What Happened At The Andrew Reynolds Bootcamp - July 2008
Hello and welcome to the July 2008 APD newsletter.
I’m pleased to report I’ve just about recovered from the Andrew Reynolds bootcamp
the weekend before last. It was hard work, but as I said last week, well worth it. 9am
through until 7.30 for three straight days, and then of course…the delights of
Brighton’s finest restaurants and hostelries had to be sampled afterwards!
In fact, I had to go away for a few days R & R in the Lake District. My partner and I
got soaked on numerous occasions as we yomped up and down very large hills and
round very large lakes. Allegedly this was fun!
I deliberately didn’t take the laptop as an exercise in restraint. Do you remember I was
talking about that feeling of wanting to get back to your business if you were away?
With all of the new information I learned at Bootcamp, that pull was incredibly strong,
but I did resist!
Anyway, moving on…as I said a few days back, over the next few issues I’m going to
cover some of the content and ideas that came up at the seminar.
It really was an excellent three days and it certainly filled in some gaps that in all
honesty I didn’t know I had! It just goes to show that you can never stop learning in
this business. I guess that’s a lesson in itself. More of that a bit later.
Part of this need to keep learning is created by the pace of change in online marketing.
This was also a subject that was raised a number of times. You see, when you put
something “out there” online, no matter what it is…it’s there to be copied. And, if it
looks even remotely successful, believe me it will be copied and pretty darned quick
as well.
In fact someone asked Armand Morin “doesn’t it worry you that your ideas / products
(whatever) get copied almost as soon as you put them out there?”
His answer was a resounding…”no”.
His rationale was simply that he had to be better than the rest, more innovative and
put better products out at a faster pace. His view was to make his products so
valuable, over deliver to such an extent, that it made copying almost impossible. In
Armand’s situation, where his products carry a high-ticket prices that is certainly
easier to do.
His seminar offering went out at £2,497! Included were software and a
comprehensive Internet Marketing how to video series. He told me that the video
series alone had cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and 13 months to develop.
When you’re already earning $4.5 million a year, you can afford to develop products
such as these that pretty much takes most of the competition out of the equation.
Simon Coulson also talked on this subject as well. His early business model was to
sell low priced (£20) ebooks in very specific niches. He showed one particular
property ebook that he used to demonstrate the points.
His “take” on this was that a product (any product at these lower price points) only
has a finite “shelf life”. His view is that once sales start to decline or you are
overwhelmed by competition…you simply make the content into a free Adsense site
and enjoy the advertising revenue. What a great idea and certainly not one I’d thought
about!
However, the overriding theme for the weekend was the need for constant learning
and the fact that you (yes, that really does mean you) can do all of this!
You see, all of the so called “Gurus” that I met at the bootcamp are just ordinary guys
and gals like you or I. They are not technical whizz kids. Let me repeat that…they are
not technical whizz kids. In fact, many of them don’t know one end of a PC from the
other.
They are marketers and they use their knowledge to bring new ideas to market. They
use their skills to understand niche markets, to unlock the needs within them and then
build products to service those needs.
If they need technical stuff done, they outsource or hire young local talent.
This is something you need to get on board. I have said previously that I like to
understand “what goes on under the hood”, but I have re-committed myself to
outsourcing post conference! Indeed, I have just hired a new techie person into my
business.
From now on, I will be concentrating on product development and marketing. Yes,
I’ll still keep a “handle” on the tech stuff so I know how it all works, but…I won’t be
actually doing it from now on.
Now, I know there will be some people who trot out the “oh, it’s alright for you…”
line. But…one other message that came through loud and very clear is that all of these
hugely successful people have one other thing in common.
Any guesses?
Let me tell you…and this is vitally important.
They do WHATEVER it takes. They go the extra mile and beyond. This is especially
important if you are in start up phase. You need to do whatever it takes to become
successful.
Now that “whatever” can be in terms of learning or making sure you have the right
information… the bootcamp was certainly the right place for that!
It can be in terms of working to uncover those niches, to build those products, to find
that unique twist on a product or market that ensures you win big.
It might be just putting in those extra hours outside of the day job…missing that
“important” football match or Eastenders.
Just how committed to your own success are you?
The lifestyle these guys talked about is amazing. To be brutally honest, I’ve got a long
way to go to catch up with the likes of Andrew Reynolds or Tom Hua, but…I’m
committed to joining that elite and I’m working very hard to make that happen.
To give you an example, it’s now 9.34 in the evening. I’ve been at the PC all day
putting a new product website up (not the IM niche) and I’m still here now writing
this newsletter for you.
That’s a commitment to succeed, a will to win. So, please don’t ever say “it’s alright
for you”, because I work damned hard to make it happen. How many of you would be
prepared to still be at the PC at 9.35 (now) in the evening?
So, if you need to hire some technical help, give up a night at the pub or a meal out.
That’s all it will cost to hire someone from elance or rentacoder to do whatever you
need done! It’s not difficult to do that if you are genuine about achieving success.
Finally, feed the mind. You need to get the right information. I mentioned constant
learning a little while ago. This is so true.
The Internet changes at breakneck pace, and you have to keep up with what’s going
on. The latest buzz is Web2.0, gaining traffic via YouTube, MySpace, Facebook et al.
How up to speed in these areas are you?
How up to speed on the latest niche markets and product development techniques are
you? Have you got up to speed with online video yet? The latest changes in Adwords?
You need to make sure you are fully armed with the latest information.
O.K, I know this makes it all sound very difficult, and I do have a certain sympathy
here.
It took me a long time to realise I just had to get in and learn as much as I could and
then take action to the best of my ability. If it turns out wrong…make sure you learn
and put it right next time!
You do have to make a commitment to learn what you need and then take action. No,
it’s not always easy, but…the rewards are worth it.
The ability to get out of bed and stroll across the landing to the “office” is so cool. To
switch on the PC or laptop and see how much you have earned overnight is even
better. The thrill of seeing the first order on a new product…
…the ability to live life on YOUR terms…not anyone else’s.
The ability to just go off on holiday as and when you want knowing your business
will tick over and a steady flow of orders will come in. Orders that will make you
money while you rest and get ready for the next assault. It’s so exciting to live life in
this way.
I really look forward to getting up in the morning…do you?
Surely it’s worth going that extra mile…isn’t it?
You see…you really can do it. If I can, you can too. I’m really nothing special, so go
on…make a pact with yourself that after you have read this newsletter you really will
go for it!
I’ll see you at the top…the view is bloody wonderful (and I’m only a third of the way
up)!
As always, to your success.
Cheers now…and have fun!
Derek
Internet Marketing from APD
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