Archive for the ‘Entrepreneurship’ Category
Why You’re Going To Have To “Let Go” Of Your Online Business To Grow It Going Forward…
I review a LOT of websites, offers, ezines, products, businesses and on and on when it comes to Internet Marketing (most NOT in the Make Money Online niche).
I haven’t seen enough marketers start to “let go” of their businesses yet. And this mindset will slowly begin to erode the “shell” you’ve hidden behind in your business…then kill that business in the next 3 to 10 years, guaranteed.
What do I mean?
Well, it’s a deep concept usually reserved for my coaching clients…but I will attempt to give the “bird’s eye view” here in this post. And before you dismiss this as simple, or not applicable to you, you need to think of 2 questions first:
1) Am I really conducting business this way?
2) Am I sure this doesn’t apply to me?
Onward.
“Letting go” of your online business means, in simple terms, that you don’t have anything involved in your business processes or marketing that give the impression you want to take control away from the visitors, prospects, or customers/clients that help you grow that business (notice I didn’t say “your customers” because they aren’t yours or mine…they’re people).
And that means you have nothing that gives that impression.
Here’s a list of concepts that help you “let go”:
- Transparency.
This means your business and your activities aren’t hidden behind your monitor. That’s right, people are going to eventually quit doing business with people they can’t see everything about. For those of you who think hiding behind an anonymous name on chat boards and forums is “cool” and thinking that you can do business that way, well, you’re done.
- Risk Reversal (real risk reversal, not the wimpy kind).
True risk reversal involves a “more than solid” guarantee of your product or service. Instead of wimpy “30-day” guarantees…try a 12 month double your money back if this doesn’t work guarantee. Your sales will go up, your refund rates might too, but not as much as your sales. In some cases, your refund rate doesn’t go up, it goes down. 
Let that sink into your head for a minute.
- Putting yourself out there (in promotions, not related to transparency).
Are you afraid of putting yourself out there? Afraid of adding some controversy to this mix? So long as your doing things legally, ethically, and morally…you should be fine. So get your promos where people will see them!
- Policies and service that are totally in favor of the people who give you money. (who gives a &*&*& if they buy a digital product from you, get a refund, then keep the product. Products and ideas are a dime a friggin’ dozen…so make a new one).
If people work up the trust to buy from you, or become a lifelong customer, what are you going to do to keep earning that trust? Yeah, yeah, there are some crappy customers out there who might scam you…but it’s the smaller percentage (less than 2%)…so really, what are you going to focus on? The 2% who aren’t honest and won’t make you money? Or the 98% who are honest and will make you a TON of moolah (if you work hard to keep that trust)?
- Delivering on your promises when people give you their hard-earned money.
There are a few “big” “goo-roo” companies in the “make money online” niche that have made hefty promises with newsletter offers and such, then failed to deliver (I’ve tested them all, and only ONE actually met all of the promises they made).
If you have a product to deliver, deliver it BEFORE you bill the next month’s payment (and yes, you can…there’s NO excuses here). If you make a promise to a customer, honor it…period.
And…
If a client/customer wants a refund or needs something to take care of them, do it…without question. If you feel you’re being taken advantage of, refund their money and move on to people who will do business fairly with you. Just remember that’s a 2-way street…not just a one-way street.
Your refund policies mean nothing to the customer, and while that may sound like a BIG, fat wrong thing to you…you’d better get used to it and just take care of them, even when it seems like they’re being idiots.
- Participating in Social Media.
This is a big one, letting go of your business also means participating in it…as social media will take a larger and larger role in the growth of businesses both online and offline in the near future.
Quit hiding behind your monitor, and talk to people. This is an interactive medium, not a one-way communication tool.
There’s obviously way more I could add to this DEEP subject, but this should give you a start towards thinking about “letting go” of your online business.
And obviously, I’m not perfect in a couple of these areas myself, but I have plans to improve my shortcomings NOW…because I realize the survival of my businesses will depend on it.
The survival of your online business will depend on it as well…so get to it! Start to “let go” right now. And don’t give me some “wimpy-wad” excuse why you can’t…you can.
Until the next time we look in the mirror together,
Joseph Ratliff
P.S. I’m at work on the first of my “manifestos”, titled “Rules, What Rules?”…which is a guide to empowering you to live life and build your business the way you want to, because there aren’t “rules” that govern how you should do that.
It should be completed within the next 60 days or sooner.
Can You See Through The Online Clutter?
Sometimes, it is really hard to see an opportunity through all of the “clutter” out there.
What am I speaking of?
A mentality amongst entreprenuers online that there is too much competition out there to be profitable in this online niche/business/affiliate marketing opportunity etc…
Know what I say to that? Pfui.
You really can create a business, even when competition is at it’s highest.
Here is today’s lesson on how to “separate yourself from the crowd in a crowded market.”
Let’s use affiliate marketing as today’s example…
What usually happens when you sign up for an affiliate opportunity that is popular? Do you really think that affiliate opportunity, if it is a viable business, will be sold by anyone besides you?
Of course it will. Good affiliate opportunities seem to “catch on”, and be sold by everyone on the planet.
Right?
So what are you to do? Give up and let everyone else make all the money?
Here is a little secret…
Of the thousands of people that sign up for good affiliate opportunities…
75% of them are making hardly any money at all. That’s right, hardly any money at all.
Why is this?
Well, it lies in the reason many people sign up for affiliate opportunities in the first place. As human beings, we want an “easy” way to make money. In other words, we possess a greed gland.
So we sign up for the affiliate program, confirm the email, and make the crucial mistake that will put us in the 75% category…
We do what everyone else is doing to sell the affiliate program/product/service.
Wanna see through the online clutter?
Wanna join the top 25% of any affiliate program?
Here is the secret:
Add your personality to the materials in the affiliate program. Make the materials they provide your own. Make it seem like the offer came from you.
Even better…
Test graphics, copy, and email marketing…and really make the whole product seem your own.
In other words…do what others won’t do and get results that others can’t get.
Period.
Work at it. Separate yourself from all of the clutter.
So, how does this apply to business in general?
Even if you own an offline business, there is never too much competition. You just have to be creative, get off your butt, and do what other business owners won’t do to separate yourself from the crowd.
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The Best Of This Blog Year 1
Here’s a list of posts that have had the most views in year one of The JosephRatliff.com Blog, enjoy (each link opens in a new window) :
Internet Business And The Ripple Effect
Are You Lying To Your Email Readers?
Why You’re Probably Missing The Boat With Social Media Marketing
Society Kills The Internet Star
How To Grow Your Business Fast, And Why You’ll Never Actually Do It
How Fast Would You Paddle To Keep From Going Over A Waterfall?
And just in case you wanted to see more…
I will do one of these once a year in February…to kinda “recap” the previous year.
