August 2009

So, you want to do teleseminars and webinars but you don’t have a product to sell?

Well, good news.

One of my favorite things about teleseminars marketing and webinar marketing is that you don’t have to wait to create your own product before you start making money.

In fact, you SHOULDN’T wait … you should immediately roll out a few profitable sessions so you have money coming in to fund all your other marketing and business building activities. Activities like advertising, lead generation, product creation and so on.

“But Michael,” you’re thinking. “How can I possibly make a dime with nothing to sell?

I’m glad you asked, because today I’m revealing the top 6 fastest ways to rake in cash using teleseminars and webinar before you have a product of your own.

  1. Sell someone else’s product. Find a well-selling product in your niche and sell it as an affiliate. This is especially effective if you’re just starting out and you’re not sure what market you want to be in. Try different products in different niches and then commit to the one or more markets that are most profitable. (Yes, you really can sell an affiliate product *very* effectively using teleseminars and webinars.)
  2. Review a product. This strategy piggybacks on the first one. Pick 2-3 products, hold a teleseminar or webinar where you review the products, and offer your opinions along with affiliate links.
  3. Charge for attendance. Hold an informative teleseminar and charge your callers to attend. People will happily pay $47 – 97 as long as you deliver valuable content. You should never do sessions that are mostly “fluff,” but this is especially true on a session you charge for.
  4. Sell the recording of your session. Do a content-driven teleseminar (free or charged), tweak it, and then sell the recording. You can sell a downloadable version, a physical CD, or both. And look at that, you have a product. Get it transcribed and it has even more value.
  5. Interview an expert on a topic relating to your list. This is one of the fastest ways to roll out a teleseminar or webinar because the expert fills in all the “content” for you … all you have to do is ask questions. To make money, either charge for the call or sell the expert’s product as an affiliate. Or both.
  6. Build your list. Again, then best way to get this out and build your list quickly, is to interview an expert. Instead of promoting the call to your list, have your affiliate promote it to his or hers. You play host and anyone who registers for the session will be automatically added to your list. This strategy may not put money in your pocket immediately, but the long term potential for income is limitless (depending on how you nurture the leads you get).

So there you have it. 6 simple ways to profit from teleseminar and webinar without a product of your own to sell.

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Restaurateurs may well be one of the fastest groups of business men and women adopting Twitter for marketing their local businesses.

And with good reason.

If you own a local restaurant and you’re looking for a cheap, easy way to get paying guests in your door every single day, look no further than Twitter.

But Twitter isn’t just good for attracting customers, it’s also a great way to keep them happy, which keeps them coming back and, even better, refering their friends.

Take a look at this article which explains how the co-owner of Myers + Chang in Boston, MA used Twitter to adjust her menu based on her customer feedback.

And pay attention to the way a Kabuki manager used Twitter go keep a happy hour goer, well, happy in this example.

The value of social media services for local restaurant owners doesn’t stop once your customers are in the door. They’re also an excellent way to engage your customers, encourage feedback, and keep your finger on the pulse of your market.

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What big businesses don’t understand about marketing to small business owners

by Michael Cage

(Quick note before we start – I originally wrote this in a response to a question I got from a large corporate client trying to market to small business owners. My comments also apply completely to smaller consulting firms and…

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26 New York Dairy Farmers, Selling Milk and What It Can Teach You About Local Business Marketing

by Michael Cage

Today we’re going to talk about what 26 dairy farmers in upstate New York can teach you about marketing your local small business.

Situation

Imagine waking up one morning to find the cost to produce your premium product…

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Virginia Real Estate Agent Blogs His Way To Success

by Michael Cage

Still wondering if social media like blogs, Facebook and Twitter are worth your time?

Today’s social media success story highlights Danilo Bogdanovic, a Washington area real estate agent who, according to GrowSmartBusiness.com:

… estimates that 75% of his

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Twitter Marketing: Dessert, Sushi, Antiques, Wine, and Day Spas (Oh My!)

by Michael Cage

More proof that social media, and Twitter specifically, is a powerful tool for attracting customers no matter what your local small business …

In the New York Times article, “Marketing Small Businesses With Twitter,” Internet analyst Greg Sterling…

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Compression, Revenue and Teleseminars & Webinars that Sell

by Michael Cage

Today’s question was asked by someone selling online training to mid-size and large corporations.

My answer is 100% applicable to any business — from selling information online to consulting services and everything in between.

The concepts aren’t talked…

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How local business blogging = 850% increase in lead generation

by Michael Cage

In 2008, Duncan Page brought his grandfather’s 117 year old company into the Web 2.0 era through his blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Louis E. Page Inc, which is based out of a warehouse in Littleton, Massachusetts, sells…

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Local Businesses: 3 tips to handle online complaints and manage your reputation

by Michael Cage

Afraid your social media presence could leave  your business vulnerable to criticism and negative reviews?

Well whether you like it or not, your customers are online. And they’re talking about you on sites like Yelp,…

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