How's your year so far?

Occasionally, I go off script and instead of giving success advice, I just open up and shoot from the hip. This is one of those times.

It's almost April, so I ask, how's the new year go for you so far; how about those resolutions?

According to the University of Scanton's Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 8% of people are successful in achieving their resolutions.

That just absolutely floored me and got me to thinking about how I was stacking up as it came to my new year's goals.

As March 2016 is wrapping up, I recently spent a lot of time just reflecting on where I came from in just 4 short years. We can't successfully get to where we want to be if we don't understand where we have been.

Here is just a few highlights of my personal journey...

I very clearly remember being part of the 92% of people who failed to meet their resolutions, not just that year, but for many years.

For years I knew that I couldn't create a better life for my daughter by working a dead end job that kept me bound by someone else's schedule, so I tried everything to get out of the rat race; I built an engraving business, got into e-commerce, even tried my hand at authorship, but nothing worked and I kept finding myself in a position where I was having to go back to a 9 to 5 or be a stay at home dad where we barely lived paycheck to payccheck. Nothing seemed to click.

 

• I was a slave to the job, a slave to the clock, a slave to my creditors.

• I had no time to do the things I enjoyed.

• I had no energy to enjoy time with my family.

• No extra money, so no savings, no vacation, no splurging, no emergency fund.

To make matter worse, I couldn't get on facebook without seeing, what seemed to be everyone around me, being more successful than I was. It sucked. Friends taking off in the middle of the week to travel across country, new cars, new house, blah blah blah...

It seemed like everyone around me was successful while I had to listen to my daughter (4 years old at the time) crying because I couldn't afford a happy meal for her.

I kept asking myself,

"Why is this so hard?"

I definitely had a bruised ego, but I still had this dream that I could make a little extra money while spending more time with my family and not chained to a desk or getting stuck in traffic.

I started thinking that the only way to make money online was to sell stuff on eBay or turning into some sort of sleazy MLM type marketer (not that all MLM ventures are pyramid schemes). It was heart breaking because I did not want to do that.

Being able to help people and actually get paid for it was unfathomable to me and, though I saw it done, I felt that you had to be an expert with over 20 years expertise and the title of guru to be able to be successful online.

I was wrong!

Way wrong. Looking back on it, I was always just a few steps away from my dream, I just didn't see it or understand what it was that I was missing.

My goal for the past decade or so, was to figure out how to get out of the rat race. Breaking the golden handcuffs once and for all.

I finally found the secret to having a successful life; After years of trial and error, Zig Ziglar has been giving the answer for years; "You'll get everything in life that you want if you help enough people get what they want."

This is the reason for this blog series. My goal, now that I am out of the rat race, is to show as many people as I can how to do the same.

Now it's your turn

What is your resolution? How can I help you climb out of the maze? Not everyone has the same definition of success, nor do we all have the same hurdles to jump over, so what do you need help with?

Drop me a note and let me know.

 

The Part Timer

Time Management Tips For Building Passive Income Part Time

As you start working on your passive income, you will realise the importance of time management. You want a steady side income but you must not give up your day time job which gives your secured monthly wages. How to optimally use your 24 hours a day on your passive income and your day time job?

 

Strategy #1: Keep your home and your work desk organised

You spend most time developing your passive income from home after work. Hence, having a messy home and work desk will make you lose time when you have to search for a missing item every now and then. It dampens your working mood and creativity. To be efficient, you not only need to keep them clean and tidy, but also make sure they are organised so that you can find your items at ease when you need them.

 

Strategy #2:  Compound your activities

Do you listen to music while driving or while doing gym? If yes, why don’t try to learn something about passive income and business instead at the same time? How? Listen to motivational and inspiring podcasts on your MP3 that will teach you about business and passive income. They are easily available on the internet! You can also read a motivational business book while on public transport or even in queue. Be industrious!

 

Strategy #3: Spend less time on TVs

If the first thing you do when you come home from work is to switch on your TV and then stick to it throughout the night, you are watching too much of it. Cut down on your TV consumption. Use the free time to work on your passive income. Read and learn about it from the internet or books.

 

Strategy #4: Use time management tool

There are several time management tools out there. One of the techniques is by listing down your tasks according to their priority and urgency. Work on those which are marked as most important and most urgent first, and the least important and least urgent tasks last. Cross them out once you have completed them to have a general idea on your progress. Besides a ‘today’ list, you can also work on a ‘this week’ list or a ‘this month’ list.

 

Passive Income from Active Actions

Passive income is a source of income which generates money without you being present or working hard. You might ask, is that even possible? Yes, thousands of people have done it!! A popular example lately is the sales of products and services online. Exactly how to actively start your own passive income? This article outlines the steps.

First, generate ideas. You need to set your mind to actively churn out ideas while you are doing other things. Always carry a notepad and pen with you so that you can keep a log of all your inspirations and ideas. Commit yourself to come out with at least one idea per day. You may start by thinking around your areas of interest.

Second, try it. Once you have generated several ideas, start trying them out in order to see whether they are workable, including those that might sound absurd. For example, if you can draw well and want to earn money by selling your cartoons online, start drawing it to see how it works!! If you don’t try them on, your ideas will gather dust and you will forget and lose your initial passion about it.

Third, shortlist ideas. Select few that you think are the most workable and you are more likely to be able to commit. Do take your financial status into consideration as some passive incomes require a capital to start and maintain (e.g. sale of products online, property investment) while others require low or no start-up capital (e.g. sale of services and e-books online).

Fourth, plan it. With a shortlisted idea, plan how you want to develop your income stream. Find out other people doing the similar thing and how they are doing it. Give it a go, even if it does not work well from the beginning. If it does not work out, at least you have tried and now you can move on to your other ideas.

Fifth, save money. While your passive income might not necessarily need a large capital it is best that you save some money from the beginning. This allows you to see the outcome of your active actions on your passive income and allows more flexibility in growing your income stream later on. Once your first passive income has become steady, use this fund to work on the second one, and then third one!

Before long, you will have multiple passive income streams which are flowing steadily and making you financially independent!

Here's to your success. If you have any topics on building a business or creating the anti-rat race lifestyle that you are looking for, drop me a message.

 

From Passive Income to Financial Independence

<p class="MsoNormal">Growing your passive income online to eventually achieve
financial independence requires some extra work. Here are some tips to do
exactly that – fire up your passive income!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p>
</o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;
</span>Be genuine in sharing<o:p>
</o:p>
</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First rule in growing your passive income is you must
demonstrate genuine interest and be genuine in sharing. Your potential clients
can feel it from the content of your website. Be honest about your products.
Generally people will not mind if you are recommending something useful however,
you can turn people off easily if people realise what you recommend is actually
of less value than you claim.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p>
</o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">2. Use social
network <o:p>
</o:p>
</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the popularity of the social media skyrockets, it would
make no sense if you take advantage of them to promote your products. Use social
media such as Facebook and Twitter to get in touch with your fans and potential
clients. Reply to every comment and reply every email. Engage the readers in all
conversations. Slowly, you will build a marketing army which will market your
products for you in their network.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p>
</o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">3. Build a
subscriber list.<o:p>
</o:p>
</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A list of subscribers to your blog is essentially a list of
potential customers who are really interested at what you can offer them. It is
much easier to promote your products to these subscribers and get them to buy
your products rather than doing a general promotion online.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p>
</o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">4. Aim to instill
value <o:p>
</o:p>
</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is one of the most powerful strategies. If you can
deliver valuable products consistently, who would not want to own them? Put your
passion into growing your passive income and aim to educate your clients with
your products. It will keep them coming back for more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;<o:p>
</o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good luck!</p>

A Guide to Leprechaun spotting

Taking a break from our normally scheduled program to bring you a bit o' blarney as we go into St. Patrick's day.

By Fearghus Hayes O’Connell

Some people go out of their way to avoid the wee folk, others pursue this fairy gentry in search of fortune. Lore tells us that the Leprechauns live in the oaks and the hawthorn trees, the fairy forts, and recently in the shires. But just where can the wee folk be found?

Leprechauns, many say, are the ancient citizens of the Tuatha de Danaan, a godlike race that inhabited Ireland for over 200 years. The de Danaan (Children of the goddess Danu) fell to the invading Milesians.

With their defeat the Tuatha de Danaan retreated to the sidhe mounds where the fae who lived there took them in as protectors to their ring forts. After a few generations, the fae magic of the area began to work on them and they slowly became the dwarf sized mischief makers that you see today.

To locate a ringfort you must look for the tell tale signs. Historically, ringforts are circular enclosures surrounded by an earthen or stone bank which were used as farmsteads from about 500 to 1200 A.D. Within the protective earthen bank, activities such as cooking, grain grinding and pottery making took place along with everyday living. Approximately 40,000 ringforts still dot the Irish countryside.

More direct routes to find yourself a Leprechaun is to find pathways to the land of fairie or Tir Na n'Og,  which often can be found to exist in cave entrances, toadstool rings, and large old Oaks with hollowed insides.

The many standing stone piles oddly placed also give rise to fairy workings. Perhaps Irelands best known portal tomb is Poulnabrone, located alongside the Corofin-Ballyvaughan road in County Claire. This Late Stone Age monument, though the topic of much fairy legend, once held the bones of 16 adults and children who lived in the surrounding farming community.

To those searching for the wee kind, these sites are a good place to start. But remember, the fairie folk are felt more often than seen and their fondest sport is that which they make with humans.

 

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

Hope you have a great St Patty's day. Don't drink and drive and as always, here's to your success.

 

 

Secrets Behind Passive Income Opportunities

If earning passive income is that easy, why isn't everyone getting rich? Why are there still people struggling with their passive income stream? Why are there people who think passive income is a scam while others are making hundreds of thousands of dollar every year?

The answer: because they do not know the secrets behind the passive income opportunities.

 

Secret #1 Passive income is not get-rich-quick scheme.

Many people think that earning passive income is easy and never expect to put any hard work into it. The truth is, just like any business venture, a passive income opportunity will cost you time and effort before it brings you any decent income. For instance, to sell an eBook you need to spend time planning its content, compiling information, writing it, editing it, formatting it and marketing it. The whole process could easily take months before you earn your first buck of passive income. Unfortunately many passive income seekers enter the business with the wrong mindset and give up when things don't quite meet their expectations.

 

Secret #2 Persistence is the key.

To be a successful passive income earner, not only do you need to be innovative but you must also be persistent. Receiving monthly rent of your property might be easy, but you still have the responsibilities as the landlord and you will be the person the tenants call when something in the property goes wrong. The same applies on selling eBooks online where you need to update your websites with new information and features to keep the clients coming back. Expect to do follow-up on the source of your passive income so that it keeps generating money for you in the long run.

 

Secret #3 You need to work on your passive income alongside your permanent job.

Many people misunderstand that active income and passive income are mutually exclusive. They are not, at least at the beginning! It is not practical to quit your day time job just to build your passive income streams. If you do, you are only creating more tension to your financial situation because you would have to rush and squeeze money out of your passive income. Instead, focus on developing your passive income while still receiving your steady monthly pay from your employer.

 

How to Make Your First Buck Online

The advent of Internet has made money making easier than ever. Instead of being physically present at a certain location to promote and sell your products or services, you now have the whole world as your potential clients! It is no wonder that more and more people are turning to internet to make their passive income. How to start making your first buck online? One of the simplest way is to develop and market information products or in other words, an eBook.

1. Pick a topic.

Find an area of your interest or something you are familiar with. For example, if you are working in a publishing company as an editor, you can share tips on publishing magazines or self-publishing. 

 

2. Survey the market.

Use “Google External Keyword” tool to find out the search volume for your market. Search volume reflects the interest of the online population on your topic. As long as the “keyword” of your topic has a decent search volume, you can assume that your informational product would have some demand when it is put up on sale.

 

3. Brainstorming for ideas

Keep a list of ideas for your topic, either on your note book or on your computer. The single major benefit of writing down all your ideas as they come in is that you can avoid forgetting about them. This strategy would save you much time if you use it regularly.

 

4. Get a website up

You need a platform to promote and sell your informational product. Start with using free blogsite such as Blogspot or Wordpress. As your traffic builds up and you are really making an income, consider to upgrade to web hosting site where you have more freedom in customising the website for the content.

 

5. Draw traffic to your website

A common strategy is by creating interesting content on your blogsite. This free information serves two purposes: first, to educate the public about the topic and secondly, prime them to purchase your ebook! You can also go to a similar blog, post relevant comments and share the link to your articles.

 

Now you are set to generate passive income online with your informational product!!

Go Local : A New Plan for Using Your Internet Marketing Skills

 Use Your IM Skills Locally

Help Local Businesses Get (Better) Online

 

Okay, so you've made some money online and know the basics of the business. Here's a thought: take your skills and help local businesses market their most profitable merchandise, products or services. You can also help them scale up any underused capacity that they want to promote. Best of all, you can plan it so they give you monthly, recurring payments!

 

Most brick-and-mortar local businesses know their business, but don't know how to market their business effectively. Sure, they do what their competition is doing, but they don't think outside of the box. You, as an experienced marketer, can help them in ways they may never even imagine.

 

First, you have to realize that what local businesses need is not an education in IM. They need someone to look at what they're doing with fresh eyes and a willingness to listen to them. The worst thing you can do is walk into a small business with a "business in a box" solution. You need to know what the problem is before you offer any solutions.

 

Avoid making the same mistake that many new Direct Response Internet Marketing hopefuls make: build a product or service, then check to see if anybody is already buying something like it. Do your market research first. Locate the hungry buyers for advertising and promotion.

 

Find out who is paying a lot of advertising money in your local area. Approach these businesses first, before you think about helping smaller, less profitable businesses. One easy way to start your market research is to look at Yellow Pages books and business directories. Concentrate on those businesses that have big display ads.

 

Full-page (or large) display ads cost a lot of money. In fact, the amount is usually so much that they are paid for on a monthly basis. All you have to do is call or write to these resources and find out the monthly fees for advertising in their publications

 

You may be in for a shock! Small and medium-sized businesses who do this kind of advertising pay thousands of dollars every month in advertising fees. All you have to do is stand in front of that flood of money.

 

Now you have an idea of which local businesses in your area are already "hungry buyers" for what you can offer them. You'll be able to approach them with confidence. Your marketing skills, applied to their business and marketing plan, can really boost their revenue.

 

Avoid using IM "jargon" when speaking to these businesses. Remember, they know their business. They don't know about autoresponders, split testing, affiliate links, analytics for Web pages, etc. You'll just make what you do seem foreign to them.

 

Instead, find out what their business and marketing plans are. Help them target their most profitable merchandise, products or services. Find ways to help them improve the marketing of any underused capacity or products they have.

 

Think of their needs first, before you offer any solution. You'll be more likely to get a new client and get more money every month for helping that client.

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

Finding Hungry Local Advertising Buyers

 

The First Step Is Market Research

 

To continue with local niche marketing, lets dive down into research, because this is the first step that tells you if you are doing it right.

 

If you want to make the most effective use of your time and energy helping local businesses get online, start with smart market research. Instead of guessing which businesses spend big ad dollars, go to the Yellow Pages or a local business directory that has display ads.

 

Start at the beginning and go through the listings. When you find a niche that has full-page or very large display ads, make a note of it. Continue searching until you reach the end, or find more than enough potential niches.

 

In most cases, you'll find there are "rich-niche" businesses and professions that advertise like this:

 

●       Contractors

●       Dentists

●       Doctors

●       Insurance

●       Lawyers

●       Real Estate

 

These businesses and professionals make large sums of money on each new customer or client they get. Spending thousands of dollars every month to advertise is just a fraction of what they receive in profits. You can be the one that gives them great value for their advertising spending.

 

Most business owners complain that 50% of their advertising budget is wasted. They just don't know which 50%! You know, from experience, about adding Google Analytics, Stat Counter or any of the other third party services for these statistics. You'll be able to prove (and show) a prospect where their potential business is coming from, what they do when they view a Web page and where they leave (exit).

 

No Yellow Pages book can do that! Instead of guessing whether or not a given display ad is performing well, a customer of yours who has a Web page will have measurable statistics to rely upon. These statistics can also provide valuable market research for the client. No Yellow Pages book can do that either!

 

For you, the marketer, the results you get from your exploration of the Yellow Pages listings is just the start. You'll have to "weed out" all the retail-oriented display ads like restaurants and other businesses that are working on a small profit margin. Just because a restaurant has a full-page menu, that doesn't mean they're making a big profit. They're just up there because their competition has a menu, too!

 

Take the final results of your searches and organize them into categories that will simplify the next step in your market research. Put all contractors as sub-listings under the more general term "contractors". That way, when you take the next step and search for them in Google, you'll be able to just run through the list one word at a time, like this:

 

1.    Contractors building

2.    Contractors concrete

3.    Contractors drywall

 

And so on…

 

In case you have any questions in your mind if this is a good way to find hungry ad buyers, call your Yellow Pages advertising department and ask for the cost of all the display ads they offer. Be shocked! (If you have never priced a yellow pages ad, trust me you will be). Ask them if you can get a discount on the "rate card" they quote you.

 

Then you'll know for sure that this is probably the most powerful source of market research for hungry advertisers in your local area!

 

Next time, we will get into more detail about the Front door method so keep an eye out.

 

Also, if you have any questions or comments, let me know. If I don't know the answer, I won't blow smoke, but will let you know and then I will find out. I am a research nerd.