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Top Ten Things I Learned About Life from Playing Computer and Video Games

Posted on November 19, 2009 08:05 AM

I'm a computer and video gamer from waaaay back. I remember when Pong came out. I owned a Fairchild Channel 1 video game system. That came out just before the Atari 2600 for you video game buffs. I played games on my TRS-80 model 1 computer in 1979. From adventure games and first person shooters to strategy and massively multiplayer online games, I've been there and done that. Computer and video games have a way... Continue Reading

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Success On Twitter Is All About You

Posted on November 16, 2009 08:00 AM

We knew it would happen. It always happens. Not long after Twitter's popularity hit the stratosphere, the spammers began swarming. Now direct messages boxes are packed with Mafia invitations, follower lists have been infiltrated by pornbots, and I had to put up with dozens of impostors trading on my name before my verified account was able to show who's really me. Whenever something gets big and successful on the Internet, you can bet that there... Continue Reading

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Improve Your Clickthrough Rates

Posted on November 10, 2009 08:00 AM

Creating a successful Internet business is all about bringing in users and turning them into cash. The more of those users you can convert, the more money you'll make. Your clickthrough rate - the percentage of users who click on an ad - is a measure of your ability to convert your users. A good website will have a clickthrough rate (or CTR) of around 3 percent. Or to put it another way, even a... Continue Reading

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Rare collectibles

Posted on November 8, 2009 09:29 PM

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

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New FTC Regulations Begin December 1st

Posted on November 5, 2009 09:13 PM

The Internet has grown at an incredible rate. Online business is big business. And wherever there is big business there are bound to be scam artists. Due to the sheer number of people being deceived by unscrupulous marketers (though I hate to even call them marketers), the Federal Trade Commission has seen fit to intervene with a new set of regulations due to go into effect on December 1st, 2009. If you do ANY kind... Continue Reading

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It's Not What You Know, It's What You Do

Posted on November 4, 2009 08:00 AM

I offer a lot of different products. Some of those products I create myself. Others have been created by people I know. All of them, I firmly believe, can bring real benefits to the people who use them. If I wasn't 100 percent convinced that someone who is prepared to use the ideas contained in my books and products, and in the products that I recommend, couldn't achieve massive success, I wouldn't offer them for... Continue Reading

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TweetGlide

Posted on October 28, 2009 07:36 AM

Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear about a new Twitter app, web tool or other utility created to make the use of Twitter easier or more interesting. It's pretty hard to keep up with them. And it's pretty rare that I endorse a tool or app. Just as I wait to see new sites pick up steam before jumping on board, I usually don't start using new tools until they demonstrate widespread... Continue Reading

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What's Your Main Motivation?

Posted on October 16, 2009 08:00 AM

I seem to spend a lot of time on the road these days. I've been up and down the country, backwards and forwards, and from state to state. I've even been to the other side of the world and back. It's hard work, with lots of jet-lag and too much time away from my family. That always hurts. But I enjoy it. I like speaking. The people I meet at events and conferences tend to... Continue Reading

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What happened to my goatee?

Posted on October 14, 2009 09:02 AM

What do people see when they look at you? Initially, they see your physical appearance. However, I believe our bodies are really a small part of who we really are. Man is a three-part being. We are body, soul and spirit. The body is just a casing (or an earthsuit as John Eldredge likes to say) to give our real selves something to walk around in during our brief stay on this planet. And yet... Continue Reading

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Comment Spam

Posted on October 13, 2009 09:34 AM

In the beginning there were blogs. And yea, God saw that they were good. After all, what a fantastic way for anyone to become an online publisher. Sure, the word "blog" doesn't roll off the tongue. It sounds more like you are about to upchuck yesterday's hot dog. But being short for "web log", it does work in a "oh well I guess it will do" kind of way. Continue Reading

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Don't Buy This Product. You Won't Use It!

Posted on October 12, 2009 03:49 PM

Everywhere I go, people ask me how they can make money online. Every time I show up at a conference, I am swamped with people interested in owning their own Internet business. My Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts receive contact from people on a regular basis. Emails, tweets and submitted forms are always asking what tips I can provide for those who want to learn my strategies. Yes, even my email box is regularly under... Continue Reading

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New FTC Rules for Testimonials and Endorsements in Marketing

Posted on October 10, 2009 08:54 AM

Last week the FTC dropped a bomb on the marketing world. They released new guidelines for the use of testimonials and endorsements in marketing. I immediately contacted my attorney, Kevin Houchin, to get his take on the latest guidelines. With Kevin's permission, I am republishing the entire text of his interpretation. It is essential that all marketers, online and offline, pay attention to this content. And understand that if you have ANY questions, you should... Continue Reading

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Become The Ruler Of Your Twitter Watercooler

Posted on October 9, 2009 08:00 AM

Twitter isn't the only microblogging service on the Web. It's not even the best microblogging service on the Web. In Twitter Power, I describe a number of sites that also let members post short notes to tell friends and followers what they're up to. Plurk, for example, is alive and kicking, and it looks great. It has neat icons, a clever, horizontal timeline and all sorts of add-ons and gizmos that make it look a... Continue Reading

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iFart and Pull My Finger settle the legal dispute of the century!

Posted on September 25, 2009 08:21 AM

Alright, so maybe it wasn't the legal dispute of the century. But you've got to admit, for two little iPhone flatulence apps, we sure did make a stink! As you may recall, the fun and games began when Air-O-Matic, the creators of Pull My Finger, contacted me with a demand for $50,000. Why? They claimed that my use of the phrase "pull my finger" in a small portion of our online marketing campaign was responsible... Continue Reading

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Choose Affiliate Products You Trust

Posted on September 9, 2009 08:00 AM

Affiliate products make up a large part of my income. They're one of the revenue streams that I use on my websites and I often recommend selected products to the people on my mailing list. I use them for all sorts of reasons - and money is only one of them. Sure, an affiliate commission will always be worth more than an ad click but that's only the start of it. I also like the... Continue Reading

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The Power Of Twitter Keywords

Posted on September 3, 2009 08:00 AM

Twitter looks so easy, doesn't it? You don't have to plan and research like you do when you're writing a blog post. You can write whatever's on your mind and hit the Update button. Random thoughts make for perfectly good tweets. You don't have to think about search engine optimization. Tweets do turn up on Google but links in tweets don't count towards page rank and there's no way - or reason -- to optimize... Continue Reading

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What Can You Do For Others?

Posted on August 26, 2009 08:00 AM

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

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It's All Down To You

Posted on August 19, 2009 08:00 AM

It's all your fault. I'm not going to beat about the bush. Nor am I going to try to save your feelings. I'm going to be brutally honest because I think direct is always the best way to go - and because you can handle it. It's all because of you. Continue Reading

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Creating Multiple Revenue Streams

Posted on August 12, 2009 08:00 AM

Whatever your biggest motivation for starting your business, you want to make your life easier. You want to make it wealthier, happier, freer, more comfortable... but also easier to manage. That doesn't go too well with running a website, even a small one. Being an entrepreneur is difficult, especially at the beginning when you'll be doing almost everything yourself. Even if you hire freelancersfor coding or design, you'll still have to manage their work, set... Continue Reading

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How Many Dimensions Do You Have?

Posted on August 5, 2009 08:00 AM

Twitter divides people into two camps. To those who use it, it's a whole new Internet. There's the Web of pages and content, and there's the Twitter of people and connections. Both are valuable and both are enjoyable, but they do different things and they do them in different ways. To people who aren't on Twitter though, the service looks completely bizarre. It's a place where people go to tell strangers what they had for... Continue Reading

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Dealing With Criticism

Posted on July 30, 2009 08:00 AM

There are about seven billion people on the planet. Every one of us is different. Every one of us has opinions, tastes, inclinations and preferences. And every one of us is difficult to please. If you work hard at marketing your website and your products, you'll be able to put them in front of a few thousand of those people. Work really hard and build successful products, and maybe millions will see them. Continue Reading

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Dude, Wash Your Hands!

Posted on July 25, 2009 04:20 PM

I have to warn you now. This entry is not going to be pretty. But someone has got to say something. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Fine... sigh... I'll do it. Continue Reading

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Behind the Scenes of The Daily Show

Posted on July 23, 2009 12:02 PM

By now, you know that I am the creator of the world's most-talked about iPhone application, iFart Mobile. Although most people know me these days as the best selling author of "Twitter Power - How To Dominate Your Market One Tweet At A Time" and a successful internet entrepreneur, my staff and I eagerly jumped into iPhone development as soon as the app store launched. If you have been following me on Twitter, you are... Continue Reading

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Love What You Do

Posted on July 23, 2009 08:00 AM

People create Internet businesses for all sorts of reasons. Some of them are looking to give up their J.O.B.s. Some dream of being of being their own boss. And others can't wait to make tons of cash, retire to their private island and leave the work of traffic generation, content production and ad monitoring to their staff. That's all fine. I don't have a problem with any of those reasons. Provided they're all accompanied by... Continue Reading

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Build Communities, Not Followers, on Twitter

Posted on July 18, 2009 08:00 AM

One of the most exciting developments that has occurred on Twitter in the months since I put together Twitter Power has been the release of all sorts of statistics about the site. We've learned, for example, that many of the site's users are middle-aged, high earning business types rather than the kids that create pages on MySpace. We've found that only a small proportion of Twitter's users are writing most of the tweets while the... Continue Reading

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Users Don't All Want The Same Thing

Posted on July 7, 2009 08:00 AM

What do users really want? It's a question that publishers ask themselves all the time. We look at the comments our articles receive. We review our stats. We check the popularity of keywords. We ask for ideas on Twitter. And we do all sorts of other things that try to second-guess what's going through our users' minds so that we can deliver content that interests them most. But maybe we're asking the wrong question. Continue Reading

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Time To Get To Work

Posted on July 2, 2009 08:00 AM

You've heard of the "paralysis of analysis." It happens when you think too much. That's not something that many people have accused me of doing very often (the opposite does tends to crop up quite a bit though) but it is something that I know afflicts many entrepreneurs, especially new ones. Continue Reading

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The Power Of Your Blog Comments

Posted on June 27, 2009 08:00 AM

In Twitter Power, I described blogs as one aspect of the social media revolution. I think that might have surprised some people. Blogs, after all, pre-date the kind of interaction that we can see on Facebook and LinkedIn. They're more like old-fashioned publishing, in which information comes down from a publisher instead of being created and shared by contributors. But there is one aspect of blogging that's often forgotten by Internet publishers, and it's incredibly... Continue Reading

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Fourteen Types of Tweets

Posted on June 25, 2009 06:13 PM

Apart from Twitter's own terms of service which prohibit obvious things like harassment, transmitting viruses and spamming other members, there really aren't many rules to the site. You can essentially use Twitter however you like. However, for people and businesses who want to use Twitter successfully (eg: build a following and grow their circle of influence), there are a number of best practices that can be observed. I cover many of these in my book... Continue Reading

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Twitter is Life!

Posted on June 17, 2009 08:00 AM

I love it when academics launch studies of the entrepreneurial world. Sometimes, they come up with truly valuable and fascinating information. I can't think of any off-hand, but I'm sure they must do sometimes. More usually though, the buffoons claim that their observations have discovered something truly amazing and revolutionary... something that those of us who were actually doing it knew all along. While the prof. is getting another publication and a nomination for a... Continue Reading

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Measuring Your Social Media Success

Posted on June 12, 2009 08:00 AM

I've been talking about social media a lot lately and one of the questions that comes up time and time again is how effective it is. It's not an easy question to answer. Ask me how effective an AdSense placement is and I can open my AdSense journal, look at the stats and tell you exactly how much extra I earned when I moved an ad unit on that page from here to there. I'll... Continue Reading

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What Makes a Business Grow

Posted on May 27, 2009 08:00 AM

The people behind Twitter were incredibly lucky. They weren't lucky because they had a great idea. They weren't even lucky that no one else had thought of their idea before them. They were lucky that the system took just two weeks to build. My staff and I get together for regular brainstorming sessions. We toss out ideas left, right and center. By the time we walk out of that room, we've got a white board... Continue Reading

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What Are You Scared Of?

Posted on May 22, 2009 08:00 AM

I'm scared of change. There, I said it. It's not big news though. Everyone is scared of change. Change is a scary thing. It means giving up what you have now for something better that you can only hope you'll have in the future. It's risky. It's dangerous. It's disruptive. It's also thrilling, exciting... and inevitable. Continue Reading

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How To Be A Star

Posted on May 17, 2009 08:00 AM

I'm not much of a celebrity-watcher. I don't read tabloids and I couldn't care less who's dating whom in Hollywoodland. But I'm still pleased to see that so many celebrities have chosen to use Twitter. I'm pleased because those celebrities are bringing lots of regular folk like you and me with them. Those people might have come to chat with Oprah or Ashton Kutcher but they'll hang around and talk with the rest of us... Continue Reading

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The Value Of Face-To-Face Marketing

Posted on May 13, 2009 08:00 AM

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately. I've been from California to New York, to Utah and Seattle, and to Denver more times than I can count. In theory, none of that traveling should be necessary. Twitter, after all, is the ultimate networking tool. I can be sitting anywhere and by firing up Tweetie on my iPhone, find myself swapping tweets with Tim O'Brien of the New York Times or exchanging ideas with best-selling... Continue Reading

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The Two Kinds Of Tweets -- And How To Use Them

Posted on May 7, 2009 08:00 AM

In my book, Twitter Power, I describe a number of different kinds of tweets that twitterers are posting on the site. I talk about news tweets and customer service tweets, random thoughts and feedback, and a whole lot more besides. I explain how businesses are using them, why they work and how to make them work for you. You don't have to use all -- or any -- of those tweet models if you don't... Continue Reading

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Get Lucky, Get An Office

Posted on May 4, 2009 08:00 AM

I consider myself very fortunate. I have a beautiful home with a beautiful view of the Rockies in a beautiful part of the country. I also have a great office staffed with fantastic people. And the two are separate. That isn't everyone's goal. I've met lots of people whose dream is to give up the commute and start working from home. I can understand that. I've done that. Continue Reading

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How Much Should You Invest In Your Internet Business?

Posted on April 27, 2009 08:00 AM

There's about a million and one reasons why I love Internet marketing. It pays, of course, and that has to be important. It's fun too. I'm having a ball doing this and it's rare that someone can say that about their work. But one of the things I love the most about Internet marketing is that it's democratic. Anyone can do it. And I really do mean anyone. Continue Reading

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Amazon.com closed my associate account and kept the change

Posted on April 23, 2009 05:48 PM

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

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Should Entrepreneurs Twitter? Uh, yes!

Posted on April 23, 2009 03:46 PM

A recent question in USA Today by Steve Strauss in the "Ask the Expert" column asked the question, "Should Entrepreneur's Twitter?" Mr. Strauss answered the question with a definitive "No" and gave several reasons. One must wonder how someone who so clearly does not understand Twitter was able to speak as an "expert." As a true expert on the subject, I wish to set the record straight and dissuade entrepreneurs from acting on Mr. Strauss... Continue Reading

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Don't Stop Writing!

Posted on April 22, 2009 08:00 AM

When I started work on Twitter Power at the end of September 2008, I had about 5,000 followers. That was a pretty good amount back then: it was only a year ago that Twitter's blog was reporting that anyone with more than 80 followers was among the site's top ten percent of users. Boy, have things changed! Continue Reading

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It's Free on the Web

Posted on April 17, 2009 08:00 AM

Here's something you're not going to hear too often these days. I'm glad I don't have a job. I'm happy that I don't have to commute to someone else's office, make nice to the boss, wonder what I have to do to move up in life... and hope and pray that I still have my job next month. That's the situation for many people these days, and I'm so happy that I've discovered that it... Continue Reading

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Ashton to CNN... My Kutcher is Bigger Than Your Kutcher

Posted on April 16, 2009 01:10 PM

Twitter has experienced massive growth in the past year, with the number of people signing up each month accelerating. It has also become the media darling of the day. It seems that everyone is Twittering. However, with only 10-12 million people on the site, its clear that everyone is NOT Twittering. Don't fret. They will be soon. So where is the media paying the most attention to Twitter? You guessed it. It's all about the... Continue Reading

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Twitter and a Box of Donuts

Posted on April 16, 2009 08:28 AM

With Twitter becoming such a powerful force on the social media scene, there are those who get it and those who don't get it. There's a certain number of the "don't get it" crowd who will invariably take an outright aggressive posture and make a statement like this... "Twitter is a waste of time. Who cares what you had for breakfast?" Many on Twitter will hem and haw about the content of the question, almost... Continue Reading

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Are You Informed About Information Products

Posted on April 13, 2009 08:00 AM

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

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Giving Credit Where Credit's Due

Posted on April 8, 2009 08:00 AM

I like to think I've come a long way since I first started turning The Dallas/Fort Worth Software Review into WorldVillage.com. I now have a string of profitable websites. I speak regularly at conferences across the country. I've produced a top-selling iPhone app. And I've written a bunch of books, including a New York Times bestseller. But I know I didn't do any of this alone. Not only did I always have the support of... Continue Reading

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Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Success?

Posted on April 4, 2009 08:00 AM

There are times when I've sat in a conference, looked around a room full of bright, hopeful entrepreneurs and wondered how many of them will become successful. I don't mean how many of them will be successful this time next year or how many will be millionaires in five years' time. I mean how many will be successful at all. Continue Reading

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Big News! Judge Grants Joel Comm Rights to All ".Com" Addresses

Posted on April 1, 2009 10:24 AM

In a landmark decision that will be sure to usher in a new world Internet order, a World Wide Web judge has just granted Internet marketing guru and entrepreneur Joel Comm the exclusive trademark rights to the ".com" web address suffix, placing all websites everywhere with a ".com" domain under the jurisdiction and discretion of Joel Comm. The decision came about when Joel Comm successfully sued Al Gore, who had previously laid claim to "inventing... Continue Reading

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Twitter Overload

Posted on March 27, 2009 03:06 PM

I love coming up with new ways to demonstrate the power of Twitter. With such a massive network of users, it's fun the push the boundaries and see what is possible. I decided I would make myself available to anyone who wanted to interact. I had to set aside time to do this because its just not possible to answer every @ reply that comes your way. So around 2:20 pm MDT today, I decided... Continue Reading

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It's All About You

Posted on March 24, 2009 08:00 AM

When I went to my first Internet marketing conference I had a huge surprise. It wasn't the amount of information that I picked up sitting in the audience. And it wasn't the fascinating conversations I had sitting in the restaurants and the hotel bar in the evening. It was the fact that people knew me. Continue Reading

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Dealing With Customer Complaints

Posted on March 14, 2009 08:00 AM

You've heard the saying about not being able to fool all the people all the time. You probably also know then that you can't please all the people all the time too. It's an impossibility. It doesn't matter how good your content, how wonderful your website or what a great job you do, you're always going to get people who write in and complain. Continue Reading

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You've Got To Do The Work To Get The Rewards

Posted on March 10, 2009 08:00 AM

Whenever I sit down to write a book or prepare a talk, I always have one goal in mind. I want to make it easier for other people to achieve success. That's easier... not easy. I know my limitations. And I know Internet marketing. And I know that there's no such thing as a successful Internet business that was built easily. Continue Reading

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How I Made My First Million on the Internet and How You Can Too

Posted on February 26, 2009 11:50 PM

A year or so ago, I started my own book publishing program. Essentially, my goal was to provide opportunity to a select group of new authors who I felt needed greater exposure. Made Easy Publishing has accepted a handful of manuscripts and I'm pleased to announce that our newest author has just hit #1 on Amazon.com! My friend, Ewen Chia, has just released his book "How I Made My First Million on the Internet and... Continue Reading

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On The Way Up...

Posted on February 25, 2009 08:00 AM

Many of the people who turn to Internet marketing do it because they feel that their career ladder has got stuck. They work hard, they're ambitious, they know they've got drive, skills and talent but their boss isn't giving them the breaks they need or their company just doesn't have anywhere higher for them to climb. So they start dreaming of branching out on their own. If they build their own career ladder, they think... Continue Reading

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Clearing Your Desk

Posted on February 22, 2009 08:00 AM

Whenever I see a picture from inside the Oval Office, something always strikes me. Yes, I'm struck by how much nicer the President's office is than mine (although I think I've got a better view). But mostly I'm struck by his desk. It's big and old and it's nicely decorated... but that's not really what I'm getting at either. What's most striking about the President's desk - and this is true of the workspace of... Continue Reading

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Tweet-a-Thon 2009 a Massive Success

Posted on February 20, 2009 07:56 AM

Wow. I should probably just end the blog post with that one word, as I am speaking about Tweet-a-Thon 2009. Just wow. But you know I can't stop there! It's the morning after. I am still exhausted. But I am basking in the afterglow of what I shall remember for the rest of my life. Continue Reading

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What Can't You Do?

Posted on February 14, 2009 08:00 AM

I get asked for joint ventures all the time. A day doesn't go by without some message landing in my mailbox from someone saying they've got a killer product and that I should tell my entire list about it. And each of those days ends with just about all of those emails landing in my trash box. Yes, some products I'll be happy to recommend to people who are trying to build Internet businesses. Usually... Continue Reading

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iFart Mobile takes Pull My Finger to court

Posted on February 13, 2009 02:38 PM

My team and I came up with the idea for an iPhone fart application in summer of 2008. We knew it would be a hit. We just needed to develop it. We took great pride in developing iFart Mobile. It was more than another iPhone application. It was a true entertainment machine with a unique interface. It didn't LOOK like an iPhone app. When we submitted the application to Apple, it was put "in review... Continue Reading

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Twitter Goes Down for 24 Hours

Posted on February 13, 2009 10:59 AM

I use Twitter very naturally. I rarely schedule a tweet. If I have something to say, I say it. If I feel the notion to reply to an @joelcomm tweet, I reply. If I want to take photos while on the move, I'll use Tweetie and Twitpic. And if I want to talk business, I talk business. I am not on Twitter all the time, but I also do check in at least once/day to... Continue Reading

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Should You Share Revenues With Writers?

Posted on February 6, 2009 08:00 AM

Online publishers wear all sort of different hats. They have to be marketers and managers. They have to be programmers and designers. They have to be buyers and sellers. And they often have to be dog-walkers, soccer coaches, family cooks and 9-5 day workers too. But perhaps the biggest challenge is that they have to be content creators as well. That's a very specialized job and because it's at the heart of what makes a... Continue Reading

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Could This Be Your Most Valuable Joint Venture?

Posted on February 3, 2009 08:00 AM

There are two kinds of people in the world. There are people who dream. And there are people who act. Both types of people are important, and both skills are needed when you're trying to succeed. What's rare though is to find both those skills in the same person. Most of us are either brimming with ideas or overflowing with energy. We're either the type who spots opportunities or the type who spots the problems... Continue Reading

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What The Gurus Taught Me

Posted on January 31, 2009 08:00 AM

There are all sorts of reason I love my work. I get to be my own boss. I work with some fantastic people. I get nice checks from Google and others every month. All of those things are fantastic. Continue Reading

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Facebook Gives Me Back My Account

Posted on January 26, 2009 01:32 PM

As I'm sure you read on my blog or elsewhere on the web, Facebook had suspended my account. After sending a few emails and having some friends with contacts at Facebook work on my behalf, my account has been reinstated. Here is the email I received from them... Continue Reading

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Facebook Booted Me for Having 5000 Friends!

Posted on January 23, 2009 10:36 AM

I've been a fan of Facebook for a couple years. I think it's a great way to network with others and build your business. I've used the site create my own groups, build a fan page, post videos, interact with family, friends and fans, and basically enjoyed its functionality. I've always abided by their terms of service, even though thousands of people break the rules every day. I'm a credible marketer with a 15-year history... Continue Reading

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Top Ten Signs that Obama is President

Posted on January 21, 2009 01:53 PM

He's been President for just twenty-four hours, but we're already seen a global impact. On today's show we discussed the top ten signs that Obama is President. We also introduced our new Mobile Syndication Solutions service for those who want their own iPhone application. I also have a new sound button to push, which makes Dan crazy. All that and more on this edition of Joel Comm LIVE! Continue Reading

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Building an Internet Business in a Recession

Posted on January 19, 2009 08:00 AM

There are a lot of worried people out there. You might even be one of them. People are losing their jobs, seeing their wages cut, watching their revenue charts change from a steep hill to vertical cliff. These aren't great times. But they are times of opportunity. When I was researching Click Here to Order, there was one story that I came across time and time again. It was the story of the entrepreneur whose... Continue Reading

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How Video Can Make Your Life Easier -- And Wealthier

Posted on January 11, 2009 08:00 AM

You've probably noticed that I'm a big fan of video content. I don't think text is going to disappear from the Web completely but I do think we're going to see more and more video content appearing on the Internet. I also think that users now expect to find clips on the sites they visit. I'm not the only one who thinks that way. Google obviously thinks so too, which was why it bought YouTube... Continue Reading

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Announcing the Joel Comm iPhone App

Posted on January 11, 2009 01:53 AM

As of this writing, There are over 13,000 applications in the iTunes app store. There are games, utilities, novelty apps, lifestyle apps, social networking, weather and several other categories. New apps are appearing every day. Some apps are original, but many are just more of the same. That's why I am excited to announce an entirely new genre of apps. Several months ago I and my team were considering ways to deliver our content to... Continue Reading

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This is my home

Posted on January 10, 2009 11:48 AM

It doesn't happen often. But it does happen. And when it does, I have to shake my head and wonder what some people are thinking. What am I talking about? Well, let me set the stage for you with a little anecdote. Continue Reading

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A iTunes App Store #1 Celebration

Posted on January 7, 2009 06:56 PM

Today on the show, we celebrated the success of iFart Mobile, the #1 application in the iTunes iPhone app store. The monkeys took over the set, we gave away prizes, gave demos of some apps and read a Top Ten list. It was a fun time and I really appreciate those who join us each week for Internet marketing insanity! Continue Reading

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Keeping Your Site Alive

Posted on January 7, 2009 08:00 AM

You already know that most small businesses fail. It's a warning that's been given out to every entrepreneur with an idea, drive and the imagination to succeed for as long as people have been saying, "I should be working for me." Well, here's something you probably don't want to hear. Most blogs die too. People start them with the best of intentions. They tell themselves that they'll write every day, they'll pick up masses of... Continue Reading

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Don't worry, I won't quit my day job

Posted on January 4, 2009 07:13 PM

Yesterday I posted a video of my brother-in-law's legendary karaoke performance. Many have asked if I was going to post my performance. Being a high-profile marketer, I should no better than to do that. After all, why would I want people to see how badly I sing? But I thought about it and decided that transparency is a good thing. In fact, the more you share your life with your customers, the more they have... Continue Reading

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Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

Posted on January 3, 2009 07:55 PM

I just returned from a one-week cruise to the Mexican Riviera with my extended family. We enjoyed a wonderful week aboard the Norwegian Star. I'll be providing more details of the cruise in the future, but for now I want to focus on the first video that I've uploaded. In what can only be described as a legendary performance, my brother-in-law Michael Costantini dominated the Karoaoke floor one evening with his rendition of this classic... Continue Reading

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All Change Please

Posted on December 31, 2008 08:00 AM

It's all changed. It happened so fast, we hardly even noticed. But looking back, it's incredible how different everything is today. When I started out in Internet Marketing, no one had any idea who I was. No one needed to. All they had to do was know where my websites were and enjoy the content I was putting up. It was impersonal and it worked both ways. My users might only have thought of me... Continue Reading

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Where Will Your Idea End?

Posted on December 29, 2008 08:00 AM

You know what I like best about Twitter? It isn't the fact that it's easy to use and a ton of fun (although those are important). It isn't the fact that I can communicate with some fantastic people, get answers to questions and pick up information and advice that I couldn't have learned any other way (although those are important too.) And it isn't even that it's a fantastic marketing tool that drives traffic, builds... Continue Reading

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More exciting app store news

Posted on December 27, 2008 01:56 PM

I said I was going to go into silent mode regarding our sales, but so many people have asked me what happened through Christmas Day that I have decided to release stats just one more time. We left off December 23rd with stats current from our release date on 12/12 through 12/22. Everyone is curious about what happened next. You may be shocked. I know I was when I saw the numbers. Continue Reading

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And The Real Secret Of Success Is...

Posted on December 22, 2008 08:00 AM

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

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Top 100 Most Influential Marketers of 2008

Posted on December 18, 2008 03:25 PM

Invesp Consulting has been taking nominations for their list which includes one-hundred marketers from around the world. Based on the number of votes received, they have ranked from one to one-hundred. I ended up receiving an award and coming in as #62. Thanks to all who voted for me. I didn't even know it was taking place. They even gave me a cute little badge... aw.... Click here to see entire list of winners Continue Reading

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Twitter Stats

Posted on December 17, 2008 12:01 AM

How many people REALLY use Twitter? And what percentage of people account for most of the activity on Twitter? These are questions I posed on Twitter today. I asked "Would you say that 1% of Twitter members do 99% of the tweets?" Some answers from my followers and some of my own research has uncovered some interesting data. Continue Reading

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Creating Advertising Platforms on Your Website

Posted on December 16, 2008 08:00 AM

I believe that anyone can make money as an online publisher. I've always believed that and I've seen enough people set up websites and generate income to keep believing it. But I know there's something wrong with this picture. I'm not going to kid myself and it would be plain wrong to try to kid anyone else. Some publishers are going to have an easier time than others. Continue Reading

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Keeping it Real

Posted on December 13, 2008 02:46 PM

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

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Is Your Website An Evil-Doer?

Posted on December 13, 2008 08:00 AM

Google doesn't just have the best search engine on the Web. It doesn't just have the best contextual advertising system on the Web. Heck, it doesn't just have the best advertising system of any form of media in the world. It also has the best corporate slogan. "Do no evil" is a great attitude for any business. Continue Reading

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Mixing Up Your Content To Keep Your Traffic Flowing

Posted on December 7, 2008 08:00 AM

There are two ways to write a blog. The first is to sit at the computer and type up the first thing that comes into your head. If you have interesting ideas, fun experiences and can write well, that can certainly work. There are plenty of bloggers who make a good income writing about themselves, their lives and their families. But it isn't easy. Continue Reading

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eMillions: Behind the Scenes Stories of 14 Successful Internet Millionaires

Posted on December 5, 2008 08:33 AM

I often hear grumbling from people who tell me how hard it is to make money online. And then I see a 16-year old kid do it and think "huh... maybe not so hard after all?" That's exactly what happened with my friend, Stanley Tang. Stanley understands the power of mentors... following those who have gone before and modeled the success you want to achieve. As a result, Stanley has found success on the Internet! Continue Reading

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Photoswap

Posted on December 4, 2008 03:54 PM

Here's a new time-waster that may be fun. The application is called Photoswap. The concept is simple. Take a photo with your iPhone and send it. Photoswap will send it to a random user who is also taking a photo. They get your photo, you get theirs. Continue Reading

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The Power of your Community

Posted on December 4, 2008 08:00 AM

It happens even before your site really starts to make money. You post articles, market your content, pick up comments and find that other sites are talking about you. All of a sudden, you've moved from being one person with ideas you want to share to being the center of a community, part of a circle of online friends with a keen interest in what you have to say. Continue Reading

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Amazon on iPhone

Posted on December 3, 2008 09:14 AM

I've been a huge fan of Amazon.com since Bezos launched the site out of his garage. When the pundits said "It'll never work", I said they were clueless. Of course it will work. I spend more money on Amazon then any other online store, as do many of you. I'm also a huge fan of my iPhone and I've used it to shop at Amazon many times. I joined Amazon Prime a couple years back... Continue Reading

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Clickbank - How to Make Money with Information Products

Posted on December 3, 2008 08:45 AM

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

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The Virtual Masters Internet Marketing Seminar

Posted on December 2, 2008 12:24 AM

Did you feel it? It was just a tremor, but the effects are global. In fact, I'll say this... The world just got smaller. Alright, Joel. WHAT are you talking about? Continue Reading

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Are You Learning The Ropes?

Posted on December 1, 2008 08:00 AM

I'm fed up. I've really had enough. I've just seen it too many times. Again and again, I meet people who wonder why they aren't Internet millionaires yet. When I ask them how long they've been online, they say "Three months, and it's just not working!" It takes about ten minutes to buy a computer and another two minutes to turn it on. Continue Reading

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Can I Ask You A Question?

Posted on November 29, 2008 08:00 AM

Whenever I attend a conference I always try to listen to as many of the other speakers' talks as possible. I can't think of a single talk that hasn't taught me something. But some of the most powerful and valuable information that I've learned at conferences didn't come while sitting in front of a professional marketer. It came while sitting in the café afterwards and chatting with my students. Continue Reading

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Turning Your Audience Into A Community

Posted on November 26, 2008 08:00 AM

Life must be hard for television executives. To decide how much to charge advertisers and whether they should commission another season of a show, they have to know the size of their audience. The only method they have to do that is by using a survey. The Nielsen ratings track what television viewers watch and then, based on demographics, make certain claims about what everyone else was watching at the same time. Those figures could... Continue Reading

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Who can you trust online?

Posted on November 25, 2008 07:59 AM

I got an email from someone the other day asking me which "gurus" they should listen to. There are SO many people teaching how to make money online. How DO you know who to trust? Here's a checklist for you to help you determine the answer to this question: Continue Reading

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Keeping It Positive

Posted on November 24, 2008 08:00 AM

If you've got nothing nice to say, say nothing. It's a great rule to follow when you're offline. Online though, saying nothing just isn't an option. As an online publisher, you have to publish. You have to keep a steady stream of new content appearing on your website so that your users will keep coming back, your ads will keep appearing... and your money will keep rolling in Continue Reading

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Your Life In 140 Characters

Posted on November 15, 2008 08:00 AM

What would you say if I told you that you can boost your profits by typing just 140 characters? (That's about the length of this paragraph.) If you're smart, you might say "Which ones?" If you're really smart though, you'd say "I know." That's because the power of Twitter isn't a secret any more. CEOs are using it. Bloggers are using it. Marketers are using it. Everyone's using it (including me) and not only are... Continue Reading

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Do The Design Thing

Posted on November 13, 2008 08:00 AM

There are times when I really don't like surfing the Web. I'll toss a search phrase into Google, get a list of results that look interesting and when I click on a link... I'll get a junk page that's stuffed with ads. Back I go to Google to try again. I know, I could have clicked an ad. I could have done, but I didn't. In fact, I often won't even read the content on... Continue Reading

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Preparing for the Future

Posted on November 10, 2008 08:00 AM

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

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What Are You Doing Tomorrow?

Posted on November 6, 2008 08:00 AM

No, this isn't another invitation to a webinar. (There will be another of those along soon, don't worry.) And it's not about another live video release. (There will be another one of those soon too.) In fact, it's not about me at all. It's about you. Continue Reading

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The One Thing More Valuable Than Your Business

Posted on November 3, 2008 08:00 AM

There's a huge amount to learn when you set up an online business. You have to know how to build a website, how to bring in traffic, and how to monetize your visitors so that your site gives you an income. There are plenty of very experienced experts around who can teach people how to do all of those things. There's one thing though that no one ever has to teach a new business owner. Continue Reading

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Who Will You Talk To Today?

Posted on October 27, 2008 08:00 AM

Stuck for a blog post? Fed up writing how-tos and list posts? Want to write a piece of content that will not only be original, unique and genuinely interesting but which is almost guaranteed to deliver at least one return link from a targeted traffic source? So try Continue Reading

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The Value Of Offline Networking

Posted on October 23, 2008 08:00 AM

Online publishing has all sorts of advantages. You become your own boss, you have your own schedule, you get paid to produce content and bring in users. It's all great fun... and you can do it without leaving your house or having to cope with office politics. It's those last benefits that can look so appealing and be a little dangerous too. Social networking sites have made it so easy to chat with other people... Continue Reading

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I'm Joe the Plumber

Posted on October 22, 2008 01:02 PM

Here's a campaign ad that goes directly to the heart of this election. Who knows better how to spend YOUR money and run YOUR life? You or Government? We're at a crossroads. I pray we make the right choice. Continue Reading

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So What Do You Know?

Posted on October 20, 2008 08:00 AM

There's a reason that online publishing is profitable. It's a fantastic reason and it's one of the things that makes earning income as an online entrepreneur so enjoyable. People want to learn. They want to know how to be a better gardener, a better dad, a better soccer coach, a better entrepreneur too. Anyone who can provide that information can make some money -- and help others too. And anyone can do that. You might... Continue Reading

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The Web's Most Powerful Form Of Marketing

Posted on October 13, 2008 08:00 AM

Become an Internet publisher, and you'll need to learn a whole bunch of new marketing skills. You'll have to unwrap the mysteries of search engine optimization, figure out how to make pay-per-click advertising pay for you and get to grips with "link bait," banners and keywords to name just a few. None of it is really very difficult and all of it can be learned but for anyone just starting out, it will all be... Continue Reading

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Make money with Google AdSense

Posted on October 9, 2008 04:29 PM

Google AdSense. Over the years, I've generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in passive income with this incredible program. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who have no idea what it is all about. The fact is Google takes in $15 billion (that's Billion with a B!) dollars each year in advertising revenue. The best part is that they are sharing a portion of that revenue to people like you and... Continue Reading

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An American Carol: A Review

Posted on October 3, 2008 08:34 PM

I don't go to the movies much. I enjoy movies, I just don't enjoy the theater experience. Why pay top dollar to sit in a crowded cinema with chatty teens and people noisily crunching popcorn and nachos when I can buy or rent the DVD for less and enjoy the peacefulness and comfort of my home theatre. I choose to go to the Metrolux today in order to get a glimpse of An American Carol... Continue Reading

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Rounding Off Your Posts to Get Free Content

Posted on October 2, 2008 08:00 AM

There are two reasons that people will visit your website. They'll visit to read great content. And they'll visit to feel part of a community. There's one way in which you can add valuable content to your site, get that content for free and build up your community at the same time. By receiving comments. Continue Reading

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How Fast Should You Grow?

Posted on September 29, 2008 08:00 AM

Want to know the difference between a successful entrepreneur... and an entrepreneur who wants to be successful? It's really very simple... An entrepreneur acts. An entrepreneur who wants to be successful thinks of acting. But successful entrepreneurs don't just act. They act at the right speed. Continue Reading

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The Price -- And Value -- Of Being Controversial

Posted on September 27, 2008 08:00 AM

Recently, I wrote a post laying out what I think of multi-level marketing (MLM). I thought long and hard before I wrote that post. I knew that there would be a lot of people who wouldn't like it. I knew that some people might even stop reading my blog as result of it. And I also knew I wanted to write it. Continue Reading

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AdSense Is Only The First Step To Major Online Success

Posted on September 24, 2008 08:00 AM

It's been a long time since I optimized my first AdSense ad. Many things have changed since then. Some things have stayed the same. The principles of AdSense optimization have stayed the same. You still have to blend your ads into your site. You still have to produce good quality content. And you still have to bring in traffic to look at that content. The content itself has changed though. Videos are now an important... Continue Reading

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Are You Missing Your Blog's Growth Opportunities?

Posted on September 22, 2008 08:00 AM

I'm amazed that there are people out there -- somewhere -- who aren't making money from AdSense. It's not as though you need a doctorate in computer studies and a professorship in literature. You just need a website and an AdSense account. And ever since blogging came along, the website bit has been a breeze. It takes all of about five minutes to sign up on Blogger and it's a perfect match for AdSense. Continue Reading

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Wrath of the Lich King to release November 13th

Posted on September 15, 2008 10:25 PM

It's been two years in the making. Finally, Blizzard Entertainment has announced the long-awaited expansion pack to the world's most popular MMORPG, World of Warcraft. Wrath of the Lich King is set to hit stores on November 13th, and I expect it to be another huge best-seller. Some people are surprised to find out that I play computer games, but I like to work hard AND play hard. Those who know my story would know... Continue Reading

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When Good Users Go Bad

Posted on September 15, 2008 08:25 AM

If you were publishing a newspaper, you wouldn't care who read it. As long as the number of readers was nice and high, it wouldn't matter too much to you whether they all read one article or absorbed everything from cover to cover. That would be true even if you were publishing a free newspaper. Continue Reading

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Do You Build Traffic The Easy Way... Or The Hard Way?

Posted on September 15, 2008 08:00 AM

There are easy ways of bringing traffic to your website, and there are hard ways. Most people focus on the hard ways. They spend hours playing around with their keywords and their Search Engine Optimization. They spend vast sums on AdWords and other forms of advertising. And they send out email after email in an attempt to swap links and create exchanges. That's fair enough. It's all part of the job of being an online... Continue Reading

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Should You Give Away Your Content?

Posted on September 9, 2008 08:00 AM

It sounds like a terrible idea. You spend ages thinking up an idea for an article, doing the research and writing it out... then you give it to someone else to put on their website. They get all the ad revenue and you get... what, exactly? Well, you get a link and if the site is good that could be worth more in steady streams of traffic than Continue Reading

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Joint Ventures Build Businesses

Posted on September 6, 2008 06:00 AM

You've probably noticed that I'm often talking about seminars and conferences. That's not just because I talk at some of them. It's because I think that they're essential stepping stones to online business success. I'd like to believe that's because the information that I and other marketers provide at these seminars is more valuable than magic-encrusted gold dust. As soon as someone takes it home and applies it to their business they immediately become an... Continue Reading

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The Secret to Creating your own Serendipity

Posted on September 4, 2008 03:46 PM

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

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The Heart Kids Tweet-a-thon

Posted on September 4, 2008 10:06 AM

There's nothing better than welcoming a new child into the world and your family. Being a father of two, I can tell you that the health and welfare of your children is the utmost priority. We had a bit of a scare when our daughter was born and spent the first few days of her life wondering when she would be able to come home from the hospital. It all turned out well, but some... Continue Reading

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Click Here to Order now available

Posted on September 2, 2008 07:32 AM

Google. Amazon.com. eBay. Yahoo! MySpace. Facebook. Everyone has heard of these Internet giants. These companies have generated billions of dollars in revenue and made their founders multi-millionaires. The mainstream media talks about them religiously. But ask yourself a question... Continue Reading

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John McCain chooses Sarah Palin for running mate

Posted on August 29, 2008 10:03 AM

With all the speculation that John McCain would select Mitt Romney to be his running mate in the 2008 election, I find it rewarding to see that he has chosen far wiser. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been thrust into the limelight as McCain has selected her to be his Vice President should he be elected in November. I am very pleased with this selection for a number of reasons. Continue Reading

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iVote Mobile is a big hit

Posted on August 21, 2008 05:13 PM

I'm very excited about the first day that our new iPhone application has been live. We've had about 2000 people download and use the application already and it seems to be catching on very quickly! Here's a news release that is going to hit the wire on August 22nd in which we reveal who iPhone users would vote for if the election were held today. Check it out here --> Obama vs. McCain Want to... Continue Reading

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iVote Mobile for iPhone

Posted on August 20, 2008 03:31 PM

When Apple released the iPhone in 2007, they effectively announced "game over" to the rest of the cell phone world. With the release of the 3G and the iTunes App Store, Apple puts another nail in the coffin of wannabees who will arrive late to this party. The moment I saw the App Store, I realized that I had to begin producing applications that the installed user base of 10,000,000 iPhone users would embrace. I'm... Continue Reading

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Amtrak - The Return

Posted on August 11, 2008 11:23 AM

We had a great time in Glenwood Springs. From taking a Segway tour of the area and a day at the world's largest hot springs pool to downtime for rest & relaxation and a trip to a rain-covered Snowmass, my family and I enjoyed our brief vacation. I may put up some video once I get the chance. But I've had a lot of people curious about how the return train ride went on Amtrak... Continue Reading

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Amtrak is off the rails

Posted on August 5, 2008 08:56 PM

When it came time to plan a summer vacation with my family, Mary and I decided we would just do a local Colorado trip rather than fly somewhere. I researched places that would be within driving distance and came upon Glenwood Springs, a popular tourist destination smack dab in the middle of the Rockies. They are famous for having the world's largest Hot Springs pool and it is a beautiful location. Instead of driving, I... Continue Reading

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My appearance on Legendary Marketers

Posted on August 3, 2008 09:37 PM

Earlier this year I had the privilege of welcoming Dave Woodward to Colorado for an interview. Dave was filming a series called "Legendary Marketers" and he had asked if I would be a participant. The series would visit successful marketers at their homes (and office in my case) to give the viewers a better sense of who we are and what we do. I was thrilled at this opportunity and am even more pleased with... Continue Reading

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The Bookstores Begged Me to Wait

Posted on July 31, 2008 11:40 PM

I was all set. Today was going to be the day. I knew from the pre-orders on my new book, "Click Here to Order: Stories of the World's Most Successful Internet Marketing Entrepreneurs", that we were on the verge of making history with an instant best-seller. And then... it happened. I received a call from my publisher, David Hancock. David is not one to be given to overexcitement, but there was something in the sound... Continue Reading

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Ask Dave Taylor - Special Guest on Joel Comm LIVE!

Posted on July 23, 2008 01:57 PM

Dave Taylor has one of the most popular question & answer sites on the web. His Ask Dave Taylor site welcomes thousands of visitors every day. Dave joins me for a fun session where we discuss blogging, social networking, flying monkeys, a top ten list and unexpected technical difficulties. You'll want to watch both parts to get the whole picture. Enjoy! Continue Reading

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Twitter Experiment #1 - Are Followers Active?

Posted on July 19, 2008 11:17 PM

While attending an Internet marketing conference in Chicago, I spent a lot of time networking with my peers. As I sat at the dinner table last night, I noticed that a bunch of us were twittering on our handhelds. Simon Leung, Donna Fox, Eric Farewell, Anik Singal and several others had their PDAs or phone out and were twittering away... sometimes to each other other, even though they were sitting across the table from each... Continue Reading

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iPhone 2.0 Release Crashes iTunes!

Posted on July 11, 2008 08:55 AM

The long-awaited day has arrived. Not only is Apple releasing the brand new iPhone 3G phone, which promises to do everything but do your dishes, but they are also releasing the new iPhone 2.0 firmware which promises to bring new functionality to current iPhone hardware. I woke up early today and plugged in my iPhone to find that the 2.0 update had rolled out to my area. I told iTunes to download v2.0, backup my... Continue Reading

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Click Here to Order

Posted on July 9, 2008 02:43 PM

Do you know which Internet marketer used to be a vacuum cleaner salesman? Which one was a car salesman? Who was a youth pastor in their previous vocation? What was the first spam email? Who wrote the first ebook that taught people how to make money online? These and many more questions are answered in my new book, Click Here to Order: Stories of the World's Most Successful Internet Marketing Entrepreneuers. Continue Reading

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The Top Affiliate Challenge - In Defense of Thor Schrock

Posted on July 6, 2008 09:11 AM

Thor Schrock is catching a lot of heat over his online reality program, The Top Affiliate Challenge. I remember when Thor first told me about his idea for the show. I encouraged him to do it, but I warned him that it would take a miracle to pull off a quality show on a daily basis. When Eric and I produced The Next Internet Millionaire, we filmed for two weeks straight and had a two-week... Continue Reading

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Sterling Valentine picks up his guitar and sings

Posted on July 6, 2008 12:00 AM

I was in San Francisco last week and I had a great opportunity to visit with Sterling Valentine. Sterling is an former DJ who has become a great friend. And on this trip I also discovered that Sterling is a man of many talents. He is a singer/songwriter. So I asked him to pick up his guitar and play for me. He did. Here's a portion of Sterling singing "Someday". Oh, and somehow he got... Continue Reading

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How to Build a Web Site Quickly

Posted on June 17, 2008 08:20 AM

Question: What is the one of the biggest obstacles that people have to creating an online business? Answer: Building a web site! I have a confession to make. I am NOT an expert at building websites. In fact, I hire out all website design and creation. I am just not good at it. But what if you can't afford to pay someone to do it? Continue Reading

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The Truth About Making Money Online

Posted on June 16, 2008 12:30 AM

I've been frustrated lately. Here's the thing... As you know, I speak at a number of conferences. At these conferences, I teach people how to make money online and many of them purchase one of my products to help them build their online business. I know that what I teach works and that the products I offer have value. I know this because I receive testimonials from people all the time. But its the ones... Continue Reading

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The Sydney Opera House and Edward Scissorhands

Posted on June 11, 2008 12:46 AM

I need to back up a bit because I left out Sunday from my journal. On Sunday, I spoke at Chris Howard's "Ultimate Wealth Symposium" on the grounds of the Sydney Olympic Park. I had a fantastic time sharing my story with 800 or so people. I've got to say, the Aussies are a bit difficult to get moving, but I think everyone had a good time and learned a thing or two. I also... Continue Reading

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A Trip to the Blue Mountains

Posted on June 9, 2008 01:35 PM

We hopped a tour bus to the Blue Mountains on Monday. It was the Queen's Birthday, so the country was on holiday and the traffic was light. It was actually a small passenger van and there was only nine of us along with the driver. He was a very knowledgable and entertaining native who made the trip better by his presence. We stopped at a Wildlife Park, learned to toss a boomarang, toured the Blue... Continue Reading

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On our way to Australia

Posted on June 3, 2008 09:24 PM

It's been a long time coming. I've been asked to speak in Australia several times over the past couple years, but the timing just hasn't worked out for one reason or another. On Sunday, I will be speaking at a major event in Sydney, and I've decided to bring my lovely bride with me. Mary and I are currently in the International Business Lounge at LAX. It's still a few hours until we head to... Continue Reading

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Book Expo America 2008

Posted on May 31, 2008 12:56 AM

I'm currently in Los Angeles for the annual Book Expo America, otherwise known as BEA. Why BEA? I have a book coming out on August 1st and I showed up to support my publisher and do some networking. Now I must confess. I am a trade show junkie. I love the vast conference centers with aisles and aisles of vendors hawking their goods and services. I'm especially a sucker for the freebies and swag. It's... Continue Reading

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It Never Hurts to Ask

Posted on May 25, 2008 12:57 PM

There are people who get things in life and there are those who don't, What's the difference? I find that those who get things and make more things happen are unafraid to ask for them. Whether we are talking about making the sale, getting a complimentary upgrade on an airline or getting a date, I find that there is an axiom that rings true across the board... "It never hurts to ask!" Continue Reading

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Colorado Tornado Comes Near My Offices

Posted on May 23, 2008 12:37 PM

Around noon on May 22, 2008, I was at Denver International Airport waiting for a plane to Dallas. My phone rang and it was my daughter calling from her school to tell me that Loveland and northern Colorado was under a tornado warning. Apparantly a tornado had been spotted and they had the students go to the safest place in the building. A tornado? On the front range? I spent 21 years of my life... Continue Reading

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The Seven Keys of the Top One Percent

Posted on May 20, 2008 01:23 AM

What is it that makes successful people stand out from the crowd? Or perhaps I should ask the question this way... What are the things that successful people DO that everyone else does not do? I believe we are all dealt a hand in life. On very rare occassion that hand is stacked with a full house, but in most cases we're fortunate if we are dealt a pair of twos. And whether or not... Continue Reading

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The Impact Factor

Posted on May 13, 2008 12:08 AM

Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting a gentleman who I have sinced dubbed "The nicest guy in Internet marketing." His name is Ken McArthur and he is the chief architect behind the highly successful JV Alert Live conferences. You see, Ken is incredibly successful because he continually pours himself into the lives of those around him. Whether it launching careers of other marketers or freely sharing his knowledge and expertise with anyone... Continue Reading

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Rob and Small Invade My Show

Posted on May 7, 2008 01:45 PM

I am out of town today, so I asked The Graphic Mavericks to host my show. Rob and Danny thrashed my set and talked about internet marketing, movies, and a whole lot more. Continue Reading

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To Goatee or Not to Goatee

Posted on May 3, 2008 12:40 AM

I came into the world without a goatee and mustache. Surprise, surprise. But sometime after I got married, I decided to give the goatee and mustache a try. It must have been around 1992, I believe. As it turned out, my wife really liked it. So I decided to keep it, rarely shaving it off over the years only to grow it back again. But times have changed... Continue Reading

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The Blog Classroom 2008

Posted on April 30, 2008 01:23 AM

I've been blogging since 2003. That seems like an eternity in Internet years! If you aren't blogging yet, you are missing out on a KEY component of your Internet business and online presence. The thing is, many people are totally and completely intimidated by the thought of blogging. You may even be reading this and thinking, "I'm too embarrassed to tell Joel that I don't even know what a blog is!" Don't sweat it. You... Continue Reading

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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Posted on April 29, 2008 10:54 PM

When Mike Filsaime visited last week, he suggested that I get a the DVD documentary, "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters". It is the story of a the men who are completely dedicated to owning the world record for the highest score in the videogame, Donkey Kong. Yes, you heard me correctly. There are people who obsess about having the high score for a videogame. After all, there is an entry in the... Continue Reading

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Outsource Secrets Revealed

Posted on April 28, 2008 12:51 AM

I'm going to let you in on a little secret... I can't write computer code. It's true... I can't code my way out of a paper bag. Well, maybe that's not a big surprise, but here's another secret... I can't do graphic design. That is, unless you count stick figures. I can draw those. May I tell you another secret? Continue Reading

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I Hurt My Back

Posted on April 27, 2008 10:38 AM

I was helping my wife clean out the closet yesterday and I've got a feeling I didn't pick up a box correctly. Yesterday afternoon, my lower back began hurting... all the way down at the base of my spine. I tried heat. I tried ointment. I tried advil. I managed to sleep through the night without any trouble, but man am I hurting today! Continue Reading

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Where's Your Wow?

Posted on April 25, 2008 11:21 AM

Everyone has heard of Chicken Soup for the Soul and the zillion titles that were derived from this massive best-seller. What you don't know is that I am friends with the man who helped make that series so huge! His name is Rick Frishman and he knows a few things about getting attention. ;-) Rick has just released a new book of his own called "Where's Your Wow?" that reveals 16 ways to make your... Continue Reading

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Working From Home

Posted on April 21, 2008 01:34 AM

By now, you may have heard of Ewen Chia. Ewen is one of the world's most successful Internet marketers, and for very good reason. He's just released a new report called "Working from Home: Three Quick and Easy Ways to Make Money From Home on the Internet." It's worth a download and I believe Ewen has some additional tools available for those who download the report. Working from Home report Continue Reading

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Ben Stein is Expelled

Posted on April 19, 2008 11:16 PM

I remember seeing Ben Stein for the first time in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Who could forget the monotone deadpan teacher repeating "anyone... anyone... Bueller... Bueller". And then there was "Win Ben Stein's Money", a campy television quiz show that demonstrated Ben's ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best of them. I sure would have liked to have seen him go up against Ken Jennings. As a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a... Continue Reading

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Shopzilla Secrets

Posted on April 13, 2008 11:04 PM

Shopzilla is one of the largest online shopping sites. You've probably used them before for their price comparison tool. Recently, Shopzilla has been beta-testing a contextual ad program that would allow site publishers to place Shopzilla ads on their pages and get paid every time someone clicked on an ad, in the same vein as AdSense. I'm impressed with their program and I decided to research them further. My research led me to write a... Continue Reading

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Speed PPC

Posted on April 10, 2008 12:53 AM

Can I be honest with you? I have written the first few lines of this entry several times and I just can't seem to find the words to tell you what I want to tell you today. The fact is... I'm so freakin' excited about something I just came across that I couldn't wait to share it with you! Continue Reading

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Virtual Smart Agent

Posted on April 9, 2008 12:58 AM

While I'm still enjoying my family vacation here in Hawaii, I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a ground-breaking new tool that is guaranteed to increase your sales. Part of the reason I am able to enjoy vacations like this is because I've leveraged technology and employees to keep my business running, even when I'm away from it. Most people understand the concept of hiring employees, but many people don't understand... Continue Reading

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Mini Kiss Live

Posted on April 5, 2008 02:06 AM

Who would have thought the rock band KISS would have survived for decades? I remember when Rock n Roll All Nite came out. I was just a young teen. And yet, all these years later, KISS has endured. It only makes sense that there would be KISS cover bands. Why not, right? Grab your instruments, throw on some makeup, act like you are anti-establishment and find a guitar player with an exceptionally long tongue to... Continue Reading

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Author and Grow Rich

Posted on April 5, 2008 12:55 AM

It was fall of 2005 when I was scheduled to speak at Robert Puddy's Focus 4 the Future Internet marketing conference. It was the first time I had spoken at an event and I was on a roster with Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose and Craig Perrine. Yes, I was nervous. But why should I be? My AdSense ebook was a huge success and my name had begun to spread in the Internet marketing community. The... Continue Reading

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Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar 4

Posted on April 3, 2008 01:19 PM

In March of 2006 I attended Yanik Silver's Internet Marketing Underground seminar in Washinton, DC. It was a life-changing date with destiny, for it was there that I met my future JV Partner, Eric Holmlund. I was also impressed by the high caliber of people who attended this seminar. It seemed that there was an awful lot of success in the room filled with over 300 people. Two years later and Yanik does not disappoint... Continue Reading

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Skyguy the Bag Handler

Posted on March 31, 2008 09:56 PM

There are those who start at the bottom of a company with the aspiration to rise to the top, and there are those for whom the words upwardly mobile do not apply. I encountered Mr. Latter attending to the United Skycap station in LAX today. My associates and I bring our bags to the guy and we go through the regular procedure. "What is your destination?", "Show me your identification" and "How many bags will... Continue Reading

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When Good Users Go Bad

Posted on March 31, 2008 12:59 AM

If you were publishing a newspaper, you wouldn't care who read it. As long as the number of readers was nice and high, it wouldn't matter too much to you whether they all read one article or absorbed everything from cover to cover. That would be true even if you were publishing a free newspaper. You'd just want know how many people your publication reaches so that you can charge advertisers the right price. Online... Continue Reading

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Flying the Friendly Skies

Posted on March 29, 2008 09:36 AM

I'm not a big fan of the major airlines. In fact I have written several entries that demonstrated poor customer service by United and American. However, I had a uniquely good experience on United a couple days ago and wanted to share it with you. I was traveling to Los Angeles with Joel Ownby and Tim Prince, en route to Yanik Silver's Internet Underground conference in Los Angeles. The three of us board the 737... Continue Reading

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Product Launch Formula 2.0 from Jeff Walker

Posted on March 27, 2008 10:43 AM

Be careful... If you don't add the right amount of each ingredient, you could ruin the entire meal. Easy now... If you mix those chemicals incorrectly, it could be explosive. Watch it... If the calculations aren't perfect, the shuttle may never make it off the launching pad. Many things in life demand precision. There are some absolutes that do not allow for the least bit of give. One wrong step and the greatest ideas can... Continue Reading

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Leaders are Readers

Posted on March 24, 2008 01:54 AM

I've got a pretty colorful past. I got my first job when I was fourteen-years old, working behind the counter of a fast-food restaurant at Northbrook Court shopping mall in Northbrook, Illinois. After all, I needed to save up money to buy a TRS-80 Model I computer from Radio Shack! Once I acquired my driver's license, I worked in the health & beauty department at Venture. Yes, I was a stockboy. At the age of... Continue Reading

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Get a Free Google AdSense Sticker

Posted on March 20, 2008 03:19 PM

Just got a fun email from the Google AdSense team. They have printed up a batch of AdSense stickers and are offering them for free. All you need to do is send a self-addressed stamped envelope to them and they will drop a sticker or two in it for you. AdSense has been good to me, so I'll probably find a good place to put my sticker. Would it be sacrilege to deface my Macbook... Continue Reading

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Political Talk

Posted on March 18, 2008 12:27 PM

Here we are knee-deep in the political season. Who will be the next President of the United States? Regardless of the results, you can rest assured that the political discourse will not cease. I used to spend a good deal of time discussing politics online. But I had a hard time finding sites where people would not flame each other. Continue Reading

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The Closed Door Sessions

Posted on March 18, 2008 02:44 AM

Behind closed doors. It's terminology that says "you weren't invited and you'll never know what was said." That's too bad, because some of the biggest secrets are spilled behind closed doors. No one likes to be shut out, but that is precisely what happened to me. Continue Reading

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The Four Letter Word

Posted on March 10, 2008 01:32 AM

I'm about to share a hard truth with you. I hope you are sitting down, cause here we go... Most of the people reading this newsletter will never make money online. Ouch. Sure, read it again. You heard me right. Now before you go questioning me, calling me insensitive or flat out cursing me out, let me say this... Continue Reading

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My Best Day Ever

Posted on March 7, 2008 05:30 AM

Wow, what an incredible day! Wait until you hear this. I thought it was going to be a day like every other day. But you never know what kind of curve balls life is going to toss your way. Here's how it started... First of all I wake up and find this email in my box from a producer at a MAJOR cable network ... "Congratulations on your show, 'The Next Internet Millionaire.' We've reviewed... Continue Reading

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One in Seventy-One Million

Posted on March 4, 2008 03:58 AM

Do you ever go to Google to search for your name? A search for David results in 719,000,000 web pages. Zoiks! A search for Brenda presents 31,500,000 results. And search for Fred will get you 120,000,000 results, including a stock chart for Fred's, Inc, whoever that is. Last year, I Googled my name to see where I came up in the results. Continue Reading

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How NOT to Propose a Joint Venture

Posted on March 2, 2008 08:11 PM

I regularly receive joint venture proposals from people. A small percentage of them have some really good ideas and products, but the majority of them are not good at all. Today I received an email from a couple gentlemen in Australia. I hope the email and my response will be instructive for the recipients and for others as they seek to do joint ventures. Continue Reading

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Web Traffic Machines

Posted on February 29, 2008 12:57 AM

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

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Affiliate Summit West 2008 - A Meeting of the Minds

Posted on February 26, 2008 11:22 PM

I've just spent an incredible three days in Las Vegas at the Affiliate Summit. This gathering of nearly 3000 people was one of the largest concentrations of affiliate marketers in history. While I did enjoy some of the workshops, the greatest benefit was from networking with others in the industry. I finally got to meet famous bloggers such as Amit Mehta, John Chow, Andrew Wee and Zac Johnson, just to name a few. All these... Continue Reading

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Jason Calacanis Insults Affiliate Summit Attendees, Says They Pollute The Internet

Posted on February 25, 2008 05:54 PM

I've been wanting to meet Jason Calacanis face-to-face for some time. For those that don't know, Jason is the co-creator of Weblogs, Inc., which was sold to AOL for $25 million. I'm at Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas where Jason Calacanis delivered the keynote address this morning. I really didn't know anything about Jason as a person, so I was looking forward to an insightful talk with fresh ideas. Wow, was I in for a... Continue Reading

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Feed Me Seymour!

Posted on February 23, 2008 12:47 AM

What are people talking about when they talk about RSS feeds? Let me make it simple. In fact, let me make it REAL simple. RSS stands for "really simple syndication". Basically, it is a format for distributing and gathering content from various sources across the web. This can include newspapers, magazines and ablogs. Using something called a "news reader", you can monitor headlines and summaries from many of your favorite sources without having to go... Continue Reading

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Why Doesn't Your Doctor Know This?

Posted on February 22, 2008 12:10 AM

Admit it. You are passionate. Oh, I don't know what you are passionate about. But I guarantee that you are passionate about SOMETHING! You may be crazy about parakeets. Or perhaps you know more about bonzai trees than anyone on the block. Maybe you are one of the world's leading experts on Mt. Everest. Or it could be that you make the best french silk pie in the hemisphere! The point is that everyone is... Continue Reading

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Another Satisfied Customer

Posted on February 21, 2008 12:33 AM

A few months back, I launched this groundbreaking Internet marketing course to the world... The Secret Classroom ... and the feedback has been fantastic! I regularly receive emails from people telling me what an impact this course has had on their online business. I wanted to take a moment today and share one of these emails with you. I think it says way more about the value of The Secret Classroom than I could ever... Continue Reading

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Tax Benefits of Running a Home-Based Business

Posted on February 20, 2008 01:54 AM

I get a lot of questions from people who are eager to start Home-Based Businesses. They wonder if they can afford office equipment, pay for outsourcing, purchase expensive courses, and go to Internet Marketing Seminars. What many people don't realize is that having your own home-based business offers many tax advantages that will really help you with these expenses. Whether you're joining a Network Marketing Company, starting a commercial website or plan on being a... Continue Reading

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How to Use Facebook

Posted on February 18, 2008 10:13 AM

I am finding Facebook to be a great tool for networking and connecting with people. Since I started using last fall, I have connected with old friends, family members, new associates and some pretty big names. With Facebook, you can make contact with people who might otherwise be very difficult to reach. I've added over 1000 friends, started a handful of groups and have discovered how to post items so others can see what I... Continue Reading

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Wrath of the Lich King

Posted on February 16, 2008 11:58 PM

World of Warcraft has now occupied a part of my life for three years. No, I am not one of those people that plays hours each day, let alone every day. But I do enjoy the game and am eagerly anticipating the next expansion set titled "Wrath of the Lich King". Apparantly I am not alone. There are now over 9,000,000 people around the world who play World of Warcraft. Continue Reading

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Niche Marketing Strategy - Finding a Niche You Can Scratch

Posted on February 15, 2008 01:20 PM

There is a lot of talk about niche marketing strategies. What are the things that smart marketers do to get their site listed high on the search engines? Well, things online have changed dramatically since I got started in 1995. Back then you could register killer domains for a song and be the first kid on the block to have a site established in a major niche. But as the years have passed, certain sites... Continue Reading

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Working from Home

Posted on February 13, 2008 09:59 AM

I consider myself a fortunate person. Every day, I sit in a beautiful office, surrounded by great people and look out of my window towards a fantastic view of the Rockies. I think it's a great thing. Not everyone agrees with me. I know that lots of people want something different. They want to work from home. Continue Reading

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Frank Kern Poked Me in the Eye

Posted on February 1, 2008 04:27 AM

I grew up watching The Three Stooges. There was nothing better than watching Moe, Larry and Curly do their schtick. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk, and woob woob woob woob... absolutely classic. I apologize to those of you who have no idea what I am talking about. Go buy a Three Stooges DVD and enjoy. One of the Stooges' greatest comic routines was little more than a poke in the eye. Continue Reading

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Can You Digg It

Posted on January 29, 2008 11:05 AM

Psst... want to know a way to get tons of free users to your website instantly? And when I say tons, I mean the sort of numbers that will crash your servers, send your page views spiking through the roof and make you dizzy when you look at your AdSense stats. Here's how to do it... Just get your Web page on the front page of Digg.com. I didn't say it was an easy way... Continue Reading

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WhyPark? Because it makes sense.

Posted on January 28, 2008 09:29 AM

I wish I had thought of this. It's so simple, yet it's brilliant. If you are like me, you own a few domains. Ok, you may own a LOT of domains. I own approximately 400 domain names. The problem is that most of the those domains do not have a web site on them. They are "parked" pages. Continue Reading

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Sculpture in the Park

Posted on January 27, 2008 10:39 PM

The Benson Sculpture Garden is one of Loveland's most unique attractions. Placed in a beautiful outdoor settings with trees, ponds and bridges, this garden contains over 110 original sculptures from a number of artists. On nice days (which are frequent), you will find people strolling through the park, walking their dog, holding hands or interacting with some of the more interesting pieces. Continue Reading

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New Promotional Video

Posted on January 25, 2008 10:50 PM

Over the past few years, I've spoken at a number of Internet marketing conferences. I've lost track of all the places I've been and have a hard time recalling all the faces I've seen. But the truth is that I love public speaking. It gives me an opportunity to share my enthusiasm for making money online and the freedom that owning an Internet-based business can bring. I've put this new video together as a promotional... Continue Reading

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Coming Attractions

Posted on January 25, 2008 05:46 AM

I've had several people ask me what I'm going to be up to in 2008. I'm very excited, because this is going to be a breakthrough year for many people who will increase their online revenue. AND, I am excited because I am going to be doing several things that have never been done before! That's kind of a mantra with me. I don't like to do what everyone else is doing. You have to... Continue Reading

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Internet Marketing Explained

Posted on January 22, 2008 11:05 PM

In November of 2005, I went to Armand Morin's Big Seminar for the first time. My eyes were opened to brand new possibilities, and I can say without reservation that it was one of the most significant events of my life. Since that time I have gotten to know Armand as a friend and a mentor. I've been a guest speaker at Big Seminar, he has been a guest teacher on The Next Internet Millionaire... Continue Reading

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The Blog Strikes Again!

Posted on January 21, 2008 01:17 AM

Yesterday, I blogged about my experiences with American Airlines Aadvantage desk in regards to a change I needed to make with a ticket. Thanks to everyone who empathized with my plight. It appears I am nowhere near alone. Apparantly, Google is showing me some love. Check this out. Continue Reading

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American Airlines Customer Service Complaint

Posted on January 20, 2008 12:32 AM

Does American Airlines have good customer service? Once again, I find myself on the "I can't believe this is happening" end of a telephone conversation with a customer service rep. Here's the story. I had booked a flight using reward miles to fly someone from Dallas to Denver in a couple weeks. As it turns out, he is going to drive here a few days early and won't require the initial leg of the flight... Continue Reading

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The View from Here

Posted on January 19, 2008 12:56 AM

Have I mentioned that I love living in Colorado? Yes, I guess I probably have. I finally got around to resizing some photos that I have taken with my iphone since we moved here last year. Continue Reading

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What in the World is Joel Playing?

Posted on January 15, 2008 08:06 AM

I make no secret of it. I am a 43-year old man who loves playing computer and video games. And why not? I was a teenage when Space Invaders, Asteroids and Centipede took over the arcades. I was sixteen when I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. It was great for primitive gaming. And I've got a great collection of old computer software in a special room in my basement. Perhaps I'll do a video... Continue Reading

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Fear of falling... or failing?

Posted on January 7, 2008 12:18 AM

I've been paying close attention to customer service wherever I go these days. In my business, I tell my support team to go the extra mile when assisting customers. I believe this pays off big time in the long run. But I am amazed at how many businesses do not pay attention to the simplest of customer service details. In the past few days, I have made observations at Best Buy, Gamestop, Qdoba and... my... Continue Reading

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2008 Internet Marketing New Years Resolutions

Posted on January 1, 2008 11:15 AM

Happy New Year! It's officially 2008, and you know what that means. It means I'll probably mess up a bunch of checks by writing 2007 as I get used to the idea of the new number! But it also means the holidays are over. Time to get back to work. It's a good thing I enjoy my work! How about you? Maybe you've bought revenue-generating training material and software but you aren't using it. Is... Continue Reading

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How to Prepare for 2008

Posted on December 31, 2007 12:34 AM

Well, here we are on the brink of another New Year. I've recapped the highlights of 2007 on my blog As we enter 2008, I am more committed than ever to provide you with the best content... the best books... the best software... the best reviews... the best sites for making money online... the best of everything! 2007 was a groundbreaking year in many respects, but 2008 is shaping up to be even bigger. I... Continue Reading

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2007 - The Year in Review

Posted on December 29, 2007 07:05 AM

I'm at Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, getting ready to make the trek home to Colorado after a week of visiting with family and friends. I've had some time to reflect on the year and would like to take a stroll down memory lane. The year started with a crazy idea. I knew that others had dabbled with the idea of doing an Internet reality show, but no one had really taken the concept... Continue Reading

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Where do you want to go in 2008?

Posted on December 19, 2007 12:36 AM

With 2007 almost gone and 2008 on the way, I am doing quite a bit of reflecting on where I've been, where I am going, and how I can best serve you in the upcoming year. So this is going to be an interactive newsletter, because I am counting on you to tell me what you would like to accomplish in 2008, and perhaps give me an indication of how I can best help you... Continue Reading

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Instant Forums with Vumpost

Posted on December 18, 2007 10:35 PM

I'm a huge fan of developing online communities for revenue generation. The wonderful thing about community sites is that the members create the content for you. However, it can sometimes be tricky to kickstart your forums in order to get people posting. If you launch forums and people visit only to find that there is no activity, odds are they aren't going to register, post or return. This is the primary reason most forums don't... Continue Reading

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The Art of the Joint Venture

Posted on December 10, 2007 11:56 AM

I don't know where I'd be without joint ventures. I'd still have my AdSense income, which is nice, but I'd certainly be a lot poorer. I'd have fewer friends. And the people who acted on my recommendations would be a lot worse off too. Joint ventures are a vital part of my business. They should be a vital part of yours too. I still say that the best place to find joint venture opportunities is... Continue Reading

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The Secret Classroom is now available!

Posted on December 5, 2007 10:00 AM

The day has arrived! I don't think there has ever been such excitement over one of my product launches, and I am excited to say that the excitement really has nothing to do with me! Instead, this product is all about YOU, and the opportunity you now have to receive the Internet marketing education that can last a lifetime. The Secret Classroom It's not an ebook that overpromises and underdelivers. It's not a software tool... Continue Reading

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JV Alert Live in Orlando

Posted on December 3, 2007 12:12 AM

You've heard this phrase a thousand times. "It's not what you know, it's WHO you know." Do you believe it? It's true! At the age of 17 I got a dream job at the local computer and video store... ... because I knew the owner. At the age of 20 I got a summer job at an advertising agency and learned a ton... ... because my mother worked there. At the age of 24 I... Continue Reading

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Rich Schefren's Attention Age Doctrine Part Two

Posted on November 28, 2007 12:00 PM

Rich Schefren has JUST released a brand new FREE report called... "The Attention Age Doctrine: Part II" When Rich talks, people who want to succeed online listen. It's that simple. There is nothing to buy. No sales pitch. Just PURE content straight from the mind of the coach to the Internet superstars! Download your copy now... read it... apply it... and get an edge over your competition. Download now! Continue Reading

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Body Alive from Tony Little

Posted on November 27, 2007 12:50 PM

A few months ago I wrote an article discussing why I dislike network marketing. One of the main reasons is because many organizations suggest that you recruit your family and friends to join you in your quest to get rich. Bah. I just don't like that. BUT, as I mentioned on my blog, the Internet now affords an opportunity to get involved in network marketing without having to sell to your "warm" market. Continue Reading

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Black Friday Shopping Deals

Posted on November 22, 2007 08:55 PM

I don't know about you, but I am still stuffed from the Thanksgiving meal! Anyhow, today is Black Friday. It's not a holiday, but with all the crazy shopping, you would think it is. You know how I always talk about building sites that interest you? Well, back in 1999 I was big into saving money online with coupon codes. Continue Reading

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The Winner of The Next Internet Millionaire is...

Posted on November 21, 2007 05:11 PM

The finale of "The Next Internet Millionaire" reality show is now online... ... and we have a winner! Charles Trippy and Jaime Luchuck are the two finalists in the world's first competitive Internet reality show, vying for a $25,000 cash prize and the title "The Next Internet Millionaire." Who won? Continue Reading

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It's Where You Click That Counts

Posted on November 14, 2007 11:49 PM

Google is continually looking for ways to put the kabosh on click fraud. It is important that they protect the rights of their advertisers by making sure each click is an intentional click. That is, they want to be certain that the person clicking the ad is doing so deliberatel. Otherwise, the advertiser is paying for a visit that is not purposeful. So it has recently leaked out from a number of blogs that Google... Continue Reading

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Success in 12 Weeks

Posted on November 12, 2007 10:55 AM

Do REAL people make money online? Well, I consider myself real people! Let's face it, before I became known for my AdSense ebook, I was just another anonymous Internet entrepreneur. It's true! Now my success story may seem out of reach... ... but it's not. No way. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it. Trust me. I know myself and am still amazed that people consider me an Internet "celebrity." Continue Reading

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Viral Video Fever with Charles Trippy

Posted on November 8, 2007 10:13 AM

If you aren't doing video.. ... do I really need to finish this statement? Ok, I will. If you aren't doing video, you are missing out on one of simplest and sure-fire opportunties to promote your website, business, yourself and your services. Missing out. Those who keep an eye on hot trends know that video is it! This is why I want to you to RUN, don't walk, to the site I am going to... Continue Reading

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Google Pagerank Shakeup

Posted on October 25, 2007 12:13 AM

The blogging world is cursing the big "G" and scratching their heads as their Google pagerank has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Not unlike a stock market tumble, this change caught everyone off guard and has left many bloggers and content-based sites wondering what they did wrong. The pagerank algorithm has been a supposed indicator of the authority and value that Google has placed on a web page. On a scale of zero... Continue Reading

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World Series Tickets - Colorado Rockies versus Boston Red Sox

Posted on October 24, 2007 12:34 AM

I'm not a big sports fan. I used to watch a lot of baseball when I was a kid. And I watched a good bit of football in college. But as an adult, I just haven't made much time for sports. Continue Reading

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Doh! I've Been Simpsonized!

Posted on October 16, 2007 12:21 AM

I use Google Alerts to let me know when someone is writing about me or one of my web sites. It's a great way to keep tabs on you or your brand. Anyhow, I got an alert today and discovered that one of my AdSenseChat.com members had written a blog entry about me. It's always interesting to see what other people think. It's actually pretty amazing to hear another perspective, especially from people who don't... Continue Reading

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Are You a Developer or a Flipper?

Posted on October 10, 2007 11:52 AM

A few years ago, making money on the Internet was a breeze. All you had to do was open the dictionary, register each of the words you saw on the page as dotcoms and sell them to someone in California for the price of a South American country's national debt. It doesn't quite work that way any more. These days, domain name buyers want to see figures. They want to know how much traffic a... Continue Reading

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The Mark of a True Entrepreneur

Posted on September 24, 2007 09:08 PM

Are you an entrepreneur? From Dictionary.com, an entrepreneur is "a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk." Considerable initiative and risk. Because of this, entrepreneurs expect to win some and lose some. But one thing an entrepreneur will never do is stop trying. Continue Reading

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Episode 5 - Michael Koenigs and Online Video

Posted on September 23, 2007 10:53 AM

Episode 5 of The Next Internet Millionaire is now online. Watch Now! In this episode, the contestants face an individual immunity challenge that puts their writing skills and creativty to the test. A special appearance from online video expert, Michael Koenigs, provides the remaining eight with insight into how to leverage video to build their business. And an execution challenge that involves filming a 60-second commercial is entertaining and educational. Who will win? Who will... Continue Reading

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Kid Nation

Posted on September 19, 2007 06:49 AM

It's one thing to have consenting adults eat worms on a reality show. It's a totally different story when children are being exploited for entertainment. And that is exactly what is taking place with Kid Nation, CBS television's much-hyped reality show. Continue Reading

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Why I Don't Like Multi-Level Marketing

Posted on September 11, 2007 12:46 PM

I know I am opening myself up to criticism for this post, but it's been on my mind and I really just want to put it out there. I dislike the way multi-level marketing has been done by many companies. I don't dislike multi-level marketers, mind you (well, most of them anyway). I just think that business model has proven destructive to many individuals and families. Continue Reading

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How to Get Paid to Attend Conferences

Posted on September 8, 2007 12:01 AM

If there's one thing I keep saying time and time again, it's that anyone who wants to make lots of money online needs to go to conferences. And every time I say it, I see some people looking back at me with blank faces. I understand. Conferences cost money. If you're just starting out, it can feel like they cost a lot of money. And if you've never been to a business conference before, it... Continue Reading

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The Next Internet Millionaire Episode Three

Posted on September 5, 2007 03:32 PM

What do poker, real estate and product launches have in common? Find out in episode 3 of "The Next Internet Millionaire", now available online! Last week found Laura and Steve joining Carly and Debbie in the"sandbox." This week, all four sandboxed contestants will have an opportunity to get back in the game. Will they succeed or fail? Continue Reading

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Facebook - Facebook - Facebook

Posted on September 4, 2007 04:05 PM

Facebook. The first time I heard about this site had to be over a year ago. I was told it was a social networking site for college students, so I didn't give it much of a look. After all, I've been out of college for many years. (I won't tell you how many!) But about a month or so ago I started receiving invitations to use facebook from some friends and associates of mine. Hmmm... Continue Reading

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iPhone Review

Posted on September 1, 2007 12:34 AM

I did it. I bit the bullet and picked up an iPhone. I've been a faithful Treo 650 user for two years, but the buzz regarding Apple's new device won me over. So I ponied up $599 + shipping and tax to get one of these puppies in my hands, though I was unsure of what I would find once I actually got to try it out for myself. I may now render the verdict... Continue Reading

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The First Step to Success

Posted on August 23, 2007 12:57 PM

I've been doing a lot of radio interviews lately. The media is very interested in The Next Internet Millionaire and I feel like I am spending hours on the phone! Well, I just got off the phone for a radio interview and was asked what is the first thing that anyone who wants to create an Internet business should do. My answer came with great clarity and without hesitation... Continue Reading

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How to JV with Joel

Posted on August 21, 2007 11:02 AM

Everyday I receive emails from people telling me that they have the best product since sliced bread, and asking me to do a joint venture with them. It is physically impossible for me to promote every product that comes my way. In fact, I am becoming more and more selective, making sure that I only share products with my customers if there is great value. Honestly, you wouldn't want to see a lot of the... Continue Reading

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Turning Long Posts Into Lots of Money

Posted on August 13, 2007 07:08 AM

I like to keep things short. I know that you're busy. I know that you've got a million things to do today. And I know that if you're reading this, you're not building your online publishing business. So I don't want to take up too much of your time. That's why I tend to keep my posts brief and to the point. In general, my philosophy is that if I can't say what I want... Continue Reading

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Win an Autographed Copy of The AdSense Code

Posted on August 10, 2007 12:21 AM

May I get your opinion please? I am giving away a FREE autographed copy of my book, The AdSense Code, to one person who will give me feedback on a one-minute video I have created. This will literally take just a couple minutes. Continue Reading

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Travels with Sheila Webinar Replay

Posted on August 8, 2007 02:10 AM

Did you miss it? A couple weeks ago, I did an exclusive webinar with one of the world's most traveled women. She is a grandmother who has been in almost every country and knows how to travel on a budget. She has camped at the base of Mt. Everest, rode camels through the desert, interacted with the gorillas of Africa and gotten lost in Siberia. Continue Reading

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History in the Making

Posted on August 7, 2007 03:07 PM

It's history in the making... ... and you will be able to say that you were there! For several months, I have told you I was very serious about producing the world's first competitive Internet reality show. Sure, there were those who questioned what this would actually be. Continue Reading

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On the Set of The Next Internet Millionaire

Posted on July 24, 2007 04:48 PM

This is big. No, seriously. This is REAL Big! I am on the set of The Next Internet Millionaire, where I am currently in between scenes... thought it would be a great opportunity to tell you what's going on. Well, as much as I CAN tell you :-) Continue Reading

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The Most Enjoyable Way to Win Traffic

Posted on July 23, 2007 12:26 AM

There are lots of things to enjoy as an online publisher. There's the thrill of creating content. The pleasure of meeting friends at conferences. The sheer freedom of being your own boss and setting your own schedule. And then there's publicity. That's a whole other world of fun. Not every online publisher uses publicity to drive traffic to their website. Some think it's a bit like a lottery. You'll send out hundreds of press releases... Continue Reading

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Travel the World

Posted on July 13, 2007 10:34 AM

You are invited to a one-of-a-kind webinar that you are going to love! On Tuesday, July 17th, you have the opportunity to listen in and watch as I interview Sheila Simkin, a seasoned world traveler who has been just about everywhere and knows how to travel the world on a budget. There is no one quite like Sheila. Not only does she blog her adventures on her site, but she provides tips that even the... Continue Reading

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On the Border

Posted on July 9, 2007 12:03 AM

If you've created some new AdSense code recently, you've probably noticed that you now have an extra decision to make. Once you've picked your format and chosen your color schemes, you have to decide how you want the corners of your units: square, slightly rounded or very rounded? For most of us, the answer to that question is going to be "Who cares?" Continue Reading

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The 7 Figure Code

Posted on July 6, 2007 10:02 AM

It was fall of 2005. I was in Charlotte, North Carolina, preparing for my very first public speaking engagement. I would be speaking before an audience of 25 people who had paid to hear me and a handful of other Internet marketers share how we make our millions online. It was at this time that I had begun preparing the manuscript for my first traditionally published book. But I was lacking a title for the... Continue Reading

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Google Referrals 2.0

Posted on July 4, 2007 12:07 AM

Google's referral programs have never impressed me very much. Although the commissions are now fair, they started out very low. But even at the new(ish) rates, few sites are going to benefit from them. They're only good for publishers who aim their content at other publishers. That's always been the problem with Google's referrals: there were too few products aimed at too few topics. But Google has been working on a whole new referral system... Continue Reading

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Follow Your Role Model

Posted on July 2, 2007 01:07 AM

I've got some. In fact, I've got a few. They've helped me get to where I am today, and they keeping me moving forward all the time too. Know what I'm talking about yet? Role-models. Continue Reading

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You Can't Buy This

Posted on June 30, 2007 12:00 AM

Aloha! As you know, I am on vacation in Maui. As I write this, I am watching the sun rise behind the mountains, listening to the waves crash and enjoying the small birds that are landing on my balcony railing. Yes, it is just another day in tropical paradise. And yet, I am compelled to write... to share what is on my mind. Because with all the success I have enjoyed, I am reminded that... Continue Reading

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Hawaii Day 1 - Maui is Burning

Posted on June 28, 2007 10:16 AM

We arrived on Maui on Tuesday afternoon, snagged our rental car and made our way to the hotel. We're staying on the west side of the island in the Ka'anapali area. It's absolutely gorgeous here. From my fifth floor balcony I can see the ocean, the mountains, palm trees, sandy beaches and a beautiful landscape. It's 6 am Hawaii time as I blog this (my body says it is 10 am MST) and I've enjoyed... Continue Reading

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How to Profit from eBay Without Selling Anything

Posted on June 28, 2007 12:00 AM

Recently, I told you that I was pulling out of the Bookwise program. It looked like a good opportunity -- it still does look like a good opportunity -- but when they objected to the domain name I was using to profit from it, I decided to leave. One door closes... and another one opens. I've been playing around with AuctionAds, and I have to say, I've been very impressed. AuctionAds lets you put eBay... Continue Reading

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Bookwise But Not Smart

Posted on June 27, 2007 12:40 AM

A couple months ago, I shared the Bookwise opportunity with you. It appeared to be a solid MLM with potential. I've seen some people jump on board this, but the past few weeks I've been skeptical that they could really make it work. I've been using the domain BookWiseProfits.com to build my BookWise business.... until today. Continue Reading

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YouTube from Your Mobile Phone Camera

Posted on June 17, 2007 05:27 PM

Video is definitely the wave of the future online. Our world has already become accustomed to television and movies, so it makes sense that video will become a dominant force for information delivery and entertainment on the web. Naturally, this is one reason I've chosen to launch the reality show, The Next Internet Millionaire, on the Internet. But I just came across something very cool on YouTube. Continue Reading

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Gambling with Your Business

Posted on June 11, 2007 05:56 PM

I had the pleasure of enjoying the company of my brother and his family this past weekend. They live in suburban Chicago, so it was a treat for them to come to the mountains and enjoy a little slower pace for a few days. By the way, you'll want to watch for my bro. He is a brilliant CPA with some keen insights into money management. I foresee a website and a book in the... Continue Reading

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Enough is Enough

Posted on June 5, 2007 01:08 AM

I can't take it any longer. I've seen a few trends taking place in Internet marketing lately, and I don't think they are right. It's time to take off the gloves because I've got something to say. I'm throwing caution to the wind because I think someone has got to stand up and speak the truth. If I take heat for it, so be it. Here goes... Continue Reading

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It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Posted on June 4, 2007 10:06 AM

"It was a dark and stormy night." That may as well be the beginning of this newsletter, because I have started writing it five times now. I get past the first line, read it, and delete it. So I figure you just can't go wrong with "It was a dark and stormy night." Well, perhaps if I was writing fiction... The fact is that I've got a lot to tell you this week and I'm... Continue Reading

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My FreeIQ Secrets

Posted on May 24, 2007 04:34 PM

Brad Fallon's new project, FreeIQ.com, is taking off very fast. Thousands of people have registered for this site which I think is like YouTube, only with the opportunity for anyone to earn money! I have just finished preparing the world's first FreeIQ ebook... ... and I want to give it to your for free! Continue Reading

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The Death of AdSense Arbitrage

Posted on May 23, 2007 12:03 AM

When Google takes action, they really take action. The forums have been buzzing recently with news that Google is in the middle of a content "quality initiative." There's nothing about it in the AdSense blog, but Jennifer Slegg of Jenstar.com has reported that a number of publishers have received emails telling them that they have "an unsuitable business model" and that their account will be closed within two weeks. They will be allowed to keep... Continue Reading

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Layoff Your Boss

Posted on May 22, 2007 05:56 PM

"Take this job and shove it... I ain't workin' here no more" And so went the lyrics of the popular country-western song belted out by Johnny Paycheck. It is a common practice to place a phone call to a local radio station and ask them to play this song when you "fire your boss" Let's face it. It's a fun tune. And more people than ever before are telling their bosses to "take this job... Continue Reading

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You're Not Giving Up Now, Are You?

Posted on May 21, 2007 12:03 AM

One of the things that I love most about attending seminars is hearing people's stories. Everyone has their own reason for wanting to set up an online business. For some, it's the pull of being their own boss and working on their own terms. For others, it's the push of a job they can't bear and a lifestyle they want to change. For a few people though, it's not much of a choice. They might... Continue Reading

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Two Free Reports

Posted on May 18, 2007 12:03 AM

Thank you to those who submitted questions on my blog yesterday. I really appreciate your input and will be sharing some exciting news with you soon. By now, you probably know that I like to provide as much free information as possible. There is a lot of worthless junk passed off as valuable in the Internet marketing niche, and I like to make sure you get good stuff for absolutely nothing when possible. In celebration... Continue Reading

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New Money for Old Content

Posted on May 15, 2007 12:08 AM

Darren Rowse's blog at ProBlogger.net is always worth a read. He's a guy who's making a great income out of online publishing, and he's not afraid to share his knowledge. Recently, Darren put up a very interesting post about giving a second chance to old content. Sometimes, he points out, you'll put up a post that you're sure will get lots of traffic only to find that it dies away without doing anything special. There... Continue Reading

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How Nice is Your Niche?

Posted on May 14, 2007 12:20 AM

It's a basic AdSense strategy. One page. One topic. One group of nicely targeted ads. But what if your website covers more than one topic? Suppose you have a blog that's about cars, for example, and occasionally you like to write about satellite radios or travel destinations. Is it enough to put an off-topic post on a separate page or should you put it on a whole different website? You'll need two pieces of information... Continue Reading

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Hacker Safe

Posted on May 10, 2007 12:21 AM

OK... We all know most people are concerned about hackers and the safety of shopping online. And we all know that trust seals can help. But is there a best seal program to address this problem? Are there any real, proven benefits of one over the other? HACKER SAFE is proven to be the most effective trust seal... Ever! Think about it for one minute... * Used by over 75,000 websites * Seen on over... Continue Reading

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The Next Internet Millionaire Reality Show

Posted on May 9, 2007 09:00 AM

Survivor. The Apprentice. American Idol. We are drawn to reality television like a moth to the flame. We watch... and we watch some more, intrigued by the characters, the challenges and the inevitable prizes. Let's face it. Secretly, many of us wish that we could be a contestant on one of these shows. Now imagine this... Continue Reading

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Writer's Block

Posted on May 4, 2007 06:15 AM

Writer's block. Like the cement barricade at the end of an unfinished highway, the writer's block stands before me... mocking me... challenging me... It happens to everyone, but I sure didn't expect it to hit today. Because content creation is such a critical part of making money with your blog, writer's block can be the site owner's worst nightmare. What do I write about today?!?! Here's how I handle writer's block. Continue Reading

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Wait Till You Hear This Story

Posted on April 30, 2007 02:41 PM

I'm sitting at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, awaiting my return flight to Colorado. After living on the front range for nearly three months, I already find myself missing the beautiful mountains and am eager to get home. I wanted to send this newsletter today because I have just spent the last few days at Big Seminar #9, where I had the privilege of speaking to four hundred attendees and teaching how anyone can make... Continue Reading

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What is the Secret?

Posted on April 26, 2007 05:11 AM

What is The Secret? No, no... not THAT Secret. That's an email for another day. MY secret is actually going to be revealed live at Armand Morin's Big Seminar on Friday morning. And the buzz is building. Everyone is asking me "What IS it, Joel?" My reply? You'll have to wait until Friday to see... just like everyone else. Continue Reading

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Lazy Git Marketing

Posted on April 20, 2007 10:45 AM

There isn't a day goes by that I don't receive at least two or three emails asking me to do a joint venture. Everyone and their mother (and their mother's dog?) has a product, ebook, software, telecourse or some other idea that will make me a zillion dollars. Now don't get me wrong. I am all for people pursuing their dreams and fervently believing in their product. It's just that I can't possibly look at... Continue Reading

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FreeIQ Talk Forums

Posted on April 17, 2007 12:00 AM

FreeIQ is already gathering momentum. Just a few days after I mentioned it on this blog, I have recevied numerous emails from others who are excited about the concept. If you haven't signed up yet, you should go do so right away. FreeIQ Thousands of people have already signed up, and there is a new FreeIQ community site where people can discuss FreeIQ, as well as ask questions of Brad Fallon. It's called FreeIQ Talk Continue Reading

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Are You An Army of One?

Posted on April 16, 2007 12:33 AM

Internet publishing is a strange thing. On the one hand, you can do everything yourself. It doesn't take two people to write a blog post. It doesn't take a team to design an attractive website. And it doesn't take an entire office to optimize your ad units. But on the other hand, it does take thousands of other publishers to place links to your site on their Web pages to push you up the search... Continue Reading

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Marketers on a Mission

Posted on April 14, 2007 08:23 AM

Financial Success - Purpose = Meaninglessness It's a formula you can't deny. If your goal is just to succeed monetarily, but you don't have a real reason for wanting that success, what's the point? I don't really discuss how I choose to spend the money I earn. That's between me and my God. But you should know that I have goals that go beyond earning a few bucks. It's not the money that is the... Continue Reading

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My Contact Station

Posted on April 12, 2007 12:34 AM

A few days back, I told you I was working on some very significant projects. I am now prepared to reveal the first of them. What I am about to show you will be valuable to you on several levels... 1) When you see what it is, you will immediately want to use it on your web site. 2) Others will want it as well, and I will pay you 100% commission to share it... Continue Reading

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John Reese Has Lost His Mind... To Your Benefit

Posted on April 9, 2007 10:19 AM

*** This just in! *** Actually, TWO things just came in. Please read both items carefully... 1) I JUST received an email from John Reese, the Internet marketing legend who created the now-famous Traffic Secrets course. When this course came out, it was considered pricey, and somewhat out of reach for people. Don't get me wrong... At $997 it was worth EVERY penny. But STOP THE PRESSES! John just told me that his inventory is... Continue Reading

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Doing Something That's Never Been Done

Posted on April 7, 2007 08:39 AM

They say variety is the spice of life. I have to agree. I love variety. It keeps things exciting. It's why you see me doing multiple projects and always coming out with something new. I just can't sit still. (My wife says it is ADD, but I think she is.. Oh! Look at the butterfly!) ;-) Well, you know how I teach people to find a niche and become the expert in that niche by... Continue Reading

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BookWise

Posted on April 6, 2007 12:06 AM

As an AdSense publisher, I've become accustomed to earning passive income. And in doing so, I've trained myself to watch for revenue-generating opportunities. Late last year, I told you about Agloco, a new company that would be releasing a viewbar that would pay you to surf the web. The naysayers thought it would never happen. Continue Reading

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You Too, Can Squidoo

Posted on April 5, 2007 12:34 AM

Work in any industry long enough, and you'll find that there's a knack to it. Get that right and it doesn't matter what else you do, you'll always make money. For retailers, the rule is to treat the customer as king. For racing drivers, speed is king. For Internet publishers, content is king. And for Squidoo publishers? Well, that's a little different. I've been having a lot of fun with my Squidoo lens recently. I've... Continue Reading

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The Turning Point

Posted on April 4, 2007 12:16 AM

I was on the phone with Armand Morin last night, and I've been thinking about something he said ever since. We talked about the great ebooks that are out there... We talked about some of the cool software tools that are now available... And of course, we talked about AdSense. But here's what he said that stuck with me. Continue Reading

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Riathamus Lives - Kudos to Blizzard and World of Warcraft

Posted on March 31, 2007 08:29 AM

Last week, I wrote how my World of Warcraft account was compromised over a wireless network while at a hotel in Washington, D.C. My entire account was emptied of my hard-earned gold and loot. I was left without anything. I wrote to the support team at Blizzard with complete details of my account and what had happened. They wrote me back telling me that my case would be escalated to the investigation team, and that... Continue Reading

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Content Composer

Posted on March 29, 2007 01:03 AM

I recently received an email from a reader. May I share it with you? "Joel, I appreciate your newsletters and great tips. Out of all the so-called gurus, I feel like you deliver more real value in your email than anyone else. But I am feeling very confused about all the different ways you discuss to make money. You tell us about a new software tool that is the supposed answer to our problems, but... Continue Reading

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Amazon Announces Content Links

Posted on March 28, 2007 01:04 PM

Last July, I wrote about how Amazon.com was breaking into contextual advertising with its Omakase program. Now they're at it again with another context-based advertising system. This time though, they've taken a leaf right out of Kontera's books. Instead of placing ads in ad units, they're linking to keywords in the text and serving floating ad balloons. You can see samples here and here. Continue Reading

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Your Blog is Your Platform

Posted on March 26, 2007 08:14 AM

Everything has changed. I remember when I first discovered computers. I was in high school when Radio Shack came out with their TRS-80 Model I personal computer. I remember going to the store and staring at it... ogling it... feeling the power of its keyboard... Hey, I guess I just wasn't into girls yet. That time came along eventually as well. ;-) Oh, those were the days. Continue Reading

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Naked and Penniless in Washington, D.C.

Posted on March 24, 2007 11:54 PM

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

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The Joy of Blogging

Posted on March 24, 2007 12:00 AM

I treat my online businesses pretty seriously. I have to. They feed and house my family and that's a pretty serious business. But sometimes I wonder if I'm not missing something. Just surf at random around the blogs at Blogger.com and you'll come across a bunch of sites that have been put up for no other reason than to make the people who write them smile. They might make the half-dozen or so regular readers... Continue Reading

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Multiple Revenue Streams

Posted on March 21, 2007 12:09 AM

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

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Spiral Viral

Posted on March 20, 2007 12:02 AM

I recently saw a post on a forum that described me as an Internet marketing "guru". I had this picture of me sitting on a mountaintop in the lotus position with a line of inquisitive people waiting to ask me my secret for making money online. Then I had a good laugh and realized how ludicrous the term really is. I'm not a "guru". I'm just a guy who found success online and now pass... Continue Reading

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An Inspirational Story

Posted on March 19, 2007 11:58 AM

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

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Planning Your Work and Working Your Plan

Posted on March 15, 2007 11:03 AM

Vince Lombardi once said, "A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done." Take inventory of yourself... Are you where you want to be? If not, why not? Continue Reading

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Having the Last Word

Posted on March 14, 2007 11:09 PM

I love it when people add comments to my posts. Sure, I write a blog to share my information and tips... and to tell the world what I think sometimes too. But it helps to know that someone out there is actually reading what I'm saying. It helps even more to see what they think about what I'm saying! But comments at the end of articles aren't just a nice boost for the writer of... Continue Reading

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Be in My New Book - What's Your Story?

Posted on March 13, 2007 11:58 AM

Andy Warhol once said that every person gets their fifteen minutes of fame. I don't know if that is true, but I do know that every person has a story to tell. I am in the process of writing a new book centered around Internet marketing and individual success stories... ... and I am looking for real life stories to include in the book! So what's your story? Continue Reading

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Teasing Your Readers

Posted on March 12, 2007 12:49 AM

When I talked recently about Darren Rowse's poll into the reasons that people unsubscribe from RSS feeds, I mentioned the biggest issue: the number of posts that publishers send to subscribers. That issue took up the first two reasons that people unsubscribe. But in third place was a much tougher question, and it's one I often wonder about: whether to include the whole article or just part of the article in an email or RSS... Continue Reading

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The Profit Vault

Posted on March 10, 2007 12:15 AM

Buzz! No, you didn't get the answer wrong. In fact, that would be impossible since I haven't even asked a question yet. I'm talking about a different kind of buzz. I'm talking about the kind of buzz that has generated over 1500 comments on one blog in just one week. I'm talking about the kind of buzz that indicates something BIG is about to happen. Here's the buzz... and the big news... Continue Reading

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The Resource Report

Posted on March 8, 2007 08:18 AM

There's something you should know about me. It's kind of embarrassing, actually. I am terrible with my hands. More specifically, I am not mechanically inclined. In simple english, don't ask me to build stuff. Don't get me wrong. I can fix absolutely anything Continue Reading

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Getting to #1 on Yahoo

Posted on March 7, 2007 12:22 AM

Let's play a game. Take the following quiz by filling in the blanks... 1) A _______ in the hand is worth two in the bush. 2) A rolling stone gathers no _____. 3) A penny _______ is a penny earned. 4) A stitch in time saves ______. 5) Without ________, you can't make any money with your website. Continue Reading

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How Many Sites Do You Have?

Posted on March 6, 2007 12:29 AM

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, "How many sites do I need in order to make money with AdSense?" The answer is simple... just ONE site can do it! The truth is, I make the majority of my AdSense income from just one of my sites, though I do enjoy a little here and a little there from some of my other sites. With that said, I know of several people... Continue Reading

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Big Seminar #9

Posted on March 4, 2007 12:06 AM

Important. Urgent. Critical. Essential. Crucial. There are so many words I can use to describe how imperative it is that you read today's email, and listen to what I have to say... REALLY listen, because this comes from the heart. Continue Reading

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Saturday Morning Stew

Posted on February 24, 2007 10:37 AM

Saturday morning ramblings. I know, it might be Saturday afternoon or Sunday... or even Monday, when you receive this. Nevertheless, it's Saturday morning as a write. So there. :-P Here come the ramblings, kind of a stew from me to you :-) Continue Reading

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The Power of the Blog

Posted on February 23, 2007 12:51 AM

Five days ago, I wrote about my experience with American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was not a glowing moment for their customer service team. This morning, my home phone rang and my wife informed me that American Furniture Warehouse wanted to speak with Joel Comm. I had been anticipating a call from them. Surely they monitor the web for mention of their name, and just 48 hours after blogging about my experience... Continue Reading

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Momentum

Posted on February 22, 2007 09:30 AM

Momentum. From Dictionary.com... "A force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or course of events: The car gained momentum going downhill. Her career lost momentum after two unsuccessful films." Let me throw in one more example... Continue Reading

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Kontera - Making Friends with AdSense

Posted on February 20, 2007 12:04 AM

Ever since Google changed its Terms Of Service to allow other contextualized ad systems on the same pages as AdSense, I've been busy taking another look at its competitors. And what I've found was that Kontera has been pretty busy. Kontera has created an ad system that turns keywords on a Web page into double-underlined links. When users mouse over those links, they get a floating tool box containing an ad. It's unobtrusive and looks... Continue Reading

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American Furniture Warehouse - An Open Letter to Jake Jabs

Posted on February 17, 2007 10:13 PM

NOTE! - This issue has been resolved by American Furniture Warehouse customer service as of February 22nd. Please see this blog entry for the rest of the story. We now return to you the initial entry as originally posted... American Furniture Warehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado is officially on my "naughty" list. I write this entry today as an open letter to Jake Jabs, owner of this furniture chain. Since we moved to Colorado this... Continue Reading

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Rolling with the Changes

Posted on February 16, 2007 08:45 PM

Change. It's the one constant we can depend on. Moving to Colorado has been a big change for me and my family. And it has not been without it's share of stress! The stress took a toll on me and I have felt physically depleted. In fact, I cancelled my appearances at JV Alert Live and StomperNet this weekend due to my physical condition. Whether its a virus or just pure exhaustion, I knew that... Continue Reading

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Change in Your Pocket

Posted on February 11, 2007 09:37 AM

It's Sunday and I'm getting ready to head to church with my family... so I'll be brief. In fact, I usually don't mail on Sundays, but it is to your benefit that I do so today. I'm going to let you in on a little secret that can put cash in your pocket today. Continue Reading

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Clutter

Posted on February 9, 2007 11:01 AM

Clutter. Our lives are full of it. And to be honest, I've never experienced more clutter in my life than right now. As I type this, movers are hauling my "stuff" into my new home in Colorado... ... and I can't believe how much stuff there is. I feel like I am being overtaken by boxes and furniture. And just when you think they've brought it all in, there is more. Clutter. Continue Reading

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Breaking News for All Site Publishers!

Posted on February 5, 2007 08:24 AM

I hope it got your attention, because what I am about to share with you can be HUGE. And I have THREE things I need to share with you. So be sure you read all the way to end or you might miss out on the best stuff! Ok, here's the deal (pardon my excitement, but this really is big!) As you know, AdSense is not the only contextual advertising service on the web. Google... Continue Reading

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Coming to Terms with the Terms

Posted on February 1, 2007 12:27 AM

There's a look that I've seen way too many times. It doesn't happen often, but even once is enough. I'll be standing in front of an audience at a conference or teaching a class, and I'll see my audience's eyes glaze over. Instead of looking at me, they start looking at the conference program or at their watch or at anything but me. It's a look that says I've lost them. Whenever that happens, I... Continue Reading

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Chitika and AdSense

Posted on January 31, 2007 05:33 PM

When you sign up to an ad program, one of the first decisions you'll have to make is where to put your units. Should you cram them into the sidebar? Place them above the fold? Embed them into the text? Or relegate them to the end of the page? Although there are some general guidelines you can follow, the best way to decide which are the best spots on your Web pages for your ad... Continue Reading

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PSP Video

Posted on January 25, 2007 03:27 PM

Here is a tip especially for those who own a Sony Playstation portable (PSP). I love that you can download video to your psp, but I was getting tired of having to download video to my computer to transfer them to my psp. With the help of Joel Ownby, I now have a way to pull video direct to the psp memory card by using the RSS feed feature. As long as you have a... Continue Reading

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Moving to Colorado

Posted on January 23, 2007 10:18 AM

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

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Outsource This!

Posted on January 19, 2007 12:49 AM

Creating a successful online business is tough. Sure, creating a site is simple. You can buy a domain name, find a hosting service and use a template to have your site up and running within a day or two (or even less) of first thinking up your business idea. Affiliate systems and contextualized ad programs can then have you earning without ever touching a product or a shipping form. That's the easy part. The hard... Continue Reading

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Google AdSense Breaking News

Posted on January 18, 2007 01:17 PM

People have been asking me three questions about the AdSense program, and their new terms of service and AdSense support team have now clarified all of these issues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Question 1) Does Google allow other ads to run on the same page as AdSense Ads? Answer 1) The official word is a qualified "yes". You may not run ads that are designed to resemble AdSense ads. For example, Yahoo! Publisher Network ads look very similar... Continue Reading

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Do You Know Why Your CTR Is Dropping?

Posted on January 17, 2007 10:59 AM

I hate it when it happens. I'm sure you do too. You've set up your site, you've optimized your ads, you've watched your income rise and at last you're getting your rewards. Each month you receive a nice fat check from the generous people at Google. And then all of a sudden, the numbers start to shrink. You haven't changed a thing. Your ad units are still in the same places. You're still discussing the... Continue Reading

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Ack! Did I Just Do That?

Posted on January 11, 2007 09:07 AM

Ack! It was the only word uttered by Bill the Cat of Bloom County fame. If you don't know who I am referring to, here's a quick refresher course. Bill the Cat And now that we are on the same page, I felt a bit like Bill the Cat yesterday when I received questions about my Monthly Templates membership program. They were very GOOD questions. And I can't believe that I blew it by not... Continue Reading

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Monthly Templates with Instant AdSense Templates Starter Kit

Posted on January 10, 2007 01:13 PM

Take a look at your calendar. You probably have it marked up with important dates. Many calendar manufacturers do us a favor by including holidays and other special days preprinted for convenience. Christmas New Years Day Valentine's Day President's Day Groundhog Day Yes, they take time to remind us of the furry little rodent that somehow is able to predict the weather every February 2nd. Whatever. Now, I don't suppose the calendar's will ever come... Continue Reading

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The Apprentice Los Angeles - Thumbs Down

Posted on January 7, 2007 09:13 PM

I just got up from the television set to come write this entry, abandoning the program I was watching. I've been a fan of The Apprentice since the first season. I thought Trump's choice of Bill Rancic as his first apprentice was solid. Since then, the show has had fewer truly qualified contestants. I thought a new location would be an interesting twist on previous seasons, so I began watching the first episode of The... Continue Reading

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Monthly Templates Available January 10th

Posted on January 4, 2007 09:38 PM

It was a moment in time... ... and it went by in a flash. Did you miss it? Don't feel bad. Thousands of people did. Three months ago, I leveled the playing field as much as it could possibly have been leveled. On October 10th, the Instant AdSense Templates VRE Building System hit the web with a fury, and became one of the most-talked-about and valuable products of the year! On October 15th, the product... Continue Reading

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DotCom Secrets from Russell Brunson

Posted on January 3, 2007 01:54 PM

Happy New Year! I'm very excited about what this year is going to bring, and from the comments on my blog, many of you are as well! I'll be announcing the winner of my contest tomorrow... Many have indicated that they are going to get serious about building their business online in 2007. Yet, a fair number are without direction. Let's face it. Without a compass, it can get awfully tricky to find your way... Continue Reading

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Keywords or Content?

Posted on December 28, 2006 09:05 AM

I'm always going on about the importance of great content. It really is the most important thing you'll put on your website. Sure, the way you format your AdSense units is important. The affiliate products you choose to promote will affect your earnings. The design and layout of your page will determine whether it looks professional and invites users to stick around and come back for more... or send them screaming back where they came... Continue Reading

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Yanik Silver's Underground Online Seminar

Posted on December 27, 2006 11:39 AM

Pssssst... I've got a secret... For those who are pay close attention to my newsletter, you know that I am a STRONG believer in attending live events in order to take your business to the next level. STRONG believer... Many of you understand once you actually attend a live event. I see how networking with other successful people has changed many lives! And I want everyone to experience this for their business. So it's time... Continue Reading

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Merry Christmas 2006

Posted on December 25, 2006 03:58 PM

Yesterday, we went to church for Christmas Eve service. And the pastor put a twist on the message that I hadn't really considered before. He asked "How many of you believe that Jesus is the reason for the season?" Hands went up throughout the sanctuary. And then the room when silent when he said, "Jesus is NOT the reason for the season!" Continue Reading

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Google Bans Top-Earning Ad Strategy

Posted on December 22, 2006 01:06 PM

Don’t you just hate it when someone comes along and spoils all the fun? For a long time now I’ve been recommending that publishers put little images next to their AdSense units to draw users’ eyes. So if you were showing ads for televisions and cameras, then you could put pictures of televisions and cameras right next to the ad unit. Your unit would have all the eye-catching attention of a graphic ad without the... Continue Reading

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What SEO Mistakes Have You Made?

Posted on December 20, 2006 04:19 PM

Building a successful website doesn’t happen overnight. You have to create the pages, write the content, optimize your ads, drive traffic. You can be up and running within minutes but to earn the sort of revenues that make the whole thing worthwhile (and more) you’re going to have to invest time. And much of that time is going to be spent troubleshooting. A poorly-designed, badly-optimized site might make a little bit of money. A site... Continue Reading

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Free Instant AdSense Templates from Santa Joel

Posted on December 17, 2006 11:20 AM

I love giving gifts. I can't help myself. I am one of those who prefer watching others open presents on Christmas morning to opening my own. There's just something special about seeing a smile on someone's face when they open a present I've given them that brings joy to my heart. Continue Reading

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Toys for Tots - You Can Make a Difference!

Posted on December 15, 2006 11:47 AM

How would you like to get 10 hours of EXPERT Internet marketing coaching for just $25? And what if you knew that your small investment would not only help put money in your pocket, but would also benefit a very worthwhile cause? Read on, my friend... For many, Christmas morning will be met with the joy of exchanging gifts and seeing the smiles on the faces of children. But there are many children who won't... Continue Reading

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Christmas Commentary

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:41 PM

Deck the Halls with boughs of holly... Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way... Frosty the Snowman, was a jolly happy soul... You'd better not pout, you'd better not cry... You get the idea! Christmas is coming! And you can spice up your AdSense blocks with a little holiday cheer using their "themed ads". Want to know how? Continue Reading

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Watching the AdSense Competition

Posted on December 10, 2006 10:32 AM

There’s something to be said for monopolies. Obviously, they’re great when you own one but they have another advantage too. They make life easier. They don’t make life better. But they do make life easier. Just think how much time you’d save if you were to walk into a supermarket and find only one type of bread and one brand of laundry powder and one sort of breakfast cereal. The bread might taste like chalk... Continue Reading

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Stranded at Chicago O'Hare International

Posted on November 29, 2006 05:24 PM

I am blogging from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, where I am my family are awaiting an 8:55 pm departure to Oklahoma City. We've been here since 1 pm and our first flight was cancelled. With bad weather in Chicago and OKC, I'm not sure we're going to make it home tonight at all. Such is life, right? So I thought I'd make the best use of my time and write for a bit. In particular... Continue Reading

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Best Buy - Attack of the Blue Shirts

Posted on November 27, 2006 12:00 AM

Alright, we are now headlong into the holiday season, and I wonder... Would it be ok with you if I follow a rabbit trail today? I just want to get something off my chest. It may just end up being instructive, but right now I just need to... um... well... er... rant? Yes, that's it. I need to rant. So, if you aren't interested in my little hissy fit, go ahead and delete this email... Continue Reading

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Web Video Templates

Posted on November 26, 2006 08:50 PM

Video... video.. video... I know. It probably seems like I have been harping on about video a whole lot lately. Well, there's a good reason for that. And if you haven't caught on yet, I'm hoping that you will now. Think about this. Continue Reading

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Simple Ways to Improve Your Content

Posted on November 25, 2006 04:05 AM

I’m always going on about the importance of great content. I don’t apologize for that. You can have ad units that are perfectly optimized, blended completely into your site and packed with high-paying ads. But if your content’s garbage, no one’s going to click on them because no one’s going to come to your site. I meet so many people who dream of getting rich with AdSense but never give a thought for building a... Continue Reading

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Agloco - Get Paid to Surf is Back

Posted on November 23, 2006 12:42 AM

For those who were online in 1999, you may remember the very first "Get paid to surf" program. It was called AllAdvantage. Basically, by displaying the AllAdvantage toolbar while you surfed, you got paid. And when you referred people to the program and they surfed, you got paid. It worked VERY well, except that the management team at the company messed up the opportunity. Don't get me wrong. I earned THOUSANDS with this program. And... Continue Reading

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AdWords, the Other Side of the Google Coin

Posted on November 22, 2006 07:48 AM

Like most things on the Internet, marketing can be divided into two distinct periods: Before Google and After Google. Before Google, getting a link to your site on other sites took a huge amount of work. You'd have to write to each publisher separately. You'd have to try different CPC networks until you found one that worked for you. And you'd have to create a new Web page just for reciprocal links. After Google... well... Continue Reading

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You Are The Expert

Posted on November 20, 2006 05:19 AM

When I first started playing around with AdSense, I knew nothing. Now, I like to think that I know a few things about AdSense, but I am still learning. Want to design direct-mail flyers? Don’t ask me. I haven’t a clue. Need to know how to fill a restaurant to the rafters every night? Never owned a restaurant. Not my thing. Want to build a deck? Follow my advice and you’ll just end up with... Continue Reading

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Build an Empire

Posted on November 18, 2006 11:27 AM

The business-in-a-box. You've heard of 'opportunities' like this before. Usually, all you get is a box... ... and no business. When Paul Smithson (of XSite Pro fame) approached me with his "Build an Empire" business-in-a-box, I was VERY skeptical. In fact, I ALMOST didn't it listen to what he had to say. However, when he mentioned an industry that I happen to know is one of the fastest growing industries next to digital music, he... Continue Reading

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Audiobook Overload

Posted on November 14, 2006 04:47 PM

Audiobooks are the best thing since sliced bread for people who just don't have the time to read. You can download them an burn them to a CD or put them on your mp3 player. Take them with you on the go and you've got a constant source of literary goodness. Audiobook Overload provides a HUGE library of audiobooks that you can download instantly. From best-selling fiction and business books to children's novels and foreign... Continue Reading

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Traffic Geyser

Posted on November 12, 2006 12:01 AM

What is the #1 question I am asked by people who want to make money online? What is the single word that is most desired by people who have web sites? What is the one thing that you absolutely MUST have in order to have success with your web site? Three questions... One answer... And that answer is... Continue Reading

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What Should I Do With WorldVillage.com?

Posted on November 9, 2006 09:53 AM

I regularly receive questions from my readers and subscribers. In fact, I get WAY too many questions to even begin to address them all. Today, I have a question for YOU! In fact, I am soliciting your input. First, a little history... Continue Reading

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JV Alert Live - Will You Meet Me There?

Posted on November 8, 2006 07:56 AM

Let's play a game. I am going to list several quotes from people, and you have to guess what they are talking about. These are all REAL quotes... Ready? Person #1 says... "Even though I am at loss for words I want to thank you again from the bottom of my heart for an experience that I will NEVER forget" Person #2 says... "I've met with more JV extraordinaires, created more wonderful relationships, and have... Continue Reading

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Will Your Site Succeed?

Posted on November 6, 2006 04:59 AM

Most new businesses fail. It’s a fact we’re all familiar with... and as entrepreneurs, one we all ignore. It’s easy to do. For one thing, online those statistics probably aren’t that bad. With AdSense, you’re almost guaranteed some income. Use the right strategies and techniques, and there’s no reason why that income shouldn’t be very good indeed. Continue Reading

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Give and Take

Posted on October 25, 2006 12:08 AM

We live in a reciprocal Universe. All of us are trained at a very young age to take. Hopefully, we are also trained to give. Give and take. Someone asks you how you are doing... ... and you ask them how they are doing. Someone gives you a gift... ... and you are more likely to give them a gift in the future. Give and take. That's the way the Universe operates. Continue Reading

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The Info Product Blueprint

Posted on October 24, 2006 01:33 AM

It's just been an incredible month for new revenue-generating resources! First we had the SEO product of the year, The Stomper from Brad Fallon. Then Instant AdSense Templates helped people get a site up and running quickly. Next, Anik Singal and Rosalind Gardner launch their Blog Classroom, which is only available for a couple more days, by the way. If you haven't signed up yet, visit Blog Classroom And now, there's this... Continue Reading

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Changes to AdSense Program

Posted on October 23, 2006 12:54 AM

I've been looking back at what's been happening in the world of AdSense over the last ten months or so... and I've been amazed at what I've found. I was able to count at least fifteen innovations that could affect the way publishers earn through AdSense. Some of those changes, such as larger image ads, are relatively minor. Others, such as video ads and multiple channels for ad units, have the potential to radically change... Continue Reading

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What Are You Made Of?

Posted on October 19, 2006 08:21 AM

As I travel to conferences and receive email from people, the questions I am asked have a recurring theme. One of the most frequent questions is not so much about technology as it is about individuality. The question is, "What kind of web site should I build to make money online?" And that, my friends, is the wrong question. The right question is not about web sites or keywords. The right question is about you. Continue Reading

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Instant AdSense Templates - Size Matters

Posted on October 7, 2006 11:45 PM

I can't believe what I am about to tell you. In all sincere honesty, I can not believe it. But it's all true. I have just totaled up the data size of Instant AdSense Templates... Continue Reading

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Tactics or Strategies?

Posted on October 6, 2006 12:25 AM

Hardly a week goes by that you don't hear about the newest/latest/greatest/world's-best-thing-since-sliced-bread ebook, software or member site. I confess, I do like to share quality products and services with my readers, but there are many that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Why not? Because they aren't in your best interests. Yes, there is money to be made in selling "stuff". And while I have no problem with earning commissions, my reputation is... Continue Reading

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The Countdown Begins

Posted on October 4, 2006 02:44 PM

Tick... tick... tick... Can you hear that? It's the sound of the countdown clock leading to Tuesday, October 10th. At 12 Noon EST on that day, I will be revealing my greatest AdSense product EVER! Continue Reading

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Winners of The AdSense Code Sighting Contest

Posted on September 28, 2006 11:14 PM

I have selected five random winners for The AdSense Code Sightings Contest! I received dozens of entries and posted a handful of the photos on the web site. I then randomly selected five entries, each of whom will now receive one year entry into my Premier AdSense Coaching Club. And the winners are... Continue Reading

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Online Opportunity is Everywhere

Posted on September 27, 2006 01:08 AM

Are you overwhelmed? I don't know about you, but I can get involved in so many projects that I occasionally feel like my brain is going to explode. Someone get the duct tape! The reality of the situation is that there is more opportunity on the web than anyone can possibly grasp. You may already be succeeding online... ... or you may be struggling. I've been both places at various times in my life and... Continue Reading

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Joel Christopher's Birthday Blowout

Posted on September 22, 2006 01:18 AM

One of the most important things you can do to get traffic to your AdSense sites is to incorporate the use of a mailing list. With a list, you can mail your members and invite them back to your site again and again. With a list, you can profit by sending offers that your members would find interesting and useful. With a list, you have both momentum and leverage, two of the greatest keys for... Continue Reading

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The Internet Marketing Main Event

Posted on September 18, 2006 01:42 PM

I'm blogging from my office PC... only I'm not in my office. I am, in fact, in the American Airlines Admirals Club at D/FW International Airport, awaiting my flight to Oklahoma City. With GoToMyPC, I can login to my office PC from any PC in the world. It's pretty cool stuff! And I must say, the Admirals Club is awfully nice. I'm on a one-time visit pass and am not sure it's worth the annual... Continue Reading

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Meet Me in Minneapolis

Posted on September 12, 2006 02:55 PM

There are many exciting and life changing events happening all over the calendar this fall that will help you grow your businesses and take your business to a higher level of profit and development. Attending seminars and meetings and talking with the speakers and attendees there, is one of the main methods I have used to be able to take my businesses to the next level. Continue Reading

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Remembering 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2006 01:02 PM

Today is a day of reflection. I can't believe it has been five years since Islamo-fascist terrorists barbarically hijacked airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Time really does pass by in an instant. As we remember the destruction wrought by evil people, lets take time to remember the lives that were lost and the impact that it has had on so many other people. I'm sure that the trauma... Continue Reading

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Heart Kids Blogathon

Posted on September 9, 2006 06:47 AM

My friend Dr.Mani is a heart surgeon who innovatively uses online marketing to help kids born with heart defects. On Saturday Sep.9th, in a very special event called the Heart Kids Blogathon, he is blogging non-stop for 24 hours to raise funds for the 'heart kids'. The fundraiser is off with a bang, with over $3,700 donated already. Every $2,500 raised means an additional operation can be funded - so please try and help, in... Continue Reading

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CNN's Kyra Phillips Unzipped

Posted on August 30, 2006 09:41 AM

It was a typical day at CNN. Kyra Phillips was delivering the news and went to a live feed of President Bush speaking on the anniversary of the Katrina hurricane disaster in New Orleans. Kyra decided it was a good time to take a potty break. Unfortunately, the sound engineer failed to turn off her microphone. This entertaining video shows President Bush, but the true star is Kyra as she flushes the toilet and proceeds... Continue Reading

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Sharing the Secret

Posted on August 20, 2006 10:38 AM

Today's entry has nothing to do with Internet marketing, making money online, AdSense or anything else of this nature. It is of far greater importance and consequence. Several weeks ago, a church that we had visited had announced an upcoming series called "My Secret". Acknowledging that people within the church have just as many problems as people outside the church, the point of the series is to help people see that they are not alone... Continue Reading

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Win a Free Year of Premier AdSense Coaching Club

Posted on August 19, 2006 10:58 AM

On September 27th, I am going to award FIVE people with a free one-year membership to the Premier AdSense Coaching Club, my members-only site designed to help people increase the profitability of their web sites. How can you enter to win one of these five memberships? Easy! I present you with... The AdSense Code Sightings Contest! Here's the deal... Continue Reading

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Big Seminar 2006 - Atlanta, Georgia

Posted on August 17, 2006 03:34 PM

November 4, 2005. That date stands as a milestone for me, and for the growth of my business. It was the date I stepped out on faith, put my money on the table, and attended Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles, California. Why was it such a milestone? Continue Reading

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Answering AdSense Questions

Posted on August 11, 2006 11:08 PM

Here are some quick answers to questions that have been recently submitted at AskJoelComm.com. I read in your book "The Adsense Code" about taking ebooks and making them as free content website(s) and adding Adsense to the pages. I have several books I have authored over the years. Should each book (topic) be its own website or is a one "master" website with pages or directory by topic okay? This is a great way to... Continue Reading

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Goggles - The GoogleMaps Flightsim

Posted on August 10, 2006 11:05 AM

This is a very creative and fun diversion for those who have nothing better to do than to play Solitaire in between tasks. The creator used maps from Google and implemented a graphic of an airplane that you can fly above the map. Click the link below to check it out and select your flight destination! Goggles Continue Reading

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The Butterfly Marketing Manuscript

Posted on August 7, 2006 11:00 PM

I've gotten to know Mike Filsaime over the past year, and consider him a good friend. Not only is he an incredibly smart marketer, but he is a good-hearted guy who really wants to see people succeed. When Mike launched Butterfly Marketing earlier this year, he hit a huge run. Not only did he sell tons of copies of his course, but the results have been equally impressive. Testimonial upon testimonial of success stories find... Continue Reading

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AdSense Code Still a Best-Seller!

Posted on August 6, 2006 04:40 PM

It's been an incredibly exciting month for me. Not only did The AdSense Code hit the New York Times Best-Seller list last month, but it is hanging strong at #9 on the Paperback Business list for this month as well! Then, I discovered last week that I also hit #7 on the Business Week Best-Seller List! I'm absolutely floored at how well the book is doing and am glad to see people reading it. It... Continue Reading

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Bionicle - A Fan Critiques the New Sets

Posted on August 5, 2006 06:13 PM

Bionicles. A Lego creation that has an incredibly rabid fan base and has spawned numerous made-for-DVD videos and a comic book series. Why am I writing about Lego Bionicles? Because my son has been collecting them for years. And because he just dropped over $100 on the newest sets to hit the market and is incredibly upset. So much so that he is returning them to the store, disheartened and disappointed. I suggested that he... Continue Reading

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Translation Gold

Posted on August 3, 2006 12:11 AM

I've added something new to my blog today, and it gives me an international flair. See the flags of the world above this post? You can click one of them and the page will be translated into another language! In fact, there are eight languages in all, including Italian, German, Spanish, French, Chinese, Portugese, Japanese and Korean. And this same code is available to anyone who wants to have their pages translated as well. Continue Reading

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How Experts Build Empires

Posted on August 1, 2006 02:47 PM

In every industry, there's a powerbroker in the background - an advisor who is known to just a handful of people, but who helps build empires for the top "stars" who are household names. I recently discovered Janet Switzer. For the last 16 years, Janet has been quietly creating empire-building campaigns, products, promotions, deals and distribution for many of the biggest celebrity experts you've heard of. Jay Abraham... Mark Victor Hansen... Chicken Soup for the... Continue Reading

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Saturday Night Fever

Posted on July 29, 2006 10:23 PM

The kids have gone to bed and it is getting late. I decided to check in to the database of questions that have been asked recently at AskJoelComm.com and attempt to answer a few of them here briefly. As you might imagine, I receive more questions than I have time to answer. So if don't get to your question, please don't think I am ignoring you. There just isn't enough of me to go around... Continue Reading

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Building on the Basics

Posted on July 28, 2006 10:51 AM

When I give talks explaining how people can use AdSense to earn high revenues, I focus on some very specific strategies. I do the same in my book. I explain which ad formats work best, discuss where to put them, how to blend them into the page and how to influence the ads that appear so that you can make sure you’re always earning the highest revenues possible. Continue Reading

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The AdSense Code a New York Times Best Seller

Posted on July 22, 2006 12:03 AM

When my book, The AdSense Code, was published in May, I was thrilled to see it go to #3 on Amazon.com. But it just got more exciting... I found out that the book is now a New York Times Paperback Business Best Seller, reaching #6 on the charts! Click here to see a PDF of the chart Continue Reading

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The Importance of Community

Posted on July 19, 2006 07:17 PM

My good friend Lee Dodd, who I feel is the king of online forums has recently rocked the forum world with the creation of Earners Forum. Watching the growth over the past 2 weeks has been an amazing experience, seeing the forum go from nothing to more than 1,000 members and 15,000 posts. Continue Reading

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Rich Schefren's Strategic Profit Manifesto

Posted on July 17, 2006 09:03 PM

I was at the Big Seminar in Los Angeles last year when Rich Schefren got up to speak. He began talking about the way most people do business online. I was listening with half an ear. Then he started talking about all the hats the online entrepeneur wears at the same time. I was all ears. Continue Reading

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Glenn Beck Live

Posted on July 16, 2006 10:56 AM

Last night, my family and I went to see Glenn Beck at the Mabee Center in Tulsa. For those not familiar with Beck, he claims to have the third most popular radio show in the country. I guess that would be behind Limbaugh and Hannity. I started listening to Glenn a few years ago when his program began airing on our local radio station. He says that you need to listen to the show for... Continue Reading

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Instant AdSense Templates - Gone!

Posted on July 6, 2006 10:17 PM

What an incredible 48 hours this has been. The sale of Instant AdSense Templates is officialy CLOSED, with volumes 1 and 2 no longer available. Gone... gone... gone. Sorry to those who missed the opportunity to get this incredible set. Yes, we are hard at work on a 3rd volume which we hope to offer you not to far into the future. Continue Reading

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New Niche Word Sites Popping Up

Posted on July 3, 2006 11:17 PM

After the huge success of 500Words.com, niche word sites are starting to pop up on the web. Here are just a few of the ones you might want to look at grabbing a word on... 300 Jobs for Moms - This is a great one for work-at-home moms who have job opportunities to share. Why not grab a word and link it to your opportunity? 500 Top Blogs - If you are a blogger, this... Continue Reading

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Where the Hell is Matt?

Posted on July 1, 2006 12:39 PM

Who's Matt? Just some guy who likes to dance. Well, he likes to dance and he likes to travel. In fact, he likes to dance in the places he travels to. Sound confusing? Continue Reading

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Alexa Mover and Shaker

Posted on June 30, 2006 11:14 PM

Who knew one week ago that my 500Words.com site would have caused such a stir? Take a look at all the places that are buzzing with news of the site... Revenews Warrior Forums Digital Point forums It's interesting to see people's reactions to the site. Some are knee-jerk and others are very well thought through. Anyhow, here's the good news... Continue Reading

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The Affiliate Manager Available Tuesday

Posted on June 25, 2006 02:16 PM

I've been writing about Anik Singal's upcoming affiliate training course, The Affiliate Manger 1st Edition, for a week or so now. I created a special 15 minute video review of this course that has been viewed hundreds of times at Affiliate Classroom. This much-anticipated comprehensive course will go on sale at 12 noon on Tuesday, June 27th. And I've got a special BONUS DVD for those who order a copy of Anik's course through a... Continue Reading

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500 Words - Move Over Pixel Ads

Posted on June 23, 2006 07:13 PM

Remember the pixel ad craze started by milliondollarhomepage.com last year? It was definitely a novelty that fuled a huge windfall for the owner of the site and a bit of notoriety for some of the sites that bought pixels. However, there was ultimately no linking benefit to the sites that paid for the pixels. Enter 500Words, a site that takes linking to the next level... one that should be of far greater interest to those... Continue Reading

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Seminar Strategy Secrets

Posted on June 21, 2006 11:07 AM

On the road again... Just can't wait to be on the road again... ... that is as long as I am either on vacation with my family or traveling to a seminar! And that's what I am doing tomorrow... heading to Philadelphia for Ken McArthur's JV Alert Live seminar, where I will be joining other speakers and attendees for three days of intense learning, brainstorming and networking. I absolutely love going to seminars. Want to... Continue Reading

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Affiliate Manager Deathmatch

Posted on June 20, 2006 01:06 PM

Did you know that I have been doing business online since 1995? Many people assume that I came out of nowhere with my AdSense training materials, but the fact is that I've been online creating profitable websites for eleven years now! (Wow, has it been THAT long?) One of the ways I generate revenue is with affiliate programs, that is, where I make a commission on products that I sell for OTHER merchants... Continue Reading

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Are You Finding Everything Okay?

Posted on June 17, 2006 11:37 PM

Everyone has their pet peeves, present company included. Being Saturday, I had to go to the store for a couple different things. I needed to pick up a framed poster at Hobby Lobby and I took my son to Best Buy so he could spend a gift card. At Hobby Lobby, I approached the checkout lanes and found there was only one girl handling all the customers. I took my spot in line behind the... Continue Reading

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Arbonne Letters

Posted on June 15, 2006 09:21 PM

Who would have thought that my post about Arbonne would have generated so much discussion? Admittedly, it does get heated from time to time. But I have allowed the post to be a forum for free speech as long as people keep it clean and don't abuse each other. If you try to read it, expect to spend at least an hour... it just keeps going and going... A few months ago, I put up... Continue Reading

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Boys Ranch in Oklahoma

Posted on June 14, 2006 08:09 PM

About six years ago, I met a guy named Todd Vinson. Todd is one of the most incredible people I have met in my life because he has dedicated his life to serving others. In particular, he has a heart for helping teenage boys who are displaced or whose families are in crisis by providing a long-term home solution where they will be properly cared for. This happens at Willow Springs Boys Ranch in Chandler... Continue Reading

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Instant AdSense Templates

Posted on June 13, 2006 10:42 AM

Search the web for AdSense and you will find an absolute avalanche of products and services related to Google's popular contextual advertising service. Most of the these products are software or tools designed to game the system, taking advantage of the weaknesses in the search engines in order to generate a quick buck with AdSense. You know what I am talking about. These are the tools that build "garbage" pages that exist for no reason... Continue Reading

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The Power of Press Releases

Posted on June 10, 2006 12:40 AM

If you've been following my life at all, you know I've been working with my mother to help her build her website, TravelsWithSheila.com. Acting on my advice, my mom has issued a press release today. Continue Reading

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Affiliate Inferno

Posted on June 8, 2006 12:51 AM

I've known Russell Brunson for a year of so. He is an incredibly smart young man who has become very successful online in a very short amount of time. Wildly successful. How has he done it? He has learned how to master the power of affiliate marketing. And now, Russell is offering a FREE CD called Affiliate Inferno. Continue Reading

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How Do I Find My Niche or Passion?

Posted on May 29, 2006 12:05 AM

I received this question via AskJoelComm.com Joel, I can't find my passion. I have been a workaholic my whole life in areas that I do not enjoy. I don't even know what I enjoy doing. To make matters worse, my experience is not something that can become a product unless I compete with the top corporations. I have gathered and researched a lot of information on how to market, sales pages, setting up websites, etc... Continue Reading

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Live from Orlando

Posted on May 26, 2006 08:50 PM

I am currently in Orlando, Florida, attending Michael Penland's Internet Marketing Super Conference. I've been spending time with some great people, including Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose, Brian Edmondson, Keith Wellman and Tom Beal. Being here reminds me of how incredibly important it is to attend conferences if you want to be successful. Continue Reading

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Move Over DaVinci Code: Unknown Author's "The AdSense Code" Is #3 Bestseller On Amazon

Posted on May 25, 2006 01:29 PM

Internet entrepreneur Joel Comm and his new book: "The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense." reveal how anyone can generate passive income on the Internet. Since only those books that appeared on Oprah ranked higher, Comm figures Oprah and her audience would find his Internet income strategies the real story. Read on for today's news release... Continue Reading

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Adventure Travel

Posted on May 20, 2006 09:18 PM

I don't travel nearly as much as I would like to. There's just something about visiting foreign lands and new places that is exciting! My mother is the world traveler in the family. Her adventure travel web site is rapidly becoming an incredible resource for those interested in planning their own exotic vacation, as well as those who just enjoy a good travelogue. Continue Reading

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Dominating AdSense

Posted on May 16, 2006 10:00 AM

A few weeks ago, Andrew Fox phoned me and asked if I would speak to him for a bit about my AdSense strategies. I've known Andrew for a bit, having met him at Big Seminar in Los Angeles last year. (Remember, I always say how important it is to network at these seminars?) Anyhow, Andrew is a great guy... and he's pretty darned smart, too! Beating me to the punch, Andrew has put together a... Continue Reading

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Make Friends with Your Traffic

Posted on May 15, 2006 04:24 PM

One of the biggest attractions of becoming an online publisher is that you get to become your own boss. You can work from home, at the hours you want... and completely alone. Well, the first two at least are right. Optimizing your ad units is certainly lonely work. It’s a task you have to do yourself and it involves no one but you, your computer and your stats tables. But playing with your ad units... Continue Reading

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Follow the Leader

Posted on May 13, 2006 11:42 AM

I'm sitting in a conference room in Dallas, Texas, attending the Focus 4 the Future "No Limits" Internet marketing seminar. At the moment, Perry Marshall is sharing his story and telling people about making money with Google AdWords. Perry is a super-nice guy and his success story is totally legit. Continue Reading

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Premier AdSense Coaching Club

Posted on May 9, 2006 01:09 PM

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

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Who is John Ford?

Posted on May 8, 2006 04:49 PM

Friday, May 5th, was my 42nd birthday. So I decided that I would throw a virtual birthday party and invite some of my readers to join me! I scheduled a teleseminar and began thinking of who I wanted to interview as a special guest for my birthday. Now, I could have called up one of my Internet marketing buddies, but I decided to invite an "unknown" to join me for the call. Continue Reading

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Ask Joel Comm

Posted on May 6, 2006 12:09 AM

Got a question? I've got an answer. I'm not promising the RIGHT answer. But I do have an answer. If you ask me who won the World Series in 1978, I'd have to do a little research. But if you ask me a question about the best affiliate programs online, I could tell you off the top of my head. That's why I have launched AskJoelComm.com Continue Reading

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AdSense Videos

Posted on May 2, 2006 08:02 PM

As you might imagine, I get LOTS of email. Questions, questions, questions... and most of them are good! What do people want most? They want to see exactly how to implement AdSense properly on their sites. Did you get that? They want to SEE... Continue Reading

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Yahoo Publishing Network

Posted on April 28, 2006 11:09 PM

Google AdSense is currently the reigning King of contextual advertising services. But the King always faces challengers to the throne. Kontera, Chitika and Intellitext have managed to absorb a small piece of Google's market, but they've barely made a dent thus far. So who can take on the 100 pound gorilla? Only another gorilla. Enter Yahoo! Continue Reading

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Vacation in Kauai

Posted on April 25, 2006 11:40 PM

I've been home from Kauai long enough to really begin missing it. The island and resort were so beautiful. It was difficult to come home. We spent the week at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club in Lihue. It was a top-notch resort with gorgeous surroundings, an enormous swimming pool and a nice beach tucked away in Kalapaki Bay. Palm trees, tropical breezes and the sounds of crashing surf... ah... Continue Reading

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Dallas Internet Marketing Seminar

Posted on April 18, 2006 01:45 PM

So here's the deal. I met this bloke in Charlotte, North Carolina last November. I can call him a "bloke" because he is decidedly British. His name is Robert Puddy... Continue Reading

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Creative Sponsorships to Get Traffic and Branding

Posted on April 16, 2006 11:13 AM

There are so many ways to promote business online. Adsense is a focus for me, because it has been so lucrative, and because there are so many businesses building their brand through the Adwords program. What's very interesting is that there are entire worlds of promotion outside of the Adwords Pay Per Click model. "Sponsorship" type programs are one example, which can bring traffic to not only your web site, but to your brand, through... Continue Reading

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Sony PSP

Posted on April 12, 2006 07:21 PM

I did it. I bit the PSP bullet and forked over my cash to Sony. I've been playing video games and computer games ever since there was such a beast. I remember when Pong first arrived on the scene. I owned a Fairchild Channel One video game system (the failed precursor to the Atari home video game system that sold millions of units). I've owned Nintendos, Playstations, XBox's and who knows what else. It was... Continue Reading

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Arbonne

Posted on April 10, 2006 12:50 AM

It's been just over a year since I first discussed my experiences with Arbonne, the multi-level marketing skin-care company. Since that time, over 600 comments have been posted to that single entry! Diehard Arbonne supporters and vehement detractors have enjoyed spirited discussion and debate via my blog. Isn't the Internet great? My take on the company remains the same. They have good product, albeit overpriced... and an unfair Internet marketing model that favors those who... Continue Reading

Comments (104)

My Space

Posted on April 8, 2006 12:55 AM

With over 65,000,000 members, Rupert Murdoch's My Space is a juggernaut in the online world. Sure, it is largely a wasteland of 18 to 22 year olds trying to "hook up" with each other. But I can see where the networking tools of the site can be used for those who aren't just looking for a "date". Continue Reading

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Me and Mini-Me

Posted on April 5, 2006 05:47 PM

Last week, I wrote about my encounter with Vern Troyer, the actor who portrayed "Mini Me" in the Austin Powers movies. It didn't go all that well. Regardless, I just received the photo that was taken with Vern and I want to share it with you... because I know how much you care. :-) Continue Reading

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The Power of the Mastermind

Posted on April 4, 2006 10:36 AM

I am currently in a top-secret location with an unnamed group of people. What do we have in common? We are all online entreprenuers. Why gather? Because when people get together and begin discussing their lives, powerful stuff takes place. Continue Reading

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The AdSense Code on Amazon.com

Posted on March 30, 2006 11:24 PM

It was a pretty exciting day yesterday. The UPS man dropped four boxes at my front door. I instantly knew what they were. Carrying the boxes insides, I quickly found scissors and gently cut the tape that sealed the cardboard boxes. It was just as I had expected. Books. Dozens of copeis of the same book. My book. It had finally arrived... Continue Reading

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Internet Marketing Conferences

Posted on March 29, 2006 01:25 PM

I occassionally receive email that looks like this... "Dear Joel, I have purchased your ebook and applied your strategies to my web pages. It's been a week and I am not making any money. It just doesn't work" Welcome to our microwave society. We want our popcorn done in sixty seconds. And if we can get someone else to put it in the microwave and prepare it for us, all the better. So what is... Continue Reading

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I Offended Mini Me

Posted on March 27, 2006 08:40 AM

I offended Vern Troyer, the actor who played the role of "Mini Me" in the Austin Powers movies. Why would I do such a thing? I didn't mean, to, but it happened anyhow... If you've been following my blog, you would know that I've been in D.C. attending Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar. Yanik was very clever in putting the seminar together. He gave the entire thing an "Austin Powers" secret agent feel, which each attendee... Continue Reading

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Our Nation's Capital

Posted on March 23, 2006 11:06 PM

Arrived in Washington, DC today for Yanik Silver's Underground Seminar. I'll be writing about my experiences this weekend. I've already encountered many friends, some fans and some folks that I hadn't met before. But that's another story. There's something wonderful about coming to this city, especially for someone who isn't jaded by living inside the Beltway. Continue Reading

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JV Alert Live

Posted on March 20, 2006 04:10 PM

I remember receiving an email from someone in early 2005, just after the first edition of my ebook had come out. He asked me if I was interested in doing a "JV". Being mostly ignorant of Internet marketing jargon at the time, I only knew JV to mean Junior Varsity. Since that time, I have found out that JV means Joint Venture. And Joint Venture means MONEY. Continue Reading

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So Proud of My Mother

Posted on March 16, 2006 04:45 PM

I am just thrilled with my mom right now. A few days ago I wrote about her new blog, TravelsWithSheila.com. Since starting her blog, she has been dilligently working hard to create new content and understand the entire blogging process. I love the way she has taken the bull by the horns and is really wanting to excel with this project. Continue Reading

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Want to Work for Google?

Posted on March 14, 2006 10:30 AM

It probably isn't easy to get a job with Google. But Tom Vendetta was determined to secure a position with the search engine giant. According to a press release sent out via I-Newswire, this 15-year old boy was hired by Google, and his salary would be placed in a savings account for his future education. Kudos to Tom! Oh, I may have failed to mention this... Continue Reading

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Google AdSense Secrets 3rd Edition

Posted on March 6, 2006 07:06 PM

When I came out with "What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense" in January 2005, I never imagined that it would become so popular. Since that time, I have released a second edition, several other ebooks, a member site, a telecourse series and find myself booked for multiple speaking engagements. Life is funny... Today marks another milestone for me as I am pleased to announce the revised and expanded third edition of... Continue Reading

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New AdSense Tracker Program

Posted on February 27, 2006 04:21 PM

If you are an AdSense publisher, you know that Google tells you very little about your ads. They tell you how many ads you have displayed. They tell you how many ads have been clicked. And they tell you how much money they are paying you. If you use channels, you are able to gather a bit more data regarding the success or failure of a page or an ad to deliver revenue. But other... Continue Reading

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Free XBox 360 Confirmed

Posted on February 26, 2006 10:23 AM

Yesterday I wrote about TextPayMe and their free service that allows you to send and receive funds from any cellphone. It's like PayPal, only more 21st century. I also mentioned that they have a cool referral program. Simply get 36 other people to sign up with their service and they will give you a FREE XBox 306. The people who sign up get paid $5 just for signing up as well. This morning I received... Continue Reading

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How I Won a Free XBox 360 in Less Than 24 Hours

Posted on February 25, 2006 12:00 AM

You've undoubtedly seen offers for free XBox 360's all over the web. Most of them make you jump through all kinds of hoops in order to get the goods. I just found an offer that anyone can take advantage of and win a free XBox 360! Seriously, read on... Continue Reading

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And My Cholesterol Level Is...

Posted on February 24, 2006 11:33 AM

Three months ago, I told you that my cholesterol levels were high. My LDL (bad cholesterol) was approximately 138. My total cholesterol was 214. My primary care physician immediately wanted to place me on Lipitor. I told him that I was not eager to get on this medication as I heard it had some long-term side effects. I also do not like the idea of becoming dependent on the chemical compound du jour. So I... Continue Reading

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Big Kitty

Posted on February 21, 2006 08:48 AM

Several years ago, I owned a yellow tabby cat named Mr. Mew. Adopted as a tiny little kitten, Mr. Mew proceeded to grow and grow and grow. By the time he was three, he weighed over seventeen pounds. He was one big cat. Mr. Mew was a midget compared to this big fella... Continue Reading

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PETA Strikes Again

Posted on February 15, 2006 11:51 PM

I recently received an email from a reader lamenting how I have strayed from my political rants. Believe me, it's not for lack of material. Between the mainstream media's pathetic obsession with VP Dick Cheney accidently shooting a friend while hunting (don't get me started) and the never-ceasing parade of Democrat leadership attempting to undermine America, I could blog for hours on end. I have just become fed up with the lunacy and have focused... Continue Reading

Comments (4)

New Design Coming

Posted on February 11, 2006 11:05 AM

It's time for my blog to "grow up". This coming week, I will be updating joelcomm.com with a brand new design. It will have remnants of the old and a whole lot of new. Watch for it and let me know what you think! Continue Reading

Comments (2)

Junk Faxes Make Me Crazy

Posted on February 5, 2006 11:32 PM

There's only one thing I hate worse than email spam. It is junk fax spam. I got a fax machine so that I could send and receive important documents for my business. I use it for this purpose maybe once each week. But my fax machine is active far more frequently due to fax spam. I HATE junk faxes! So I decided to do something about it. Continue Reading

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Dave Lakhani Rips Best Buy a New One

Posted on February 3, 2006 11:47 PM

In November 2005, I saw Dave Lakhani speak for the first time at Armand Morin's Big Seminar. Dave's presentation on how to use press releases to get noticed by the media and as tool to generate traffic really caught my attention. I had the privilege of spending some time with Dave this past weekened in Raleigh, NC, and found out a few things. Not only is he a brilliant PR strategist, but he is a... Continue Reading

Comments (2)

People Will Talk

Posted on January 27, 2006 10:11 PM

Yes, people will talk. And the things they will say are quite interesting. Ever since my AdSense ebook has come into the spotlight, my name has become more well known. Once your name is "out there", commentary and opinion is not far behind. So how do you know when you have "arrived"? Continue Reading

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Helping Kids Around the World

Posted on January 25, 2006 12:53 PM

We' ve all seen the commercials of orphaned children on late night television. The images tear at our hearts, but it is so easy for us to turn a blind eye to their plight. Ken Surritte is a great friend of mine. Not only is he a great guy, but he also has an extremely compassionate heart for people who are in need. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Following Your Passion

Posted on January 17, 2006 11:58 PM

I had two telephone consultations today. One of them was scheduled with a client. Another was spontaneous with a contact that I met at a seminar a few months back. But both of them had something in common. Each person was trying to figure out how they could create a profitable business online. Continue Reading

Comments (2)

It's a Small World After All

Posted on January 14, 2006 12:52 AM

I'm in San Francisco, which is over 1000 miles from home. I'm attending Harlan Kilstein's Six-Figure Copywriting conference (which I am scheduled to speak at tomorrow and Sunday). The conference is taking place at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel. I had a serendipitous event take place around 10 am. Continue Reading

Comments (3)

Attending Industry Conferences

Posted on January 10, 2006 11:04 AM

There are many activities one can partake in in order to grow their business. Whether engaging in the creative process, developing product and/or services or executing a long-term vision, all components are critical to success. However, I have found that one activity stands above the others in terms of long-term value to me personally, and to my business. Thus the title of my post. Continue Reading

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Moving

Posted on December 29, 2005 08:13 PM

You would think moving websites from one location to another would be an easy task. Think again. Continue Reading

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If You're Going to San Francisco

Posted on December 22, 2005 02:50 PM

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

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Media Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist

Posted on December 19, 2005 12:31 AM

I remember a story on the cover of Time magazine about ten years ago. It had the following headline which was just a tremendous shocker to me. It said... Continue Reading

Comments (0)

Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2005

Posted on December 18, 2005 05:31 PM

About eight years ago, a friend turned me on to the music of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Their work can be described as bombastic and theatrical rock and roll with a distinctly classical feel created for the Christmas season. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

How to Build Profitable Websites FAST

Posted on December 15, 2005 01:55 AM

Several months ago I was going through email from readers. As you might imagine, people have a lot of questions, not just regarding AdSense, but also related to other areas of Internet business. I began noticing a recurring theme in these emails. Continue Reading

Comments (6)

Hollywood Completely Out of Touch with America

Posted on December 14, 2005 12:40 AM

Two totally conflicting stories out of Hollywood today that explain absolutely everything you need to know about how out of touch Hollyweird is with the American mainstream. Continue Reading

Comments (5)

The Mile-High Club Sounds Uncomfortable

Posted on December 13, 2005 09:00 AM

An intoxicated couple en route from the U.K. to Jamaica caused quite a stir in their attempts to join the "mile-high" club. The British Airways staff became suspicious when the couple's moans of pleasure were all-too-obvious. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

The Liberal Circus Continues

Posted on December 9, 2005 01:36 PM

Republicans and Conservatives are having a great time this week as the far left continues to repulse more and more Americans with their extremists views. Continue Reading

Comments (5)

Regarding Mike Filsaime

Posted on December 7, 2005 10:13 PM

I just received an email from Mike Filsaime. For those who already know Mike, you already know he is an Internet Marketing legend. For those who don't know him, you are about to find out WHY he is a legend. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Misery Hates Company

Posted on December 6, 2005 12:54 PM

Yesterday morning, M told me she didn't feel well. Around 11 am, I realized that I didn't feel too good either. By 12 noon I left the office and wasn't sure if I was going to make it home without getting sick. Continue Reading

Comments (0)

The Leader - An Anonymous Poem

Posted on December 4, 2005 11:21 PM

Here's an interesting story out of Pakistan. Pakistan censors poetic salute to Bush by Isambard Wilkinson in Islamabad (12/05/2005) A poem in a school textbook has been removed by embarrassed education officials in Pakistan after it was found that the first letters of each line spelt out "President George W Bush." The 20-line anonymous poem, The Leader, lists the qualities of "a man who will do what he must" and bears a passing resemblance to... Continue Reading

Comments (12)

Religion and Politics

Posted on November 25, 2005 05:15 AM

"Bush is stupid" is always a great way to start a conversation. Seriously... bold, definitive statements are the doorway from which we can expand our knowledge base and increase in wisdom. Continue Reading

Comments (13)

Quickstart Guide to Building a Website

Posted on November 23, 2005 11:05 AM

I regularly receive email from people wanting to make money online, but aren't sure how to go about doing it. Building a website can be a daunting task for someone who has never done it. Learning HTML, search engine optimization, affiliate linking, marketing and all the other areas of the business can be complex and overwhelming. Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Down from the mountain

Posted on November 21, 2005 01:14 PM

I am sitting in Chicago O'Hare airport reflecting on this past weekend. Yes, I am taking the long way home from North Carolina, but you do what you gotta do. Anyhow... Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Michael Lee Austin Fan Club

Posted on November 11, 2005 04:44 PM

Who is Michael Lee Austin? And why am I blogging about a country/western singer? I have my reasons. For now, let's just call it a friendly wager with a certain 5'9" slightly balding Jewish man that I know. Continue Reading

Comments (4)

Big Seminar Afterglow

Posted on November 8, 2005 03:01 PM

I just got back from one of the the most educational and inspiring seminars of my entire life. My friend, Jeff Walker, suggested that I go to Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles. On his advice, I registered just a couple weeks ago. It cost $2000, but I trust Jeff and took his advice. Words cannot describe the weekend I just experienced. Continue Reading

Comments (4)

What I discovered this weekend

Posted on November 6, 2005 10:11 AM

I am currently in Los Angeles attending Armand Morin's Big Seminar, an Internet marketing conference unlike any I have previously attended. This is Armand's sixth conference of this nature (he does them bi-annually) and you can tell that he really loves what he does. There are over 400 people here and the atmosphere is absolutely electric. It is a top-notch, classy operation. From the hotel to the speakers to the food and everything in between... Continue Reading

Comments (2)

Give us a REAL Conservative, Mr. President

Posted on October 30, 2005 10:51 PM

With the Harriet Miers nomination withdrawn, conservatives everywhere are calling on the President to bring forth a true conservative judge in the fashion of Scalia and Thomas. We desperately need to bring sanity back to the highest court in the land. Appointing a judge that would interpret the law, rather than legislate from the bench, is the best way to achieve this goal. Continue Reading

Comments (2)

Standing Behind Israel

Posted on October 28, 2005 09:32 PM

If the radical Islamofascist plan for the world is not evident now to everybody, it will never be. The President of Iran has called for Israel to be "wiped off the face of the map". Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made comments on Friday during an anti-Israeli rally. Continue Reading

Comments (2)

An outpouring of support

Posted on October 27, 2005 10:13 PM

I wanted to say "thank you" to those of you who have emailed or left comments on my blog in support of me and my family in the loss of my Aunt. I have enjoyed spending time with my family today. It is especially touching to hear my mom tell stories of her relationship with her sister. There have been a good many tears. Tomorrow we lay Joan to rest, and live will go on... Continue Reading

Comments (1)

Life throws a curveball

Posted on October 26, 2005 10:04 PM

My favorite Aunt in the whole world is my Aunt Joan. She is my mother's younger sister and I have some fantastic memories of her from my childhood. She was always bubbly, gregarious, fun-loving and pleasant to be around. She loved her parents, her sisters, her children, her nieces and nephews and her grandchildren with a passion. Everyone knew when Joan was in the room. Her laugh was something akin to a "cackle", and she... Continue Reading

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Is Someone Stealing Your Web Site?

Posted on October 20, 2005 12:26 PM

I don't know about you, but I spend lots of time developing my web sites. I put my heart and soul (not to mention money) into creating great sites that will generate traffic and AdSense revenue. Unfortunately, there are many people who do not respect other people's work. And they will STEAL your site. I've seen it happen. Continue Reading

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How to Handle Illegal Aliens?

Posted on October 18, 2005 05:11 PM

Finally! After way to long, the Bush administration has finally spoken up regarding the massive influx of illegal aliens into the United States. I have no problem with people going through the proper channels to become citizens of this great country. But I have a serious problem with people entering the country illegally and living off American taxpayers. Continue Reading

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The Big Seminar - Los Angeles

Posted on October 17, 2005 09:41 PM

Did you know that just about anyone can make money online? With knowledge, discipline and persistence, the Internet can be a pot of gold for anyone willing to pursue their dream. Let's face it. Even though the world wide web is about ten years old, it is still in its infancy. And it is NOT too late to claim your piece of the Internet pie. Continue Reading

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United States Deficit FALLS! (Take that Democrats...)

Posted on October 16, 2005 11:52 AM

In news that has the left side of the aisle stunned, the President's economic policies are validated once again as the Federal Government reports INCREASES in tax revenue that have caused a decrease in the U.S. fiscal deficit. Continue Reading

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