Random Thoughts on Business Success

The famous quote “when one door closes, another one opens” is often mentioned, although its original author remains unknown.

While this saying holds some truth, it is not always the case that closing a door leads to the opening of a window. Sometimes, it simply directs us towards a better door.

The underlying idea, however, is that every ending serves as a new beginning.

We can simplify this concept by reducing every decision or event to a binary equation, where there are only two outcomes: a positive or negative, a true or false, a yes or no.

As humans, we tend to prefer ambiguity and flexibility, enjoying the freedom to change our minds and explore other options.

Yet, this notion is merely an illusion. Ultimately, it all boils down to a two-choice system.

A perfect example can be found in the movie Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

In this film, our heroes find themselves in a predicament when their ship becomes stuck in a swamp.

The wise Jedi Master Yoda assures the young hero that he can use the force to free the ship. Although skeptical, the hero agrees to give it a try.

Yoda responds with the famous line, “Try not, do or do not there is no try…” Despite the hero’s attempt, he fails to free the ship.

Feeling defeated, he declares that he asked for the impossible.

However, the master effortlessly accomplishes the task the hero just failed at, highlighting the hero’s lack of belief as the reason for his failure.

What the movie fails to address is the fact that the hero gave up and failed because all he needed to do was reassess and try again.

In practical matters, belief is often unnecessary; we simply need to approach things differently.

The master’s words, “do or do not, there is no try,” were actually a test and a lesson we all need to learn at times.

We tend to complicate life by introducing additional elements such as windows, doors, speeches, and beliefs, tricking ourselves into thinking we have more choices.

Yet, it all boils down to a two-choice system: to take action or not to take action.

If we choose to act, we are faced with another set of choices within that action, and so on.

In our business endeavors, overcomplicating scenarios only burdens our minds, making mountains out of molehills.

Instead, we should adopt a decision tree perspective, where each yes or no leads to the next, and so forth. The key is to make a decision and commit to it.

Whether we go through the door or the window, the essence remains the same. It is about embracing opportunities and moving forward.

Benefits of Selling Low Priced Items

If you decide to run a sale with the help of your affiliates and manage to sell 2,000 copies of a $9 product, the chances are that your earnings would be minimal, if not zero.

Even with additional upsells, you might only make a few hundred dollars at best.

The reason behind this lack of profit on the $9 product is that you likely gave away most, if not all, of the $9 to incentivize affiliates to promote your product.

However, despite the apparent lack of financial gain, there is still a valuable aspect to selling the $9 product – acquiring buyers.

By selling this product, you effectively build a list of individuals who have proven their willingness to spend money on products within your niche.

Additionally, if your product is of high quality, it demonstrates to these buyers that you can deliver on your promises.

This list of buyers becomes an invaluable asset, as you can now market higher-priced offerings such as a $297 course, $500 coaching services, or recommend affiliate products.

For instance, selling just ten $297 courses would result in $2,970 in earnings, while selling one hundred would generate $29,700.

Similarly, selling ten coaching spots at $500 per month would provide an additional $5,000 in monthly income.

The key takeaway here is that the true value lies in your list of buyers, which, if nurtured properly, can continue to generate income for months and even years to come.

Building and caring for this list is vital, as it holds immense potential for your financial success.

Start a Software Business Without Experience

Many marketers are hesitant to explore a business model that has proven to generate substantial wealth.

However, I have witnessed numerous individuals achieve fortunes by employing this precise method. Allow me to outline the steps involved:

Firstly, conceive an idea for a WordPress plugin.

This can be achieved by identifying a demand and developing a solution for it, generating a unique concept, or enhancing existing plugins.

Next, it is advisable to seek feedback from a select few individuals to ensure your idea holds merit.

Alternatively, you can conduct thorough research to assess the success of similar plugins in the market.

Once your concept is refined, collaborate with a skilled coder to bring your plugin to life.

It is important to note that compensation for their expertise is necessary, or you can consider entering into a partnership.

After obtaining the completed plugin, conduct comprehensive testing to guarantee its seamless functionality.

Then, commence the marketing process and begin selling the product.

Offering various package options, such as rights for private label use, multi-site utilization, and more, allows you to cater to different price points and customer preferences.

Remarkably, I am acquainted with five marketers who consistently earn six-figure incomes each year through this approach.

They achieve this by releasing a new plugin every one to two months.

Furthermore, once they have generated substantial sales, they often sell the rights to their plugin to other marketers for four or five-figure sums.

These new marketers frequently repackage and relaunch the plugin, thus extending its profitability.

This method presents an abundance of financial opportunities.

By combining a well-conceived idea with effective marketing strategies, you too can amass a considerable fortune.

Journaling Can Make you a Multi-Millionaire

Journaling has played a pivotal role in the success of one individual, even though it may seem unconventional.

Initially, he used journaling as a means to express his frustrations, such as the size of his business or the lack of residence in a desirable city.

However, he soon transitioned to journaling about his aspirations and desires.

He envisioned a better home, stronger relationships with loved ones, the ability to travel, and a substantial income.

The turning point came when he started focusing on how to achieve these goals rather than dwelling on why he didn’t already have them.

He began asking himself practical questions about his desired lifestyle. How could he embark on more inspiring vacations?

How could he cultivate closer bonds with his friends? How could he improve his physical well-being?

These inquiries prompted him to venture outside his comfort zone.

One day, armed with a fresh notebook, he entered an unfamiliar Starbucks and posed a seemingly outrageous question: “How can I generate $100 million in just one year?”

Despite his initial doubts, he committed to finding an answer.

By engaging in multiple journaling sessions dedicated to unraveling the path to achieving a $100 million goal, he eventually discovered a viable strategy and successfully executed it.

Consistency in journaling was key.

To tackle specific challenges, such as attaining a specific financial milestone, he dedicated uninterrupted one-hour sessions solely to that topic.

As someone with attention deficit disorder, he recognized the importance of writing down his thoughts and ideas; otherwise, they would slip from his mind.

Consequently, he meticulously documented every relevant notion in his journals.

This meticulous approach allowed him to formulate and refine his plans meticulously before taking decisive action.

His subsequent objective was to reach $1 billion within a year.

Unfortunately, he fell short of this ambitious target, achieving only $500-600 million over a period of 24 months with the launch of iFlix.

Nevertheless, building a company worth half a billion dollars in just two years is far from failure.

It’s worth noting that Patrick faced significant setbacks during the dot com crash of 1999, losing almost everything he had, including his mother’s life savings.

However, he persevered and ultimately succeeded.

He has since established five companies that have gone public, one of which he sold to Rupert Murdoch for $700 million.

His mother has recovered her financial losses, and he now oversees 3,000 employees as the chairman of four public companies with a combined worth exceeding one billion dollars.

What lessons can we extract from his journey? Firstly, no matter how dire the circumstances, we possess the power to turn our lives around.

Secondly, drawing inspiration from those who have overcome similar challenges can be transformative.

In Patrick’s case, reading Anthony Robbins’ book, “Unlimited Power,” served as a catalyst for his resurgence and the subsequent launch of five highly successful public companies.

Lastly, journaling our goals and reframing our questions can be instrumental in achieving them.

Instead of asking “why” we haven’t attained what we desire, we should focus on “how” we can reach our goals.

Consider the impact of even achieving a fraction of Patrick’s accomplishments. Above all, ask yourself, “How can I do it?”

During the market crash, Patrick found himself in a dire situation, with a depleted bank account and overwhelming debts.

His workforce diminished from 300 to a mere 30 employees in a single afternoon. He even confided in his mother that her money had vanished.

Yet, after reading “Unlimited Power,” he gained the mindset and clarity needed to communicate effectively with himself.

He mastered the art of training his brain, reinforcing it to become stronger and enabling him to navigate the challenging circumstances he faced.

If You Are Artsy, Go Etsy

If you’re up for it, here’s a clever little money-making opportunity that can give you some extra cash.

Unlike platforms like eBay and Amazon, price isn’t the primary concern on Etsy. People are willing to pay more for something they truly desire.

Based on my own experience, this is a significant distinction.

Here’s the plan:

Start by finding a local engraver who specializes in engraving various items like flasks, plates, and wedding utensils.

Establish a partnership with them and request a price list for their services. Most likely, they will already have the necessary blank items.

If they have professional photos of each item, you can use those. Otherwise, you can take your own photos.

List these engraved items on Etsy, offering personalized engraving.

Remember to increase the prices to make a profit and consider charging for shipping or incorporating shipping costs into the price.

Clearly mention in your listings that the items require a few days for engraving.

Once you receive orders, forward them to the engraver. Visit their shop weekly to collect the engraved items and ship them to your customers.

The difference between the price you charge and the cost from the engraver will be your profit.

This is a simple and straightforward method to earn extra money. You could even suggest this business opportunity to a teenager or retired individual.

Additionally, keep an eye out for other items that you can resell on Etsy. For instance, attend local fairs and seek out talented craftspeople.

You might be able to strike a deal with them too.

Surprisingly, many of these artisans haven’t opened their own Etsy shops yet, so this could be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

No History, No Reputation, No Problem

Not everyone can easily get involved in online marketing as it requires either hard work or financial investment to get started.

However, it can be a lucrative way to make money, even if you have no online presence or a large following.

This method may not be new or glamorous, but it has been proven to generate income.

The idea is to create or obtain a PLR (Private Label Rights) product and sell it as a WSO (Warrior Special Offer) or on JVZoo.

When done correctly, this approach can lead to financial success.

Instead of focusing on niches like health, dog training, or dating, it is recommended to create a product in the make money online niche.

This is because it has a higher potential for sales. Platforms like Warrior and JVZoo are the best places to sell your PLR product, as they attract the right audience.

It’s important to stay updated on current trends and popular topics in online marketing.

The demand for certain products may fluctuate, so it’s crucial to identify what’s currently selling well.

Conducting research on platforms like JVZoo.com and Warrior can provide valuable insights.

In terms of product format, eBooks are not as effective as they used to be.

Instead, consider naming your PLR product something unique, such as a blueprint or strategy.

Breaking down the content into sections with bold headings can make it more visually appealing. Incorporating images can also help break up large blocks of text.

If you prefer outsourcing, it’s possible to have everything, including the sales page and graphics, done for around $500.

Additionally, you can explore creating PLR videos or software if that aligns with your skills and interests.

Investing in software creation software allows you to produce new PLR software regularly.

Generating good ideas for your PLR software and making your first WSO successful can cover the initial software costs.

PLR is an excellent entry point for the make money online market as it requires no prior experience or track record.

You can even offer PLR rights as an upsell to your product, providing an additional revenue stream.

By consistently releasing at least one PLR package per month, you can gradually grow your income as you build a list of loyal buyers.

Although this method may seem old-fashioned and involves some work or resources, it can be a profitable venture.

It may not be glamorous, but the potential for earning substantial income is worth considering.

Extra Revenue If You Have a Continuity Program

If you have a continuity program, it’s important to pay attention to this advice.

It’s likely that you’re offering your subscribers a membership program, but there may be a group of subscribers who haven’t shown interest despite your efforts to promote it.

So, what can you do with these individuals?

Once you’ve exhausted all your attempts to encourage them to join your monthly program, consider making them a special offer.

Offer them a full year of membership for just $97 (or a suitable price of your choice).

Since these individuals weren’t planning to join anyway, each person who takes up this offer will be an extra $97 in your pocket.

This strategy has been used by other marketers and often leads to an additional 2-3 sign-ups per week.

Write an email presenting this offer and include it at the end of your autoresponder sequence, after all the other emails inviting them to join the membership.

To create a sense of urgency, set a time limit, such as 24 hours, so they have to make a quick decision.

Ultimately, this approach allows you to generate additional income that you otherwise wouldn’t have made.

As a bonus tip, reach out to other owners of membership sites and propose showing them how to earn an extra $200 per week in exchange for a cut.

Although I haven’t personally tested this, there’s a good chance that some of them would be interested, and it could easily put some extra cash in your pocket.

Make Money Giving Away Free Stuff

In just three short years, Gmail managed to become the most popular email service globally by offering users a free gigabyte of storage.

This strategy proved immensely successful for Google, resulting in billions of dollars in revenue per quarter.

The power of “free” cannot be underestimated, and it can be effectively utilized in your own business.

One effective approach is the use of free reports.

A notable marketer achieved great success by bundling ten free reports together, each featuring compelling headlines that piqued curiosity and highlighted the benefits.

This bundle was widely distributed, including on product download pages, where the marketer offered to promote those products to his list.

Naturally, product sellers readily agreed to this proposition as he carefully selected products that aligned with his subscribers’ interests.

By doing so, he built lists of buyers rather than mere observers.

You might have concerns about exhausting his lists by promoting numerous products, but he manages this carefully.

He only promotes specific products to lists he knows will be interested, segmenting his lists based on the origin of his subscribers.

This way, he can effectively target traffic products to those interested in traffic and blogging-related products to those who have purchased blogging products, and so on.

Furthermore, he continues to create and distribute free reports to his lists without requiring additional sign-ups.

This approach has garnered great appreciation from his subscribers.

They eagerly open his emails, resulting in fantastic sales when he promotes his own new products. The effectiveness of “free” is undeniable.

Think about how offering samples in stores can dramatically boost product sales or how dentists offering free exams and x-rays can quickly attract a full roster of patients.

Consider how you can employ freebies to create lasting impressions and cultivate lifelong customers.

The power of “free” remains as potent as when Google first introduced Gmail. The key lies in discovering how to leverage it effectively for your own purposes.

How to Reduce Refunds

Refund requests are inevitable, regardless of the quality of your product or your targeted advertising efforts.

However, there are strategies you can implement to significantly minimize these requests.

For instance, it is crucial not to make unsupported claims in your sales copy, as this can lead to customer disappointment and refund demands.

On the other hand, if your product delivers on its promises and you still experience refund requests, it’s possible that your customers have forgotten the reasons why they initially purchased the product.

To overcome this challenge, it’s essential to send follow-up emails that reiterate the product’s benefits and remind customers of the value they hold as owners of your product.

Additionally, some customers may have questions about the product but are unsure how to seek answers.

To prevent refunds due to customer confusion, sending another follow-up email can be helpful.

Here is an example of such an email:

Subject: Your {TOPIC} purchase – We’re here to assist you!

Dear {NAME},

First and foremost, congratulations on securing the biggest {TOPIC} deal of 2019: {PRODUCT NAME}. We hope you’re enjoying your purchase!

We have a few important things to share with you:

1. Your Feedback Matters:
Your opinion matters greatly to us. We kindly request you to take a moment and share your thoughts on your {PRODUCT NAME} purchase by clicking here. Your honest review will enable us to better serve you and improve our offerings.

2. Addressing Your Questions:
We understand that you may have questions or concerns about your purchase. To assist you, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions. Please take a moment to review them below:

– QUESTION #1: How do I access my purchase?
To access your purchase, please follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Log into your account by clicking here.
Step 2: Inside your account area, click on {LOCATION}.
Step 3: Look for {TITLE} and click on {INSERT PERTINENT INFO}.

– QUESTION #2: What if I didn’t receive my password or encountered login issues?
If you haven’t received a confirmation email with your password or if you’re experiencing difficulties logging in, we’re here to help. Please follow these steps:
{INSERT STEPS}
Please note that login issues are often resolved by clearing your browser cache, disabling popup blockers, or using an incognito browser mode as a last resort.

– QUESTION #3: I still have unresolved issues or general confusion. What should I do?
For any remaining questions or concerns, please email our dedicated support team at {SUPPORT EMAIL ADDRESS}. Kindly provide them with your account’s name, associated email address, and a detailed explanation of your inquiry. Our support team operates {INSERT DAYS, SUCH AS: Monday – Friday} from {INSERT TIME, SUCH AS 9am – 3pm EST}, and we strive to respond within one business day.

If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email. We are here to assist you.

Thank you for being a valued member of the {INSERT PRODUCT OR COMPANY NAME} family. We look forward to supporting your personal, professional, and creative growth.

Best regards,

{YOUR NAME}
{COMPANY NAME}

P.S. We genuinely appreciate your feedback. Please take a moment to leave a rating and review for {INSERT PRODUCT NAME} by clicking here. It only takes about 30 seconds.

P.P.S. Stay tuned for exciting updates and surprises coming your way in the next week or so. We can’t wait to share them with you!

By incorporating these strategies, you can effectively reduce refund requests.

Remember to remain available to your customers, provide helpful tips and advice, maintain a balanced approach between offering assistance and making new offers, and showcase the positive results other customers have achieved.

Don’t “Fake It Until You Make It”

While browsing through the Warrior Forum, I came across a thread where someone sought advice on making their first $1,000 online.

It’s a common question, and many experienced marketers are willing to offer guidance based on their own success.

However, what caught my attention was this individual’s ad in their footer. It boldly claimed to teach people how to earn $10,000 a month.

The contradiction was clear – how could they promise to teach others to make $10k when they themselves needed advice on earning their first $1k?

Unsurprisingly, the responses they received were far from polite, and rightfully so.

Instead, I would recommend a different approach for anyone starting out in the Internet Marketing niche. Rather than pretending to be an expert, become a reporter.

Be honest and open about your journey as a fellow student of internet marketing.

Walk hand in hand with your readers, sharing the strategies and insights of real experts who have achieved substantial success.

By adopting this approach, you build a strong rapport with your audience, demonstrating that you are not alone in your pursuit of success.

I, for one, would eagerly join forces with someone who takes on this reporter role.

As for the individual claiming to teach others how to make $10k per month without having achieved their first $1k, their credibility is shattered in my eyes.

I would never subscribe to their mailing list or purchase any of their products.

It’s essential to be genuine and true to yourself.

There’s no need to fake it till you make it because people can see through such pretense, even if you’re more knowledgeable than the person I mentioned earlier (which I’m confident you are).

A perfect example of trying too hard to create an illusion of success is a person who trespassed onto others’ properties to take photos of themselves posing in front of expensive homes and cars.

They used these images to boast about their wealth and sell dubious programs to unsuspecting students.

Eventually, they were arrested for their deceptive actions.

This individual went to great lengths to pretend to be someone they were not and ultimately faced the consequences. Avoid falling into this trap.

If you’re just starting out on your online journey, embrace your authenticity and blog about it. Share your experiences honestly.

Explore products and strategies from genuinely successful individuals in the online world and recommend the best ones to your readers.

Interview individuals who have surpassed your level of expertise.

Your readers will appreciate learning how to make their first $1,000 from someone like a school teacher who has developed a practical system for achieving this milestone.

There’s no need to make grand promises of overnight riches with minimal effort. Keep it real and honest.

By building a reputation solely on honesty, I guarantee you can achieve success. So, here’s the recipe for avoiding the “fake it till you make it” mentality:

1. Embrace your true self.

2. Never resort to lies.

3. Seek out individuals who have achieved slightly more success than you, interview them, promote their products, or collaborate with them to create innovative offerings.

4. As you progress, continue to connect with individuals who are a step or two ahead of you on the ladder of success.

5. Keep promoting their products, conducting interviews, and collaborating with them to develop products based on their proven methods.

6. Take as many of your readers as possible on your journey to success. Walk alongside them, treating them as partners rather than lecturing them from above. You are one of them, so communicate with them as equals and strive for collective success.

7. Observe how your readers stick by your side, valuing your authenticity. They respect and trust you, knowing that you will never deceive or disappoint them.

8. Remember to enjoy the process. If you’re having fun, it will translate to the experts you collaborate with and your readers. Embrace the journey of climbing the ladder of success.

In conclusion, always be yourself and avoid the temptation to fake it till you make it.