Uh, Oh! ECM closes door. Official Email!

Well,

I hate to say it.

I did call this one and then was not sure.

This is definitely sure!

Received this an hour ago.

“Due to current circumstances Elite Clicks Media, LLC. will be closing operations, so effective immediately Elite Clicks Media, LLC. will no longer be running or accepting any affiliate traffic. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions please direct your inquires to ecmclosing@gmail.com. Please submit your final invoices, if any, to ecmclosing@gmail.com Please note that final invoices must be submitted by April 30, 2011. Any invoices submitted after April 30, 2011 will not be considered for payment. Best, Managing Members Elite Clicks Media, LLC.”

I know this will not be the last one this year.

Affiliates should now examine their networks and offers like you would a speculative stock!

I have much more to say on this and other topics.

‘Caveat Emptor’

TRUST NO ONE!

IMV

Lie #1

“IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES A DAY TO MAKE $100′s to $1000′s A DAY”

???!!!

Really?

Hmmm, let look closely at this.

Even, if you have some of the most advanced automated software out there. Which costs thousands and since you are starting out or mid-level. That is outside your reach. That claim is greatly exaggerated. If, not fraud.

I know of 3 different models for driving traffic.

1. Paid Traffic.

2. Free Traffic.

3. JV or Joint Ventures.

Each one of these takes time:

Time to learn.

Time to research.

Time to implement.

Time to monitor.

Time to optimize.

Now, ONCE you have been doing this for awhile (TIME) you CAN take some time away from the day-to-day tasks.

I know people who check their campaigns and ski or travel, BUT that was AFTER much TIME put in to set-up and tweak AND if something goes wrong. It will take you more than just a few minutes to fix and if you do not catch it. The TIME could really add-up.

So, if you are looking to have the life of beaches and ski trips.

Get real.

There is MUCH TIME you will have to spend before you get there and if you work multiply it by 4x-6x.

Now, most people reading this have some experience and know this.

This is for the brand new people that are lured by the “siren song” of ‘easy money and little time’

If you really have a way that can really take only a few minutes a day, the average person can learn in the time frame they expect ( a few nights) and needs no previous Internet or computer experience. CONTACT ME:

I would be very happy to be proven wrong and give your process or method or software the IMV thumbs up.

Heck, Ill even pay you!

Until that happens good readers. Keep your money in your pocket when you hear “that it takes only a few minutes a night to be a Internet millionaire or even a thousand-er”

IMV

trust no one

Stuggling in Internet Marketing? Maybe you were lied too!

This will probably get me banned from many an Ad:Tech parties and Affiliate Summit, but I am sick and tired of the lies being told to people entering and who have been in the internet marketing space. Bookmark this spot because in the next 10days I am going to pull back the curtain and tell you ever little ‘sick’ secret that makes up this space. Why? because the more time and money people waste the more we are falling back and not moving forward as both a society and species.

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. if you accept that you are ignorant.

IMV

The Ultimate Power – Predicting the Future!

Well,

It is nice to be ahead of the curve and if you read my Blog.

You have been.

By months !!!

The lastest one I called correct was the EPIC level of guru’s and courses coming out that are selling the ‘dream’ at high ticket prices.

To my surpise.

One of their own, Joel Comm. Has actually called the whole IM guru crew on it AGAIN!

He talked about it back in Feb 2010 and Then again yesterday 08-08-2010.

My only comment.

Besides, how spot on he is.

Is…

“Didn’t you have something to do with this ? or At least the ‘guru/teachers’ that you and others in your circle look up to?”

I doubt my comment will get posted.

After spending some time with the grand-father of IM and info-product marketing Mark Joyner and finding out that he too. Is sick and tired of seeing the deception and lack of ‘real value’ being brought to the internet by the current group of info-product (frauducts) pushers.

All I can say is…

A LITTLE TO LATE ON THE NOTICE !!!

So, what do I think will happen next ?

Well, I already called it on the Google slap, FB slap, CPV saturation, Mobile money myth. (Oh, wait… I only JUST mentioned that one )

I guess you are already seeing it.

Expect mobile to be the next ‘holy-grail’ as people get burned out on CPV.

Wait tell you see how many budgets get burned on this one and accounts banned when people find out you can NOT just txt anyone

My prediction ?

Watch the FTC and Merchant Accounts.

With new rules and money things are going to change more with those than with traffic sources.

Already I am seeing offers getting pulled that had the FTC take notice of months ago and I expect to see more.

Fake scholarships companies are getting busted.

Which resulted in Offers being pulled since some of them are from the same company’s

I am being very careful with what I run and who I run it with and how.

I would advise you to be too.  Especially with new laws and the money to enforce them.

Read the TOS of all that are involved in.

Read the FTC rulings.

Follow the FTC laws on IM

Watch the Laws being passed, just as much, as the offer trends.

Do not play fast and loose now only to have the FTC slap you later.

Remember, they can reach back and take your revenue from previous years and put you in prison.

Waaaaay, worse than a GOOGLE slap!

Be careful out there and Trust No One!

IMV

If you are working do you have time to Blog ?

Good point!

I have been very busy with many projects and have left the blog for 4 weeks.

WOW! 30 days.

That is a good sign.

I know some people would “die” if they didnt post every-day or surf Aff-Buzz (great resource btw.)

I have noticed, too. That many other busy people have short blog posts and sometimes they actually get a useful piece in there.

Why do people blog ? Why do I blog ?

Well, to be heard, to make money, to fulfill ego, to interact and socialize when far away or not in a space & place that they chose to interact with and probably a few more that don’t even come to mind.

I find myself coming back to the ones that have useful information and actually do not post much (Bryn does a great job and so does Ruck of C2M)

So, if you are working do you have time for a blog?

For me its more  a time-drain.

But, then again Im not making a name for myself (unless it’s that I am an honest pain-in-the-ass [for the right reasons])

I do see the “link-baiting” going on on blogs and forums and newbies buying product’s getting on lists for promotions.

I think its sad.

Reminds me of Trump University.

Sad to see so many selling the “dream” vs. selling results and material that is generalized and watered down.

I just hope they left enough capital for testing or like Han Solo in  “Star Wars.”

It is going to be a short ride.

IMV

Back to Business: Ad:tech and the Return of the Dark Knight

Well,

It was another wild and eventful Ad:tech.

Where as, most bloggers have already been posting up their party pics, who they met, where they ate.  etc. etc.

I have been deep in the trenches and getting the REAL speak on what is and is not in the Internet Marketing World.

And Folks… ITS CRAP!!!

The amount of stuff going on that is costing you money and the lack of recourse is startling.

I have posted many reasons why you may be suffering in online marketing or maybe you succeeded and then got ‘swat’ back down and now finding it harder and harder to get back on top.

I feel you.

And I am here to tell you the landmines out there (remember: landsmines are meant to be NOT seen and to cripple & maim, as well, as kill you!)

The 1st one I am going to tell you. Is your enemy is NOT the tracking, traffic, networks, banks, IRS, or FTC.

IT’s the damn offers you are promoting !!!

You would think they would want you to be successful.

Sorry, only in Berkley and Cuba does socialism exist.

They want to make money and if they can keep more to them-self.

THEY WILL!!!

How did we discover this ?

Well, After out great idea of the ‘PERFECT NETWORK’ (3rd party accounting verification & hardened credit card & bank wire level tracking)

We took the idea to the floor of Ad:tech.

Like we assumed.

Affiliates loved it and wanted to sign up right away. Even Networks wanted to know what and how and jump on.

Want to know who told us to F*off ???

The offers!!! ( I wont name names, since there is no way in hell I will go toe-to-toe in a slander suit with them)

They had no issue with hardened tracking, BUT when we mentioned 3rd party accounting so that affiliate, network AND offers knew that everything was legit.

They kindly told us to F*off.

There was no way they were going to let the outside world know what their real numbers were.

So Yes, networks scrub and shave.

Know why ?

Because offers, even well know brands, WONT PAY THEM !!!

I know 3 top name affiliate companies owed not thousands but multi-millions from offers that never paid them, BUT they paid their affiliates. (Thank You Azoogle, ads4dough, Neverblue, AKMG, Rev202, C2M, ECM, MaxBounty, Market Leverage, EWANET and anyone else still in business that has gotten screwed by your offers. They paid us EVEN WHEN THEY WERE NOT!)

So, the next time you want blame someone.

Start at the top!!!

I’m going to post all the info I discovered and verified at Ad:tech.

Hold onto your wallets and if your traffic isn’t profitable. Scale back or pause it. You WILL want to know these, BEFORE you spend more money and watch it go down the drain.

IMV

Another reason you failure or succeed.

I read again today that the biggest difference between those who make money and those don’t.

Is whether they are tracking and optimizing and how  Accurate and Constant they are at it.

On the internet you can track anything and everything.

Government, institutions and high school students do it all the time.

So, who doesn’t track ?

Most online marketers at the beginning level?

Sometimes is technical. Many times is ignorance and laziness.

There is not one successful advertising company in the world that does not track every possible variable they can.

Some even come up with new ways and add to the field of statistics and analytical research.

If the super big boys are tracking and crunching numbers.

Why aren’t you ?

IMV

FaceBook Slap! We called it first !

While kinda.

If you look in our pages section. We did post about the changes at FB and how now the people have spoken and don’t like the current ads.

The last few days the blogs on AFFBUZZ (we mentioned them  a long time ago) are full of  the new policy’s and I am hearing of the bloodshed.

5 figure incomes shredded.

Well, what did you expect ?

Google did it, AOL online before them. Now, FaceBook!

Sorry guys.

I have said this since my 1st month in PPC.

That we need to look at the past and learn.

Apply the lessons of the Columbia Record club, CAN-SPAM, Infor-mercials.

All the ‘grey’ and ‘black’ hat marketing and lawsuits that have happened from them.

I have read some marketers whining about how FaceBook and Google should NOT dictate policy and that people can make their own choices.

Sorry, industry and government disagree and they are larger then you.

I have always said and will always say.

Get the lawyers, marketers, accountants and consumers all working together.

You don’t need to screw people over to make money and fast money is no good if you leave pissed people you cant go back to.

No one likes to be screwed or conned AND we all love a great deal and getting more then we paid for.

I dont like censorship. I also do not like ‘crap’ and FB and Google are just trying to keep what they think is ‘crap’ by level of complaints ‘off their porch’

I dont like it, but if it was your network. Would you really be any different if a group of advertisers were pissing off your customer base ?

Easy to point fingers when its not your “house” people are “defacing”

Anyway, Lets find out what the consumers want and FTC and traffic sources will allow and make all sides happy.

That’s GOOD business!

IMV

Better than Money ? The TRUTH of What WORKS!!!

So, the other forum I posted my strategy on is now on fire.

You would think no one had ever posted anything of detail that works.

The truth is few have.

The forum owner comes closest and maybe 3 members, but even I have noticed exact details and long descriptions are now lacking and posts about favorite movies and stupid sh*t is now popping up.

Who pays money each month to hear about stupid sh*t?

I DONT!!!

I pay to make back at least $5 dollars for every $1 I spend (and you should too!)

So, here is the complete step-by-step Money making plan:

15 Minutes to Fame: How to Make Money from 1000′s of targets in CPV/PPV and not Lose TONS of Money!!!

DISCLAIMER: IF YOU BLOW YOUR CASH OR SERVER DONT BLAME ME !!!

THIS IS FOR HIGH VOLUME & HIGH BUCK. IF YOU CANT AFFORD TO LOSE $100′s

DONT DO THIS !!! IF YOU DONT HAVE TRACKING DOWN. DONT DO THIS!!!

END DISCLAIMER:

1) find a trend. go to google insight and type in any CPA/CPS offer vertical or offer and you will see certain days, months, years are better.

2) use a scrapper and pull all the keywords and urls related 10 deep (yes that will be a few thousand) Remove any that obviously are not specific and have high volume traffic IE: diet and facebook.com

3) set-up tracking whatever traffic source you are using

4) pause your creatives NOT campaign while you  get your links and keywords approved

5) set your caps for minium. I set mine for $10. Set your bids for 1-3 positions. (you need steady traffic to test effectively)

6) once you have everything approved. UNpause your creative.

7) watch the traffic very 15min. Get rid of any targets that are more expensive than your payout.

after 15min. to 1hr you will see what targets have volume and maybe even conversions.

9) pause ALL other targets you have and let this block of performing targets run for 2hrs.

10) pause and optimize. then run optimized targets in next 2hr-3hr block of daily traffic.

IE: 8-10am, 11am-1pm, 3pm-6pm, 7pm-10pm

11) once you have a block of targets optimized you can run them at different time blocks and see if you can get a better ROI on time targeting segmentation.

12) repeat process for each traffic source to scale.

This Method maximizes targeting  for consistant volume targets and saving capital for actual performers!!!

You find what has volume, what is making you money and stop wasting money on what doesnt convert or get traffic.

You can set up 1000′s of these. Since, there are 1000′s of offers and 1,000,000′s of targets.

There are some nuances I will have in the members section to make you more money.

This should be a BIG START!!!

Now, go get testing methodically

IMV

The Beginning & Why?

It has been over a year since I started with PPC Internet marketing and 6 years since I started SEO CPS marketing and over 10 years since I did my first Internet marketing campaign with banner ads for an offline product.

I decided awhile ago that spring 2010 (3-21-10) was the ideal day to start a BLOG about the “truth” or Veritas of Internet Marketing and for the most part, ALL marketing, advertising, sales and business. Since, with-out the ‘truth’ there is not much that can occur. At least, not in the long run.

So, If you want the ‘truth’ of what works and the ability to apply it and make money on the internet. This is your blog.

I will post what works and what doesnt for PPC, PPV, CPV,  CPT, Media Buys, Banner Ads, Mobile2Mobile, Contextual, Social, Tiered and any other form of marketing or advertising that work or may for CPS, CPL, CPA and CPC monetization.

Pragmatics (doing what works) and Philosophy (the application of knowledge) are our hallmarks.

To those who are looking for what works and makes money online.

Welcome Home…

Bookmark this page and come back daily as I update and add more relevant and exacting content for making money.