment or feedback? Needless to say, I will definitely appreciate it because I read all Comments personally and gotten the chance to know you at the same time.

Patric Chan



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