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Saturday, December 26, 2009

How Do You Build A Large Opt In List-and Why? Free E-Book

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The biggest challenge I faced when venturing into the scary world of Online marketing was trying to locate my niche target market with which to share my resources. The potential market was immeasurable, but I didn't know how to actually connect.


List building was just a concept, and nothing actually happened for me online until i paused to analyze the power of this absolutely essential strategy.


I have sourced an excellent FREE E-Book that I've found invaluable and I believe you will too.


Leave your details to receive your zero cost/obligation download.


Cheers Kiaran

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Seasons Greetings and Awesome New Year!

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Thank you for visiting my Blog during what for some was a fantastic 2009. My hope is that you and your family have a great 2010 and your aspirations find fulfillment.


Some of you may have had the best year of your life and some alas the worst-that's the swings and roundabouts of this merry go round we call life. I welcome you to re-visit next year as we build our community of like minded individuals for common, Inspiration and Motivation with my goal to make it an AWESOME-2010

As always I welcome your connection-Cheers Kiaran-here in currently very summery Perth-not a snowflake in sight!

Friday, December 18, 2009

The Benefit Of Professional Lead Capture Pages

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One of the most basic and time consuming mistakes I made when I first started dabbling in the world of Online Business was investing untold hours and dollars trying to design even the most basic of websites.

Html codes urghhh! Auto responders with neat opt in boxes with regular follow up emails, seemed like a great idea but the end product was that nothing I conjured up looked even faintly compelling.


That's the biggest challenge you face when you take your first tentative steps on your online marketing journey-you just don't seem credible! Someone finds their way to your website, spends a few seconds there before wandering off and hooking up with someone doing the same thing as you. but with a little more panache.


Discovery of the power of lead capture pages, aka squeeze pages was an eye opener. Sure, it's great to have your own personally branded page, but if it's going to take you 2 years to figure out how to do it, then it seems a bit pointless.


A lead capture page is generally a professional web page with some tailoring and customized with your personal details. They are usually crisp, professional, often with audio and video embedding and a simple opt in box to collect your leads, and in many cases actually facilitate the following up by the company Personal Business Assistants (PBA). You just set and forget. Well, not quite, but if you can guide traffic to the capture page, you can virtually sit back and let the process take over.


I have included a couple of simple lead capture pages from my primary business for you to check out. All I did was copy and paste the link and bingo!






If you have a Twitter account or Facebook, Myspace etc-you can simply use your lead capture page as a link on your profile page. I find it interesting that some people in my social networks have no clickable Website, Blog or Lead Capture pages for me to check out what they do.


Whilst lead capture pages are not interactive like Blogs and don't really get picked up by search engines-their main purpose is to sift through the tyre kickers and help identify who's actually interested in your project, without you having to run around soliciting (annoying) your family and friends into your latest hair brained idea LOL! let's face it you've probably got little business credibility within this audience anyway.


if you are still looking for an online business opportunity then I'd welcome you to hook up via the opt in or direct contact me on Twitter or Facebook-My philosophy is that I build connections that I can work with personally rather than trying to build massive annonymous lists and then dumping a different opportunity into the email box every couple of days.


Hope life's treating you well-Cheers Kiaran





Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Primo Vacations-What's The Story?

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I really shouldn't be letting the cat out of the bag yet as this Program has barely launched but if you're even remotely interested in Travel and more specifically funding international adventure-then you need to check this out.


You'll notice that this Blog is primarily about sharing content to assist fellow online marketers, newbies and oldies alike to become better informed-and it is rare that I blatantly pitch a specific opportunity. However Primo Vacations is an exception. I've done extensive research online to find the best mix of tangible value and business opportunity that I'd be equally comfortable sharing with my sister, mother or best friend AND using myself. If truth be told there aren't that many online ventures that would actually meet that standard.


Check out the link below-for more information you can request a call back. This is a game changer in the online business opportunity world, simply because the inherent value just for the massive travel and vacation discounts you get for your personal use, and the fact that the income possibilities are immense. It's a cliche, but it really does virtually sell itself.


Enough already-if this is not your cup of tea I welcome you to continue visiting for regular updates on the subject of online marketing and inspiration.

The First link is  an explanation of the savings and membership benefits, the second is the link to the lucrative referral program







Cheers Kiaran
Mile High Living




Friday, December 4, 2009

Business Networking in Five Minutes or Less

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Business Networking in Five Minutes or Less 
Click Link To Video Above



This is a pretty interesting Video Interview of Dr Ivan Misner where he talks about V C P-in connection with cultivating relationships that encourage referral reciprocity. (Sorry that's a bit of a convoluted sentence, but you know what I mean!)


  • Visibility
  • Credibility
  • Profitability


This Video was posted by David Riklan the founder of Self Growth.com-which I like as a resource for positive content rich inspiration. You can connect via the link below if you like


Cheers Kiaran



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Url Shorteners

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More and more communication is being condensed in text sized bytes of 140 characters or less. Even Blogs that don't have the same constraints need to be mindful that audiences have a tiny attention span due to to the myriad of options that are a mere click away/pun intended!


Hence the popularity of links to more specific and focused information. If you have an article that you want to direct your audience to, you may find that the URL alone takes up half the character allocation, not to mention looking ugly.


Url shorteners solve this issue. For example here is the normal url to a recent Blog of mine: http://kiaranfinn.typepad.com/blog/2009/12/perth-business-referral-clubpaid-referrals.html

this is the shortened version: http://bit.ly/6giac5


There are a lot of shorteners to choose from including the easy to remember tinyurl or my shortener of choice which is bit.ly


How does it work? Simple. Google tinyurl or bit.ly-or click the links above, and simple copy and paste your long Url into the box and instantly it's shortened for you.


The pitalls to be aware of sre that some shorteners have a short life span and links can get lost, hence my preference for the most popular.


Cheers Kiaran


Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Aweber-Auto Responder

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Trying to navigate through the Hype and Gloss Online can be daunting. There are thousands of affiliate programs that are pitched as fully automated, just plug in and count the money-type schemes. For a beginner it is wise to be cautious. You can not only burn your hard earned marketing budget in a flash and probably more significantly kill your credibility.


One program that has close to universal acceptance and credibility amongst Internet Marketers is Aweber. I won't take up space on this blog discussing how Aweber works, but will give you a link that will guide you clearly through the nitty-gritty.


Suffice to say that Aweber is an email auto responder system. If there is one pre-requisite for building any online business it is undoubtedly an auto responder system. There are many good ones out there, but the most popular seems to be Aweber.  For around $4 per week you can have a 24/7 email marketing machine building your business with a professionalism that is hard to beat.


AWEBER-Click on the Features bar to see how it works.


Even if you are a complete newbie you can become an affiliate for FREE-and whilst you are learning how to build your own online business you can fund your marketing costs by referring your contacts and visitors to the Aweber site. They will do the rest. A 30% monthly affiliate bonus can be quite profitable. Just 20 to 30 affiliates can pay your annual marketing costs for your primary business, with virtually no effort.


Get response is another auto responder program that is getting good reviews, but for someone just starting out my recommendation is Aweber.


For more information connect on Google Friend/RSS or simply Twitter or Facebook me


Cheers Kiaran


Thursday, November 26, 2009

What's a Funded Proposal?

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I've 'stolen' a new Blog I wrote for over40s-online-that I think you might find useful. 


Click Here

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

How to Get To Page #1 On Google for Your Name or Business-Free!

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 Google me!


No this isn't an exercise in naval gazing, rather a question that is becoming increasingly relevant by the day for those in business-Online or Offline. Like it or not if I meet you at a party and you mention your business, if I have even a modicum of interest I'll Google the business name AND wait for it-YOU!


We're becoming increasingly time poor with a million distractions and the quickest way to get a perspective or angle on something is to see how they are represented by that behemoth that is Google.


There was a quote attributed to Napoleon, in reply to a comment that his fame would be fleeting stated:
 
Fame may last but a short while but obscurity is forever


On a personal level you may choose to be obscure but from a business point of view it is a terminal condition. I know of large companies that are great at what they do and provide great customer service but....they are on a very slippery slope, because they have virtually no online presence. If I Google them, I will however enter the world of their competitors, who will pitch a similar service and more than likely 'steal' some business.


You are a brand. Brands have relevance only to the degree of their viability. If you have a Facebook or Twitter following of 1000, that's great for your social standing, and may spill into some business, but essentially they are social networking sites not primarily business building forums. 


The good news however is that it is incredibly easy to get listed on Page 1 of Google under your name, unless you have a very common one, simply by getting your Profile on to as many sites as possible.


Definitely get your profile on any sites you're currently using, with links to your websites or blogs etc.

Set up a few article submission site profiles. EG: Ezine Articles. You can copy and paste and hence reduce the time involved to just a few minutes. I've just started using Self Growth.com-a ready made template full of useful resources, which is free and will get you noticed by Google. Blogspot has got me to #1 on various high competition searches. A couple of really simple Blogs-just like this infact can get your name out there very quickly. For example:


If you Google my name, which has a slightly unusual spelling you will see the effectiveness of this strategy. None of it involves paid advertising. 


Examples:
Over 40s Blogging-Page #1-Versus competition of 2 billion web pages!
Over 40s online-#1-Page 1-Versus competition of 6.7 million
over 40s online marketing-#1-Page 1-Versus competition of 18.8 million.
Kiaran Finn-first 4-5 Pages almost exclusively.
Your Net Biz Australia-#1 and #2-Page 1-Versus competition of 800k


The above is not representative of monetized value, but it does show how just a little focused effort can get you in front of more searchers than many a big organization, with massive misspent advertising budgets.


Please share your experiences regarding Google Search.


As always I welcome your connection via Twitter, Facebook or Google Friend.

I hope your day is progressing well-Cheers Kiaran




Friday, November 20, 2009

To Twitter Or Not To Twitter-That Is The Question

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With apologies to Mr Shakespeare, this really is the contemporary question that online participants are asking daily. There is a real partisan fervor to the debate between the Pro-Twits and the Nay Sayers.


My take on the debate is as follows:

What is your agenda for being on Twitter?-Really, be honest!




  • Is it for the reflected social kudos of accumulating thousands of 'followers'? 
  • Is it to create a data base of thousands that you can pitch (mutually spam) your business opportunity? Is it to share information with friends and colleges?
  • Or is it to simply connect with as many like minded people as possible for mutual inspiration and entertainment?

This question needs to be addressed in order to establish whether or not your strategy is working or simply wasting your time. 

My impression is that if you are following more than 100 people the quality of the connection will be weak. If you are unsure if anyone is listening to you-ask a simple question and see how many respond. My experience is that if you have 2k following you may get one or two replies! wow! Think about it, everyone's pitching and no one's listening.


Here's an absolute gem strategy.


Forget about Automated Messaging. Every couple of days jump on your twitter page and check out a bunch of followers have a look at their websites and pick a dozen or so that seem genuine then Direct Message them with a personalized comment.
EG: 
"hi John thanks for the connect -I see you're from NY was there last year liked your quote about adversity-Cheers Kiaran from Perth"

This absolutely works at creating real connections. Why? Because virtually no one takes the time to do so. I've done this with people who have 20k followers and got back genuine replies.


As Seth Godin says in his book Tribes-it is almost impossible to directly connect with more than a 1000 people BUT that is all you need to build an empire.


It seems almost old fashioned but the word that comes to mind is AUTHENTIC. Authentic people are more sticky and attract other authentic people whilst cold hard pitchers seem to play the mutual spam game.


If you relate to this Blog why not Twitter me with your thoughts-Cheers Kiaran







Remember 1996? Things have changed!

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Can normal down to earth people make a living online, or do you have to be a marketing and techno wizz? There has never been a more exciting time for your average person to embrace entrepreneurship. 

The internet has disolved all the boundaries and obstacles that previously stopped ambition in its tracks.
In the offline world you need a kings ransom to create any reasonable traditional business or franchise. Stock, premises, staff, shipping, accounting, human resources, stationary, signage, and a marketing and advertising budget that would bring tears to your eyes. And all for what?  80 hour weeks, stress, and a scary statistical probability of losing your shirt. Excited?

Sure online business opportunities do not represent a free lunch. There’s no secret formula that allows you to plug in, do nothing and make your fortune. But what you can do is plug into an unbelievable reservoir of mostly free resources, invest some time and energy and a relatively small financial outlay and create an empire, with little risk.

Despite this, most people will sleep walk through this historical period of unlimited opportunity only to awake years later and wonder what happened! hype? I don’t think so.

Consider this:

 
Remember 1996. Let me refresh you. That was when the Atlanta Olympics were on. Linken Park were band of the year, OJ Simpson’s first trial, Nintendo 64 released, and Bill Clinton was elected president.

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t seem too long ago.

In 1996 there were less than 20 million people online. Today there are well in excess of a Billion! It is estimated that more than one in five people on the planet is connected. the landscape has changed utterly, and you know what? It’s virtually untapped. It’s like the dawn of the industrial revolution. We’re just stumbling around in the dark trying to figure out what’s happening. 

The message is this. Tap in fast. Get involved and evolve with the technology. Those that embrace the medium will attain successes that previous generations could only dream about. For one simple reason. It’s called Leverage. The ability to leverage other peoples’ skills and resources is absolutely phenomenal.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Seth Godin-You Need To Be Remarkable

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You could do worse than tuning in to this genius if you want to stand out from the crowd. I'll be reviewing his book Tribes shortly-but as a little preview into his quirky but razor sharp perception I thought you'd enjoy this Vid-Cheers Kiaran


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Lead Follow or Get Out Of the Way!

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I read that statement many years ago and it kinda stuck. I'm just reading a book that I'm struggling to put down. It's by Seth Godin entitled 'Tribes'. I will be reviewing it shortly so I won't discuss it in any depth here, but it's as close to a manifesto for Online Marketers as you'll ever find. It succinctly defines and reinforces my reasons for being Online, and if this Online malarkey (not a word I get to use very often!) is your cup of tea then you really need to read this simple yet profound little book.


There are a couple of dozen quotes that took my fancy but I quite like this one. It is based in the context of some tut tutting by some vacationers about him 'working' whilst on holiday. 


"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you ought to set up a life that you don't need to escape from"


Ouch! I don't know about you, but that's an absolutely scary thought. The thought that holidays are an escape from the 95% of our life that are spent in the pursuit of paying the bills.

If anything in these blogs resonates, I'd welcome your comments and connection. Hope your life's unfolding as you'd like. Cheers Kiaran

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Is MLM A legitimate Online Opportunity or Not?

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This is a reprint of my recently published Ezine Article -that I hope you newbie online marketers might find useful if you are considering venturing into that mysterious world. Behind the hype and gloss, 'what's the real story?'


I will preface the following by stating that I am not an MLM'er but many of my colleagues are, and in the current climate of financial uncertainty it is an option many are looking at.


I have tried to give a simple unbiased opinion of the pro's and cons of the industry so that you can draw your own conclusions.


Is MLM legitimate?


The recent global recession has not coincidentally corresponded to resurgence in some previously uncool forms of marketing, such as Multi-Level Marketing, Party Plan and Home Based Internet Marketing. Companies such as Amway, Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics and such like are having significant successes in their recent recruitment drives.


Multi-Level Marketing has a stigma attached to it for decades, with polarizing attitudes that have contributed to family tensions and damaged friendships. Some people would be more supportive if you announced that you had joined a new age cult. The legitimacy or otherwise of these direct selling organizations is an issue of both legal and moral standing.


What exactly is Multi-Level Marketing? (MLM)


It is a marketing strategy to sell goods or services through a network of independent distributors.
Income is derived from the sales derived from the network of personally recruited members, usually as a result of personal sales and over-rides on the teams' volume.


Legal Legitimacy.


Countries have individual laws that define the legality of sales and marketing techniques. There is a Grey area that many companies need to navigate which is regarding the issue of definition.


The biggest compliance issue is that concerning pyramid selling, which is usually considered illegal. Most contemporary MLM companies are able to comply and adhere to local legislation, but often walk a fine line, as interpretations can vary.


Moral Legitimacy.


Prior to the Internet, recruitment was conducted with an almost evangelical zeal, with many organizations using huge motivational rallies and sales techniques that were frowned upon by many non-believers.


Some criticism and stigma has come from the perception that many of the bigger organizations inculcate members by indoctrination. Mass direct marketing to friends relatives and anyone with a pulse, many of whom have no interest in joining often alienates and causes relationship fractures and residual bitterness.


In recent years there has been a quite a shift in credibility and professionalism. Well-respected authors and entrepreneurs have started to endorse MLM. Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump are two that come to mind. Internet marketing allows members to strategically attract like-minded people into their network. Training is more streamlined and success is less dependent on the cult of charisma, and perhaps more equitable


Financial Legitimacy.


The compensation plans vary from company to company, and are a tool for soliciting new recruits. The power of compounding numbers can suggest that massive incomes can be earned simply from sponsoring a few people who do the same ad infinitum. Pick a number and double it ten times over and then imagine that number represented your network of distributors, who all sell and consume the companies' lotions and potions. The lure of over-ride commissions for very little work can attract many naive members, who subsequently depart disillusioned, weeks, months or years later.
Conclusion.


As a vehicle to create passive income there are many benefits to investing the time, energy and money to create a solid passive income. Like most things in life however, there is rarely a free lunch, and those that succeed will be those that combine ambition with a verifiable action plan and under the umbrella of a stable and trustworthy organization.


There are very few success stories in any form of business that succeed in the absence of a coherent mentoring program and this scribbler suggests that it is imperative you choose your mentors carefully.



Online to have fun, connect with like minded people and co-inspire others to achieve uncommon goals.





Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The importance of Personal Branding

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Due to the speed of technological advancement online, businesses are apt to adapt and evolve in a heartbeat. unlike the offline business world, in which a business can remain fundamentally unchanged for a decade or so. this not the case online.


You have a choice as to whether you promote your core business or what has been labelled as 'You Inc'
This is not for egotistical purposes, rather because online businesses are built on the foundations of vastly spread connections. These connections can take years to build up and ultimately is what will determine the value of You Inc. If your business is no longer viable and you want to move on, you don't want to have to start over and rebuild a whole new set of relationships.


There is no walk by traffic online. Credibility is earned over time and the compound benefits are potentially enormous. More and more people will Google a Business, Product, Book, Movie and yes, You before they engage.


If it takes a month or two or a year or two to establish your Online Profile, well that's the price it takes to create a valuable presence.


This is not hard, however there is a set of skills involved. You can start with virtually zero credibility in your offline location, amongst family, friends and work mates, yet create a massive impact online if you know how.


To find out more, on how to build your online presence FAST, then RSS and connect for my Free Video Downloads.


Or Just Twitter me.


Thanks for dropping by. Kiaran

Monday, November 9, 2009

Blogging for Traffic

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Just a quick note. This simple Blog that I published a couple of weeks ago is already at #3 out of 18 million on page 1. Just shows that you don't need to do anything too flash to get your message out there. unlike the paid adverts on the same page however this Blog costs nothing but a bit of time.

Blogging is becoming the medium of choice for many over creating complex websites. They are easily added to and no html etc required which suits us masses very nicely thank you.

#3 Blog Search out of 18 Million in 2 Weeks


If you like any of these Blogs RSS us on the side or connect on Facebook or Twitter for some collaborative Inspiration and shared resources.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

So many Online Options -Where to Begin?

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Largely by choice I get an average of 10-15 marketing business opportunities pitched to me DAILY! Why by choice? Well, because I engage on Social Networks such as Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to a dozen or so marketers' opt in boxes, I am pretty primed to be targeted. This does not concern me unduly or else I would vacate these forums-my main reason for putting up with these daily Tweets-Messages etc is that it gives me insight into the marketing methods of a cross section of this community, and serves as an excellent method of researching and learning.


Midst the noise there can be a challenge tuning into any coherent symphony. Sorry for over doing the metaphor! There are so many well pitched and seductive propositions that it's tempting to keep jumping from one great opportunity to the next, but alas with the consequent lack of traction.


It's unlikely any online opportunity of itself is better than any others. Some will succeed as spectacularly as others with access to the same resources will fail.


Initially it is imperative that you tune into a system that you can work. Realistically you will need to find a system that will fit your Budget. You need to make a choice as to whether you take the tortoise or the hare route. Market 1000 $29 ebooks or pursue a higher end program where 3 or 4 sales will create the same profit.


Higher end programs that cost upwards of $3k can seem riskier. The mindset of fear can kick in. Fear of loss. Fear of failure. Fear of commitment. Ironically this can also be a profound ally in your endeavours to succeed. A low cost $29 program requires so little financial commitment that this low level of commitment can permeate motivation and activity. 


Once you've burned a few bridges, spent money you probably can't afford to lose, told everyone that you're quitting your job in 6 months, the desire to make it all actually happen is probably stronger.


Of course its all contextual. A traditional business can involve investment decisions of many hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a mere $3k-$4k would be considered virtually nothing.


The message is that success online or offline is largely a factor of commitment. Commitment takes many forms. emotional, time, energy, financial with some blood sweat and tears along the way. That's why the goal, dream, aspiration has to be large enough to sustain the early stages of frustration.


For what it's worth my #1 program has a 'dip your toe in the ocean' try it out and see if it's for you limited time trial entry for $1. That's NOT a mistake. The challenge will be that the commitment is so little it may not inspire you, but I'd encourage you to click the link and check it out. 


That's it-no big sales pitch as you know I hate Hype and Gloss-Let us know what you think-Cheers Kiaran



Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Power of Clarity.

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Just a quick quote from John Assaref-in his book the Answer, that I think you'll like:


"The seed of your business is the vision. This is the groundwork for every successful business that has ever been and will ever be. It starts with the power and precision of the idea. 


What you have to get good at doing is creating the seed of what you want with great precision....the real key to building your dream business lies in the clarity and strength of the idea-the seed. The how always comes after the vision and decision"

This is a new Blog and I welcome you to RSS if you like the material or leave the odd comment alternatively connect on Facebook or check out my other Blogs that may be more to your taste. Thanks for stopping by-Kiaran!

Building Your Personal Brand Online

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The biggest mistake Newbie Online Marketers make is promoting the brand of their current business opportunity instead of themselves.


People are attracted to people not to anonymous business brands. You need to sell 'You Inc' before you start touting your opportunity.


Why? Because if your opportunity turns out to be a turkey and you need to start over your personal brand will allow you to regroup much quicker. It may take time but your ability to be ubiquitous in your industry garners trust and hepls you establish yourself as a leader, which is imperative if you want longevity.


It takes a few seconds to do a Google search. That's what people are doing now to facilitate their decision making and purchasing activities. This will grow in relevance exponentially, and if you and your business do not show up, then your relevance is seriously compromised.


How do you get found by Google? It's not very hard.


Get some activity happening in some or all of the following FREE online forums. Click the links below to get started on any of these sites in literally minutes.



Ezine Articles-Submit some content on any subject relevent to your Niche
Blogger-Add daily or weekly commentary as above
Wordpress-As above
Youtube-Easier than you might imagine. Is changing the way people market themselves
Facebook-Like it or not-Social networking is here to stay
Twitter-As above
Weebly-If possible register your Name as a Domain and launch your free Weebly Website in 20 minutes.


Creating an Online presence doesn't take long but can have a profound impact on your ability to network and leverage your reputation into any number of opportunities.


Dip your toe in the water and see if you like it!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Updated Link-Daily Wisdom Thoughts From the Ages To Inspire

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http://kiaranfinn-online.blogspot.com/2009/10/some-daily-wisdom.html

This page has got a bit lost-but worth revisiting I reckon. Will be adding some new thoughts very shortly.
What's your favorite wisdom message or quote?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Ezine Articles Versus Blogging To Spread Your Message?

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You may have stumbled onto this as a result of a Google search. Potentially thousands of people are currently Online this very minute searching for information about something of interest to you.


If you have a web presence then you have a chance of being found. Interestingly from unlikely far flung places. Only 2% of my visitors are from Australia!


Two very effective and free strategies to connect with people of like minded or 'niche' interests is via the forum of Blogs or Ezines. This is a blog so that is self evident. What exactly is an Ezine?


An Ezine is similar except for the fact it's less integrated. An Ezine is a stand alone article on a specific topic that is more information focused than the conversational style of a Blog. conventional wisdom suggests that the ideal size of an Ezine article is kept between 350 and 600 words. Short and concise. Literary style is less emphasized but some grammatical fluency is required. if you write in text-lingo you'll almost certainly have your articles declined.


The good news however is that the folks over at ezinearticles.com are great at helping you refresh some of those lost lessons in essay writing!


A key component and resource that can enable you to attract vistors to your website or blog is the resource box at the bottom of the article. You cannot use the articles as a sales page to solicit business, however you can give a two or three line description of your profile and a couple of links to your sites.


After you have had 30 or so articles accepted you get a status upgrade which i won't go into here but there are some benefits to creating a small body of work. There is also the matter of credibility. once you've had a few articles accepted you can brand yourself as a recognized Ezine author.


Below are a few random articles I've had published. Most only took maybe 20 minutes to put together and some have received hundreds of views and been republished on other forums.


ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kiaran_Finn 

Thought For the Day-From Brian Tracy

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This may seem a bit harsh and confronting but there's a truth here if we accept it.

"You are today because that is where you have chosen to be. You are free to choose your actions, or inactions, and your life today is the sum total of your choices, good and bad. If you want your future to be different, you have to make better choices.



.....you can learn anything you need to learn to become anyone you want to become, to achieve anything you want to achieve. There are very few limitations and most of them are on the inside, not on the outside"

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Motivation By the Inch-Al Pacino At His Best

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Not everyone's cup of tea-but sometimes I like to get a dose of goosebump- rah rah-to fire up the engine of self motivation-takes a minute or so to warm up but then...!!  Enjoy


Thursday, October 29, 2009

Book Review: Rich Dad Poor Dad

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Robert Kiyosaki has built an impressive career around the principles he teaches in this short easy to read book. A best seller on the new York Times Best Seller List for over 6 years the financial lessons are compelling.


It is written in the manner of a parable, and Kiyosaki has been evasive when questioned about the actual existence in real life of the two central characters. The folksy story telling style that he uses is a lot more palatable and digestible than any dreary economics manifesto I’ve ever read.
What are the key points in the book?


The Rich Don’t Work For Money.
Instead of working for a pay cheque and living in fear and ignorance, they harness the power of money and have it work for them. The rich understand that money is an illusion. If everyone cashed in their assets tomorrow there just wouldn’t be enough to go around.


Financial Literacy.
You need to understand the difference between an asset and a liability. An asset is something that puts money in your pocket, and a liability is what takes money out of your pocket. Ask this question with regard to your current possessions. Is your car, your home, your computer, income producing or not?
Interestingly Kiyosaki notes that a business is only an asset, if someone else manages it. Otherwise it is simply a job.


Inability to Overcome 5 Obstacles.


• Fear
• Cynicism
• Laziness
• Bad habits
• Arrogance


Getting Started.
• Find a compelling ambition
• Choose carefully how you invest. Start with financial education.
• Pick your associates and peer groups carefully
• Master a strategy and then find a new one
• Create discipline and pay your self first
• Pay your advisors well
• Pay for your luxuries out of your asset column
• Find heroes or role models to inspire you
• Become a teacher of what you learn




Kiyosaki confronts conventional wisdom. He suggests that most people are blinkered and imprisoned by a financial slave mentality that people have in the pursuit of the paycheque. Opportunities abound and are missed by most people, because they haven’t been taught how to master their twin emotions of fear and greed.


The underlying theme is that knowledge is power and money is something to be mastered and not feared.


Kiyosaki ha s recently co-authored a book with the King of Capitalism, Donald Trump, suggesting his philosophies have the seal of approval from even the biggest of financial investors.



Your Net Biz Australia

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Just a quick post and link to my other business Blog-I'll try not to cross pollinate too much and keep these posts for general Online Marketing resources.


As you can see I'm not a techno wizz by any stretch of the imagination, and if you pop over to the Blog linked below, you'll see that you don't have to be too clever to throw a few ideas together, and link to resources put together by rather clever people!


I think I prefer Blogger for my daily updates, but Word Press is incredibly popular and does give you some different layout features and options. this is a new Blog and will take shape very shortly-hope you like!


This is my primary Internet Marketing Business vehicle, obviously internet marketing knows no geographical boundaries, but whilst your Net Biz is growing like wildfire in the US and UK I think Australia is waiting in the shadows a bit, but should be next cab off the rank.


If you are looking to venture into this world or re enter, I'd love to have you on board so just connect.


I hate hype so no big pitch, maybe just check us out.


Cheers Kiaran


Your Net Biz Australia

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Vision Versus Purpose-Thought For The Day.

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I was recently revisiting a book from 1990 'the Fifth Discipline" by Peter M Senge, and there's a chapter on Personal Mastery that caught my attention. He talks about creating personal mastery by developing a disciplined approach. Mastery of any subject be it Art, Music, Carpentery or Cooking is achieved by continually practicing fundamental principles until they become conditioned and automatic.


Senge makes the point that having Goals and Aspirations does not equate to having vision, and furthermore, few adults have any real vision.


So what is Vision?
Here's an example. You have a goal to achieve your MBA and start a new business. This however is a means to an end, not the end as such. Vision is applying focus on the result. Perhaps the feelings of accomplishment within your peer group, or the life balance choices that would emerge from being more autonomous, or the material benefits that would subsequently flow through.


So if a goal represents the vehicle or means to the end. To get a better job. Earn more money, buy a Porsche etc. The Vision is the ultimate destination. Financial independence, the respect of your peers, successfully raising a family,  essentially that which fulfills your sense of self worth.


Where does Purpose fit in to this equation?
  Purpose is more abstract. Vision is tangible, a destination, and quantifiable. Purpose encompasses the Why?  Fewer  people have a real conscious sense of purpose to their lives than have Vision. 


Look at your goals and ask Why? I want a better job. Why? so i can buy a sports car?  Why? So I can impress the 'chicks'. Why?  So I can feel like a winner. So that's the reason you want a better job!


Perhaps it would be more useful to examine what our Purpose in life is, and work back from that and clarify how that translates into a Vision, and then set goals in accordance with this clear vision.


Working 60 hours per week in a job you hate, in order to buy a flash car and live in a million dollar house, seems contradictory if your purpose is to have an awesome relationship with your family and to wake up every morning with adrenaline filled excitement for the day ahead.


If your goals are leading to stresssed out days and fractured relationships and poor health, then something is clearly out of kilter.


Identify your Purpose, build a Vision that's congruent with reaching that destination, and only then set your goals.


Just a thought. What do you reckon? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Thought For The Day

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I quite like this quote from John Assaraf-it complements my thoughts entirely. What do you think?


" I just do not hang around anybody that I don't want to be with. Period. For me, that's been a blessing, and I can stay positive. I hang around people who are happy, who are growing, who want to learn, who don't mind saying sorry or thank you...and are having a fun time."



Monday, October 26, 2009

Is MLM Legitimate?

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I will preface the following by stating that I am not an MLMer but many of my colleagues are, and in the current climate of financial uncertainty it is an option many are looking at.


I have tried to give a simple unbiased opinion of the pro's and cons of the industry so that you can draw your own conclusions.


Is MLM legitimate?


The recent global recession has not coincidentally corresponded to resurgence in some previously uncool forms of marketing, such as Multi-Level Marketing, Party Plan and home based Internet Marketing.


Companies such as Amway, Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics and such like are having significant successes in their recent recruitment drives.


Multi-Level Marketing has a stigma attached to it for decades, with polarizing attitudes that have contributed to family tensions and damaged friendships. Some people would be more supportive if you announced that you had joined a new age cult.
The legitimacy or otherwise of these direct selling organizations is an issue of both legal and moral standing.


What exactly is Multi Level Marketing? (MLM)


It is a marketing strategy to sell goods or services through a network of independent distributors.
Income is derived from the sales derived from the network of personally recruited members, usually as a result of personal sales and over-rides on the teams’ volume.


Legal legitimacy.


Countries have individual laws that define the legality of sales and marketing techniques. There is a Grey area that many companies need to navigate which is regarding the issue of definition.


The biggest compliance issue is that concerning pyramid selling, which is usually considered illegal. Most contemporary MLM companies are able to comply and adhere to local legislation, but often walk a fine line, as interpretations can vary.


Moral legitimacy.


Prior to the Internet, recruitment was conducted with an almost evangelical zeal, with many organizations using huge motivational rallies and sales techniques that were frowned upon by many non-believers.


Some criticism and stigma has come from the perception that many of the bigger organizations inculcate members by indoctrination.
Mass direct marketing to friends relatives and anyone with a pulse, many of whom have no interest in joining often alienates and causes relationship fractures and residual bitterness.


In recent years there has been a quite a shift in credibility and professionalism. Well-respected authors and entrepreneurs have started to endorse MLM. Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump are two that come to mind.
Internet marketing allows members to strategically attract like-minded people into their network. Training is more streamlined and success is less dependent on the cult of charisma, and perhaps more equitable


Financial Legitimacy.


The compensation plans vary from company to company, and are a tool for soliciting new recruits. The power of compounding numbers can suggest that massive incomes can be earned simply from sponsoring a few people who do the same ad infinitum. Pick a number and double it ten times over and then imagine that number represented your network of distributors, who all sell and consume the companies’ lotions and potions. The lure of over-ride commissions for very little work can attract many naive members, who subsequently depart disillusioned, weeks, months or years later.
Conclusion.


As a vehicle to create passive income there are many benefits to investing the time, energy and money to create a solid passive income. Like most things in life however, there is rarely a free lunch, and those that succeed will be those that combine ambition with a verifiable action plan and under the umbrella of a stable and trustworthy organization.


There are very few success stories in any form of business in the absence of a coherent mentoring program and this scribbler suggests that it is imperative you choose your mentor carefully.



Book Review: The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

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With the advent of Blogs and condensed information, deconstructed to the point it can be fitted on a postage stamp (if you remember what that is!) it is becoming quite rare to find content rich information in non digital form that doesn’t bore you to tears before you've completed the forward and acknowledgments segment.
Jack Canfield comes from the old school of authors., passionate about his work, including marketing it.  You may remember Canfield as a co-author of the phenomenally successful ‘Chicken Soup’ books. The incredible sales success of this series is testament to the utilization of the very principles that Canfield espouses.
J.C’s ‘The Success Principles’ book, has been on the bookshelves for a few years now, and recently I’ve noticed it on a few of my colleagues’ home and work shelves.
Unlike many motivational and self-help type books, Canfield avoids simply writing a book to fit a book title. With respect to some inspirational authors, it seems like some of them try to offer panacea solutions to life’s difficulties around one-dimensional philosophies. A format that seems to work very well in selling Diet books.
‘The One minute manager”, “Million Dollar Marketing”, “Success Mindset” and any other number of headline solutions, that suggest an instant remedy to all that ails us, are obviously going to be less than comprehensive.
“The Success Principles” is a simple title that states what the book is about, and expands upon the mysteries that it unravels with graphic illustrations, anecdotes, easy to read stories that we can relate to, involving contemporary people we’re probably familiar with. 
The problem I’ve found with a lot of similar type books, is that whilst they can be interesting and thought provoking to read, within a few days, the message has all but been forgotten. Like a burger at your favourite fast food outlet, it serves a purpose at the time but is rarely an event that leaves an indelible imprint.
This book however is rich with Action exercises. For those that believe in the concept of application of knowledge rather than relying on simply contemplation, there is a real treasure trove of useful action steps to follow.
Many of the Principles are less than earth shattering, yet few of us probably actually live our lives in accordance with them.
This is one of those books you could keep in your car and randomly open a page, read a few paragraphs and feel nourished and energized.
The following are just a few morsels to whet your appetite.

  • Take 100% responsibility for your life and give up making excuses.
  • Notice what’s working and not working.
  • Decide what you want and stop settling for less.
  • Become an Inverse Paranoid.
  • Create a breakthrough goal.
  • See what you want and get what you see.
  • Take Action.
  • Feel the fear and do it anyway.
  • Practice Persistence.
  • Exceed expectations.
  • Transcend limiting beliefs.

The above barely scrapes the surface, yet every principle has it’s own profound truth. Definitely a book that won’t go out of fashion, as the lessons are timeless


Sunday, October 25, 2009

Thought For the Day

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"Doing more of what doesn't work won't make it any better"
Charles J. Givens-Wealth Without Risk-

My latest book review coming very shortly. This is an absolute must read for those looking to get into gear and achieve some real life changing goals. The book is "The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield.


For Inspiration, Motivation and specific strategies to build an online empire connect below or Facebook me. http://whoiskiaranfinn.comhttp://www.facebook.com/kiaranfinn

Alternatively drop your details in the box on the right, so we can stay in touch.




Saturday, October 24, 2009

Do You really Think You Have Problems-Watch And Be Inspired!

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This Video's been around for awhile 1 million plus views, but the message is timeless. Our perspective regarding what matters is all contextual. Change your viewpoint and your world changes accordingly. Makes you appreciate the fragility of life, and to live outrageously!


Original cutting edge Online Marketing content coming real soon!...as always please connect, even if it's just a thought, be well.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

There's a couple of real gems here if you're patient.

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"When two people meet, if there's rapport, the person who's most CERTAIN, will always influence the other person" 

Like him or nor Tony Robbins is one of the great Influencers and Motivators of his generation, and the above quote sums up the key to his personal  success.

The Problem With List Building

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Every Internet Marketer who's had any success Online will attribute a significant portion of it to the power of their list. That said, the balance between building massive anonymous lists versus mutually beneficial connections has become blurred


This post was prompted by a video I recently watched that explained how an Online  Marketer had built a list of 80 000 Twitter 'followers'.  This part-time Online Marketer was obviously a successful list builder, but my question is this: Is this style of marketing really sustainable or duplicateable?


There is a whole industry being built around the Twitter phenomenon. Build a massive following, then sell an Ebook explaining how you did it. The issue is that if everyone had 10 0000 followers and they all tweeted just once per week, then you would be receiving 1 new Tweet per minute, for 24 hours per day! It is physically and mentally impossible to even read these tweets, never mind actually engage.


This is not a criticism of Twitter I have a relatively small 'following" of 1500 or so, and even that's barely manageable.


My message is this: despite the teachings of the big players Online, that you need to build a list as fast as possible, the reality for all but the most experienced marketers is that you will probably gain infinitely more from trying to build connections and relationships first.


This might seem a bit wet and unexciting, but the pay off is very different. Connections are made and maintained with people who share similar interests and mindsets. They are generally two way relationships.


I'm Online for 3 reasons: To have fun, to build relationships with like-minded people, and to make money. I have no interest in trying to solicit every man and his dog, to read my Blogs, join my Mentoring Program or partner with me in my Online Businesses. That essentially is the domain of direct sales, and many frustrated MLMers still use this approach today. I believe that 95% of the people you know or meet randomly have no interest in your thoughts, business opportunity or Online activities, and it diminishes your posture and self esteem to be pitching to these people.


Of the hundreds of millions of people currently Online right now, I have the ability to connect meaningfully with maybe a couple of 100, that's it. I believe in the Law of Attraction, though don't understand it. ( If you want to mess with your grey matter, read up a little on Quantum Physics, it provides the briefest of insights into an unfathomable dimension that hints at how everything in the Universe at a sub-atomic particle level is connected, and the profound consequences that has on our lives)


It may take a little longer to build meaningful relationships but the pay off I believe is ultimately a lot more worthwhile.


Sorry for the mid Blog ramble-if anything I've said resonates, then don't be shy to connect, I do connect back.



As a Man Thinketh-Still Profound

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If you haven't read this in awhile it's worth a revisit. Timeless message, and not too long. Enjoy. click on link below.

http://tinyurl.com/lz7y7v


Monday, October 19, 2009

Which Online Marketers Do I Study?

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Let me say from the outset I don't give unwavering icon status to any Online 'guru's'. The biggest issue I had to face when I started my online marketing journey was trying to distill the torrent of information available into something I could work with and adapt to my style.


I have taken some good knowledge from some of the following, but also I have rejected some of the strategies of many of them as well. No style is 100% duplicateable, despite what you'll hear pitched, there is no such thing as a complete auto-pilot system. It is important to adapt to a style that matches your personality. Ultimately you will be attracting people similar to yourself into your circle, and unless you're authentic, you'll project yourself as a fake. People are attracted to people who they like and trust.


If you're a deep thinking analytical professorial type, then it's probably best not to try morphing into a Jerry Seinfeld! If your passion in life is remote bush walking, you may not want to mimic your marketing teacher's passion for Fast Cars. Adapt to the style of the industry leader that you most identify with. then apply it to your specific venture.


O.K then, here are some of the Online Marketers and Mentors that I've studied. My observations are simply my personal view and not specifically an endorsement or criticism either way.


Motivation and Personal development;

Anthony Robbins. His style is pure showman and ego driven. He's big, loud, confident and infectious. His motivational style is based on creating instant high energy, and adapting NLP strategies to create change. When I need a pick me up I'll pop onto YouTube for a quick couple of video views then I'm back. 

John Assaref. He's a little similar to A.R but not so caffeine infused! He's pretty accessible and offers a lot of good content through various Online Sites. I've linked to his Facebook fan club, and his updates are pretty good.

Brian Tracy. Probably the least hyped success trainer around. B.T is all about logic, and understanding fundamental Principles, and how to apply them to your life. His books are more inspiring than his video clips though. Sorry Brian!


Internet Marketers:
Ewan Chia. If you're trying to figure out affiliate marketing, then E.C is your man. He has become a legend in the industry in a pretty short time. Personally however I find his delivery a bit too academic. His information is faultless, but I'm guessing it's a hard brand for most newbie's to duplicate. As a resource for specific marketing techniques though, I'd definitely recommend.


Frank Kern; Another contemporary legend. Again he has a very particular style and delivery. He communicates somewhat in parables with the spirituality of a born surfer. Quite profound at times, and charismatic, and very visual. I haven't got into his mind movie stuff, but many of the top producers in the world of Information Marketing acknowledge him as an inspiration.


Maria Andross. A totally different style of marketer. Maria is the queen of personal branding and utilizes YouTube phenomenally well to promote her ventures.

Mike Dillard. Revolutionized the Direct Marketing industry. M.D is a no b.s straight shooter. Definitely not warm and cuddly. To sum up his philosophy: 'The key to effective marketing is to promote and sell a GENERIC solution and system, instead of your business opportunity.


Matt Bacek and Shaun Casey. Big list builders and Joint Venture specialists. If you opt in be prepared to get daily blasts of links to different programs and opportunities. Very successful but probably a bit too far removed from new marketers who could feel overwhelmed by the volume of output.


Adam Wong and Adam Khoo. Youthful cool style. A.W recently published an easy to read book 'Lucky Bastard' that demystifies the Information marketing industry.


Darren Gaudry. Likeable and laid back Australian. Sails close to the wind at times with an equal number of fans and critics. His style is adrenalin fueled big copywritten pitches. A dream builder who has moved rapidly from one business to the next. Usually nails it and pretty accessible, but his style with respect is a little used car salesman-like and not everyone's cup of tea. Effective nevertheless.



Damiam Benko and Stuart Ross. Turnkey Mentors who take the mentoring component seriously. Strong on showing their people 'how to' systems rather than simply launching programs and then moving on to the next big thing. Pretty accessible via Facebook and their 'Inner Circle' membership club.


Ken Evoy of Site Buildit. A different style of marketing. Very slow and purposeful. Probably the best resourced site building program, but maybe best suited to hobbiests and those prepared to build slow and methodically. Low on hype high on information.


Joe Vitale. For Copywriting and Ebook publishing, very highly respected with an engaging style.


Jim Cockburn. If Ebay is your thing then L.B author of the 'Silent Sales Machine' is a great mentor to hook up with.


Jennie Armato. Easy to relate to 'The Godmother of Web Business' communicates simply and is well respected as a mentor in affiliate marketing.


Brett McFall. Another Aussie who communicates in a simple laid back manner. Copywriting specialist and seminar leader.


There are thousands of potential teachers and mentors Online. They all have their own styles. A word of warning though. Trying to tap into too many programs can be a road to oblivion and distraction. Pick a few resources that you're comfortable with. Find a program that is simple and duplicateable and tune into a system that you feel comfortable enough to endorse and promote. Then build your own authentic brand.

Be Inspired!!




A Sneak Preview into my #1 Online Marketing Strategy

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'Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm'
Winston Churchill

Sunday, October 18, 2009

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Below is an interesting interview on the biggest mistakes that most of us make in building our websites. The key points are that your site must be;
  • User Friendly
  • Have a Call To Action
  • Be less cluttered
  • Vertical Architecture-with sections and sub-sections
  • Easy to read text
  • Communicate your offer up-front.
The message is premised by the fact that if visitors have landed on your site via Google SEO-then you've probably got 3-5 seconds to capture their attention.

John Assaref Talks Websites-Mistakes and Lessons

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Do You Feel Like You Work With Monkeys?

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What exactly is Turnkey Marketing?

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I'm currently on a mission to help 100 Individuals Hit 6-figures online within 12 months-without hype or gloss. Connect to register interest. Kiaran

https://turnkeygroup.infusionsoft.com/go/early/a584/