Googling Under the Influence
If it wasn’t so sad, I would laugh.
Actually, I do laugh a little, as I imagine my team member’s eyes bugging out of his/her head when they see how much money they blew on Google in one day.
Why? Because they weren’t prepared.
Taking the plunge into the world of Pay Per Click Marketing is not one of those things that should be done haphazardly. Many serious marketers, including myself have spent months and even years studying Google Adwords trying to develop the best strategies for getting the best qualified prospects at the lowest possible cost.
And even now, while Google is my primary lead generation and it generally treats me well, there are days when it bites me in the butt. Just like everyone else who markets on Google.
So back to my team member….
This guy called me the other day to tell me he had read a little about Google and was ready to start marketing. I chuckled a little, and tried to explain the kind of preparation needed in order to avoid losing a ton of money at the beginning, but he didn’t take me seriously.
Guess what?
His eyes were bugging out of his head the next day. I don’t even want to tell you how much money he lost without much to show for it.
And it all could have been avoided.
Taking this guys approach is like jumping into a car for the very first time and proclaiming yourself ready to drive. How silly is that? Everyone knows that you have to take classes, practice for several hours with a trained and skilled driver by your side, take a test, and then you are ready to drive on your own.
It’s the same with Google. Education is a MUST! Training is ESSENTIAL!
Without it, you might as well set up a direct deposit of your paycheck directly to Google. They will love it.
You will not.
Before I close, I will leave you with two resources that I’ve used again and again in my Google adventures.
Perry Marshall’s Definitive Guide for Google Adwords
Mike Dillard’s PPC Domination.
Perry’s guide is written and extremely comprehensive. So is Mike’s course, but it is in video format for the most part.
Both are excellent. I would suggest you get both resources, study them extensively, and then consider taking the Google plunge.
After all, you don’t want to get cited for Googling Under the Influence.
To your success!
Are All Affiliate Marketers In BED With Each Other?
Affiliate Marketing is a great way to make money online. For those of you who don’t know what it is, Affiliate Marketing involves advertising and marketing someone else’s product. In turn, the creator of that product agrees to give you a certain percentage of the sale for each buyer you send their way.
You are usually given an Affiliate Link to use when advertising online, so that if someone purchases through your link, you get credit for the sale.
Affiliate commissions can run anywhere from 10-50% of the sale, so you can see how the money can add up rather quickly.
Let me state right now…
I do NOT have a problem with Affiliate Marketing or the people who use it.
But after watching closely the last several months, the question I have to ask is…
Are All Affiliate Marketers in Bed With Each Other?
In other words, it almost seems like all affiliate marketers do is market each others back and forth.
Someone comes out with a new product… the newest, best way for network marketers to “explode their business”
Pretty soon, I start getting emails from all my affiliate marketer friends (I am on a LOT of lists). And the countdown begins…
- Only 48 hrs left to take advantage of this great offer!
- 24 hrs left — don’t get left out of this once in a lifetime offer!
- You are going to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime if you don’t act in the next 12 hrs!
And then the “extras” start getting thrown in.
Buy from this link and I’ll throw in my free Ebook on ……
Buy from the link below and I’ll give you a free, 1 hr business consultation….
And even this one…..
I’ll buy the product FOR YOU if you buy through my link… (this much have been one hell of a contest).
Then the deadline ends, there is some quiet time, and then the next Internet “Guru” announces the launch of his/her next product, and the cycle starts all over again.
Enough already! All of these products can’t possibly be the “one product that is going to take my business to the next level.”
It isn’t humanly possible.
But, as I said, I am not against Affiliate Marketing.
In fact, I also make money from Affiliate Marketing. It is a great way to supplement my primary business income.
But I do it with INTEGRITY, and that is what I am imploring others to do.
What do I mean?
I follow this very simple rule before I even think of suggesting or recommending any product to my valuable list of followers….I will only recommend a product if:
- I personally have used the product and can vouch for it’s usefulness in helping my followers… and it has to be worth the money.
- I know of someone who I respect that has used the product and tells me personally how it helped him/her.
- In cases of new product launches, I will only recommend the product if I have personally used the creator’s products in the past and have such an utmost respect for the integrity and knowledge of that person that I feel comfortable making a recommendation to my followers. This was true of the new product recently launched by Mike Dillard, MLM Traffic Formula 2.0.
In fact, in this latter group, there are only a handful of people who fit this category for me.
They include Mike Dillard, Perry Marshall, Eben Pagan and a few others.
That’s not to say that other Internet Marketers aren’t just as good or shouldn’t be included on this list. I just haven’t had the personal experience to add them to MY LIST.
As most of my readers know, I only really recommend a handful of products on this blog (see Resources Tab). But you can rest easily knowing that these products get my PERSONAL recommendation because I have first hand knowledge of their excellence.
After all, my reputation is on the line.
I know that if I recommend a really bad product that doesn’t deliver what it promises (just to make a small commission), I will lose the trust of my loyal readers. And I can’t let that happen! 
Enough already with the Affiliate Marketing Merry Go Round.
It’s making my head spin. Too many can’t miss products, too many empty promises, too many of the same old products gift-wrapped into the new and biggest thing.
Let’s have some integrity. Let’s get honest with people. Stop making a few bucks at other people’s expense.
The economy is bad enough.. we don’t need to add to other’s financial issues!
Your Friend on the Inside,
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