Interview
With Michael Murray: "Autoresponder Basics" by: F. Terrence Markle
This interview is with Michael Murray,
the author of a top selling ebook titled “Autoresponder Basics.” Michael
is also involved with many excellent affiliate programs.
Terry: Michael, this is a real pleasure
to talk about your experience and business on the Internet. To start off,
how did you get involved with the Internet?
Michael: I’m disabled and I always
figured I’d get a job with computers. In 1996, my dad got the Internet
hooked up and I loved it. At the time, I was 13 and a big fan of Goosebumps
(the popular book series back then). I would search for information on
it. When I was 16, I started seeing lots of “Get Rich Quick” schemes and
fell into it and wasted a lot of money. Fortunately, I learned through
trial and error the right way to make money online.
Terry: That is an interesting beginning.
What led you to develop your top selling ebook "Autoresponder Basics"?
Michael: For a couple of years, I
only promoted affiliate programs. I didn’t have my own product. I was in
the very competitive Internet marketing niche and there was already an
overload of information. People were writing “How to Make Money Online”
ebooks who weren’t even making a dime themselves! I didn’t have anything
new to say about the subject. I became a critic of other people’s work
and wrote honest reviews about it to my email list. They would save money
by buying only quality products. My reviews led people to ask me how to
use autoresponders. They realized the need to “build a mailing list” but
had no idea how to technically do it. I did some research and discovered
that a lot of good guides existed about email marketing techniques and
list building strategies. However, the guides all assumed you knew how
to use autoresponders. That was a bold assumption. After some encouragement
from a fellow marketer, I researched and wrote “Autoresponder Basics.”
Terry: Great! You benefited on an
opportunity to develop a product that people wanted. What types of products/services
do you believe sell well on the Internet?
Michael: First, information products
(i.e., ebooks, tapes, videos, coaching, seminars, etc.) are the #1 item
to sell online. Information products have low overhead and high markups.
To sell information products successfully, you need a tightly targeted
niche market to sell to. You need not only a niche but also a sub-niche.
My ebook is the perfect example. I chose a specific subject in a niche
that very few other people were marketing.
Terry: Sounds straightforward. Find
a market niche and pursue it. In your pursuit, what well-known Internet
marketers helped you the most with your business?
Michael: Terry Dean was the biggest
help. I have almost all his products. He taught me the importance of email
follow-up. Yanik Silver, Jim Edwards and Stephen Pierce have great products
that have educated me.
Terry: It is very important to have
guidance from a qualified coach. What is your opinion on the best way to
market products/services?
Michael: The best way to market your
own products is through joint ventures. The JV is a partnership formed
to share risks and rewards. For example, one person develops a product
and another sells it for a percentage of the profits. This is usually 50%
or higher. If I have an ebook on car repair, I’d go to other car websites
and ask them to put a link to my website on their website.
Terry: The implied message is to
use JVs to your advantage. Do you advertise in an ezine?
Michael: Yes! Paid ezine advertising
is a great way to make money quickly. However, I would not sell a product
in the ad. Instead, I would give away a free report in the ad and get prospects
onto an email list. Sell to the list.
Terry: That makes sense. Build your
list! Is it important to have a lot of money to spend when starting a marketing
business?
Michael: No! The only thing you’ll
need is a good autoresponder. A website is a good resource but not mandatory
if you have a good autoresponder.
Terry: OK! With regard to follow-up
sales, how important is it to sell a back-end product/service?
Michael: Very. Why should you continually
find only new customers and not profit from old ones? Also, back-end doesn’t
necessarily mean high-end. A very good back-end product would be a recurring
billing program. One of the back-end products for my autoresponder ebook
is the promotion of an autoresponder service. It pays $5 a month per member
signup through me. This is monthly residual income.
Terry: Back-end sales are very nice.
With that in mind, how often do you contact the individuals on your opt-in
prospect list and customer list?
Michael: I publish a weekly newsletter
to my newsletter list to keep me on their mind. Whenever I have a good
offer, I contact my customer list. I don’t want to keep bothering them
unless I have an important announcement.
Terry: Quality versus quantity! How
important is the promotion and sale of affiliate programs?
Michael: It’s very important! The
majority of my income comes from affiliate programs. Even if you have your
own products, affiliate programs are a great way to earn extra profits.
Terry: The returns from promoting
affiliate programs are worth the effort. What strategy do you employ with
the affiliate programs you promote?
Michael: I promote programs at different
price levels but not to just make money. The program has to be a good,
something I can talk about and of interest to my list. If affiliate programs
are going to be your main business, develop a free report to get prospects
on your email list. Next, promote the affiliate programs in your newsletter.
Terry: Sounds simple enough! Do you
recruit affiliates to sell your products/services?
Michael: Most of my product sales
come from affiliates. However, you can’t sit around and wait for affiliates
to come to you. You must go out and actively recruit them. You want affiliates
to have large email lists and credibility in your niche. Give these affiliates
a free copy of your product and a large commission for each sale.
Terry: Results depend on successful
recruiting. What do most Internet marketers do wrong in trying to build
a successful business?
Michael: They forget the main purpose
of Internet marketing! Find a hungry niche market and provide customers
with good products. Some marketers get lost in the “hype” of the Internet
and forget basic economic principles.
Terry: You have very thoughtful insight.
Moving along. How can you tell if an affiliate program is legitimate?
Michael: I always buy the product
before joining the affiliate program. If it’s a good product it’ll generally
be a good affiliate program. Be cautious of any programs that focus more
on selling than on the product itself. Troubles lie ahead if you have to
pay to be in a program but have no clue about the product!
Terry: Know the product before committing
to a program. How should a newcomer determine what field to pursue in Internet
marketing?
Michael: Research a potential niche
market carefully. Go to the website GoodKeywords.com and see how many people
search your topic area. Select a niche area with high traffic.
Terry: Excellent recommendation!
In your judgment, what are the most effective things a newcomer should
do to develop an affiliate strategy?
Michael: Pick a strong niche market
and 3 good affiliate programs to promote. The individual affiliate needs
to brand themselves (i.e., take on a unique identity) and not the affiliate
program.
Terry: Therefore, branding is critical!
What key things would you recommend to a new Internet marketer to achieve
financial success?
Michael: Concentrate on building
a list! Learn from the people who have already succeeded. There’s no shame
in asking for help. Keep a cool head and have patience. Success won’t come
overnight but it will happen. Don’t give up! You may be one failure away
from success.
Terry: That is good positive encouragement
for all marketers. Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
Michael: If you are a newbie, you
have a long road ahead of you. However, the destination is worth the wait.
Everything is a learning process. Remember the main objective is to solve
someone’s frustration. There was a person out there banging his keyboard
in anger and trying to figure out autoresponders. My ebook solved his problem.
Find a frustration and solve it! You’ll be on your way to riches!
Terry: Michael, thank you very much
for your valued inputs.
Copyright © 2003 F. Terrence
Markle – All Rights Reserved
FREE 7-Day Ultimate Affiliate Marketing
eCourse at http://www.QuikSystems.com/uam/FreeCourse.htm
About The Author
F. Terrence Markle has worked for
over 20 years with public and private companies. He has an MBA in finance
and marketing. He has been involved with internet-related businesses for
over 3 years. His primary focus today is marketing of affiliate programs.
terry@quiksystems.com
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
