Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

I have used the ideas I offer in this piece to successfully build name recognition, and generate increased pre-qualified sales leads, for myself.

They are not new. But I did not follow convention in putting them to use for my purposes.

Instead, I had to creatively adapt them to suit my needs. Indeed I was forced by circumstances to creatively adapt them to suit the unique challenges I encountered (details below) in marketing my products and services!

In the rest of this article, I share four(4) experience based tips about achieving sustainable web marketing success …

1. Sometimes you may not be able to exploit valuable monetization avenues available online

I happen to work from a part of the world (Nigeria/Benin/Africa) where getting trusted by people in other parts of the world is not easy.

Having said that, the fact that I have clients/buyers in and out of Africa today (as well as a US based business partner of over 4 years) attests to the power of diligent and persistent use of smart web marketing.

This is why I’m such a fervent advocate of intelligent web marketing systems development.

In 2013, a US based Internet Marketer I reached out to, gave me URLs to several top Affiliate Marketing companies to sign up with to monetize my blog.

He did that after seeing the work I’d done creating a regularly updated library of new content on my multidisciplinary blog. According to him, the next step, based on successes he had achieved, was for me to integrate monetization tools on my blog.

I eagerly contacted the companies he’d given me URLs to. But every single one of them replied saying something along the lines of:

“We do not currently accept applications from your part of the world”!

Those that did not say that, simply never responded to my emails.

Now, I was used to rejection. As a student of success and authentic achievement, I understood that dealing with rejection was a part of the process.

However, after I’d Googled and tried another ten or so companies, and gotten still the same or no response, I knew I had to think of something else.

So I did more searching and reading online.

Among other resources, I came across Steve Roller’s article titled “Reap What You Sow” on the AWAI website(more on this below).

After reading and reflecting on Steve’s ideas, I knew I had to think differently about what I was doing, especially as it related to implementing components of my Web Marketing System.

The result of reinventing myself in that regard, has been that I now enjoy superior search engine visibility and pre-qualiied sales leads generation. This has translated to increased sales conversions, increased subscriber base, among other benefits.

2. Depending on website traffic to earn income is good, but it’s not safe to depend ONLY on traffic.

Reason: If anything goes wrong, at anytime, that negatively affects traffic one gets, it’s likely to also affect traffic dependent earnings as well.

In my case, I got a rude awakening, after working hard to build content and promote it to attract increased traffic, when my 9 year old domain (spontaneousdevelopment.com) got poached in May 2014.

Strangely, this happened about 48 hours after a US based ad company contacted me
about advertising on my site…

One minute I was looking at potential USD earnings based on my traffic, and the next minute there was nothing to see!

When that happened, I realized the hidden danger of depending only on traffic.

It occurred to me that I was lucky to have been implementing other strategies e.g. creating and selling information products, as well as building a mailing list.

Basically, I offered visitors to my website a useful resource (free e-book, report/educational commercial etc) in exchange for their contact details.

But, except they came back to me, or purchased a product or service before subscribing, I never thought to try selling anything directly to them on my list.

The truth was that I’d been building a mailing list for years, without ever thinking of “selling” to my subscribers (who I just kept sending my FREE newsletter broadcasts).

But I focused mainly on new website visitors who found my stuff and enquired about buying.

Note however that a few subscribers did periodically reach out to ask about, and buy something.

But that tended to be more the exception than the norm. I simply never thought to diligently explore selling to the list!

Now, I happen to know that many website owners who put capture and contact forms on their sites also do this.

Getting subscriber notifications is like a routine to them. They never consider going a step further to connect with such subscribers, with a view to making them buy – possibly again and again.

The result is that if they are unable to get good traffic on a sustainable basis, or they experience a sudden setback, like I did, their income suffers a major negative impact as a result.

That is NOT a good way to operate, and some people get demoralized and quit when things go bad.

In my case, after losing my domain, my stubbornness kept me going.

I invested in creating MORE information products, audio/video products, and software, BUT this time, with my mailing list of subscribers in mind as the primary target audience!

In fact, at a point I began using the information they supplied via my website contact forms, to contact them – on phone especially. During such interactions, I asked questions about how I could help them, what they needed to move their businesses forward, and so on.

I do this via a process called “data mining”, which involves studying the profiles of subscribers in my mailing list database, and inquiries/requests they make, so as to come up with new solutions I can offer them for a fee.

It turned out to be a good move, because some gave me useful insights that led me to create new solution that they and others bought!

In my case, I began doing the above, when I was unable to get access to traffic based
monetization systems.

Today, I can tell you it’s the most reliable way to get sustainable long term returns on one’s Web Marketing efforts.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Traffic based earnings also matter.

But this approach of recruiting subscribers into a mailing list, and then creating and selling high profit solutions to them, enables one make more money faster, from a fewer number of people (e.g. monthly mentoring/coaching, access to consultation, e-courses, information products, software products etc).

The best part is that these would be people with a confirmed enduring interest in such solutions you offer.

This is why I recommend it be used to complement traffic based income generation.

3. Creating Passive Income Generating Information Products is crucial to marketing and money making success – on or off the web

My popular Livestock Practical Feed Formulation Handbook PDF sells for $82 USD in my online store.

Recall I told you my 9 year old domain (spontaneousdevelopment.com) got poached by my former web host, last year?

Well, if I had been mainly dependent on traffic, I would NEVER have recovered as quickly as I did. But because I had my database of pre qualified prospects who had signed up to get my information products before then, I simply sent them all an email broadcast notifying them of the problem.

Then I moved my website content to tayosolagbade.com, which I’d bought a year earlier, and I was up and running on the new site within a week!

The interesting thing was that since then, some of them have told me they never knew anything changed, because they kept getting my mails all through that period.

When you have a mailing list of website visitors who took a step further to get something you offered in exchange for access to their contact details, they provide you a captive audience you can sell high ticket solutions to.

Our key strategy should be to build that kind of audience, with the site, and then promote passive income generating products and services to them, even as our traffic based monetization systems continue to yield returns on the site itself.

My Excel-VB Ration Formulator app sells for about $65 USD equivalent. I have other products I create and offer to my list.

Regarding creating one’s own unique range of branded passive income generating products to sell, among other benefits, I recommend one Speaker Mentoring product offered by Burt Dubin:

http://www.speakingsuccess.com/tools/bootcamp5.htm

A certain friend recently pointed out that what Burt offers via remote mentoring, is NOT the same as the hands on public speaking training that can be had by joining Toastmasters for instance.

He was right, and I told him so.

But I went further to add that what Burt offers is different, and not intended to replace basic training an aspiring speaker may need to be exposed to.

You see Burt always encourages aspiring speakers to join Toastmasters. It’s a good starting point for anyone interested in speaking in public.

But he rightly points out that Toastmasters is for amateurs. Not paid professional speakers.

In other words, Burt’s solutions are NOT meant to give basic Public Speaking instruction!

In his mentoring, he actually tells learners where to go to get basic speaking training – and even gives tips on what to look for in choosing!

What Burt offers is to use his mentoring to help aspiring speakers discover their unique selling point, and build their brand around it, to go from basic level to speaking professionally at big ticket events, while generating income via passive channels at the same time.

It goes without saying that Burt teaches those he mentors how to replicate his model where possible, and earn income even when they DO NOT do any speaking.

Just like he has done for decades.

I have been creating my own range of passive income generating products from years of studying what Burt does, and also from reflecting on ideas I read in Robert Kiyosaki’s book!

Here’s a link to my announcement of a recent addition to my library of passive income generating products:

I sell this DVD to subscribers (some pay for courier delivery) and I have delivered several 1 hour talks on it to buyers.

Another example:

My Feed Formulation Handbook has been selling as a PDF since 2006 for $82 USD

Most international buyers get it from the above URL.

So that’s another way I earn passive income.

Publishing information products boosts one’s prestige and authority status, creating more buzz that attracts website traffic which (if one can get those) may also boost earnings from the ads, and affiliate resources.

In other words, done right, information products publishing can be a powerful complement to ALL
other marketing efforts one makes.

It is for this reason that I suggest you get a flagship information product written and published in your area of expertise, for use as a business marketing tool, as well as for income generation via sales.

Note that this kind of product will be a useful weapon for setting yourself apart from the crowd of competitors and others who do what you do.

When you’re known as the “author” of an authoritative publication in your field of expertise, that can earn you special recognition, in the minds of prospects and clients who fit your target audience profile.

4. To ensure sustainable marketing success, you must relentlessly implement multiple sales leads generation strategies

I touched on some of the ideas mentioned above, in my mind map based analysis of Steve Rollers article on generating sales leads.

You can download my image based mind map version of his article here (click)

I created it as an end-of-year gift to self-marketing professionals who visit my website.

As we all know, getting a STEADY and reliable stream of profitable paying clients is NOT easy to achieve.

This mind map, based on Steve Roller’s ideas, and my experience based insights, can really help those willing to do the work.

Watch my video explanation at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UXoECwegVA

Read the full article in which I provide detailed explanations and personal examples at:

http://www.tayosolagbade.com/sow-reap/

The “marketing” model shown in that mind map is the basis on which I do my own marketing, to get maximum rewards for my investment of time, effort and money.

You will notice Steve recommends that one “Write a book”

Believe me, it works! [For those who need help, I offer a ghost-writing service at www.tksola.com]

Note that he also suggests networking and giving talks.

Those work too…as do the rest of the 12 tips he shared.

The only thing is each of us may have to use them in different ways based on our unique circumstances.

That’s what I did to get my brand where it is today, with the search engine visibility and name recognition I enjoy.

It’s what I aim to continue doing, as creatively as possible, into the New Year, and beyond.

I recommend you do the same.