www.do-not-work-until-you-are-seventy.com

One of the things that is really important about working from home is starting to make some money. If you spend day after day toiling at your new craft and you see nothing for your effort, you may become discouraged and give up.

DON’T DO IT!

You see this is one of those things that can get you in a lot of trouble with yourself. You must be able to see some progress. There are some measuring tools, like Google analytics or statcounter, which you can use to see progress. But money is number one.

When I first started I tried a few things. Remember I used to get over 200 e-mails a day from all the gurus lists that I was on. Each of them telling me just what it was that I needed to do, and what latest must have product I needed to buy, with money I had not yet earned. Well what did I learn?

Of course, I already told you to get off those lists! They are sucking you under, they are killing your productivity and they are breaking your spirit. Is that clear for you? I mean it.

But logically why is that the wise thing for you to do? Well, we have already spoken of in some length about time and how little of it you have when you are working at home. Remember, you are a mother or father, breadwinner, housecleaner, teacher, peacekeeper, and veterinarian. First of all, just when will you spend some of your precious online time reading emails that are truly just sucking the life out of your internet business?

And second of all, Every time you choose to try something new, you now have to invest your time and effort into learning it, getting together whatever you need to put it into play and then put it into practice. Now you are spending precious time to learn a new task, and you are not doing anything to advance your business that you have already established.

Remember, and this is key to your online success, so wait for it…

You need only three things to become successful online.

1. You need a product in a market that has buyers. (market/keyword research first, then product)
2. You need a place to sell this product (website of some kind, blog, lens, hubpage etc)
3. You need people to sell it to. (traffic)

Pretty easy huh? Well if you said yes to that question, you really need to rethink a thing or two.

No! it is not easy. But it is doable.

More on the details of the above later, but now we need to start seeing some money.

This is what I have been doing and I am starting to see some money. Squidoo.

Squidoo is a website that allows you to build a “lens” (the name they use to describe the website you build) The lens can be on any subject you like, writing about something you know and then expanding the lens into all kinds of fun interactive “modules” or pieces of your lens. It is great! However, this is not play time, you are an internet marketer. So if you want to use your lens to sell something so you will earn some money, keyword research would be good, and then build the lens around that keyword. You can also put as many links into your lens as you like pointing back to your main site if it has anything to do with your keyword.

That is an advanced thought. If you had taken the thirty day challenge you would know exactly what I am talking about. You still can, just go over to the Thirty Day Challenge and sign up. It is free! This is not an affiliate link, I get nothing but the count of the number of people taking the challenge through my link. So check it out.

But for now I just want you to focus on making some money. You can just build lens and not sell a thing. You see Squidoo has Google adsense on them and you can earn money from just that. Or if you put a Amazon or ebay module on your lens and sell something, you earn additional income. You have to tell Squidoo when you make your profile that you want to be paid cash or they will give it all to charity, so don’t forget that.

Now the catch here is that you only earn of percentage of the whole pot if your lens are ranking well. They need to be in the top 100 of your category. There is a ton of stuff you will learn when you sign up to Squidoo, which by the way is a FREE service. 100%! Getting them into the top 100 is the fun part. You have to be interactive and give a little. You know look at other people’s lens and vote on them and favorite them and duel on them. And join the forum, to learn from as well as to interact some more. All this behavior is rewarded by Squidoo. Plus your nicely ranking lens that are interesting and interactive can earn you some cash.

Some people on Squidoo are earning hundreds of dollars every month. Some even over a thousand. Could you use that? I know I can. Just to start reducing debt or replacing JOB income

Here is an example of one of my lens. CLICK HERE, and by the way, vote for it if you like it while you are there. I hope you will take the time to look into Squidoo, it has turned into a way to lighten the load for me, and it is fun, filled with genuinely nice people. And as an added benefit, well loved by Google. A win-win situation.

Until next time,

Susan

First of all, I took the Thirty Day Challenge the whole month of August. It was fantastic! I think my brain grew I was so stimulated by the information that I learned.

For those that are not familiar with the 30DC, it is a month long intense learning seminar put on by Ed Dale and Dan Raine, an Aussie and a Brit that have one goal: to make you successful as an internet marketer. It really is outstanding. This was year four. I came in late last year so didn’t get the full affect of it. But this year, made me know I will not miss another year of this great FREE service.

Yes! It is 100% free. They do give you the option of spending some money. For instance this year, we could buy our own domain name $8, and we could get our own hosting $7. But they always give you free alternatives that are ever bit as good for the purposes of the challenge.

The goal of the challenge is for you to make your first dollar online. And of course after that to go ahead and make a business come to fruition.

I learned about keyword research, blogging-the proper way, search engines and what makes them tick, social marketing. The list goes on. I loved it. I wish you all could have been there, maybe some of you were. If so, I would love to have your comments.

I made some very good friends. They were my team mates and each of us supported the other in our blogging efforts. It was actually quite remarkable My blog, Baby Knitting Patterns Blog, is actually number 5 on Google for my keyword. Isn’t that great?!

You should also check out my friends’ blogs too, for the quality of work that the thirty day challenge produces. Debra McGauley, produces a gorgeous and wonderfully entertaining blog filled with fascinating ideas for county living. Her blog is A Little Bit Country Decorations.

And my friend Arthur Sherin made a blog that is so educational and filled with great ideas all about herbs. His main idea is aero herb gardening. But he covers everything from indoor gardening to container gardening and all to do wit all kinds of herb. You must see his blog called Aero Herb Garden. I know you will enjoy them both.

After the challenge was over, I have been seriously implementing all that I learned, unfortunately that equates to my neglecting you all.

The last time I posted I talked about all the things that can distract you when you work at home. Well, I am happy to say I believe I have now mastered that. Yet another thing I got out of the 30DC. I am now so much better at focusing, and actually getting things done.

So no excuses needed. I have actually been doing what I am always telling you do. Follow your dream. Find an alternative to the back breaking, mind numbing work that is called the JOB! Get yourself involved in some new type of income. Get started with an online income and make some changes in your life that will lead to your freedom.

It is doable, I am living proof. Have I quit my job yet?

Not yet, but it is coming. Just watch me!

You may notice that it has been awhile since I last posted. It certainly is not due to lack of interest but there are two reasons why it has been so long. Maybe we can discuss these.

1.  Lack of confidence

2.  Everything from here to the moon demanding my time!

We’ve already talked at some length about what not to do when you are working at home in a previous post. Well I let most of those things cause me to lose focus this last month. Very disturbing when the teacher doesn’t even abide by her own rules. Well I tried, really I did. But anyone that works from home or even tries to start working from home will run into this. It is amazing how many things get in the way of your staying productive.

Now the wonderful thing is once you are actually making a living online. You will no longer even have this problem. I promise. It is getting established as a work at home entrepreneur that causes the problem.

Everyone in your life is so much more in need of your time and attention. And if anything can go wrong in your home it will. For instance, my precious dog, that I love with all my heart, out of the blue, developed separation anxiety. One day while I was at the hospital at my JOB, she ate my kitchen door frame. Both sides as high as she could reach. ATE IT! I am not exaggerating! Well for the next few days I was occupied with plaster and sanding and painting. What a mess. But it crunched into my internet time. See what I mean.  Thank goodness I don’t have human children. I can’t imagine the time consumption in that area.

The second thing was Lack of confidence. This one is more difficult to talk about.

I have been approached by so many different people that are well meaning and of course have the solution to my problems. But you simply can not afford to get caught up in that. Everyone is actually trying to make a living online. Just like you. And many many of them are wonderful people that really  do know what they are doing. But…it may not be the thing that you need to include in your online business. But how do you know?

Here’s the thing, it may actually be that whatever is being offered to you could be the best thing to ever come along since sliced bread. But if it is distracting you from moving forward with your business. It’s garbage, at least for today.

See, despite what they say about being your last opportunity and you’ll never see this offer again. So what? Internet marketing is always going to be there and it is recycled from time to time. What works works. It just gets packaged in a new box with a new ribbon ever so often. If you like research, check it out in the history of internet marketing.

That is what happened to me, I became afraid that I was going to miss out on some spectacular something or other. And remember what I told you about information overload?

It is paralyzing.

I was paralyzed. So I listened and read and watched and worried and basically did nothing. Then I read the most amazing Blog entry by one of my mentors that I sort of forgot about or at least pushed to the back burner, and it was like a two by four to the forehead.

Well, I am back. Here is my advice to you.

Please, please, please, choose one or two mentors, people that you just feel good about. People that have steered you right a couple times. And people that do not constantly ask you to open your wallet. Sure they have things to offer but you know it and you’ll take care of that when you can afford it and in your time.

You must decide on your business model. What method are you going to use to get traffic to your site? What is your site? What is your product? When you choose your mentor you will figure all this out. It will make sense to you. Model what you are going to do after someone who is already doing it successfully. That is all there is to it. Why re-invent the wheel? It rolls pretty good already.

Once you decide these things, don’t let ANYTHING distract you from moving forward. One of my mentors actually has a list of things for me to do, in order, and then boom things start happening. When I finally came back to my senses and followed that plan… Well, surprise, surpise…it worked.

Internet marketing is not hard, but it is necessary to be paid attention. You must work it. You must follow the steps. You must NOT be distracted.

I am seriously going to follow my own advise. I hope you do too.

To our success!!

Susan

Hey everyone, this is pretty exciting. A fabulous opportunity is starting and it is 100% FREE.

I don’t want you to miss out on an opportunity that only comes once a year.

It is called the Thirty Day Challenge. It is a Free internet
marketing learning seminar that lasts literally 30 days. It is
intense training that is 100% free. You will not spend one penny.
It is put on by Ed Dale and Dan Raine, both very
successful internet marketers. They say they will take your money
11 months of the year but for one month they will give it all back
by teaching you how to make money online.

It is really remarkable. I took the challenge last year and I
thought my brain was going to explode because of all I learned.
It was really exceptional.

You would not believe the tools that are available for
FREE! and of course, the knowledge and know how that you learn is
amazing.

This is the fourth 30 Day Challenge and it starts August 1, 2008.
But Pre-Season started today. For the next 60 days we learn all
about the new tools for this year and all the things necessary to be
successful in this challenge.

I am telling you, some people from these challenges are now very
successful internet marketers that have quit their J.O.B.s. And now
they are assisting to put on the challenges.

Isn’t that what we all want?! To quit our J.O.B.

Well go on, check this out. You will not regret it.
If you are interested in becoming successful on line and quiting that J.O.B. you must
check this out.

The Thirty Day Challenge

Please don’t deny yourself the opportunity to learn
from the best.

The Thirty Day Challenge

To your success,

Susan Kaul,

I believe that we all have dreams. I know I do. I am still working a JOB, but am closer to becoming full time in Internet marketing. How about you? Are you pursuing your dreams?

We baby boomers are really taken advantage of. We have been brainwashed into believing that there is no other way but to work work work until we are seventy or more!! Well it doesn’t have to be that way, I promise.

Yes, we must learn to think outside the box. And that is more difficult than you may think at times. Why? Because of fear. Oh my, what if I fail? or What if I am not good enough? or What if I look silly? or What will my friends think?

Well don’t tell them, and Of course you are good enough, and you will fail, at least in the beginning. There is a learning curve, which is only reasonable.

I have been a nurse for nearly 40 years. You bet I was afraid. I didn’t want to feel stupid. I was way outside my comfort zone. But you know what I am pretty tired of the same old thing. I am getting older now and really need to slow down physically, and
my brain is thriving on Internet marketing. I love it!!

I want you to love it too. There is no reason not to.  Don’t give up. Keep working at it.

Find someone that is already doing it right. Is already successful, and genuinely seems interested in your success and is willing to help. Then copy what they do. It really is a simple formula. I used to use it in nursing. You’ve heard of mentoring. I have mentored so many people I can’t count. But I also had the most terrific mentors along the way.

I want you to be successful in Internet marketing and quit your JOB, maybe in a few months or maybe a couple years. But when you are ready, and you have found your success you will do it. Me too

Today I a for your list, as a giveaway from your site or to attract subscribers. You can even sell it if you like. However you must not change it in anyway.

It is: How To Break Into The ‘How To Make Money Online’ Niche By Sara Brown (who is, BTW, one of my mentors)

http://www.jskmarketing.com/howtomakemoneyonline.pdf

It is amazing what you will learn in this book. The main thing is not to be intimidated and to not listen to all those people, gurus, that try to convince you can not do something. Well you can and this great e book will tell you how.

http://www.jskmarketing.com/howtomakemoneyonline.pdf

Also take a look at the other e book offered inside this

e book. It is one of the books that have most heavily influenced my decision to replace my income with Internet marketing and even more!

It is called ‘License to Quit’ by Sara Brown, You must check it out. It is worth your time. You won’t regret it. I didn’t.

http://www.jskmarketing.com/howtomakemoneyonline.pdf

Well until next time.

Get to marketing!!

Susan