Guest Post by Brian Edmondson

Rumplestiltskin is a crafty kind of imp found in old children’s fairy tales.

One night he came to a girl who was threatened by the king. She had to spin straw into gold or be locked in a dungeon forever.

And she had one night to do it.

The girl was beside herself. She couldn’t spin straw into gold on the spinning wheel that was provided. Humans can’t do that. But imps… can (at least one named Rumplestiltskin).

So, the story goes that Rumplestiltskin made the girl a bargain. He would spin the straw into gold if she gave him her necklace. And he did. Her life was spared. And the girl learned some good lessons along the way. You’ll have to read the story to see what most of them are.

But one of the big ones is that humans can’t do things like turn straw into gold and if they can the price is usually too high and too precious.

Until now.

There is actually a good way to spin straw into gold. And I’ve been using this particular method since I first started my internet marketing business.

It’s simple and easy to execute as long as you have a site you own and a traffic source for the site. This simple secret is all about building a following using email.

It all starts with the email form.

An email form allows you to gather the name and addresses of people who visit your site. I have them on every site I own and they are responsible for a large majority of my income. I’m going to explain to you why they work so well and then I’m going to show you how to get one on your own site.

Why gathering emails works.

When people visit your site they are there for a few minutes and then BOOM they are gone. It happens quickly and you may never see them again.

But when you have an email sign up form on your site you get to contact your visitor over and over again. Sometimes when I suggest this to people they freak out - because they don’t know what they will send to their list.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Send your list notices about your best content
• Send your list notices about new and exciting products that they might be interested in. (this works really well on sites that sell physical affiliate products)
• Write to your list with discounts on products that you offer
• Write an informational series that educates, informs and educates about your subject matter – kind of like this article.

Having a form on your site lets you reconnect with visitors again and again. And you get to sell to them again and again. President Obama used this strategy in the 2012 Presidential Campaign to raise over $690 million dollars. It was the most anyone has ever raised in a digital campaign effort and no matter what you think of him politically, he was very good at using email marketing.

Many site owners also send their lists newsletters and then rent the list out to advertisers on occasion. This is another great way to make money.

There are so many possibilities when you can reach your customers over and over again, that not having an email form on your site means you are missing a huge opportunity to turn straw into gold.

How do you get an email form on your site?

The easiest way is to use a subscription based service. Most people when they are starting out use Aweber. Aweber is inexpensive, works great, and has great email deliverability. There are services that are free to start, but I’ve never seen one that works really well.

When you open an Aweber account they have a form builder on the inside. If you don’t know how to use it call customer service. They are great people, and will answer your questions.

Once you design the form you can just use a bit of code, put it in a text widget if you are using WordPress, and it will appear on your site and be all hooked up to Aweber and ready to go.

How do you get people to sign up for your list?

There are lots of ways to do this, but I’ve found the easiest and most effective (by far) is to offer a free report. If you have a site about toy trains you could offer a report on how to create a toy train set up.

A site I know of that sells surfboards has people sign up for a “guided tour” type of report that shows them how to decide on the right board, and what kind of shape of board they will need for their particular skill level.

Think about the questions that people ask you and answer them in a report.

Then get a nice cover made – fiverr.com has some great graphics people that do covers for $5 – and use that as a representation of what they’ll be getting.

Enticing people this way will get you far more people on your list, which means lots more marketing opportunities.

By putting an email form on your site you enable yourself to really spin straw into gold. Most of the time my lists out earn my site earnings by many fold. And the best part is that it only gets better in time.

If you keep adding people to your list and keep in touch with them, you will develop a true business asset. Something that you own and that no one can take away from you.

About the Author:

Brian Edmondson specializes in helping website owners get more traffic, more subscribers, and more sales. You can download his free Internet Profit Report at http://www.InternetIncomeCoach.com.

As part of your online marketing strategy, you should scout out the specialized niche directories in your market for both exposure and quality inbound links.

And if you're selling crafts online, you're in luck - because I've scored you an exclusive discount on advertising at the Art of Crafts Directory.

Do people still search for directories? Absolutely. According to keyword research, even. It's also a great place to locate market leaders in your niche, and other bloggers you can work with to increase your reach even more.

You can find other blogs to interact with, affiliates for your products, places to submit guest blog posts or find guest bloggers, etc.

And of course by submitting your own site to the directory you can be found as well! Not only by potential partners, but also by your ideal clients and/or visitors.

Art of Craft is not just another crafts directory. Alison Wood is passionate about the topic and her fellow crafters, and also authors the related Art of Crafts Blog. She promotes the directory heavily, giving you an opportunity to get great exposure in the craft niche.

Art of Crafts is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and informative for it's visitors. Alison has put a lot of work into making it a great resource, both for craft-related business owners - and those looking to purchase handmade crafts and gifts.

There are clearly defined categories, an easy submission process with a WYSIWYG editor, and you can even add links to your social media profiles in addition to your website or blog. You can also add a screenshot of your site, promotional or product images, and even include your physical location (including a Google map) and/or phone number if you have a local craft business.

Definitely check it out, and remember: you can get a very generous 33% discount on *any* listing by using the "LynnTerry33" coupon code after you add the listing and before you submit payment. I love bringing you exclusive discounts!

Even if you're not selling crafts online, you should consider niche directories in your market that are managed by someone as passionate as Alison. As I mentioned above, it's a great source for profitable connections that could really benefit your business. And if you know someone that is in the craft/handmade type business, be sure to pass this along to them.

Best,

* This post was sponsored by Art of Crafts. I am not an affiliate for AOC, and do not benefit from advertising sold or use of the coupon code. Enjoy!

April 15th is "Tax Day" and the official deadline for filing tax returns (or requesting an extension) in the United States and Philippines. April 15th also happens to be the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, who once said:

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do."

Of course, the more you do, the more money you earn, and the more taxes you must pay. LOL.

Abraham Lincoln, who also died on this day (April 15th), once said: "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

I pay more in taxes now than I used to make in a year. That was quite the turnaround for me, no doubt. I'm not one of those people who had an easy time and just breezed through life effortlessly. I don't mind to admit that I've stood in line at a Food Bank before, or that I had to use programs such as food stamps and WIC at times when my children were little. I worked incredibly hard to turn my life around.

I happily pay my taxes, by the way.

To me, paying my taxes is a point of gratitude. It's a way of giving back, "being on the other end" if you will. And so it also means that I achieved my financial goals from so long ago, and that I'm doing well now. And for all of that, I am grateful. Not to myself for having made it happen (but yes, a big thank you to the young and unsure 20-something me!), but for living in a time and space where the opportunity was freely available - many thanks to technology.

I'll make two confessions though...

Yes, I am meant to pay my taxes quarterly. I currently do not, and I pay a decent penalty for that. By choice. Recently I was preparing to file my taxes for the 2012 year, and I had not yet entered the first transaction into my accounting program. Someone said to me, "Wouldn't it be easier to keep it updated monthly?" To which I laughed and replied, "Gosh no! Do you really think I want to do this 12 times a year? It's bad enough doing it once!" Ha

Second confession: I really miss my simple life sometimes, when things were less complicated and when I wasn't dealing with such big numbers. That may seem like a silly thing to say, but the dramatic positive changes to my lifestyle have also come with (much) greater responsibilities.

For many years I intentionally kept myself in a lower tax bracket, and maintained that simpler (easier!) lifestyle. Back then I actually did keep close tabs on my books. In fact, I could pull up a year-to-date total *to the penny, even* within five minutes at any given time. I had to limit how much I worked - or rather, how much I earned - and I kept that going for quite a few years. Yes, on purpose.

Not everyone wants to be a millionaire. Not everyone wants the responsibility that comes with that kind of lifestyle. Some people just want to be happy - to eat, drink, laugh and enjoy life. That doesn't require making millions, of course.

To each their own, right? I know several people who have downsized recently for that very reason. Carrie Wilkerson is one that comes to mind, and she's talked openly about the reasons they chose to do that. It all boils down to lifestyle choices.

Money is a touchy subject.

The old saying "this too shall pass" is the poor man's greatest hope, and the rich man's greatest fear. With Tax Day pulling a close second! lol

Happy Tax Day!

Best,

p.s. Wouldn't it be nice if the checks we send to the IRS were... a tax deductible expense?! That would just make my day.

Today, April 15th, is the 105th day of the 2013 year. That means there are only 260 days left until the year is... over. We're a couple of weeks into the second quarter already. This year is whizzing by on you!

Where are you with your goals for 2013? Are you on track, ahead of schedule, or way behind in getting where you want to be in your life & business this year?

I can answer that question honestly, and say I'm way behind. After a rough first quarter, I'm pushing myself hard during this second quarter to catch up - and get ahead.

If you're like me, you have both personal goals and business goals. I've been hitting the gym almost daily, but I'm starting every day off with "money tasks" - and making sure my 24 hours are spent focusing on my TOP priorities every single day...

When you really want something to happen, you have to give it everything you've got. Period. It takes serious self-discipline to see things through to the end result - whether that's a health goal, a financial goal, a business goal, or any other.

Yes, life happens, distractions get to all of us. Some of us have more challenges than others, whether they are external or internal. But the bottom line is, you're either going to make it happen or you're going to let the challenges take over. Period.

During my recent health issues and unexpected downtime, I took the necessary time to rest and heal - and then I got right back on my feet. Even when I couldn't work out at the gym (one of *my* personal goals this year) I made it a point to move as much as I physically could. As soon as I was released from bed rest I headed to the gym. At first I didn't even turn the treadmill on - I just walked in place and did stretches. It's about doing what you can, no matter how small the steps.

I did the same with business, breaking things down into micro-tasks and just making a point to do *something* every single day, no matter how small the task or how slow the progress seemed. Moving forward is going in the right direction, even if it's one step or task at a time.

Now that I'm back on my feet, and back to my usual creative-happy-productive self, I'm ready to dig in and make the rest of this year count! We have 260 days. We ALL have 260 days, just like we all have 24 hours in a day to work with.

We still have time to reach our 2013 goals!

How are you going to make the next 260 days count?

What are you willing to change or sacrifice to make it happen?

I look back over my past 16+ years in business, and the past twenty years of my life even, and I'm amazed at how far I've come and how much I've achieved. But it didn't happen "magically" and it didn't happen overnight. It was a direct result of setting specific goals, and working diligently toward reaching those goals. Period.

We're in this together. I'll be right here every single one of those remaining 260 days, working alongside you as we push toward our own personal goals.

Here's to making it happen! *cheers*

Best,

p.s. Speaking of "260" I still have an awesome special offer for hands-on help with your online business. You can currently join my Private Brainstorming Group, where I will work with you personally, and you can join us for only $260 for an entire year. Not just for 260 days, but an entire year. That works out to way less than $1/day to get personal hands-on help reaching your business & financial goals!

See the link for details, and give it some serious consideration.