Finally Impressed Enough to Let it Go!

It's about time!
I've never paid a dime for traffic to this site, or any other site I've kicked off. NOT EVER! I've left comments, reviewed sites, clicked like an animal, guessed at SEO, etc, etc... This is the first time since the creation of this site that I am going to actually write about a Traffic Exchange.


EasyHits4u.com is a great traffic site. The ad/pic in this post will take you there, and if you sign up, yes you will be my Referral! ;)... If you actually choose to use it, you will see a big difference. I've never been on there and seen less than 1,200 people on at one time. There are well over 500,000 members! Be as active as possible, and you'll start seeing connection requests from other members, which is great for business relations.

The more you surf, the more people will visit your site! Visibility is everything. I usually surf several hundred a day (time permitting). Between the added traffic, connection requests & other contacts I've made on here, I was so impressed with the site that I decided to become a premium member. Just about $7.90 for an entire month. This gave me all kinds of benefits that allow me to spend less time surfing & more time to do other things. 1:1 ratio at 10 to 15 second intervals! Moreover, Anything generating money on my blog has been receiving more action. The other blogs that I've done that are in the blog list to the right have been visited more as well. This tells me there are real people on there, finding interest.

You don't know me from a hole in the wall, but let me tell you... I am incredibly cheap. I never pay for anything online if I can get by doing it for free. In fact, If you've read my blog, you'll see the nature of what I am trying to achieve, rooting out scams & showing people how not to get duped... This is the first program that I've actually paid for because I was that satisfied with the free results.

I know that this post has turned into just a big add, but I do it with a clear conscience because it really does work. I'm not just trying to conjure up referrals, but if that happens as a result, cool! What you may not know is that I've tried fifteen to twenty different traffic sites in the past month. The most popular (I think) would be traffic swarm. But, well, to be frank, it's just not for me. My two favorites are EasyHits4U  & Traffup. Links for EasyHits4U are at the top of this post and also to the right, Traffup is also to the right. 

Traffup is great to get more hits to your site, more twitter followers, and to have others re-tweet your messages. A++ on all that. The only thing is, well, that's it. No bonuses, and the affiliate program will get you 50 points each person that signs up. Ever. 50 points 1 time. Not too impressive on that end. I definitely  recommend it, don't get me wrong. They are a powerful source of raw hits to your site. But there isn't much to talk about in the frills department. 

Well, that's it for now. Hope all you site owners and bloggers give it a shot if you are looking for more viewers. Especially bloggers. I never really see too many blogs in there. 

Drip...Drip...Drip

How many drips does it take to fill a fifty five gallon drum? The answer would be....
All of them!


Through my ventures in checking out different online marketing programs, affiliate systems, and traffic exchanges, I've learned quickly that there is no such thing as having all your eggs in one basket.

There is no 'Dream' program that will let you retire in a week. If you've been keeping up with me on this site, you already know that. However, I do see the potential that exists through time and work involving what I'm going to call Multi Faceted Maneuvering. Yes... By God... It's an 'M' word! Two even! (See previous post for relevance)

If the world has been kind to you, it's likely that you have ten fingers. If you've been on a computer for a while, chances are you type with more than one finger, right? There was a time that if I hurt one index finger, my typing capacity was cut down 50%... Anyways... If you needed to type a page for some reason, and used only one index finger, it would probably take you  the rest of your life, right? Yes it would. But what happens when you use every finger you've got available to you? You're done in time to catch the next episode of something with Gordon Ramsey in it.

Hence the title of this post Drip...Drip...Drip. Similar to the typing example above, Multi Faceted Maneuvering can eventually fill your bucket with drips. Which way would be quicker? One drip at a time, or several? Multi Faceted means to spread your eggs around, Maneuvering would stand for keeping up with everything to make it work. And you do have keep up with everywhere you decide to participate in. Keep up, keep track, & keep going.

Right now, I have ads on the page that produce a drip or two. Traffic exchanges I'm currently involved with give me a few more. I've got a few other sites out there with adsense that are slowly dripping... None of it is a big deal, till you start to tally things up. The more things you have going on, the more simultaneous drips are landing in the bucket.

So the moral of this post is to be as online ambidextrous as possible, keeping an eye on everything you have set out to do. Eventually, things will add up and make life just a little bit more pleasant.

'M' Words

Here are some key terms that you may stumble into through your day to day searching for the right opportunities. I've noticed that these almost sci-fi sounding terms pepper the internet, especially when it comes to money making splash pages, and other sites of the like. Oddly enough, they appear to be 'M' words.

I think that these terms are used for a few reasons. I could be either right or wrong, but there are reasons that have little or nothing to do with the opportunity or product being pitched. You've seen them... And if you haven't yet, you will. Take a few minutes to review some sites that claim to make you money online. Eventually you will run into any one, if not all of these terms.




Multiplexes, Matrix, Maximizers, Multipliers, Mega

Here are the definitions that I picked from Websters Online Dictionary. Read them for yourself and see if they somehow fit or make sense to where they are being applied.



Multiplex: being or relating to a system of transmitting several messages or signals simultaneously on the same circuit or channel

Matrix:

a: rectangular array of mathematical elements (as the coefficients of simultaneous linear equations) that can be combined to form sums and products with similar arrays having an appropriate number of rows and columns

b: something resembling a mathematical matrix especially in rectangular arrangement of elements into rows and columns

c : an array of circuit elements (as diodes and transistors) for performing a specific function

Maximizer:
1 : to increase to a maximum
2: to make the most of
3: to find a maximum value of
4: to increase the size of (a window) to fill an entire computer screen

Multiplier and Mega are pretty self descriptive.

Now, do any of these 'M' Words make much sense in the way they are being used on these ads? Maybe. But my opinion is that these are words like downline, multi  level, and network marketing, dressed up and cooler sounding. Why take part in Network Marketing if you could Join a Matrix? Or try to build a downline when you could play your hand in a vast Multiplex?!


Why the camouflage? 
Since it was recognized that there is money to be made online (mid to late 90's), there have been so many scams attached to the original terminology. When most people hear or read the term 'MLM' they get a bellyache. Is that fair? No. But it's still true.

Are there dirty cops out there? Yes. Are they all dirty? No. Same idea. But if someone has dealings with a dirty cop, will they so easily trust the police again? Not if they are approached in the same way...
I think I made my point.

Close but no Cigar!

Recently I was intrigued by a company that offers what looked like an interesting way to earn a bit of supplemental income. Sooo, I gave it a try keeping some reservations, and thought I'd lay out the pro's and con's for you...








Pro's

• The pitch for the program was seemingly transparent, which is huge with me. That's what I look for. Tell me what you want me to do up front and don't waste my time! 
• The word free was used about 1,000,000 times while watching the first introductory video, which took about 5 minutes or so. Then, if your fancy has been tickled, you can decide to be directed to another video that lays out the whole program. This video takes about 1/2 an hour, and is done with a seemingly honest approach. There wasn't some guy jumping around on a yacht screaming you'll make millions. In this video, you are taken through everything you'll need to know to get started. Throughout this time, the word free was used about 18,000,000 times. The good thing is, the host described why everything's free, and seemed to hide nothing.
• The payout seemed honest. I love that. Again, the host was up front about approximately how much you'll get paid, how often, etc...
• I was starting to get depressed but kept my chin up when I was instructed as to how you start, which is as follows:

1. You give your e-mail and basic information. No problem. I already know what this is about, so I don't take issue with giving a little bit of info. It's the sites that demand your info in order to find anything out that I loathe. Junk mail central!
2. Here comes the almost depressing part... You need to sign up with a few free to try products. Just make sure you cancel before the trial is over. OK, that explains the everything's free part. See one of my previous posts to learn what I feel about free to try. Why is this in my PRO's section? Because you don't have to keep doing it in order to continue with the program. You bite the bullet, do it, then move on and you can start making money by posting ads everywhere.
3. There are several tools that they put at your disposal for marketing purposes. Sites are provided where you can advertise. Many familiar faces in that list. 
4. You can make money via convincing other people to do everything you just did. Why that is good is it seems like this company has put allot into this system, and everything is already created for you. you just do the footwork. 

Con's

• Let's get back to those free trial offers because as I can see it, this is the only con that screams at me. As stated above, in order to move along making money (or at least being able to give it your best shot), you need to complete some free trials. In the video, you are kinda led to believe that there are plenty of free to try offers available to choose from, with some that you need to pay or purchase mixed in. Well I found it the other way around. There are many that cost, and at the time I checked it out, there were only a small handful that were completely free to try.
• Point system... In order to move on, you must have at least one point. Not bad... But the points for the free offers are less than half a point. I saw one for .35 of a point. So if you wanted to keep it free, you'd have to do several in order to achieve that point. The offers that cost of course give you the complete point. Now, if you really want to make money, there's yet one more bigger and better paying program that you need to complete offers for. The problem? They were more of the same thing.

Conclusion

Well, I didn't move much farther than that. I had absolutely no interest in any of the offers. They're the same old offers that have been around for years. You see them allot when you click an ad for winning an iPod or a new computer. If you've ever followed the ads around trying to get your new free computer, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I may have moved forward with it if there were free to try offers that caught my attention... Something I found interest in. But I wouldn't just for the sake of doing it. What if I got stuck with whatever I tried, either forgetting to or not canceling in time? Would it be something I would be willing to pay for otherwise?

I am in no way calling this company a fraud by the way... Like I previously stated, they were pretty up front about mostly everything. These are my observations & I made my own decisions by them. If you want to know who this company is, just to be sure you don't waste your time with this program, or maybe you like the sounds of it, let me know & I will tell you. But I'm not out to build up or break anyone down, so I'm not going to post the company's name.

My Brain is Always Under Construction

It's been a few days since I've completed a post on here. I am trying different things out in order to have an honest thing or two to say. Advertising programs, Affiliate programs, Web traffic to your site kind of stuff. All free. My objective is to educate myself with some descent things out there to share with you. Read the post under this one. TIME! Please check back often for new posts.


Like stated in an earlier post, this is an ongoing project!

Time. Time. Time. More Time.

Quick note here...
If you think for one minute that you can start making money online, tell your boss to go to hell, and live a completely normal financial existence... Please allow me to practice these words with you...
        'I'm sorry sir, I meant to tell you to go give'em hell... Not to go to hell. And the reason I was out for so long is a severe blow to the head that, well, got better. OH MY GOD CAN I JUST PLEASE HAVE MY JOB BACK?!!!

There is one common denominator that reoccurs anywhere I go to do any kind of research on making money online. Time. Particularly if you are trying to do everything for free. Time. Time. And more time. You want a better page rank? You can do it! But it takes time. You want customers to visit your site? You need to do what it takes in order for them to find you. Keywords are great, but everyone uses them. So unless you are trying to sell something so unique (unlikely if you are spreading around an affiliate page), that not many people have used the particular terms you've chosen, your hits  will be seen in the single digits for quite some time.

Not that I'm any marketing guru, but I've spent allot of hours struggling when I at first didn't think I had to. My bad... Maybe you could have a better mindset than I may have at the start, by realizing right now... Whatever venture you are trying your hand at while staring into a square or a rectangle emitting a pretty blue light, You will need your current job for quite some time. There's that word again!

Something's Smelly!

When I say  something's smelly, it's usually a rat.

Just a quick post here for an FYI... Keep your eyes open for FREE to try sites. Everything everywhere leads you to believe that you have stumbled upon a site that can either make you money, or help you to make money, without an initial cost. Just to find that it's a free trial.

These trials can go from 7 to 30 days (give or take), and don't typically let you continue on without providing some sort of credit card info. Once the trial period of time has elapsed, and of course you've forgotten about it, good luck trying to cancel and get your money back. Everything's all peachy until livelihoods are being cut into.  There's usually some kind of hassle. Some companies are on the up and up over this kind of issue, but I can imagine they are few and far between. Don't catch yourself finding out the hard way. This is an old tested and true tactic that mail order companies have been doing for years. Newspapers have created it into an artform!

There are several sites that provide a service or a product. They should get paid for their efforts in helping you somehow, or for their time taken in developing their product or service that they provide. Those that deserve it, usually know it. There's no need to be sneaky about a product you believe in is there?

If you do decide to sign up for something that gives the appearance of being free, and it asks you for the bare minimum information (usually e-mail and first name), and calls it step one, be careful. Because up and coming is step two! This is usually more critical info, like where to send all the fat checks you'll be making! Then comes step 3. At times the most depressing step there is. Credit Card Info.... 'Damn. If this is free, why do they need it?' The answer is simple.
They Don't!

Craig's List: As Cut and Dry as it Gets

     As the title states, Craig's List is by far the most cut and dry portal to make some quick cash. There are hundreds of sites out there that will give you hints, tips, and pointers to get you started. This isn't a how to manual. But to make short of it...

1. Clean the dust off of the 3 year old Christmas gift that Aunt Bessie gave you as a pot luck. 
2. Figure out what it's worth.
3. Figure out what you'll most likely get for it. Remember, if you are trying to get rid of something that can be purchased at a local department store, you better make it a good deal. Of course this depends on allot, but keep in the back of your head... Would you buy it for the price you set? Or would you wait till the next time you head in to town to stop at Walmart for that fancy lamp? Make it worthwhile for someone to wait on the mailman. 
4. If you can, figure out shipping before you place the ad. Unless you don't mind inviting complete strangers into your home, or don't mind driving all over the place, I'd stick to shipping whenever possible. If this is what you opt for, be sure to have a fair price to ship. If you don't have much experience in shipping anything, get some. Poke around on the UPS or USPS sites to get quotes for the package you would be sending. If there's any real size or weight to the item, and you're not forward to the buying party about shipping costs, you may either tick off the customer and push them to change their mind with the unexpected added costs, or lose your shirt.

Overall... Craig's List works, and you get what you put in. With any luck when it comes to acquiring items to get rid of, it is possible to get back much more than that! All daily principals apply just like anything. No magic cash button. 

     Hit Google for better tips, trends, or methods to make your life a bit easier while trying this out. Like stated above, this isn't a how to manual, just a quick and dirty rundown. 

Introduction to this Blog

Welcome! This is Brand Spankin' New!
If you came here under your own power, you are probably one of us millions that are not exactly millionaires, and was caught by the title of this site. Everywhere you go in this box, someone is boasting of ways to make you all kinds of money, and for some kind of fee, will show you how to generate all kinds of wealth. Some say thousands a week! Well, by now you might be just as cynical as I have become. Ever find a program that seems either thought out or dare I say 'real', just to find that it's just a colossal waste of time?

Here is where others would carry on that they finally found a program that made all of their dreams come true. No such luck here. But I am conducting an ongoing experiment concerning the various ways to produce an income available via the web. My intentions are to cover as many facets that I can manage, time permitting. Up and coming will be topics covering:

• Affiliate programs
• Google Adsense
• Pay-per-Clicks
• Zine / Article Writing
• E-bay
• Craig's List
• Telecommuting 
• Other Freelance type Online Work

Through time, I will cover other topics as they come up or evolve, but for now, I'll just start with those above. 

I've been at it for a few years now, and am still employed full time through a local company... Not online. That said, it's pretty obvious that the internet has not created a stress / work free environment as many schemers will advertise. But, my wife and I have made enough to supplement our income, and can tell you it has come in handy in a financial pinch! 

This is in fact just the introduction to a new blog. From here forward anything I post will be on a more informative and hopefully helpful basis. Please become a member to this site!