Guest post by Matt Poc
Lots of people ask me this question:
“How can I make my first $1000 online?”
That’s why I decided to share my story of how I earn money online.
First of all I decided which market I want to enter. I chose internet marketing niche as it is something that I like and it is much easier to drive traffic as well, because it is a big market.
1. Then, I built my squeeze page (it is a page where someone opt-ins to your email list). To do that I needed a domain name, hosting account, and autoresponder account (I use Aweber).
2. After that, I found 5 affiliate products to promote. I chose only these that are high ticket products, membership sites or that offered 100% commission.
If you’re in the internet marketing niche, promote Lee McInyre’s, Kim Roach’s, Jason Fladlien’s products, because they offer high commissions and if you make sale for Lee or Jason, they will add lifetime tracking (so if the same person buys another product from them, you still get commission!) You’ll be sure to earn more money that way.
You can use these sites to find products as well:
3. Then, I put 3 banners on my “thank you” and “confirm” pages with my affiliate links. “Confirm” page is where someone is taken after they opt in and the “thank you” page is where they are taken as soon as they confirm their subscription. Some people will be ready to spend money immediately after they buy.
4. I created a follow up of about 20 days (20 email messages). I gave some valuable free content to my subscribers during first 7 days and then I started selling as well (5 pitches and 2 emails of really great free content). When I send promotions, I don’t send an email every day about different product. I send at least 3 emails about one product and only then will I promote another product. If I give them a review of a product and a bonus, I make at least 2x more money.
When I send an email, I am personal. I tell them what I do, what goals I have, inspirations, I tell them some stories. People love that.
After I prepared my basic sales funnel, I needed to get traffic to my squeeze page.
Here is how I did that:
1. This is an old strategy, but works very well – forum marketing.
The key here isn’t to post 100s of posts, the key is to post really valuable content. You will be respected and get more traffic as well if you do that.
I also used these strategies:
I asked scenario-based questions:
“If you had to generate $1,000 in 30 days, how would you do it?”
“If you had to start from scratch, what would you do differently?”
Also, I started new threads and provided massive value inside.
2. I wrote an article every day and linked to my squeeze page from my resource box, so I was building my email list. Don’t submit these articles to ezinearticles.com or article directories – this strategy is dead.
Submit your article as a guest post to a popular blog or submit it to a popular site in your niche. It really works better that way. Some sites in internet marketing niche that accept articles: Site-Reference.com, BetterNetworker.com, BloggersBase.com, BlogEngage.com, and FamousBloggers.net.
However, I have found it is better to write a guest post instead of submitting your article to a popular site, because you are building relationships with bloggers, what means you may do an ad swap with them, they may send a promotion for you in the future.
I submitted the same articles to tutorial sites:
Tutorialized.com, Designm.ag, TripWireMagazine.com, and http://designrfix.com.
Also, I converted my articles into PDF format (I use Open Office to do it) and submitted to:
Scribd.com
DocStoc.com
eSnips.com
Calameo.com
Issuu.com
Yudu.com
YouPublish.com
3. As soon as I built a list of 500 subscribers, I started using ad swaps. Ad swap occurs when somebody sends a promotion to their email list and you send a promotion to your email list. Usually, there is a free gift, so both people get a whole bunch of new subscribers.
That’s it – that’s how I got the ball rolling on my first startup. I spent 1 hour each day posting on forums, writing 1 article and then ad swapping, and made my first $1000 online in just 23 days (as soon as I started taking action, I was able to earn money online) :)
Is it simple?
Yeah!
Is it easy?
No!
It is not really very easy for the majority of people to spend 1 hour every day posting to forums and providing high value, writing just 1 great article per day and submitting that to various blogs, tutorial sites, PDF sites and then ad swapping.
BUT, if you put your efforts in the beginning and do that stuff every day you can’t fail, only succeed. Remember, what you do every day, makes you special!
What steps can you take today that can help you start making money online?
About Matt Poc
This is one of the best blog post I have found on this subject – It tells so much in a step by step that anyone can follow. I was going to us Jason Fladlien’s pdf files to market because he has so many to choose from and they are very good for building traffic to his sites – I am looking forward to pushing your blog out to many of my friends online and hope to read much more in the future…
Hey Matt,
Great post! This is the first article I have seen, that just tells you exactly what you need to know and do to make your first $1000 online. Most of the others I have seen are also trying to sell you on something else.
Thanks for this concise run-down of what to do. I am going to try your strategy and see if I can’t beat your 23 days to $1000.
Ian Belanger recently posted..Back and Better Than Ever, With Some of My Favorite Tools
Really Nice article and it will serve as an inspiration for all those who want to make quick buck from internet.
I used to read these offers a lot but never had trust to put any effort for making money through it. However, I tried once and amazing, it works and I started earning a lot every day. So, I agree with Matt and his recommendations and will say all readers to give it a try and money is all yours.
I like your style Matt.
Interesting to see you’re now aiming for (as you say) ‘Fire and Forget’ strategies. Income you don’t have to lift a finger for once the initial work is done – now that’s a good idea.
Like the points you made here, not least the idea of guest posting – I’ve just begun doing this and it’s a powerful networking strategy and traffic source.
Nice work mate,
Jym
Jym Tarrant recently posted..How I Get More Comments on my Blog and You Can Too
Very interesting approach. So basically you find what works, and then make that work for you. Knowing your capabilities and comfort zone will definitely help make money on-line an easier journey.
A. Tatum Jr recently posted..What is the Cloud and Why its Important to You
First of all, I want to congratulate you on your well planned journey to making $1000 in 23 days. I must say a well thought strategy. Thanks for sharing useful tips, Matt
Kavita recently posted..How to track your Hostgator Sales
Twitter: revoices
says:
Thanks Matt found your article very informative
1stblogger recently posted..Explore your Music Collection on iPad – Planetary App
It is always a big pleasure for me to hear successful entrepreneur stories like this one. Despite the fact it is not easy to make money online some people can earn high ammounts within a short period of time. I am proud of these successful people!
Terje Sannarnes recently posted..How an Entrepreneur Can Build a Website with Minimal Skills
Hi, Matt
You did a lot of work and which is very important you have mentioned some real steps. But do you believe that we all will earn the same amount following your steps?
It really depends on where you are right now, how hard you work and you also need a little bit of luck as well, if you want to make that amount of money so fast.
To be honest, I no longer use the above strategy, I use SEO now, because it is fire and forget system, while with this, you have to keep working.
Now I am studying hard and I have to pass my exams and my income dropped dramatically. I am going to use only long term strategies now, such as SEO. You can check out Extreme Niche Empires by Sean Donahoe, it is really a great course for beginners and it is 100% set and forget system, what I absolutely love.
I’ll be interested to read a follow-up to see how this “set and forget” system works for you. I think a lot of bloggers are looking for the “holy grail” of blogging, and don’t realize they actually have to WORK at it – not just work at finding and learning a “system.” Most bloggers I’ve talked to ought never to go to Vegas.
Holly Jahangiri recently posted..Mother- Touchstone- Friend
Well, I’ve already made 3 sales from this method and that’s just after 25 hours of work and these sites are going to make me more money on 100% autopilot.
I find your post very useful and informative and for sure I’ll follow some of the advices you share them. Thanks for sharing this awesome post.
Thank you, Matt! Really appreciate your guidance! But what is the point in sending PDFs to ebook sites. That gives almost none traffic from my experience…
wow matt :-) its astonishing to know that even with a litle bloging experience u were able to make 1000 dollars in just a span of 23 days :-) those are some nice strategies listed by u specially the ad swap one …didnt know about that :-)
i have just entred this field and its good to sek inspiration from u guys.i need to dig deep in affliate marketing coz its way way higher than some stupid ppc :-) btw u look very small….how old r u :roll: ?
Deepanshu recently posted..AIEEE 2011 Marking Scheme Revealed !! No 8 Marks Questions Surprise ! or is it
Thanks Matt I found your article very informative and will give some of your info a try.Keep up the good work and I will revisit often
Perry Roberts recently posted..Some Tips for Starting a Successful Home Based Business
really nice article …:)
Harish Bhatt recently posted..Delicious Acqired By You Tube Founders
Thanks Matt for your sincere story. You have done great work and it will teach us to be more patient and hard-working, so at least me right now.In fact I have found some new elements for me. Thanks again!
Whoa, did you really do all that in your first 23 days?
Did you have some internet marketing experience before that? I think in my first 23 days of internet marketing, I think I made about a $1.50, I sure as hell wasn’t building converting sales funnels.
Jeremy Farley recently posted..Why Did My Toenail Fungus Treatment Fail
I was struggling for 4 months, I made my first $1,000 in a period of 23 days. Before that I haven’t made any money at all.
Interest8ng article Matt, you do seem to have done well for yourself. I have some praise and some problems ere though. I won’t pull any punches, so if I have some wrong assumptions, please correct me.
It seems your #1 metric for produ8ct affiliation is the dollar amount for commission. This in my opinion (and everything else I’ve come to understand) is horrible advice. Generally speaking, these affiliates are real easy to spot, and more often then not, untrustworthy.
I do love the lifetime tracking idea (and wonder why more don’t use it) as long as I can truly find a product to stand behind.
I like the banners on “thank you” and “confirm” pages although I might switch them up for text links every once in a while.
Emails every single day though, whether awesome free content or pitches is not normally a wise idea…not including a “course” of some kind.
Ad-Swaps – I’ve never done them, but to be honest, you’re the only one I’ve ever heard good things from about them. I’d like to know if they keep working so well over time.
Forums were my very first foray into the online marketing world, I’ll stand behind that all day long as long as it’s ethical.
Article marketing is only dead for those tat skated through with total garbage articles, that was the main point of the update.
I do agree though, that guest blogging can be much better on multiple fronts depending on what you’re attempting to achieve. :)
Dennis Edell recently posted..How to Turn Human Spammers Into Regular Legitimate Members of Your Community
Hi Matt,
This was a truly useful and informative post, and thank you for sharing your successful strategy. I’ve been reading John Chow’s various ebooks lately, and he talks about similar techniques. Always, the message seems to be: BUILD THE LIST, BUILD THE LIST, BUILD THE LIST. It’s good to see some social proof (i.e., your post) which further confirms that this is a valid and worthwhile strategy.
Question: Are you offering any type of a freebie incentive, such as an ebook or audio guide, to entice people to sign up on your squeeze page? I’m in the middle of writing an ebook to use as part of this strategy for my own list. I heard it’s very useful.
Thanks,
Joe
Yes, I am offering a free gift. I got a rebrandable report from Jason Fladlien. He has 32 rebrandable reports and if you are in IM niche, you will definitely find something there.
Wow great.. I can’t believe it!! I want to try that kind of situation.. Your such a very lucky Mat!! Good Luck to your next career.. Keep up the Nice work!
Twitter: seommotips
says:
Inspirational post Mac and thanks a lot for sharing some of your stratety with us.
I am just starting to learn all these stuff and have a few questions.
I guess you were not a newbie blogger when you started this strategy, were you? How much influence (twitter, facebook, number of posts, comments etc anything that can be measured) do you suggest before anybody can attempt such projects?
Another question, do I need to buy and use the product that I am going to promote?
The third one, did you use your existing blog to promote those five products or you created some new with new domain name?
I would ge greatly thankful for your response.
Suresh Khanal recently posted..Don’t Wait for Clicks to Make Money Blogging
To be honest, I know nothing about social media and for me it is rather a distraction than something that helps to make money. I use it only to build backlinks.
I don’t really have my own blog. I have it, but it is still new and I have only 19 posts there.
It is not essential to buy a product that you are promoting, just make sure that the product has positive reviews and so on. If you are in IM niche, I would suggest you to promote Lee McIntyre’s products (lifetime tracking and 200% commissions) and Jason Fladlien’s products.
I don’t use my blog to promote these products. 3 of these products are on my thank you page (when people opt in to my list they see a couple of banners) and on autoresponder sequence as well. I also give away a report from Jason Fladlien and it is rebrandable and I make quite a few sales from there as well.
If you created 3 of these sites and each of these made four figures, you would make full time income, but in the beginning many of your sites will fail, but if you keep going you will achieve some amazing results and I am going to drop everything and use this to build my list.
However, you might also consider creating review sites if you know some stuff about SEO. It is really one of the most easiest and fastest ways to make money online. I made my first ever four figure payday. If people are interested about this I will create a product.
My site Elite Blogging review is ranked #4 on Google at the moment and the product will be launched about after 8 days and I think that I will be #2 or #3 during the launch and that should make me four figures, I think.
It is one of the fastest ways for you to make quite a lot of money, but remember, the key is to focus on just one thing at the time. I guarantee that your several sites will fail before some of them will make money. But if you keep pushing it, it will make more money when you were expecting.
Matt Poc
Twitter: seommotips
says:
Thank you Mat, thank you very much. It was really a worthy suggestions and I’m grateful for your guidance.
Suresh Khanal recently posted..Don’t Wait for Clicks to Make Money Blogging
For U.S. bloggers: How do you not run afoul of the FTC if you don’t buy/use the products you endorse if you follow these steps? If you write a “review,” are you not assumed to have used the product?
http://www.aaronkellylaw.com/Internet-Law-and-Intellectual-Property-Articles/FTC-Compliance-Guidelines-concerning-Blogging-and-Affiliate-Marketing.shtml
Holly Jahangiri recently posted..Mother- Touchstone- Friend
You just simply mention that you did not buy the product, but others are saying this and this about it and the sales page is saying this.