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akany
Joined:
25 Nov 2003
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84
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2004 10:52 pm
Post subject: Are eBook Authors just nice guys?
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Since I'm a little bored right now, I want to ask for your thoughts, on a question, that I ask myself for the last few weeks.
Why do "successful" affiliate marketers come up with ebooks and courses?
Most of you know the names of the big players in our business - rosalind gardner, james martel and so on. These guys make 6 figure incomes, only from affiliate marketing - thats what they say in their ebooks. So now I ask myself, if I found a way to make money "the easy way", why should I publish an eBook and tell anyone how to copy my style of success. This is like creating new competitors.
Another thing I wonder about, the most ebooks tell you how easy it is to make big amounts of money, selling other peoples products. So why do the authors spend so much time on writing newsletters and promotion articles for their own ebooks. I assume, the market for these ebooks is not that big, so in my eyes it's a waste of time spending to write a ebook for a limited audience instead of building new websites (that make the 6 figure income). So lets take rosalind gardner as an example. She sells her ebook
"How I made $436.797 last year,selling other people's stuff online" for $47 - (50% comission for affiliates). Ok, that is $25.5.
I think clickbank will also take some % off of this amount. So, lets say she makes $ 17 with one sale, and lets assume she sells her book 200 times a month (I do not know if this is realistic) - then she makes $3400 a month from the ebook sales. Since I'm a subscriber of her newsletter, I noticed, that she is writing a lot of promotional stuff about her book, and we all know, writing content takes it time. So, now we come to the point, that I do not understand - if I would make 400 grand a year with selling affiliate products, I would not spend a minute on writing a ebook, writing newsletters or doing promotion for my book that brings me only $40.000.
I hope you understand what I want to say with this post...my english gets worse, the more I write 
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LizB
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 3:22 am
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Very logical argument and I have wondered myself how well those "gurus" are doing and why they want to tell everyone their methods. Here are a few possibilities as why they don't see a problem in sharing their business methods:
1. they are not telling the whole story in their books
2. they believe there is enough business to go around using the method they have chosen - I think James Martell is probably in this category.
3. they like writing ebooks and the profile it gives them
4. they think that so few people will actually put the time in to perfecting their method that it will not be a problem and
5. all of the above.
But why they need to do it, other than for fame and glory, when they can easily pull in a few thousand $$$ by sending out an email to their lists. That is the big question! Is it like asking why Hollywood stars keep working once they become a rich as Creosus?
There is one "guru" whose ebook is "How To Win The Lottery" and I do find that rather peculiar if the method he sells actually works.
Hope lots more folk will add their views on this. Maybe some who have proved it works and are just about to tell us how in another ebook. 
Liz
Oh of course maybe they are just nice guys after all.
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mdr02125
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 4:19 am
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First, don't believe everything you read. (But don't disbelieve and throw the baby out with the bath water either.) There are many books on How to Get Rich In Real Estate. How to Get Rich in Real Estate While You Sleep. Etc. Some burn out on what they are doing, and sell the real estate and write books about how successful they were. This is a lot more common, at least for real estate, than most people realize.
Being a landlord is hard work. You've got to call the plumber or someone every month or two, sometimes it's once a week--whether you're at home or in Anguilla. Or at least call from beach in Anguilla to soothe the tenants feathers about how you'll have it fixed when you get home. When you can pay a manager, you still have to find one, and keep tabs on things. It's true you can get rich in real estate. You can even do it on a dime, and when things go well, while you sleep. But, that's not the whole picture. These books don't talk about "how I got heartburn, migraine headaches and chest pain from investing in real estate" because that doesn't sell, or better it takes more work to make that sell.
Second, there is lure in money. When I was 5 I got starry eyed over a one dollar bill. When i was 20, a thousand dollars seemed like a fortune. My mortgage monkey eats more than twice that now. When I was in graduate school living in a studio, I wanted a bigger apartment. When I had a bigger apartment, I wanted to buy a house. Once I got a mortgage monkey on my back, I sometimes catch mysefl being negative and wanting something better,easier, instead of being grateful for what I have.
Read carefully. Many times "I made ___ in __ days" is carefully worded so it seems like this was the net income but really it was the the gross, or some figure before all the expenses were subtracted. Also these claims don't factor in the years of trial and error -- and financial loss, in some cases - that led to themhaving the experience to make x amount in y days.
People like to see their name in print. If they are successful it feels good. It can also help you feel more successful than you are, or put another way boost your confidence so you can be mroe successful than you were.
If I was making $400k I would spend a lot less time at the keyboard. I might pay a ghost writer to interview me -- over the phone, or over a lunch at a nice restaurant and turn that easy work into a book or ebook. And hire a copy writer to write a smashing sales letter instead of sweating over my own. OK, let's say I'll do that when not if ..
On the good side, there are wealthy people who will start a new venture or write an ebook and donate all the proceeds of the new project to charity. Bless them. 
I haven't read much by some of these internet gurus, partly because of the slick one sided way many present it is a turn-off, even if the ideas are good. And I understand that that's what sells more faster. Besides the obvious benefits of SBI, one of the things I appreciate about sitesell is the lack of hype and the repeated and up front nature of their saying you've got to supply the elbow grease.
Mark
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Phil CA
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:15 am
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Great thread. 
Even though my comments might go in a few different directions it's really the same with affiliate marketing.
Here are just a few reasons...
Just take a walk through every book store in the world offline and online.
People love to Teach and people love to Learn all kinds of special interests.
People love success and successes so successful people sell it.
Whether it's business, stocks, self help, pets, romance, computers, cooking, A-Z problems etc. etc.
It's not just about money But it has helped a few. Others don't make much money But they have lots of Fun being successful.
So if your looking for ideas for niche sites, hang around bookstores and study people and subjects. Talk to them and invite them to your website as they are your Niche customer.
Ken Evoy was alway a teacher and still is. From his medical profession, invention of toys, penny stock, interest in software, SiteSell, SBI and lots more to come, you'll see.
James Martell, track and check back a little on his very 1st sites.
Successful people learn, teach and follow lots of successful people and grow their business real estate.
James Martell, Rosalind Garner and many others will expand their business real estate just like Corey Rudl, Ken Evoy and many others who started with one eBook, site etc. etc.
That's my story and by the way... Follow Successes, teach and Grow.
Just my thoughts
All the best
Phil |
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akany
Joined:
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:09 am
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Two points that I can not agree with:
- "they believe there is enough business to go around using the method they have chosen - I think James Martell is probably in this category. "
- the example with the real estate
The real estate market is very local - if I run a successful real estate business in munich, then I do not care, if someone reads my book and uses my tricks in ney york, since it will not hurt my business. But affiliate marketing is another thing, to be successful you need good se rankings, so if your site is not in the top 10 for a particular term it will hurt your business. So if I have a site about coffee tables for example, and this site is doing well - than it would be a bad idea to write a book, that tells the reader "the internet coffee table business is doing good - build a coffee table site", wouldn't it?
And from what I know about RG and JM is that they give you concrete examples for good niches, niches that they have websites by there own.
The affiliate market is doing extremly well these days - I already made ~ $ 800 in my first month, but the more people are doing affiliate marketing the harder it will become to earn a income. Remember the banner market some years ago, that was a market I made good money, but then it crashed very quick because to many people did it.
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Phil CA
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:38 am
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Allan, Rosalind, Ken, James and others have explained in their newsletters, articles etc....
That the whole affiliate industry like the internet, is a baby just really starting to grow up.
The people that follow the successes will always beat out the competition just like any other business.
Competition creates all kinds of business opportunities. Creative marketers will always succeed by diversifing their businesses in lots of different industries. Ask James Martell and others.
Unfortunately and fortunately as with any other business, not everybody in affiliate marketing will succeed.
Read Ken Evoy's success articles and don't worry too much. It can be bad for your business and your health.
All the best
Phil |
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AllanGardyne
Site Admin
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:11 am
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I think one reason successful affiliates like James and Rosalind write ebooks is to get leverage.
They get leverage by having thousands of affiliates who do the work of promoting their ebooks for them - and its free labor unless the affiliate achieves a sale. That's a sweet deal for the merchant.
The also get leverage because, to a certain extent, they do they work - writing the ebook - once but continue to earn money from their efforts for years.
They get leverage in another very important way. All those affiliates not only achieve ebook sales. They send people to James' and Rosalind's web sites who sign up for the experts' newsletters - thus giving James and Rosalind an ever-growing list of people to whom they can sell more products.
Ebook sales encourage readers to become affiliates, who make sales, which encourage more affiliates and more newsletter subscribers... So they have an ever-expanding business.
I'm sure they have many other reasons.
For example, some people simply enjoy teaching, and get great satisfaction from helping other people succeed.
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Allan Gardyne
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kevin
Joined:
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canada
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:18 am
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I guess only they know for sure as to why but I coached soccer in the
past and found it quite rewarding to pass on my knowledge and enjoyed
when some of my ex-players would come back and say thank you for
what you have taught me. Thanks for getting me that scholarship etc.
Perhaps they seek that. I know Rosalind is a great lady and has helped
me out personally...and no I'm not a relative of hers.
I think another question would be: If you made it real big-would you
help others achieve success? I know I would and think most here would
as well. Judging by the response to questions here. |
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marksezine
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:44 pm
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Hello everyone,
Almost all of the people you see selling ebooks that are supposed to
tell you exactly how they made $400,00 last year, tell you everything
that they did except the one most important thing. They made that
much money by selling their products to there own opt-in mailing list.
With out your own opt-in list that you can offer your own products
and services to, you will only be making enough money to keep
yourself frustrated.
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robertb
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 9:26 pm
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I agree with your comment Mark, but that is not always the case. Managing your own products is right for some people, but not for others. It's a larger time and energy commitment. The Martell approach is based of pure affiliate marketing and James does show that it works.
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marksezine
Joined:
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:56 pm
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I totally agree with you Robert, that managing your own products is
a time and energy commitment. I don't own any of my own products,
all I sell are affiliate products, and my opt-in mailing list is my
most valuable asset. Even if you never have any of your own products,
I believe that without having your own list, most people will not
be successful with out spending a lot of time and money promoting
there web site of affiliate program. You can check out my sig below
to see what I'm talking about. Just my thoughts.
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AllanGardyne
Site Admin
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:33 am
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There are many different ways of making money on the Internet.
In my experience...
Having your own newsletter works very well, but it's definitely not essential.
Creating your own products works very well for some, but it's definitely not essential.
I've been doing this full-time stuff for years, and I've been spending less time recently on newsletter publishing and I have no immediate plans to create my own products. Am I doing things "wrong"? Of course not - I'm just choosing a path that suits my skills and interests.
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Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it! |
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LizB
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:08 am
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Many of them do tell you a list is essential to making money. The problem is it isn't easy to get one. People are not signing up for ezines so much anymore as there are just too many of them. It seems like a chicken and egg story you must have a list to be successful but you must be successful to have a list!
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mdr02125
Joined:
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 4:59 am
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| Quote: | | Many of them do tell you a list is essential to making money. The problem is it isn't easy to get one. People are not signing up for ezines so much anymore as there are just too many of them. It seems like a chicken and egg story |
Are people not signing up or just being more selective? IMHO there are more people "out there on the internet signing up for ezines" these days but the average person is more selective. Like any valued business asset a list does not come easily.
A side note, I clicked on the first site in your sig and on the back pain pages (I'min a fiar amount of back pain today  ) and had there been a signup form visible I might well have.
Mark
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NoCostGifts
Joined:
15 Feb 2004
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78
Location:
Missouri
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 2:42 pm
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| Quote: | | It seems like a chicken and egg story you must have a list to be successful but you must be successful to have a list! |
I use co registration to build my list. Not to be confused with my newsletter, my newsletter is for website members only. But I have a list that I mail out a series of messages to, advertising my website. I build this with co registration. |
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