Online Marketing Success Blog - Internet Riches - e-Riches 2.0 by Scott Fox

Basketball Highlights Site Makes Bank! (New Podcast and Transcript)

If there’s one Internet business niche that you would think would be completely FULL – that’s on TV all the time and busy across the web 24/7, that might be sports.

There are now multiple ESPN channels, the major sports leagues, tons of websites, sections in every newspaper, part of every radio and TV news update – all that adds up to what feels like saturation coverage of sports. 

Could there still be room for new players to make money in SPORTS online?

Yes! 

Here's a great example of turning a passion into a lifestyle business online.

Matt Rodriguez from the basketball video highlights site BallisLife.com joins me for this Click Millionaires free podcast interview.

We discuss how he turned his passion for basketball into a big and very popular website and lifestyle business online.

 

Click on the blue player widget to listen in for Matt's advice on how he:

• Creates original videos and content that attract a huge audience
• Transitioned from his 9 to 5 to become a full-time entrepreneur
• Beats his competition
• Makes money from top name sponsors like Nike, Gatorade, EA Sports, and Foot Locker
• Uses Word of Mouth marketing strategies that have saved him big money
• Puts content first, social media second promotions strategy
• Sacrificed along the way to build his lifestyle business

Most importantly, listen to learn why Matt thinks there's room for your online passion to become a Click Millionaire lifestyle business, too.

 

TO LISTEN NOW: Click on the player widget above, visit this post at ScottFox.com, or my channel at BlogTalkRadio.com.

Listen to past podcast episodes here.

Download a free MP3 of this podcast here.

Subscribe to the Click Millionaires Radio Show on iTunes here. And your Review would be greatly appreciated, too!

 

BONUS!:  Download a free PDF Transcript of the the Click Millionaires Ball is Life Podcast interview here.

 

Thanks for listening!

 

 

Content is Currency - New Book Review Video

Content is Currency is the new content strategy book by Jon Wuebben.

Content IS your business today – like it or not.  We're all in the publishing game now - publishing our little hearts out trying to attract precious attention from our audiences.

But you'll get better results (meaning more traffic, more social media shares, better SEO rankings, and more sales) if you develop a good strategy for your content first.

That's what Jon's new book is all about.

I was lucky enough to get a pre-release copy of Content is Currency and here's what I said in the blurb you'll find inside:

"Read Content is Currency to learn the profitable content strategies you need to make more money online today. It's full of valuable details and real-world examples that can help you upgrade your marketing. I learned a lot reading it and you will, too."

Content is Currency talks about:

• The types of content you need for different markets and platforms (including mobile)
• How to create content that's attractive to readers, to news outlets, and to search engines,
• How to put social media to work to distribute your content
• And how to integrate all of your different channels of content to create a cohesive content strategy.

If these are challenges you face in your online business, Content is Currency is an informative guide that can help you create better content.

[See my video book review of Content is Currency here on YouTube, too.]

Remember Big Brother in 1984? Say Hello.

This is a guest post by Ken Evoy, Founder and
Chairman of the Board of SiteSell.com.

 When does 2 + 2 = 1984?

Short answer? Watch this thumbnail video (1+ min) and then come back for the full details...

http://www.youtube.com/sitesell

There is a clear and present danger on the Internet, based on two inarguable facts...

1) Google owns more private information on each of us than any other public or private entity (ex., all the regular, image and YouTube searches that we make, the content in all our Gmail, everything we do on Android and Chrome, what we say in Chat, appointments in Calendar, documents in Docs, even our locations, and on and on).

2) Google releases 93% of requests for this highly private information, largely from government which intrudes increasingly in our lives, curtailing our liberties. They release info on thousands of its users every quarter, and that number is growing every quarter.

Google does not appear to be willing to spend a small part of the billions of dollars of profit they earn each quarter to defend us from the release of all that information (which has a much higher expectation of privacy than, say, a Facebook post).

Put those two growing trends together and I'm not overstating matters when I say that 2 + 2 = 1984. Let's put that equation another way...

"Big Google" + "Big Government = "Big Brother"

And who knows where this all goes when lawyers start realizing that this data is accessible, and get court orders for clients in divorce hearings, business lawsuits, employer/employee relationships, health insurance, and on and on.

Compare the rosy picture Google paints with the risks buried in the the document that you actually "agree" to.

The cleverly crafted policy is riddled with hidden serious GOTCHAs...

• GOTCHA 1
• GOTCHA 2
• GOTCHA 3
• GOTCHA 4
• GOTCHA 5

Remember, this is not "theory" that "such-and-such might happen". Google really does release information on thousands of people quarterly (93% of all requests). Worse...

Google does not alert you to a request for your information, giving you no legal chance to contest a request.

So What Do We Do About This?

We have one good chance and it's happening right now because Google is changing its privacy policy. Google is particularly vulnerable right now for two reasons...

1) Google must publicize the significant changes, but is doing so in a misleading manner (i.e., "rosy" vs. "reality"). That gives us a unique window of opportunity to generate opposition.

2) They must also get consent to the new policy. Their proposed process is particularly objectionable...

"You can opt-out by never logging in to any of our services."

Fight this...

Add your voice to the growing siren call pushing Google to inform fully and ask fairly by signing this Petition.

And please don't stop there. Market it in every way you know...

Please see this post on Facebook for marketing strategies and proposed text for you to use.

Thanks very much to those who are working to stop the steps to 1984.

Bust the chains...

 # # #

This Guest Post is by Ken Evoy, Founder and Chairman of the Board of SiteSell.com.
An emergency physician who became a successful entrepreneur, Ken brands his business philosophy as "E-business Success. Simple. Real." SiteSell's flagship product, SBI!, delivers web-based businesses that thrive at proven unmatched rates and levels of success. Originally from Montreal, Canada, he currently resides in Anguilla.

 

The Game-Changer your Website Needs

Doing more of the same is not going to get you where you want to go. 

You need a game-changing upgrade to improve the sales from your website.

It's time to have an expert look at it.  And, until this Friday, February 3, I will do that personally for you for only $99.

I started ExpertWebsiteReviews.com to help entrepreneurs like you get affordable, plain English, expert advice on how to improve your websites. 

A personalized video review of your site can be the game changer your site needs to attract more visitors, get more sign-ups and comments, and convert more customers so you can make more money.

Usability, design, product strategy, even SEO - I'll cover all of these in a personalized 15 minute video review of your website.

BUT - the price is going UP by 50% on Friday!

Jump in today to get a personalized website review video for only $99.

Learn more and see sample videos here or see testimonials below.

p.s.  As you can see from the samples, I really do these video reviews personally.  That means I can't do too many at a time.  Be sure to order now before  my calendar fills up and the price jumps up big time to $149 each!

SOME RECENT TESTIMONIALS FOR EXPERTWEBSITEREVIEWS.COM:

"Scott's video review yielded a gold mine of specific information and ideas for me to use in making my site better and more profitable.

Expert is the key word in describing Scott's video website reviews."

Posted by: Lisa Gerard

 

"HI, there.

My Expert Website Review was posted a few days ago. It was very helpful to get a fresh opinion about what could be changed to increase sales.

I made some changes within the last few days, and I'm sure I will continue to tweek it. Hopefully this will help."

Posted by: Lori Biwer-Stewar

 

"Everyone who is serious about making money online should use Scotts Expert Website Review to make sure they're on the right track.

His advice was invaluable for my business!"

Posted by: Jesse Wright

 

"WOW...thank you Scott!!

I am sure glad I raised my hand for this SEO review.

I will get to work on these changes right away. I will need to watch this several times to get all locked in but you have given me lots to do...

Thanks again..."

Posted by: Cy

 

Now is YOUR chance to get your website upgrade started. Join these happy clients of ExpertWebsiteReviews.com and save $50 before the price jumps on Friday!

Order here now.

Thanks for your time today.

 

5 Pricing Mistakes that Keep You Poor

This is a guest post by Dina Eisenberg.  It includes some valuable info, a free offer, and a short survey request.  Thanks to Dina for sharing this.

Hands down - pricing is the most puzzling of the 4 P marketing mix. (That’s product, price, place, and promotion.) 

In fact, finding that right price is like searching for the holy grail.  You believe it’s out there, you search and search but it’s always elusive, just out of reach.

The Pricing Puzzle

Pricing is a veritable see-saw. 

Charge too much and watch your sales plummet.  Charge too little and you get a flood of sales that bankrupt you because you lose money on each one.  You see the problem.

So, how do you find the right price for your services and products?  Study. 

If you want to increase your sales and profits, get better control over your cash flow and have enough money to grow beyond where you are now, it’s time to start learning about the wonderful world of pricing strategies and models.

Oh joy, you say.  I understand.  It’s not the sexiest part of being a small business owner, true.  But mistakes are costly - in time, money and motivation. 

Most entrepreneurs fail to see pricing for what it is - a meaningful marketing tool - and make one of these three damaging mistakes around pricing:

• Poor attitude about pricing
• Self-imposed limits and fear-based pricing
• Ignorance of pricing strategy and selling techniques

Maybe you see yourself on that list.  If you do, then you’re profits aren’t as good as they could be.  Good news is, increasing your pricing savvy just a bit can mean thousands more dollars in your pocket each year.  Let me give you an example.

Mistake #1 Taking a ‘what I don’t know won’t hurt me’ approach

Meet Sue, a friendly coach who charges $80 per session.   Grateful that her prices helped get her first clients, she hasn’t raised them in years.  Sue is certain that she’ll lose her ongoing clients if she raises her prices.  Sue knows she should make a move.  Yet, she has no idea how high to raise her fees and worries constantly what prospects would think of her if she dared to ask for more.

What Sue doesn’t know is causing money to leak out of her business.  She'd be able to raise her prices without a single complaint or worry, if she was aware of pricing tactics.

The solution is Baby Step Pricing.  Otherwise known as incremental pricing.  Taking a teeny, tiny price increase that benefits you but is barely perceptible to your client.

Speak up!

Sue could raise your price to $85 easily.  Why?  Five bucks more isn’t that much to pay, right?  It’s definitely inside her customer’s comfort range. Especially when the benefits of working with Sue would easily be more than that.  A nearly invisible increase that isn’t negatively perceived.  Imagine what that would do for you.

Best part - Sue’s income gets a nice boost.  Sue normally earns $2400 a month when she sees thirty clients.  After the baby step, Sue would earn $2550 per month, an extra $1800 annually.  That’s found money she can use to attend a conference, buy a new computer or give herself a bonus!  Rinse and repeat as needed.

You can find those ‘low hanging fruit’ profits in your business, too.

Making mistake #1 doesn’t mean you’re stupid or lazy.  It makes you human just like the rest of us entrepreneurs.  We all fear the unknown, right?  We all crave being liked.  No one likes to be judged.  Totally understandable.  Just know that if you do nothing, nothing changes.

Deciding to be curious about pricing, learning at your own pace, is the first step towards claiming  your hidden profits, skyrocketing your confidence and getting a nice big slice of peace of mind.

Get started already - 5 More Mistakes Special Report - Free

Start by fixing your pricing mistakes.  As humans we are hardwired to pay attention to mistakes.  (You can get 50 compliments on your website yet be totally obsessed with the one person who didn’t like the colors.)  Start where your thoughts naturally go, I say.

I’m happy to share my special report with you: 5 Mistakes that Keep You Poor.  All I ask is one small favor in return:  

Please click to take my short survey here. I’m working on a pricing product right now and want to be sure I address everything that’s important to you.    I’ll be the only one who sees your response but many fellow entrepreneurs will benefit from your thoughts. 

I’ll thank you by sharing the link to the free report at the end of the survey.  A real win-win!

Thanks again for taking the survey!

This Guest Post is by Dina Eisenberg, JD - Author, Speaker, Producer
Dina produces content essential to emerging entrepreneurs who are determined for success yet sometimes struggle with speaking up powerfully.   Her books and coursework offer the insight and skills to  transform yourself into a confident, fearless business owner who attracts your best clients and does your best work worry-free. To find out more about the current courses, you’re invited to visit her blog at The Speak Up Revolution.

 

How to Improve Your Website (and Sales)

Improving sales from your website isn't that hard, but only IF you know what to do.

IF you know what's missing it's easy enough to change the design a bit, add some calls to action, upgrade your copywriting, or optimize your SEO.  These are all small changes that you can make to your site yourself, but only if you know where to start...

But you're probably too close to your site, or maybe you don't have the training in design and usability and SEO that can help you upgrade your site to increase sales yourself.

What can you learn from this Sample Expert Website Review Video?

 [Click here if you can't see the video above or watch it on YouTube here.]

Here are the problems Dave was having with his pool repair services website:

>> His site was attracting some traffic, but he wasn't attracting as many new leads or selling as much as he had hoped.

Watch the sample website design review video above to see the changes I recommended for Dave.

Every website is different, so the changes I recommended for Dave may not apply to your business. 

But that's the point - every website business is different and needs personalized redesign advice like you can get from ExpertWebsiteReviews.com.

 

A SEO Review Video Can Help You Boost Your Traffic, Too.

You might also need help with optimizing your site to attract search engine traffic.  Hiring an SEO consultant can easily cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. 

But the SEO video reviews from ExpertWebsiteReviews.com are CHEAP and super helpful.

Cy's website sells a clever online service that's helpful to auto dealership service managers.  To increase his traffic, he asked for this video review of the SEO of his site.

  [Click here if you can't see the video above or watch it on YouTube here.]

Would this kind of personalized website redesign or SEO advice be helpful to your website?

Sure it would.

The Bad News

There's no doubt that these video reviews can help you optimize your website for improved usability and sales.  BUT, the price is going up next Friday, February 3 to $149 per video. 

(Still a ridiculously good deal but 50% more expensive than the reviews cost today.)

The Good News

Today you can still book at the current $99 price! 

I will probably only have time to do about 10 more of these video reviews between now and the February 3 price increase date, so please order now if you'd like my help personally reviewing your website.

Click here for more details. 

This is a great, affordable way for you to upgrade your website with expert advice - and you'll get a video you can review repeatedly to keep.

Visit http://www.ExpertWebsiteReviews.com today to see the dozens of testimonials from happy customers (at the bottom of the page).

 

Order today to take advantage of the final days of this crazy low $99 price and I'll personally review your website as soon as I can.

 

Google Plus for Business by Chris Brogan - Video Book Review

Google+ for Business Video Book Review: Google's new social network is a growing opportunity for you if you're looking to brand yourself online.

For help getting started on G+, Chris Brogan has a new book about how to use Google+ for your business that I review and recommend in this video.

[click here if you can't see the video or watch it on YouTube here]

Google+ for Business – My Review of Chris Brogan's new book

Google+ is the latest social network to threaten to change the world.  In fact, the sub-title of Chris Brogan's new book is "How Google's Social Network Changes Everything". 

That's going a bit far but I'm no stranger to grand book titles myself, and I think that Chris is on the right track:  Google+ is a game-changer, at least for social media marketers. 

I like this book a lot and I recommend it to you if you are interested in learning more about Google+.  It's helpful strategically to understand the reasons why Chris and I both think Google+ is a "really big deal" and because it's full of useful advice for using the social network for business effectively.

Here's what I like about Google+ for Business:

-         Chris Brogan writes just like he talks.  This is a good thing because in person Chris is friendly, casual, and informative.  That makes the book easy and quick to read.

-         He makes a great case for why Google+ is important, even if it's not yet anywhere close to the size of Facebook.  (Hint:  It's part of Google!)

-       The book emphasizes what you can do and what you should do – not just theory.  This includes tips on how to put your About page to good use with an interesting bio, contact info and even a call to action, for example.

-          My favorite parts are the 6 profiles of how real people use Google+ in their daily work, plus 6 more typical personas that show how you might arrange your own personal workflow to include successful Google+ brand-building.

The biggest surprise about the book is how short it is.  I was surprised when I opened the envelope at how skinny is (at least compared to my books).  With this book's focus on just one subject, however, its 160 pages are just about right for quickly communicating the key points needed.

My verdict:  Tactical, practical social media marketing advice from a guy who knows what he's talking about.  Especially if you are new to Google+ or still wondering how or if you should get involved, I recommend Google+ for Business.

Changing everything??  Not sure yet but maybe...

For more on Google+, please follow Chris Brogan here or me, Scott Fox, here.

Do you have questions about Google+?
Let me know in the Comments and I'll do my best to help you out.

 

 

8 Ways to Invest Your Time for Maximum Return this Holiday Week

It's going to be a quiet week.  Maybe you even have the week off from work.

So what are you going to do?

You won't be surprised if my suggestion is to invest some of that holiday free time in your online business, will you?

The quiet time of the holidays is a great time to move your business forward.  You can take advantage of other people slowing down to accelerate your plans!  (Thanks to Chris Brogan for posting about this a couple of years ago to clue me in.)

8 Ways to Invest Your Time for Maximum Return this Week

So, here are  small projects that you can do online while everyone is sleeping off their holidays.  Every one will generate a positive ROI for you in 2012.

1. Update your website's "About Us" page.  Make it friendlier, funnier, more personal, add a new picture to let visitors know who you are and why they should buy from you instead of your competition.

2. Pick up the phone.  Call your 10 best customers to say "thank you".  Enough said.

3. Get a New Logo.  Redesigning your whole site takes a lot of work and money.  But a new logo can help spice up your visuals and impress your audience with a lot less work.  My favorite logo designers create good logos for only $27! {affiliate link}

4. Give an Award.  Your top blog commenters, Facebook friends, Twitter re-tweeters, or Google+ sharers deserve recognition and thanks.  Post and thank your Top 10 online friends publicly.

5. Check your site's keywords.  If you haven't updated your SEO strategy lately, is your site using the best and most current keywords to help you attract more free search engine traffic?  Check your website's title, page headers, intro copy, image tags, and internal linking structure.  (If you don't know what all that means, watch the second half of this video I posted last week on my YouTube channel and see #8 below for help.)

6. Use your email list.  If you haven't sent an email newsletter to your list lately, send a friendly holiday or New Year's greeting.  It will help keep your email list fresh and maybe inspire a few sales, too. (Bonus tip: Include a coupon to inspire action!)

7. Start an email list.  There's life outside of social media!  If you don't have an email list, get one started.  Sign up for Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or Aweber and start building that asset now. 

8. Get a $99 Website Tune-Up.  You're probably too close to your website to see it clearly anymore.  Book a professional and personalized website review video with me for only $99 (but only through year-end!)  My ExpertWebsiteReviews.com service can help you improve sales conversion, SEO, product strategy, and more.  (Check out the testimonials at the bottom of the page!)

I hope these quick suggestions help get your e-business positioned well for 2012!

What did I miss?

What are your suggestions for using the holiday down time best?

Happy Holidays!

 

Exclusive ClickBank Interview: Making Money from Information Product Downloads (Free Podcast & Transcript)

Even with small niches you can make money by solving problems.

The most profitable niches are often those that you would not find in the Yellow Pages.

You make money by packaging up the story behind an obstacle you’ve overcome, that little technique you worked out to make your own life or office run better, that problem you helped your family fix - those sorts of solutions are what other people are looking for online. 

And with the connectivity of the web, Google can deliver all those wannabe problem-solvers directly to your product sales pages.

Learn Why Information Products are Easy to Create and Highly Profitable - Exclusive ClickBank Interview

As discussed in this new podcast, one of the best ways to make money solving these kinds of problems is to create "information products" that encapsulate your ideas into easy-to-download ebooks, MP3 recordings, or videos. 

Information products can be inexpensive to create and cost basically nothing to deliver through the Internet.

For practical insights on digital download sales of information products, I interviewed Beau Blackwell from leading information product marketplace, ClickBank. 

He's their "Client Knowledge Guru" and he shares LOTS of useful (and inspiring) advice in this exclusive podcast.

Exclusive Click Millionaires Podcast Interview

Listen to this free podcast (or read the free transcript) for advice on:

- where to look for valuable business niches in your own life

- the most popular and cheapest ways to create information products

- the price points that most ClickBank customers prefer

- how one partnership new to online sales grossed over $1,000,000 in just two years

- the #1 lifestyle benefit that most info product entrepreneurs value most

and many more valuable money-making tips.

TO LISTEN NOW: Click on the player widget above, visit this post at ScottFox.com, or my channel at BlogTalkRadio.com.

Listen to past podcast episodes here.

Download a free MP3 of this podcast here.

Subscribe to the Click Millionaires Radio Show on iTunes here.

 

BONUS!:  Download a free PDF Transcript of the the Click Millionaires Info Products Podcast interview here.

 

 

 

 Join us at http://www.ClickMillionaires.com for more helpful expert advice on starting your own podcast business, too.  And, thank you for listening and telling your friends, too.

Did you enjoy this show?

What follow-up questions do you have for Beau?

Have you tried producing your own information products yet?

 

 

Is the Internet BROKEN? E-commerce Website Redesign Video Advice

Broken. That's what many new e-commerce website owners think when their sites don't make them as much money as they hoped.

But often the problem is not the Internet but the design of their websites. 

For example, it's hard to make money online when your e-commerce store doesn't use an e-commerce website design.  Especially if your site is "too pretty" and doesn't use a typical e-commerce shop layout, customers may be distracted from buying anything at all!

E-commerce Website Review Video - SiouxPottery.com

These are some of the problems I found with a recent client for my ExpertWebsiteReviews.com website design advice video service.   Their site showcases beautiful work from Native American artisans but sales have been uncomfortably slow. 

What should SiouxPottery.com do to increase their e-commerce sales?  Watch this video for my suggestions and please share yours in the Comments below, too: 

[If you can't see the video, click here or here.]

This personalized video website review advice should help SiouxPottery.com increase their e-commerce sales online. 

Watch it for website redesign and e-commerce sales conversion tips you can use to upgrade your own website, too.

If your website could use an upgrade, I'd be happy to help. 

Visit http://www.ExpertWebsiteReviews.com to order your own personalized video review of your website.

Thanks for reading and watching.

p.s.  These custom video reviews are only $99 for a limited time.  Grab one now because I'm raising the price after Christmas!

What did you think of my redesign suggestions for Sioux Pottery?

Anything you disagree with? 

Online Community Management for Dummies - Video Book Review

Managing communities online is a big business opportunity but it's also a challenging job.

Deb Ng's new book can help you with that.   

Online Community Management for Dummies is a thorough guide to membership recruiting, community moderation, growth tactics, and management strategies.

Deb's book can help you attract and retain members, better moderate disputes, and position your forum for growth online. 

It's based on her years of experience online managing the community for BlogTalkRadio.com and now as Conference Director for BlogWorld, too.

More details (including a funny cartoon) in my review video:

[Click here if you can't see the video.]

You can get your copy of Online Community Management for Dummies here.

 

Free Transcripts of my Click Millionaires Radio Podcasts!

I know, I know, you don't always have time to listen to a full length podcast interview.  Maybe this will help...

Many of you have written to ask if I could offer transcripts of my Click Millionaires Success Show.  You would rather READ the interviews instead of LISTEN to them.

Well, now we do!

New: Free Transcripts of new Click Millionaires Radio Show Podcasts

Starting with my recent "Podcasting Success Story - Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase" episode, I'm now adding downloadable PDF transcripts for each new show that is posted here on ScottFox.com.

The cost?  ZERO, free, nada, nothing.

Grab the first free transcript here:
"Betty in the Sky" Podcasting Success Story.

And stay tuned for upcoming episodes of the Click Millionaires Success Show podcasts, including:

- How to Make Money as a Freelancer - An Interview with the CEO of Elance.com

- The Truth about Multi-Level Marketing - An Interview with Renegade Network Marketer Ann Sieg

- How to Make Money as a YouTube Video Star

- Selling Information Products & Digital Downloads

And whatever other topics YOU would like me to feature!

Plus, if there are previous episodes that you think deserve to be written up as PDF transcripts, just let me know by sending a quick email to radio @ scottfox.com.  (You can see the archive of previous transcript-free Click Millionaires Podcasts here.)

I hope this new free transcript service is helpful to you. 

All my best for your success,

Scott