What do Don Trahan and CJ Goecks know about Internet Marketing?  Based on the emails I get from these guys…quite a bit.  They have one upped the late night golf infomercial guru AJ Bonar by using the power of internet marketing to autopilot sales.  If you follow a couple of tips that I am about to identify you too could be cashing in on autopilot income.

Who are these guys?

Don Trahan – Peak Performance Golf Swing

PGA Master Professional Don Trahan, known as the “Swing Surgeon,” has been ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the “50 Best Teachers” in America. He is the author of the popular instruction book, “Golf, Plain and Simple,” the “Peak Performance Golf Swing” and numerous articles about the golf swing in major golf publications. He is a former teaching editor for Golf Magazine and creator of numerous training aids.

However, for Don, his greatest distinctions by far is the “student” who is now a member of the PGA Tour. DJ Trahan and Don’s son, winner of two Tour events, is positioned to be one of the Tour leaders.

CJ Goecks – Perfect Connection Golf Swing

Goeck is a Certified PGA Golf Professional and is also ranked as a Golf Digest Top 20 Golf Instructor.  PGA Touring Professional Nathan Green won the RBC Canadian Open using Goecks’ Perfect Connection Golf Swing.

So what are these guys selling?  Most people would probably answer golf lessons…but that’s the easy answer.  You would be surprised at how many people get this fundamental question incorrect.  Ask a Dentist, Chiropractor, Real Estate Agent, Pizza Store, Car Dealer what they sell and the majority of them will say clean teeth, skeletal adjustments, houses, pizza and cars – ALL WRONG! What they are missing is a VALUE PROPOSITION…what are their customers buying from them?

In our golf pro examples, we see that the Peak Performance Golf Swing is promoting the end to inconsistent golf – a common problem among many golfers.  The Perfect Connection Golf Swing is promoting a pain-free body friendly golf swing – which for many golfers pain can create all kinds of problems in the quest for a consistent golf swing.  Are you noticing a trend here…they are providing a solution to a problem.  You see…most people buy to satisfy something.  It could be vanity, security, pain relief, worry, pleasure, convenience etc.  In our mini case study, both Pros are promoting a better golf swing but they are each catering to a specific niche of people looking to improve their golf swing.

How are these guys using the power of the internet to achieve their sales? LEVERAGE

They are using the power of leverage to earn greater sales.  HOW?

• They created a video series and DVD instructional series which allows them to teach more students than humanly possible using the traditional approach,
• They use an email auto-responder series to deliver engaging video content to help foster a trusting relationship by delivering value up front with their prospects,
• They use the power of Social Media like Facebook and Twitter to extend their reach, build credibility and increase traffic,
• They use the power of PPC advertising to generate maximum ROI on their advertising dollars,

Are they making money?  While I do not have direct access to their bank accounts I would say – there is a very strong chance that they are both doing very well with their sales.  Using some basic research tools such as Alexa.com and iSpionage.com you can see that both sites get a steady stream of traffic .  I did a recent search at iSpionage (a site that tracks PPC campaigns) for PerfectConnectionGolfSwing (PCGS).  It revealed that in the month of October PCGS spent roughly $377-$603 on pay-per-click advertising.  As a result, they received 402-487 click throughs to their site.  Assuming a 5% close rate and using the lowest click-through number of 402 – sales could be estimated at $67 x 20.1 = $1347.  Subtracting the PPC cost of $603 results in a profit of $743.  Having said this, there’s still the cost of producing the DVDs and the actual video production costs to consider – but I’m willing to bet that they’ve made enough sales to cover those costs.

The point is, with all the up front cost and efforts already invested both of these guys will be able to reap ongoing returns on their initial investment of time and money for years to come.

So what are you waiting for?  Who’s problem can you solve today?

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

If you check out stats & facts at Google they’ll tell you that 20% of all their searches are location related.  Are you missing out by not taking advantage of a simple registration at Google Places?

8 Business Tips for using Google Places:

Make sure your listing is up to date, accurate and complete. 

This may seem obvious but I’ll list them here anyway: business name, physical address and phone number(s).

1. Make your listing POPs or STANDS OUT with IMAGES and VIDEOS.
2. List information on: operating hours, payment methods, and other tangible details to help users choose among search results.
3. Ensure the location of your business on the map is correct making it easier for prospects to find you.
4. IMPORTANT TIP – you can drag the map marker to the exact location of your business.
5. Ensure you list your authoritative business website as your homepage, because Google uses information from your homepage to help improve search results.
6. Choose a category from the list of suggestions to help Google to show your business for the right searches (you can also pick your own if you don’t see one that fits).
7. You can be specific in your categories instead of broad. It’s more important that they are accurate and represent your business well.
8. Encourage clients or customers to review your business or blog about it.  They will help Google return better search results.

What are you waiting for?  Your competitors are probably already there! Go to Google Places now it only takes about 15 minutes.

Matt Cutts with a brief video on how google search works.  Rather than focus on short cuts, strive to deliver good quality content with proper keywords.  Google with reward you with traffic.

I find it interesting how the internet works.  I truly believe it’s the new American Dream.  I am a second generation immigrant born and raised in Canada.  My parents did the “follow the American Dream” thing but made a slight detour to the north…choosing Canada instead.

For my parents the dream came true.  Despite not having an education they came, they worked, they overcame challenges, they persevered, and they prospered.

The other day, I got an email about a guy name Everett Bogue who decided to simplify his life and started a blog that chronicles his journey of no longer keeping up with the Jones’.

Living in the capital of consumption (New York) this brave soul decided to toss it all away…he quit his job, sold off everything that got him committed to the treadmill of modern living.

For most people reading this…the natural assumption is disaster in the making.  On the contrary, Bogue has found the new Dream…the passive income lifestyle.

In about six months he replaced his day-job income and now lives the life that everybody dreams of…one that is free of needless consumption and the financial burden that comes with it.

Everett’s book is titled The Art of Being Minimalist and you can preview the first 30 pages free.

There is one common element that I have found with successful people and in this case Bogue is no different.  It’s not about the money…it never is.  It’s about what you can give of value.  If you give enough…eventually you will get something in return.  In some cases it’s fame, a following, a feeling and it can also be fortune.  So…How do you get from giving?  Take a quick read of Everett’s Free book titled “How to Create a Movement”

There’s a great myth out there lurking that prevents the masses from using the video method to generate sales.  When in fact creating an effective sales video is easy.

Turn on the TV late night and you’ll discover a whole new world of marketing…Infomercials.  The proliferation of infomercials can only mean one thing….THEY WORK!

They can be 15 second spots to full 30 minute productions and if you study enough of them you will begin to notice a formula.  Actually a couple of formulas.

Since most people out there are afraid of making videos…adopt this video strategy TODAY and gain a competitive advantage.

Formula # 1

A-I-D-A – which is an acronym for ATTENTION – INTEREST – DESIRE – ACTION

Check out any fitness based infomercial like P90X for example.  P90X grabs your attention and interest in several ways:

• Want to get ripped in 90days? – who wouldn’t
• Before and after shots of ordinary people….key that…ordinary people just like you and me.
• Video interview testimonials of the very same people – making it very real and attainable.

All of the above done correctly stimulates action…it gets the viewer emotionally involved…subconsciously the viewer is placing themselves in those ripped bodies…this subconscious emotional tie is what gets people to buy.

The other hidden formula is the sales formula that many successful people use.

Generate rapport…couple of ways P90X does this:

features Tony Horton a leading expert in the fitness field.

features ordinary people..helping the viewer find common ground i.e. yeah…my body looks like that…after 90-days my body can look like that?

Uncovering needs – finding commonality with the viewer…struggling to get to the gym, plateauing, not seeing any results from existing fitness regimen etc

Meeting the needs – features people sceptical about p90x and gave it a try

Getting the sale – minimize risk of buying…i.e. if you’re not satisfied with P90X return it for a full refund in 30 days.

Now that you know the formulas.  What do you need to get started?

A Computer…of course,

Presentation software…like PowerPoint or a free one using Open Office,

A converter program that can convert your slides to jpeg format,

Windows Movie Maker which is Free on most newer Windows based computers,

A microphone to record audio.

That’s it you now have the formulas and ingredients to create amazing videos that

will sell.

If you want to check out an example…click on the following link to see a video on perpetual income streams.