I have done it…
I solemnly and publicly promise that:
- I shall not register for the National Identity Card.
- I shall not supply personal details or fingerprints to a National Identity Register.
- I shall not apply for any document or service if joining the National Identity Register is a condition of obtaining it.
- I shall not co-operate with any Identity & Passport Service interview concerning my identity.
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Ok, I am sure you are aware that the iPod and Google are very big names and very big brands. Heck there is even google ads on this site. What has made them so big? Simplicity!
Apple have sold many millions of iPods why, because the only controls are a touch wheel (when they took off). This is why Creative’s Zens and Microsoft’s Zune etc. has all been flops, because they were not plain and simple. Yes you want to get all the nice features in, but whats more important? Feature or Simplicity? I would say simplicity. Even Microsoft can be put into this category, they created something that was very simple at the time, it meant you didn’t need to have a PHD in technology to get them to open a file. They invented UI (user interface) for computers, can’t get simpler than that.
I have had my own experiences of this, when I opened my first incentive freebie site (one of the first in the UK, 3rd to launch I think) the site was a bit complex, and took some time to work out. When I closed that network and rebranded under Creative Century I attempted to make the site as simple as possible, so anyone would know what to do, this caused profits to increase 10 fold.
I think that the main attribute of an Entrepreneur is his/her ability to get things done, without caring about how people are going to think it is going to fail. When it does fail, they carry on singlemindedly until it does work, because they know its right. This is why I think most Entrepreneurs are proud, because they won’t listen to criticism unless it helps them. They never think its too risky or not the right moment. They see the opportunity and jump at it with their hand already holding the sword held out in front of them.
The true entrepreneur wouldn’t let something get to the market without it being perfect, that includes website. I have to say I am guilty of this, unless it is an on going project or a bit of fun (like this) I will always want it perfect. In regards to my latest project, it could have been finished and up by now, but I wasn’t happy with the design. So I think that donkey is staying under wraps for now.
A good Entrepreneur has no fear of failure he/she always goes at it with the attention of succeeding, it would take days, it could take years. But the good Entrepreneur knows when he is on a golden donkey. This ties in with the Getting it Done section.
I think one other important factor is that entrepreneurs keep trying and trying, its like the lottery, “gotta be in it to win it”, the more times you try the higher your chances of striking lucky.
This is really off the back of shoe money’s youtube video.
He discusses if it is Luck or Skill that makes people money on the Internet.
Ok, so is it luck or is it skill. Well Shoe Money said “Its the skill to know when your lucky”. I think what he means by this is that you should have the skill to know where a market is and when to leave a market. Using the example he gave, Transformers… If you have a transformers site, and the DVD has just been released it is a good idea to hold onto that site and update it until the hype around transformers has nearly ran out. Then you sell it.
Other people might work differently but these seems to be the best way to make the most money.
Driving traffic is a way easier task for SEOs today due to the advent of several social media marketing and social networking sites. The challenge is, apart from translating this traffic into conversion, is the building of one’s authority. Google’s parameter for this are: domain age, and number (and quality) of incoming links.
For newbies and their freshly created websites, age is time bound. The best bet is to invest on incoming links. The results may also be time bound, but at least one can do something about it while waiting.
So how does one drive traffic and authority to a website?
Tip1: Bank on optimized original content - after creating a reader-friendly content with the right combination of target phrases and related terms, it’s time to send them all to the social media sites, post ads on social networking sites, blog, and post announcements on classifieds. Don’t forget to inform other bloggers by commenting onto their blogsites, and posting messages to your communities at mybloglog.com
Tip 2: Link to authority sites - inbound links can now be as important as out going links by mentioning links of the industry’s honored authorities. That way, it will appear to Google that you are part of that community of legitimate websites. Also, dropping (and linking names) of the important personalities and figures is flattery, that will most likely win you of incoming links from them.
Tip 3: Offer Freebies - yes, do offer free content helpful to your readers. Ask them to download a file, or sign-up for a series of email containing your free content like newsletters. That way, they get an impression that you are a source of valuable information that they’d most likely return to.
Tip 4: Email the webmasters - They can be more friendly and more willing to respond to you if you send that well-written and kind email saying you like their content, and finds it relevant for your website. Most likely than not, they’ll gonna link you up if you ask them too. This can be a taxing task, but it can still work.
Tip 5: Create feature articles on Aboutus.org, or your very own profiles at various social networking sites in order to gain that branding/authority presence.
Driving traffic can be fun and easy, it builds up authority in the process too.
People involved in Internet marketing and using the web for promoting and advertising their goods and services are well acquainted with affiliate marketing and the services provided by affiliate marketing networks. But if merchants/publishers keep certain fine points in mind, then they can utilise the services of online affiliate networks to their optimum advantage and emerge a winner despite cut-throat competition.
Awareness about affiliate marketing tools is extremely essential to plan your promotional/advertising strategy. Information about these tools is available on most online affiliate networks. Web page banners and web advertisements are examples of affiliate marketing tools. Secondly, a merchant needs have complete details about affiliate programmes that are being offered by affiliates and affiliate marketing networks. Comparison of rates across affiliates would be the right thing to do before zeroing in on a reliable programme. Online affiliate networks provide the platform where an advertiser can pick and choose from various registered affiliates.
The reputation and credibility of the affiliate company needs to be checked before striking a deal with it. Advertisers can conduct a background search on the company and determine its market reputation before agreeing to work with it.
Even after agreeing to work together, the merchants should constantly communicate with the affiliate to plan out marketing a promotional strategy. For the best of affiliate marketing services, partnership with a compatible affiliate is necessary. The plan should be such that both the enterprises are benefited with the association. Since it is the question of building a brand and promoting a business, hence it should be taken extremely seriously. Consulting an expert or affiliate marketing consultant would provide the necessary guidance to a affiliate marketing effort.
The most important point would be to follow the latest trends in affiliate marketing and keep abreast with current strategies. Adapting the promotional plan of action with the changing times will help merchants move with the pulse of the people, who could be their potential customer base. Affiliate Marketing Networks also act as information centers for all kinds of latest developments in this area.
As an important component of the search engine optimization industry, affiliate marketing is a powerful instrument, which if used with proper planning can be a path towards definite success.
Its been 2 years since the last one, and lots has changed in SEO, PPC since then, are affiliates ready for the buying craze that is Harry Potter. It is estimated that the sales of the next Harry Potter book, (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) will exceed 1 Billion, and I personally estimate that around 6/7% of these sales will be online. Are affiliate marketeers going to tap the market? Most probably, but If you google “harry potter book 7″ only 4 google ads come up for the latest Harry Potter book.
When will affiliates start advertising, there are still many pre-orders to be had.
Does the selling tradition work, does fulfilling peoples needs get a product sold? Well of course to a certain extent it does but the majority of the decision to buy is about motivation.
People have to assoicate the action of buying to creating tremendous pleaseure, and the action of not buying to pain.
We do things in life to gain pleasure or avoid pain, or sometimes a combination of the two.
You can’t just have someone motivated out of there desire to want, you have all got to have them actually feel that not buying would be painful. What do I mean painful? That they would be missing something, that they would be alone, any emotion wound or hurt.
People will do more to avoid pain than they will ever do do get pleasure. Which are you more motivated to do, save £1000 or protect £1000 in your pocket?
At the end of the day all we are all salespeople (affiliate marketers) we sell companies product through our website and our content. So what we have to is sell consequences, there are negative consequences and positive consequences, negative if the customer doesn’t buy it (what they are missing out on) and positive (what they would be getting).
A new affiliate network opened called CleverAt.com. The network is based in London, this adds to a long list of UK affiliate networks open. They claim to offer high quality CPA and CPL which will remain to be seen. I signed up and contacted they about becoming an advertiser, more information on this in the future.
“working on issues like privacy, child online safety, copyright and trademark protection, content regulation, reform of the patent system, and broadband policy”.
“expect to hear more from us on issues like net neutrality, censorship, innovation regulation, immigration, R&D, national security, and trade, just to name a few”
Google Public Policy Blog: Taking the Wraps Off Google’s Public Policy Blog