Allow Scripts & Video From TimLinden.com Please
Yeah watch the video, I talk from the heart so I don't have a speech prepared which means I tend to forget a few points when I get distracted about things like garage doors. So because of that, few points to add:
Case in point: Today I received my first ClickBank check after promoting CBPirate a few weeks back. That check is way bigger than the amount of commissions I earn in exchanges. I was only able to get that check because I had a list!
Also, don't think I don't like commissions. They are great! But if you are joining an exchange ONLY for commissions and not for the traffic, then isn't that a pyramid scheme?
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Other than the fact I laughed too hard to hear most of the beginning of the video….LOL
K – Great points man. This is about traffic, it always has been and always SHOULD be.
Commissions are great, I love them but they should be a bonus. A by-product of how well you build your list, marketing funnel, etc.
Sadly, this is now how exchanges are getting ranked, how much can they earn you.
Earning commissions is great, but what they dont tell you is that the people who earn the most commissions are the ones with the lists, with the relationships, with the funnel in place.
Great stuff though Tim. Very funny but insightful stuff.
Did not hear a word of the video because of the loud music was that the point?
If you are losing sign ups on your blog ad it is probably because it says Blue Surf on every one including Te including StartXchange.
Your vids are getting funnier every time I watch them – love the car thing.
Anyway – I think traffic exchanges have evolved and now attract people who surf for cash and promote for commissions – just like any other membership site.
I think it takes the mixed population of surfers to make the people who are doing it right stand out.
All surfers have eyes and ears regardless of their motive for surfing, so they are still potential customers if an ad pushes the right buttons.
It’s sad to say that, but after learning high quality SEO Techniques and the correct way to sold ready made blogs, now using Traffic Exchanges is became only a funny thing just to entertain me in my free time.
Anyway for quality of system, friends and also for the Admin ;) I will never leave SXC.
It’s a good place to catch free leads, but not for selling.
In one year and three months using Traffic Exchanges I can say that I got about 200 referrals, but only two let me earn something extra than points.
1 Here and 1 on another TE, that’s all.
Be an Affiliate Marketer has his advantages, if you have an high quality list.
Because if you build it in these days I think is less responsive than some years ago.
I have about 1200 people in my list, but when I send a message, also with free products I receive a 5% of clicking.
And the unique people who clicks is the one that bought your product..
Anyway finally I can say that if you want cash you have to join Affiliate Marketing.
But you can also follow the marke through Startxchange ;) like me !
Sorry for the lenght of my message ;) I finally find a great post to answer.
Thanks Tim, keep up the good work !
Goodbye by Alessandro Zamboni
Tim,
Great points. I have been trying to help our members understand this exact thing.
Its about the Traffic, Promoting a list or a couple programs you really believe in and sticking with them.
Commissions and Cash Prizes are Great extras in Traffic Exchanges like Jon Olson and Mark Eglon point out.
However, if people really want to make money they need to be promoting themselves, either their list or their products.
Why settle for 50% Commission from a TE when you could get 100% from your own product.
If you build a list you wont have to run 1000s of credits trying to get 20 Referrals. You can use those same credits to build YOUR list and then email them any time you want about any product or program you want and get 20-100 referrals from that ONE email.
You get a much better response rate when you have direct contact via their inbox than a sales pages they are surfing past so they can promote their own goodies.
And Mark is right, all those surfers out there no matter why they are surfing are potential customers.
Members need to be using their time more wisely for the long haul and not the short run of cash or commissions NOW! They should focus on building a Long Term Business. This is what the TEs are about Traffic and Business Building.
Congrats on the garage door opener installation! Except I just knew you were going to give us a demo before the video ended, whatta tease! LOL! :D
I don’t really get the car video thing either. I guess it would make sense for me because my house is old and dark and not very video-friendly, but if I was gonna do one I’d probably just shoot in the back yard.
As for traffic vs. commissions, the commissions and the prizes are nice and all, I’ve won some very nice cash prizes lately and that’s been great, but my eye’s always totally on my traffic stats and that’s why I surf (until I am well off enough to be able to buy credits anyway).
Funny you should bring this up today, under another hat I blog about making money online and I have been considering opening another blog on a domain I own about the TEs, or partially about them anyway – but I was thinking today that I really want to keep any commissions earned from TEs separate from the total “money made online” for that very reason that you talk about in the video. I don’t want to send a bunch of people running to TEs on the basis of making easy money from TEs because they should be all about the traffic, building your list, etc.
Anyway great video once again, but I feel gypped with no garage door opening demo… hehe :D :D :D
You need a car to Make a video in it.
Thanks for keeping it real..nice car. Next time open the garage door the fumes arel not be good for you.
It’s hard to keep your eye on the prize when there is sooooo much shiney out there.
The only exchange I am continuing to promote are Affiliate Funnel, Traffic Tornado (8 people in my downline in 2 weeks) and Traffic Hoopla!
I agree, traffic exchanges are an advertising medium and should be used as such. Since most members are going to remain “free” members (correct me if I’m wrong), you’re not going to make a great deal of money on referrals. But, you can earn a great deal from their surfing, in the form of credits.
People should be using exchanges for what they were designed…Advertising. I think some people hop from TE to TE hoping to make a few pennies. That’s not what they’re for.
I think Traffic Exchanges are very attractive to PTC users.
With PTC you join a few PTC programs and then use part of your earnings to advertise those programs to other members. In theory, the more you earn the more you can advertise. The more you advertise the more new members you can get. The more new members, the more you can earn…
TE’s work the same way except these people can advertise other TEs for free by clicking all day long.
I think we are all told that the more time we spend building our TE downlines the more residual traffic we can get. What people don’t realize is that most TE surfers don’t stick around for very long. They try to sell stuff on TEs, figure out they can’t make any money, and then move on to other things.
I have TEs with hundreds of downline members with only 2 or 3 active surfers. Sure it’s possible to make money from referrals. I’ve spent thousands of dollars over the years in TEs and made my uplines very happy. However, I don’t join TEs from randomly surfing. I join from other people’s lists.
imho, list building is the only way to go. For most people, I think it just takes too much effort. It’s much easier to promote a few affiliate links and hope for the best.
I see you’re into car toons now, must be the way to go …lol
I will have too really think more about what I do with TE’s, I spend alot of $$$’s each month on upgrades, also alot of hrs surfing for next to nothing, mind you I enjoy the company of people I meet from all over the world, so thats a plus.
Thank you.
Hey Tim,
I was going to make a video from my car too, but it’s a 1990 Lumina with no headliner, lol. No A/C so it’s always hot in there too. Not so sure that would be a hot selling point, but even renting a Ferrari would be a deceptive means of translating ‘follow-me’ success, right?
As a TE owner who likes to give away prizes, including a little cash, my primary focus is to deliver traffic. The prizes are incentive to increase activity levels in order to deliver hits earned or purchased.
That being said, the prizes are still just a bi-product of exchanging traffic, a reward. If you, as a member, have a good splash or squeeze page set-up, then you will get results. Track them and be consistent, it’s no secret, just takes a little work.
Loved the video, Tim. Very funny :)
Very funny. I think they do cars because they are quiet and since you’re the only one in it, the focus is all on you. But on a hot day?
I agree with you but surfers are being hypnotized into building the owners’ lists with all the great promo tools.
Thank you SO MUCH for NOT driving while you were filming this video!
Talk about the danger of texting while driving – Isn’t filming a video equally as dangerous, not only to yourself but also to others on the road.
And I agree 100% about “commission” and silly surfing contests.
Karen I was going to say the same thing but since you took the words out of my mouth I will just comment on your post.
I didn’t get the whole thing why people drive and film a video, maybe so they can show off the inside of their new car.
using exchanges for building a list is great they do work good for that…but if you use your traffic right and have a good product you can pull down some sales as well…i’ve been using exchanges for almost 10 years and don’t intend to stop…exchanges are about getting traffic period…..and you should decide how to best use your traffic
but be consistent and do it everyday!
Bob
Funny
Okay, obviously you’re correct. The reason for TE’s is to build your list, create exposure and hopefully make sales. However are the TE owners creating TE’s only for those reasons or are they creating them to build a residual income? I mean SX is an income generator for you isn’t it? So why would’nt those that promote your site not want to also get a piece of the pie? Is that wrong? The growth of SX is directly related to the promotion done by you yes but also all those who have promoted the site. And you give some of the lowest commission of most of the TE’s but yet you continue to grow because of your reputation and because of your members isn’t that right? So why beat up on those who are using TE’s to earn extra commissions? Don’t understand why what’s good for the TE owner is not good for the TE promoter. Just things that make me go hmmmm!!
Submitted respectfully,
Michael
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