Been watching the Olympics much?
I have.
It’s been amazing to see these athletes pushing themselves.
It’s great too see all that hard work and dedication pay off.
Well . . . for some of them that’s the case.
For others it’s not so great.
They’ve tried their hardest. Pushed themselves to the limit and still haven’t won a medal for their country.
That got me thinking about internet marketing.
Do you ever feel like you’re losing the game?
Like all your hard work is going unrewarded?
I know how that feels.
What’s holding you back?
Me and Pete really want to know. (there‘s NO sales pitch here)
We just want to get to know you better.
Tell us what part of building your own online business is causing you the most PAIN . . .
Don’t hold anything back.
Think of this as a place to vent.
What’s hurting your chances of success?
And who knows, maybe we can help 
Tell us in the comments below . . .
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for asking.
I only have Visa/debit card.
I was not able to acquire a functioning system yet.
I wonder if I am computer-stupid?
I was not able to earn a dime yet. No one really helps
to show the ropes. So that’s why I am not doing anything.
But nevertheless I am convinced that IM should work!
Many affiliate networks will send a cheque to your address, so you really shouldnt have issues with payments. Clickbank.com is the biggest affiliate network and they offer this service.
The main thing is just to make a start. Pick a niche. Research. Find some products to promote. Even if you do it badly, you’re still on the road to winning.
I remember my first campaign. It was just articles and a clickbank offer. I did EVERYTHING wrong. Well, compared to how I do it now.
But that campaign made a few sales. That was enough to get me started. Just make that 1st sale.
You can do it!!
Currently the pain I have to go through now is actually trying to fight with time, where it just doesn’t seem like there’s enough for me to “make something happen!” I say I struggle with time because it has to be given towards helping raising my two still very young boys most of the time while also trying to find a decent moment to dive into IM to make it happen. While I do know that IM if done correctly can earn you a pretty decent lifestlye, struggling with time not only having to learn it but even finding the time to do anything just seems impossible for me at the moment! It is frustrating, especially when the wife says that this IM thing I’m trying to do is starting to get annoying! It gets quite pressuring. So…. No time! No support! No focus! No Way! Well, at least for now but who knows when I’ll even have enough time to do it. I’m guessing it will be a long while when the kids start going to school! So there you have it, that’s the pain I’m going through now. Wanting it sooo bad but can’t manage to do something about it.
The answers to my pain that could really help me know as I really thought and been searching for it is through Outsourcing! Not simply just outsourcing tasks but a full guided system, such as a plug n play system where I could utilized a proven system/business model I can start building from A-Z through the use of verified/qualified/proven outsourcing. At least if I can’t be doing it then someone else can! Also to be on the safe side as a I said a proven system to guide you all the way. No more guess work, headaches, confusions, doubts, pressure, lost time etc. but only progress from there on and more hope in living the internet dream!
So what do you think? This is really a pain I’m going through and normally I don’t even take the time to do these things but your email got me at the right time and right place! The solution to my pain sounds more like a “too good to be true” solution don’t you think? Anyways, just needed to let this out some where and thanks for letting me do it here. If you do have the solution to my pain then please… I’m all ears!
Hi Chand,
This is a problem I understand all too well. I’m sure everybody can. The days just slip by and nothing seems to get done. Outsourcing can be very helpful, but managing the outsourcers can become a job too. However, I do have a possible idea that might help you . . .
Have you ever thought of getting a partner? Or even just a partner for 1 project?
With me and Pete we usually meet up in a pub and plan out what we plan to do to take our biz forward. Then we set some deadlines to get things done. Since we’re both relying on each other we have to get it done – no matter what. This ensures that we’re always going forward.
Networking on facebook or the forums is a good place to find people. Just be careful to make sure you only work with people you trust.
Another idea would be to think about paying for traffic. Let’s say you create a funnel. That’s literally a squeeze page and 10 emails. If you only have a free 20 mins per day to work on your biz you’ll be done in 2 weeks. Then you spend $100 on traffic to get some results. You’ll know straight away if you’re onto a winner or not.
It just takes some planning and an idea that you’re genuinely excited about.
As for the “doubters” that’s something you’ll have to learn how to handle as an entrepraneur. No matter what you do, people will always doubt. You just have to have belief and focus.
I honestly believe that ANYONE can do this.
I bought “Constant Content the Google Gift” and that helped my business and ability to produce content in a massive way. The product maker James is an amazing help and I am really hoping you guys mention it as content is a big part of your course. I actually bought your product because of James’ recommendation and the comment he left on your thread.
My issue is my data – I don’t have enough to get adequate information on my visitors. I tried a signup form and a poll and got nothing. James says data is imperative to getting a successful web business going. “Jenn, if you don’t know your visitor and THEIR pains, they’ll more than likely leave your site. You’re in the health and wellness marketplace and you’re selling WSO’s, that makes no sense to me, a personal trainer”. “Get some demographics and I’ll help you do market research”. I need 100k visits to get data from quantcast, compete, and Alexa. Aside from James you guys are the only one’s willing to listen and help.
Is there an easy way to produce my content in a syndication fashion to get more visitors maybe? I tried guest posting on one of his previous recommendations and he even helped me land a job with examiner.com, but I want my own business. James (he was the first to call me from my number in my signature when I replied to him – he and you guys are my heros!) Said the only time I won’t get a business is when I quit. 6 months into my site I get 120 visitors a day tops. How can I increase that while still being ethical? Should I target more keywords (I have 2k+ search terms according to webmaster central)? Am I being unrealistic? My competition also has really low numbers, is there a site that tells me what they are up to link building wise?
I really feel like 1 or 2 of those questions will open a flood gate for me!
Thank you guys so much for offering your opinion. All these other marketers are just that and have no desire to help me. You guys and James are in a class of your own.
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for buying our course. I’ll have to check out “Constant Content the Google Gift.” I don’t know James at all but I remember the amazing comment he left on the thread for us.
OK so it sounds to me like you’re very very close to success. You actually have traffic. It just sounds like you’re not able to monetize it well enough. Your main goals should be (IMO) to grab every visitor and try to get them on to your list. So you need a very strong free offer to make people sign up to your list. A short report or video should be enough. Then a series of emails that allow your subscribers to really get to know you.
I don’t know if you have this already but that’s what I would concentrate on for now. You should make sure that every blog post mentions this and gives a call to action inside the content. You need to really push people to sign up to your mailing list.
Here’s the key thing. It’s much easier to get and understand data from a sales funnel, that it is from a blog. For me the blog is mostly about branding. It does help get traffic and build the relationship, but making money for us comes down to getting that traffic onto our email list. That’s why I included The Monetization Monkey in our last product – because traffic without conversions is no help to anyone.
This also ties into your questions about data. If you have a sales funnel you can buy traffic. That might seem scary at first, but if you want data there’s no better way to find it. You can literally buy in data and make money on the back of that if your funnel is set up correctly. This is a great way to find out of if you’re actually on track or not. There’s nothing worse than working your ass off for top rankings and then seeing no $$$ come in from it.
Plus, once you have a funnel, you can approach other bloggers who you like and respect and do adswaps. You literally just make a deal to both promote each other at the same time/same day. We do 2 or 3 of these per week in the forex niche. Just make sure you only promote good stuff.
I hope this helps. My main point is that your weakness seems to be your ability to capture and monetize the traffic. If you work had on this you’ll see an increase in your profits.
Hope it helps.
Chand (I’m not the mods on this post) I am a single mom and I couldn’t outsource. I went from no traffic to doing the stuff in Constant Content The Google Gift and I knock out my own content in no time. It’s what to do with my content to maximize it that’s getting to me.
Jenn
There has been a lot of pain lately. Anybody who knows me knows I work hard…probably harder than most. I was at the top of one of my niches and was making sales. Google penguin happened and I lost everything. I don’t do black hat.
I’ve hired people to help me figure out what was wrong or how to fix it and NOBODY could help me. This has had me lose faith in most online marketing coaches.
I have so much helpful info in all my niches but the money has run out. Now, I’m faced with having to go back to what I’ve always hated and that’s the life sucking 9-5 job working for somebody else.
I’ve pressed through the hard times like an Olympic athlete but when you run out of money you have to do something to help your family. Does this mean I give up on my dream? No, and at least I’ve finally come to the realization that most online marketing coaches aren’t really there for you.
Hi Jeff,
I’m sorry to hear about what’s happened to you. The Penguin killed a few of our older sites too, although for us it was deserved as we had dabbled with BH techniques in the past – never again though! Lesson learned.
Have you put in a reconsideration request with Google? It might be that your penalty was a false positive. The Google algo is a machie at the end of the day and machines make mistakes. If your blog really is awesome and has no bad links you should be able to get somebody in the Google team to take a look:
http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35843
If you still have no joy there I would consider using your content and packaging it up in another way. Maybe a product? Or maybe a sales funnel that you could drive paid traffic to?
I did put in a reconsideration with Google but nothing has come of it. All my sites are still in the tank.
Yes, I believe Google made a mistake. I can’t believe the top results for the keywords I used to rank #1 for. Half of them have nothing to do with the subject matter.
Did I have any bad links? Probably. I remember popular online marketing coaches recommending backlinks from Fiverr so I bought one of those in 2011. But would one of those destroy one of my sites? I’ve tried to have them delete them but they refuse to do so.
I do offer several info products but no traffic going to them anymore.
I responded to your email about giving you feedback but I haven’t received a personal response yet. I’d love to get a response from you.
Hi Jeff,
Sorry you havent heard back from us. I just checked my email and couldnt find anything. Can you send again please?
Man, that really sucks about the Google reconsideration request. It looks like you have a great site with great content. I do have a case study on how 1 marketer got back into the rankings and I’ll dig it out and send it over to you a little later today. Honestly, having looked at your site I can’t see any reason why you would be penalized. It’s a great site and it definitely doesn’t look over optimized on the page at least.
Have you been guest posting on authority sites? That’s the kind of thing that would make a big difference for you and would also help the guys at Google see that you’re playing the game they want you to play.
Also, I notice you have a Youtube channel. I’ve recently run a test on getting youtube videos ranked and it’s seriously easy and powerful. In fact, just today I’ve landed a youtube video on Google page 1 for a term that gets 130,000 exact searches per month in the forex niche. I share it with you in private as sharing here would mess up my stats.
Anyway, all hope is not lost on this one. Check your inbox and I’ll send you something that could make a big difference.
I joined the Warriors Group and purchased quite a few programs over the last 60 days. Since then every person I bought from inundates me with offers. I think you guys are the ones making all the money from us buying your stuff. Then I see you guys selling each others stuff and then trying to sell it to us so you don’t know who is the real deal. I feel I have purchased some good stuff, time will tell. The key is trying to figure out who are the re-sellers and who are the real marketers selling their concepts that truly made them money on and off-line. I like this forum and see the value and money can be made. It’s a matter of weeding through the weeds and finding the pearls that work for you.
Hi Rick,
I’m happy to publish this comment as it does bring up an important point. If you are not getting value from the people you subscribe to then just unsubscribe. There’s a link at the bottom of every email. You do not have to receive those messages.
I personally subscribe to very few marketers. I only really stick with the ones I find provide value in their content as well as offers. That’s what we try to do. Take last week for example with the Guest Post Hunter promo.
Tuesday – Email 1 – Strategy
Wednesday – Email 2 – Strategy continued
Thursday – Email 3 – Product review & explanation of how it fits with strategy.
Friday Email – 4 – Product is live (notification)
And on top of that we offered a custom made bonus in order to make sure any buyers had a strategy to use with the product.
Now, we would make a lot more money if we just pumped out a different offer everyday. However, we want long term customers. So we take a different route.
You are absolutely right when you say “The key is trying to figure out who are the re-sellers and who are the real marketers selling their concepts that truly made them money on and off-line.” There are a lot of good people on WF, but there are scammers too. Personally I think it’s pretty obvious who’s who. And over time you are able to pick them out quicker and quicker.
Thanks for your comment
Hi, I’m glad to be on your list and I think your product is content gorilla? Okay, what’s really giving me pain is finding a reliable content writer that would really do a good research. Most of the time, I ended up on writing the content cuz I want my contents to be information rich and accurate. But the thing is, English isn’t my first language so it really takes me time to write and I’m getting headaches. My average budget per article is $10-$15, sometimes I get good articles but most of the time, I am not satisfied.
I got hit by penguin too, but I accept it since I did use some black hat tactics. But we people who got hit by penguin have the advantage on what keywords are profitable. My advice to fellow pipz that got hit, start a new site and a more better one. For me after penguin, I made a site from scratch, now really trying to add more quality contents. And I’m seeing some traffic. But I still do SEO [private blog network and more guest posts], I think content gorilla really goes white hat. I even ended up making my first infographic myself [already published] after reading your product [really great stuff]. I am going to re read it again today…. All the best -
Hi Jeremy,
I have 2 resources which may help you.
1. http://jobs.problogger.net/ – check this out. These writers tend to be more expensive but much better quality than you find elsewhere.
2. http://myworkathomeblog.net/who-is-heather-hyvarinen-anyway/ – This lady comes highly recommended also.
Hope it helps and really glad you liked the 800lb Content Gorilla
I have a website which has been affected by the “Zoo” but still gets traffic and gets more user feedback and interest than all my other sites put together. I would like to promote my own product on it and have the qualifications and know how, but don’t want to write it myself. I can’t outsource it as it is too specialized. Any ideas?
Many thanks
Wendy
This is a tough one Wendy. You don’t want to do it yourself and you can’t outsource . . . I’m kinda stumped.
I think your only real option is to do it yourself. You’re going to be creating content anyway, so why not make it for the product? Once you have a product the game kind of changes too. You can go after affiliates, you can approach JVs.
Sorry I can’t be any more help but I honestly think your life will be a lot easier once you have the product made.
I can totally relate to Chand’s problem. Since I am a mother of twin babies
time became an even bigger luxury to me than it has been before.
I would like to work from home since I have to stay close to my kids but that is not easy to manage.
Is this a reason to give up the online success dream?
I hope not.
Outsourcing might be helpful but also scary to me.
Angel
Hi Angel,
Wow, Twins!! You must be busy. Outsourcing would be good for you too – but ONLY when you have a solid plan of action.
Let’s do a little exercise. Let’s say that starting next week I agree to send 10,000 unique visitors to any web page you choose everyday for a month. Then after that, the traffic stops.
What would you do? How would you ensure that you get the maximum profit from each and every one of those clicks.
Send the traffic to a blog?
Or an affiliate offer?
Or a squeeze page?
And how would you ensure that you keep profiting once the traffic stops?
My point is that most newbies think traffic is the problem. More traffic = more sales.
But most newbies arent thinking strategically. And this is especially important for you since you are limited on time.
So grab a pen and paper and just brainstorm on that exercise above. You’ll be amazed at how your perception changes.
Once you have it all planned out on paper, you can look for ways to automate it. Outsourcing wont seem so tough then. Make sense?
What’s that old saying? “If you have 1 hour to chop down a tree, you should sharpen your axe for 45 mins” . . . or something like that lol.
It’s cool that IM’ers provide useful content when entering a niche but investing(especially Forex) the products aren’t truly from forex traders and teach people stuff that will lose them money like those silly forex bot programs. just my 2cents.
That’s the great thing about FX. There are so many scams out there that if you can find/promote something that really works you will have customers for life. One of the things we do is explain to people how forex scams work and how to avoid them. That’s an email loaded up in our autoresponder. I’ve noticed that lots of people take a $1 trial of our product from that email. I guess it’s because we’re proving that we can be trusted. Also, we only ask $1 for a 14 day trial of our service. That alone shows that we’re confident in what we offer. It’s not hard to stand out when you do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.