Ask anyone.
The Thirty Day Challenge is the most popular Internet Marketing program on the web.
The Stat’s speak for themselves. No Internet program has higher satisfaction ratings or a better community.
It’s success is based on you.
Everyone LOVES it!
BUT
I’m not happy.
Not happy at all.
I love that people use the Thirty Day Challenge to inspire them onwards and upwards.
I love that we were the first Internet Marketing program to provide high Definition content at a quality level that still is the best this industry has seen.
Like I said EVERYBODY loves it.
Like I said - I’m not happy…
You see as much as I love the people who say kind words about the program and put up with my sense of humour. For me, there is only one stat that matters.
How many of you COMPLETE the challenge and make your first dollar.
That number has been falling.
It’s appalling.
We have better training, Way better tools, WAY better strategies.
But all that means BUPKISS.
The only stat that matters is how many successfully complete the challenge and that number has SUCKED.
Entering the Grand Hotel here in Essendon on Tuesday I knew in my gut things had to radically change if we were to INCREASE the completion stats.
I had a team of awesome people who flew in from all corners of the world to workshop the next challenge. I suspect they thought that after the complete redesign of the training in 2009 and the AWESOME set of tools the three days would be all about “tweaking” an Internet Phenom that everyone loves.
I had come into the room intent on KILLING it.
Five years ago everyone thought I was insane to attempt this. My closest friends tried to talk me out of it. I ignored them.
If you can’t trust your own judgement in a marketplace why are you there? Take input, take feedback but you need to make a decision and move on.
The first day of the workshop was all about working out what was working and what was not working. We use a process called PEQ (which I learned from Chet Atkins and Jay Abraham) every time I use this process it blows me away. (30dc Plus members - we have a video from last years session showing how it works in the archive.)
By the end of the day, we had a comprehensive list everyone contributed to.
I had the feedback, I went walking that night (Scientifically proven now to help you think) when I walked in the Front Gate.
The Thirty Day Challenges fate was sealed.
To make it better,
I had to risk everything…
I had to kill the Thirty Day Challenge.
To Be Continued
“Say it ain’t so, Joe!”
I love the 30DC for everything I learn every year and because it keeps me up to date with what is going on in the world of marketing on the internet. So I look forward to your revised version.
But thanks anyhow for everything I have learned to date. My marketing was quite good but I failed in the choice of my niche.
You must go on. I enjoyed all 30 days of the challenge and still refer back. the hardest part is continuing the journey. Your tools and idea’s motivated me. You must go on.
The 30 day challenge is a terrific resource, but for me it was information overload. There was way too much information and “assignments” to complete in 30 days.
Ed,
Whatever changes you make to the 30DC and whatever form it takes, I’m in for the ride. I was able to do the 2009 30DC from start to finish in real time. I learned so much and now just thinking back makes me a bit overwhelmed at how much I’ve learned about internet marketing.
I made my first $1 during that time, but funnily enough it was on another site that I just decided to start applying the 30dc challenge information to. From that point on I did end up making several hundred over the months after the challenge on my actual 30dc site. Then, I sold the site on Flippa (in less than 1 day) and focused on my main site.
Even now I still go back to the challenge lessons to go over some of thing lessons I might have learned. I re-listen to the 30dc+ content when I’m in the car and am constantly asking myself — what more can do I with x (i.e. backlinks, social media sites, article writing…)I plug away every single day. I still have much to learn and I know I have a lot to improve on, but I work on it at a steady pace.
Sometimes I still catch the glint from one of those you can make millions at home offers, but I manage stay focused on my own goals.
Just finished GaryVee’s book “Crush It” (which I do highly recommend to anyone who’s thinking of taking or has taken the 30DC). He talks about a few things that have really sparked my energy over the last few days:
His work rules are:
1. Love your family
2. Work Really Hard
3. Live your Passion
Now in the ‘work really hard’ category - there are 2 other ideas which keep coming up for me…consistency and patience. Gary calls patience the “secret sauce”.
I know in my field of health & fitness that consistency is key but patience is also very important (in order to stay consistent).
I apply all of these ideas and reminders to building my business online.
My two cents…
As for people not finishing the challenge, I personally know 2 people who I told about the 30DC and it took them a few tries to get it done. Now, they are doing it again. Even before finish the challenge, they started to see results (i.e. dollars).
I think it’s just like working out (hate to bring that back in)… people stop doing things for a variety of reasons that they might blame on life, kids, work, laziness, etc. but the truth is, unless you have a bigger reason or intention for doing the challenge, it’s hard to sustain the energy required to complete it. I know that every 6 weeks or so I have to re-focus, set my intentions for the next 6 weeks, list some measurable goals and keep them at arm’s length all the time. This goes for every area of my life.
Anyways…that’s my 2 cents for the day…here’s to getting my first $100 day!
I’m a web designer and have been looking at the various marketing programs out there. Seems 30dc is the most promising I’ve come across to date. I’m familiar with many of the concepts so I’m motoring through it at about 6 lessons a day, just to absorb the info. What I’m wondering is, what kind of money are people making doing this? What are we talking? I know the techniques but I’ve not made any money. There’s a lot of chat on the net about niche sites and so forth and lots of courses, but how many people are these working for and what kind of money are they making? 40 dollars a day? 10? 150? Nothing?
Also, as google changes do these marketing techniques become less effective? Is the real cutting edge somewhere else now that the mainstream crowd are all rushing to do niche sites? For example, google now includes video and scribd in its results as well as business listings on google maps. On top of that there’s the paid results at the top of the page. Looks like organic listings and organic listings for websites are getting pushed further and further down the page. So are these techniques becoming less relevant as google changes? And how does one monetise sribd results?
I am still working my way through the 30 Day Challenge - yes I realise it is March already. My website contains several products (at this point there are less than 30), so I am applying what I learn in the 30DC to each product one at a time, bit by bit. This takes time. I also have a full time job, but regardless, every night I work on my Internet business, even if some nights I only have enough energy left to attend to my Gmails that are generated by Traffic Bug. Another thing that chews up my time is reading my ordinary emails that come from Internet marketing gurus, including you Ed. Emails alone chew up time, especially when they contain videos that go on and on.
My weekends are taken up with Internet Marketing as well - it’s a good thing I love it as much as I do. But it does feel like I have TWO full-time jobs. Even my 76 year old Mum helps me by writing my articles, because she knows how hard I work at trying to succeed with Internet marketing and how tired I get. So in terms of effort, I give myself nine out of ten and my Mum ten out of ten for her generosity and support.
If you want us to complete the 30DC in a more timely fashion - stop sending emails / videos and let us get on with our work. But if emails and videos must be sent, be concise, cut to the chase, don’t string us out for like 19 minutes before announcing the cost of whatever you are going on about. But no, Internet marketers will continue on as before, still sending time consuming emails, and we will probably continue on as before too, taking forever to get through the Challenge.
All attitude aside, Ed, I totally love and appreciate the 30DC. Without you, I’d still be lost in the wilderness, still struggling to find my way. Thank you for all you and your team do to help us newbies, and some not so newbies. With love and appreciation, Jen
I’ll admit that in two go-rounds with the 30-Day Challenge, I have not yet managed to complete it; but, despite “flunking out,” I learned an incredible amount and still have hopes of making money online, if I can ever locate a feasible product that fits my abilities and interests. (That’s where I am stuck) I know a lot now about list-building, using social media, building a website, using keywords. I just can’t figure out what to market.
You and your program are online heroes for me and apparently thousands of others. Please stay with it!
Statics show that very few people actually follow through. I am happy to say that I didn’t have initial success with 30DC but I just kept plugging and see a few hundred dollars a month from that training and other things I’ve learned.
I am a straggler but just keep on plodding and you never know the end result of your influence.
Like you, I prefer to see results because that is my reward when I train people.
Enjoyed my experience in 30DC two years in a row. So thanks!
Well now…I finished the challenge and did make a buck, but did a poor job of selecting a good niche. Looking back, I think niche selection and keyword selection were/are super important in the whole scheme of things, and maybe that wasn’t emphasized enough. I did notice that the You Tube viewings drop off dramatically towards the last half of the challenge…I think people get about half way through and figure they have the tools they need at that point…which isn’t the case. Anyway, the course is fantastic and I learned a lot and I will look forward to any “new” stuff you have to offer! Thanks
I have to echo something Anne Samoilov mentioned, “consistency and patience.” Those are so critical to success (or identifying your weaknesses.) I have to state that the content is top notch, A+.
When executing tasks that have to be done a certain way each time, a checklist is an immeasurable aid. Checklists are typically developed and tested by experts to guarantee success time-after-time. Whenever you fly on an airline, those pilots USE checklists. I highly recommend them here, especially for the newbies. They would aid the newcomers in “consistency and patience.”
Ajajaj caramba! This is going to be interesting
Hi Ed:
First, thanks for all your efforts with the 30 Day Challenge. Just a ton of great stuff not just on marketing, but on ways of framing and carrying out a program, and how to leverage new technology to make yourself stand out.
If there is one thing I would change about the Challenge, by way of a constructive suggestion, its the emphasis on passive revenue, i.e. getting traffic to your site and then hoping your conversion mechanisms are good enough so that PayPal Money notices start showing up in your inbox.
I know that is the romantic ideal. I just think its way too slow for beginners.
I think alot of folks would get started making money alot more quickly if there was a slight shift to having folks in the challenge get more personally involved in delivering and promoting their material. Specifically using teleseminars and webinars as part of their products, and as part of the conversion process.
So the web is still used to market and get traffic. But each 30-Day Challenge student is much more personally involved in promotion and delivery of the material.
My first money online really came pretty quickly when I listed a 3-session paid teleseminar I was doing on a teleseminar listing site. Think I sold it for $47, and had 11 or so sales (about half at a discount). Its not as sexy as fully passive revenue. I actually had to show up on the phone for about 4-5 hours total and deliver material and answer questions. Although I knew my material, I didn’t know what I was doing business-wise. All I knew is that people bought.
Its my experience when you are starting out, totally passive revenue is largely a myth. And even the big gurus have a ton of personal involvement with their launches and product sales. They don’t just buy some traffic and sit back and watch the money roll in. The are out there actively promoting. And in some cases, actively delivering the material live, by events, by phone or webinar after people buy.
In my first year online - knowing absolutely nothing about what you teach in the 30-day challenge, I made about 8 grand. Once again, totally clueless, green, thrashing in the dark, except I had something I loved to offer that people needed (creating audio info products) and they were interested in and would pay for.
And had a very small pool of folks (coaches) who wanted to know what I knew.
I didn’t even know what Google was. I didn’t know what traffic was. Yes, I did use the web to get the word out and take payment, but there was alot of my own involvement in promoting and delivering the material. Very little of it was pure web traffic / passive revenue.
Its been my experience people are more willing to buy if part of what they are buying is interaction with the expert. Live telesessions. Q&A. Makes it much more of a value play, and much less risky, because the person you are buying from isn’t hiding behind a sales page.
Again, that isn’t a total internet play. But to be honest, even most of the so-called internet marketing gurus aren’t total internet either. They are speaking. Doing webinars. Doing events. Actually delivering some of the material they sell in their products. Doing back-end coaching. It just makes it a helluva lot easier to make money.
The tools to do this are pretty simple. Most free teleseminar services now offer recordings. And the advantage of a teleseminar / webinar is it comes with a deadline.
There are even a couple webinar services that are free for less then 20 participants.
Just last night I needed to show a vendor how to crop a recording in Camtasia Mac. I pulled up DimDim (DimDim.com — free webinar service). Started a session. He joined the session. I gave him control of the screen. And guided him, because I could see his screen on my screen.
DimDim still has a few bugs. But its free. And while its not passive revenue, a $47 webinar is alot more attractive (IMHO) than a $47 ebook — especially if you get the eBook as part of the webinar. And I think folks would make money from it alot more quickly.
So if you are looking for suggestions (I don’t know if you are) that would be mine. Again, you lose the romance of the pure internet / passive revenue dream. But I think what you will gain is more folks making money more quickly.
Thanks so much for all you do!
Rob
I finished all the videos and classes first to get an overview of what I am getting into. I say there’s a lot of great information for free. I’m now trying to pick up a micro-niche and that already is overwhelming! I have found a micro-niche that fits the values in Market Samurai, but am concerned that I can only be an Amazon affiliate and that the keyword contains brand names and thus the keyword can’t be used as a domain name. However, I think after reading so many articles, the best thing to do is to dive straight in and earn my first $1.
In the past, I have tried desperately to handle all the information overload and bought a few books and products. I am a software developer, set up the first website, but couldn’t figure out how to bring in the traffic nor what to do. I paid for a membership for master resell rights product but didn’t make use of it. I also signed up for an email responder for a year and didn’t get a single member and didn’t do much with it. I think what I lack is the perseverance to carry things through, but now with the 30DC, where there’s a step-by-step checklist to hit. I think it’s way better! You have some metrics to follow and it’s clear on what to do. I think I just have to overcome my fear of failure and just do it!
I will love to have a mentor (someone who has been there, done it and be able to confirm that “Hey, you are on the right track!”) will be great! Of course, having someone to offer it for free is ridiculous, but perhaps if the mentor is willing to go through the ride with you and earn a % commission of what you does instead of charging upfront like most people do. However, the problem will be if both the mentor/mentee will be committed to go through with it. Maybe a upfront fee will be great to ensure some form of commitment (however, if the mentee doesn’t have too much money to start, I don’t know how that will go) I think that if someone is willing to sail the boat with you, stick with you, you will be willing to do whatever it takes!
Competition can also be the key to winning the race too! You will be compelled to show what you did and do what it takes to win… There’s someone you can compare it and show the earnings (of course not those that boast $10000 a month and so on) which can be so fake… That’s my two cents worth!
How about the Magic Bullet Millions not really a challenge at all challenge? I am sure we would all go for that one.
I started the 30DC by default, soccer injury, worked at it now for about a year and a bit and it works for me. I don’t really sell stuff online though, yet. I use the techniques in my business which has now blossomed after three years in the doldrums. My best story, 15k from one YouTube video.
Oh and I am now a boring Mac Fanboy too.
This will be our 3rd 30 day Challenge coming up and still missing the income part. We haven’t the funds to hire a coach. But we are busting our butts everyday to gain headway to independence. Evidently still have missing pieces to put together, I do thank you for this information, I do need to figure out how to wrap this around what we are doing to gain from it.
We actually have a team Sheryl Loch, Cait Hagar, and Myself we just don’t seem to be able to focus on anything together as a team.
I agree with most on here. Too much info for 30 days to put into action. Reminds me of the show 24……all that action in 24 hours when it would be more believable if it were 24 days….too much going on for 24 hours. Producers probably intended to go that route so there wouldn’t be a constant wardrobe change…who knows.
At any rate, fact is, I betcha that more people would probably commit if it was stretched out to 90 days whereas that would allow for the program to integrate with peoples lives….you know, the REAL WORLD.
The course is in itself information overload as we also get hit with offer after offer every 15 minutes in our in-box. It’s Nuckin’ Futz …. amazing.
Marketers selling you info on how to sell info.
Any way, sorry about the rant. What little I did watch over the past several years looked to be very informative, but too much to digest in too little time and not realistic unless you had blinders on and the time every day to to digest and take action.
Hi,
I think you should keep 30Dc running because it really helps a lot of people to get a solid basement in internet marketing.
But, there are some sugestions I would make:
Make the 30DC last less than 30 days and keep a “pause” of 1-2 days after each day.
Sometimes, people might think: If I missed one day I’ll leave it for tomorrow the present day also, and guess what! tomorrow might be delayed to much.
Tip: Keep it shorter and with some breaks in between. Thanks.
Labinot
OMG … please, please, please keep it going. I know … I am one of the slower ones that lets life get in the way, but I’ve been poking at this for two years now and am just beginning to have some small bit of confidence and understanding of what it’s about and what to do. The hardest thing for me has been to pick a niche I have enough interest in to put the cycles in to build out. Too damn eclectic, I guess. But I am working supporting 3 businesses with optimizing and ranking their local biz websites with 30DC knowledge. Thanks! And keep going! Please!
What a timely post. Would you believe last night, (after reading some 30dc stuff before bed) I met you in my dream Ed. You asked about my 30dc experience and I answered head hung low that I was in the last 3 years but haven’t made it past half way any of those 3 years. You shook your head in disappointment and I awoke embarrassed for letting you down. With failing completion numbers for the horde, who could blame you (and the team) for considering stopping all of your hard work. I know it would cross my mind.
If it is all over, I do commend you for trying. Your (and the team) with your relaxed, honest demeanors are watched with enjoyment and interest at my PC. For me, I am going to revisit my goals, double my efforts and do what I can to get this sled moving again before another August washes all of the lessons away. This is honestly one time I can say “its not you, its me, and really truly mean it.
[...] On Changing Everything… #30dc « Thirty Day Challenge [...]
Ed, Good for you! We love your stuff and your concern for our well being, and I am sure we will love what you bring next. For me my 1st 30dc, this past year was fun and I learned a lot, but really had a hard time getting my blogs ranked and thus never got traffic, never made a buck. So I am sorry I dragged your numbers in the wrong direction. Probably bad choices on niche. Was def hard for me to find something that met all the criteria.
I am still committed to getting an info product out on my website and plan to make my first dollar online this year!
Thank you for your continuing commitment to sharing relevant helpful information. Can’t wait to see the changes.
We had already started working on our product and website when I came across the 30 day challenge training. We have in the meantime put up a “real” website and I’ve used Market Samurai and the keyword research training in doing this. Now that the work on the product is done I’m going back to the 30DC training to set up a series of blog sites to help promote our main site. That’s just to explain why I didn’t complete the challenge… it’s all great training and I’ve learned heaps.
I hope canning the 30DC means you’ve got something else planned instead, I’m sure you do!
I also really appreciate that you don’t email every day like some of the other internet marketing gurus out there. It means I actually read all of your posts!
thanks again for all the help,
Kerry
Here are some words that may bring you some cheer.
I did the 30DC back in August last year and made by first “dollar” six weeks later (so technically, failed to get into the hall of fame, but I completed the challenge).
In January, I had a real blitz and built 19 30DC sites. Yes, it was HARD WORK! 60 hours a week on average. By the month end, with no exaggeration, there was a sale on three of these sites and two sales on another site. I am nothing special - I just follow the training and work HARD. (And sometimes it feels like REALLY hard work!)
Personally, I could not have done this without the 30DC. I have said it before and I will say it again - thank you everyone at Thirty Day Challenge.
I think the 30DC is great, I love it in fact. I now frequently use Market Samurai and Traffic Bug.
I do find it hard to keep up to pace with the speed of the course though. Really I think I would need to take August off from work completely in order to complete the course over the actual 30 days.
I do however understand online marketing so much more now than previously.
I feel guilty even suggesting a criticism as the work you put into 30DC is incredible and valued by many thousands of people around the world.
Come on Ed, don’t leave us hanging!!!!
KILL THE 30 DAY CHALLENGE!?! Ed Dale, Are you CRAZY!?! Someone please talk some sense into him.
Hi Ed:
Don’t kill the 30 day challenge, I make my first dollar learning with you how makes free blogs. I need learn more for make money online. I paid your valuate web site course was very interesting but I know I need focus in a product or an idea.
Thanks agaon Ed
Hello Ed, I am so grateful for all I learned in the 30DC. I knew nothing before. I too had information overload but persist. I’ve got three websites now and have achieved one of my goals (got a nonprofit organization I am involved with on the first page of Google). I persist and am growing in knowledge and experience. Rome wasn’t built in a day and some of us are late bloomers but we will get there. Thanks for all you gave me. I remain a fan.
I think one of the most problematic things about the 30dc is the timing. August is summer months in the northern hemisphere. School holidays, kids at home, planned vacations, get-togethers etc, etc. Last year I was in Canada for 16 days in August. I started the challenge, had to pause for almost 3 weeks, and then did resume it and finished it (earned my buck), but by the time I was doing it, the forums were dying down, the 30dc team wasn’t available and my team members had fizzled out so that I had no team left when I was working the challenge.
It would be so much better to have it in Feb/March or Oct/Nov, then you have the summer months in both hemispheres excluded.
Other than that, excellent program that I never tire of recommending!!
I’m only through day 15 (round two) from 2009 and probably did not make your stats - but am certainly making $ on this site!
Worth remembering that even if people don’t finish the challenge (in terms of going through all the vids) it doesn’t mean they haven’t learned a tremendous amount and got huge value from it.
In my case I was able to use a lot of the early lessons to push my main site up the rankings and boost my income. Since I don’t sell products online (yet) I didn’t need to do all the lessons - but I got tremendous value from the ones I did do.
Ian
I feel a tongue firmly in cheek. 30 Day Challenge is the flagship - it’s even the name of the company - bit had to explain if there isn’t one.
Maybe it’s going to be resurrected as something bigger and better?? Something putting more pressure on participants to deliver??
I look forward to the details.
[...] On Changing Everything… #30dc « Thirty Day Challenge [...]
I love the 30 day challenge and talk about it to everyone. I think it is by far the best and most comprehensive course for newbies. I’ve done the challenge twice 2008 and 2009 and made my first dollar after the 2008 challenge in Oct 2008.
My only complaint is that it is in August and I find myself spending too much time on the 30DC and not enough time outside enjoying the last month of summer. I wish it were in Jan Feb or March.
I can’t wait to see how you make changes to 30DC! Just to let you know, my AdSense is up to $35 and slowly climbing. I will soon be going back through the training to make sure that I am doing everything I need to do to make the most of your program. Thank you so much for all you do to help newbies make a living online.
Linda
I have started every 30dc after the first one… I have never finished one because of the pace and because of school starting mid-august.
This go-round is the first time I am making progress. Giving myself 3 days for each day of material starting with preseason. Considering I am doing it on other people’s pcs I think that’s pretty good.
I’m also learning a ton.
If you kill the 30dc, I understand. Your idea, your choice. But I think that’s sad.
Please don’t kill the challenge. I discovered it for the first time last september but did not have the required time or energy to follow through.
Now I am at home full time and attacking it with a vengence and absolutely need to be able to follow the course to the end.
It is so good, and so very inspiring.
Like most people I am struggling with the niche finding part. I am one of those sad individuals who have no hobbies, but I have no intention of giving up.
Watch this space!!
Way to go Ed! Looking forward to this now. Everyone relax, Ed knows exactly what he is doing. Thanks for all the previous stuff though Ed. You’re some man for one man. :o)
I fully agree that the thirty day challenge is a fantastic overview and basic launch pad for setting yourself off into the world of Internet Marketing. There is no doubt it is a jam-packed course and without sheer dedication and time spent committed to it, most people will not complete it in under 90 days. However, that said, to be a successful Internet Marketer I truly believe you need to work really, really hard, so for those who are unable to complete the thirty day challenge within the 30 day timescale, Internet Marketing is probably not for them. I was partly disappointed with 30DC 2009 because of the introduction of PPC. But I also realise that the VERY rich Internet Marketers are all using PPC to some degree. It is a very small sector that still make an outstanding living using Organic SEO techniques alone.
this sounds great
where do i sign up though?
cheers
Hey, I just started the 30DC, so please, just give me 31 more days (and a little bit more jic).
Hey Ed,
Isn’t part of the problem that there is no commitment from begin with. It’s too easy for people to bail out.
So far I have guided a couple of people your way during the past two years, but none of them finished. People who already blog (in the 2,000,00+ Alexa range) seem to have a very special disease. It’s just my humble opinion, but they dislike any sort of “tools, systems, etc.” — think that’s not appropriate; believe when they write better people magically start to appear at their blogs.
Maybe you have read Seth Godins post today, “The difference this time is that driveby culture is both fast and free. When there’s no commitment of money or time in the interaction, can change or commerce really happen? Just because you can measure eyeballs and pageviews doesn’t mean you should.”
What about this idea I just had?
Ask for a deposit of $10, $20, … ? When they sign up. They’ll get it back when they finish with the blog, a certain number of quality posts, embedded aff links, etc.
Or charge a bit for it.
What do you (and the team) think?
Feel free to legally steal this idea.
CC-BY-SA
Yours
John
I am not sure that any charging will be good for this - the reputation that the 30 Day Challenge has built up already as the ‘best course that is free’ is a powerful one (sorry - awesome). I am sure Ed and the team want to see people get past the finish line and earn something from their site so that they can monetise and get something back through the 30 Day Plus.
The course as I could see for 2009 was very solid and in all probability gives someone everything they need at least a chance to earn within the 30 days.
The problems I think are down to it being a marathon - with so much to take in and so many skills to learn its like earning a full time academic qualification. If you add to that the actual unpredictability of getting the niche right in the first place I think that many people with good intentions, ability and stamina will falter through no fault of their own.
From my own experience a possible fault line was just after the Web 2.0 week and just before the PPC one. There was a definite traffic criteria needed there and I wonder if that was where many went down??? Mine turned into a real black hole that I’m sure was due to nothing that the 30 Day Challenge can teach at this level - other than saying well ‘**it happens!’.
I have had chance to step back from it and add my own spin on things. Even though in comparison with many that have made it to the finish line I am a complete failure.
Here are two suggestions however that this ‘failure’ can think of…
1) Change the expectations
2) Change the goals
The one thing that helps me and keeps me going is that I know that everything is changing - constantly. I know that I am doomed to failure if I just follow one thing! That fixed path may or may not work at any time on the Internet but in all probability - will fail.
This sounds like a pointless attitude to have doesn’t it?…
No matter how things have settled with the Internet, so far, we all know things are going to keep on changing. The sites that haven’t evolved in this time will - unless they have absolutely fantastic and/or unique resources and content - fail.
It needs an attitude of experimentation. Change the expectation to allow for failure.
You need either to be told by a dedicated team of constantly researching experts exactly what you must do for your niche (very expensive) - or - experiment yourself and make it part of your process. Of course, a dedicated team of experts can advise you what to try (I see the 30DCPlus here) but you mustn’t accept it as absolute.
This doesn’t necessarily mean have loads of niches on the go at the same time experimenting different ideas - well - it depends on the scale of your desired outcome.
To clarify what I mean by experimentation, it should have a simple ‘try-monitor-decide’ cycle in there. To be conscious of what you are attempting to achieve and to think of ways of measuring its success against different ways that you attempt to achieve it. Realising that any or all these ways, can fail but at least you will know.
I know this is getting long already so I will not waste your time with how ‘I’ think it can be applied to each of the areas of work (modules) that exist in the 30DC unless asked. I might be boring you…
The second is changing the goals…
You can split up much of what is in the 30 Day Challenge into self-sustaining modules. The success at completing those modules breaks down the marathon to areas of ’substantial achievement’ for the ‘competitors’. It can be noted, celebrated and used. I will use an example here - the important module of finding niches is necessary for the challenge, but in itself something that the person can make money with once they have learned it. How many service providers in auctions etc offer this service? How much is a list of proven niches worth if sold? There are many self-sustaining applications and ideas that can earn the ‘competitor’ revenue because they have reached that particular goal.
A much more valuable accomplishment!!!
Other modules may be setting up Wordpress, writing content, etc etc.. If you look through the whole course and see the sets of expertise that by themselves can earn a person extra revenue, you might find loads of them.
So by turning the marathon into a more valuable set of modules, that in themselves return value just by achieving them makes it more exciting…and so much more valuable to the person that has reached them.
Have I rambled on too much? - I know from previous experience when I do this people ignore me so I think for both our sakes I will stop there. Is there anything of value in here?
Y’have to do what y’have to do.
I agree with the peeps who say August aint the best month. And I agree extremely mucho with the peeps who say your emails don’t cut to the quick quite quickly enough & can take up energy and time.
BUT If I hadn’t done the 30 day challenge I wouldn’t be where I am now. I wouldn’t have the great internet friends, network and career I now have. And most importantly, I wouldn’t be calling ppl peeps. That HAS to count for something - no?
PS Thank you Ed for being you and for running the 30 day challenge.
Just came across this site. I hope it will be up long enough for me to delve into the training you have available.
Dear Mr.Dale,
I must confess that before I begin work on a project I like to read or listen to the tutorials at least twice. First to get an overview picture then with a marking pen for the areas that seem important to review or get more info or to go further in depth with.
With the exception of a domain name and web hosting, everything is free.Your program puts me in a position where I can finally see an opening for getting off of government assistance due to health issues.No where else can I find employment where I can if need be take a one hour snooze if I’m not feeling up to par. All though I’m told that I should not feel that way,I’m one of those individuals who in his deepest heart believes that a man is not a man unless he can carry his own weight.Mr Dale believe it or not you are directly or indirectly serving the needs of many people who are otherwise lost in the internet.Mr. Dale I am a member of the board of directors of a small social service agency for people who are in similar predicaments as I,Some of these people who I serve were hoping that I would do well so that I may bring this avenue of relief to them and thus build their self esteem.I do hope you give this matter a bit of reconsideration.
Respectfully Yours,
Douglas Taylor
P.S. No You don’t look a bit like Sir Elton John.(Smile)I Play a few ubstruments myself.
Wow! Way to end the post Ed!
If I listen to my gu feeling, it tells me that like the Phoenix, the #30DC will rise from it’s ashes. Better and Stornger!
Cant’ wait for August 1st.
See you all gang!
Henri
[...] On Changing Everything… #30dc « Thirty Day Challenge [...]
No Ed don’t!!!!!!
I need to work at this at my own pace
I need to work at this when I am not doing clients websites
Ed don’t kill the 30dc
I am now in a position of do I work on my clients sites or do I try to rush through the rest of 30dc
don’t do it - let us keep what we have here now if you don’t want new members fine just make it so that nobody else can’t sign up
30dc is a great resource for me I can go back over and over the days that I have done as a refresher - there have already been items that I have forgotten and had to go back over.
oh I am so sad Ed
please don’t take this away from me
I am thinking this is just for ratings. First of all Ed posted this dramatic post and has yet to return to address it again. Like every great marketer Ed Dale just created buzz for the next iteration of the 30DC. But folks lets be realistic the 30DC isn’t going anywhere. Ed can’t afford it because his ability to build his internet list would take a huge hit.
So my guess is the 30DC will be here again come August but with better improvements and some major changes. There is no need to panic as Ed and the gang will still teach IM techniques for no charge at all except for an email address and some other information. It will still be of the highest quality and be equivalent to what other IM gurus are teaching for a huge charge.
So kudos to you Mr. Dale as you have my and quite a bit others attention and I am sure there will be some eager participants for this years challenge!
Regards,
Nick