The premier issue of FeedFront magazine have been printed and shipped, and should be arriving in your mail box any day now. If you attended Affiliate Summit this past February in Las Vegas or last August in Miami, than your name is on the list to receive a copy. Fortunately, for everyone else who couldn’t attend the event, or have a US shipping address, the premier issue is now available in pdf format at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.

The first issue contains a nice collection of articles discussing what’s going on in the affiliate marketing space (such as blogging, ppc, video, affiliate networks, Web 2.0, landing pages). I also have a two page article in the magazine called “Are You the Next Super Affiliate Blogger?“, where I outline several points on why you should be blogging and how much it can benefit your overall success.

To view the full article, you can click here for my article, or here for the full magazine in pdf format.

Don’t forget to visit www.ZacJohnson.com and comment on new posts! Top Commenters are rewarded with fun prizes every month!

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Over the years I’ve done a LOT of sales and marketing for B2B companies. Basically, that means that I was the guy responsible for providing the sales team with marketing materials and campaigns and anything they needed to help close business. So I spent a lot of time working with sales people, and a lot more time on sales calls listening and figuring out “why customers don’t buy”. Very valuable lessons.

Today I’m talking with David Peltz, Founder and CEO of Revixio Software, creators of CorePage, the Instant Link Page System. David has a very similar background to mine and I thought it would be interesting to share some war stories and discuss the state of marketing and sales.

Although I was not paid for this podcast… I should have been. Seriously folks, the Corepage system he’s created is pretty neat. I wouldn’t let him pitch it at the end if I didn’t think it had merit.

Today I’m reviewing a magazine called Search Marketing Standard. Pretty good magazine that covers a lot of search and online marketing stuff.

I like to review magazines like this from time to time (listen to last week’s review of Website Magazine). Especially the ads. So take a listen and tell me what you think of my review.

If you have a magazine you’d like me to review just give me a jingle.

This is a guest post by Suzanne Falter-Barnes, author and entrepreneur. Reprinted with permission. See her bio below.

Recently I was coaching a client and the pungent question came up of just how much a platform needs to be niched.

By now the niching pundits have hit the drum hard enough that everyone knows what niching is and why it matters - the Web requires everyone to pick a specialty so they can be found.

If you’re a marketing expert, say, you’ll get lost among other marketing experts … UNLESS you are a marketing expert to lawyers, say, or mom-preneurs, or recently retired academics who want to start a web business.

But the question remains - just when do you stop tightening your niche? Often when I suggest to a consulting client that they need to go tighter, a certain common fear arises. What if I draw the niche too small? Won’t my market be too small?

The answer is yes and no, because it all depends on just which niche you’re plunging into … and just where you want to land.

First of all, you have to survey the landscape and see who else is out there doing what you do. If you Google ‘Marketing consultants’, for instance, you get 5,560,000 entries. That’s a lot. Look at the entries on the first page or two, and yep - there are many marketing consultants out there.

But if you Google ‘Marketing consultants for lawyers’ you get 365,000. Better. And yep, they are still mostly marketing consultancies working specifically for lawyers.

But then Google ‘Marketing consultants for women lawyers’ … well, then it all goes kaphlooey. The listings (and we’re talking about organic listings here, not those ads to the right) are mostly around an article or two that was written on the topic by an academic. Or really unrelated sites linked to women lawyers.

That would be a case, then, of over-niching.

Now I’m not recommending that you put all of your niching eggs in the Google basket. That needs to be only one of a few different considerations here.

If you’re working with me, I believe we have to go much deeper into that competition, learn more, and refine your offer more so you really stand out.

One way to do that is to consider what will bring you joy. What, in your gut, is a stand apart quality that defines you? What’s unique to your life that makes you you - that can also be applied to your business?

Note: No connection is too tenuous! The wilder the better because it’s ownable and memorable in a crowded niche.

Example: one of my clients wanted to create a coaching business in a very crowded corner of the field. We cast about a bit, looking for his unique hook, when he happened to mention casually he’s a world champion in his age group for a particular sport. World champion! That’s the stuff great platforms thrive on! We dug in and determined a way to fit that championship message into his overall philosophy and marketing message.

Another example would be Tuck Self, The Rebel Belle, who I love to talk about in my presentations. Tuck came to me with a desire to do motivational creativity coaching for clients — yet another crowded field. But all she had to do was hang on the phone a bit with her lovely South Carolina accent, and the answer was obvious - create a creativity coaching site that is a ‘Southern voice for bold self expression.” We named her the Rebel Belle, and she’s done gloriously with it.

It’s critical that your niche contain indelible pieces of you that no one can touch. Then you can niche within your niche - and still stand apart even in a crowded field.

Go forth and niche - and celebrate your full potential!

Guest Author Bio: Learn how to get known so you can not only find your biggest audience … but you can attract calls from major media and publishers. Check out Suzanne’s freebie, The Platform Jump Starter, at www.getknownnowblog.com

Photography by Shai Coggins

Tags: branding, business, marketing, niche, suzanne falter-barnes

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Last week I talked about being inspired. So much so in fact that I bought a Ukulele because it sounded like fun to try and learn it, and because I could learn to play it on camera.

So here’s my first video of the Ukulele out of the box and not tuned. Pretty bad. I will be filming myself learning how to play it and you can watch the progress over time. Maybe I’ll even get good enough to start playing some songs.

Why do this? Because it’s fun and I like music and well, it will make for good videos. I hope. Also, sometimes the best videos are those of you just trying something. When was the last time you took a risk and just tried something?

It’s always awesome to visit a company headquarters and see what really goes on behind their web site. To take things ever farther, I wanted to get a behind the scenes look a what some of the top affiliate and bloggers are working with. I sent out a few emails and had a great response rate for everyone to send in their work spaces pictures or to make a video. Here are some of the top affiliate and blogger work spaces out there!

Before showing you everyone else’s work space pics and videos, it would only be fair to show you mine first!

Veoh Direktvideo link

Click here for full size pics.

Jim Kukral at JimKukral.com

YouTube Direktvideo link

Mark Wielgus at 45n5.com

YouTube Direktvideo link

Shawn Collins at AffiliateTip.com

YouTube Direktvideo link

Ian Fernando at IanFernando.com

YouTube Direktvideo link

Chad at CDFNetworks.com

Jeremy Schoemaker at ShoeMoney.com

Danielle Scocco from DailyBlogTips.com

We are a superior industry, just look at the amount of revenue that is generated per square feet for some of these top affiliates and bloggers. While other companies need to rent offices and hire huge staffs, many of us succeed and do very nicely by ourselves in our self maintained corners and office rooms.

What does your affiliate / blogging headquarters look like? If you would like to see your affiliate / blogger workspace featured in the next series, please send your name, web site url and link to your picture or video using the contact form.

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It has been a while since our last poll. So, here’s a new one for you: Have you ever read a book about making money online?

And, if you have read an Internet business book, which one have you read? Do you have a favourite?

Tags: business books, internet books, make money online books, polls

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Getting paid to give away free offers, samples or even magazine subscriptions is one of the greatest way to make money. Not only are you providing your audience with quality information at no cost, but you are also cashing in during the process. Thanks to RevResponse, bloggers, affiliates and publishers alike can now promote free technology and business related magazines and resources. We are not just talking about paper magazines, you have the options to promote free magazine subscriptions, white papers, software trials, podcasts and more. If you aren’t currently a member of RevResponse, now is the time to look at their system and see how they can increase your bottom line.

Earn with High Payouts
If you currently have an business or technology type of blog or web site, you could be earning a lot more money with RevResponse vs. running contextual banners from other networks such as Google Adsense. Unlike Google Adsense, RevResponse pays on a per action format and not per click. For every subscription signup sent from your site or affiliate link, you will earn anywhere from $2 to $20 per subscription. If you are currently running Google Adsense and don’t want to risk losing out on earnings, throw RevResponse up on your site as well. Run both RevResponse and Google Adsense for a week and see which program is earning you more money.

Create Your Own Offers & Site
Unlike many other programs where you signup and are just given basic creative and text links to promote the program, RevResponse allows you to create a customized web site with their products, which also matches your current site or blog design. You can also mix and match content so it relates best to your readers’ demographics.

Two Examples or How Other Bloggers are Promoting RevResponse!

Interactive Widgets & Linking Options
In keeping with providing affiliates and publishers with more than just generic banners and text links, RevResponse also has widgets. In addition to widgets, publishers also have linking methods such as direct deep linking, flash, email promotions, xml catalog feeds and more. Once you are accepted into the program, simply click “Promote” on the top navigation bar and you can start setting up your banner, widget or content campaigns in three easy steps using their ad wizard. (View an magazine active widget on the right column of the blog)

Easily Create Banners, Content & Widgets in 3 Simple Steps

Interactive Forum & Account Manager
Once you are logged into the RevResponse system, you can access their dedicated forum to helping publishers learn the system, ask questions and earn more money. While the forum does not look overloaded with posts and topics, they are very active in providing you with what you need and getting your questions answered. Through the forum you can interact with others promoting RevResponse, discuss earnings and tracking reports, or post any suggestions or questions you might have come up with while using the system.

As a publisher with RevResponse, you will also be issued your own dedicated account manager. Whether you are looking to just add a new web site, or would like help in creating a better looking customized co-branded site, shoot an email over to your account manager and I’m sure they will help you out.

B2B Marking: Business to Business Forum Networking & Support

Refer Publishers & Earn Even More
Even if magazine promotion doesn’t show up on your radar as a big source of income, RevResponse has an awesome referral program where you earn 20% of any referred affiliates/publishers for the first 6 months of their partnership. Most affiliate networks are offering 2-5% on referrals. Even though you are only paid a referral commission of the first six months, you are getting a very nice rate of 20% of their earnings. (Example: You refer an affiliate site than earn $100 a month and you earn $120 within 6 months)

Payment Processing
RevResponse sends out payments by check on a monthly basis (net 45) and the minimum payment threshold is $25. Payment can also be sent through Paypal, by request. When receiving payment through Paypal, you will not receive any charges from Paypal, as RevResponse uses “PayPal Mass Pay“.

RevResponse is a relatively new company and only a few months old. With their multi function network and advanced marketing tools, I’m sure plenty of affiliates and publishers will find RevResponse as a new source of revenue for their sites and blogs. I personally started making money online many years ago with free promotions and trial subscriptions and know this is a process that works. I recommend you join RevResponse and take a look at their setup and see how they can help increase your bottom line.

Click here to Join RevResponse

Don’t forget to visit www.ZacJohnson.com and comment on new posts! Top Commenters are rewarded with fun prizes every month!

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Brands still don’t get customer evangelists. I know this because I am one, for two different products, and I do not feel the love I should. The video below talks about those experiences and about why more brands need to get smart and being to embrace the customer evangelists they have.

Not to mention, companies should actively go out and seek these evangelists, then keep them. But they’re not doing that yet and I can’t figure out why? Maybe it’s still fear of losing control. I don’t get that.

If you’re a company that understands customer evangelists, let me know… I’d like to hear from you. I’ll tell you what. I’m “this” close to firing Pure Digital and finding another product to evangelize about.

Check out Jackie and Ben’s book on the topic.

In case you were wondering, yes, I’m still blogging for Just Make Money Online. Just had a rough couple of weeks, as I encountered a few bumps recently including my father’s sudden death - so I had to take a break.

In my absence, Kelly Erb, b5’s Business Channel Editor, invited a few guest bloggers to help out here at JMMO. I just want to take this opportunity to thank them:

• Miranda Marquit of Yielding Wealth, who wrote “Make Money Online by Lending to Others“.
• Donna Jackson of Digital Money World, who wrote “Making Money Online and Getting Paid“.
• Allison Boyer of Greener Assets, who wrote “Constant Content: A Great Web Content Writer Resource“.

And, of course, my regular guest blogger, Alfa Mercado.

I also want to express my gratitude to fellow b5 business bloggers who contributed a total of US$110 as a charitable contribution in my father’s memory.

Thank you all so much for your help and your support at this very difficult time. Your generosity and kindness are greatly appreciated.

In any case, right now, I’m slowly getting back to ‘normal life’. Including blogging. So, I’ll be working on getting our regular usual features (Open Mic Mondays, advice/Q&As, the A-Z series, and polls/surveys, among others) back on track. Stay tuned.

Photo: Shai Coggins

Tags: alfa mercado, Allison Boyer, b5media business channel, donna jackson, JMMO news, kelly phillips erb, Miranda Marquit, return to work

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