Bankruptcy to Millionaire

Ok, well the moment of truth is here. These are the results from my Two Week Cash Challenge:

(I didn’t realize the numbers were so bad. I guess I wasn’t tracking as well as I should have. This is a true confession.)

Adwords Statistics

30,000 Impressions

464 Clicks

1.52% Overall CTR

$132.55 (*cringe*) cost

Landing Page Statistics:

46 Initial Opt-Ins

20 Confirmed Double Opt-Ins

Clickbank Statistics:

251 Clicks To The Product Sales Page

1 Sale (+24.55)

Total Two Week Cash Challenge Results:

20 newsletter subscribers

-$108.00

There you have it. My confession. I’m not buttering things up here. I did NOT meet my expectations, or my financial goal. Some may look at this as a failure. I do not. It was a great learning experience for me. I know many areas where I went wrong, and what I can do better next time.

What went wrong?

There were a number of things I did wrong. I did not optimize my ad groups enough. I just broke them down in to basic categories. This was a small issue, but it did effect my quality score.

My biggest issue was:

I did not optimize/split-test my landing page/opt-in form. Looking at my statistics now, I realize how truly terrible they were!!! It started out great in the first two days, and after that I kind of ignored that number. This was a huge mistake! I shoud have paused my campaign as soon as I noticed I wasn’t over 50% and started optizing the landing page.

If you are starting in affiliate marketing. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE. Constantly track your numbers.

Which has inspired me for my next challege. Stay tuned tomorrow. I am going to challenge myself, and YOU. If you can keep up, there is something in it for you.

If you challenged yourself, what were your results?

photo by Mike Lane

With just a few weeks till the new year comes the barrage of New Years Resolutions. This is quite honestly so tiresome and annoying, because frankly have you ever, or known anyone to EVER keep a NYR past the 6 month? In fact–if you made one–do you remember what your NYR even was?

Chances are probably not. Why?

Because they’re so easily broken. They are so cliched and unimportant to us anymore. And the fact is:

If we need to do something. Change something. Get something done. Why are we putting it off until the new year?

I know plenty of things that I need to improve within myself… and I am starting TODAY. Not in three weeks. Not on the 1st… TODAY.

I suggest that you decide TODAY that you are going to change. Don’t wait until the New Year…

- Tevin

P.S. I hope you like the new layout design. I finally found a theme I think I can fall in love with. Enjoy everybody.

*Note: There are ZERO affiliate links in this article*

I hope everyone had a fantastic Turkey Day (In the U.S. at least… everyone where else I hope you had a wonderful run-of-the-mill Thursday ).

Ok, so I’ve made a bold commitment:

“I will go from DEEP in debt and negative in my bank account to becoming a millionaire in 48 months. And I will blog on my entire journey to prove it.”

So I’m just over a month in… and I still have a TON of work to do. There is still a lot of work to be done on my integrity and my personal fortitude. There are still many things I would like to change within myself. But as I’m doing those things I have to be looking at how I am going to start turning a massive profit.

The first secret I know to become a millionaire is I CAN NOT trade my TIME for MONEY. I’m working a job, and I’m doing magic part time. That accounts for about $1900 in monthly income (even if I had no monthly expenses I would become a millionaire in about 526 months).

Needless to say I’m not going to become a millionaire in just 4 years with this approach. I must find a way in which to begin find out how to do work one time, and get paid for it over and over.

So what’s the best way? I spent a lot of my Turkey Day (and many other days) looking at various ways that people are making money. I found a few interesting things that I’ll share in a second… But first, let me be clear:

I am not some sort of delusional freak looking for the “Magic Pill” that is going to make me RICH overnight. I know there is only one (reliable) way to true, personal wealth. HARD WORK.

This is what I’ve come across in the last couple of days that *could* make me a million dollars in the next 47 months:

• Copywriting
  • There are a ton of opportunities out there to make good money, especially if I can write a piece that converts. My dad *whom is supporting me greatly in the journey, even by sponsoring this blog!* told me of a few interesting ways to get into mail order houses, that will test your list, and pay you on the amount of letter they actually mail. If you write a letter that converts, you could make TONS of money residually for a long time.

• Mail Order
  • This is related to the copywriting field but a little bit more extensive, and requires a bit more capital. But the profit potential is HUGE. I’m just finishing reading through Vincent James’ The 12 Month Millionaire for the 2nd time. This man made TONS of money in the Fake-Medicine market (XYZ enhancement pills).

    I DON’T want to sell the shysty pills he sold. But the information he provides in his book is PHENOMENAL. I do have a few ideas that I think may be a GREAT may order idea. And will tie in perfectly with an online promotion I have planned.

    I have every intention of doing a mail order campaign as soon as possible because I believe this is where becoming a millionaire is MOST LIKELY. Although this probably won’t be launched for another two or three years.

• Affiliate Marketing
  • Promotion of other peoples products for a profit share. I have one of these planned to execute in the next two weeks in the Dog Care Market. I do not plan on making millions here. But it could be a nice profit nest egg generator for my future endeavors.
  • PPA/CPA networks. This is the one I’m the newest to. I’ve just began investigating these opportunies through some guys that are putting up some pretty penomenal numbers. (Shoemoney, UberAffiliate, Zac Johnson, and others) Some of these guys are putting up absurd numbers in the PPA networks, and I’m officially fascinated. But again, it appears you’ll need some start up cash to test what works. And from what I can tell you must DEVOTE tons of time to make sure everything is optimized.

So for those of you that were curious on how I was planning on becoming a millionaire in only 4 years. It will probably be in 1 if not all three of these markets. Have a great weekend everyone!

I’ve read over and over and over and over and over, etc. etc. That writing your goals down are of a HUGE importance. I just read one in the 12 Month Millionaire by Vincent James (a book on direct mail, and other direct marketing methods. NOT a self-help book in the traditional sense). And he was mentioning a technique that he’s picked up from from all the self-help books he’s read (including Think and Grow Rich).

We all know setting goals is important. But beyond that you must visualize them. You must believe them. So you do this by writing them down, as though you actually have them in the present tense. And you follow this up by writing them down - by hand - everyday. Twice a day. Even three times a day.

You have to taste these goals. You have to live them. You have to breath them. You have to believe them. So that’s what I am going to do. I am going to give you a list of the things that I truly believe I will aquire in the next 1-10 years. Some will be very materialistic. So be it. These goals, being written in the present tense cements them in your mind as reality. And eventually you will force yourself to do everything it your power to make it so. Because it IS reality.

With that, here goes:

• I own a 4500 sq/ft home in Hawaii, where I live with the woman from my dreams. In my home, I have a full size swimming pool and a game room, complete with pinball machine and air hockey table.
• I drive a Mercedes Mclaren. With a BMW M5 sitting in my garage.
• I own and operate a a direct marketing, and copywriting firm that grosses over $5,000,000 every year. I am grossing over $1,500,000 a year in profit.
• I own vacation loft in New York City, and Las Vegas.
• I no longer have problems taking action, and beyond that taking profitable action.
• I continue to further my education on a daily basis, and am never content to settle. I can always improve and better myself.
• I bought my parents a home for their retirement, and am able to support their lifestyle of traveling and live entertainment.
• I have leased a private jet for all of my travels.
• I have spent a year traveling the world at only 28 years old.
• I have been featured in a number of magazines including Entrepreneur and Forbes.
• I have set up my retirement account so I can walk away at anytime and never have to work another day in my life. I work only because I love what I do, everyday.
• I enjoy every moment of my life, and do my best to never take anything for granted. I always count my blessings, and my fortunes, and make sure to share with as many people as possible.

This is my life.

Know your outcome.

The title of the entry is also the outcome I wish to achieve with this blog over the long run. Specifically over the next 48 months.

Knowing my outcome is one of the most important things to gettin ANYTHING done. Whether it’s hanging out with friends, or writing your next book. You should know your outcome.

What is it that you want to achieve by doing This. Ask yourself when you start your day: “What’s my outcome?”

Maybe it’s as simple as, to relax and not be bothered by anything or anyone all day. Or maybe it’s to gain a feeling of accomplishment.

When you start a new project ask yourself “What’s my outcome going to look like when I finish? Or the next time you get in an argument with your wife or girlfriend ask yourself “What’s my outcome from this fight?”

Chances are this will help you realize what you really want. You don’t want to yell and scream until you’re blue in the face. You want to reach an understanding with each other, or find common ground.

When I start my day of cold calling. I know my outcome: “To gain at least 3 project leads”. Once i know my outcome, I can plan on how I’m going to achieve this. If I just go out and don’t know what my outcome is going to look like. How do I know if I’ve ever achieved it?

Once you have clearly defined for yourself what it is that you are looking for as an outcome. You will begin to see the exact path to take, and achieve exactly what you’ve set out to do. Otherwise you’re just driving blind.

What’s your outcome?

---

This coming Wednesday is a day I’ve set aside to make COLD CALLS for the advertising company I work for.

In spirit of massive action:

So in addition to just “going out” and calling on businesses. I commit to gaining at least 1 new project on that day. If I do not get at least 3 project lead, I will continue to go out full time everyday until I achieve this.

One of my biggest downfalls in my ability to achieve massive financial success has been my willingness to give up if it gets hard. Or not giving 110% every time.

NOT ANYMORE!

I will be busting my ass every moment to gain as much business as humanly possible. This will not only help build integrity and momentum. It will also help financially with commissions.

I’m going to leave you with a quote from my #1 Sales Mentor:

“Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you.”

– Jeffrey Gitomer, Author

I throw around the term “Success” quite often, and quite liberally.

And probably use it (probably unrightfully so) quite definitively. Because “Success” is such a broad word that means so many things to so many people.

The definition I would give for success is probably quite different than the definition you would give.

But we MUST form it in our mind. We must give it a verbal definition. But so many people I have talked to, have not.

If we have not defined success for ourselves. Then how are we ever supposed to know we’ve achieved it?

My definition for success is simple:

“Always continuing to improve my knowledge and abilities to better my financial, and personal life.”

What is yours?

This is the beginning of greatness. This blog will serve many purposes. But there are two major objectives I would like to accomplish with this site and blog.

This first is to simply aide in my personal, and financial growth–by holding me accountable to regular and progressive (and entertaining and informative) updates.

I will be sharing my stories of where I am (broke), how I got here; to where I will be going, by sharing EXACTLY what I have done, am doing, and will do over the next 48 months to become a millionaire.

During this process of my personal transformation, I also to help inspire, inform, and motivate my readers to accomplish greatness along side me.

The idea is simple: Lead by example.

The journey and the outcome will not be.

This site also starts out simple and bare. It will continue to grow and evolve as I do.

As WE do.

As I write this I have no readers. No subscribers. No customers. And no money.

This will change. And rapidly. Due to one common theme:

MASSIVE ACTION

Because nothing great can ever, or will ever be accomplished without Massive Action. Not just fiddling with one idea. Tinkering. Playing. Changing. NO! You must make a plan and take one step after the other after the other after the other. And NOT give up until success is achieved.

Over the next several days. I will be updating not only with regular blog posts. But also updating the sidebar on the left with Inspirations & Motivators, other great blogs, and recommended reading.

Which brings me to what I am going to do to take action. I commit to reading at least 1 hour a day, everyday, of something informative, inspirational, or educational. I am going to start with:

Think and Grow Rich (<-right click save-as to download your own copy) by Napoleon Hill

A book recommended by virtually every successful person on the planet. I have read bits and pieces. But I commit to reading this as my first book on to begin my Lifelong Adventure toward Ultimate Success.I’ve learned that nothing will ever change in MY life, unless I make a conscious and concerted effort to bring about change. And the best time to make a change is now. Not tomorrow, or “soon”. But NOW. So today I decide to read 1 hour, each day.WHAT THIS BLOG WILL NOT BE

• A shameless promotional tool for internet scams or business opportunities
• MLM marketing
• Boring
• Plagued with advertising
• A list builder for spam
• Filled with old and outdated information to turn a profit
• Written by a character based on hyperbole or someone fake. (What is written on these pages will be blatantly me. Possilbly even to a fault sometimes.)
• Written by someone who talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk
• A vehicle to make money by selling information on “How to Sell Information on the Internet to Make Money” (that’s been done by people much greater than I)

I will not be doing any of that! But that’s not to say that if on occasion I come across a resource I find valuable that I won’t post an affiliate link to it. I may very well do exactly that. But my objective is not to peddle useless products to turn a profit in this blog. But to provide true value, by taking you step by step through my Journey.

That is also not to say that I will NEVER place an ad on the site/blog. If I begin to generate enough traffic I may put up a targeted banner, or a small “classified” on the side bar. But that BS where the page is cluttered from top to bottom with ads cutting up the content.

NO THANKS!

So that’s it for now. Feel free to bookmark and checkback often. I will soon have an opt-in list to give you a quick email update when there is a new blog post. Have a great weekend! And feel free to post your ideas, and thoughts in the comments section.