Hi Agung,

I don't know about you but I'm not back to full time work mode yet after New Years.

My kids are still on school holidays, so we've got a lot planned this next week.

I AM EXCITED though, about 2021 and what lies ahead.

There are almost too many opportunities that it's vital to stay focussed.

For me the 3 biggest opportunities are:

1. Dropshipping physical products from the USA, driving traffic OUTSIDE of Facebook.
2. Building and monetising YouTube content channels.
3. Affiliate Marketing via YouTube, Solo Ads and Facebook traffic sources.

And if I had to pick a fourth, I'd say Digital Product Creation / Marketing, though that does require several more pieces to the puzzle in order to systematize.

It's something I do really well, but also is more time consuming and requires strong copywriting and to do customer support.

With that in mind, during this month, January, I'm going to share a lot of tips to do with the first of those opportunities.

I've been dabbling with my own online store following another marketer's method and it's making in the low thousands per month.

Not bad given it's just a side project.

My friends are making over $1MM per months from this method, and some of their top students are making as high as 6 figures per month.

I have a warning though.

Beward of Shiny Object Syndrome.

What that means is, if you already have a profitable model going well for you…

…Don't expect the next 'shiny object' to be any better than what is in front of you.

Every method has challenges and difficulty along the way.

The grass is not necessarily 'greener' on the other side. It's just different.

All good opportunities all rely on Traffic, Conversions and Repeat Sales (or a large cart).

And each have their pros and cons that make them more or less appealing, depending on what you are motivated by.

So don't go looking for a plan that is necessarily 'easier', what's more important is that the plan is proven and one you can dedicate yourself towards.

Regular daily action and the ability to embrace stubborn obstacles, is the key to a phenomenal year ahead.

Talk soon,

Kind regards,

Mark Ling Founder of Traffic Travis https://www.traffictravis.com

Hi Agung,

Wow what a crazy year 2020 has been.

Not just in terms of lockdowns, but the need more than ever to be grateful for what we already DO have…

…And the need to be adaptable to the new world situation in which we are in.

I'm very grateful for my family, my wife, my boys (and daughter on the way)…

…And I'm incredibly grateful for running my businesses online.

I strongly encourage anyone reading this to double down on any efforts to grow (or start) your own online business in 2021.

And if you want to do well, then self discipline plays a vital part.

== Here are FOUR 'Self Discipline' keys to success in 2021 ==

1. Focus on constant improvement

I find in any area of life, you're either atrophying (moving backwards), or you're moving forwards.

If you lose the enjoyment of learning, you lose out to those who have passion and drive.

If you love what you do… Then it never feels like work anyway.

This is particularly important in online marketing.

The core principles of supply and demand, desire and persuasion, etc, stay the same and can be mastered over time…

…While at the same time, the way in which these principles are implemented changes slowly but surely each year that passes.

If you master the basic principles of marketing…

Leads x Conversions x Average $ Per Sale x Average number of sales per customer

And you get good at increasing each of those numbers…

…Then you will be highly successful.

Your method may need to be modified from time to time, but the core principles of what you learn and master will be more valuable than gold in the years to come.

2. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination

Most of life is not spent at the top of a mountain, celebrating victory.

In fact, most of the time we're on a journey, striving to get to the top of another mountain.

If we don't enjoy this journey, with all the challenges along the way, it becomes an ordeal to be suffered through…

…And the joy of reaching the top is short lived, as a new mountain appears for us to conquer next.

In order to enjoy the journey, it's important to be grateful that you are in the position to be on the journey in the first place.

Be grateful for where you are now, and for the struggle that you have.

You are the hero on your journey and this will make one heck of a story :)

If your journey comes without struggle, then maybe it won't impact as many people in the future, so be grateful for every struggle that you have.

It's also important to break your larger goals down into smaller parts.

Like chapters in a book, getting to the end may take several little lessons along the way.

In marketing, this might be little things like registering a domain name, setting up a website, listing a product on your site, driving your first 100 visitors to your site, making your first sale…

…Or more importantly, to see that you spend at least an hour a day, for at least 4 days a week, actively working towards your goal.

If you do that, then week by week you'll get closer. And sooner or later you'll succeed.

3. Become a master problem solver

So many of the people I see succeeding online are what I call 'master problem solvers'

They don't just buy a course, follow a plan and succeed.

They buy a course, follow a plan, AND they have pig headed determination that makes them overcome any and every little unexpected obstacle that may appear in their path.

Embrace problems. They will come.

Life is full of problems, expect them and realise that in online business, they are the reasons why there are natural barriers to entry that prevent every single person from succeeding.

For example, you could be learning to play tennis, and your coach has the perfect forehand and teaches it to you.

But you don't have the arm strength to do what he does.

So there's an unexpected problem.

You're following a correct system, but something is in your way of implementing it in your matches.

You can either give up and say your coach is bad, or that you can't do it.

Or you can start a strength and conditioning program to strengthen up your arm…

…Or you can modify your technique to take into account you have less power behind your shots (perhaps add more spin on the ball, or lob more to buy yourself more time).

It's the same in online marketing.

If you want to run a 7 figure drop shipping business, or a 7 figure affiliate business, or whatever model you wish to follow…

…You must embrace problems as opportunities for learning and growth…

…And you must have the attitude that you can and will solve that problem.

4. Embrace trial and error

Sometimes the solutions to problems are not readily available.

If you ask an expert their opinion, that's what you'll get… Their OPINION.

Often the best learning comes from trial and error.

If you're not sure which product to list on your site, try listing both of your options and see which does better.

If you're not sure which headline to use, try using one and driving some paid traffic to it.

If you don't get the conversions you'd like, then try another and see what your numbers look like.

This is one of the biggest keys.

I have stumbled and bumbled my way to success on the back of a LOT of trial and error.

The amount you gain from a successful test will far and a way pay you back more than 10x what you lose from any failed tests.

For instance, I could run 10 ads, $50 per ad, and lose $500 because none of them converted to sales.

Then on my 11th test, I could spend $50 and make $100 back.

And then I could spend another 1k and make 2k back, and next thing I know, I've spent over 1k per DAY and made thousands per week back.

Next thing I know, I've made 100k profit.

This is the kind of result I'm looking for and DOES happen, but only because I don't expect to succeed every time.

Embrace trial and error, but learn decent principles to give yourself the best possible chance of success with each test.

In other words, learn from your mistakes :) They are very valuable.

==

Ok that's it from me for today.

I hope you have a fantastic 2021 ahead.

Talk soon!

Kind regards,

Mark Ling Founder of Traffic Travis https://www.traffictravis.com