When Ana suggested that I write a post for her site about how I got started, it really made me think.
I had forgotten about the many attempts I had made and the heartaches I created for myself, galloping off on what I thought were the routes to success.
I was wrong! I realized that no amount of energy and enthusiasm can replace knowledge and experience.
I lacked direction.
But, where to go, what to do?
The answer came to me in a flash. I needed a mentor. Someone whose advice would be personal to me, recognizing my strengths and weaknesses.
That’s what I got. An expert who through talking to me and probing my expectations and ambitions told me “You should do interviews”.
What a great idea! Something I would really enjoy doing, which would give me great content both for my blog and products…
But could I do it? Little did I know that in the process I would gain invaluable knowledge on where I had been going wrong in my own business and considerably increased exposure to the internet world.
Traffic Generated Through Interviews
So here I go, interviewing people whose names I had only heard mentioned with immense respect and with whom I never dreamed I would get the opportunity to speak.
Believe me, it took an immense amount of courage to initiate contact and ask if they would do an interview for me. Unbelievably scary!
But they were very polite and helpful, not dismissive as I had imagined at all, and oh how glad I am that I plucked up the courage to go for it!
It took about 25 contacts to arrange the 12 interviews. I’m nothing if not persistent.
I created an incredible product from the first round of 12 interviews, but not only that.
As a bonus I’ve also gained all of the following benefits, which are increasing both traffic and customers.
Incidental Benefits
- Interviewee Mail Lists - My product was sent to most interviewee’s mail list resulting in mammoth exposure and traffic.
- Affiliate Sales - My product is being offered on their sites.
- Associated Contacts - Just having a product associated with these gurus has brought untold interest and credibility to my own expertise.
- Backlink Traffic - A product promoted by known experts has given it good credibility and brought many visits to my site.
- Other Products - I am now in the process of repurposing those same interviews in every way I know. Every quality product is a bonus.
What Did I Learn From The Interviews?
The most important thing I learned from each and every interview was to focus my efforts.
There are numerous ways to generate traffic and when I thought about them all, it totally blew my mind. How on earth was I going to be able to do them all?
The answer is very simple. You can’t.
All are relevant, all can be successful, but no-one uses them all.
The way of course is to consider each and every one. Think about what you enjoy doing and dump the rest.
Of these, select the three that you would most enjoy and think will be successful. Direct all your efforts to these three, whatever they are.
If you take pleasure in something you are half way to doing it well.
Research, hard work and experience should do the rest, but mindset and mentality are key to success. Just read Ana’s post Law Of Attraction Marketing: Attitude Determines Altitude and you’ll see.
Once you have made your choices, the next step is to record and monitor your results.
I use free tools: Woopra www.woopra.com as my main source of information and Google Analytics www.google.com/analytics.
If you don’t know why you are getting traffic and where it’s coming from, you have no way to judge whether your selections were justified. If you realize the effort you are putting in is not getting the required results, rethink your strategy and try again.
Last but not least, try new ways from time to time.
Don’t just sit back and assume you have the best and only way. Today’s state of the art soon becomes tomorrow’s old hat.
So keep up to date and be imaginative. Initiate new innovative ideas.
Successful businesses are usually those who offer something very special and totally different.
After my first set of interviews, I set up satellite pages on my website - one with a dedicated link for each of my interviewees. Each page gives that interview free to whomever they give the link and at the same time offers my product for sale.
It worked, I got traffic and conversion.
The Resultant Business Model
So here I am, practicing what I’m preaching. I’m following a strict regime and building on it all the time.
- Create a process that you will enjoy doing time and time again. (With me it’s interviewing)
- Concentrate your effort on just three strategies.
- Write a mind blowing 1st post (I did 101 Ways to Get Traffic to Your Website)
- Syndicate as much as possible. This gives ongoing circulation and return traffic. I put my first post on Facebook and on the first day it was shared 42 times.
- Do more posts and continue to strive to create amazing content.
- Record and analyse your traffic results regularly.
- Get other like minded associates to include you in their mailing lists.
- Think of new ways to get traffic and conversion.
I trod that same path that no doubt most budding millionaires have. It took me great effort and persistence and some time to realize the right niche for me.
Luckily I’ve found my way and I love it.
What do you think? Could this be for you ? I’ll look forward to your thoughts in the comments.
Marketing Takeaway from Ana
Phill is definitely everything he says he is and then some.
He is persistent (got me to say yes to him 🙂 ), driven (fairly new to the industry, but already successful), and brilliant (got me to give up some golden traffic generation nuggets during our interview).
His newest product 9 of the World’s Women Experts on Traffic is finally out and the first thing I did was called him and told him that it was unacceptable to give away my best traffic generation secrets practically for free!
I guess “money-savvy” is not on the list of his best qualities. 🙂
Low price point aside, this is a brilliant product with lots of hands-on traffic generation knowledge - I highly recommend you pick up your copy right NOW:
==>9 of the World’s Women Experts on Traffic
By the way, Phill - where did you dig out that picture of me?
Image Credit: http://www.funnybeez.com/
Hey Phil… what a fantastic experience and boost for you.
Funny, I was listening to an interview the other day … I was tidying the kitchen listening to a lady interview a personal development icon… I thought… “you know… I could do that”…”what a cool experience”
I love hearing success stories… especially from a fellow ‘limie’… 🙂
As far as traffic generation… you are so right… a person would need 72 hour days to try to take them all on… that’s btw with no coffee breaks….
Love to hear of your success Phil.
Best
Jayne
sorry PhiLL (for spelling your name incorrectly)
Hi Jayne
Thanks for all your great comments!
I have many friends who now are taking the same route and there are loads of sites that interviews are the main source of content so I really do suggest you just go out there and do it.
Do 1 thing !
I heard this so many times but never thought it was the answer, every guru I interviewed said exactly that so sometimes its staring you in the face.
Phil or Phill is fine, I changed my name to Phill from Phillip for the internet anyway!
Good luck with your business Jayne
Warmest
Phill
Hi Phil,
What a great idea doing interviews. This is something I had never thought of, but I can see how it could expand your business in a short time period. Especially when you get brilliant people like Ana 🙂
Thanks for sharing Phil and have a great day!
Aww, thank you, Phill 🙂
Great Post..
I never even thought about doing interviews with people in my niche.
Its a gtreat idea..!
Thanks
Hi Roses Mark,
Really glad you liked it and believe me I was shocked too.
Warmest
Phill
Hi Jack,
Thanks and it’s so interesting, you wouldn’t believe it!
Warmest
Phill
Hi Jack,
Thanks and it’s so interesting, you wouldn’t believe it!
Warmest
Phill
Thanks Phill. for gave me new idea of traffic to my blog. thanks a lot.
Hello Janet
I have so much to share with you!
It would take me a week to say it all BUT its all good. The great things that will happen once you finish your product or posts will be truly special.
I wish you the very best of luck with that.
I can help in any way just shout.
Warmest
Phill
Phill:
Congrats on your success. I would say that you most certainly have your niche strongly covered and you have planted yourself firmly for success. Kudos!
Cheers,
Lisa
Hi Lisa
Wow thank you.
I only wish I really knew that when I started!
It was amazingly hard to do those first ones but it all seems so much easier now.
I love interviewing people and it is now my absolute pleasure to do it.
Thanks Lisa
Warmest
Phill
You are very welcome
Warmest
Phill
Hey Phill,
Wow, this is powerful stuff. Congratulations on your success! 🙂
It’s really amazing and inspiring to see what you have accomplished using this under-utilised traffic generation strategy.
Aren’t you glad your mentor pointed you in the right direction? Having a good and supportive mentor behind you can make all the difference indeed.
Thank you once again for interviewing me as well 😉
All the best,
Mavis
Mavis
Watch out everybody Mavis is going to be MASSIVE!
So honoured to be able to interview you and Ana, such great stuff you both shared.
Mentors, don’t start in business without one!
Thanks again Mavis you are GREAT.
Warmest
Phill
Thank you soooo much for the kind words, Phill 🙂 That means a lot to me…
interviews are a great way to generate lots of traffic in no time, the reason for this is that when you interview someone (a popular blogger in his niche) he will share his post with host friends and on social media - this traffic added in the traffic you are getting and you also do the promotion of that article which will increase day by day.
Interviewing someone great blogger on your blog bring new visitors to your site also another rise in traffic on your blog
Exacting Vivek
Mavis shared it on her blog and I got loads of traffic.
Thanks for your wise words
Warmest
Phill
Nice thought Phil. I have had some interviews an experienced what you are saying here. Although I didn’t do products out of that, I could still see consistent traffic from those popular bloggers.
Jane.
Hi Jane
I know of 4 other people that have used interviews for traffic and all work really well.
Thanks for your comments
Phill
Hi Phill,
My word of the year for 2011 is ‘focus.’ Coincidentally my word of the year for 2010 was also ‘focus’. So I agree with you 100% that you should pick a pre-defined number of traffic strategies and work the heck out of those.
Though when I started out, I chose only two traffic building methods to build my business. My expertise in those methods blossomed very quickly. So quickly that it surprised me.
And it really does help to choose methods you think you’ll enjoy doing. There’s always a new technique on the horizon… but if you don’t utilize your natural strengths, you’ll find yourself constantly struggling to gain your footing.
Great post!
Hi Dahlia
Pick 1 strategy learn it , use it , succeed with it and outsource it!
To know and not to do is not to know!
I think most people I speak to give up after trying 1 strategy for 1 day, it takes time and loads of effort to get that 1 strategy they will catapult your business into the next stage.
Yeah use what you got no point trying to do videos if you hate yourself on video!
Great insight thanks
Warmest
Phill
nice. I learned a lot! traffic generation is very important in our line of business. We have to learn that in order to be successful.
Hi Staci
I totally agree!
I learnt more in the interviews than I could have dreamed.
Mentors are important, it is also funny that order be in that sentence hey!
Warmest
Phill