Hello all..
You know, it often amazes me when I see people struggling in online marketing for the simple fact that they’re spending all their spare time trying to find that elusive “cutting edge” strategy or product that’s going to make them super rich.
It amazes me because when you break it down, there are only 2 skills (or methods) you really need to concentrate on in order to see success in online marketing. Yes, only 2.
In fact, if you can be proficient at these 2 skills, you will NEVER go broke, and you will always have money coming in, and you will always be building your business. Seriously.
If you are one of those people that is looking around right now for that magic product or training that somehow “redefines” how marketing is done… you need to stop right now.
There’s nothing wrong with the training you’re searching for, nothing wrong with new products, but the foundation of your entire online business sits on these 2 skills. If you don’t have these skills, nothing else matters and nothing else will make you money.
What are these 2 skills?
.. are you ready?
Drumroll please…
Here they are:
#1. Email marketing
#2. Sales funnels
What?? That’s it?? THAT’S the magic formula??
Yup. Awesomely “ground breaking”, right? Cutting-edge, too! 😉
Here’s what it comes down to..
In online marketing, if you can be successful at selling via email and through your sales funnels, you will ALWAYS be able to make money online. Seriously. BUT, if you DON’T know how to sell via email and with your sales funnels, you will have a LOT of difficulty being successful at ANY other aspect of this business. Fact.
These 2 skills ARE the foundation of your online business existence. If they’re not… well.. you need to change your focus.
But Geoff.. what about traffic? Don’t I always need new traffic coming in??
Yes and No. Yes you need traffic to convert to leads, of course. No because if you’ve been building your list for a while, if you don’t have traffic you can still promote and sell to your list. You see, traffic generation is just a supplementary skill that allows you to generate more leads to market to via email. It’s not something you need to have if you already have a list. See what I mean?
The foundation of an online marketing business is your list, and your ability to build your list, and your ability to sell to your list. You build your list (and make sales) with your sales funnel. Anything else you do is just a layer on TOP of your foundation.
Yes, it’s simple. And maybe it sounds boring to you, but this is where it’s at. There is nothing wrong with new marketing methods and shiny new marketing “toys”, but if your foundation isn’t there, none of that will matter.
Amazing Secret Marketing Tip: Don’t overcomplicate things. This stuff is simple. Keep it that way.
Lean these 2 skills “first”, and focus on them until you can make money consistently. Once you do that you can do anything else you want in this business because you know you can make money at it. Don’t get distracted. Take this advice, it’s the advice I wish I had when I first started out.
That’s it! Hope this was helpfull. Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook.
Oh, and join my list (opt-in under my picture on the left) and you’ll be the first to know about the training I’m producing on this subject! I’m a nice guy so let me know you’re there. lol
– Geoff Stephen
Hi Geoff,
I agree with you. I need to make some changes in what and how I am marketing. Plenty $$$ going out and nothing coming in. I will take your suggestion and get better at email marketing and sales funnel. Quick question I get pet people to the sights , but no conversions. Any suggestions. I am a member of leadskimer. Thanks Geoff.
Are you talking about leadskimmer conversions?
If so, you have generated 4 leadskimmer leads, one of which upgraded to premium. Sounds good to me.
Hi Tony –
I just wanted to add this: Just in case you’re not talking about Leadskimer, studies have shown, that if your lead does a double opt-in, you are more likely to build a more responsive list. In this case (maybe), once your prospect enters their info, they should go to a ‘Thank You’ page, then back to their email In-box, rather than directly to the Free Offer or Sales Page.
I totally agree with your articles simplicity theme, I think way too much online marketing is simply the people searching for some magic system. This strategy will definitely help others to refine their marketing techniques…
The Money is in the LIST!! Thank you for sharing Geoff!
Yup. Got that right.
I agree with tony burse that I have had opt-ins but no sign-ups !
Why ? Have sent e-mail to the list, be it small over and over to no avail.
How you treat your list and how you followup and provide value to your list will determine how productive your list will be.
Here’s a tip. If they’re not buying what you’re offering, try a different offer.
Aside from what Geoff said, you also have to look at how your marketing looks on the front end. Are you making unrealistic claims? Are you hyping what you are going to give too much?
One thing we like to do is underpromise and overdeliver!
Keep at it, you will succeed!
Thanks for that advice
Geoff~
Wow, 2 blog posts in one day! You are on a roll! Anyways, yes, people all too often overcomplicate working online. You hit the nail in deep!
Create an experience (storefront) for people to walk through and then also give them reasons to come back!
Email marketing can be easy or it can be tough. The thing people have to remember is, the more time they put into it, the more they will get out of it. Write content that would get themselves to optin and they will attract people like themselves. Steal/copy other people’s content, and they will just get mundane results. Don’t be a cow, be a leader!
Steve
Nope, just one per day 😉
Good advice, Steve. I never said it was necessarily easy, but the actual process is simple. Keep at it and be yourself.
Don’t be a cow. lol.
Thanks for the post Geoff…
I am concentrating on building my list using LeadSkimmer as a viral twist within my lead capture system.
I am also using the NPN Director Machine as a funded proposal.
I’ll have to take your word for it. It seems that I have generated some lists, but few conversions. I’m at a loss on how to make a living online.
Geoff,
Thanks for the tip. I’m looking forward to your training and to find out what a sales funnel is.
Geoff your absolutely right.
I been teaching my students this for quite sometime.
Email Marketing and sales funnel is the foundation.
But I would like to add a few things.
Your right!
The money is in the list or at least it should be.
But then again I have seen people with big lists that make no money.
Why is that?
I think its called laziness.
They only do things half ass when building their foundation and then they complain the email marketing doesnt work
So here is some reasons most people fail at email marketing.
But wait it’s not their fault really.
It is the way they been taught by this so called Pattern Interrupt method along with a few other email marketing disasters the big gurus teach.
See people dont understand.
Most Guru’s who teach the wrong way of list building, well it’s because there in it just for the money.
Not for the relationship.
When I mean Guru’s I am talking about these guys with no real name or face.
Just a beefed up sales page and product.
So here are a few reasons why some people fail or give up email marketing.
List Burn: People tend to email their list 2-5 times a day and some even more.
Trash Traffic: Too many people are taught how to get the junk traffic and not the really targeted traffic.
Affiliate Fraud: Many marketers are wasting their time promoting products using insecure affiliate link. Their subscribers are dropping in their own Clickbank IDs and stealing all their commissions.
Just A Number: People tend to build their lists based on no relationship. When really its your responsibility to reach out to them. So basically your just a number on their list and you are given very little value.
Also while the money is in the list always remember the money is also in the funnel and the follow-up
The Two F’s
Great post Geoff
Talk Soon
Craig
Craig, thanks for the comments.
And yes of course there’s right ways and wrong ways of building and marketing to your list. Most people (that fail) spend their time sending (bad) sales pitches to their list every day, and then wonder why they’re not buying.
Sometimes it really just breaks down to common sense and the whole “look at it from their point of view” aspect.
..Think about going into a store and having the same salesman come up in your face 5 times trying to make you buy something. Would that work? Probably not.
Geoff people are always making things harder then it really is….. I have done it also. I think most are looking for the fast track when there isnt any fast track its just doing. You have to DO. Nike says it all. Just Do It. Your right on the mark. Thanks for the focus. Take Care, I will see you around.
Kent Brown
You got it. Learn it, and do it. There is no better way.
Great stuff here Geoff. I think I now understand why my upline does emailing all the time. It makes much more sense to me now. Thanks for the tips Geoff and thanks for all you do.
Geoff, I have been trying to tell my team that forever. I always tell them to stop looking for the shiny new toy and just build the list, then they will be able to market to the list and make money.
Thanks for re-focusing every one.. That is the purpose of LeadSkimmer.
Hello everyone!
Super suggestion and super comments.
Geoff, thanks for getting this on a roll!
Hey Geoff,
What of you dont have a clue how to write a good email lol Im even having trouble getting leeds, even with LeedSkimmer.
Hi Stephen,
You make it sound so simple.
I have for several months worked very hard at promoting Traffic Secrets.ws, GlobalNPN and Lead Skimmer – up to 8 hours a day, seven days per week – sending out 60-100,000 emails per day through approximately 100 safe lists and traffic exchanges, and the response has been nothing short of pathetic. My list stubbornly refuses to grow! At an exchange rate of 7:1 (SA Rand:Us Dollar) the whole exercise is proving very costly and the surest way to bankruptcy.
Any life-saving comments?
Regards
Desmond
Yes. Try other techniques outside just Safelists,
Safelists are very well know for very low conversions
Craig
Hello Desmond:
Based on your comments, I would suggest that the NPN eCertificate Program is the best road to follow.
Stick to the guide and I know you will find it simple, non-stressful, productive and satisfying.
Regards,
John
Hi Desmond,
What I mean is that what we do is simple, the processes we follow are simple. However it’s not easy…
I think Craig said it best. If what you’re doing is not working for you, I think a change of focus is in order. In other words, stop doing what ISN’T working.
It’s not you, it’s not your products, it’s probably not your sales funnel, what you’re doing is just not working for you.
So change it. I know that sounds simple but it makes sense, doesn’t it?
Thank you all for the comments,
Now I have got the whole picture of what I was doing and what I am going to do.
The NPN eCertificate is for first month, what if my referrals faced hard time at the begining and needs more time, can I pay for his/her second month.
Thanks a lot for all the info.
Hey Shirideh
I don’t recommend paying a second month for people in your downline.
Your job is to get their foot in the door and help and teach them how to get started and using the tools.
If they can’t at least get 1 person their first month then that’s not needing help that is them wanting you to hold their hand.
Let them prove their dedication and worth to you.
If you know they are trying and you want to pay their second month. That’s cool but 1 rule.
Don’t let anyone drain you of your time.
Your time is very important and if they can’t respect your time and follow the things you teach then you are just going to drain yourself.
Hope that helps
Craig
This is the sure case the more we look the more we waste time with no gain at the end.
Hi Everyone… and Geoff…
I met up with Chris Farrell last year…. a great guy and a very successful affiliate marketer – his list a that time was just 2000 – yet he was making high 5 figures a month and has had a $1,000,000 launch since.
This proved to me that it is not so much the quantity as the quality of your list that counts.
I teach my team to be wordpress bloggers…. and it is my experience that when people subscribe to a blog they are really good quality leads.
I also use my own funnel system , of course, but really it is the way you communicate with your list that is important.
Treat others as you would be treated. Give value. What would YOU respond to? Then just do that……. there are lots and lots of people out there just like you…. appeal to them.
Hope this helps someone…
Take care and every success to all
Pete
Hi Pete. Thanks for the comments as usual 🙂
True enough, it’s not the size of the list that counts.. You actually have to ‘train’ your list while developing your relationship with them in order to be successful with it. Some lists are trained to buy things, some lists are trained to only expect free stuff. A mix of the two is best in my opinion – taking into account list attrition etc..
Keep on blogging – it’s part of your foundation as you know.
Geoff,
I agree the money is in the List.
The sales funnel is very important.
Lets not forget, you need to build a relationship with that list.
Get them to know like and trust you.
Then you have a loyal customer base
and loyal followers.
Dear Geoff,
I have a personal site which which for me is exploding with new contacts coming in every day. I run adverts on it for Traffic Secrets.ws, GlobalNPN and Traffic Wave. My problem is not knowing how to harness or capture these contacts – still a newbie! The site is MyWildAfricaOnline.com.
Please help.
H! Geoff,
I’ve been using the so call Safelist marketing for the last 6 months thinking that I’ll be able to get signed up but getting no where.
Now I begin to understand why building my own list is very important.
It’s because the people who signed up with you will be the one who is more likely to trust you. In this way, it’ll be more easy for you to sell to them whatever thing you want to promote.
thank for the heads up i need some help in geting a e-mail campaign up
Yes I agree. What would be your step by method to build a list?
Thanks for your comments
Hey Geoff..!!!
You made it so clear and conform, what almost everyone lost from their mind that, before marketing, we have to focus on the ability of our product.
I always have a question that why we often left the confidence on our product by seeing the, packaging of other product..? and
How easily we sure that is because the online traffic is on the others product so they will surly better than us ?
I mean that no matter what you going to market online, it must be a product, or a sale, or a poll.. as well as it would be your skill , but there is something definitely unique in you , we have to focus on that signal point…like Geoff sir says too …!!
Geoff I am a big admirer of your logic’s
With regards
Deepa S Bhardwaj
It is only through understanding and application that this really works.
this site is very good. I like that.
I wish you were around five years ago, you could of saved me some time.