How To Get to The Next Level
How To Get to The Next Level (Part 1)
A lot of people think they can start an online business today and be a millionaire tomorrow.
Reality is not like that. There is no magic button.
You have to build a business step by step. It takes work and focus.
You make $1, then $10, then $100 and so on.
I started with a clickbank product that built my first list of 1000ish and had a few $1000 of sales spread over a couple of years. It’s a good way to start but you need some good affiliates.
Make a plan. Break it down into managable segments and decide what you will do when and then stick to it.
I prefer to do something every day on my current plan however small. Do this and you will reach your target.
If you can’t get them I build a list using JV Giveaways and then follow with adswaps.
Just have affiliate banners on your thank you pages, downoad pages, and in your email signature.
That’s where most of my current sales come from.
I’m currently (August 2010) have sales of 4 figure sales per month and am adding 1000+ subscribers per month (now reached 11,200).
Notice I have 4 figure ‘sales’, not I ‘make’ 4 figures – you have to allow for expenses – most product sales letters do not do this and so are misleading. Anyone can get sales of $10,000 per month by spending $20,000.
What will I do to get to the next level?
I’m building a new membership site with tools to automate an online business. I’m developing them and
using them myself as I go along.
The basic level will be free with various paid higher levels.
One change I am making is to set higher targets.
I used to set fairly easy to reach targets because I prefered of the positive effect of reaching them compared to the negative effect of falling short.
Now I am changing to set a high target and a minimum target.
This is so I battle to reach those targets and ultimately achieve more even if I fall a little short of them.
So here are my new targets
3 Months
List Size: High target 20,000, Min Target 17,000
Sales: High target $5,000/month Min Target $2,500/month
5 Months (end of 2010)
List Size: High target 26,000, Min Target 21,000
Sales : High target $10,000/month Min Target $5,000/month
I’m going to keep this post sticky and add to it showing my progress getting to 5 figures per month….
(This post is part of the 100 blog comment challenge
http://creatingmybusinessonline.com/the-100-blog-comment-challenge/)
SEPTEMBER UPDATE
It’s been a lot of work but the site I mentioned in this post has now launched
http://www.pushbuttongiveaways.com
It’s to make joining Giveways as easy as possible.
I already have 165 members after just over a week 
Filed under: General
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What a great post, Keith. Thanks for sharing. I have never considered the outlay that is involved in reaching the income figures sales letters claim. I think you have made a very valuable point here.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
.-= Mandy Allen´s last blog ..How do you relax =-.
Thanks Mandy,
People tend to say how much the’ve ‘made’ as the gross amount automatically, but many businesses are paying out 50% commission so their profit is much lower.
I suppose many people starting out think an online business is cheap, but there are hosting, autoresponders, graphics etc to allow for.
Hi Keith
If you don’t make a plan of what you want to achieve in your business then how are you going to make it happen?
Everyone should make it a priority to set out their goals and then take steps each day to achieve those goals.
Good luck with your new membership site I’m sure it will be a great success and I wont give anything away on what its about on your blog just in case you decide to do your famous – guess my new product.
Take care
Dawn Kay
.-= Dawn Kay´s last blog ..Free Internet Marketing Blueprints and Checklist Guides =-.
Thanks Dawn,
I didnt think of having the guess my product one my blog.
Maybe I should, but several people already know the answer now
Hi Keith, I had a plan, well i still have but it’s on hold. I’ve had some health issues and as a result spent 8 months of 2009/10 on bed rest. While i’m not on bed rest its all systems go but i have to go back into hospital in 3 weeks so it’ll be on hold again then.
Congratulations on reaching the levels you have and i wish you the best of luck with reaching your target figures. I have a product on clickbank, but when i was creating the sales page i was on bed rest and had to steal an hour here and there to complete it. By doing so i cut corners and missed bits out (bonus products etc), and have since been back to correct my mistakes. I’m now hoping to get it out there again to start my climb on the IM ladder.
I’m also in the 100 blog comment challenge and have added your details to my contributors page and twitter list (both accounts).
You can see the page at:
http://barry-wells.com/contributors-to-the-100-blog-comment-challenge/
We now have 46 on board and our aim is 100, all bloggers are welcome to take part.
Best of luck with your membership site Keith, catch up soon Barry
Hey Keith,
That’s a great post outlining what you’ve done so far and what goals you want to achieve.
You are coming along very nicely. Having a membership site is a good idea especially if you have good products and can maintain interest.
I’ll be canceling my membership in one because there’s hardly anything going on there.
Your list growth is very impressive.
Are you going to have a Skype chat again sometime soon?
I’d love to participate. The last time or two I wasn’t able to make it.
Talk soon,
Vance
.-= Vance@Email List Squeeze Plugin´s last blog ..Build Your Opt In List With Any WP Theme Using Sqeeze Plugin =-.
Hi Keith. Second attempt at leaving a comment I lost my comment when I subscribe to your list.
Great post I am impresed with the size of your list that you have built. Also your slales targets sounds impressive it will be interesting to see how you progress. I am in the early stages of building a list and trying to find a niche. I look forward to reading your e-book on list building and finding out how to monetise the list. Thanks for sharing.
.-= Stan Young´s last blog ..The Naked Chef Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution- Teaching kids how to eat healthy and the debate over a “Fat Tax” =-.
Hi Keith, I respect the way you put your information down on your post to give people a reality check when it comes to Internet Marketing.
Putting down your own plans to reach your goals for everyone to see is a very good way to get yourself committed to achieving them.
I wish you much success in taking things to the next level.
Terry Conti
.-= Terry Conti´s last blog ..Sell your ebook on its own or put it on Clickbank What do you think =-.
Hi Keith,
WOW, you are really doing well.
Very focused on what you want.
I agree with the targets, increase them as you get better.
I see them as small hurdles, I had to learn to jump.
Sometimes higher than I am comfortable with.
Pete
.-= Pete Carr-Blogging Genius´s last blog ..Blogging-Why You Should BePart 1 =-.
Hi Keith, I second Pete’s emotion. You’ve already put some solid legs on your business. It’s great to see that good things can happen when you put your ideas into action and set reasonable goals. You rock Keith! Keep crushin’. Steve D.
Hi Keith
Great to hear that you’re doing really well and super targets.
Alex was very keen on goal setting and I guess that’s proved the point. Good luck with the “100″ challenge-I’m very late to it!
Best wishes
Mike
Masterclass 2009
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Internet business plans – traffic! =-.
Hi Keith,
I love reading your posts about your goals and what you have done and what you are doing! Here and in the MM forum!
How cool that you can get your goals on paper! For the whole world to see! Accountable. And transparent. Yay!
I really wish I could do that! I know it’s something we should all do, but with my time limitations and not knowing what is gonna happen from one day to the next, it gets frustrating!
BUT….God put me here and also put you in my life, so maybe….just maybe He did that so I could learn from you how to set goals and achievements and really make this work!!
Cool.
Talk to ya soon! I owe you a swap! I haven’t forgot!
Take care and have a wonderful day!!
Lisa~
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..How Did I Get HERE =-.
Hi Lisa,
I didnt mean to make myself accountable to the whole world
I was just stuck for something to write a post about.
I suppose because of the 100 blog comment challenge this will now become my most read post ever.
Could be embarrassing if it doesn’t go to plan!
)
(And strangely enough things have gone quieter this month
Thanks
Keith
Hi Keith
Hope you are well mate, great to see the progress you’ve made since we last chatted. I’ll be back in the forum once the blog challenge has ended…thanks for coming on board too, you are very welcome.
I totally agree with you about breaking things down and taking it one step at a time, and making sure you do it day by day, everyday. All those small steps do add up to a lot after a while.
I recently changed the way that I run my online business, I concentrate on creating quality products and now have a good team in place to help ensure we reach all the targets we’ve set.
One of the best moves I have made was bringing an Affiliate Manager into the business. He looks after the affiliates and I look after the customers…so far so good.
I look forward to seeing how you progress with your new ‘harder’ targets you’ve set yourself. Knowing how motivated you are and how much action you take I’m sure you will be looking at the high targets.
Take care Keith and catch up soon
Cheers
Steve
You are a very rare fellow Keith, someone making money on the internet, and talking about it honestly on their blog.
Last year I started to give a monthly update on my Internet earnings, but it got a bit boring just putting zero every month.
You made a good point about sales income being very different from profit. Most people conveniently forget to mention their marketing costs, which can be substantial. However, as long as profits exceed the marketing costs by a wide margin, it’s worth spending a lot on advertising.
I previously ran a direct-mail business and if I spent £50,000 on printing and postage, it would bring in £150,000 of gross profit.
I split the gross profit into thirds: £50,000 on print & postage, £50,000 on staff & other overheads, £50,000 net profit (to be taxed) so I end up with £25,000.
This is why I prefer the low-cost internet for marketing. In direct mail I had to risk £50,000 of capital to get £25,000 into my pocket.
Good luck with your membership site Keith.
John
.-= John McNally´s last blog ..JESUS “Son of Man” =-.
Hi Keith,
Very impressive figures and targets you have here. I had yet to accomplish anything monetary yet. Been gearing my blog for a new momentum I hope to achieve.
Anyway, could you shed some lights in layman terms what is an Ad Swap, been hearing and reading it but never quite understand how it really works? Will there be any cost involved?
Thanks In Advance
Cheers
Jason Ser
What a GREAT post!
Yep, step by step and taking daily action is the way to go. Having a plan and setting goals. Simple but Oh SO important.
Looking forward to the membership site!
To your success,
Lesley
.-= Lesley “Wes” Klatt´s last blog ..Week 1- the Fun Begins! =-.
Thanks for sharing your story of how you started out and how your have grown an income.
.-= Cheryl *IM* Jones´s last blog ..Week Three Mark Terrell’s Coaching Newbies =-.
Hi Keith,
Excellent work …you sure have progressed nicely.
Also like the way you broke down the earnings…as you said people do not take that into account.
Good to meet you and all the best with the challenge.
Cheers
Bryan
.-= Bryan McHeyzer@The Internet Intern´s last blog ..Increase Your Squeeze Page Conversion Rate! =-.
Hi Keith,
Wow! Sounds like you are doing pretty well for yourself. Congratulations. I am in Dave’s Coaching program and am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. He is a good teacher and I am learning a lot about internet marketing and online business practices. Thanks for sharing your goals. If you have not already done so, please check out Steve King’s blog comment on goal setting. http://www.weekend-golfers.com/steves-stuff/setting-smarter-goals. Very cool stuff there.
Take Care,
Steve
.-= Steve@SteveTroutman.com/blog´s last blog ..BoilerMaker 15K Roadrace July 11- 2010 =-.
Way to go, Keith. I am so impressed by your figures and plans here. What you mentioned in the post is so accurate:
“…I ‘make’ 4 figures – you have to allow for expenses….. Anyone can get sales of $10,000 per month by spending $20,000…..” Sometimes we could be blinded or confused by many numbers so we forgot to check what we’ve spent and what to spent. And like what you said, set up a little higher target is tolerable and it can also give us hope to reach the next level.
Thank you. Keith.
Connie.
Hi Keith
Glad to see another one making a success. This is the type of post that I want to write some day. Congratulations!
A little about me – My name is Sue McDonald and I am a student of Mark Terrell and I am actually going through the course a second time – by invitation. I love it and know if I do all he says, I will be successful. I am Australian but the US is my second home as I have family there and visit quite often. This is why I started Internet Marketing so I can travel whenever I want and have the money to do what I want.
Well I hope you are doing well and you become very successful. I would love you to come visit my blog and leave a comment.
Kind regards
Sue
.-= Sue *Ozzie* McDonald´s last blog ..Week 3 of the Newbies Course =-.
Hi Keith,
It’s the same with making personal goals. If you aim low, you will almost always hit your target. If you set your goals high, you can measure your progress by the smaller guides post goals.
Good post and goodluck,
Mike
.-= Mike Helton´s last blog ..5 Tips For Making Money From Home =-.
Hi Keith
I have just come for a visit to your site. How are you going?
Yes it is Mark and I am following my students as they post on other peoples blogs. They don’t know that I am always checking to see they are getting results. I am passionate about helping them achieve and then they are able to make some money online exactly the same as I am doing. It is not really difficult as long as they are willing to put in the effort.
Keep up the good work.
Regards
Mark
.-= Mark * Coaching Newbies* Terrell´s last blog ..Coaching Newbies 20 Launch =-.
Hi Keith,
You are a good one to listen to when it comes to “accountability”…
I need to follow your advice and set down goals…in small chunks to reach. If I can have the kind of success you are having it will be worth it!
I am looking forward to the month that I add 1,000 subscribers!
Very sound advice Keith…thanks!
Good luck with the challenge
Kathy
.-= Kathy Dobson´s last blog ..Outsourcing to the Philippines…Your Questions Answered =-.
Hi Keith
I’m a first time visitor thanks to the ’100 comment challenge’
You make a very important point about sales figures, ‘sales’ and what you actually put in your pocket are two very different things.
I agree with setting challenging targets, the higher you set the bar the more you will achieve.
Good luck in achieving yours!
.-= Stuart Turnbull´s last blog ..We need your ‘make money online’ ideas! =-.
Hi Keith,
Thank you for sharing your plan to get to the next level. It’s a simple plan that anyone can follow, however many of us work at this business in fits and starts for various reasons, BUT if we can at least do just one thing a day………..well we are being active in our business and it will keep the dream alive.
Excellent and good luck with your memberships site.
cheers
Richard
follow me on Twitter if you dare http://twitter.com/rich1d
I think I am already part of your mailing list since I got an email from you today with a link to this blog.
Anyway, it is good to hear online marketers who are not part of the hyping and overstating club.
Whenever I read honest people online, it is quite refreshing and rejuvenating to say the least.
Keith, congratulations and keep up the good work. You are our inspiration!
Hi Keith
You are right, after 3 years of drifting without a plan. The change came when Alex Jeffreys convinced me to set a goal and work out how I was going to get there.
Making progress, but it certainly has not been an overnight success.
One last thing that people may forget, me included. Omar Martin, recommended that you plan your email lists as well. This will help you focus on what affiliate products to hunt down and when to use them, rather than any cash will do.
igor
Hi Keith,
What a plan! I like seeing transparency in marketers, it makes the whole business look real and believable to others.
Some great tips for other guys to aspire to great post!
Dan
.-= Daniel Sumner´s last blog ..Self Learning – Outsourcing – Student and Teacher =-.
Hi Keith,
I am pleased you have committed to your goals by revealing them to the world. hey that’s some incentive to keep going.
best wishes for your online success.
Dawn
Hi Keith,
I am just starting out building my list and your blog is a real inspiration to beginners such as myself. I hope that one day my list will grow as large as yours!
I hope you meet, and hopefully exceed your targets.
Ian
.-= Ian Douglas@List Building for beginners´s last blog ..The Beginning =-.
Keith
Hope you’re keeping well – been a while. Great to hear your 4-figure success, keep going and you will reach those 5 and 6 figure months soon!
I think your point around expenses is a great one, as you say its all too easy to show ‘income’ figures of several thousand and hundred thousand dollars but all too often (as in about 99% of cases) you have no idea of the spend to get those numbers – which can often be as much (break even if lucky) or even more!
Liking your minimum and stretch targets – hope you hit those high ones. Speak soon,
Tom
.-= Tom Harvey´s last blog ..Video Marketing – Anatomy Of A Successful Affiliate Campaign =-.
Well Done Keith,
What an achievement so far. Failing to plan is planing to fail. What you have achieved so far is an inspiration to many other marketers.
Then having the guts to step it up and carry on. You are so right about marketers not giving you the full picture on their spendings to gain there earnings.
Cheers
Craig
.-= Craig´s last blog ..Put Your Email Marketing On Auto Pilot By Using An Auto responder =-.
Hi Keith
Posting your goals on your blog makes you accountable to all your readers and therefore more likely to succeed. I wish you success with your internet marketing online business.
I’ve posted a link to this page on identi.ca for you (makes a change from Twitter!)
.-= Martyn Boaden´s last blog ..What Was Your Biggest Challenge When You Started Your Internet Marketing Online Business =-.
Hi Keith
Thanks for telling me where the best income comes from. It’s good to hear it. What is a JV Giveway? Have you ever tried Paid lists to see if anyone wants to come back? I can’t decide if it’s a good way to get some exposure or not. It seems a very slow road to just onesy twosy.
Thanks
Alex
.-= Alex@first100items´s last blog ..Heating =-.
Keith, I like the way you tell it as it is. Step by step bit by bit is the way. Working on your business every day I find is the way to move forward.
I was interested to see that adswaps worked for you as I was advised not to do them as I would then be like every other marketer out there. Food for thought.
.-= SandyHalliday@MakingMoneyOnTheInternet´s last blog ..Failure Is Not An Option In Making Money Online =-.
Hi Keith,
You may want to add your open rates privately to your plan.
Are you segmenting your list to improve your open rates? Never send an adswap to your whole list – I see too many marketers killing their lists doing this.
I only say this because without increasing the size of your list you could quickly increase the number of sales.
I can definitely help you in this respect with some ideas.
All the best.
Kind Regards
Andy
.-= Andy Brown´s last blog ..The 4 Essentials Every Affiliate Program Should Have =-.
Hi Keith
Great inspiration! You are so right about the many who claim the big figures but only when you grab their stuff do you realise that those figures were gross.
I am definitely the ‘doing little bits each day’ kind of person and agree that the rewards do come eventually.
Question- do you know if there are giveaway events for areas other than IM?
Regards
Anne
Hey Keith,
Good post. I like how your targets for income are so well-defined. I think that will make it a lot easier to hit those targets. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for everyone in the future!
Peace,
Darren L Carter
.-= Darren L Carter´s last blog ..Free Atomic Bomb Survivor Inspiration Book – Finished!! =-.
Well done and congratulations on your successes so far.
I am interested to see how you continue.
Working hard is good, but just like you say, working smart is so much more important.
.-= Daniel M. Wood @ Sales Techniques, Motivation and Success´s last blog ..How to Use Motivation to Accomplish Your Goals and Start Living Your Dream Life =-.
Hi Keith, nice reality check here on what you can realistically do with an online business and the way you have to build it in stages its rather different from the stuff thats pushed in our faces every day. I like the target setting, its something I do but I always stray from the straight and narrow, I reall should be more focussed on this.
Cheers
Rob
Sorry Keith forgot to ask, what theme are you running on your blog?
Cheers
Rob
Hi Robert
Its the flexibility theme that Keith is using .. it has some nice reviews and people recommend it!
Hope I’m not speaking out of turn … if yes, my apologies.
Cheers!
Abizer
Hi Keith,
Exactly! A lot of newbies think they can start an online business and make a million by tomorrow JUST because they started an online business. Then they fail because they are following a method that doesn’t work and if that method they think all they have to do is click on a magic button! An online business is just like any offline business (both have its own advantages and disadvantages). It requires you to work, invest money, set goals etc.
Without settings goals (both small and big) and having a specific plan then you will find it difficult reaching the next level!
Of course the “sky is the limit” but if you are making $0/month and your first target is “the sky”, then you will definitely fail! You have to start small by setting small goals that you can achieve and then you set bigger and bigger goals all the time.
I wish you all the best for your new target!
Take care,
Andreas
PS. I can’t wait for the 2nd part of the blog post.
.-= Andreas Spyrou @ Free Affiliate Marketing Tips´s last blog ..The Biggest Affiliate Marketing Mistake – Mistake 6 =-.
Hi Keith
Nice post and gives an idea of how we should also look forward in implementing our long term and short term milestones …
Your really doing a great job in holding yourself accountable for you plan and progress and reporting it back to your readers .. key thing ..
Oh yeah, and good point about “making sales” versus “making profit/income” .. never though of it as I am yet to make my dollars yet!
Cheers!
Abizer
.-= Abizer´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Strategies Traffic Generation Techniques- ARTICLE Marketing Part TWO =-.
Hi Keith,
Wow! You have really made yourself accountable by placing your goals for us to read! I applaud you for that.
I do believe people forget to explain that this industry does not happen over night. It is a bit like the ‘Panteine’ commercial. “It won’t happen overnight but it will happen”.
Goals and targets are so important. I write weekly and daily tasks now, plus I have a goal, board, white board and note board to keep myself a little better organised. Since doing that I have found my production levels have increased.
However in saying that due to this little challenge of mine I think I have got myself and everyone else sidetracked for the month! Oops on that one!
It is the last week of August and I have only just started my blogging rounds. I do hope everyone succeeds together with this challenge and everyone does eventually comment on everyone’s blogs. It is up to the contributors now!
Hope everything is going well.
See you back here soon!
Cheers
Jacinta
.-= Jacinta Dean´s last blog ..The 100 Blog Comment Challenge Update! =-.
Hi Keith,
This is Pierre and I am here on the 100 comment challenge at http://theequest.com/?p=3018.
Your site reveals truth about all the work it takes and shows also what happens with perseverance.
Getting to the next level is were I would love to go. I have been trying for three years and with my wife Pierrette we will not give up.
Thanks for sharing
Pierre
Hi Keith,
Thank you for your honest appraisal of your business to date. This gives encouragement that we can all emulate you if we set our goals and work towards them.
Your effort and determination to succeed is very easy to see in your post Keith, keep up the great work.
I have enjoyed meeting you on the challenge and will definitely be back soon for more of your valuable advice.
Regards,
Brian
.-= Brian Alcock´s last blog ..So You Failed…So What!! =-.
You are a superb businessman, and I salute you for telling us the fact behind engaging business as what you’ve said goal is really important, that’s what I need for my business to start as soon as possible.
.-= Shakire @ green hornet costumes´s last blog ..Adult Green Hornet Costume =-.
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. Good luck to all who wants to engage business as well.
.-= Shakire @ green hornet costumes´s last blog ..Adult Green Hornet Costume =-.
Hey Keith. It’s little changes that really create big successes, isn’t it? Congrats on creating a gameplan for your continued success.
I like how you give yourself a minimum target & a high target. It gives you a nice wide range to shoot for. I tend to create 1 number and aim for that, and sometimes it feels like a self imposed ceiling. I’ll try 2 sets of #s and see how that works.
To Your Success,
Lauren
.-= Lauren Lionheart´s last blog ..Can Blogging About Cupcakes Earn a Full Time Income =-.
Hi Keith,
Wow, really good post. Thanks for the insight of how you think things through and a hell of a list to boot, well done you have certainly made me envious. I think I need to rethink some of my strategies and reset my goals.
After reading so many of the other posts and blogs in the 100 challenge I need to get to grips with my brain and work out the route instead of 2 forward steps and 1 back. Thanks for your input.
Keith
.-= Keith Alston´s last blog ..Holiday Time Again! =-.
Goals are very important. Your post is very honest. I am currently working on building my list. I would love to know how you have so many and how long it took you.
.-= Amy Steelman-Prueter´s last blog ..Are you up for the Challenge =-.