The first step to developing profitable Joint Ventures is to identify and develop relationships with other business owners who can help you reach your target market.
Business competition has been viewed with a wary eye for far too long. The internet is a big, big place. There really is room for everybody - everybody that knows how to properly market themselves that is.
Who better to partner with but those who are already serving your target market? They have mailing lists subscribers, website visitors, podcast listeners, membership sites members, partners, affiliates and friends who you would love to be introduced to and who better to make the introduction?
Look around the internet marketing world and you'll observe many strategic JV relationships between business owners who would seem to be in direct competition with each other, yet they are cooperating on projects all the time.
Imagine your main competitor emailing his list and inviting them to check out what you have to offer.
It can happen. So here are six easy tips to help you increase your website traffic through joint venturing with a competitor.
1. Co-author a two part article.
Article marketing continues to be an important activity for online business owners. Whether you are crafting articles for distribution or writing them to keep on your own site as exclusive original content, you do need to be writing on a regular basis.
Approach a competitor with an email like this:
Hi ,
I think my web visitors would be pretty interested in your products and I have an idea for us to co-promote our websites. I hope you'll be interested.
Let's come up with a topic to write a two part article about. I'll write part one and publish it on my website and I'll tell readers that they can find part two on your website. You write part two and publish it on your website, letting your readers know that part one can be found on my website.
We both have added some original content to our site and we're sending each other some fresh traffic. Sounds easy enough to me. I have a few ideas for article topics too.
Want to give it a try?
Regards,
2. Co-author a two part report.
This can be as simple as the article idea only kicking it up a notch by asking for some more cooperation from the partners. You'll work together in creating the report; giving both of you credit and links back to your websites.
The resulting small report can then be given away by both partners on their website. You can even turn it into a viral tool and allow others to freely give it away with the understanding that they cannot remove your author info or links.
Alternatively, if you wish to sell the small report you can jointly purchase a domain and set up a mini site, work on the sales letter together, co-sign it and split the profits. This may be a lot to chew for a young JV relationship - you don't want to start mixing money too soon.
3. Conduct an interview of each other for your lists.
If you both have an area of expertise you can put a twist on a plain old ad swap and take turns interviewing each other email interview style.
You'll send a list of questions to the other person, collect their answers and then share this email interview with your mailing list.
Be sure to ask them questions that lead them into sharing about their products and services but don't make it too promotional in nature. Get them to share some really useful information with your readers.
Now they can do the same for you. This takes the exposure trade to a great new level. Your readers will know that you really respect the person you interviewed why else would you take the time to do it? There's a lot of implied trust that will go a long ways towards encouraging list members to check out what the interviewee has to offer.
You could also crank it up another notch and make it an audio interview and offer the mp3 link for your members to download or create a page where they can listen online and access links to the resources mentioned.
Both of you get valuable content to offer your list with no strings attached and that is a good thing.
4. Give away bonus products
Let's explore some great ideas in this area. The first examples that come to mind are information products. Imagine that you and your potential JV partner are both in the weight loss field. Your competitor is releasing a new ebook about exercise. You can offer her a complimentary free special report bonus to give away with the product that is all about gentle stretching techniques.
Another example would be for physical product sellers. You sell food mixes and your JV partner sells kitchen tools. You can prepare some sample packets and send her a bundle, allowing her to give one away with each order.
In both cases you are giving them something to promote and emphasize on their website in a way that helps them get more sales. And at the same time, you and your products get extra exposure.
Other bonus ideas would include audios, videos, email coaching, etc.
5. Co-operate on an event.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone from your field and found that you love the same topics? Take that synergy and turn it into a Teleseminar or web conference.
In much the same way that you would have cooperated on an article or small report, work out an outline of content together and plan out who will cover what aspects of your topic developing a rough script.
Set a date, arrange for a bridge phone line or web conference room and create some promotional materials.
Both of you will promote the event inviting your friends to do the same of course.
At the event you both get an opportunity to let your expertise shine to each other's followers. Participants will see both of you as having the "know how" they need so you should be sure to include an invitation to subscribe to your respective mailing lists and feel free to make a pitch for a complimentary product.
As always you can add some spice and do a multi-date event, inviting other speakers to join you. With you and your partner at the top of the list as event hosts you're setting yourselves up as leaders in your community.
The options in this arena are wide you can make attendance free or charge for admission. You can sell recordings and transcripts later or give them away to your lists as a gift.
6. Share Affiliate Programs
If you're really serious about finding ways to cooperate and partner with your competition, you have to have something that answers the "What's in it for me?" questions that you'll be getting.
If I'm going to tell my list about you I'd love to get a commission on any sales I send your way. Sure, I may do it even without the financial incentive but we are in business here right?
It definitely sweetens the pot for that first contact as well, when you can tell them that any new customers they refer to you will result in lifetime residual commissions for them.
If you don't have an affiliate program now, what's holding you back? How you can start a co-operation with your competitor?
Give them the spotlight first.
A potential JV will always be a little warmer to someone who has already showed themselves willing to share the love with others particularly them.
Mention them in your newsletter tell your list something you really like about what he/she does or offers.
Blog about their products or services. Mention them in your podcast. If they are like most internet business owners, they'll have Google Alerts or Technorati Tags set up to alert whenever anyone publishes their business name so they'll probably know right away that you've been giving them some buzz. But just in case they aren't aware, don't hesitate to send a short email linking to your mention of them saying something like Just wanted you to know I think you're great.
Ask if they'd be interested.
Like the example I shared above in the article partnering section you simply need to ask the person for what you want.
Give them all of the information they need but don't make the email a mile long.
Be personable. If your email sounds too business like, they may think it's a form letter. Address them by name.
Compliment them. Tell them what you like about what they do and why you are interested in partnering with them. Ask for their suggestions. Be open to their counter offer.
Make it as easy for them to say yes.
You are asking them to act in some way so you can't make it effortless, but you can offer to do any necessary footwork.
Further followup.
When you've successfully partnered on something small and both parties have enjoyed the experience and benefit, you have laid the foundation of a potentially long term fruitful partnership.
Let your partner know that you're open to new ideas and invite them to contact you anytime.
If you truly trust them, let them in on some of your future plans and ask them if they have interest in partnering on one or several of the projects.
When partnerships begin to involve money over the long term, you are delving into a whole new level of trust and accountability. Make sure that you have all of the legal and financial points covered and don't hesitate to seek out the advice of professionals in this area.
There are some great resources out there when you're ready to dig deeper and you have a partner willing to work with you on a big project.
Showing posts with label increase traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label increase traffic. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Reaching The Top Of Page One In Google In As Little As One Week
When you have the right information, climbing to the top of Google in a very short period of time is entirely within your reach. I am living proof. Two weeks ago, I launched my new website, and now I have multiple listings on page one of the Google search results.
An Empirical Truth
Scientists make their way in the world relying upon empirical truths. For those who are unaware, an empirical truth can be defined as, “verifiable or provable by means of repeatable observation or experiment.”
In essence, if you can observe it once, then it is interesting. But, when you can repeat the experiment and achieve the same observations multiple times, then you have evidence of an empirical truth.
From my own observations, what I am about to tell you is an empirical truth, because I have observed it happen again and again.
The Challenge In Exposing The Truth
Anytime someone writes about how to influence placement in the search engines, the writer faces a difficult choice.
In order to light the path of those who come after the writer, the writer must provide some kind of proof as to how the methods work and what kinds of results the writer was able to achieve using the methods.
Introducing the quandary.
In order to believe my story, many people want to see my keywords so they can personally verify my story by reviewing the Google search results. Although you may not be competing directly with my website and the keywords on which I rank, one can almost guarantee that my competitors may stumble over my tutorial at some point in the future.
In other words, if I told you that I was trying to rank for the keyword “cock-a-doodle-doo”, then you (the reader) could validate my results. At the same time, my competitor might discover this article and decide to use my methods and my keywords to outrank my own website in the search engines.
This actually happened to one of my mentors. In a public discussion of these same methods, he had given a bone to the readers of the forum where he was participating in a discussion. Within eight weeks, two of his top competitors held the top two spots for his keyword phrase, and after a five-year run at number one in Google, he suddenly found himself sitting in the number three spot.
So, the question is how I tell my story in a way that will help you to also see the light, without giving away the light bulb…
Have A Little Faith In Those Who Are Looking Out For You
Some of you may choose to have faith in the story that I tell. Others will choose to deny my methods, on the principle that they cannot see my results for themselves.
All I ask is that you have a little faith in my story. Then run your own test. Your test will not require a major investment, but when you see your website climbing from nowhere to somewhere in the Google results, you will be glad that you took my story on a little bit of faith.
Some Background
One of my mentors, Bill Platt, has been telling me about these methods for years. But to be honest, the picture just was not clear in my brain, for longer than I would care to admit.
Now and again, I would read something by one of the Internet gurus, and they would tell that they used these methods themselves. When the really rich people on the Internet tell you something about how to perform well on the Internet, it has always been my position that you should listen. I listened; well, I mostly listened anyway.
I hooked up with Bill shortly after having been told the importance of article marketing. Bill seemed to have the answers concerning the article-marketing model, having been in the business himself for a number of years, through his website (http://www.thephantomwriters.com).
Bill always told me that writing articles was about generating traffic and sales from the placement of my articles in ezines. He had also told me that if I played the game right, I could even benefit the rankings of my website in the search engines.
I started using Bill’s article distribution service to put my articles into circulation.
Bill had also advised that his client’s, who get the greatest benefit from article marketing, use multiple systems to distribute their articles. He advised that Willie Crawford (http://www.gitofftheporch.com) was one of the Internet guru’s who used more than one distribution service to put his articles into the wild.
Bill said that using more than one service was a good thing, because most article distribution services have their own unique reach, enabling the writer to get published in more ezines and on more websites. He emphasized that the goal should be to get as many people to your website as possible, using your articles as a method for introducing the reader to your website.
Beware Of Your Own Smartness
After using Bill’s article distribution services for a few months, I had the privilege of reading John Reese’s Traffic Secrets (http://www.trafficsecrets.com). John offered many useful tips for a successful online business, but one piece of advice he offered I implemented immediately.
John emphasized the importance of tracking our results. He said that in order to see what is successful, we must have a method in place to enable us to track where our traffic came from. Suddenly, I realized that although I knew that my website had been driving a lot of traffic, I had really no idea where that traffic was coming from or its cause.
Let me clarify that a bit. I knew that most of my traffic was coming from the large numbers of articles that I had distributed through Bill’s service and the service of one of his competitors (http://www.isnare.com). But, I did not know which articles were generating the bulk of my traffic.
So, I followed John’s advice and bought a software package designed to help me track my results (http://www.dynatracker.com). Then, I told Bill that from that day forward, we would need to use tracking URL’s with all of the articles I distributed through his service.
Bill agreed that tracking was important, but he suggested that there are better ways to track results than the one I was proposing. I listened to John, but I did not fully listen to Bill’s advice. Looking back, I kick myself daily for not listening to Bill in that one moment.
Tracking Your Article Results
Bill had always told me that using the Dyna Tracker was a good product for tracking my results, but it had an inherent problem. That problem is that I would be passing the search engine Link Value from my articles to my tracking software and not to the individual pages of my website.
If only I would have listened… I ran a full-year worth of articles with the Dyna Tracker links in my resource boxes. While Bill was telling me to dump the Dyna Tracker links, I was busy praising the value of the data I collected from the software.
One Test Blew My Mind
On one of my regular phone calls with Bill, I told him that I was launching a new website to complement what I was already doing. I asked Bill if he had any recommendations that he would give me on the new site.
Bill told me that I would not like his answer, but if I wanted to hear it, he would tell me.
I have to be honest, a knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I braced for his comments.
He told me that I should get back to basics. He told me that I already knew from experience that articles would help me to drive traffic to my website. I did know that. Bill recommended that I do two articles per week for twelve weeks. I have done that before, so I knew that I could get good results from that advice. He told me to use more than one article distribution service to put those articles in the wild. I followed that advice as well.
Then Bill got to the stomach punch. Bill told me to throw away my Dyna Tracker and provide direct URL links to my website. He also told me to keyword some of those links to my website, for the purpose of influencing my search placement for those keywords.
He told me to test the idea and to measure my results in just a few weeks. He told me if the methodology did not work for me, then I could start using my Dyna Tracker again.
He also suggested that I should use his Link Building system to develop 100 inbound links to my website, targeting the keywords that I felt would be important to my business. (http://www.linksandtraffic.com) I figured it was worth a try. Bill had never led me astray before, and I did not expect he was doing so then.
The Results
Within just a few weeks, I was getting a good amount of traffic to my new website. Strangely, I found that I was getting far more traffic from the search engines than I ever had before, yet the website was almost brand new! That just flew in the face of that sandbox theory we all hear about.
So, I started testing the keywords that Bill targeted in his linking job on my behalf. Wow. I found my brand new website sitting in the #12 spot in the Google search results on a two-word keyword that is actually pretty competitive. I also found the keywords we targeted in the campaign sitting in the #1, #1, and the #3 spot in the Google search results. I also found many page one results in the Yahoo search results as well.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! The light bulb went on, finally.
Then two weeks ago, I started another new campaign for my newest website. Within 24 hours of completing that website, I had distributed my first article promoting the website. Within 8 days of releasing that site to the public, I also had page one and page two listings for a wide range of keywords that I have so far targeted for my new website.
When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do
I mentioned three of my favorite teachers in this article: Bill Platt, Willy Crawford, and John Reese. I felt all three needed a mention, because all three have taught me things that have helped me to make money online. If you would like to learn from their expertise yourself, just Google their names.
The most important thing that I have learned since starting my website is that if I want to get rich online, I need to listen to those who are already making money online.
My hope is that you will listen to them too, so you can join us at the top.
An Empirical Truth
Scientists make their way in the world relying upon empirical truths. For those who are unaware, an empirical truth can be defined as, “verifiable or provable by means of repeatable observation or experiment.”
In essence, if you can observe it once, then it is interesting. But, when you can repeat the experiment and achieve the same observations multiple times, then you have evidence of an empirical truth.
From my own observations, what I am about to tell you is an empirical truth, because I have observed it happen again and again.
The Challenge In Exposing The Truth
Anytime someone writes about how to influence placement in the search engines, the writer faces a difficult choice.
In order to light the path of those who come after the writer, the writer must provide some kind of proof as to how the methods work and what kinds of results the writer was able to achieve using the methods.
Introducing the quandary.
In order to believe my story, many people want to see my keywords so they can personally verify my story by reviewing the Google search results. Although you may not be competing directly with my website and the keywords on which I rank, one can almost guarantee that my competitors may stumble over my tutorial at some point in the future.
In other words, if I told you that I was trying to rank for the keyword “cock-a-doodle-doo”, then you (the reader) could validate my results. At the same time, my competitor might discover this article and decide to use my methods and my keywords to outrank my own website in the search engines.
This actually happened to one of my mentors. In a public discussion of these same methods, he had given a bone to the readers of the forum where he was participating in a discussion. Within eight weeks, two of his top competitors held the top two spots for his keyword phrase, and after a five-year run at number one in Google, he suddenly found himself sitting in the number three spot.
So, the question is how I tell my story in a way that will help you to also see the light, without giving away the light bulb…
Have A Little Faith In Those Who Are Looking Out For You
Some of you may choose to have faith in the story that I tell. Others will choose to deny my methods, on the principle that they cannot see my results for themselves.
All I ask is that you have a little faith in my story. Then run your own test. Your test will not require a major investment, but when you see your website climbing from nowhere to somewhere in the Google results, you will be glad that you took my story on a little bit of faith.
Some Background
One of my mentors, Bill Platt, has been telling me about these methods for years. But to be honest, the picture just was not clear in my brain, for longer than I would care to admit.
Now and again, I would read something by one of the Internet gurus, and they would tell that they used these methods themselves. When the really rich people on the Internet tell you something about how to perform well on the Internet, it has always been my position that you should listen. I listened; well, I mostly listened anyway.
I hooked up with Bill shortly after having been told the importance of article marketing. Bill seemed to have the answers concerning the article-marketing model, having been in the business himself for a number of years, through his website (http://www.thephantomwriters.com).
Bill always told me that writing articles was about generating traffic and sales from the placement of my articles in ezines. He had also told me that if I played the game right, I could even benefit the rankings of my website in the search engines.
I started using Bill’s article distribution service to put my articles into circulation.
Bill had also advised that his client’s, who get the greatest benefit from article marketing, use multiple systems to distribute their articles. He advised that Willie Crawford (http://www.gitofftheporch.com) was one of the Internet guru’s who used more than one distribution service to put his articles into the wild.
Bill said that using more than one service was a good thing, because most article distribution services have their own unique reach, enabling the writer to get published in more ezines and on more websites. He emphasized that the goal should be to get as many people to your website as possible, using your articles as a method for introducing the reader to your website.
Beware Of Your Own Smartness
After using Bill’s article distribution services for a few months, I had the privilege of reading John Reese’s Traffic Secrets (http://www.trafficsecrets.com). John offered many useful tips for a successful online business, but one piece of advice he offered I implemented immediately.
John emphasized the importance of tracking our results. He said that in order to see what is successful, we must have a method in place to enable us to track where our traffic came from. Suddenly, I realized that although I knew that my website had been driving a lot of traffic, I had really no idea where that traffic was coming from or its cause.
Let me clarify that a bit. I knew that most of my traffic was coming from the large numbers of articles that I had distributed through Bill’s service and the service of one of his competitors (http://www.isnare.com). But, I did not know which articles were generating the bulk of my traffic.
So, I followed John’s advice and bought a software package designed to help me track my results (http://www.dynatracker.com). Then, I told Bill that from that day forward, we would need to use tracking URL’s with all of the articles I distributed through his service.
Bill agreed that tracking was important, but he suggested that there are better ways to track results than the one I was proposing. I listened to John, but I did not fully listen to Bill’s advice. Looking back, I kick myself daily for not listening to Bill in that one moment.
Tracking Your Article Results
Bill had always told me that using the Dyna Tracker was a good product for tracking my results, but it had an inherent problem. That problem is that I would be passing the search engine Link Value from my articles to my tracking software and not to the individual pages of my website.
If only I would have listened… I ran a full-year worth of articles with the Dyna Tracker links in my resource boxes. While Bill was telling me to dump the Dyna Tracker links, I was busy praising the value of the data I collected from the software.
One Test Blew My Mind
On one of my regular phone calls with Bill, I told him that I was launching a new website to complement what I was already doing. I asked Bill if he had any recommendations that he would give me on the new site.
Bill told me that I would not like his answer, but if I wanted to hear it, he would tell me.
I have to be honest, a knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I braced for his comments.
He told me that I should get back to basics. He told me that I already knew from experience that articles would help me to drive traffic to my website. I did know that. Bill recommended that I do two articles per week for twelve weeks. I have done that before, so I knew that I could get good results from that advice. He told me to use more than one article distribution service to put those articles in the wild. I followed that advice as well.
Then Bill got to the stomach punch. Bill told me to throw away my Dyna Tracker and provide direct URL links to my website. He also told me to keyword some of those links to my website, for the purpose of influencing my search placement for those keywords.
He told me to test the idea and to measure my results in just a few weeks. He told me if the methodology did not work for me, then I could start using my Dyna Tracker again.
He also suggested that I should use his Link Building system to develop 100 inbound links to my website, targeting the keywords that I felt would be important to my business. (http://www.linksandtraffic.com) I figured it was worth a try. Bill had never led me astray before, and I did not expect he was doing so then.
The Results
Within just a few weeks, I was getting a good amount of traffic to my new website. Strangely, I found that I was getting far more traffic from the search engines than I ever had before, yet the website was almost brand new! That just flew in the face of that sandbox theory we all hear about.
So, I started testing the keywords that Bill targeted in his linking job on my behalf. Wow. I found my brand new website sitting in the #12 spot in the Google search results on a two-word keyword that is actually pretty competitive. I also found the keywords we targeted in the campaign sitting in the #1, #1, and the #3 spot in the Google search results. I also found many page one results in the Yahoo search results as well.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! The light bulb went on, finally.
Then two weeks ago, I started another new campaign for my newest website. Within 24 hours of completing that website, I had distributed my first article promoting the website. Within 8 days of releasing that site to the public, I also had page one and page two listings for a wide range of keywords that I have so far targeted for my new website.
When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do
I mentioned three of my favorite teachers in this article: Bill Platt, Willy Crawford, and John Reese. I felt all three needed a mention, because all three have taught me things that have helped me to make money online. If you would like to learn from their expertise yourself, just Google their names.
The most important thing that I have learned since starting my website is that if I want to get rich online, I need to listen to those who are already making money online.
My hope is that you will listen to them too, so you can join us at the top.
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