Tracker Mo's Report: 06-15-06 Edition

		Tracker Mo's Report A Weekly Newsletter For The Serious Online Marketer Marige O'Brien, Editor

Vol. 1 Issue 5		June 15, 2006

News2U: FTC Extends "New Business Rule" Comment Deadline

COLUMNS

* TrackerMosIA
* IN A WORD
* FRUGAL MKTR
* EVERYDAY HTML
* SITE-SEEING
* LETTER FROM MO

Dateline: June 15, 2006-- The deadline for accepting comments regarding the FTC "Business Opportunity Rule" was extended late yesterday from its original 06-16-06 date to 07-16-06. FTC representatives request that posts be made by 07-12-06, to allow time for review.

As reported in a bulletin to opt-in subscribers yesterday, passage of the FTC's "Business Opportunity Rule" promises to have a serious impact on online marketers. This ruling proposes to designate all MLM and party type-businesses as "franchises." This could potentially mean that each marketer/company would be required to fulfill certain regulations including licensing (with fees), pre-determined "waiting periods" for sign-ups and furnishing disclosure documents that record all past members.

Theoretically designed to thwart fraudulant activities, the ruling is being debated across the internet. According to many online experts, a blanket measure such as this would pose odious burdens on the average online marketer and, effectively, render online business in-operable. This, regardless of conformance to requirements already in place.

With the extension of the deadline, all marketers are urged to submit comments opposing this ruling, as well as forward this information to colleages, especially since this ruling is being decided by a 5-person committee, rather than a senate or house of representatives hearing.

Comments can be submitted via the FTC Comment Form directly or as an uploaded attachment.

Because this also includes all Party-type (i.e., Avon, Mary Kay, etc.) companies, members of these companies are similarly urged to send in their comments.--mo

3X The Traffic

In A Word

Pencils Work

A while back I mentioned to a colleague that I do a lot of my writing in the early morning. Soon after, I began finding IM messages on my computer that co-insided with the time I was writing. It didn't bother me. I don't write on my computer.

And, from the title of this blog, I'm sure most have guessed that, yes, I often write by hand, if only the first draft. I discovered long ago that it can be much more productive to at least BEGIN a project by writing it by hand.

When a writer gets their first computer, they often jump to the conclusion that they will never need to write by hand again. Hah! (This, of course, also explains the penmanship problems so many kids have today.)

The advantage of writing by hand is precisely what most people want to avoid: that it slows you down. But this can be a good thing. I admit, I too, thought I'd write everything on the computer when I bought my first one. But, I soon found, most of what I wrote was, well, less than stellar.

In fact, I found myself often "going off on literary tangents," sometimes writing as much as three pages that were completely off-topic and, for all intents and purposes, rubbish, no matter how well they may have been worded.

Even worse, I would find it difficult to edit these off-topic items out of the original text. They were interesting; they were "good" (at least, I thought so). But, the cold, hard, fact of the matter was, they didn't belong within the body of the text.

For a while I tried to cut/paste these out and save them for later. It wasn't until I found myself re-writing the same idea, only later realizing that I'd already saved it, that I realized how silly this was.

Slowly, I found myself returning to writing by hand. All logic said it was stupid, that I was giving myself extra work because I'd only have to re-write or input it later. And this was true. But, as I started using this method I also discovered that my focus was much better. Why? Because when you write by hand, it's HARDER. BECAUSE it's harder, I unconsciously chose my words more carefully, selected the phrases and stuck to the subject at hand.

When other ideas occur to me, I jot them down on a separate tablet, in a running list that I keep nearby. And when I do go to my computer, the whole idea is complete and untarnished by off-topic residue. Then, when I need an idea, I go back over the list and pick one out.

This may not work for everyone. But it works for me. And it may work for others who are similarly afflicted with, as Stephen King once termed it, "diarrhhea of the computer."--mo

More "In A Word (or Two)"

SITE-SEEING: REVIEW of
ScreenBlaze

In the world of passive, set-it & forget-it marketing,ScreenBlaze has got to be one of the ultimates. Whether the concept is new or not, it certainly has its charms.

This nifty little free download is a screensaver-- that markets. Or, put another way, it's an auto-rotator, that works whenever you are online but inactive.

What's the good of that?

For those who only sit near their computer when they are actually working on it (and those, like me who are perpetually online), a screensaver that has ads would seem a bit silly. But, remembering that many set their computer on or near a work surface that's used for other things, too, plus that there's a whole civilization that DOESN'T spend every waking hour online, it can be quite useful. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a desk devoted to their computer, afterall. And for those people, this screenblazer is perpetually running ads.

When I first heard about it, I admit, the main reason I decided to try it was the price. And, because of little things like virus, etc., also because a friend had recommended it, too. Afterall, free often comes with a very ugly "price tag"-- like spyware, etc.

But there was no worry about that with Screenblazer. And, strangely enough, I HAVE been impressed with it. Not only does the toolbar have a bookmarking feature, allowing me to save the pages that interest me without interferring with the program, but I do find myself actually looking at the ads that pop up whenever I step away from the computer (they're always different, which will draw the eye). Plus, knowing this is running while I'm making dinner, going out, or otherwise occupied, makes me feel as if I'm marketing in my sleep.

Best of all, with the 10:1 ratio (1 credit for every ten minutes the screen saver runs), I gain 6 credits an hour-- or 48 credits a day. For nothing!

As far as I can tell, the reason this program is offered for free (apart from being a draw for site traffic), is that other programs are heavily promoted once you join. But they are not obnoxious about it.

OVERALL RATING:

Past Reviews

MARKETING: Traffic & Rankings: 9 Steps To Marketing Success

It is universally understood among experienced marketers that traffic is the key to online success. Build enough traffic and the law of averages demands it. Traffic is GOLD online. It is the "Holy Grail" of online marketing. However, novice and mid-level marketers often fail to see the actual mechanics of this-- and continue to be frustrated by the lack of results, even as they hand the traffic they work so hard to generate over to someone else. You see, like gold, many will "divert" traffic from others, especially from novice marketers. They do this so smoothly that many go for years without ever realizing this is happening.

For instance, many affiliate programs "give" a marketer "their own" page. But this isn't really the marketer's-- because it resides on the company's site. So, when the affiliate markets, all their efforts are going to the program-- not the marketer! And this is only the most common example.

Ever wonder why so many blogs are free? Why so many services are free?... leads, forums, you-name-it, are given away for "free?" One word: traffic. In order to use the freebies, the user must visit that site. Even free online games are just a way to pull traffic to a site. Because the more traffic, the higher the ranking. And high enough rankings put a site on the first page of any search engine.

Understand one key element: A site can have one, completely unrelated, unconnected add-on page. If that one page is hot, the whole site benefits from the traffic/ranking boost. This explains more than all the SEO information combined; why some sites are consistently at the top of seaches while others struggle to get onto page two.

So, how can the average marketer really pull in massive traffic? How can someone, on a limited budget and with little technical expertise, benefit from this? There IS a way, if you follow these steps.

STEP 1 - CREATE A PRESENCE
To begin focusing efforts, a point of origin must be established. In other words, a marketer must create some kind of website of their own to establish a presence on the internet.

If this seems daunting, because of technical and budgetary issues, understand that a blog is just as much a recognized presence on the internet as any other type of site. In fact, a blog is the ideal solution for newbies (such as Blogger) because they are free and highly user-friendly.

STEP 2 - REAL CONTENT EQUALS REAL SITE
However, to avoid being designated as a "splog" (blogs that are only used for advertising and generally panned by "respectable" bloggers) a certain amount of real content must be created. It is best to set up a real blog, add to it regularly, and include a side-bar where links can be added. With real content -- such as reviews of various products or other articles relevant to the products -- this saves it from that nasty designation.

STEP 3 - FOCUS MARKETING
Choose a blog that allows template editing. Many even include instructions for adding links within the template inside of "comment" tags. Look for them. Then simply add all the links to each affiliate or other referral.

STEP 4 - FUNNEL TRAFFIC
Change all marketing/advertising efforts to point to that website/blog. No matter which link the advertisement is for, set it up to link to this site first. By doing so, the increased traffic will build ranking and that will push the site up on the search engines.

STEP 5 - FREEBIES WORK
Offering a free give away of some kind will draw traffic like nothing else. Whether it's a newsletter, a contest or a combination of things, free is everyone's favorite price. While a blog is somewhat limited in this respect, there are still plenty of options.

STEP 6 - BUILD CONTENT
The site itself can also become an attraction, if the content is continuously updated (i.e., once or more a day) and kept active. The more visits and re-visits, the faster ranking will build. It also offers another way to advertise everything-- because the content itself becomes something to advertise.

NOTE: At this point, it is realistic to expect a ranking of 4/10 or higher. Also, until this point, all of this has been possible with a blog. Beyond this point, however, a completely independent site is needed.

If a blog has been used until this time, part of preparation for the next step should include transferring everything within the blog to the website. But, in order to benefit from the traffic/ranking built to this point, rather than simply abandoning the blog, re-direct everything (via links) to the new site.

STEP 7 - GET READY
At this point, a certain amount of basic programming (html, if nothing else) should have been learned. If not, it's time. There are online resources -- from courses to forums -- for each type of language-- html, java script, php and each is relatively easy to learn, even for a non-geek.

STEP 8 - THE BIG LEAGUES
Now it's time to offer something that is substantial because this will bring significant traffic-- remember? The Holy Grail. A unique forum, dating service, shareware, game site, homepage that has all of these, etc. Find and offer something that brings in major traffic. By the way, porn and gambling sites are NOT a good idea, as will be clear in the next step.

Ideally, find something related to the general site content, though unrelated content still pulls traffic in. But, by making it relevant, cross-links can be direct.

STEP 9 - FOCUS ON FREEBIE
Now focus all marketing on the major free offering. Take good care of it and monitor it to be sure it's running smoothly. It is your diva, your shining star-- and it will draw the traffic in. Never mind that your links and affiliates are different pages. The fact that they reside on the same site pushes all the pages up just as much as the rest of the site.

If all these steps are followed carefully, at this point, traffic should be translating into real dollars and cents-- and, probably, more dollars than cents! If not, revisit each step and look for oversights and errors. Add a second type of free site, something new and popular.

The best result is that the marketer is not dependent on the affiliate programs, and can change those as they see fit. They can also look forward to a time when actually marketing is unnecessary-- the site markets itself. All that's needed is to keep up the attractions.--mo

More Marketing Articles

TRACKERMOSIA

Downlines!, Oh, Those Downlines!

The whole premise of MLM systems is that uplines take care of their downlines. They should reach out to them and teach them, even if they're new themselves. This way, a new marketer has someone who can mentor them, offer them practical guidance, etc.

Yet, I find, time and again, marketers are reticent to help their downlines. In fact, just today, I was on a forum and a poster was asking a question about finding out some information-- who should they ask? Should they go and post a help ticket? Now, without divulging anything private, I can say the information was about a new sign up. So I responded by suggesting, "why don't you ask the sign-up???" I then began launching into a tirade about this whole topic.

I mean Aren't Uplines SUPPOSED to help their sign-ups?

But, so far as I've seen, the truth is far from that. Usually uplines are of two breeds: they either ignore their downline completely-- or pester the heck out of them with emails advertising everything under the sun! Few ever offer any real support or help.

I know I never heard from most of my uplines. But (being from another galaxy), because of this, when I started getting my own sign-ups, I wanted to help them. To really help. Hey, if they make a sale, I get a commission. If they get people in their downline, that's also in MY downline. I'm not pretending to be altruistic. Just practical. Also, if they start making money they STAY in my downline, which is where I want them. So, from the very start, I vowed to be an effective leader.

There have been a few problems with that, of course. For one thing, I belong to several different MLM programs-- and they don't all include contact information. Some don't even let you know when you've gotten a sign up!

Then, too, as things have gotten busier, I kept falling behind in the "keep in touch" department... I was beginning to see why I never heard from my uplines. If it weren't for the PIPs newsletter, my downlines would never learn anything. But even that isn't all it could be-- I mean, it's a very good newsletter. Covering the very basics of some online marketing tactics. But, the fact is, it's VERY generic. And, too, it's becoming a bit, well, dated.

Well, the long and the short of it is, I had run out of ways to effectively help my downline. Until I hit on an obvious idea. That is: Take the PIPs idea and make it my own!

I have an auto-responder, after all, one that allows multiple campaigns. So, I started writing some emails. But I wanted to REALLY help my downline. That means, I didn't want to just give them the generic stuff that can be found in any of dozens of online marketing books.

:) Well, I don't.

Instead, I give them a collection of thoughts and ideas that I've developed and, frankly, just don't have time to post elsewhere-- not even here! They are my

(Continued at right)

Frugal Marketer

Beware Free Leads, Plus some Do's and Dont's

Many people who are into email or bulk mail marketing, jump at the idea of free leads. And, while some may be fine -- that is, come as an add-on to another i-tool -- it is wise to remember the ol' saying, "there's no such thing as 'free'."

Of course, there are viable exceptions. Many auto-responders include a certain amount of leads as an enhancement to their membership. They can be real leads and include all the necessary data to prevent Cam-Spam violation. But, then again, they are not truly "free" since they are REALLY part of a package.

And, too often, free leads forego the "little details," that make them Cam-Spam compliant and put their users at risk, often without them even being aware of the risk until it's too late. So I've put together a few basic rules to follow with free leads.

DO: If nothing else, make sure leads have a date/time stamp-- without this, there is no way to backtrack them, should the worst occur and someone accuse the user of spamming them. Better still, they should have the IP address.
DO: Keep offline records of the leads.
DO: In those records, keep track of the source, the date/time stamp and, if included, the IP address for each lead. These bits of info will positively identify them as having opted in, at least as far as you know.
DON'T: Use leads from a site you don't know or trust. A lead source is required to provide IP address and date/time stamp information. If they didn't, they may have gotten them from THEIR junk mail, for all you know.
DON'T: Use leads without at least a date-stamp on it.
DON'T: Simply download them from your source and upload them to your auto-responder. It may be messy, but your records are all that can protect you from possible accusations.

More Frugal Marketer Tips

(Cont'd.)
downline, afterall. So, they deserve the very best techniques and tools I can come up with. Things that aren't generally known-- but only come from experience...

Yep. Wish I'd had an upline like me. (If I do say so, myself.)

Oh, I'm not saying these ideas don't exist anywhere. I can't really say that since I haven't read all those marketing books, etc. But I can say I've never seen them anywhere. And, considering how much I study this stuff, that is saying something.

Yep. . . I think my downlines will be pleased. ;-) But, hey, what's an upline for, anyway? Now, if only I could get them to feel like they can contact me with questions...hmmmm--mo

More TrackerMosIA


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