When I created my first website, I had no idea where it was going to take me. I really did believe that it was possible to create a regular income online - even without any programming skills - but I didn't have an end goal. I wasn't planning to sell out within a few years, swap my sites for a big bag of cash and head off to Hawaii for the rest of my life... Continue Reading

I have a confession to make. I am a packrat. It's not like when I die they are going to find stacks of National Geographic magazines in my house, but I do have a tendency to hold on to stuff that I think is cool. My old software collection always blows away people who visit my home. Perhaps I'll make a video of that someday. Continue Reading

I've made a lot of money out of Internet marketing. I live in a beautiful home in a wonderful part of the country. I work with some fantastic, clever, creative people who together generate more profit-making ideas than we know what to do with. And most importantly, I have an amazing family and while I do have a busy life, being my own boss gives me the freedom to enjoy time with them. I feel... Continue Reading

I've been an Amazon.com Associate since the beginning. I'm not sure when they started their program, but it's been over ten years that I've promoted Amazon's products and services. Imagine my surprise when I received an email from Andrea, an Associates Account Specialist (is that for people who can't get jobs with the post office? I'm kidding.. relax...), that informed me my account was being closed. First of all, let me say this. I am... Continue Reading

Every time I go to a conference or take part in a seminar I meet a bunch of amazing people. I meet people who are experts at marketing. I chat to entrepreneurs who are wizards at search engine optimization. I swap ideas with other bloggers who are making six-figure incomes on the strength of their posts. Every one of those people is special. But they aren't successful because they're special. They're special because they're successful. Continue Reading

I love meeting people who are just starting out as Internet entrepreneurs. I love their enthusiasm, I get a thrill out of hearing their plans for the future, and I pick up a buzz from their energy. They've got J-O-Bs that they often H-A-T-E. They've got every motivation they need to swap their spare time for marketing time, and they absolutely believe that it's only a matter of hard work and patience before they'll be... Continue Reading

I had the privilege of speaking to one thousand people at a seminar this weekend. One the things I hear from attendees again and again is how "real" I am on stage. I take that a compliment, because to be otherwise would be to act "phony." After considering these kinds of comments, I wonder how many people aren't "real" on stage or some other part of their lives. I think one reason that speakers/performers struggle... Continue Reading

I'm getting ready to bust loose with a four-letter word. You aren't going to like it. It might make you cringe. Too bad. It needs to be said. "Debt" There I said it. Do you feel relieved or does the word stress you out? Continue Reading

The Internet has opened up business in all sorts of ways. It costs nothing to start a website. Anyone can write a blog. Putting ads on your pages takes minutes and requires no selling, no effort and almost no work at all. And the revenues can be fantastic. Millions of people have joined the Internet business revolution and have either swapped their day job for days of writing articles, or are enjoying some useful extra... Continue Reading

Every Internet business -- every business of any sort in fact -- starts in the same place. In the future. Most entrepreneurs think first of how they want their business to look when it's all set up. They imagine the products prepared, the marketing streams in place and the revenue flowing in while they relax and cash the checks. Continue Reading

Just because the economy is suffering doesn't mean you have to. Thousands of people are supplementing their income by learning how to make money online selling ebooks. I've been selling my own ebooks for a few years. But I've been selling OTHER peoples' ebooks for a decade! How do you find out what ebooks sell? Continue Reading

When I was researching "Click Here to Order," there was a story I kept coming across time and time again. Marketers would tell me how they were down to their last penny, ready to throw in the towel, on their way to looking for a day job... when something happened. For copywriter Michael Fortin, who had already declared bankruptcy by the age of 21, it was the discovery of the power of a well-written sales... Continue Reading

What is the definition of true success? Is it having a large bank account? Is it having a garage full of cars? Is it having a mansion with so many rooms you can't fill them all? I would say that all of these material things are an indicator that a person may have succeeded in business, but without one key component I don't believe a person is truly successful. Continue Reading

You can have a great idea for a web site. And developing the site can be a very rewarding experience. But without one thing, it doesn't matter how nice your site is... That thing is traffic. Traffic is really the "life blood" of our business. Without traffic you can't make sales, you can't generate affiliate commissions, you can't build a list... (you get the picture). So today I want to focus on traffic, and tell... Continue Reading

"Get Google Pay-Per-Click Ads for Free" was the title on the report that promised an amazing way to advertise on Google AdWords without having clicks ding your wallet. This ebook was #1 on Clickbank's Marketing & Ads category, so curiousity got the best of me and I paid $97 to see what it was all about. Want my honest assessment? Read on... Continue Reading

One penny. One cent. 1/100th of a dollar. Uno centavo. That's all it takes for you to instantly own your own Internet store! Yes, I'm serious. My customers have been asking me for a simple solution where they can tell people about great products and earn easy commissions... Continue Reading

I've Got Three Little Words To Say To You... No, not those words (although I'm sure you're very nice). I mean these three little words... Just do it. I know, Nike got there first. But they were right. You get nothing by doing nothing. Back when I started out on the Web, becoming an online publisher meant buying a book about HTML the size of the Yellow Pages. It meant spending half a year reading... Continue Reading

How long is a piece of string? No one would ever ask such a stupid question, would they? Well, I get asked some pretty silly questions sometimes. Like "How long will it take before I become a successful online publisher?" There's no one answer to that. Not just because it depends on the number of hours you work each day, the quality of your content and your skill at generating traffic. But also because it... Continue Reading

Does $10,000 for sending one email sound impossible to you? How about $25,000? Would it floor you to think you could make almost $75,000 with just two email promotions? To be honest, at one time I wouldn't have believed it either. But the fact of the matter is that it is far more possible than you think. Continue Reading

I am currently in the Nation's Capitol for an Internet marketing conference and I am the victim of a crime, even a felony. It happened while I slept. I was robbed and left for naked... and didn't even know it until late in the afternoon. Amazingly, there isn't a bruise on my body. Nor have I lost any material possessions. So what happened? Read on... Continue Reading

It seems like everywhere you turn, people are talking about Web 2.0. What's the deal with Web 2.0 and why should we care? In the past weeks, I have shared with you how I built my lists, increased my visibility and made more sales by using Squidoo. Many of you have written me thanking me for the free report on the topic as you are seeing results from using this new web technology. But did... Continue Reading

Ever since Google changed its Terms of Service to allow publishers to place other ad programs on AdSense pages -- provided those other ads don't look like Google's ad units -- publishers have been wondering how to make the most of this bonanza. It's like telling a child he can put as many different types of cake on his plate as he wants. On my blog for example, I'm using Kontera's text links to supplement... Continue Reading

I love to write my own newsletter. It gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings with you in a very personal way. However, my friend Eric Holmlund has written such a brilliant piece that I have asked him if I can reproduce it in its entirity. Being a great guy, Eric said no problem. With no further ado, here is Eric's post... ---------------------- I want to tell you about a young woman... Continue Reading

Change. It's one thing in life we can depend on. And it can be the thing that frightens us most. I've known people who don't like the least bit of change in their lives. They are most comfortable in keeping the status quo. Change implies risk. And risk... well, sometimes things don't turn out the way we hope they will. And sometimes they do. Continue Reading

I've got three little words to say. No, not those three words. They aren't about love, but I do love them. Here are the three little words... Ready? Continue Reading

Citibank credit cards - I have them in my wallet. Why Citibank? Because these are American Airlines Aadvantage credit cards, and I charge absolutely everything in order to earn as many air miles on American Airlines as possible. I do a lot of traveling and enjoy flying free or upgrading to First Class when I can. But I am really upset with Citibank at the moment. Continue Reading

Eric Holmlund has been telling me about HyperVRE. He's like, "Joel, this is perfect for your AdSense students... and it's free!" I said, "Reeeeally..." So I took a look at it. And I am impressed. Eric said that I could show you his video that demonstrates exactly how this free tool works. HyperVRE Continue Reading

Deal or No Deal. Admit it. You watch it too. It's like the irresistable black light of a bug zapper, drawing you in to the flavor of the day... Howie Mandel, the briefcases, the ladies, the contestants and the banker. It's Deal or No Deal. Continue Reading

When I look at the Internet marketing landscape, I often see a vast wasteland of "me too" products and services. It seems many people are simply trying to capitalize on someone else's success. However, every now and then I see an ORIGINAL product come along... and I am excited to share it with you! Today I want to tell you about ZipSense, the world's first ZBook! Continue Reading

Here's a copy of the news release that went out on PRWeb today. Edmond, OK (PRWEB) May 9, 2006 -- With Internet publishers looking for ways to monetize their sites, Google has become one of the most revered sites due to their contextual advertising program, Google AdSense. This text-based ad service is generating four, five, and six-figure incomes for many website owners. With this increased interest in this revolutionary revenue-generating program, site owners are looking... Continue Reading

Whenever I do teleseminars and publicly speak, I tell people that we are entering a new age of the Internet. Internet v1.0 was the beginning of the web. Money was tossed about like confetti as venture capitalist waved millions of Benjamins at anything with a dotcom for a suffix. Then the bubble burst. Enter Internet v2.0. Continue Reading

When I was at the Big Seminar, it seemed every speaker from the stage was talking about a hot copywriter Harlan Kilstein. Even mega-copywriting star John Carlton singled him out as someone to reckon with. All that put a smile on my face because Harlan was one of my Adsense coaching clients. Continue Reading

Finally, a documentary about the left that I can't WAIT to see. This just in from Drudge... HBO MOVIE SHOWS RADIO 'AIR AMERICA' CHAOS HBO is set to air a behind the scenes look at the launching of liberal radio network AIR AMERICA. The DRUDGE REPORT has obtained a director's cut of LEFT OF THE DIAL, a grossly entertaining docu-drama of life on the other side of the AIR AMERICA microphone. The doubts. The lies... Continue Reading

Who would have thought that the rubber faced wildman from In Living Color would become an accomplished actor? While not crazy about Ace Ventura, I thoroughly enjoyed Jim Carrey in The Mask. I even appreciated the dark turn he took in The Cable Guy. But it was his part as Truman Burbank in The Truman Show that caused me to truly respect Jim Carrey's talent. With a superb screenplay, excellent cinematography and a top-notch supporting... Continue Reading

Friends occasionally ask me which credit card I like to use. I have had dozens of cards over the years. First USA. Citibank. Bank One. Etc, and so forth. I have tried multiple programs. Cashback from Discover. Sharper Image store credit rewards from First USA. General Motors rewards (never did buy another GM vehicle). American Express privileges. And so on. I finally settled on Citibank Aadvantage card as giving me the most bank for my... Continue Reading

Tired of pop up windows covering your computer screen? A friend pointed out this cool tool to me. Visit the site and you can test to see how vulnerable you are to various pop ups. I rated a 70, which is above average for blocking. Click for pop up test If you don't pass the test, you might want to get this pop up blocker from Panicware. It seems to do the job pretty good... Continue Reading

I hate dealing with insurance. When you pay a premium, you are betting that you will need to make a claim. With health insurance, you are betting that you are going to get sick! About eight years ago, I bought a policy with Fortis, one of the world's largest banking and insurance companies. At that time, we decided that all we needed was a major medical policy. So we choose a $2500 per person deductible... Continue Reading

Debt stinks. Did you know that over 8000 people a day are declaring bankruptcy in the United States? It's no wonder with the banks pushing credit cards on people as soon as they become adults. "Get the credit you deserve!", they say, fully realizing the intent being to get their meathooks into their wallets as soon as possible. The borrower is indeed a slave to the lender. It is very useful to find a service... Debt Counseling" href="http://joelcomm.com/debt_counseling.html">Continue Reading

I've been following the coverage of Mel Gibson's upcoming film, "The Passion of Christ", with great anticipation. Unfortunately, Mel is being castigated by some people for being anti-semitic in his portrayel of the Jews in the film. I find it amazing that the same people who have been subject to people attempting to rewrite history (as far as the holocaust is concerned) are now attempting to rewrite history as to an accurate account of the... Continue Reading

Argh! (You ever notice just how many of my posts start with that word?) I am SO sick of SPAM! This Spam, not this Spam. My old email account now receives over 1000 unsolicited emails every day. I have been using my new account for only two months and it is now receiving over 100 spam emails each day. So, to sum up... ARGH! I have been setting up filters and server-side solutions. But most... Continue Reading

It was another walk in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers. The city of Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was composed and signed. We can trace much of that which makes America great to the heart of this old city. We started the day by hopping a bus downtown. If I had known how crowded the bus would have been, I think we would have taken a cab. Anyhow, we arrived downtown and... Continue Reading

Just when you think the wackiness in California can't get any wackier, it does. Here's the deal. Visit a California area Taco Bell and place your vote for California governor through your choice of menu items! That's right. A crunchy beef taco is a vote for Ahnold. A soft chicken taco is a vote for Gray "Gross" Davis and a grilled stuft burrito is a vote for any of the other hundred plus candidates... Continue Reading

Today, I am eight-years old for the second time. Sure, I carry myself in the body of a 39-year old. I'm hairier and heavier than the last time I turned eight. But make no mistake. Thanks to the magic of eBay, I am reliving my childhood in a very meaningful way. I submit to you photographs of my favorite childhood toy animal. It was a kangaroo puppet named Foopy Doo. Lest you think I have... Continue Reading