Back home from Big Seminar!

Not that it was a long commute….. the hotel is in north Atlanta and I live just 25 miles north of the hotel.

So why did I stay at the hotel? Well, so much of the networking and deals that get worked out go on late at nite so it was very worth it to me to stay at the hotel. And…..there is another reason…..and here comes an insider secret - when you get sleeply in the afternoon after lunch, you have a place to take a nap…..

And speaking of naps, I just got up from an afternoon “recovery nap’ to find the first orders that have come in from the strategy I implemented from Big Seminar that I shared with you in the last post.

Total time from implementation of new strategy to first orders - 14 hours 22 minutes!

This will be the last post officially titled “Live from Big Seminar 10!” and I’ll continue to give you updates on what I have learned and imlplemented and the results!

Catch you soon!

Jeff

No comments »

Well, the conference is over and now it is time to see who will take action on what has been learned.

You have probably heard me say on more than one occasion how important it is to take action on new information “before your head hits the pillow tonite.”

Well, it’s just after midnite here and I wanted to share with you the actions I have taken….

The first one is a strategy I learned this weekend. I’ve added the option of ordering a free CD when someone downloads my 2 free article writing templates. You can check out the change by going to www.TheArticleGuyBonus.com

The next 2 are strategies I thought of during the conference. I took one of my most viewed articles on article marketing from EzineArticles.com and created a new Ning.com site at www.WriteMoreGreatArticles.ning.com and created a new Squidoo.com lens at www.Squidoo.com/articlemarketingvolume

Total cost: $0

Total time: Maybe 90 minutes all together while watching the football game

Income potential: Hard to say - the Squidoo and the Ning sites give me 2 more “lines in the water” on the internet and the addition of the free CD has the potential to be pretty good depending on how many people take me up on the bonus offer of a 30 minute free strategy session, and then convert to customers.

Satisfaction quotient: High, cuz I got it done before my head hit the pillow tonite, when I really did not feel like doing it.

G’nite

Jeff

No comments »

Just an observation - if you are not strong enough to resist a good pitch, you need to leave your credit card in your room or at home. Each presenter gets to pitch their program or product as they finish up their talk. Of course, all of the products are great and so are the pitches - that just makes sense.

I watched many people buy from several of the presenters and spend a crap load of money. I can’t help but wonder how many of them will use the stuff……

I spent exactly what I planned to spend, because I knew they would be here. Those of you who have gently and strenously suggested that I get a new picture taken for my websites will be pleased to know that I had some pictures taken specifically for the websites this weekend. They should be here in a few weeks.

So there!

2 Comments »

Do you know what Albert Einstein said was the most difficult thing for him to understand?

Income taxes.

That was one of many comments made by JJ Childers who is an expert in helping internet marketers set up their businesses in a way that protects their assets and allows them to keep more of the money they make. I’d like to have this guy on one of my teleseminars.

As I speaker, something that delights me is to see a speaker demonstrate the depth of their knowledge on a subject, make a dry topic fun (taxes, c’mon!) and engage the audience. JJ Childers gets my vote, and was probably the best speaker of the entire weekend.

Michael & Sylvia Fortin presented their brand new “Success Chef” system for building your internet business. Taking the cooking metaphor to the max by wearing full chef aprons onstage. Their step by step program is definitely worth checking out.

Main take-away - Their concept of your “perfect prospect” suggests that when you are creating your products and marketing, you keep your ideal client or “perfect prospect” (a concept I like better) in mind so clearly that you are thinking of a particular person. Good advice.

No comments »

A few thots & observations about networking…….

• I’ve done so much networking that my net just won’t work anymore
• The meeting other people, the networking, and the joint venturing that gets done is at least half of the value of coming to Big Seminar.
• I was stunned, absolutely stunned, by the number of people who knew who I am or who recogized the Article Guy name.
• The big names that present, and the big names that are here, are all very available to chat with. You will be seeing some pretty cool guests on my teleseminars and cool joint teleseminars coming up.
• And I met many people at different levels of internet marketing and we have “traded teleseminars” as well.

  That’s it for this episode. I’ll be back later with a report on today’s speakers.

  Catch you soon!

  Jeff

  No comments »

One of the things I do differently at in person seminars like this is I do not bring business cards. I watch all these people exchanging business cards and wonder how many will be kept much less followed up on.

I use a CD from one of my teleseminars as my business card. Burn ‘em right on my computer, put a label on ‘em and slip ‘em into a small sleeve. Total cost about 50 cents each when all is said and done.

I also add a label on the back with my contact info and a link to pick up 2 free article writing templates. During the presentations I have a stack of the CDs in front of me at my table for people to pick up as well.

I told you all that to tell you this…..

Matt Bacak was the first presenter Saturday morning talking about the system he has created for his business. I’ve heard or seen this presentation a few times and one of the features I really like is how when people opt-in to his list they are offered a free CD. Not only is this added value for the new subscriber, you get the person’s physical address so you can market at that level.

Now this next part is kinda embarrassing to admit…..I’m sitting there thinking I need to add the free CD component to my system and wondering what CD I could use, etc. Then I look right in front of me at my stack of CDs…………DOH!

Main take-away - Sometimes obvious answers are sitting right in front of you, quite literally!

Late morning brought us Ryan Deiss and membership sites. Memberships sites look like the best combination of providing value to your niche and creating long term residual income that I’ve seen in a long time.

After lunch (which, by the way, was a huge spread of great food, buffet style) brought us John Carlton and the subject of copywriting. This guy knows his stuff! More and more I realize that all writing is copywriting. John’s title said it all “Nothing Will Ever Happen Until Your Copy Gets Written.”

I had looked forward to the presentation by marketing expert Jay Abraham as the highlight of the conference. I’ve listened to this guy for a long time and he has some brilliant ideas. I was very disappointed. I know I watch speakers with a critical eye because I’m a speaker, but the guy spent an hour of his 90 minutes telling us what he was going to tell us! Constantly apologizing for his back and neck hurting, for reading from his notes, for being an adult poster child for ADD, etc. I can honestly say that he is the only speaker from whom I did not learn something I could use. If I was Armand I’d be pissed!

Main take-away - Just because someone is big in a related area (marketing) does not mean they have a clue about internet marketing.

Back later with reports on making connections, networking, and a cool Saturday nite dinner/party!

Catch you soon!

Jeff

7 Comments »

File this under “whoever would have imagined……..”

Last nite at dinner Mike Stewart introduces me to one of his good friends and business partners here in Atlanta. Jim Zeigler is widely known in the automobile sales industry, who is bringing the tools of internet marketing, with Mike’s help, to the auto industry.

Now hold that fact a second……

Growing up in Orlando in the 70’s, every now and then during a storm or other weird weather or late at nite, you could pick up WAPE in Jacksonville, The Big APE. One of the DJ’s I enjoyed was Dr. X.

Mike’s friend Jim Zeigler and Dr. X, same guy.

So now I will be teaching article marketing to Dr. X!

Only on the internet……………

No comments »

Here is my list of top 7 reasons you need to come to Big Seminar 11 in Atlanta on April 25, 26, & 27.

Reason 1 - Top notch presenters - these folks are the best of the best. And they hang around and hand out so you have access to them.

Reason 2 - Leading edge information - this is not the stuff each person did to get where they are, this is the stuff they are doing RIGHT NOW TODAY!

Reason 3 - The networking - at least 50% of the value of coming is the many, many people you get to meet. There are people from all over the world here.

Reason 4 - The joint venture opportunities - I have set up no less than 10 joint venture relationships in the last 2 days…gonna have lots of cool guests on upcoming teleseminars.

Reason 5 -Top notch hotel in a great city - There is so much to do in Atlanta, and this is a very nice hotel as well. As I said in an earlier post, my room is bigger than my first apartment in grad school. The meeting facilities are great as well.

Reason 6 - The food - Armand Morin and Big Seminar go all out - the buffet lunch was incredible today and I had steak and lobster for dinner last nite!

Reason 7 - An extra learning opportunity - Big Seminar 11 starts on Friday the 25th of April 2008. It is very likely that the day before, on Thursday April 24th, 2008, that I will have a one day seminar on Article Writing & Article Marketing.

I’ll share more info from the day later, probably much later, tonite. Time to go back downstairs to hear Jay Abraham, the most respected marketer on the planet.

Catch you soon!

Jeff

No comments »