Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Eighty Percent Of Success

Eighty Percent of Success

You may have heard of the quote from Woody Allen that goes like this:

"Eighty Percent Of Success Is Showing Up"

I couldn't agree more.

Most of the time when I talk to people that are complaining about the lack of results they are experiencing, a quick look in to their situation reveals that they really aren't doing anything to cause positive results.

Anyone that has known me for any length of time will probably recognize that a big part of my "success formula" is just showing up, getting to work, and sticking with it.

The details of "getting to work" will vary with time. You'll learn new technique and strategies, use new tools, and so on. But the basic idea of just getting after it and sticking with it will always be major contributors to your success.

So how do we "show up" when it comes to list building and email marketing with the TrafficWave.net AutoResponder system?

1) Make sure you have actually set up your AutoResponder with your follow-up messages.

A lot of people that have complained to me about not seeing any results haven't even set up their AutoResponder yet. That's like saying "I want to build a house!" and then sitting around wondering why it's not been built yet. We have to get and start using our tools so we can begin building.

2) Make a point (at least initially) of learning something new about your TrafficWave.net tools and account on a daily basis. Learning the AutoResponder features alone could really keep you busy.

Your AutoResponder features include:

  • Personalization options.
  • Custom fields for your subscriber forms.
  • Import capabilities.
  • Ability to send HTML and text messages.
  • The option to upload and use your own images in your AutoResponders.
  • Broadcast scheduling.
  • Unlimited follow-up letters.
  • Open rate tracking.
  • Click-through tracking.
  • The ability to use our hosted lead capture pages.
  • The ability to add subscription forms to your own web pages or blogs.
These are powerful features and professional online marketers are putting these tools together for publishing health related newsletters, internet marketing tutorials, training information, business coaching, sales letters, and more.

3) Make a point of doing SOMETHING on a daily basis that is designed to promote your web site and/or capture page. This could be as simple as

  • creating and running a free classified ad,
  • submitting your web site or capture page to the search engines,
  • writing and submitting an article to article directories,
  • writing on your blog,
  • adding a note to twitter,
  • broadcasting out a special offer to your list as it grows,
  • running an ezine ad, etc...,
  • making sure your email signature includes a link to your capture page,
  • participating in relevant discussion forums (using your signature line),
  • adding videos to youtube (or commenting on relevant videos in youtube),
  • emailing your existing contacts and associates,
  • participating in safe lists,
  • participating in traffic exchanges,
  • participating in the member discussion forum (remember: signature links)
The point is to do SOMETHING every single day. By making a point of doing one or two of these items each day, you will be "showing up" and your success is just that much closer.

These tips apply if you are using our system to build your own business and if you are working to build an Affiliate income with TrafficWave.net's Affiliate plan.

Email Marketing focuses on two primary activities:

1) Building your subscriber list

2) Communicating with that list effectively.

If you will commit to showing up each day by tending to at least 1 or 2 itmes from each list above, you will begin to experience success.

One of the wonderful benefits of the Internet is that action steps you take today can bring you activity many many months from now.

Just today, I got an email from someone trying to fill out a subscription form on a web site. The form was giving them an error and telling them to contact us.

When I looked in to it, the web site had one of our old subscription forms. I was able to look at the code and identify the account. This user had let their account go more than a year ago.

And TODAY ... someone was at their web site trying to request more information by filling out their subscription form.

The good news: Their web site had attracted a visitor that was TRYING to become an interested prospect and subscribe to their list.

The bad news: This user had stopped showing up well over a year ago and has no real idea how much business they've been missing as a result.

I think Woody Allen had it right: "Eighty Percent Of Success Is Showing Up".

Yours in success,

Brian Rooney
TrafficWave.net LLC

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent article Brian. People really need to follow this blog closely as I plan on doing...

Butch Hamilton-SEO Master
http://domains-free-hosting.com

John Fagalde said...

Fantastic idea Brian, just the Blog we were all waiting for! I have been a member of TW for about 4 years+ and been recommending it to all my associates, it is one of my mostly used tools, although not my main stream of income (sorry Brian). It certainly encourages me to keep my Blog up to date. Thanks a lot.

John
Your Business Tips

Anonymous said...

Brian thanks for a great article.
As I have seen you write before people come to you and ask why they are not making money on the Internet and when you check into what happened you find out that they forgot to do the important part, show up to work.
Bo

Brian Rooney, TrafficWave.net said...

No need to apologize, John! We're glad to have you on board. A lot of our members are using these tools to build their primary business and that's what we're here for.

Recommending us to your associates is a perfect way to help them. Along the way, you are building an additional income stream and that's great for everyone involved.

Brian Rooney, TrafficWave.net said...

So true, Bo.

A big piece of the puzzle is just taking action. A lot of folks seem to get caught up in "I joined this or that.... I downloaded this or that ... I signed up for this or that .... and it doesn't work."

"It" never will work.

YOU are the one that does the work.

By using the tools properly, we can all build our businesses. Email marketing is a great tool. But if we just read about Email Marketing and don't actually start building and mailing to our lists, we won't ever build.

Brian Rooney
TrafficWave.net LLC

Peter Wright said...

Very good article Brian, I am one of those who needed a wake up call! I signed up with TW a few months back, then got heavily involved in something else with the result that I have been paying you every month and not using your service.

You have motivated me to get moving (and to post to my own blog more frequently)

I appreciate your frequent emails and tips.

Keep up the good work.

Peter

Brian Rooney, TrafficWave.net said...

Glad you liked it, Peter!

And glad to see you'll be refocusing. I think we all go through that. There is a LOT of information out there and we tend to get addicted to "input" when what we need is more action.

Feel free to share your experiences along the way.

We're all learning together on this one.

Brian Rooney
TrafficWave.net LLC

Anonymous said...

"You Cannot Stear A Parked Car" You have to turn the ignition and step on the gas to get to your destination.

Knowledge may be Power but the most powerful Tool is wothless if it just sits in the toolbox. There will be no Results until ACTION is taken.

Sometimes we all need a "Kick In The Pants."

Thanks for this one Brian.