Business is a team sport. If you want to grow you must get good at hiring, training and inspiring your team. Without a strong network of suppliers, outsourcers and staff around you your business will suffer constraint. In this video, and extract from a recent outsource online marketing webinar, we discuss;

Outsource Online Marketing For Business Growth Video is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

It seems like 2011 has passed faster than any other year, I guess when you are having fun in your business time just flies. The year twenty eleven offered up so many valuable experiences that have moved my business forward and in this blog post i share with you some of the most impact full.

Get out from behind the computer

Industry events were high on my agenda this year and will continue to be in 2012. In October I travelled to Australia to attend James Schramko’s Fast Web Formula event and just 2 weeks ago we ran a very successful Unlimited Power Online Internet Mastery Workshop here in the UAE. There are very few things that can reenergize your business quite like a “Live” event, add to that the networking opportunities that occur when you fill a venue with like minded speakers and attendees all hungry to learn, events really can provide a catalyst for new growth.

Andrew Lock, Me and David Bullock on the panel at UPO 2011

Next year, I am scheduled to travel at least once per quarter either for private mastermind groups or to attend specialist seminars. Networking and continued education will be a major focus for me in 2012.

Specialize

My business has evolved this year and it has been built around a philosophy that multiple specialized businesses will always trump one general business. Your prospects will gravitate towards a specialist, safe in the knowledge that they only focus on one thing. When you specialize, businesses that were once your competitors as a generalist can now be your allies.

My consultancy business the Web Reactivators started its existence as a broad online marketing agency. The business always did very well but occupied a crowded market place competing against other agencies, website designers, SEO firms, social media agencies and the like. A few months ago we decided to focus only on SEO and the business has grown considerably since. Why? Because now we are able to partner with (not compete against) website designers, brand agencies and social media managers who can offer our non competing service to their existing customers.

Build a real business

The internet marketing space is renowned for shoddy products sold by marketers looking to cash in on the dreams of innocent consumers. The industry had grown a bad reputation and the market was voting with its feet. Many of the big “pitch fest” seminars struggled to draw a crowd and some high profile product launches passed by without the usual fuss. Why did so many fail this year? They were still playing the short game!

Real business are sustainable, they have a purpose and they solve problems, they don’t just cash in on the latest fad. The reason my SEO business has done so well this year and will continue to for years to come is that we have focussed only on the customer and how we can solve their problems better than our competitors; in this case getting traffic. We’ve worked on the philosophy that when we look after our customers they will look after the business. It’s been working pretty well so far.

Less is more (less in more out)

I focussed a lot on stripping away distractions in 2011 and my productivity went through the roof. When you have less information coming in you can put more out. Here are some of the things I trimmed away year….

• EMail – I unsubscribed from all but 2 marketers and reduced my email to less than 20 per day. With less noise in my inbox I had more time to get important stuff done.
• Software – We removed a lot of the software from the business this year. Our aim was to reduce down to the fewest of tools possible but use them as effectively as possible. To that we just asked two questions;

1. Is this tool the best tool of its type?
2. Can we live without it?……If the answer was no to either, it was removed.

• Customers – One of the best things about being a business owner is you get to choose your customers. I entered 2011 with 2 customers who were eating up my resources and taking energy away from the business. I politely suggested they look at other options. They agreed and the business has been better off since.

As you enter the new year I challenge you to remove anything that is non essential in your life, with less distraction you will feel lighter and get more done.

Start with the end in mind

I see too many people enter in to projects without first asking “what’s the point?” This year I have given a lot of time and thought to the end goal and it has made decisions in the here and now much easier. When you have a long term plan all you need to do is ask yourself “does this new thing bring me closer to the goal or not?” More often the answer is no and you don’t proceed. With so many opportunities available to us online, if you are saying no more than you are saying yes I bet my bottom dollar you are on the right track.

Surround yourself with the right people

You are an average of the 5 people closest to you. Its a strong statement but I have found it to be true. This year I have sort out and connected with more successful people than ever before. Whether it was my team, experts to interview on this blog or private masterminds I have learned so much from others in 2011. One of the best investments i made this year was in Silver Circle a private business Mastermind group run by James Schramko and would highly recommend you too look in to joining a mastermind (or creating your own) with other successful people in your industry. When you are able to tap in to the knowledge of a true mastermind group your business will surely grow.

"Masterminding" with Andy Grand & James Schramko

BONUS tools

Whilst i have stripped away far more than I have acquired this year I couldn’t finish this post without sharing some of the tools that have impacted my business most in 2011…

1. Zen Desk – Zen Desk is a web based help desk software. I absolutely love the simplicity of the product and so do my team and customers. Getting a help desk (especially Zen Desk) will free up your time and make your customer support far more professional.
2. Live Chat – In addition to a Zen Desk help desk we also added Live Chat customer support this year too. We found that having a live chat icon on our sites not only improved our customer support but also increased conversions as visitors got the impression of a professional customer focussed organization.
3. Putler – Putler is a Paypal management software. It gives amazing sales data for your commerce transactions including top performing customers and product lines. It has allowed me to identify and focus on the most profitable areas of my business.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. I’d love to hear what were your biggest lessons of 2011…Please post your comments below and connect with me on Facebook.

An Internet Marketers Year In Review is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Jennifer Sheahan is the Facebook Advertising expert the gurus go to. For many years Jen operated underground, using Google and later Facebook PPC to drive paid traffic to a number of high converting affiliate offers. She now finds herself very much in the limelight as a much regarded speaker and with her Facebook Advertising agency who runs Frank Kern’s, Eben Pagan’s and even Tony Robbins’ Facebook advertising campaigns.

Listen to the podcast;-

In this interview I get Jennifer to reveal some of her insider Facebook secrets…..

• How to set up a high converting campaign from scratch
• Some sneaky tips for amazingly low cost-per-click ads
• How to split test and track conversions for bigger profits
• The types of images that get the best click through rates
• The time of day you want your adverts to be showing
• Whats working right NOW on Facebook (and its different to last week)

How To Market On Facebook Ads Tips With Jennifer Sheahan is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Kevin McKillop is a Local Business Marketing Expert turned Information Product Marketer. I watched close by as he developed and launched his much heralded Local Video Method Product. In this podcast he reveals how to research and develop an internet marketing product from scratch and I get him to dissect his successful Local Video Method launch.

Listen to the podcast;-

Covered in this insightful interview;-

• How to ride the wave of trends to boost your product sales
• How to crowd source ideas and the importance of mastermind
• The exact steps you need to go through before launch
• Where to find ideas for your next information product
• Tips on increasing customer life time value (getting customers to spend more)
• How to create additional products that are guaranteed to sell
• Kevin’s top tips for marketers creating their very first product

Kevin’s Local Video Method is a series of step by step video tutorials teaching you how to identify and target high-value clients and get up to 80% of them call you back. It involves reviewing the prospects website/marketing collateral/social media (the applications are endless!) using jaw dropping video’s. I have been using this strategy for some time with stunning results and have had comments back such as “Wow, the video was so impressive I watched it 6 times” and “I get cold calls all the time but no one has ever sent me a personalized video before, I had to call you back.”

Check Out Local Video Method Here and see what resulted from the product launch steps discussed in this podcast.

Please also leave your comment on ITunes and ask questions below:

Local Video Method; Kevin McKillop Product Launch Steps is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Regular readers will know my world really changed 2 years ago after attending the internet marketing event Unlimited Power Online.

UPO 2009 was my first real exposure to internet marketing and what I witnessed that weekend bought about changes in my life of immense proportion.

I was at that time managing a large photography studio. I had been with the business for 10 years and had helped build it from near scratch to a team of 50 staff members and several million dollars turnover. I was well-paid for my work which financed my expensive sports-car, multiple property purchases and high-spending lifestyle. The job was rewarding yet hard work, long hours and high-pressure and like many in the “rat race” the harder I worked, the more my expenses and debt grew. It was a vicious circle.

The obvious resolve was to earn more money and when I was offered a Directorship with the company I duly accepted.

Internet Marketing Event Dubai

Unlimited Power Online 2009 was spread across 2 days and included internet marketing big hitters Harlen Kilstein, Dean Hunt, Simon Coulson, James Schramko and others. I was captivated by the opportunity that the speaker’s demonstrated and sat there for the entire weekend glued to each presenter and took notes like mad.

Investing for faster results

I decided that online marketing was something I wanted to explore further. I purchased a coaching program that day knowing that to access the best knowledge fast I needed to invest in a mentor. Originally my intention was to apply internet marketing know how to the photography business, however it soon became apparent that it was a viable business in itself and soon I was working every spare hour I could on my own internet marketing ventures.

Coincidentally over the next few months, the situation with my job deteriorated. Agreements made at the out-set of the Directorship were retracted and I went 3 months without pay. This set of events reinforced to me that working for someone else offers little security and to have the future I wanted I must build my own business.

Jump and grow wings 

On 22nd March 2010 I walked in to my bosses office and told him that I no longer required his services.  This was a bold move because I had mountains of debt, around $8,000 of expenses going out each month and practically zero income.

Believing that if others can do it so can I

This was the attitude I took in to my new venture. The “average kind of guys” I saw speak at Unlimited Power Online just a few months earlier were no different to me, so if they could make this business work, I sure could too. I threw absolutely everything I had in to internet marketing, working 16 to 20 hours a day, for months living on bare minimum and trying to keep the credit card collection department at bay however possible. I lost over $100,000 when I could no longer afford to keep up payments on my two properties and I was forced to sell my sports car. They were the toughest times I ever experienced.

Inner belief and why you need a coach

On more than one occasion I was left stranded at the supermarket checkout as each of my 3 credit cards were declined. Yet despite the deepest of lows I remained sure that I would succeed; it was the only option I allowed myself. The reason I remained confident was that I had access to a mentor; a coach who had been there themselves and could guide me along the fastest path to results.

Thank fully I have done reasonably well in internet marketing since thanks to their advice. From July through to December 2010 I was able generate over $100,000 in revenue and finished the year by speaking at the same event that had inspired me 12 months before.

Unlimited Power Online 2011

UPO is taking place again this year and this time its a full 3-day retreat in Al Ain, near Abu Dhabi on 8/9/10 December. Again, some of the leading internet marketing experts will be sharing their knowledge;-

- David Bullock

David is the co-author of Barack 2.0, a case study of Barack Obama’s successful use of social media during the 2008 presidential campaign. He will be an influential force in Mr Obama’s forthcoming campaign too. 

- Andy Shaw

Andy is a #1 Best selling author and former UK property magnet. In his 2 Self Help Master Pieces: “Creating a Bug Free Mind” and “Using a Bug Free Mind”, Andy Shaw reveals a secret for success so powerful, it made him a multi-millionaire in less than 7 months…

- Andrew Lock

Andrew Lock is the creator and presenter of Help, My Business Sucks! Show, which has become the #1 most popular marketing WebTV show in the Apple iTunes store, beating well known ‘traditional business training’ competitors like Harvard Business Review, Advertising Age, and Business Week.

- Simon Leung

Known all across the Internet Marketing industry as the “Google Insider” is one of the leading experts in maximizing search engine and traffic generation results with the world’s best search engine through Pay-Per-Click, SEO and social media

For a full list of mentors visit Unlimited Power Online

Unlike internet marketing events of the past Unlimited Power Online 2011 – The Ultimate Internet Mastery Workshop will offer the rare opportunity for you to rub shoulders with the speakers in an informal environment. Normally at events of this type speakers and attendees are separated but at UPO the mentors will be working directly with you in a small group environment. The event is focussed on providing you with an individualized business blueprint which will result from 3 days of learning and break out sessions. You will leave the event with clear focus and an actionable plan to apply to YOUR business.

Speaking at Unlimited Power Online 2011

So who is Unlimited Power Online 2011 for?

• Small business owners interested in generating online sales for their company
• CEO’s, Marketing and Sales Managers from medium or large organization
• Budding entrepreneurs wanting to create additional income streams
• Social Media and web design professionals trying to gain an edge in business

Who is it not for?

Its not for push button business opportunity seekers. As I proved this business does take some hard work, but with the right guidance and the willingness to put in the effort the rewards offer a high return. If you are success orientated I firmly believe that this event will provide for you, the inspiration, action steps and support network you need to be successful online just as it did for me.

No matter what country you live in, if you are serious about internet marketing and somehow you can possibly get yourself to Unlimited Power Online then do it!

My Unlimited Power Online Bonus

As a way of showing my gratitude for the opportunity this event has afforded me and knowing first hand how life changing it might well be for you too, I want to make your decision really easy. If you buy your weekend pass through THIS LINK you will get a 30 minute business consultation through Skype with me, James Reynolds, to discuss any aspect of running a successful multi 6 figure a year internet marketing business. We can cover anything you like in that session and I will help you get your business in to action.

Bonus Claim

Once you order from THIS LINK  please forward your receipt to IncredibleHelpDesk to claim your bonus.

Unlimited Power Online Review + Bonus is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Ernesto Verdugo is considered to be the number 1 internet marketing expert and trainer in the Middle East,  he also happens to be my business partner. Ernesto has uncovered a remarkable cyclical pattern that allows him to predict the future with remarkable accuracy. What he reveals on this podcast you need to take note of as it affects everyone in the new world. Those following his advice are set to prosper.

Listen to the interview;-

In this 30 minute podcast interview Ernesto reveals;-

• Why the world will remain in “crisis” till 2023 and how he can predict with almost 100% accuracy that this will be the case.
• How businesses must innovate or die and the right business model for the post information age economy.
• The exact skills you require to succeed in these challenging times and where you can access them.
• and much more…

James and Ernesto In Amsterdam 2011

Future Of The Internet Predictions is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Suraj Sodha has had phenomenal success with a rather unusual marketing channel; group buying discount sites. Sites such as Groupon are typically reserved for consumer sales businesses such as Day Spas, Hair Salons, Restaurants and the likes, never before have I seen them used by an Internet Marketer.  Suraj’s Groupon Marketing Strategy is innovative and he reveals all in this podcast.

Listen here;-

James Reynolds asks Suraj Sodha to lift the lid on his Groupon Strategy and he delivers. Covered in the interview;

• The type of businesses Groupon marketing is suitable for.
• The exact steps you need to go through to get our own offers listed with Groupon.
• The mistake he made and what you need to do to avoid them yourself.
• How to turn your Groupon buyers in to life long customers.

Suraj and James "networking" in Dubai

• Suraj’s blog – Internet Marketing Highway
• Groupon

Please leave a comment below. Suraj will be stopping by to answer your Groupon questions.

Groupon Marketing Strategy Revealed is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

David Jenyns has been quietly developing a systemised process for Search Engine Optimization in the highly competitive stock market niche, and his results are impressive.

Listen to the interview;-

(Live streaming Podcast)

In this podcast James asks some testing questions as David Jenyns reveals The SEO Method he uses for his own sites and the sites of others at his SEO agency in Melbourne.

In this podcast we cover;-

• How the recent changes at Google (Google+, the Panda update) have affected the seo-scape and how you must adapt in your business.
• How social factors are influencing the search results and what this will mean long-term for SEO as we know it.
• The core fundamentals that really make a difference in the search engine rankings and how you can take advantage of them.
• How to systemize the SEO process for maximum results.
• How SEO and Social Media work together and what you should be prioritizing in your traffic campaign.
• The killer strategies that Dave is using in his own business right now.

To check out the exact SEO system that Dave uses in his own business…

Go to The SEO Method  

Please leave your comment on iTunes  and ask questions below:

The SEO Method David Jenyns Interview is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

Internet Marketing offers a welcome reprise to ex corporate job-owners who’ve been suffocated by years stuck in an office job. The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world with just a basic laptop as the tool of weapon strikes appeal with many.

This vision; the assumption that you can operate a successful business from a back pack in the foot-hills of Nepal one day and the beaches of Maldives the next, as painted by Timothy Ferris in the 4 Hour Work Week is though in my opinion idealistic at best.

I’ve observed numerous entrepreneurs in action over the past 10 years, some extremely successful and others not so and there is one semblance that all the wealthy share, an environment conducive to work.  Setting your business up as a business in the right surrounding with tools that aid your success will give you the edge in the competitive online space.

This post aims to list the top ten tools that will get you ahead; the essentials in a top marketers tool kit.

Apple iMac

We had to start with my primary choice of computer. There are many reasons why the Apple iMac is the first item on the list. Apple computers are amazingly fast to set up, more reliable, easier to operate and more intuitive than PC’s…and they look cool, which of course is important. The standard Apple software beats its Microsoft equivalent too. Keynote is a great presentation software if you are a speaker, iMovie is awesome for video editing and Pages is the best software I have used  for creating well-designed PDF reports. You might ask why the iMac over the Mac Book Pro or Air laptops? Well for out and out bang for buck the faster processing speed of the iMac and the fact that it is a desk-top puts it ahead in my book.

Apple Thunderbolt Display

Two screens are better the one. It has been touted that the addition of a second screen can increase productivity by up to 30%. Having a second screen will allow you to drag items across from one screen to another and hide away inactive program pains. This extra screen real estate will give you more room to operate and is extremely handy when operating multiple programs at once. If you are conducting webinars you will find the second screen especially useful. I use one screen as the live screen (the screen that attendees see) and the second for my notes and attendee chat pad. You can get a very good LCD screen (Samsung or similar) for about $200, however my choice is the 27″-inch Apple LED backlit screen with the new Thunderbolt technology.

Ergonomic Chair

The purchase of a comfortable high backed ergonomic chair is one of the best investments you can make in your office set up. If you are a serious marketer you are going to be putting in the hours seated behind the computer — a position that adds stress to the structures in the spine. Therefore, to avoid developing or compounding back problems, it’s important to have an office chair that’s ergonomic and that supports the lower back and promotes good posture. A few of the things that you should look for in a good chair;

• Swivel function
• Arm rests
• Breathable cloth seat and backrest material
• Lumbar support

I know many people who rave about Herman Miller chairs, these are apparently the creme de la creme of office chairs. This brand is not easily available where I live in Dubai so I purchased I much regarded Techo Sidiz chair and I am extremely pleased with my purchase. I can honestly say that this chair has made a big impact on my productivity and comfort at work.

My Techo Sidiz Chair

White Board 

I love whiteboards for documentation, brainstorming and planning – nothing can beat a white board for mapping out ideas fast. Even with all the amazing mind mapping & process mapping software that is available now, I still prefer a white board and dry erasers to these new technologies. A white board in combination with your iPhone camera and Drop Box is also a great way to document diagrams and processes for your team. Want to explain how your new sales funnel is organized, write it up on a white board, take a photo and save the photo to drop box. All that can be done in a matter of minutes, even seconds.

Paper Shredder

I am proud to operate an entirely paper free office (my little black note book excluded). What allows me to do this is an enforcement of the F.A.R.T system on all paper work that enters the office. F.A.R.T stands for…

• File it
• Action it
• Refer it
• Trash it

This little system ensures that my office and mind stay free. As soon as each letter, bill etc is dealt with it will be scanned and uploaded to my doc storage site (if required) and shredded. By using a shredder I ensure that sensitive information and intellectual property is not put at risk.

Apple Time Capsule

Call me paranoid, but I actually have 3 back ups should my computer ever malfunction. I have 2 cloud based back ups; Mozy Pro – a self scheduling back up service and Drop box where all my local files are stored. In addition to that I run an external back up using Apples Time Capsule. This piece of kit is a wire less hard drive that automatically takes backs up all Macs on your wireless network without you ever needing to do a thing. Three back ups gives me total piece of mind, knowing that if ever my computer failed I could have all data recovered in a matter of minutes and my business would continue as normal. If you are serious about Internet marketing as a business you need to get serious about securing your data.

Sennheiser Headphones

A good set of headphone have been my savior on many occasions. At those times when the neighbors are making noise or you just can’t focus, put your head phones on and crank up the tunes. My favorite set are a pair Senheissers, but any decent set will do. If you plan on using podcast or webinars in your business a pair of headphones are a necessary tool to rid your broadcasts of feedback.

Audio Technica AT 2020 Microphone 

If you plan on creating products, and you absolutely should be, a decent microphone will have the biggest impact on your production with highly improved sound quality. You can opt for an all in one head set and microphone or an external podcaster microphone in combination with headphones (as listed above). Some brands you may consider are Yeti, Rhode and and Audio Technica all of which make great podcast microphones. My choice is the Audio Technica AT 2020 which costs about $150 and is available from Amazon. If you want to go truly pro you might want to add the following;-

• Pop shield – a mesh shield placed in front of the microphone which helps to reduce “tut” and “psst” sounds that can occur when speaking in to the microphone.
• Shock mount – this helps to minimize interference by cushioning the microphone inside a cradle
• Boom arm -  Allows you to move the microphone out of the way and keep your desk space clear between recordings.

My Audio Technica AT 2020 Mic with Shock Mount

Apple Macbook Air Laptop

You might be surprised to see 2 computers listed in my top ten, and no surprise this one is also a Mac. The Apple Mac Book Air is an extremely light weight compact laptop that is perfect for travel. Whilst it doesn’t have the processing power of the desktop IMac it packs in more that enough power inside its 1cm deep casing for every day tasks. I recently travelled back to Europe and with the 13″ Mac Book Air inside my shoulder bag, I was never far from work. If I could only have one computer I would go for the iMac, however if you do plan on traveling the Mac Book Air is a welcome addition.

Apple iPhone 4

The iPhone has become a staple in the internet marketers tool kit since it was launched in 2007, and it needs no introduction. There are many reasons why the iPhone is loved by internet marketers the world over but the stand out for me is the various Apps that are now available for it. The majority of my every day IM tools can be operated on the go from the iPhone; Basecamp, GMail, Skype, Drop Box, Zen Desk all have Apps for the iPhone. If situations necessitated it (and they have on a couple of occasions for me) you could operate your business from the iPhone without any serious disruption. Whilst the iPhone could never replace a computer for productive working, it can help you get more done during quiet moments on the go.

Internet marketing has one of the lowest barriers to entry of all business opportunities. In theory you can be up, running and online for just a few hundred dollars with the purchase of a laptop some basic software a domain name or two and some hosting. Because of this competition is rife and in order to get ahead you need the right equipment to steal a lead.

You don’t need to go over board and buy hundreds of gadgets early on, just  a small investment in the right tools (the ten above will serve you very well) will ensure you and your business go a long way.

What would you have in your top ten tools list? Please leave your comments below.

(I log on daily and answer all comments personally.)

Top 10 – Key Internet Marketing Tools Online Success Shopping List is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds

If you want to turn your internet marketing business up a notch then get out from behind the computer and go to “live” events.

There are very few environments that can jump start your business quite like a seminar. The energy at internet marketing seminars packed with like minded speakers and attendees all hungry to learn, discussing ideas and sharing experiences amongst each other can be thrilling. They offer a fantastic arena in which to network with potential joint venture or business partners as well as providing a success trigger that you can use as inspiration for your next level of business growth.

Whilst many would state that the primary reason to attend a quality content based event is learning, I would argue that the 2 greater benefits are inspiration and networking.

Here are some of the advantages that those focussed only on learning may miss out on;

• Getting access to industry leaders that may otherwise be unattainable.
• Finding clients, business or joint venture partners
• Identifying referrals for your network
• Increasing your credibility through association (pictures with speakers etc)
• Chance to focus solely on the development of your business without distraction
• Brainstorming with like minded business owners

Internet Marketing Events have been a great catalyst for me. At the first event I attended the people I met inspired me to quit my job and start an online business, at other events I have found clients, mentors and business partners.  When you have an objective, events can yield great returns, to the point that I don’t think twice to traveling 12,000 Kms for a 3 day event if there is a particular group or person I want to meet. The key is I use them to network strategically. Here are a few points that might help you do the same;

- Set yourself a goal

Go with an objective. Whether it be to connect with a particular speaker, find referrals for your network or to meet 20 new people, set yourself a goal and reward yourself when you achieve it. By adding a focus to your networking you’ll find your time is more productive.

- Build connections before the event

Mose internet marketing events will have Facebook pages and Twitter hash tags and you should harness these to “network’” before the event.  By developing relationships in advance you avoid that awkwardness that sometimes exists when meeting strangers for the first time.

- Have your networking tools with you

The point of networking is to leave a favorable impression and have people follow up with you to move the relationship further. I suggest the following tools to help you do that better; name badge (just remember to remove it for pictures with speakers – you don’t want to look like a delegate), business cards, pen, notebook and calendar for arranging meetings. Breath mints and deodorant are a good idea too!!

- Act as a host not a delegate

Consider volunteering for the organizers at the sign in desk. Not only will the organizer be thankful of your gesture, but you will have opportunity to meet more people and may often get closer access to the speakers and experts.

- Be prepared with a 60 second pitch

You will be meeting a lot of people so you should be prepared to describe your business in 60 seconds or less. A good elevator pitch should evoke the response “Wow – how?” and transition nicely in to normal conversation.

- Spend 10 minutes or less with each person

The aim at the event is to establish whether a follow up meeting would be worthwhile. Try and limit yourself therefore to about 10 minutes per person and once that need has been established move on to someone else. It is important to be courteous, so before leaving the individual try and introduce someone else to the conversation so your partner is not left alone.

- Take notes and follow up

I prefer to make notes on the back of the business cards regarding the conversations I had. Please note though that in some cultures this is deemed offensive so please ask the other person before writing on their card.  After the event ensure you follow up (thats the point after all) and be sure to be congruent with  the way you met.

The next event I am attending this year is;

Fast Web Formula 3 – Caloundra, Australia 28th ,29th, 30th October 2011.

James Schramko’s event is widely considered the No. 1 Internet marketing event in Australia, some even say the world. James’ has a no BS approach and delivers only the best self tested information to his community. James is probably the most ethical marketer out there and you can be assured of strategies that work when you attend one of James’ events. He has a group of “underground marketers” speaking at the events too.

=> GET YOUR EARLY BIRD TICKETS HERE

If you plan to attend too, please leave a comment below. It’d be great to meet up and talk internet marketing over a few beers on the sunshine coast.

Internet Marketing Seminars Are You Missing The Opportunity? is a post from: Internet Marketing Blog by Internet Marketer James Reynolds