Local Websites, International Reach -- Niche Website Creation

It's a bit tough to hit the streets and approach local businesses about building a website if you don't like "cold calling." Unless you have an existing relationship or a referral from a current client, you may very well be treated like a salesman. The fact is, you're a fellow business owner who happens to make websites that make money.
    Looking at this from a different perspective, there's a way to do this business on an International level -- target a niche of businesses and specialize in building websites for each local area you can reach. Think about this: if you pick accounting, for example, you can seriously consider making a website that's SEO friendly, powerfully directed with a call to action and with backlinks from authority websites for just about every locality in the world! Further, you can develop sub-niches like business accounting, personal finance, tax accounting, etc., for each area. Obviously, there's more to business than accounting. Find a niche for yourself that has these sub-niches, and you'll be golden!
    Here's how I'm starting to develop this business model: Money-Making Websites, LLC. If your online business efforts are not up to your expectations, may I suggest you explore this method of monetizing your knowledge, expertise and experience with helping a niche of businesses get online with a direct marketing approach.

Local Small Business Websites in Scranton, PA, Made by a Marketer!

If you have a local "brick and mortar" business (in Scranton, PA, for example) and a website built by a designer who wins awards for design, be afraid -- be very afraid! While your site may look beautiful, can people find you in Google for your products or services? If your designer doesn't really understand SEM (Search Engine Marketing), chances are when people search for what you sell locally, your competition's websites come up first.
    Think about it. If you train German Shepherds as guard dogs, what will people see if they go to a search engine and type in "guard dogs Scranton", for example? Even if they find you, does your Web page have a call-to-action for your readers? It's more likely your page just "We We's" all over them: "We do this and we do that and we are great, etc." Go here for a test of your Web page's customer-centric focus. Just a simple change from being self-referential to other oriented can make your online presence more attractive to people looking at your business's websites for the first time.
    How about getting your readers to contact you? Do you give a phone number that's actually answered by a person who specializes in helping people? Could you use the email address, phone number and mailing address of your readers? You'll need to have an effective way of capturing that information in a way that doesn't scare off readers. After all, giving up your email address to the wrong folks means tons 'o spam.
    Fortunately, there's a solution for local business owners in my area -- me! Marketing savvy + connections to Web professionals = a great way to make your online efforts profitable. You don't even have to be in Scranton, PA, to benefit from this kind of optimization of your business's websites. Pay a visit to my International portal for this service over at Money-Making Websites, LLC.
    Oh, yeah -- if you're an IM pro who doesn't do this kind of thing for local businesses, you're leaving some serious cash on the table (that's IM speak for, "You're an IDIOT!")

Happier New Year!

While it's de rigueur to wish all and sundry a Happy New Year, may I suggest an upgrade? Why not have a happier one? Chances are, last year you were wished a Happy New Year -- and did so, because you were told to do so! Being obedient and obliging, you chose to make 2007 happy. Right?
    Here's a thought: instead of striving to meet last year's happiness quotient, target a new plateau. Go for happier. Seriously, any fool can grab ahold of regular, standard happiness and make it their goal for the year. Isn't that a bit banal? Seriously, out-of-the-box happiness is as inspiring as that fruit cake you received that you suspect was re-gifted.
    Demand more from 2008. Insist on a measurable increase in happiness (or any other positive metric you choose) as part of your New Year's Resolutions. Become highly resolved to raise your expectations for yourself and your pursuits. Push yourself out of your "happy" Comfort Zone and stretch out your arms towards a Happier New Year. You'll thank me next year.

I Upped My Income!

Thanks to a bit of extra work, I've been able to upgrade a few things in my life:
•My computer
•My venue for Thanksgiving via an airline ticket
•My business plan for 2008 -- since I've proven my ability to produce income.
It still amazes me that I can just about reach out and pluck money from thin air. Even better, some of it happens automatically, thanks to the platform of the Internet.
    I'll keep this short. I upped my income -- UP YOURS!

Setting the Next Goal Point

The funny thing about success is the progressive nature of it. Once you reach certain goals, you have to think ahead to the next point on the way. What had been a dream or vision has now become a reality, and you must dare to reach higher or farther than before. In my own case, going from broke to solvent happened gradually, then it exploded into disposable income. Not millions, mind you, but next months bills are not an issue for worry.
    I had a visit from an old friend I knew from my high-school days. We toured the local sights and ate immodest amounts of food. While she was willing to pay for everything, I felt free to chip in liberally and not make a big deal about it. This was actually the first time in years I was able to fork over money for fun and not wonder if I was busting my budget or risking future meals for present pleasure.
    Best of all, September promises to be my best month yet. I have major marketers lined up to either review my products ('cause they got a freebie from me) or offer testimonials ('cause they bought them at retail). It's one thing to know you can produce quality. It's even better when the Big Dogs bark in your favor! I may throw them a bone and offer ghostwriting at a discount...
    My new goal points are to buy a new computer, made by the guy who saved me back in July when the old one was killed by lightning; get cable TV and Internet access; schedule a trip to Colorado and visit the Old Folks at Home; acquire my learner's permit for driving and refurbish my wardrobe. Modest goals, by some standards, but pure luxury for me, considering my previous plight.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Self-Employed Ghostwriter

While I’ve always had an entrepreneurial bent, it’s only been in the last few months that I realized how liberating self-employment truly is. Not only do I do what I really want, with very few demands on my brain and time; I get paid well for it. The pressure of being someone else’s pet dog, performing on demand is gone. I choose with whom I work and set the terms according to my plan.
    This brings up another point: planning. Without a serious business plan, I was spinning my wheels. All my past endeavors were lacking this element. A sound, from-the-beginning plan makes all the effort focus on the bottom line, which is not necessarily making the most bucks. In my case, it’s getting the best information out there on the ‘Net via my customers.
    What I find most fulfilling, almost unbearably so, is that my life is my own. I can afford my frugal lifestyle without having to do for someone else’s dream or vision. I’m fulfilling my own vision and getting paid for it. Admittedly, I must keep working at finding enough work to sustain me, but the Warrior Forum is enough of a source for that. All in all, I am so free, it’s almost a dream.
    Finding my core competence, writing content for articles and reports, allows me to do my thing at my own pace. I can devote long hours to writing, or take days off without concern for my well being. It all comes together in a natural way. Even the recent death-by-lightning of my old computer was only a two day glitch. The orders for work continue to come in and my first venture into PLR content is successful enough that even though I was cut off from the Internet, I made some money!
    Ahh, life is sweet…

Success Through a Positive Application of Effort

I'm a firm believer in a positive mental attitude. My life experience backs up my belief. There is a catch to PMA -- you have to back up your attitude with action. Not any old, "keep busy" action, either; action based on a solid plan, stripped of all unnecessary time wasters.
    I was one of the "success stories" of Bev Clement's business plan experiment. She provided the basic information for creating a business plan, and helped those that followed through with the support and advice to make the plan effective and workable. Sadly, of the fourteen folks who started, only three of us finished.
    There's a powerful lesson from this little experiment. Positive talk and promises to be faithful and hardworking are nice. Actually being faithful and working hard are much better. The former looks good at first blush. The latter is where the results pay off.
    Bev keeps threatening to create a full business planning course with an affiliate program. As soon as she releases it, I'll put up my affiliate link on my niche marketing blog and business to business Web site. I can honestly say she provides full value and excellent support because I have first-hand knowledge of same. She works as hard as she demands of others.
    P.S. I haven't been posting here due to the application of effort to build one aspect of my business that was languishing. Now that I'm up to speed with that, I'll be around here more often. Maybe...