| This interview is with Michael Murray, the author of a | | | | recurring billing program. One of the back-end products |
| top selling ebook titled "Autoresponder Basics." Michael | | | | for my autoresponder ebook is the promotion of an |
| is also involved with many excellent affiliate | | | | autoresponder service. It pays $5 a month per |
| programs.Terry: Michael, this is a real pleasure to talk | | | | member signup through me. This is monthly residual |
| about your experience and business on the Internet. | | | | income.Terry: Back-end sales are very nice. With that |
| To start off, how did you get involved with the | | | | in mind, how often do you contact the individuals on |
| Internet?Michael: I'm disabled and I always figured I'd | | | | your opt-in prospect list and customer list?Michael: I |
| get a job with computers. In 1996, my dad got the | | | | publish a weekly newsletter to my newsletter list to |
| Internet hooked up and I loved it. At the time, I was 13 | | | | keep me on their mind. Whenever I have a good offer, |
| and a big fan of Goosebumps (the popular book series | | | | I contact my customer list. I don't want to keep |
| back then). I would search for information on it. When I | | | | bothering them unless I have an important |
| was 16, I started seeing lots of "Get Rich Quick" | | | | announcement.Terry: Quality versus quantity! How |
| schemes and fell into it and wasted a lot of money. | | | | important is the promotion and sale of affiliate |
| Fortunately, I learned through trial and error the right | | | | programs?Michael: It's very important! The majority of |
| way to make money online.Terry: That is an interesting | | | | my income comes from affiliate programs. Even if you |
| beginning. What led you to develop your top selling | | | | have your own products, affiliate programs are a |
| ebook "Autoresponder Basics"?Michael: For a couple | | | | great way to earn extra profits.Terry: The returns |
| of years, I only promoted affiliate programs. I didn't | | | | from promoting affiliate programs are worth the effort. |
| have my own product. I was in the very competitive | | | | What strategy do you employ with the affiliate |
| Internet marketing niche and there was already an | | | | programs you promote?Michael: I promote programs |
| overload of information. People were writing "How to | | | | at different price levels but not to just make money. |
| Make Money Online" ebooks who weren't even | | | | The program has to be a good, something I can talk |
| making a dime themselves! I didn't have anything new | | | | about and of interest to my list. If affiliate programs are |
| to say about the subject. I became a critic of other | | | | going to be your main business, develop a free report |
| people's work and wrote honest reviews about it to | | | | to get prospects on your email list. Next, promote the |
| my email list. They would save money by buying only | | | | affiliate programs in your newsletter.Terry: Sounds |
| quality products. My reviews led people to ask me | | | | simple enough! Do you recruit affiliates to sell your |
| how to use autoresponders. They realized the need to | | | | products/services?Michael: Most of my product sales |
| "build a mailing list" but had no idea how to technically | | | | come from affiliates. However, you can't sit around |
| do it.I did some research and discovered that a lot of | | | | and wait for affiliates to come to you. You must go |
| good guides existed about email marketing techniques | | | | out and actively recruit them. You want affiliates to |
| and list building strategies. However, the guides all | | | | have large email lists and credibility in your niche. Give |
| assumed you knew how to use autoresponders. That | | | | these affiliates a free copy of your product and a |
| was a bold assumption. After some encouragement | | | | large commission for each sale.Terry: Results depend |
| from a fellow marketer, I researched and wrote | | | | on successful recruiting. What do most Internet |
| "Autoresponder Basics."Terry: Great! You benefited on | | | | marketers do wrong in trying to build a successful |
| an opportunity to develop a product that people | | | | business?Michael: They forget the main purpose of |
| wanted. What types of products/services do you | | | | Internet marketing! Find a hungry niche market and |
| believe sell well on the Internet?Michael: First, | | | | provide customers with good products. Some |
| information products (i.e., ebooks, tapes, videos, | | | | marketers get lost in the "hype" of the Internet and |
| coaching, seminars, etc.) are the #1 item to sell online. | | | | forget basic economic principles.Terry: You have very |
| Information products have low overhead and high | | | | thoughtful insight. Moving along. How can you tell if an |
| markups. To sell information products successfully, you | | | | affiliate program is legitimate?Michael: I always buy the |
| need a tightly targeted niche market to sell to. You | | | | product before joining the affiliate program. If it's a |
| need not only a niche but also a sub-niche. My ebook | | | | good product it'll generally be a good affiliate program. |
| is the perfect example. I chose a specific subject in a | | | | Be cautious of any programs that focus more on |
| niche that very few other people were | | | | selling than on the product itself. Troubles lie ahead if |
| marketing.Terry: Sounds straightforward. Find a market | | | | you have to pay to be in a program but have no clue |
| niche and pursue it. In your pursuit, what well-known | | | | about the product!Terry: Know the product before |
| Internet marketers helped you the most with your | | | | committing to a program. How should a newcomer |
| business?Michael: Terry Dean was the biggest help. I | | | | determine what field to pursue in Internet |
| have almost all his products. He taught me the | | | | marketing?Michael: Research a potential niche market |
| importance of email follow-up. Yanik Silver, Jim | | | | carefully. Go to the website and see how many |
| Edwards and Stephen Pierce have great products | | | | people search your topic area. Select a niche area |
| that have educated me.Terry: It is very important to | | | | with high traffic.Terry: Excellent recommendation! In |
| have guidance from a qualified coach. What is your | | | | your judgment, what are the most effective things a |
| opinion on the best way to market products | | | | newcomer should do to develop an affiliate |
| services?Michael: The best way to market your own | | | | strategy?Michael: Pick a strong niche market and 3 |
| products is through joint ventures. The JV is a | | | | good affiliate programs to promote. The individual |
| partnership formed to share risks and rewards. For | | | | affiliate needs to brand themselves (i.e., take on a |
| example, one person develops a product and another | | | | unique identity) and not the affiliate program.Terry: |
| sells it for a percentage of the profits. This is usually | | | | Therefore, branding is critical! What key things would |
| 50% or higher. If I have an ebook on car repair, I'd go | | | | you recommend to a new Internet marketer to |
| to other car websites and ask them to put a link to my | | | | achieve financial success?Michael: Concentrate on |
| website on their website.Terry: The implied message is | | | | building a list! Learn from the people who have already |
| to use JVs to your advantage. Do you advertise in an | | | | succeeded. There's no shame in asking for help. Keep |
| ezine?Michael: Yes! Paid ezine advertising is a great | | | | a cool head and have patience. Success won't come |
| way to make money quickly. However, I would not sell | | | | overnight but it will happen. Don't give up! You may be |
| a product in the ad. Instead, I would give away a free | | | | one failure away from success.Terry: That is good |
| report in the ad and get prospects onto an email list. | | | | positive encouragement for all marketers. Do you |
| Sell to the list.Terry: That makes sense. Build your list! Is | | | | have any other comments you would like to |
| it important to have a lot of money to spend when | | | | add?Michael: If you are a newbie, you have a long |
| starting a marketing business?Michael: No! The only | | | | road ahead of you. However, the destination is worth |
| thing you'll need is a good autoresponder. A website is | | | | the wait. Everything is a learning process. Remember |
| a good resource but not mandatory if you have a | | | | the main objective is to solve someone's frustration. |
| good autoresponder.Terry: OK! With regard to | | | | There was a person out there banging his keyboard in |
| follow-up sales, how important is it to sell a back-end | | | | anger and trying to figure out autoresponders. My |
| product/service?Michael: Very. Why should you | | | | ebook solved his problem. Find a frustration and solve |
| continually find only new customers and not profit from | | | | it! You'll be on your way to riches!Terry: Michael, thank |
| old ones? Also, back-end doesn't necessarily mean | | | | you very much for your valued inputs.Copyright © |
| high-end. A very good back-end product would be a | | | | 2003 F. |