I’ve been wandering for a few months.
Taking a break from internet marketing because, well it can send you a tad CRAZY if you’re not able to stand back a few feet and see it for what it is, which is certainly interesting, definitely profitable, but not exactly earth shattering in terms of gravitas.
My approach to internet marketing is that if you have the right mindset you’ll be able to make as much money as you want online… if you focus on doing the stuff that actually puts money into your account and nothing else, AND you come at it from a certain angle.
And that angle is not taking it too seriously.
Now hang on I know there are bills to pay and mouths to feed and I’m not making light of that.
I’m simply suggesting that panic causes paralysis and stops you thinking creatively.
Remember you’re not in a job here.
When you’re an employee you can plonk yourself behind your desk with an astounding hangover, and pretend you’re working when all you really want is sex or pizza. Maybe both.
You’re paid for your time not your knowledge or expertise.
But as an internet marketer you need to redefine the rules.
Creativity is what you (and I) do.
You don’t need to be the next Steve Jobs, you just need to be at least as creative and focused as your nearest competitor to make a lot of money.
To be totally honest there’s plenty of room for anyone with half a brain to make a very good living in internet marketing, courtesy of the 90% who mindlessly follow the herd. As a marketer, there’s NOTHING better than other marketers jumping on the bandwagon and following the newest shiniest right?
I’ll be totally honest about this…
I’m writing this blogpost at around 11pm on a Wednesday evening.
…and I feel like I’m in the middle of an epic Greek battle.
On one side I’ve just been reading support tickets that came across the ticket desk from subscribers who are asking which are the best products to create in terms of ‘current popularity’
And then I’m looking at JV invites and emails from mastermind groups I’m involved with from people who are pretty much doing the trend-setting of the entire market by creating products.
The difference ain’t intelligence guys.
I know millionaires who are confused by toilet paper.
Anyhow so I took some time off to try to figure out why some people seem to be easily able to make money online and other appear to have a huge concrete slab placed in between themselves and success.
And it’s just one thing.
Self-belief
That’s it. There IS no other factor, and the older I get and the more experienced as an internet marketer the more I genuinely believe that it’s all down to self-belief.
They don’t ask advice, they don’t ask permission, they just DO.
I’m trying to give you an insight into how simple the whole IM world is without mentioning names or giving too much away here…
..But I never get an email from a successful marketer saying ‘I’m thinking of creating a product about…’
Nope never.
Instead I get emails saying ‘Hi Tone, I’m about to launch my new coaching program on the 23rd – you REALLY don’t want to miss this because….
I know these guys are established.
But they weren’t BORN established.
And here’s the point of this post:
At the present time in internet marketing you can ‘engineer’ yourself an easier time that most gurus had when they started out.
I don’t know if you’ve spotted the current trend but currently gurus and big marketers are most decidedly OUT of fashion.
And, courtesy of the phenomenon that is the Warrior Special Offers Forum YOU can grab a slice of the pie.
Don’t make the mistake that many big marketers have of thinking this is just a glitch in the pecking order because it isn’t.
Anything that processes around $20 MILLION in sales since it’s inception can’t be doing that badly.
And have you noticed how many big marketers have jumped on the bandwagon and are launching their own WSOs?
They’re not all having an easy time of it either.
When you launch a WSO the thread is open to public discussion which I think is FABULOUSLY interesting, because the big guys can’t operate the same level of crap customer service and ‘rack em and stack em’ procedures that they use on mainstream product launches.
Even better, the current trend is (I think) similar to the punk movement on the late 70’s and early 80’s.
(Showing my age now – but hip hop had a similar effect)
The little guy is pushing through.
Everyone want to hear about REAL, unpolished street-level marketing techniques in the way that when punk came through it buggered up the credibility of many established, popular but BORING bands.
Slick guru presentations are losing out to guerilla-style information-led products.
It doesn’t matter that much that a cobbled together PDF has several typos because the information it contains revels how a REAL bloke at home has been earning $20,000 a month froma niche technique he’s used.
There’s also a lot of crap out there on the WSO forum too.
The skill comes in weeding out the poop.
But it also means that (again in my opinion) there has NEVER yet been a time like this in internet marketing. I think it’s on par with the early days when you coudl pretty much make a fortune by putting up a simple ebook site.
There’s NEVER been a time when the small guy – and YES I’m talking about newcomers – are going to be accepted without question as is happening right now.
A big part of being an entrepreneur is TIMING. It’s seeing the right market conditions.
And if you’ve never released a product before then you couldn’t pick a better time that right now.
For $40 and a $19 Warrior Plus fee you can get your offer in front of tens of thousands of people and hundreds of affiliate who trawl the listings just SEARCHING for something new to promote.
Compare that to spending ten thousand dollars to get a direct mail campaign up and running before the internet became accessible.
Let’s be honest and brutal. You don’t really have an excuse for not getting something out there.
My WSO earnings total more than $30,000 so far and I’m only playing at it. Some marketers have made over 100k from a single WSO.
Here’s the best bit.
Marketers that you and I had never heard of last year are now pulling in 6 figure sums from just writing about what they know, selling tools that they create, interviewing top marketers, offering services and selling products they’ve had created by outsourcers.
And there’s only ONE thing stopping anyone reading this post from doing the same…
Self-Belief.
Actually two things. You need to get up off your arse and start working on your first WSO.
Don’t miss this extremely interesting time in the history of Internet Marketing.
Even if you’re seventy years old, this is your chance to be a street punk.
Enjoy it 🙂
Comments welcome. Are marketers to blame for their own lack of success?
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Definitely Sid for me … I love punk and how refreshing hearing an internet marketer talking about something I relate to.
Brilliant post Tony, giving us all something positive to think about.
Thanks and all the best
Karen
Thanks for posting Karen.
Some would argue that the Sex Pistols were just a manufactured ‘boy band’ of the time. But I saw young people who couldn’t play a note picking up guitars and forming bands because punk was all about not having to be ‘qualified’ to join in.
They learned their trade ‘on the job’.
Spot the analogy with internet marketing 😉
Cheers
Tony
Nice Post, Tony…and exactly what I just did with my own venture into serious marketing. Happy to see the “Hippy” in you surfacing.
Pat
Tony, great post – you are such a good writer! I agree with you, it’s all in the mind. Well, sometimes it is a lack of trchnical knowhow as well. But we should persevere and hopefully get there in the end.
Anna
Thanks for the push Tony. I know I have to do a first WSO to get my new PLR site off the ground, but I also agree with Anna. when you don’t have the technical know-how you can waste hours doing stuff that won’t get you earning money any time soon. And I mean little things like trying to change the size of font on a sidebar, not to mention actual squeeze pages!
I know what you mean Sharyn. There are some things you can outsource but there are some skills you really DO need to know if you’re going to compete online.
I started off using a horrible ‘sitebuilder’ add on to the first hosting I had. Cost me an extra $10 a month and looked seriously crap.
Wouldn’t get away with it today although the other side of the coin is that there are so many templates available these days that it’s easier to find something that fits.
The thing to do is look at the skills that are holding you back time and time again and learning how to do them.
If we’re wandering into the territory of discomfort too, ask yourself how LONG you’ve been held up by not having certain technical knowledge.
If it’s more than a few weeks so out there and bloody well LEARN how to do it!
I’m speaking from experience. I left learning how to FTP files WAYYYYY too long and it both held me back and cost me money.
Thanks for your great comments guys,
Tony
Thank you for sharing this Tony. That you compare things to those punk days is quite remarkable for a hippy, ‘no fun no future’ hey ;-), but I get your point.
Still most good wso’s are written by people who have years of experience making money online, like yourself.
The opportunity is there though and that is great.
Jason wrote: “Still most good wso’s are written by people who have years of experience making money online, like yourself”
You sure about that mate?
Some do have experience. But others produce WSO’s about how the y cracked $5k a month within a year or less.
How long have you been doing this?
I don’t mean to be arsey, and really appreciate your comments. But are you sure you’re not talking yourself out of having a go?
I tell you what I HAVE noticed. When someone does their first WSO they do another one damn quick because they’ve seen how profitable they are.
Have a think J – see if there’s anything you could put together.
Thanks again for posting
T
What about the thought that WSO’s are what the crowd are doing…I remember you saying when you find what the sheep are doing you can find gold by running in the opposite direction (or something like that…!) How do you decide whether to jump on the bandwagon or run the other way?
The problem I see with WSO’s is that you’d have to do something special to offe it for more than $5-$10. The usual model is $5 front and then an upsell or two – which needs to complement/enhance the front product.
The topics which seem to sell are driving traffic or ‘how to make money’ strategies. It can make the right recipe holder a lot of money – at least for now. As competition (supply) increases price is driven down as we’ve seen with every man and his dog giving you $10k training courses for $5!!!
Maybe I’m just grumpy. I think it’s good way to access a large market very cheaply but limits you to the recipe that WSO’s are made for.
Cheers
Ian
WSO Recipe = $5 front end + 1(or 2) upsells at a higher price.
Topics = More traffic or Make Money (Quite Fast) technique
Add in a bit of hype and you’re there.
How do you decide Tony whether to run in the opposite direction of the herd (like I’ve heard you say many times) or to jump on the band wagon?
WSO’s are easy and cheap way to access a market and affiliate progam but you can’t stray far away from the recipe if you want success. I think it will be short lived as people will tire of being offered $10k perceived value for $5, get forced into an upsell they weren’t bargaining for and eventually not progressing or achieving the kind of results to headline claimed.
Cynical? Maybe. Make the most of them while they last is my take on it!
All the best
Ian
Excellent points Ian – good to have something to wrestle with!
You ask ‘How can you jump on the bandwagon AND not go with the herd?’
I love it.
And WSO’s are pretty much a herd mentality for sure. But it’s a common sense one. For $50 you can get ready-made traffic in exactly the right niche. It’s too good to miss.
That’s why I think it’s perfect for newcomers with no lists or a fast means of building one. It’s ideal.
Your other point is VERY interesting.
You basically wonder if prices are being driven down by WSO’s and underpricing products.
Yes they probably are.
I suppose the real question is ‘Is it a bad thing that prices are dropping?’
It depends whether the VOLUME sold increases or not. A mate of mine sold a WSO for $5 that was worth (and was previously selling for) a lot more, but he made (I believe) somewhere between $20k and $100k from doing so.
He wouldn’t have sold anywhere near the same valume at the orginal price of a few hundred dollars or made the same profit.
From my own experience I can tell you that there definitely IS a price range of $5-$9 for WSO’s now. It’s become acceptable.
So if a 20-page PDF can sell the same as a 25 video course for the same price, which would YOU create?
With WSO’s you’re seeing front end products remember. I don’t see any decrease in back-end prices. Upsells, continuity, mentoring etc semm to be staying the same.
So you COULD argue that the WSO forum isn’t actaully driving down the price of products, it’s just allowing marketers to charge $5-$9 for what would originally have been a squeeze page freebie.
Loved your comments Ian – thanks!
Tony
Interesting insights – Punk was before my time but I grew up on hip hop when it was underground! Anyway I think there will always be two groups of people:
1) Those who just buy stuff and learn new techniques but do nada.
2) Those who just do it.
Of course the good news it if you are in group #1 you can slap yourself in the face and move to the second group.
Though you can fool yourself into thinking you are busy by doing techy stuff etc. But it’s all about the marketing, you got to sell to make the green.
And who cares if all you can sell as a WSO is a low ticket $5 or $7 offer… If it’s good and it sells you make some money and are getting a list of buyers!
Cheers,
Dave.
Interesting comments Dave.
Totally agree that you can fool yourself into thinking ‘techy’ stuff is actual work. Or even that research is work too.
The real work is what puts money into your account, whatever that might entail.
Thanks for posting mate
Tony
Enlightning post as usual Tony! Techy stuff has held me back forever … sometimes it gets better and then I run into a new
roadblock! You’re right the answer is to not give up and find
the info, but some of us just sidestep the issue or back off …
I’m screwing up my resolve to do a WSO and you just pushed me
a little closer,
Thanks,
Fran
Hey Fran, thanks for posting.
Maybe the way to look at it is tha WSO is just a great way to reach a ready-to-eat target market of hungry buyers for $50.
Then just go create a product for it (that’s what I do)
Cheers
Tony
Hi Tony,
Who’s Barry Manilow? 😉 Just kidding.
I personally like doing WSOs. It’s like having 2 lists to market to – my regular list and the Warrior Forum people. My current WSO has been very successful and you can’t beat the positive comments for building your brand.
I totally agree about self-belief being the biggest roadblock.
Start with creating a product – no one even has to see it if you’re that uncomfortable with it. Then create more, or tweak your first one, and get it out there. Take action!
It’s like a line in the Extremely Goofy Movie (yes, I have kids) “I can’t miss you if you don’t leave.” In internet marketing it’s “I can’t buy your product if don’t have one.”
Glad to see you back posting, Tony.
Peggy
Hiya Peggy (where’s your avatar gone?)
Always nice to hear from you.
You mentioned a couple of things here that show anyone who knows about marketing that YOU know your stuff.
Yes you should treat it as two lists because that’s exactly what it is. The trick is getting them peeps from the WSO list onto your own 🙂
…and secondly that comment about creating an initial product that no-one has to see if you’re uncomfortable with it.
That’s VERY insightful mate.
How many people reading this have completed products but never launched them because they’re afraid that people won’t like them?
It’s somewhere we’ve ALL been at some point in our careers.
Thanks for posting mate
Tony
Really good post Tony.
@Peggy Thank you! What an Aha moment when you said “Create a product…No one has to see it. And then create more.” Make a ‘Practice’ Product. Just like a first draft of a book or article. For people who are afraid to create or don’t think it will be good enough this is a great strategy to get going on something.
You don’t have those anxious thoughts if you know nobody is going to see this except you. You can really just focus on building the best product you can. And actually see if you can create something you can be proud to sell.
Hopefully my avatar is showing now. I won’t know until I post this. 😉
Thanks Tony. Yes! Get those WSO buyers onto your list. I figure that’s one big reason to post a WSO:
1) Sell the product to make money and help others.
2) Get people on your list so you can market to them on the backend.
3) Build your brand and name recognition, which sets you up nicely for your next WSO.:)
@Mike – Some people think their product will be immediately on display with bright lights and blinking arrows pointing at it the minute they finish it.
Nope, not until they’re ready to list it in the marketplace and actively promote it. So, yes, call it a practice product if you need to and get over that first hurdle!
Peggy
Yep you’re showing up now Peggy!
(Wonder why I’m not….:)
Excellent thought and totally true: “””…there’s plenty of room for anyone with half a brain to make a very good living in internet marketing, courtesy of the 90% who mindlessly follow the herd. As a marketer, there’s NOTHING better than other marketers jumping on the bandwagon and following the newest shiniest right?”””
It’s high time those gurus flogging off their “””magic beans””” crap products with ninja names got put out to pasture.
Hi Tony
Ok so i am now hooked on your site
I tried for ages to make money last year and got nowhere fast
even got a full time va doing stuff for me cost around $10k so far !!! and little results
Ok so maybe i could learn from you
cheers
j
Hey Tony,
So thrilled to find your site and these articles, so much great info mate.
I am still learning about Internet Marketing (we never stop learning anyway right?) and I think that WSO’s are not for just anyone.
I’m a war room member there (became that to be able to release WSOs in the near future) but I’m not exactly a ‘regular’ with thousands of posts.
Instead, I’m just a guy who observes carefully to know what the heck to expect for when I launch my own stuff there.
For one, people in the Warrior Forum are SPOILED.
And I don’t mean spoiled in the sense that they want their stuff almost for free, I mean spoiled in the sense that there’s this ‘bashing trend’ that is starting to build up on my nerves.
I’m not a shy guy when it comes to discussions (even much less if they were directed at me) and I would certainly be glad to go at it when the time comes but the thing is, why do people have to fight so much in there anyway?
Whenever I see someone post their WSO, the first questions go like this:
“What are the rights to this?”
“What if I put it on my site and sell it?”
“How much money have you made with this?”
And then they slowly start sneaking into the bashing thing, which is:
“I haven’t received anything and I already bought it one hour ago”
“I don’t like OTO’s why is there an OTO?”
“Your product is rehashed garbage, you n00b”
“I already sent tickets there, contacted you on your blog, added you on skype, where the heck are you, refund my money!”
“Great, you sell me your product at $5 and then I need an OTO for $47 even if you tell me it’s not needed, I want my money back now”
Honestly, I haven’t even started creating my products and I am already thinking “I WANT OUT OF THIS NONSENSE”
At first I thought it was only for the poor little ones who were starting (like me) but then again, I was wrong.
People that have thousands of posts, dozens of WSOs, thousands on their lists, THESE people are getting bashed too.
And it’s not any sweeter than what I wrote above, it’s a LOT worse.
I don’t have any problems selling a WSO for $1, $5, $7 or even for building my list and giving 100% commission and approve any crazy nut to promote the WSO.
What I don’t understand is WHY the bashing.
It’s almost like turning into a sport already.
There is this other guy, who is a “php whiz”, his WSOs ALWAYS end up in brawls.
I understand we are not playing games here, we’re doing business, with real money involved.
But whenever I see this guy post a new WSO I’m already going to the kitchen to grab a beer and prepare some popcorn to watch the show that will follow afterwards.
It’s just crazy.
I WILL, however, get in the ring but I think that we need to be able to understand, that a WSO may not be for everybody.
I don’t think I am exaggerating but every mind is a unique world.
What are your thoughts on this?
Sergio
PS. Sorry for the big ass comment but I don’t have any writing skills! 😉