Here we are again, another new year is upon us.  The most important thing that any of us can do is to nurture our relationship with our spouse, children, parents, friends.  This will always be number one in my life.  In addition to this,  I have compiled 11 things that I plan on doing in 2011.  Feel free to add to the list!

1.  Make a Plan.  This is obvious and yet so many people feel that their business is just going to happen.  One habit that has proven very effective for me is to take a couple of hours every week, perhaps Sunday evening, to plan out the week.  This plan can be flexible but it gives me a road map of what I want to get done, need to get done, to move my business forward.  At this time of the year, I make a plan for the next three, six, nine and twelve months.

2.  Set Goals.  The goals that I set are based on the Plan that I have created.  Take time to set both business and personal goals.  I review these goals monthly.  It helps to keep me on course.  This site has a good goal setting sheet that you can download for free.

3.  Spend Time Brainstorming. This can be the single most important thing you do for your business.  Taking time, at least monthly, to brainstorm can bring a fresh prospective to your business.

4.  Take Time for Yourself.  If you are working full time, taking care of a family, trying to start an online-business, chances are you have very little time for yourself.  By taking time every day for yourself, even just a short walk, a long shower, a few minutes alone, can refresh and invigorate both your mind and spirit.  Don’t let your busy-ness consume you!

5.  Take Time to Learn.  Set aside time each month to learn one new thing.  It may be a new business model or technique, or something for yourself like scuba diving or crocheting.  Learning new things keeps you engaged in life and it is often during these times that new ideas spring forth.

6.  Use Your Time Productively.  You can spend the day reading forum posts and email, or you can spend the day moving your business forward.  Not enough time?  Dennis Becker of 1K a Day fame has written a fabulous blog post about how you can move your business forward with just 30 minutes a day.

7.  Surround Yourself with Positive People. I did not realize what a drain being surrounded by negative people was until I left my job in April.  Within about a month I felt so darn good — and it wasn’t simply being away from a toxic job.  Several months after leaving that job I was talking to one of my colleagues from that job and as I hung up the phone I felt engulfed with anger, sadness, depression.  Just from that one phone call, my empathy for my friend had brought me to a deep funk!  It took several days to shake off that feeling.  Surrounding yourself with positive people keeps your energy high.

8.  Join a Membership Site.  Joining a membership site will keep you surrounded by like-minded, positive people.  If you join a membership site that has to do with your business, it will help your business.  I currently belong to three membership sites:  1K a Day, Wealthy Affiliate and WP Classroom.  By doing so I am connected to people who can answer my questions, partner with me, give me knew ideas.  Internet Marketing can be a lonely business, but it does not need to be.  I have earned far more since joining these membership sites because the people I have met have motivated me as well as have given me information that I would not have found otherwise.  Whether it is for business or for personal interests, joining a membership site can help you meet your 2011 goals.  Most have introductory offers of a few dollars so you can see if it is right for you.

9.  Get Active.  This does not mean ‘be busy.’  Everyone is so busy.  But when was the last time you played a game of tennis, swam a lap, or went for a walk — just for fun?  Taking time to exercise keeps your mind and you body active and ready to tackle the day.  I find that my best ideas come when I am taking a walk.

10. Find a Mentor.  This can tie in with joining a membership site.  I have met so many incredible people through membership sites — people I know I would not have met otherwise.  You can also find mentors on forums, or through products you have bought.  Most people are very open to answering questions about their products or ideas that you may have.  Of course you don’t want to stalk them!  I have also gathered mentors without the evening knowing it.  I find Jason Fladlien to be a mentor.  I have bought many of his products, read all of his free reports, and through the information I have received I feel like he has mentored me in my business.  I have learned a lot just reading Jason’s blog!   I also subscribe to Tony Shepard’s monthly newsletter, which has also been a great source of mentoring.

11.  Find Joy! Don’t forget the reason why you have created your business.  Whether it is to become more financially secure, spend more time with your family, create a business you can be proud of.  Find joy in what you are doing.  Don’t let setbacks get you down.  With every setback you are learning and moving forward, even if it feels you are moving backwards.  Finding joy in what you do will make your success all the more sweet!

I hope you have a happy and very prosperous 2011!

Until next time,

~Norene

In the next several blog posts I will go over some of the more common business models for making money online.  Which is the best?  It all depends on you.  I suggest you research them.  When you do this, one or two will resonate with you.  You will think, “Yes that makes sense.  I can do that.”  If you dig deep enough, you will just know.  And when you become successful with one model, you can either grow it, or branch off to another business model, or both.  But the important thing is to choose one and stick with it.

In the next few blog posts, I will discuss article marketing, membership sites, product creation, blogging, site flipping, and freelancing.  Feel free to comment below on what business model has been successful for you!

Until next time –

~Norene

What Kim is known for is her traffic strategies. I have written about her several times on this blog, and for good reason. Every product she has created has been insanely reasonably priced, packed with the latest most complete information and in short, phenomenal. I should know, I think I own them all!

Recently Kim unlocked her very best traffic strategies in her product called ‘The Traffic Dashboard’. It’s a complete training center that contains over 20 of Kim’s top traffic getting methods. As is usual for her, these traffic techniques are really quite unique. You can see for yourself by taking a look inside the member’s area…

Traffic Dashboard – a sneak peek inside…

If you don’t have traffic, or if you don’t have ENOUGH traffic, check out Kim’s Traffic Dashboard, and let me know if you find your new favorite traffic method within.

Until next time –

~Norene

When I started this blog back in August 2009, I stated that I had a goal that I was going to use Internet Marketing to retire from my job by December 31, 2009. Was I successful? Well, I was not. By December 2009 I had a good understanding of Internet Marketing but I was not making enough to retire. That happened on April 23, 2010. This picture was taken on Sunday, April 25, 2010 by my 7-year-old daughter.

Now, I want to tell you that I was very fortunate to hold a job in a company where I could draw a pension after 20 years. I know that many, many folks are not in this situation. Because I was able to collect a small monthly income from this pension, I did not need to have in place a system to completely replace my income when I retired in April. However, being ‘retired’ and able to focus on my IM full time, I was able to make up my full income by August.

Although, I am quite proud of myself — I am a middle-aged, not very techie woman who set a goal and achieved it — this post is not to brag, it is to reassure you that it CAN be DONE. Regardless of your situation. If your situation is as dire as mine was, it is important that you think no other way than ‘it can be done.’ I want to inspire you. I want to help you find your way to achieving your goals.

So, having reworked my blog, I am going to go forward from today showing you how I was able to do it.

I know that so many people are currently out of work, or in dead-end jobs, or as I was, working for a very abusive boss. I want to do everything I can to help you succeed so you can create the life you want. Please do not hesitate to contact me either in the comment boxes or via email with any questions you may have. We are all in this together! I want to see YOUR picture of your last day at your job when your IM endeavors enable you to quit.

Until next time!

~Norene

Today, December 1, 2009 the new laws that were revised by the Federal Trade Commission regarding endorsements and affiliates go into effect.

In brief, if you are an affiliate for someone else’s products, or create and promote your own products, this is what it means to you.

1. Responsibility. You are responsible for checking out the products that you promote. It really goes without saying that you should purchase any product that you are thinking of promoting. Doing so, you will be able to quickly weed out any weak or inferior products and save your reputation in the process. You will also be able to promote it honestly if you have used the product. This will shine through in your promotion.

2. Disclosure. You must let your readership know that you are getting paid for every sale made. This means that you must include a disclosure statement on your website or blog explaining the relationship you have to the product that you are promoting.

3. Testimonials. You cannot include any claims or testimonials on your site that you cannot substantiate. Again, if you have used the product successfully you can say that. If you have not, you cannot make claims indicating that you have. And you cannot include testimonials of others that you cannot prove.

Through all of this many are talking about the need to hire an attorney to make sure you are in compliance. As I am just getting my business started, this is not an option for me. However, I received an email from Frank Kerns who sent me a link to a video made by HIS attorney. If you do not know Frank Kern’s story, check out his blog post, What It’s Like to Be Sued by the FTC.

Frank’s attorney, Denise Gosnell, has created a product that includes ten strategies to keep your business in compliance with the new FTC rules. These include how to Use the Proper Written Agreements with Contractors and Employees, Trademark Law Pitfalls and Tips, Using Non-Disclosure Agreements to Protect Your Intellectual Property, Following Proper Accounting Principals to Keep Your Business in Good Standing. It also includes agreements such as Professional Services Agreement, Employment Agreement, Interview Release Agreement, Sample Web Site Privacy Policy, Sample Web Site Terms of Use.

My disclaimer — this IS an affiliate link. I believe in this product because it is a fairly affordable way make sure you are compliant with the new FTC regulations without having to retain an attorney. Of course if you are in the IM business long term, as with any business, as soon as you can afford an attorney, it would be in your best interest to find and retain a good attorney. Again my disclaimer — I am not an attorney, this is just my humble opinion.

Check out the video.

Best wishes for a successful and FTC-compliant business!

~Norene

Greetings! Today in the United States is Thanksgiving. It is a wonderful day to spend with family and friends. It is common for families to talk about what they are thankful for as they eat dinner on this day.

What a missed opportunity, however, if they do not do this simple task every day. In even the most dire situations, there is always something to be thankful for.

I have had a very difficult year. In April I was transferred at my place of business and placed with a boss who, to put it kindly and mildly, is very difficult to work with. I had health problems this summer that lead me to wonder if I was going to leave my two young daughters orphaned. This fall I lost my best friend, leaving a huge void in my life and in my heart.

Yet, I have always been a thankful person and I look daily for big and small things to be thankful for. Since this is a blog about my adventures in internet marketing, I wanted to take the time to formally thank all of those people, especially those people I met this year, who have propelled me forward in my internet business.

I want to thank Chris Freville, my first coach. I want to thank Alex Jeffreys, my second coach. Without these two incredible men, I would still be lost.

I want to thank the wonderful folks I have met in Alex’s course. These bright, enthusiastic, motivating and kind people have made my journey fun, interesting, entertaining, and have brought back a renewed sense of purpose for me. They have also made me realize that one can remain true to oneself and work with integrity in this business. For this I will be forever grateful. I know that I will miss some fine folks in this list, but I want to thank the following people from Alex’s coaching course that have been such a help and source of inspiration to me. They are Andrew Vaughan, Paul Lear, Matt Wolfe, Rod Macbeth, Rob Canyon, Paul Wilson, Syed Akram, Garry Parkes, Roger Edwards and Gary Simpson.

Finally, I’d like to recommend a new course created by Kim Roach. As you know, one the people I am most grateful to this year is Kim. She is an amazing internet marketer, over delivers like no one I have ever seen and truly wants to help people succeed. She has recently created a course called the Super Affiliate Club. This is not an affiliate link. I am promoting this course because I believe it will truly help your business, regardless if you are a beginner internet marketer or an advanced marketer. She has fabulous traffic tips, mind maps, motivational support. She is also going to have marketing tools and Monday Night Marketing. It is definitely worth checking out!

I hope you stop today and every day to think about what you are thankful in your life. Focusing on the positive can make all the difference between having a good day and having a not so good day!

Until next time,

~Norene

Today I want to talk about creating quality. There are so many blogs in every possible niche, you may be focusing on how to get traffic to your blog. If that is your focus, you may want to read some of my other blog posts such as, Ten Ways to Promote Your Blog, and Weekly Wrap-Up: Link Building.

But today I want to focus on how to create a following on your blog and how to keep folks on your blog longer, reading what you have worked on so hard to express. Obviously there are many reasons why you want your visitors to visit often and to stay on your site longer. One factor that I have noticed over the past six weeks of testing, is that my Alexa ranking (which is a rough estimate of how popular your blog is) seems to be more directly impacted by how long folks stay on my blog than how many visitors I have. And how do you get visitors to stay on your blog longer? You give them quality; you answer the questions they have come looking for, you entertain. By doing this you create posts of interests, post that others will Digg or Twitter, creating more visitors, more repeat visitors and visitors that stick around longer to see what else you have written.

This week I would like to recommend several blog posts that speak to the importance of writing quality blog posts. The first is from, as you probably know by now, one of my favorite bloggers and internet marketers, Kim Roach. Her blog post, Case Study – 1 Article = 7,640 Visitors takes you step by step through the process she took to write a blog post that attracted visitors like crazy.

In her blog post Kim says,

The first thing I did was actually write the article. This is actually THE MOST IMPORTANT part of the process because the quality of your article is going to determine how far it will spread and how much traffic it will end up attracting. Promoting the article is definitely a critical piece of the puzzle but you MUST start by creating a truly exceptional article.

I love this paragraph because it makes two thing crystal clear! You must first WRITE, and second, what you write must be quality.

The second blog post that I found that speaks to this issue is Seth’s blog post, The Importance of Writing Good Content, where he talks about “Pillar Articles,” which are a set of articles that bring a constant flow of traffic to your blog. His take on quality blog posts are similar to Kim’s in which he says:

Well written content is linked to, twittered about and Digged by online users because it is useful, funny, insightful or maybe even odd. Good content increases the value of your blog and likelihood that visitors will return to see your next article.

My third recommendation from this week is Daniel Scocco’s post titled, Checklist for Writing a Quality Blog Post. As the name suggests, he outlines a list of what is necessary to make a blog post top quality. One of his check points specifically is the quality of the content. Says Daniel:

This is one of the most important questions you need to ask yourself. Will your content actually create value for the reader? Is it original and unique? …

People want to learn new things, solve problems, become more productive. They want to know how stuff works. Practical tips. Tutorials. Reviews. Can you help them with that?

It takes time to create quality, but I have found that it is much more important to blog less and write high quality then to blog more and create posts of lesser quality.

Have you done any testing about this yourself? Have you ever been surprised by posts that you wrote that were extremely well received or not well-received? I know that I have found that those posts that I feel most connected to seem to attract the most traffic.

Until next time,

~Norene

Greetings All,
I apologize for missing a weekly wrap-up last weekend. The swine flu finally caught up with my family and we were down and out for the count. But here we are again, with another weekend upon us!

This week I would like to talk about Twitter. I find that most folks on the internet either love or totally dismiss Twitter. I have to admit that I was one to totally dismiss it. I certainly saw the value of it, both personally and in my business, but I felt like I just didn’t have the time to “twitter away” my day. After finally jumping on board, I have found how truly fun and valuable Twitter can be.

One post that I came across that I really loved was Steve Wakefield’s blog article called, “My Top 10 Twitter Tools and Then Some.” If you are new to twitter, or not, you will find his list really compelling.

Of the ten tools that Steve lists, I have to say that I liked Twitter Packs the best. Twitter Packs, according to Steve, is a “useful directory of twitter users sorted into specific categories so that you can find people who are interested in the same things as you. You can also add yourself to the directory so that people can find and follow you.” Take a moment to read Steve’s blog post. If you love twitter, you will be glad that you did.

As happens quite often in the world of the internet, once you find a product that you love, another comes along to rival it. Such was the case with me this week. I literally stumbled upon Sokule (pronounced So Cool).
Sokule is a free product, or you can upgrade to obtain more features. You’ll find all the applications you need to make your business hum in one convenient location. You can even choose the applications you want. Applications like Adding your Bio, Edit Posts, Live Profile Links, Auto Welcome, Scheduled Posts, Video Ads, Autoresponder Messages, ClickBank plugin, Sokwall, and lots more.

One of the things that makes Sokule so cool is that when you post on Sokule, your post will automatically show up on Twitter just like magic. Sokule’s website states that they will soon be adding 40 other social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Giblink, Friend Feed and many more.

Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/nbroyton or on sokule at http://www.sokule.com/postit/Norene My sokule page is just beginning to be built — hopefully by the end of this week there will be more to show.

Until next time,

~Norene

One of the biggest misconceptions on the internet is that if you simply post to your blog, you will get visitors. So much has been written about SEO and ranking high in Google in order to get traffic to your site. There are, however, so many additional ways to get highly targeted traffic.

Today I would like to share with you ten traffic generation tactics. I have used some of those listed below and have read about others. In the next few weeks I will be using all of the strategies to test which ones work best for me and will post back about my results. If you would like to try, or have tried, any or all of these strategies yourself, comment below and let me know how they work for you.

1. Commenting on Other Blogs.  By commenting on others’ blogs you can obtain traffic in two ways.  First, the person whose blog you post on will notice and oftentimes will come to your blog to see what you are up to and comment on your blog as well.  This will increase your credibility. Second, others who visit the blog will see your comment and may come to see your blog as a result. It is important to make your comments something of value, not just a “like your blog” comment.  You can find blogs similar to yours by typing blog + [your niche] into Google.  If you consistently comment on others blogs, you will increase both your visitors and your backlinks to your site quickly.
2. Guest Blogging.  Another twist to commenting on others’ blogs is to become a guest blogger.  This can give your name and your blog huge exposure.  When you visit your favorite blogs, check to see if they allow for guest bloggers.  If so, approach the owner of the blog.  When you post as a guest, make sure that your post is the best quality that you can provide.  Not only is this important for your relationship with the blog owner, but it also may be the first impression of you that others will see.  Make sure it is a good impression!
3. Article Marketing.  There is nothing new about article marketing, except the fact that so many marketers minimize the impact that article marketing can have on their traffic.  To get the biggest bang for your buck, submit your articles to high profile content syndication blogs, websites and article directories.  By placing your articles in the line of sight of readers who are specifically interested in your content, quality traffic will flow to your blog.  Again, you can find a list of these places by Googling article submission + [your niche].
4. Create a .pdf from your articles.  This idea came from Kim Roach.  She talks about this method of generating traffic in her fabulous product Instant Payday Formula. Once you have created your .pdf document you can submit it to www.free-ebooks.net and www.getfreeebooks.com
5. Video Marketing.  More and more, people are turning to sites like Youtube to acquire the information they need.  By posting videos of your information in addition to article writing, you will get twice the exposure.  If you, like me, are a little nervous about creating videos, check out Joshua Bartlett’s Video Marketing Classroom.  It is a series of free videos that take you step-by-step how to create videos for internet marketing purposes.
6. Commenting on Forums.  This is often discussed but just as often overlooked.  Hundreds if not thousands of people read forums regularly for information and camaraderie.  (It is also a good place to find Joint Venture Partners).  If you answer forum-goers questions with solid, good information, you will begin to become the go-to person for information in your niche.  By putting your blog url in your signature line, people will be drawn to your blog for more information.  You can find all of the forums you would ever need to post in by Googling forum + [your niche].
7. RSS Feed.  Blogs that have RSS Feeds enable the readers to stay informed by retrieving the latest content.  It is important to have an RSS feed on your blog.  A good video to learn more about setting up RSS feed on your blog can be found on Yaro Starak’s Blog.
8. Emailing Your List.  Many people do not sign up for RSS feeds, but you can periodically email your list to bring their attention to your best posts.  This will keep them aware of what you are up to, and perhaps get them into the habit of checking your blog regularly. If you do not have a list, I will be blogging about how to grow a list in a future blog, but to get a head start you can check out Alex Jeffrey’s List Building ebook.
9. Link Round Up.  This is another technique that I learned from Kim Roach.  (If you haven’t signed up to her  email list, you should.)  Bloggers post their favorite links and articles each week in what’s called a Link Roundup.  In this technique you Google “Daily Link Roundup” + [your niche].  You can also use “Weekly Link Roundup” + [your niche].  By doing this you will get a list of blogs who participate in weekly link roundups.  Once found, you contact the blog owner and send them a link to your best blog post.   If the owner likes your post, they will link to you in their weekly link roundup, giving you and your blog huge exposure.  (The underlying theme that you should take away from this blog post is that it is critical that you create top-notch content).
10. Creating a Free Product.  One great way to get targeted traffic to your blog is to create a free product to give away.  Although this may be time consuming up front, there are many benefits to creating your own product.  First, you can use it to help build your list.  In your ebook, or product, you can post your blog url.  Mention that the reader is free to pass the link to the ebook to others.  Over time this will create a viral explosion, and people will read your ebook and come to your blog to see what else you are writing about.  Again, it is critical to take your time and create a good product.

So…you built a fabulous blog.  Now go promote it using any or all of these tactics and they WILL come.  Add a comment and share how you are getting traffic to your blog!

Until next time,

~Norene

Whether our business is just taking off, or has been established for years, how great would it be to not only get a second opinion, but a third , forth….up to 53 opinions….for FREE!

That is what Rich Schefren and Jay Abraham have created in the League of Extraordinary Minds.  Their goal is to help every entrepreneur and business owner become successful, and it is completely free.

Since becoming an Internet Marketer, by biggest success came only after I acquired mentors.  You can check out my blog post Over-Delivering, The Key to Success for more information on my mentors.  I will now be adding Rich Schefren and Jay Abraham to that list, and I hope that you will too.  There may not be bigger names in Internet Marketing than these two, and they have gathered more world-class experts in business, internet marketing and entrepreneurship in one place than ever has been done before.

When you join for free you will receive a 36 hours of content-rich, non-selling, expert panel interview series.  Each expert that they’ll interview has the distinction of being THE absolute “top”” mind in their field.  These are not lightweights.  They earn seven, eight figures for what they know.  They’re respected buy the biggest leading company, the world over. They each have either identified, uncovered, deciphered or invented more business breakthrough strategies, concepts, techniques or approaches than anyone else in their space.

These 53 experts include:
Jay Conrad Levinson, Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, Michael Masterson, Michael Bosworth, Dr. Paul Schoemaker, Lou Adler and John Kotter. Check out the League of Extraordinary Minds website to see the rest of this business all-star lineup!

Does your business suffer from any of the following:  Poor marketing * No distinction or preemptive advantage * Ineffective sales efforts * Poor marketing message * Lack of credibility, trust in marketplace * Limited capital to market?  Jay and Rich have purposely put this group of extraordinary business minds together and focused each expert’s content on ideas and advice that will quickly help any business out there that’s suffering from any of these problems.

I joined the League of Extraordinary Minds because I have seen the benefit of having mentors for my business.  I know that adding 53 more to my list of mentors can do nothing but help me to skyrocket my business to further success.

If you think you may need a second opinion about the direction your business is moving, take a moment to check out the League of Extraordinary Minds and let me know what you think!

Until next time, keep moving forward!

~Norene