Johnson.

I haven’t really been doing much Affiliate Marketing at all recently. I’ve been busy as at uni, what with Flare Dance rehearsals amongst study and assignments. It’s Week 6 next week, which means there’s a lot mid sem tests and and assignments due. All in the life of a university student I guess.

The frequency of my AM epiphanies has dropped somewhat I guess as I result. AM is still on my mind a lot of the time; it’s just mainly things like how much I’d rather be doing that than what I’m doing at uni atm.

I can’t really remember where I had today’s epiphany. I was reflecting on a recent email I received from Colleen Slater, aka 60 Minute Affiliate. She’s started promoting her own get your ex back type product. If you’re familiar with the industry, you would know one of the undisputed leaders of this niche in particular is Travis Sago, the original Bum Marketer. His product, The Magic Of Making Up, dominates Clickbank and has a huge as gravity, mainly because he helps affiliates make their first sales or a decent income supposedly with it.

The main epiphany was in the fact that there are several products on the market that are successful and that will help people solve their problems. Why are AMers wasting so much time and effort competing with each other, trying to get their product on top? If it works, it works. The main thing is to help people. I guess that was a more holistic and humane epiphany.

The more marketing related epiphany was the fact that there is only one audience but several products. You shouldn’t let yourself get caged into only promoting one product. Start off with one to test the waters and acquaint yourself with the niche. Once you get it  going, look for subniches that might branch off your niche that need their problems solved and address those problems.

It should never be about the product. It should be about the problem and the people. That’s why people can just create a product like Colleen Slater has. I guess my first epiphany is helpful in putting your head in the right place when you’re going about promoting your stuff on your blogs and what not. Don’t promote the hell out of a product. Focus on the people, focus on the problem and let the vendor’s sales pages do the talking.

I guess I really do need this break away from AM, just because it’s helped me to greater appreciate Marketing in general. I love seeing things from a new perspective.

Today was an OK day. Arrived in the city pretty early, well, for a Sunday at least for a job interview. The interviews themselves lasted not too long, about 45 minutes all up, but because there were so many of us, they had us cordoned off to different time slots.

That wasn’t so bad, because it gave me some time to go to my favourite haunt: Borders. And at Borders, my favourite place is the the management/ personal finance. I don’t know about anyone else, but I find that since I got started in Internet Marketing, my interest in self-development has increased very quickly.

I’d heard of “One Minute Millionaire“, by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen. After reading the first little bit, I read the fiction about Michelle. It was a pretty good story and I couldn’t help but think if local blogger Colleen Slater aka “60 Minute Affiliate” had read the book. It sounded very much like her.

What stuck with me was that I was happy that I wasn’t the only one who believed in being ethical and having integrity in the Affiliate Marketing game. The mild depression I had last night after seeing the different products that help people “cheat” online is somewhat alleviated and knowing that it is possible to “do it” without compromising your faith in yourself, morals and dignity is heartening, as the story unfolded.

Because that’s the thing. This blog’s going to be the main vehicle of my learning. I learn by doing and making mistakes. When I get confident enough to be a real entrpreneur and turn ideas into reality, the first place they’re going to go are here. I’ve got big plans for this blog.

Also, I donated $5 to a “Big Issue” vendor. To do my bit for the world. That was another section in the book which makes me feel like the universe is calling out to me (OK that last bit was a tad grandiose). In One Minute Millionaire, they said about donating 10% of everything you earn in a year to charitable causes. I’ve fully believed that from last year!

I think I am a… what did they call them?… Enlightened Millionaire? Yeah that’s it. Basically, I want to be as far from someone like Mike Filsaime as possible. I don’t know, he just comes off as greasy to me.

I wonder how original Aussies can be too. Not only was McIntyre an old story, but also the guy who sold the MCG too apparently. No wonder we’re not getting anywhere. I’m going to be different. I’m a new generation of entrepreneur. I connect with my people. “Communication is getting a response from people”. That’s what I learnt from the book. =)