What I learned at Clickbank Masters
Hey guys!
I just got back from Jeff Mill’s Clickbank Masters USA seminar which was over the weekend. It was an absolute blast! I also learned a ton of new stuff in the process which I will share with you now. Most of it was a bunch of random tips, so why don’t I just list them out in no particular order.
About making connections and seminar going in general:
- The value in the event is NOT in the seminar area itself, but in the surrounding areas like the bars, the event lobby, etc. I know I’ve said this before, but I was amazed out how many people thought they had to sit through all the speeches or else they’d miss out on something. The ONLY time I sat in the seminar area was when Lee McIntyre was speaking. He’s a friend, so I wanted to show my support as well as learn from his pitching – he’s REALLY good. If anyone has the opportunity to see Lee speak, I highly recommend you go.
- It’s almost impossible to get work done at the events – slacker to the max! Mario Brown and I sat in the event lobby for like 3 hours trying to get one simple email out LOL.
- There is a right way and a wrong way at meeting potential JVs for future business. Rule of thumb: NEVER talk about your products in detail, NEVER talk about ‘JVing’, NEVER reveal your hand. So many people would introduce themselves and instantly shift into talking about themselves and start pitching their products and business. MAJOR turn off. Even if someone asks you about what you do or asks about your products, keep is vague and quick. No one wants to sit and listen to you pitch the ins and outs of your product for 5 minutes. It shows desperation, and you can pick up on it within seconds.
- You’re making friends, not business partners – your intent when going to any event should be to make friends – real friends you actually like. Business deals come naturally after that. If your intent is to go and ‘get JVs’, people will pick up on it fast. Friends first…
- Don’t ask people what they make online – another major turn off. So many people were asking me that – it again shows desperation and is rude…
- Clubs and strip clubs are horrible places for making new friends – Great for comradery building and some fun, but not good for anything else.
- Don’t buy products in the seminar unless they directly relate to your business and you’re set on taking action. It costs on average about $2,000 to attend any event including travel, food, seminar tickets, etc. so make sure you aren’t buying up too many products or else you will go broke fast.
- The people who make the most money usually dress the worse, and the people who dress the best usually aren’t making anything.
Making money online tips
- Facebook is something I need to start getting into. I think within the next 2 years it’s going to seriously change the way we can get in contact with our fans and customers. Getting my Facebook stuff rolling is on the top of my to-do list right now. If done correctly, it can work regardless of your niche… unless your niche is drugs and porn – I don’t think Facebook would like that lol.
- Continuity is important and I am an idiot for neglecting that aspect of my business. Putting my membership site together is also on top of my to-do list.
- It’s all about leverage – leveraging what you have done already to exponentially explode your business. I could make an entire product on this concept, so a blog post isn’t enough to explain it.
- Building fans is the key to a long term business
- If you plan to do something big, PLAN – I can’t tell you how many launches that I’ve seen fail that could have been huge due to lack of planning – this is something we discussed a lot. When you launch a new product or website and you want it to be big, plan every single aspect of it.
- Building more niche products is crucial – another thing that is on my to-do list and in the works as I write this.
- Systematizing your business is the next level – I had a good talk with Keith Wellman about how he was spending all his effort into systematizing his business so that everyone he brings into his business knows what to do without having to re-train them from scratch. I’m not quite ready for that just yet, but within a year that’s where I’ll be progressing to.
- Competition is good, not bad – the more competition means the more money that you can make! If a niche is hot, a lot of people will be working in it!
- Most people put in the bare minimum – I am seeing this more and more now that I can identify it. Most people who try and make money online are doing just enough (im guilty of that a lot!). Do just a little bit more than the average person and it will pay off 10 fold.
- You don’t need ANY tech skills to make money online – it’s funny because a lot of the more successful guys at the event don’t even know how to install wordpress. They have someone else do it for them.
- The most important tip I learned is this: The only thing you need to be good at to make a lot of money at anything is the ability to conduct and organize. You don’t need to be great at writing sales letters, making products, programming, tech skills, ANYTHING else but the ability to connect one piece of the puzzle to the next. Your job as an entreprenuer is to find someone who can make each of your puzzle pieces so that you can put them all together to make a complete puzzle. That is it. Once you grasp that idea and apply it, you’ll know exactly what I mean!
All in all, a great event and absolutely glad I went. I made a lot of new friends who I can truly consider a friend, I learned a lot in the process, and if there’s another next year I’m totally going!
Last bit of advice: If you haven’t attended a seminar yet, just go.
-Dan Brock
What I’ve always found interesting with the top dogs is that they are all still involved in creating niche products. It makes sense though… I have sites from years ago that I don’t touch but they still make money because they’re in niches that there’s not 10,000 people trying to dominate.
Dan, other than that little Warrior Forum Fiasco (I saw that coming!) you are one of the guys I listen to and I totally agree with your “Most important tip” .
I’m finally realizing that you cant really make the big bucks trying to do everything yourself!
Thanks!
Well said Dan so true.
Good tips, Dan. The Facebook thing is huge and is on my “to do” list. I imagine it could happen easy in your case since you already have a solid list and a decent network. Yes? I still have a ways to go on any of that but, believe that persistence will pay in the long run. It’s true there is some pretty shabby stuff out there in the midst of some really great sites too. I just need a little piece of the pie and I’ll be good. Peace
Boo Dan! You should have told me you were going to this lol.
I’m trying to do at least two or three more conferences this year after having already gone to Affiliate Summit West earlier this year I’d like to try to make it to a few others.
Sounds like you had a blast.
Chris
You are doing this part right,
“Building fans is the key to a long term business”
I am a big fan!
Wow. What you’re sharing here is good enough to sell as a report, Dan. I may be way off track here, but it’s starting to look like Facebook fans are becoming more valuable in the long term than a regular list.
I’m a fan too. 🙂
I’m just about to attend Ed Dale’s event Down Under this weekend and you are so right about how crass and desperate people can get at IM Seminars. It can get ugly and you’re right people pick up on it straightaway!
Thanks for the timely reminder. I will be going there to make friends!!!
And if anyone asks me how much I’m earning online…………!!! I’ll know who they are!!!
That’s an interesting idea re hanging aound in the foyer while presentations are going on…
might think about that…
Cheers,
Tamar
Dan –
That was a great conference and the reason I ended up attending was from an e-mail from you! I enjoyed it immensely and learned so much – and you are right the contacts you can make are awesome! I am so glad you sent that e-mail. AND it was really cool to meet you!
I am new to this business, so I did end up sitting in on the speeches to learn. I can definitely see that once I have the basics down the networking is what I should focus on. But just being there, finding out how the successful guys are doing it (and who they are), was huge for me. My to-do list is long as well, I plan on prioritizing it tomorrow so I can get things going. I want to focus on membership sites for that continuity income….
Thanks again for sending the invite!!
Hello Dan,
That was a long post but it was fun to read through…
In regard to the consideration “Most people put in the bare minimum”, I must say that I am guilty of the opposite! I spend too much time working on my IM business…
Probably, because I know I have so much to learn. But one thing, I realized: most of my best ideas come when I am not sitting in front of my computer…
That’s right…
Also staying away from your computer can keep you from doing too much work to your sites (like building too many back links…). That can backfire big time…
Anyway…studying your DeadBeat Super Affiliate Course and loving it:)
Take care
F.
Hey Dan, As always great post and thanks for sharing. Quick question. Where do you find out where and when these seminars are held?
Thanks for the good work and keeping it real,
Jan
Thanks for sharing your experiences DAN. I will try to employ some of your latest tips in my campaigns
dmc
Thanks for sharing Dan. I have just started to follow you and I appreciate your level of knowledge and your willingness to help others. – Peace, -Ken
Great tips Dan. I agree with the organizing, it does not not come easily but it is so worth it.
Nice to learn something new, and here forom the big event Dan.
I am study your “Deadbeat Super Affiliate System” and ther are much to learn
Best
Ralph
Hi Dan
Some of your observation are funny but totally true.
For example, the people who make the most money usually dress the worse, and the people who dress the best usually aren’t making anything. Applies everywhere !
This was a great post Dan, thanks so much. I’m going to forward it to my list. I especially like Tip #11 as it rings true. Good organization skills are crucial to online success. Yes, it takes time to set things up (and document your business process) but once you do, you can outsource, track, focus, expand, etc with much greater precision and ease.
Hi Dan,
A bit off topic here. I bought your Deadbeat Affiliate and love every single bit of it. Bravo!
I also want to subscribe to this blog of yours, but the email subscription is turned off. Just a personal thing from me, I don’t like RSS, I read subscriptions by email.
Thanks anyway.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom and insights from the Masters Dan.
I’m especially grateful that you listed no. 10.
I knew it – phew!
Thanks mate – appreciate that you keep the blog current, what with the ongoing …no.6 that you do 🙂
Hey Dan,
Great content, I appreciate all of your efforts. As far as the more money-worst dressed and less money better dressed. I bet the ones with more money now used to be better dressed THEN, whenever then was. LOL!!
Hi Dan,
Just wanted to say thanks for the honesty in your blog post. Love your teachings and I’ve learned a lot from you so far and look forward to learning more.
I have yet to attend a training seminar on Internet marketing and such, but I understand the value in it and hope to get to one soon.
Great post! and totally true about the “dressing down” thing
When I was a kid, I was working construction in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Used to take lunch in this little park nearby; trees, some benches, a little lake with ducks… mostly, SHADE! (Important when the temp is 130 on the concrete slab).
There was the typical “old guy from Florida” feeding the ducks; loud Hawaiian shirt, flip-flops, shorts, cheap watch, balding, tanned. After a couple of days, we got to talking – he knew EVERYTHING about how the area grew up, what folks in city government were doing, even what projects were going forward in construction. Amazing guy.
Found out, after we’d been having lunch for about a month, that I was talking to “Doc” Webb, the founder of “Webb’s City”… which at that time, was a full city block with a drugstore, grocery store, furniture store, barber shop, even a laundromat and a vacuum repair shop. Sort of Wal-Mart before Sam Walton. Outright owned about a quarter of the city… but not above spending his lunch hour, talking to a “nobody” in a construction crew. Taught me a lot just by that.
So I asked: “Why aren’t you wearing a suit and tie?” And he replied, “when I was building my business, I dressed to meet other people’s expectations. I’m now successful enough, that I dress as I like, within legal limits, and it’s other people’s job to adjust THEIR expectations “.
Sound like what you found?
thanks for the aritcel its very usefull for me as newbie in this business 😀
Regarding tip No 11, of course, you wanna be the manager of your business, not worker :). Just need some courage to start actualy doing it – delegate, outsource and organize!
love
those who make the most are usually dressed the worst!! commnet
the same or similar is true in th eoffline property business – most of my friends drive beaten up older cars and not top of the range posemobiles
cheers
dan
All very good information mate . . . thanks.
Oh to be able to dress so badly!
Ta from down-under . . . mark . . / .
Hi Dan, and thanks for your article. It provides a lot of tips and tricks, useful to keep in mind in case I will go to one of these meetings.
I perfectly share some of your advices, especially the one about dressing; in my IM life I saw thath 90% of professionals are not wearing any top dress 🙂
About other things, I’m happy to have discovered many advices I was not considering at all.
Just to make an example, making friends instead of JV contacts. Very good. And I appreciated the Tip n°11 as well!
You saved me from putting up a poor show in a big show 🙂
Thanks a lot and see you soon,
Alessandro Zamboni
As always Dan, you’ve hit a home run with this blog post. Like a great man once said, its better to be a general in the army than a soldier in the trenches. Easier said than done but that’s where my focus is with my biz and I’m seeing some fruits already. Thanks for keeping it real.
hi Dan
thanks for your interesting obersvations about life on the edge of the seminars .I have allways felt complled to sit through every presentation and sales pitch afraid that I might miss that one golden
nugget .That would allow me a ride to fame and fortune think I will have to change my approach agree with the uncool talk and pitch to complete strangers .A great way to have people avoid you
cheers and thanks
peter mcgrath
Hi Dan,
Thanks for your post. Enjoyed reading your take about what is and isn’t important at the seminars.
As with a lot of things, dress is important to some and not to others. One thing is for sure; “You can’t judge a book by its cover”.
Best Wishes,
Wayne Stanila
Hey Dan,
Great post and great hanging out this weekend. LOL I can’t believe people actually asked you how much money you make. Pretty dumb imo. However, you’re a pretty smart dude and I agree with your observations here.
Some people will never get it (there were quite a few “hot outfit” type people at that conference and that’s expected at a free event…they don’t have money for paid ones since they have purple suits and whatever haha)
Cheers Bro!
Brad
Hell yeah!
Great tips bro… and even better times!
Most people have no clue how to approach successful people. Like you said, go there to make friends and the rest will usually fall into place. And I did just that in O-Town and I have to admit it was probably the BEST time I’ve ever had at any seminar/live event.
I’m not saying either event was great in and of itself, it was about the people I got to meet, hang out with and make friends with. I include you as one of my new friends and I’m pretty sure I never asked you how much you make. You on the other hand made me uncomfortable when you tried to steal my shoes but I’ve moved past it lol.
The line I use to get people’s phone number is, “hey we should connect sometime and see how we can both help each other out. I’ll call you. What’s your number?”
Works like every time I ever used it (so long as you haven’t acted all desperate before that point).
Joe Lavery
ps: Making friends is easy when you have something in common and smoke the same things.
Hello Dan
You’ve made some in insightful points here, good stuff.
I also feel that there is a need for a local forum for people are are starting out in this business like myself.
A place to chat and exchange idea’s. Friend’s first I totally agree
Hi Dan, since purchasing the Deadbeat Super Affiliate programme a while ago your E-mails are one of the few I genuinely look forward to opening 🙂
Never disappointed either …. Cheers …. Pete.
Thank you for sharing the knowledge Dan. Picked up a lot of great tips just from the first few lines. And you’re right, it’s not about trying to make business partners, it’s about friendships – relationships. And I truly appreciate your product as well. I’m moving along (slower than I want), but I’m moving and plan to move faster.
Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely,
Rodney