Internet Marketing For Newbies

I have some great news to go along with the great timing. Mark, from “The Niche Store Builder” website, is doing a one week series on how to convert most WordPress themes to work with BANS. He has converted quite a few already and has some themes for sale if you just want to get up and running without learning how to convert them yourself. If you would prefer to buy a converted theme, click here to see the available themes. However, if like me you want to learn how to do this yourself, then click on “Converting WordPress Templates to work with BANS” and join us at the Niche Store Builder blog.

I’ve have several of Marks themes and I can tell you from personal experience that Mark has the ability to convey information so that you will understand it! Mark uses both text and video most of the time so no mater how you learn best, you’ll be covered. I would urge you to subscribe to his RSS feed, you will learn a lot about BANS and where it’s heading.

I’m currently working on a new WordPress/BANS site and I thought I’d post here as I build it so you can see how I go about it. We talked about FOCUS, goals and organization in a previous post and I’ll get into some of that here.

The goal and FOCUS (why do you keep using caps for FOCUS? To stress how important FOCUS is!) of this project has several prongs.

1. To build a blog and BANS site with the niche based on computers and related items.
2. To post on the project here as an instructional aid
3. To test new wp-plugins
4. Produce a few videos to show you how some thing are done

First off, what is BANS (Build A Niche Store). This is a program (script) that allows you to become the middle man. When someone Google’s for say, golf clubs, your Golf Club BANS site listing should show up in the Google results (one of your jobs is to get your listing as close to the top as you can, hopefully the number 1 spot). When they click on your site they will see a listing of all the golf clubs. When they click on one of your listing it will take them to that listing on eBay with YOUR cookie attached. If they buy ANYTHING (not just golf clubs) on eBay in the next 7 days, you get a percentage of eBay’s fees. You can go HERE for a full explanation of BANS.

Before we start building the site we need to get organized. Below is how I go about  organizing my BANS project.

The folders above are all placed inside your main folder named after your site i.e. Golf Clubs or MyGolfClubs.com. This will save you a ton of time and frustration especially as you grow your site and your IM empire.

Next time we’ll cover setting up your WP/BANS site which will be covered over several post. I’m also working on a worksheet to help with the installation so I/you don’t forget anything. I’ll stick the worksheet in the download area for you to download. I’ll be building the worksheet as I go along so there will be many revisions. Keep checking back to make sure you have the latest version. If you signed up for my newsletter, I’ll add a link to the latest version.

PS  I almost forgot. I’m testing a wp-plugins called smart ads with this post. Smart ads - Automatically adds advertisements before and after your post’s single page content based on word count or post age. You can also ad custom ads wherever you like by typing <!-smartads- > into your posts!

I set it for 100 words and no delay. I’ll leave it up for several days then I’m going to reset it for a 20 day delay. If all goes well you should see AdSense ads on the top of this post or if you read this after I reset it you’ll not see it unless it’s after the 20 day delay in which case you should see the AdSense ads.

Till later…

What is the number one killer of IM’ers? What makes them pack up their keyboard and quite? It’s probably not what you think!

If I only had that software tool for those killer keyword phrases or that article spinning software or (just put anything you want in here). There are enough FREE tool and FREE information out there that you can make it in Internet Marketing. Sure, the software, ebooks, subscription sites will give you more knowledge, skills, and yes, money BUT they are also part of the problem.

I know I’m going to be stepping on a few toes here, because everyone wants you on their mailing list (including me) but it needs to be said especially if your a newbie. The number one problem is FOCUS, or should I say LACK of focus. Everything is new to you and your mind is trying to absorb it all. You’re probably not sure in what direction you want to start in,  Affiliate Marketing, BANS, VRE and the list goes on.

OK, you make the decision to do affiliate marketing and you dig for more research on how to go about it. You find this great sales page that states if you buy xyz ebook you’ll have everything you need to make it in affiliate marketing. You buy this ebook and you leave them with your name and email address so they can send you the download link (you’re on their list now). As you  read the ebook you will find links to special tools that will help you build your business. After you click on some of the links and buy some new tools (you’re on their list now), you’ll discover that this special tool not only does xyz but it will do abc for VRE sites that says if you want to make it BIG in IM you really need to start building some VRE sites. I’m not picking on VRE sites, I have some myself, it anything that takes your FOCUS away from your target niche.

Bottom line, you will be bombarded with emails, reports, and other things that takes your eye off the ball, you’ll lose FOCUS and then out of frustration, because you have spent all this Un-Focused time in IM and have very little or nothing at all money wise to show for it, quit.

So what do I do? The very first thing you should do is set up a Google gmail account or some other email account that pops up on your home page when you open your browser. Now every time you fill out an opt-in page or whatever, you use this gmail account. You will want to read some of this email because you are going to find some great deals and information and so on, BUT you are going to read this email at a time that you set aside for it, preferably after you get all the work done on IM’ing that you planned for that day. By having it on your home page you will be able to scan the subjects just incase you are waiting on a particular email.

Next I would subscribe to Wealthy Affiliate (you can read more about this on my Product Recommendation Page). Here you will get a SOLID IM education and a host of tools that are free for members. This is a VERY ACTIVE site. After several weeks you’ll have a general knowledge of Internet Marketing, and you should pick one niche, JUST one. Pick the direction you want to start your IM business in.

Now spend a few months learning and building your IM empire. AFTER you have a solid knowledge of and income coming in from the line you choose, it’s time to pick another line and add it to your IM empire. You’ll want several income streams coming in just incase something would happen to one income stream you’ll still have money coming in from other areas. I personally have three lines coming in, BANS (Build A Niche Store), Affiliate Marketing (PPC & Article Marketing) and VRE (Virtual Real Estate).

On upcoming posts will talk more on how to stay FOCUSED, the top two, - daily goals - organization.

Till next time…