I want to nail a $100 dollar day.
You’re brain is such a funny fellow and very protective too.
The thing your brain most want’s in this world is to see you safe and most importantly, not fail.
FAILURE = FOOLISH
Sadly, through the harshest conditioning at your most vulnerable time - HIGH SCHOOL, you were taught this most damaging little formula and it effects you in so many ways it’s ridiculous.
(Stay with me People - i’m not going “WOO WOO” on you - everything here is hard scientific fact)
One of the “Super-Cool” ways it protects you is in the area of Internet Marketing.It works like this…
You’re pumped and excited - this Internet marketing thing is for you, I mean look at the glamourous lifestyles these people have.
Side Note - For an excellent reality check on “The Glamour” on this - read Michelle McPhersons blog post about her brother “Why I Couldn’t Help My Brother at Internet Marketing”
But it’s not the lack of glamour that gets you.It’s the results in your first thirty days that will do you in. The criminal part is 95% of y’all have no idea this is happening to you.
(Remeber Scientific Fact - Not “WOOWOO”)
Pretty much every sales letter gives a TRUE example of the success of their owner.
I made $100,000 last month….”Look at this payapl check for $233,000 I got last month”
“I made a million dollars in a day…”
ETC
ETC
ETC
Now here’s the thing - the rational , conscious part of your brain totally gets that these people had to work hard for it, it didn’t happen over night, even they had to make a dollar…
What a shame your conscious brain is not in charge all the time…
When things go well our lizard brain (the one responsible for the four F’s Fight, Flight, Feed and F… procreate) is happy to take a back seat. Hey - Your Happy, I’m Happy…
But subconsciously, its expecting that big paypal cheque to come through the mailbox stat!
Newsflash - No one I know went from cold start to $100k a month in 30 Days (Happy to meet the exception to the rule…)
It took them ages to build to that. To build a LIST
Which is why in the thirty day challenge we talk about making a single dollar.
We would get a lot more takers if we promised riches…but it would be bull.
If you’re starting out, job 1 is to make a dollar.
But I have to tell you a secret.
My Favourite day - and the one that is the true signal of success…Is the $100 dollar day.
Rack up a few of those in a row and you don’t have an accidental business any more - you’re in this thing for reelez…
There’s a good reason that the first step in alcoholics anon is to admit you have a problem.
IF you can focus on and CELEBRATE the $100 dollar day.
So many more of you would have the chance to celebrate the $200 dollar day.
By Focusing on the 100K paypal cheque (Even if you don’t know your doing this - YOU ARE!) you’re DRAMATICALLY affecting your chances of making a go if this.
Ed
30DC does not work for me because I want to know why I am learning each piece of technology upfront with a minimum level of detail. This can be illustrated by example.
Let’s take Day 11: I am supposed to set up a lens on Squidoo and a HubPage. I want to know, on the same page I see the lesson, why I need Squidoo and HubPages when I have never heard of them or know what a lens is. Note that I don’t need a long paragraph — a brief definition and a link for more information would suffice. I am guessing that the reason is that the more links I create to my work, the higher the page results will be on Google and the more people will click on my page — but I want that spelled out right then so I can make a decision on whether it is worth my time to do that step right then. I don’t want to look it up on my own or review a previous lesson.
Instead of what I want, I only see an overview of the video: Caro will show me steps 1, 2, and 3. Michelle will show me steps 4, 5, and 6. Honestly, I have gone through lessons on 30DC in previous years. I really don’t need to know that level of detail, as I am rather computer-savvy. While I appreciate the transcripts, I would really like a quick cheat sheet on the page in addition to what is already presented because HTML downloads much faster than PDF.
While I know from others’ stories that 30DC is a wonderful program with proven results, for me the reason why I stick to it is a communication issue.
Just finished reading Seth Godin’s ‘Linchpin’ and then your two posts. What a kick in the pants! I tend to be a perfectionista and get sooooo bogged down with Market Samurai and trying to figure out what ‘winning combinations’ might be. I’ve repeated all the MS trainings in 30DC and at the MS training site (which is also excellent!). Somehow I don’t feel too horrible about doing this to get deeper and deeper understanding of how MS can work … I keep seeing so very many websites that are pretty but NOT optimized AT ALL!!! Amazing. And many are not even that pretty. So … getting my arms around MS and SEO seems like it might have been a solid investment in my internet marketing future. Both from my own web/blog sites AND from helping other local businesses see results of having their web pages on Google page 1. The 30DC is pure gold! I’ve just GOT to stop opening that flood of ‘make a million with my magic IM juice emails!
Quote
Newsflash - No one I know went from cold start to $100k a month in 30 Days (Happy to meet the exception to the rule…)
It took them ages to build to that. To build a LIST
Exactly the point. What did those people making $100K a month do?
Did they spend their first 30 days setting up firefox plugins, twitter, facebook, friendfeed, wordpress direct, google analytics or a new site or piece of software every day?
Most of these gurus use the fact that they have made millions as justification for us to listen to them. But the fact is, they have totally lost touch with what people starting out need.
Making your first dollar online is a great concept. To prove to yourself that you can do that is a brilliant first step. Then you can work out how to do it consistently and go on to making enough money to stay in the game.
30DC has become, make your first dollar but do it with a system in place that is ready to scale up to an international multi-million dollar business promoting your own range of products.
I watched the video in 30DC plus of the team brainstorming what was going to be in 30DC and coming up with a humungous list of stuff.
Just seeing that list made me realize how insane it is to present that to somebody who is just dipping a first toe in the water.
If that is what it takes to make a dollar, what do you have to do to make a living? No wonder people drop out.
Ed, you are guilty of encouraging people to try to run before they have learned to walk, and think ahead to those big cheques.
I think you need to refocus on that concept of ‘make your first dollar’ or decide what 30DC is really about.
Rich
Great stuff Ed. Perhaps you are not insane after all.
I think you need to put a big disclaimer on the front page. “Attention! Newbie does not mean we are going top do it for you!
I have seen so many people use the excuse that they are new to avoid doing the hard work.
The hard work means learning the minutia of details that make up the basis of an Internet Marketing business. It seems like many of these Noobs expect the knowledge to be magically imparted into their brains by osmosi or something.
I get a little annoyed by the level of frustration that IM can bring, but hey, that’s life. You gird up the loins and move ahead.
Everyone talks about the ‘hard work’ but no one really defines it. For me it is the countless hours watching videos, reading books, and studying materials on brand new things. It means going over the stuff again and again until I master it.
People learn in different ways. That means any method of imparting knowledge will fall short for some people. That just means we all have to try harder to learn more.
The 30DC introduces would be entrepeneurs to an inside track to get up and running. The target of ‘make your first dollar’ is an achievable first target.
With regards to the annual 30DC; this is an opportunity to review any new developments since last year to ensure we are upto date. I think a fast track, mentioned by the earlier post, would confuse your target audience, as they would try to do that to get there quicker.
One comment I would make is regarding the daily training being unavailable in the run up to the new 30DC. Could it be made available through another route as I didn’t complete the challenge in 30 days and used the daily lessons weekly/when I could; I also redid some lessons a few times and also used them as a resource.
is really about. Learning
I loved the 30dc. I learned a hell of a lot and there is nothing else that intensive on the internet. My only back was making the website in early December 09 and it’s march 10 and still not getting any traffic from the search engines and not being indexed by Google. I have a total of three sites and I am just baffled, nothing from either one.
This was one of my concerned not being able to get the help you need from the experts. I know the forum is there so people can help each other but, I find people are hesitant in sharing certain things with you.And so, my sites are all sitting there like lumps of coal.
The “measurable” success of the 30DC is a product of the combined effort of two parties: 1. The trainers (i.e. Ed and the gang) and 2. “us” - the students. As the numbers of people signing up for the course increases, it is only natural that the numbers of people not completing it will also increase proportionately.
Speaking as somebody who didn’t complete this year’s course (shame on me), my main ‘excuse’ is that I found it difficult to make the time to follow-through on the training everyday. On a psychological level, I also suspect that part of my brain rationalized it by saying to itself: “why am I dedicating so much time to something which will only pop-out a dollar? - and that’s if I’m one of the lucky ones!”. With language like this rattling around my sub-conscious, it’s no wonder I didn’t have the right mindset to make it to the end.
The simple truth is Ed, your course is brilliant Ed. Ok, so you may have a tendency to “go on a bit” at times, but hey that’s only because of your enthusiasm for the subject. In one of your recent blog posts you said that the main differentiating factor which is common amongst people that achieve great success is their discipline and dedication to do the 30 minutes to 2 hours per day that’s required to maintain positive momentum - that’s all.
It us students that didn’t follow through that need to WAKE-UP, and accept that success won’t get fed to us on a plate, and certainly not when we give up half way! You can ’show us’ the path, but it is us who must ‘walk it!”
Hi Ed,
Just want to make sure that I get what you are saying above. Instead of having the goal of “your first dollar” for the 30DC you want to structure it to achieve $100/day in 30 days?
If that is correct I will take that challenge and do what needs to be done. I have subscribed to the previous (current) 30DC but due to my having an offline business and was also busy with something else online I did not actually find the time to DO the 30DC.
At the moment I am ready to get out of my offline business. Online I have built a blog which got some traffic and made some sales but not in a niche I want to really pursue. I have two adwords campaigns in different niches with moderate ROI.
So I am probably not a complete newby but the above only amounts to trying a few things. I have however see it work and I am ready for a well structured system to take me to $100/day and beyond.
Looking forward to see what the new 30DC brings. Thank you very much for your efforts!
Ed…
I did 18 days of 30DC 2008 on my own in 3 days of actual time.
Then I spent 16 days waiting for traffic and ranking to come in.
On day 18 I made 1 dollar a day (adsense) which I was BEEEMING about
Three months later I made over 3 dollars a day (adsense)
Three months after that I sold my first copy 15 dollars which made me dance
Last month I had a 60 dollar day with 2 conversions and 8 dollars in ads and broke 350 visitors per day to the blog.
It’s funny but my target is $100 a day… hopefully soon. But it’s taking me forever… however the whole point is this… leverage
Once the e-book is written, it takes 0 effort to sell it again.
Once the blog is optimized, it takes 0 effort to add more posts.
Once the sales letter is solid, it takes 0 effort for that next sale.
So I don’t mind all the work I’m doing because it leaves a trail of links, content, ranking… etc
I do however have 1 contribution to your 30DC process:
Market - Traffic - Conversion - Product
From what I’ve been going through, what it takes to make it work is a bit more detailed than that.
Needy market - Targeted Traffic - Repetitive Conversion (or conversion engine) - Mega Product
Once you add that second dimension to each of those parts of the symphony, your results get much better … I know you teach all of this implicitly in 30DC. But I like to read it out explicitly to remind myself of what I have to work on next, (for example traffic), and how to do that properly (targeted traffic). Adding that 2nd level to each part, ups the bar just enough to where you end up doing the right things…
Thanks for all the help and support.
-Haitham
The 30 dc works. I’ve made a thousand since the start. But, I had some of this stuff in place already. What I didn’t have was the ezine, squidoo, etc. These act as ads for your website. Because I use traffic bug a lot I know there are hits to my site coming from weird places. I would not be posted on those weird place without traffic bug and I wouldn’t have anything to post on traffic bug without squidoo etc. What I can do with the 30dc is specifically identify an increase in traffic and list building becuase I’ve done 95% of the challenge. Now, having said that, I think the toughest part is the niche. I’ve toyed with an additional niche but haven’t had the results I want yet…but not because of 30dc but because of ME. 30dc works. You just gotta implement massive action and do it! Even if you only work on it one hour a day. Do something! IT will work.
At the Coming Home 2 conference I noticed a lot of people saying they had not finished the 30DC - you are right to change and esp if that is what your gut is telling you.
I started 30DC this year and I am up to Day 12 - built my first site and now it needs filling out and for me to watch Day 13+. If I had not learned lots in the previous year about internet marketing, keywords and SEO I think I would have been lost - your training is very good however it is intense. There were lots of references to how things used to be in the old days then showing us the new tools that make it easier. I would just like to see the way I am going to do something not spend time watching videos about the long way that I will not be doing. It really is very Market Samurai centric - big training sessions on that product would be great.
I would love to see a process sheet/flow chart on A4 that I could print off and have beside my PC.
Keep up the great work Ed - very brave of you to change !
See you soon!
The $100 per day is an attainable goal and is very doable but it can take a lot of work. I have done the 30DC for the last 3 years and it has given me a great insight into marketing my products on line. I came with existing products so that helps but I believe you can sell almost anything on line. And over time you can build a web business.
Some of the main takeaways I get from the 30DC
- Ed uses the one sale/order in 200 visits to your site, this is .5%, this is a standard number in all kinds of direct mail (.5%-1.5%) and I have found this is the same on the web. You can do better and over last year and the recession it moved down to one out of 400, but it is now getting better and coming back to the 1 out of 200. People just didn’t buy last year, Ed is completely correct on this and you need to pay attention to it when you are figuring out your costs. Good size profit margins are a must, this is why e-products work so well, but other things work well also, keep your costs down
-Try all kinds of things to promote your products, it is almost impossible to figure out what will be the best place to promote your products so this means promote everywhere, website, blogs, hubpages, facebook, youtube, any and everywhere you can. This also means re-purpose your marketing materials, if you take a photo, put it on your blog, on flickr, on your facebook. Reuse what you write over and over, just change a little, link everything back to your site. Keyword all your graphics.
-In the early days of the 30DC Ed was more casual in his presentation, the videos are better now but what I took away and put into practice is that it is ok to be casual, it is ok to be not perfect, it is ok if a cat walks across your screen, or a kid sits on your lap, it is more important to just get your marketing efforts out there, make the blogs posts, make the videos-no matter how rough, just keep making stuff. You will get better, but trying for perfection impedes progress.
-The Market Samurai is cool and gives you great insight, also just looking at Google Adwords Tool for keywords and phrases works too, the sweet spot for words is between 2,400-9000 searches a month or 100-300 per day for a phrase.
-Knowing your market before building a product is a good idea as Ed says but usually not how we all approach this, We usually have a product and then want to sell it on line and then discover there is no market for it. Market Samurai is pretty good at pointing that out. It doesn’t mean there isn’t a market it just means you will have to work very hard. Using Google Adwords is a pretty good tool for figuring this out also, within a day you can tell if anyone cares, keep tweaking until you find the words and ads that work. Again experimenting is a must, it is impossible to know what will work before you test, keep changing and testing, you will hit it.
Things I have learned
-Pick products that you can explain in one or two words, a belt buckle is only called a belt buckle, no one calls it a “pants holding up retention device” salt shakers are not “sodium chloride distribution vehicles”. This is important, think like a google searcher, yes you can sell more complex items but when people can search and call your products by many different name it get very hard for them to find you. Look for simple easy to describe products.
-Pick a product that can fit into standard US Postal, FedEX or UPS letter envelopes and boxes, their packaging is generally free and very well made and stands out like a charm. If you are selling physical products packaging is real important and costly, when you can get it for free you can give away the shipping, customers love free shipping.
Photocopying and laser printing is great for labels, in box marketing materials, etc. Even after 20 years of selling products I still just photocopy for all that extra stuff, keep those costs down.
If you make your website simple, with a clear path to the buy area, easy to understand you will do ok, no fancy sites, stay away from flash, and this is important-put your phone number on every page, make it easy for the customers to call you up and ask questions.
-Somewhere along the line Ed talked about liking your product. If you have passion for it that is great, but a least you need to like it. This is important because you will be spending a lot of time with your product and it is real tough to get up at 3:00 in the morning to write blog copy if you don’t like it. If you do like it, it moves from work to play. Ignore all those family members who can’t understand why you are getting up at 3:00 in the morning, and if people start buying well that is the frosting on the cake.
keep working at it, it comes
For all the newbies who complain, me not included:
I totally agree with IMStrong, being a newbie does not mean everything will be done for you! “You” joined the 30dc and are interested in internet marketing for the kind of carefree, high rolling, seemingly effortless lifestyle that it can provide you. but even that comes with hard work; at least at the very beginning. see it as just having to “pay your dues” as we all are required to do by natural law. yes these guys have big pay days; some have millions but at one point even they had to start at one dollar!!! If internet marketing is for you, pull up your pants, put your head down, and stop the whining and complaining. for anything to pay off and be long lasting, hard work is required. If it would come to you that easy it would leave you just as easy, if not more easily.
thanks dale
ravi kishore
IM HERE TO GIVE IT A GO
I have been a College professor for 6 years and I know what is involved in developing classes, putting materials together, presenting it and so on…. I truly praise Ed Dale and his team on their efforts to motivate us, take us through the process and achieve success. It is a lot of hard work and it is delivered so nicely. I think I am going to miss Ed after 30 days of his challenge
and thanks for not over-promising! You are absolutely amazing, guys, and this Australian accent is so attractive, I didn’t know!
would it be possible to translate your website into spanish because i have difficulties of speaking to english, and as there are not many pictures on your website i would like to read more of what you are writting.
Our site was started while doing the 30 day challenge last year. We were able to make our first dollar online and have been stuck at that initial value since. The hardest part seems to be finding the right product to go after.
Thanks for all the help and motivation. I know our success is just around the corner!
The new Zune browser is surprisingly good, but not as good as the iPod’s. It works well, but isn’t as fast as Safari, and has a clunkier interface. If you occasionally plan on using the web browser that’s not an issue, but if you’re planning to browse the web alot from your PMP then the iPod’s larger screen and better browser may be important.
Real instructive and good structure of written content , now that’s user pleasant (:.
Helpful post. Thanks although i think your title, I WANT TO NAIL THE $100 DOLLAR DAY #30dc Thirty Day Challenge could be more brusque lol. Again, thank you!