Hey all,  for those who have been asking about my Kindle progress….here it is!

What’s the old saying? Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. Or said differently, experience comes from simply rolling up your sleeves and getting into the mix!  That’s exactly what i’ve done over the last 3 months, and man have I learned a lot!  All that being said, the more things change, the more things stay the same.  With Kindle, like virtually every other thing, its ALL about the TRAFFIC.  While I’ve spent the last several months perfecting the niche and product creation piece of the business, what I’m painfully aware of more than ever is that if nobody sees your book, it doesn’t matter how great it is.

So, I’ve officially entered Phase 2 of the project, which is traffic generation.  With over 30 book titles out there, my job for the next month will be implementing a wide range of techniques designed to link my books with current best sellers.  I’m currently testing three (3) different traffic generating techniques designed to push my daily book sales up.  Once I have some solid data, I’ll share which work and which don’t.  Suffice it to say, its been an interesting reminder that “he who controls traffic, wins”.  Something I’ve always believed, but it’s taken me projects like this to remind me of this important fact.

Wish me luck!

I grew up in Cupertino. Ground zero for Silicon Valley. I’ve spent well over half of my life soaking up everything that the valley is. The companies, the technologies, the entrepreneurs, the money, the hype, the promise. After fifteen years, you end up meeting a lot of interesting people. From Jeff Skoll of Ebay (long nights of poker), to Mark Andreessen (early investor) to countless other brilliant and fascinating minds. I unabashedly credit my success more to who I’ve been able to surround myself with than almost any other factor. Silicon Valley has its technology stars. Hollywood has its move stars.

Nerds like myself grow up with different hero’s. Football is great, but guys like Bill Hewlett, Larry Ellison, and Elon Musk really move the needle. There is nobody (I mean nobody) that comes close to Steve Jobs though. A good deal of my childhood was spent living just a mile away from the Apple Headquarters. Apple to me represented everything cool about the Bay Area. I identified so much with the fearless, hard charging, that Steve Jobs (and Apple) personified. I’ve had close friends work for Steve Jobs, and they’ve all described him the same. One of the hardest bosses to ever work for, but unquestionably the best.

About a year ago, I was having sushi in Palo Alto. On my way out, i literally ran into Steve Jobs. What do you say when you are standing face to face with one of the most brilliant men on the planet. I had only a few weeks earlier ran into his partner, Steve Wozniak at the Apple store in Los Gatos, but nothing could prepare me for this.

I was without words.  With Wozniak, words just flowed.  But with Steve Jobs, nothing planned came out.  I can only imagine how many people Steve Jobs met in his life.  How many Apple Fan Boys he’s had to accommodate over the years. I was determined not to be another one.  However here I was standing face to face with the God of Silicon Valley.  Have you ever had those situations where you seem to disconnect from your body and you become an observer?  I was watching myself speak, but I had no idea what I was saying. “Oh My God..Apple..So Great..I love your products…Your Steve Jobs”.  The only thing I remember is a handshake and a “thank you”.  And that was it.  I had spent my 1.45 seconds with the God of Silicon Valley and it was over. Just like that.

I like millions of other people mourn the death of one of the greatest minds in Silicon Valley.  I suddenly feel like the world is more lonely, without Steve Jobs in this world.  I’m happy to say I met the guy.  To him, my 1.45 seconds was undoubtedly inconsequential.  To me, I smile knowing I met one of my idols.  Rest in Peace Steve Jobs.

Some really incredible ad revenue numbers as reported by emarketer.

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008625

Facebook has recently overhauled its “Pages Insights” tool and just added an interesting new metric. It’s“People Talking About.” Like any good direct marketer, the more stats I have the better! Let’s take a look at what PTA (People Talking About) means.

Currently there are 4 statistics tracked on the Pages Insights page. Users will see this statistic below the total number of Likes on a page. It really is an indication of compelling and interesting content. The theory goes that the more people are talking about something, the more interest there must be. It’s a powerful statistic for content creators in that it motivates them to create comment worthy content (good stuff). It measures user-initiated activity that relates to a Page.

What causes PTA to increase? It really is a measurement of activity. Think posts, comments, sharing of posts, liking, answering a question, sharing a deal and checking in somewhere. It looks at a LOT but its a very interesting stat. I can see an army of content creators racing to improve their week over week stat by pushing out more interesting content.

Look for Facebook to continue to come up with more and more interesting “social statistics” as the platform evolves. Smart marketers will stay one step ahead of the curve and find interesting and creative ways to use these stats to increase their business.

Information Partners

What do people want from information? First off its everywhere isn’t it? Secondly, once you sort through the BS, getting it to apply directly to YOUR business can be hard. Ultimately what we ALL are looking for are results. Measurable, real results. Getting these results comes down to picking the right “Information Partner”. Choosing the right Information Partner faces two important challenges.

The first challenge is finding the right Information Partner. Simply wander over to Clickbank to find the latest 20-year-old Guru teaching you about push-button riches. Is there any surprise that refund rates are close to 50%. We are swimming in information, aren’t we? From the latest underground marketing technique to some new hidden source of online traffic. You have to get a drivers license to drive a car, but there are no licenses needed to proclaim yourself an information marketer, or worse, a Guru. Businesses face a dizzying array of tricks, tips, and techniques sold by a motley crew of marketers. Choosing the right Information Partner can be a frustrating and exhausting experience.

The second challenge is applying the Information Partner’s knowledge to your business. It’s not a one size fits all. Each and every business is different and has its own set of unique challenges. Creating a successful business however, does have a methodology; a set of time tested principles that can be taught. A Partner works with you 1 on 1. They apply their experience to your business in a customized way. A Partner understands your set of challenges and then pushes you to keep on track. A Partner also brings in fresh resources, new ideas, and ultimately helps drive you to success.

I urge you, wherever you are at in your online journey to consider your Information Partners carefully. Finding the right one can propel your business into a totally new direction.

Over the next few months, I’ll be hosting a series of webinars sharing with everyone some of the key factors in creating success in your online business.

I look forward to speaking with you then.

Happy Media Buying,

Scott