One of the absolute best affiliate programs that I’ve come across is one from Windows USA.  I recently got some windows put into my house to replace the junk ones I had.

When I sat down with the Windows USA guy I learned of a special way of advertising that they have.  They’re not like your normal windows company.  They don’t advertise traditionally.  In fact, the only advertising money  they spend is the money they give others for referring them.

All advertising is based solely on affiliate referrals.  They’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and is one of the very first companies that really understood the power of treating your customers right and word of mouth marketing through referral programs.

How To Get Your Free $100

Windows USA referrals program is based on a very simple model, which can be very lucrative for those that participate.

The person making the referal (ME) gets $100 for every person that will sit down with Windows USA and listen to them talk for one hour.  You don’t have to buy anything, just listen to them talk, and tell them to go home.

The person I referred (YOU), will get $100 for listening the the spill for an hour of your time.  You can’t beat $100 and hour.

I know this works because I’m doing it now, and I got referred as well.  They brought the $100 and a free $10 giftcard to the presentation and gave it to me up-front.

Fill This Out For Your $100

If you’re interested in getting $100 for listening to somebody talk for an hour, then please fill out this form.  That’s all there is to it!

Do you know of any off-line referral programs that could use some online marketing?

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It’s for this very reason, I sat down yesterday and created what I call “My Digital Dashboard”. It’s almost like having your own personal secretary to run and get things for you when you need it.

I tried using bookmarking websites, the bookmarks toolbar in firefox, and many other tools, but nothing offered the quick and easy (all tools on the table) approach I was looking for. So I created this, and I’m currently working on a version that you can use right out of the box.

Here’s a little video preview of “My Digital Dashboard”:

If this looks like something you’d be interested having for yourself, please let me know.

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Yesterday many twitter users were sent DM’s claiming a picture of them was found on a specific website.  When the user clicked the link it took them to a page that looked identical to the Twitter login screen.

Anyone entering their username and password into that login screen were literally giving their login credentials away.

Here is a screen capture of the login phishing site made to resemble Twitter:

If you’ll notice in the address bar of the website in question the url isn’t from twitter at all.  Anyone not paying attention to this would be caught unexpectedly.

From what I can tell, many others have already reported the website as false and a web forgery notice has been put in it’s place.

What lesson have we learned from this?  Before you log into any website, make sure that url in the address bar is the correct one.

Did you get sent the mysterious dm’s on twitter?

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Sneeze pages!

What Is A Sneeze Page

A sneeze page is simply a particular type of blog post that gives your reader a way to explore some of your older blog content.  A way of “sneezing” them into all types of directions from one location.

Let’s say you wrote a post a year ago that gained some traction, or a series of posts that many readers absolutely loved.  Now this post or series of posts has faded into the background only to be brought up in the occasional Google search.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could re-introduce these posts to your new readers and spark a new rush of traffic to your blog?

This is exactly what a sneeze page does.  It brings into light what has already been.  Almost like that history class you slept through in highschool.

Types of Sneeze Pages

Sneeze pages are as simple as writing a post and linking to past articles, or it can be as complicated as building a more involved sneeze page.  One that revolves around a particular group of posts.

Here are a few types of sneeze pages you can use:

1. Series Sneeze Pages

A series sneeze page may be a simple how-to post.

The post could be called “Setting Up A Blog in 8 Days” and it could include steps like, “Choose A Domain Name & Hosting Server” & “Installing Wordpress For The First Time”.

You could include a short summary for both of these steps and have each link to a separate post you created in the past that explains them both in more detail.

Thus you are linking up a long “series” of posts together for your visitors to read without them having to go on a wild goose chase.

2. Themed Sneeze Pages

A good example of a themed sneeze page can be found in my “Most Popular Posts” widget at the top of this blog.  The theme revolves around the best of something.  The possibilites are endless with this one.

Creating the sneeze page first and saving it to post at a later date could also help with generating ideas for other posts.  It’s almost like a table of contents for small sections of your blog.

Themed sneeze pages and series sneeze pages are very similar, but it doesn’t matter whether you can tell a difference or not, choosing something and going with it is usually all you need.

3. Time Related Sneeze Pages

Time related sneeze pages highlight specific posts all created around a specific time, whether it be a month, year, or era.  A great example of this are “Best of 2008″ posts that are popping up everywhere.  Another great way to use this is to create a “Weekend Posts” sneeze page which covers all the posts you write on the weekends for those readers who don’t read blogs on the weekend.

Using Sneeze Pages Creatively

Sneeze pages don’t have to be pages.  Like in the examples above, all the sneeze pages are posts.  Either way works, but you have to really think about who you’re trying to target with each sneeze page.

If it’s your daily readers, a post might be better because that’s what they’ll see.  If it’s a new-comer visiting your blog for the first time from a social-media outlet, a landing page may be a better method.  These are called Social Media Landing Pages and a good example would be my Twitter Landing page.

Sneeze pages can creatively be used beyond your blog as well.  Instead of creating a page or post that links to many posts at once, try re-linking an old post on a website such as Twitter or Facebook.  I just did this with my post on the “8 Daily Tasks To Increase Blog Traffic” and experienced a massive increase in new readers both reading it and digging it.

Don’t re-link old posts one right after the other though.  This could cause others to get suspicious or even stop clicking the links, which is utterly ineffective.  Take your time.  Span a couple of old posts over a 2-3 day time period.  I like to call this “sporadic sneezing“.

Whatever method you choose, be creative.  You’ll see what a difference a sneeze page can really make on your blog.

Do you use sneeze pages?  If so, how effective have they been?

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Congratulations to Donna S!  She has won the $100 Sears Giftcard from Sears and Izea.  You will be contacted by Crystal at Izea with letting you know what you need to do next, shortly.

For those of you who weren’t aware of the contest, Sears gave me a $100 giftcard to spend on anything I wanted.  All I had to do was write about my shopping experience.

But it didn’t end there, they also gave me another gift card to giveaway to one lucky reader.

If you want to find out more about my shopping experience, read the article here.

If you’re interested in winning a future contest here at Steven-Sanders dot com, please subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss out.

Are you interested in sponsoring a contest on my blog?  Let me know.

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My Way Of Saying Thanks

For a couple of months now I’ve been giving some shoutouts to many of my readers.  You can see the first post here and the second post here.

This is the third installment of “Reader Shoutouts”, and it won’t be the last., so I hope you’ll stay with me and get your chance to be in a future post right here.

The Deserving Readers

The following people are those that I’m giving a shoutout too here on the first day of 2009.  You rock, and without you, none of this would be possible!

• Tumblemoose
• Small Biz Bee
• IE FOOD
• AverageGal
• Heather In B.B.C.
• Webdesi3
• Laura-Whateverebay
• Mike
• Tom

Thanks you again for everything.  If you want to be in a future shoutout, make sure you subscribe here so you never miss another opportunity.

I can only wonder what changes lay in store for me as I slip into 2009 and another year with the military.  It’s a scary thought, but whatever choices are made, whatever paths are taken, I’ve already promised my service, and should my country call me, I stand ready.

Aside from the economic and political changes our country faces, we can all be sure of one thing.  Tomorrow is a new day, a time for a fresh start.  And in the spirit of that fresh start, I give you my personal and professional goals of 2009.

The Izea Insiders

As many of you already know I am one of only 10 Izea Insider Crew Leaders and it’s an honor to have been chosen to be a part of this super elite “Rockstar” team.

It was an awesome year for Izea in 2008 and it promises to be even better in 2009.  The best part about that thought is I’ll be there every step of the way, helping in any way I can.

My goal as an Insider is to really help open up the online community that we all seem to forget has very little existence beyond the bounds of bloggers and social media gurus.  I want to bring the knowledge of the revolution that’s really going on within our walls to those on the outside who never knew they wanted in.

Izea is planning things that are going to blow your socks off in 2009 and with the possibility of IzeaFest 2009 being at SeaWorld, we are going to be in for a real treat.

Networking With The Masses

Another of my goals is to reach out and touch as many people as possible.  I’ve got plans to attend a lot of the major blog conferences and expos in 2009.  I’m expecting this to help push my blog through a major threshold and never look back.

In addition to the conferences, I’m looking at building a local group of bloggers to help each other grow in our online journeys and to help propel us with a force like you’ve never seen right on into 2010.

The Advancement Of My Blog

My blog, the key to completing my previous goals, is going to achieve things in 2009 of which many bloggers can only dream.  I’ve already shown the speed at which this blog has grown.  A display of growth only a small number of bloggers can reach so quickly.

I’m not slowing down anytime soon, so if you plan on sticking around, hold on.  It’s going to be a fast ride.

A Little Personal Goal

Among all of these professional goals I’ve created for myself in 2009, lies my one personal goal.  To get into shape.  And I’m not talking about “round”.

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, I gained 30 lbs.  And now, almost 2 years later, I haven’t lost it.  So I’m beginning my exercise and healthier eating routine, and within 2 months, I plan to lose all 30 of those lbs.

It’s a goal that will make me happy, as well as my family.  Its also helps that losing weight is cheaper than buying all new clothes.

For all of you that don’t know, Ted Murphy at Izea is exercising and getting healthier as well.  So make sure you check out his blog, and help motivate him to keep going.

What are your goals for 2009?

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For centuries, offline promotion has been extremely successful.  Only in the last 10 years has online promotion of any kind started taking off in a major way.  In fact, online promotion has only just recently become the biggest and best way to reach your target market, especially for the “little guy”.

But successful promotion can still be attained through offline methods, and one offline method in particular is even better than any online promotional method could ever be.

Networking Like A Rockstar

Social networking has been a driving force in connecting others from all over the world.  It has helped bloggers and companies alike to garner the attentions of those they wouldn’t have otherwise reached.  But with all that online social networking provides, it still doesn’t compare to face-t0-face networking.

In a world where connection by proxy runs rampant, everyone still likes to be able to talk to others in person.  As humans we are community driven and like the physical company of others.  And with no physical social interaction, we face the possibility of becoming far less social than any generation before us; no matter how many online social presences we have.

Physical networking also plays a big role in creating trust between you as a blogger and your readers.  Are you more likely to take the advice of a friend or some stranger from the internet?

When I try to explain the need for real physical interaction and how big a role it plays in gaining readers, I always like to refer to my example of the Walmart “self-checkout” lane.

“When you get a chance, go to a Walmart that has self-checkout lanes.  Find a good place to stand and watch people as they checkout.  You’ll start to notice that the majority of shoppers will choose to checkout at the employee manned counter rather than doing it themselves.  It doesn’t matter if there are 10 self-checkout conters open and only one employee manned counter.  The shoppers don’t seem to care that it takes them longer to get out of the store.  They seem to be more focused on getting a real person to help them, not some machine.”

If you’re interested in promotion of your blog offline, try attending blog conferences and social media expos.  You can even try setting up tweetups in your local community, or starting a dot com group.

Have you noticed the same Walmart “self-checkout” lane preference?  What are your thoughts?

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Over the holiday season I took some time to create my own Twitter landing page, and I am currently working on a landing page for my other social media profiles.

What Is A Social Media Landing Page?

Landing pages were originally created with the thought of creating conversion sales on specific products or affiliate programs.  It’s alot like meeting the car salesman when you enter a car lot.  You don’t go straight to looking at the cars without being first greeted by a salesman.

This landing page is meant to sell something and social media landing pages are no different.

The thing we are trying to sell though isn’t some affiliate product, it’s our blog.

Why Create A Social Media Landing Page?

Social media sites, like Twitter, don’t really give you alot of room to write your bio, and most people want to know more about you before they blindly engage in some sort of friendship.  And with the big number of predators online today, it’s no wonder people take more precaution than they once did.

This landing page is a way for you to really show a person who you are and what you’re about.

Most of the time, the url you try to send everyone to is your homepage, but your homepage could get really confusing to some when all they wanted to know was more about who you are, not about the latest book or affiliate program that has surfaced.

This is your chance to convince people that you’re an important person and you have something equally as important to say.

The Elements of a Social Media Landing Page

You can be as shallow or in-depth as you want when creating your social media landing page.  There is no set rules or requirements.  However, if you’re unsure what types of things to include in your landing page, here is a good starting place:

1. Short Introduction - Create a short introduction welcoming the visitor to your page.  Give them a summary about yourself, then a link to your blog’s normal about page so they can find out more about you should they choose.

2. Talk About Your Blog - Give the visitor some information detailing what your blog is about as well as about 4 or 5 of your best articles.  This is a great way to let them see your writing style and to help them determine if they’re interested in what you have to say.

3. Expand Upon Your Social Media Account - The visitor obviously came to your landing page from a particular social media website, so it makes sense that you should tell them what special services or information you share on your social media profile.

For instance, if you let your readers take a glimpse into the “behind the scences” of your blog, or give them opportunities to guest post through your social media account, then let them know that.  Give them a reason to connect with you through these outlets.

4. Give Them More Info - If you have anything else you’d like to share, like the fact that you’re an author, or are the creator of a great website, or the ceo of a major corporation, then list it.  People love to feel like they’re personal friends with celebrities or “big wigs”, so the more you can show them just how great you are, the better your chances of them connecting with you.

5. Offer A Way To Subscribe - Now that you’ve got their attention and have given your visitors some great information about you and your blog, give them some actions to take.  Sometimes the best way to get someone to do something you want is to ask.  They can’t read your mind, and when faced with nothing else to do, will often move on to other things.

Give your visitor a way to subscribe to your blog or to connect with you on other social media platforms.  And don’t make it small.  Put it in their faces.  Make sure they know it’s there and won’t miss it.  You’ll be surprised at how many visitors will do the things you ask of them.

Have you created a social media landing page?  If so, how has it impacted your blog?

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The Secret

Darren shared that he subscribes to over 700 different feeds.  Most of us could never imagine subscribing to any more than 50 or 60 feeds, let alone 700.

I subscribe to only 27 feeds and that can get out of hand if I don’t check it for a day or two.  Especially for the blogs that update at least twice a day.

Darren says many of these blogs are within the same niche as him and he uses their posts to help generate ideas for his own posts.  But how he does it without feeling overwhelmed is the greatest secret of all.

Managing the Unmanageable

For any of you that haven’t played around much with the features of Google Reader, you probably don’t know that there is an option to create folders.  If you do know, then you’re already a step closer to understanding how Darren manages those 700 + blog feeds.

Under the manage subscriptions link in your Reader there is a “Folders and Tags” option that allows you to create your own folders.  Doing this and moving specific blog feeds into those folders is how you manage the unmanageable.

Put all the posts you subscribe to specifically to generate ideas, into one folder, then all of the blog feeds you simply enjoy reading in another folder.

Now anytime you need some inspiration for a blog post, just scan quickly through your ideas folder and find something that interests you.

Managing your feeds in this way will keep you from feeling so overwhelmed when trying to read the blog posts you enjoy.

Do you use this method to generate blog post ideas?

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