Hi Gang,

As part of Thirty Day Challenge Plus, we are introducing a new feature today.

It’s something that has been requested a lot. Interviews with successful 30dc’rs - Not only we discuss how they made their first dollar, but then how they went on to make this a full-time occupation.

I think you are going to be really surprised to hear what actually goes on behind the scenes when an ordinary person just like you, makes that first dollar. I’m really interested in what happened (both good and bad!) and each story.

As this is the first interview released, and the fact that story is so surprising… I’m making it available to everyone to download for the next couple of days.

After that they will only be available in Thirty Day Challenge Plus and Immediate Edge.

First “Behind-The Scenes” Interview

In this Interview the subject happily reveals the market they made their first dollar in. You will be stunned.

Please don’t tell me after listening to this that there are not any more markets!!

Make sure you download it now as I will take it down in a couple of days.

First “Behind-The Scenes” Interview

Speak Soon

Ed

Hi Gang,

Dan here, and I can’t believe it has been nearly seven weeks. since the Thirty Day Challenge finished… truly spooky… Time flies soooo quickly.

But  firstly I just really wanted to shoot out a quick email to let you know just how much of an impact you guys have had.

As you know, the Thirty Day Challenge’s official charity is Kiva, and you guys have done an amazing job helping us support this fantastic charity, in-fact, so far, we have managed to generate a truly awesome $27,825 in loans, which in my opinion is uber cool…

So thanks, I really do appreciate it.

Secondly, Ed and I have been working on some cool things for you guys, and in a few days time I am going to be shooting you an email with details on a great WordPress plugin we have for you. There are lots of ways to use this but we will explain that shortly… (sorry, sidetracked)

But what I really wanted to find out is…

How YOU are doing… and what YOU want to know, really, I want some feedback, … and some questions.

I know that there are loads of you right now taking part in the challenge, loads of you who have already completed the challenge, and of course a huge bunch of you who are just about to start the challenge… Sooo…

What we really want to do is hold a massive Q&A session, a chance for you guys to give us feedback, ask us questions, give us everything you have got. (sounds scary).

So, if you have questions, feedback, insults, praise, or anything in-between, then please, please, please,
shoot us an email at the following address and we will try our best to answer your questions.

The address is:
challenge@wuranga.com

Once we have the questions in, Ed and I will record a show and attempt at some answers.

Ok, guys and gals, I look forward to your response, and thanks for listening / reading me drone on.

Dan

On Getting Ripped Off…. | The Underachiever Life

I just wrote this article on my Tubbynerd blog and I thought I would mention it here.

One of the biggest issues in the old days of the Thirty Day Challenge was how easy it was to have some-one “Rip-Off” your site.

Today, that’s no longer a problem.

In the article on my blog, I discuss this in the context of buying and selling web sites…

It also applies just as well to your #30dc sites as well.

Ed

Registrations are now open for the Coming Home Seminar

A new video and new details are up as well.

Ed

PS Check out those fast mover bonuses, it makes what was already great value. Insane value

On Coming Home…

Wow, what a response.

Hundreds of comments on my upcoming tour. Heaps of suggestions and locations.

I’ve decided to call this the “coming home” tour.

In the past nine years, I have called two places home. The UK and Melbourne, Australia.

For some reason, these are the two places I have shafted the most when it comes to touring. It’s been !four years! since I did a seminar in the UK and THREE! since the infamous Underachiever Unplugged conference in Melbourne.

The reason for this is biblical…

For the Christians “you can’t be a prophet in your home town”

For the Buddhists “Those who build the Buddha, cannot worship the Buddha”

Family and friends have an image burned into their heads of what you are…what you do. That’s not a fault, it’s just they remember you having five wagon wheels for lunch and carrying the entire Advanced Dungeons and Dragons rule book set into every class in high school in case you finished early…

Or was that just me?

I know people who make a stack load of money speaking from town to town, seminar to seminar honing the same presentation to a razor pitch.

That’s just not me,

For a start, I have a family that (incredibly) wants to see me occasionally AND I suck at selling stuff from the stage.

Plus I have this thing - I like to have actually done what I’m talking about, apparently not an affliction hurting many on the circuit…

But you know what.

For the first time in a long time.

A have got something to SAY.

I have a LOT to say….

With a bit of luck, I think you’ll find it bloody useful.

First, is the way we work.

How do we get motivated to move “the curser to the right”. To do what we need to do. How do we run our business, really run a business.

How do you start (the hardest thing to do) - How do you follow through?

I want to explore the practical side of Market Understanding to Market Leadership. I know this is starting to impact. I have so much still to say on HOW to do it.

I want to tell you, face to face (so I can use mild force if necessary!!!) there are zero magic bullets BUT there are incredible ways to LEVERAGE yourself that will make your hearts swell and Angels cry small tears of joy (Ok, getting carried away now…)

I want to show you my iPhone.

Seriously,

I try to be modest about most things (which given I am so crap at almost everything , comes very easily to me…) but when it comes to using this pocket device to run a business and lead markets.

I rule.

The thing is it’s so easy but I have to show you the darn thing (and given that both the UK and Australia are now competitive iPhone markets you can all get one!)

There is another reason i’m calling this the “coming home” Tour. It’s about me returning to the things I do (and teach) well.

Buying and selling business, is at the end of the day, what I do.

At the end of 2006, I introduced the concept of buying and selling websites.

Fastforward three years and…

WOW.

I was talking to GuruBob about this on the way to Annabelles swimming lesson. Two things have changed making Buying and Selling so much better now.

First thing, There’s liquidity in the market place (that’s a fancy way of saying there are plenty of people wanting to buy your website for the right price)

Second thing (and worthy of an entire post!) is at the end of 2006 if you advertised your site on one of the public selling platforms - you were basically opening the doors and saying “Hey Rip-off artists, come rape and pillage my site”

It was so easy in 2006 for these snakes of the Internet Marketing world to rip off your stuff.

In 2009…It’s a different story.

You see, rip-off artists are lazy and want shortcuts.

There is no such thing as short-cuts in an online business as we fly into 2010.

This is AWESOME.

Sites like flippa.com are now fabulous places to sell your sites safely.

Dozens of Thirty Day Challengers have been doing exactly that in the past few weeks (Even Danny B, Signet Mae’s magnificent drummer has done it, and lets face it, if a drummer can do it….)

It’s time to revisit buying and selling websites.

It’s even time to revisit GASP buying domain names!! (long time followers know for the longest time I have thought this next to useless)

Websites are the new (and in my opinion much better bet) real estate.

The final thing I’m good at, see its a short list, creating products.

There is something about watching this happen live that flicks a switch for people. It’s one thing to watch a video, it’s another thing to say “Hey Ed, How did you do that?” right while I’m there.

It seems like it’s a bunch of really excellent and varied topics.

In three days next month I’m going to teach you that everyone of these things is actually related at a fundamental level.

It’s this “going home” back to fundamentals approach I believe will have a massive impact and is the single best thing I could possible teach.

If I’m wrong i’ll just hang out at Pret a Manger at Spinningfields and OD on their magnificent organic coffee.

One little example, give me half an hour and I’ll show you to take photos ten times better than what you have been doing AND we will do the first ever Internet Marketing Photo walk to prove it. People are blown away when I show them how to do this.

And as this little article points out - IMAGES - can be a fantastic traffic generator.

Now let’s talk price.

DO WE HAVVVVVEEE TO.

Yep.

I have never charged less than $5000 US Dollars to come to one of our multiday seminars.

You have to keep in mind, this is not a bunch of speakers pitching their latest product to you (I don’t have a problem with that, it’s just not my thing) I’ll be teaching for three days the best stuff I know how. Showing you as I go along.

I have not taught in Europe in four years and the economic environment (in the UK in particular has not been kind).

So I’m doing something about it,

First I’m holding the European Seminar in Manchester in the North of England.

There are couple of reasons.

1. The usual suspects obviously go to London (that’s where their geographic knowledge of England finishes - The North is beautiful and one of my favourite places on the planet)

2. Given the price I’m about to announce, People will be able to fly in Manchester from pretty much anywhere on the planet with WAAAAAAAYYYYY less hassle than coming into any of the London airports (Where the taxi ride into London would cost anywhere from half to a 1/4 of the entire seminar cost.) A lot of the cheap airlines in Europe fly into Manchester (Heck, even I can fly in direct from Melbourne via Singapore!)

3. Accommodation is plentiful and WAAAAAYYYYY cheaper than London.

4.Some very good friends and master marketers are in Manchester and they will be coming along to hang out.

5. It’s about time an event of this stature is held up north!!

6. The Thirty Day Challenge has got some serious reach! Thanks to the generosity of the Developers of Spinningfields (the amazing new development in the centre of Manchester) we will be holding the seminar at a spectacular venue.

Ed, why are you dodging price.

I’m not, I’m just going to something I have never done before. For the next few days you can get the early bird price of 497 Euros (No, I didn’t mean to type 4,970 Euros)

I have to charge something and as Europeans make up 30% of the thirty day challenge family and have to get up at ridiculous hours of the night. This is my way of saying thank you.

I have never done three days before but I have a LOT to say! I’m hoping to have a lot of the Thirty Day Challenge gang along as well.

People who have been to our stuff know that we are not the “present and flee”, “hide in our room so we don’t have to speak to anyone” crowd. Again, not our style.

Unlike our “Over The Edge” series, this seminar will be fantastic for starters as well as the more advanced. Like I said, buying and selling websites might just be the ultimate way to start getting in some cash.

Now the question is do you want to “Come Home” with me?

You know what, for the first 50 that sign up, Ill give you access to the video’s of the event and what the heck….

How about six months of thirty day challenge plus for free starting straight after the event.

That’s what they call a deal.

Of course, the event is guaranteed, if you’re not happy with the way things are going after day 1. Come and see one of the team and we will issue you a full refund. Let’s keep it really simple.

Dates - Lock in the 27th, 28th and 29th of November right now.

Coming Home…Making all of this stuff really work (and hopefully prove that it’s all connected, it’s all fun)

Three days and nights of awesome.

This is your chance at a price that you won’t see again.

The seminar will open for registrations at 9am, Friday the 9th Of September October - GMT! (finally a Euro friendly time!!!)

I hope to see you there.

Ed

Edit: Although Ed’s good, he’s no Marty McFly and can’t move back in time to September - registrations open on 9th October ;)  Thanks, Dan.

Update: I am going to be there with the Edge Crew at the Manchester event… this is going to rock, you are going to get my special brand of awesomeness … Dan

It’s time.

It’s been a long, long, long time since I have done a seminar.

It has been an even longer time since I have done one in Europe or Australia.

I figure with all the multimedia options that you have. Most things can be done better online. Saves Travel, good for the environment and all that…

There are two things seminars can do that you can’t replicate online.

The first is networking, If there is a downside to this business, it’s the isolation.

As I’m typing this I imagine I’m speaking to you personally, but in reality it’s just me and the cat and the slight festering vietnimease roll that I really should have put in the trash on Friday…

I find it pretty hard to explain to people what I do. My neighbour mentioned that I seemed to be home alot and wondered what the secret was. Here is a tip -Don’t say Drugs….even in jest.

The best thing about a confrence without question is the ability to meet fellow marketers who are just as crazy as you and who’s eyes don’t glaze over when you tell them you created this “Hella cool ppc conversion strategy that upped your conversion on your lightsqueeze by 27%”…

At a conference of fellow marketers, they would not only know what the heck you just said but they would be genuinely excited for you.

To me networking (and trust me I hate the word “networking” I have this vision of big hair networkers thrusting business cards in my face) is the first step on the path to something that VITAL….

A fully functioning Mastermind.

To survive and thrive in this business you need people to bounce ideas off. Give you motivation to improve and help when your stuck. The mastermind I’m in is awesome because members just keep raising the bar - which makes me want to raise the bar.

How did i get into a mastermind?

I did it by going to conferences and meeting people.

(and the key to this and deserving of an entire article - is to approach a person with the idea “how can I help this person?” - @ed on twitter is brilliant at this - i just wish he would do a bloody product on it!!!)

As much as I LOOOVVVEE online stuff - nothing…NOTHING beats getting together in person.

I’m not saying become a conference junkie - just make it a goal to get to at least one.

There is another reason conferences are important and useful.

Teaching high-end material that requires a real-understanding.

AS a teacher - in particular when you’re doing webinars - you’re not getting audience feedback. As an educator - you can tell when your audience is not getting it. Teaching live at a seminar - you get constant feedback, you can adjust , explain and modify based on how your students are absorbing the material.

My favourite seminars have been small ones - where we could work one on one with people - speak during the breaks and really get to know people. Sadly, the economics of this type of seminar mean they are also more expensive. It’s a trade off worth pursuing in some cases.

I just thought of a third reason! It’s probably the best way to force you to create a product! You have a deadline, people waiting on you to educate and inform them. You need to produce. By filming/recording your seminar - your creating material for a product down the road or something that can be used as a bonus.

I’ve been thinking about this because before the end of the year I’m going to do a series of Seminars in the UK, Australia (and maybe one in the USA)

I have some different ideas on what to present. I would love to get your feedback on what you want to see.

Typically, my teaching seminars are VERY expensive. $5-10,000 US dollars is the standard rate (we give discounts for members of our programmers - Founder shareholders of 30dc inc - will of course get to come free, that’s part of the deal)

These end of year seminars will range from freeish ( A donation to our kiva fund to reserve your place) through to way less than I have ever charged for two days of solid education.

So the topics

- Thirty Day Challenge - Refresh, recharge reignite a day spent looking at how people successfully tackle the challenge and get insights from the key thirty Day Challenge Team.

- Dominiche 2010, it’s been three years since I released the landmark course that introduced the concept buying and selling websites. A lot has changed, at the high and low end.(For example, Domain names are worth buying again - but NOT for the reason everyone thinks!!!) This would be a two day intensive study course on all aspects of buying and selling websites. (BTW Have you seen how many people have sold their Thirty Day Challenge site they decided not to go on with - the day 25 lesson is working well!!)

- Product Creation Live - this is another training intensive where we show you live how we create all the different products that we use. Sometimes seeing something live is the motivation that you can actually do this stuff!

Here is where I need your help (assuming the price is right!) which one of these courses would most interest you (or is there something else you would like to see me do?)

Leave a response in the comment section below - make sure you let us know where your from -

If your in the UK - would love to hear if you have been to any venues that you really like? I’m thinking up North (in that Internet Marketing Hotbed that is Manchester) or London? Love to hear suggestions on that as well.

We will be setting the schedule based on your response so speak now or forever hold your peace!!!

Ed

Don’t Worry, I’m talking speed of business, not the drug.

As I was stirring the porridge this morning and using google reader on my iPhone (don’t try that at home kids, I’m a professional!) I read an item from John Gruber about a magazine created full of photo’s about last weeks crazy dust storms here in Australia.

It went from concept to sale in two days.

Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch!

Here is the story on how it was done

Wow.

Many of you know I have a horrible view of magazine publishing ( I love magazines but a couple of decades ago I was almost made bankrupt in a good intentioned but horribly naive attempt at creating a magazine - turns out I was just 20 years to early!)

How do you create a SMALL fortune?
Start with A LARGE fortune and start a magazine. It will become a small fortune in short order!
BOOM BOOM (Basil Brush reference for the Commonwealth readers!)

Here’s the problem.

I LOVE MAGAZINES!

Seriously, If magazines didn’t exist I’d probably be working at EB games selling the latest Mario Ware on the Wii.

I grew up in Beechworth, Victoria. It’s a small town (population sub 3000). I had the extraordinary luck to live in a town that had an incredible newsagent (think Magazine stand for my American friends) - when I look back it was an incredible fluke - the shop was my lifeline to the world. The Internet was still and academic oddity and would be for another 12 years at that point.

I was able to read about a world of the Sinclair zx80, Tandy TRS 80’s, The Unobtainable and only for super rich kids Atari 400 and be still my beating heart - the Commodore Vic 20.

Now I’m reading this I realised another extraordinary fluke. I had the one part time job in town - delivering medicine after school, which gave me the cash for the magazines (I was living in a trailer park), the other piece of luck was,
Gwyn Morris - the local chemist and my boss - inexplicably in a town of 3000 decided to get a commodore vic 20 dealership and then offered to let me have one and work it off (which I did over two years!!!) I was dead broke but I had a computer. The rest is history.

Thanks Mr. Morris!!!

Back to magazines.

Fast forward today. Magazines are a horrible business. Their lag times (meaning breaking news is just not possible) are prohibitive, all those magazines in the PC area in particular are closing down with a frighting regularity.

Now, some magazines I grant you have it worked out - look at National Geographic, I can see that being published for decades, it’s secret is the articles and the extraordinary images are timeless and it’s built up it membership over decades.

(notice I said membership - the magazine is a function of your membership to the Geographic society - a VERY important distinction)

Starting a magazine is just terrifying to me, the incredible up front cost, the logistics, the delay in payment (this is what killed me - the revenue lag in publishing is horrific - all our costs are upfront/30 days - your lucky to see any revenue from anyone for at least ninety days - the horror!!) just make starting a magazine an insanity`.

Or is it.

This is where speed comes in to it.

Derek Powazek put together this magazine from photos gathered online, laid out the magazine (put it together on the computer) produced a PDF and uploaded it to
Magcloud - an on-demand magazine service.

The only cost - Time and some sort of deal with the photographers.

20 years is a long time and of course we now have “national geographic” quality on-demand printing!

It’s unreal - if your prepared to wait just over a week - for four bucks you get the magazine delivered to your door - plus $6 for the magazine.

This is extraordinary (and thirty day challengers - trust me - there is a big can of “big-forehead slapping opportunity” about to be opened up here.

Let’s just remember - the costs so far to the publisher - two days of time.

Coincidentally - I’m showing you how to do create magazine style PDF docs at www.thirtydaychallengeplus.com - membership is ridiculously cheap. (Iin fact because you read this far - here is a little code to get a discount “30dc” - don’t spread it around please!!!)

I’m not going to bore you with how much this would cost traditionally, Well over $20,000 dollars at least and you pay up front Laddie!

Now, I was speaking to a very clever chap from Manchester last night… and he was telling me about a very short term, seasonal web site that was doing really well. Sure it was short term, but it will do great in the season.

We also talked about some of the issues with affiliate promotions, remember here in Thirty DC land we use affiliate stuff to test the market - you need to develop your own product when you know your on a good market.

That’s when the idea hit me while I was stirring the porridge.

It’s all about Speed.

With the tools in the Thirty Day Challenge, once you have got the practice under your belt, you can have a test market up in a day EASY. (I did say with Practice and the the holy troika of Samurai, Wordpress Direct and Traffic Bug)

There is a huge opportunity here. If you get over your fear of product creation (I did mention Thirty Day Challenge Plus…) you can move quickly to create product to take advantage of an upsurge in interest.

For Example….

The Leica M9 has JUST been released and it has gone off like an atom bomb in the camera world and in my pants. If I wasn’t busy creating compelling content for you lot, I would create a magazine in the style of the Japanese Camera Mags (They are soooo awesome BTW) I reckon it would take me a week and a bit to produce and it would sell like HOTCAKES.

Let’s say I sold 500 at $10 bucks - $5000 bucks for a weeks work is better than a kick in the head! Up Front Cost to me - TIME.

BUT because I know a thing or two about product creation, what if i spent a little bit more time putting together some videos and perhaps some audio interview with photographers using the M9.

All of a sudden, I have a 97 dollar product and selling 500 of them in a month or two is more than 95% of the population make working full-time.

I LOVE THIS BUSINESS.

BUT

Remember the Magnificent Symphony of Four Parts

Market is first - Product is last.

To make this really rock - you want to be able to have your tribe/ your Fan Base/your community already built.

And we might just have an awesome little surprise for you on that front shortly…

Ed