These companies will promote a product or service, take the consumer’s credit card information, bill them exorbitant fees monthly and make it nearly impossible for them to get requested refunds or stop the service. Sometimes they pass on the credit card information to other companies and add additional charges for additional services or products that the consumer knew nothing about. So what started as a small one-time charge turns into hundreds or thousands of dollars of unexpected debt for the consumer.

Google has been working very hard to rid the internet of these fraudulent companies, and they are having success.

But you, as an affiliate marketer need to pay attention to what you’re promoting on your own websites, so that you don’t unwittingly get caught up in this yourself.

Here’s the clip where I went over this point on my live show. For more information, stop by BusinessInnerCircle.com every Tuesday at 6:30 pm PST. Get your questions answered and get the help you need to create a successful online business.

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affiliate marketing

We often have the urge during traditionally “tough” economic times like holidays, to go into agreement with them, and blame those holidays or seasons for drops in our sales, low income, etc. What times are “tough” depend on what business you’re in. We say “Things are always slow this time of year” or “It’s the economy” or “It’s the holidays”. But saying those things doesn’t improve the situation, it just justifies low production.

Instead what you SHOULD be doing is not agreeing with it. Do the exact opposite of what your urge is. Promote MORE. Make MORE phone calls, get out MORE promotional materials, MORE direct mail, see MORE customers.

The solution to any low production time is to promote and market your way out of it, even if it DOES mean spending a little bit of money to do so. It will be worth it.

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Training Videos

As an affiliate marketer, you have to be responsible for what products you’re promoting, in the same way that you’d be responsible for items you sell in your own shop.

So how do you tell which affiliate products are beneficial to the customer and which are harmful? Who the rip-off artists are, and who are decent companies with a decent product or service? There are a few things you can do, all of which come under the heading of research, investigation and due diligence.

1. Buy the product or service yourself and check it out. This isn’t required, just an option.
2. Do a Google search and see how people review the company, their product or service.
3. Check the number of complaints against the number of positive comments.
4. Study Google’s regulations to find out what they like and don’t like, so you

The most important thing is that you really KNOW what it is you’re promoting before you promote it. There is more to this subject than just how much the payout is. For more specifics on this subject, watch the clip below.

Cheers.

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affiliate marketing

The show starts TONIGHT at 6:30 PM Pacific Standard Time / 9:30 Eastern. Stop by early & say hi:

http://www.billmcintosh.tv/live

If you are a member of my Business Inner Circle, you should go to:

http://www.businessinnercircle.com/forum/forum/addonchat.php
(If you’re not a member yet, just click the link & sign up… it only takes a minute)

I look forward to seeing you there!

All the best,

Bill McIntosh
Follow me on Google Buzz:
http://www.google.com/profiles/squidbill

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Local

The show starts TONIGHT Tuesday March 2nd at 6:30 PM Pacific Standard Time / 9:30 Eastern. Stop by early & say hi:

http://www.billmcintosh.tv/live

If you are a member of my Business Inner Circle, you should go to:

http://www.businessinnercircle.com/forum/forum/addonchat.php
(If you’re not a member yet, just click the link & sign up… it only takes a minute)

I look forward to seeing you there!

All the best,

Bill McIntosh
http://www.billmcintosh.tv/live

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Social Marketing

Interested?

Watch the clip!

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Training Videos

1. Is Google just throwing out so many products they want to see what sticks?

2. What should a noob do to get into the Internet Marketing industry?

3. Does Google Buzz have an open API?

4. How do Google Buzz email alerts work?

5. What’s the difference between “white hat” and “black hat” marketing?

Want to find out the answers?  Watch the clip! And for more answers to more online marketing questions, stop by the show tonight at 6:30 pm.

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Training Videos

If you remember way back in December (for internet technology that actually IS way back), Google was trying to acquire Yelp.  That was HUGE news.  Not only that, but Google got turned DOWN by Yelp.   A Google representative was quoted saying THEY are the ones who turned down Yelp…which, aside from being a tactic I used in third grade, also makes NO sense.  Google buys EVERYTHING which makes sense to buy.  They would NEVER say no to Yelp, in my opinion.  Anyway, there’s some context for you.

Without further delay, here are a couple member questions answered on the subject of Local Marketing from that week…

1. How do you optimize your site for Local?

2. How local is too local?

Find out the answers in the clip below.

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Live Questions

Yesterday was a BIG day for Google. And for social networking. I went over it in my live show at BusinessInnerCircle.com, as well. But I wanted to make sure and post it here so everyone knows.

Google released their newest product called “Buzz” yesterday. Essentially, it’s a social network which links your twitter feed, your youtube videos, your flickr pics, and all other social networks that Google can figure out that are connected with you…all to your gmail.

So now in your gmail, you’ll see a real-time feed of your friends’ posts on their connected social networks and your own. You can post directly from your gmail homepage, add links and pics and it goes into the feeds of all your Buzz friends instantly. The more connected sites and friends you add, the more feed data you will have, and the more people will see what YOU’RE talking about as well.

According to the very first link I saw from an internet geekstar in my feed when I signed up today, “Facebook has just lost half of its value.” I don’t know how true that is, but Google Buzz certainly has potential to be THE go-to place for all of my social media activities. Because if I can do it all from one place, why not?

Only question I have at the moment is how Google plans to allow me to link to my other sites which it didn’t automatically find for me. There are many that it didn’t even see. So I’m trying to figure that out at the moment, and I’ll keep you posted with the results.

Meanwhile, here’s the link to Google Buzz so you can check it out for yourself.

And if you want to stay up-to-date on other breaking news in the internet marketing industry, stop by my live show @ BusinessInnerCircle.com every Tuesday night @ 6:30 pm PST!

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News

Online marketing is not something you can succeed at by trying one thing one day and then dropping it because you don’t make a million dollars in a week. That strategy doesn’t work in ANY career. If you want to be a doctor or a chef or a plumber or WHATEVER, first you decide. Then you study, you practice, you study more, you practice more. You become competent through study and practice. That is always how it’s done, and this field is no different.

The key is PERSISTENCE. Noone has ever become a professional at anything without persistence. It is the one thing that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.

In last week’s live show I went over this exact point. So here’s the clip for those of you just starting, or those of you on the verge of giving up, or those of you who’ve been at it for years and want a little reminder of why you persist. And for anyone else who just feels like watching. Cheers!

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Training Videos