Those are two important things that I feel are essential.

1. It's growing at least some.  For instance, you probably don't want to start a website about the Apple 4s. It's past its time and is not a growing niche.
2. It's a niche where people spend money. You want people who have their wallets open, sitting right next to them as they sit down at the computer and they're searching to buy, not just people just looking for lots of free information.

Let's talk about one niche that meets both criteria (and may be a niche that you want to start a blog around.)

This is one that is both GROWING and also is one where people are spending more.

What is it? TOYS for kids.

My friend, Tiffany Lambert is a PLR seller and is actually involved as an affiliate marketer in this niche so she put together some sexy content that she knows your readers will eat up that you can create a quick profitable blog with.

You can check it out here -> PLR Article Bundle Toys

Hint: If you aren't interested in this niche, you might consider it as a starter blog for one of the kiddos in your life. Got an entrepreneurial niece or grandson? Help set them up with their own toy blog.

So what do you need to do to make money in this niche?

1. Find a domain. Tiffany has a video with tips here:

2. Install a simple WordPress blog using the theme Twenty Ten (unless you prefer another one). Don't get all stuck trying to make the site fancy as you'll have pictures of the toys and possibly some videos. To be totally honest, toy buyers are on a mission – and they want information, not aesthetics.

3. Don't worry about going through and uploading all of the content that you bought all at once. Depending on how much time you devote, just go through a bit at a time, uploading each article to your WP blog and scheduling it. That video above also shows you how to add your affiliate links to the blog posts.

4. Once you upload it, do the following socialization once:

• Tweet it on Twitter,
• Pin it to Pinterest (create a hot toys for 2015 board),
• Post it to Google Plus,
• and if you want to, start a FB group for best toys for kids and post it there.

5. If you want to, look for Amazon plug ins that help add to sales. Fresh Bundle Master is one that people like because it creates a bundle right on your site and the parent can add all items to their cart. There are all kinds of plugins that add to the commissions.

6. Throughout the year, put your site on a schedule for adding new content. You could add 1 review daily, 5 a week, etc. Look for toy PLR content to add because all you have to do is either use it as is or add a short intro to it.

7. Consider making some unboxing videos as your toy site takes off. This is where you buy a toy and unbox it, discussing the features right on camera. Did you know the HIGHEST earner on YouTube for ad revenue last year was a lady who did nothing but unbox Disney toys? She earned almost $5 million on ads alone.

Don't worry about building a list with this niche or cross promoting. It's all fun and easy peasy.

Every month – every year – that you add more content to your toy site, you'll see more commissions growing. TRY to do it year round, not just at Christmas – because people buy toys for birthdays every day of the year.

If you're ready, check out the PLR here.

What about how to make the PLR unique so that your site is totally different than the other ones using it.

Here are some tips for Giving Your Toy PLR a Fresh Twist.  

1. Take a snippet from each review and compile it into a “top” or “best” list. For example, if you buy a pack of Star Wars Toy PLR, take a quick summary from the article and make a “top 10 Star Wars Toys for 2015” list.

2. Pit one toy against another, making one long review. Let’s say you buy a pack of electronic toy PLR – you can do a comparison of one against the other, with a title that reflects the battle between the two.

3. Use the PLR as something you’re against, and offer something better. So let’s say you get a PLR review for an RC car and you happen to know there’s one that sells better. Go through it, quoting it as curated content, and offer your own opinions (and recommendations) between the paragraphs that were written for you. So if they say, “This is the best RC car for ages 5 and up,” you might say, “While it may be possible for a few 5 year olds to control it, I feel this other RC car is more suitable for all kids in that age range.”

4. Infuse some personality. Try to create a theme or slant for the review series, too. You can even use humor, and make it a series of, “Top 10 Toys Parents Will Fight You for in the Toy Aisle This Christmas.” We all see the news – the horror stories – so you could be a little tongue-in-cheek about it all.

Here's your shortcut:  Grab this Toy  PLR and get started.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Thank you so much for reading.

During this hangout, we asked them each to talk about what being a beachprenuer meant to them (it's not always about the beach) and to share a tip for living that lifestyle.

Enjoy the replay here:

Are you ready to join us at the beach?

You'll find all the details here:
http://www.beachpreneurs.com/conference/

You'll meet the following AMAZING people:

• Kelly McCausey
• Me.
• Bob “The Teacher” Jenkins
• Rachel Martin
• Debbie O'Grady
• Tracy Roberts
• Leslie Truex
• Tony Laidig
• Paul Taubman
• Natalie Collins

Yes, you CAN Join us at the Beach!

You'll find all the details here:
http://www.beachpreneurs.com/conference/

I hope to see you there!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you're not sure yet…

Be sure to Like Beachpreneurs on Facebook! and select “maybe” on our event page too here: See who’s coming in September.

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“How do you get your mojo back when it's flown the coop?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

I’ve lost my mojo multiple times over the years.

Here are 3 ways I’ve attacked it head on… and got my mojo back when it all feels lost.

#1 – Take a Break

Often it’s the day-to-day activities and the overwhelm that sucks the life out of you.

You’re so dug into the projects you’re working on that you don’t feel you can come up for air.

The best thing to do when you’re in that situation is to take a break. Stop staring at the problem. Get out and do something fun.

It could be as short as a few hours out of the office to watch a movie or go to lunch. Or it could be a weekend trip… or even an entire month break from your business.

Step out of the stress and the day-to-day activities. Look at the problem from a different situation and remind yourself what it is you love about what you do.

That leads us to the second part…

#2 – Focus on your Vision

During your break, take time out to look at your plan. What is your long-term vision?

Too many internet marketers are running their business by the seat of their pants. You’re overwhelmed because you’re taking on a whole bunch of activities that aren’t essential to your vision.

Eliminate all the unnecessary activities you added simply because they sounded like good ideas at the time.

Automate as many day-to-day activities as possible.

Delegate everything that’s outside your expertise or below your ‘pay grade.’

Where do you want to be in your business 12 months from today? Once you’ve written that down in detail, work backwards from there to what you want to accomplish in the next 90 days.

Then create a weekly and daily growth plan to take another baby step toward your vision every day.

#3 – Join a Passionate Mastermind Group or Find a Mentor

Enthusiasm is contagious.

And online marketing can be a lonely business if you allow yourself to be isolated.

Find others who are passionate about what they do. Share ideas. Grow together.

Hold each other accountable.

Avoid the complainers! Don’t keep participating in any forum, group, or club where it quickly becomes a pity party of how hard it is out there.

Some people have a ‘recession mindset’ while business is booming all around them.

Either find a mastermind group or connect with a mentor proven to help others move forward.

Lou Bortone of Video in a Day says:

How do you get your mojo back when it's flown the coop?

I ‘recharge my batteries' by attending (or speaking at) industry events and conferences. Despite being an introvert, I love the camaraderie that comes from events like NAMS, where we get to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Of course, the shenanigans that often happen after the sessions are the most fun and really help to restore my mojo when I've been running on empty!

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

For some reason, people think they have to “feel it” to be productive. I think the difference between a professional and a hobbyist is that the professional shows up whether their mojo is in the house or not. Just think of Celine Dion – do you think she tells her sold-out crowds in Vegas, “Nope, sorry. Just not feeling it tonight.” Emotions are a transitory thing. Some days I feel like sitting down to work, and some days I feel like curling up under my covers and reading junky novels. If I give in to the latter too often, I'll be in big trouble!

That being said, I can get burnt out at times. After a big event, I need to give myself time to physically recover and to reconnect with my family, who have been surviving on mac ‘n' cheese for the past week. A day or two of down time can re-charge my batteries and get me ready for the next big project.

I also can get zapped if I'm spending too much time doing the tasks and projects best left to someone else (like customer service). If I'm feeling blah day after day for an extended period of time, usually this is the reason; I've been doing soul-sucking work, rather than soul-fulfilling work. Then I have to realign my task list to better reflect the projects I'm excited about.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

Sometimes I lose my mojo and sometimes I lose my vision… both have a similar effect on me. I grind to a halt and feel stuck.

When I lose my mojo for business, when it all feels like it's been said or done before, I seek to spend time with newcomers. They see everything with fresh eyes and ask great questions. This lights a fire under me and before I know it, my mojo is burning brightly again.

Ideas for getting in touch with Newcomers:

1. Volunteer to be interviewed by a new blogger or podcaster.
2. Spend time answering questions on Forums and Facebook Groups.
3. Take on a Mentee or Intern
4. Offer an Open Phones Day. Here's How: Open Phone Lines Training

When I have mojo but lack vision on where to go next, I seek to spend time with successful contemporaries. They shine a light on my potential and make me realize I'm bonkers to not live up to it. With a little brainstorming and planning, my forward vision gets a jumpstart and I'm off and running again.

Ways to connect with Contemporaries:

1. Go to Live Events like Exposure and Profit or NAMS
2. Join a Mastermind Group. Example.
3. Start a Podcast, maybe even try the Round Table Format. Example. List Building Roundtable
4. Attend a Business Retreat like Beachpreneurs.com

We call get stuck now and then, but we don't have to stay there!

Kristen Eckstein of Free Book Promo says:

It happens to all of us. I lost my mojo. Writer’s block was in full force. And my deadline was less than 24 hours.

I did get it done (about 10,000 words), and Author’s Quick Guide to Having a Successful Book Signing was released on time. WOO-HOO! So how did I do it? How did I get my writing mojo back?

• Accountability—My coach issued this challenge to me, and she checked in to see how my progress was going. That lit a little fire under my behind…
• Mastermind—I’m part of a small mastermind group and we had our bi-weekly check-in meeting Wednesday morning. Telling them what I was up to helped renew the spark of excitement I had when the project was brand new two weeks before.
• Left-Brained Activities—Some might call it procrastination, but during my “off kilter” time I played in the kitchen with raw food recipes (and ate a LOT of chocolate), put together office furniture, ran errands, worked out and pretty much did everythingexcept write.
• Right-Brained Activities—When I felt my mojo start to return, I fostered it by playing with LEGOs, playing with my cat and playing with food (a left- and right-brained activity).
• Chocolate—I ate a LOT of chocolate! Raw cacao has energy and creativity-boosting properties, so I ate a ton of it. 

The fact is, all writers, entrepreneurs, artists—well, pretty much everyone who’s ever embarked on a large project like writing a book—loses their mojo once in a while. No one can say when your mojo leaves, how or when it will return. Mine hit suddenly around 9pm on Wednesday night, after a full day of the above activities. Having a coach hold me accountable was huge. She’s pushing me to go further than I think I can, and celebrating when I surprise myself. My mastermind group does a similar thing and offers support with like-minded people. And combining left- and right-brained activities opens the neurological pathways between the two hemispheres. Of course, my personal opinion is chocolate is what really did it. 

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

When my mojo flies the coop, I chase it down and tackle it in a few different ways and drag it back, even if it's kicking and screaming.

Yes, it happens to ALL of us. Like my friends above, I've been in this business a long time for TEN years (since 2004) and I've definitely had my on and off periods of time.

My friends touched on many of the things that I was going to mention, so I'll come at it from another angle.

1. Avoid loss of mojo in the first place. Have a vision and understand that what you do impacts other people. If your #1 goal in business is to profile AND make the web and the world a better place, then by not running your business, you aren't making the web and the world better. Right?

2. Take your vitamins. Seriously – good vitamins can really affect your entire mood, energy levels, and overall outlook on life, the universe and everything.  I keep mine sitting on my desk, so that I remember to take them every day. I notice that when I forget, I fade.

3.  Have people dependent on you. I have my team (assistants, customer support, writers, designers, etc), business partners, my family, my coaching clients, and even my dogs dependent upon my success. I don't have the luxury of crawling into bed too long before I have to get my butt up and get busy getting things done.

4. Allow for the down times and don't beat yourself up when they happen. Forgive yourself as you would forgive others. Don't get into a spiral of “I suck… ” because it doesn't help you to get back on your feet.

5. Keep track of your progress. With my coaching clients, I always recommend they create a spreadsheet or notebook of “Where I am Now” so they can track their progress. Otherwise, if growth is slow and steady, you may not realize that you're moving forward unless you have a way to look back. It's kind of like with weight loss. If you haven't seen someone in a year, and they've been losing 1-2 lbs per month, they may not realize how different they look, but you sure will.

6. Have some happy reminders near your desk. I have cards and printouts by my desk from people who have taken the time to send me words of love. These are from past coaching clients, friends whose lives I've touched through my work, and colleagues. I pick those up and reread them from time to time when I need a boost.

7. Most importantly – have some recurring income streams in place. When my mojo runs off – I have enough passive income streams and recurring revenue streams in place that I don't have to panic. I can take a break and not freak out about it. It's ok and that's a great feeling for me. I hope you have some in place as well. If not – please listen to the free audio on the top of this page to learn why it's so important to me that you start adding income streams today. Passive Income & Recurring Income Training

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If all of the above fails, write a blog post about getting your mojo back and then you'll talk yourself into getting your stuff done. Busted.

Before I took off “leavin' on a jet plane”, my friend, Alice Seba told me about a new course she's teaching about List Building.

I asked her if I could send her a few questions for a quick blog interview. Not surprisingly, she graciously and generously agreed.

So I'll hand it over to Alice Seba – who is a pretty smart cookie when it comes to building an email list and making money with it.

List Building Q&A

with Alice Seba

Nicole: Why does every WordPress site need a list? Isn’t RSS enough?

Alice: That’s a great question and I know it’s one that a lot of people need the answer to. It’s so easy to set up the little RSS button and then just forget about any other list building. But really, it’s a big mistake to do that. If you rely on RSS only, you’re missing out on some very powerful marketing opportunities. Email beats RSS for a variety of reasons and are here are just a few:

• Just about every online user has email. Not nearly as many people use RSS readers, so you’re likely shutting out a huge chunk of your audience by offering an RSS feed only.
• An RSS feed only updates your audience about your new blog posts. You can’t send them special offers, promotions and other unique marketing messages which are crucial to real business growth.
• It’s also important to realize that email is simply more commercial by nature. People expect offers and sales pitches, but on blogs, they mainly expect content. Sure, you can add promotions into your blog posts and they can be effective, but you’ll experience better conversions by sending the offer directly to their inbox.
• And speaking of sending email directly, email definitely is a much more direct way to communicate with your readers. It goes right into their email inbox and you can personalize the emails to create a deeper connection and get more results. An RSS reader is something people tend to check less often and is saved for when they have time. Email gets checked because it has to get checked.

An RSS feed is definitely important because it caters to certain preferences. If someone just wants your blog updates, they can get them. Then you can continue to wow them with your awesome posts and present them with compelling reasons to opt-in to your list. Make your ultimate goal to get them on your email list, even if they start with your RSS feed.

Nicole. What's a big mistake you see when you do look at people who have lists – where they're losing out?

Alice: I’ve got two, if that’s okay.

Nicole: Nope. Just one. Just teasin'. Let us have them.

Alice: #1. People are often so concerned about having a large list and not losing subscribers that they forget about crafting their IDEAL target list of subscribers. Many people I’ve worked with over the years tell me they hesitate to send out product promotions because when they do, people unsubscribe. So they just keep sending content and wonder why their list doesn’t make them any money.

At this point, I always have to remind them if someone unsubscribes because you tried to sell them something, they will NEVER become a customer anyway, so let them be on their way. Having people leave your list is fine because you want to attract and keep the people who are interested in your products and who want to hear about them. We’ve trained ourselves to believe we have to satisfy everyone, but it’s a losing battle. Satisfy the very specific group of people who love your content AND your products.

#2. One other thing people seem to forget is their CUSTOMER list and it’s the most valuable list of all. A satisfied who has purchased from you once is much more likely to purchase from you again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with people who tell me they don’t actually add their customers to a mailing list. When someone purchases a product from you, a commercial relationship has formed and you can (and should) start emailing them. But even those people who have customer lists, don’t use them to their fullest potential. Treat your customers like gold. Send them better offers than everyone else gets, give them advanced notice of products and secure discounts for other people’s products for them.

Nicole:  Why should everyone reading this sign up for your training?

Alice: Everyone comes from a different place when it comes to their email marketing.

• Some people are just starting out.
• Other people have lists, but don’t email them (GASP!).
• Still, others have a list and email them, but aren’t making any money.
• Then there are others, who just want to bring it to the next level.

Our “30 Days to a Bigger Email List, Better Relationships and More Results” includes something to PUSH you to do more, no matter where you are now. Each day includes 2 challenge tasks to help ensure you’re both GROWING your list and COMMUNICATING with them regularly and effectively.

But outside of that, we offer a unique opportunity to:

• Ask questions and get plenty of feedback along the way, ensuring you stay on task and keep growing your email marketing skills. And this opportunity doesn’t stop after 30 days. You can come in and get help anytime you want. For life.
• Get access to handy brainstorming sheets, templates and other tools to ensure your list keeps working for you long after the 30 days are over. We’re here to make it easy for you to command the power of email in your business.
• Receive valuable discounts and special offers to make it easier to create your winning content. Members get some pretty sweet perks!
• We even get together online live for a couple of training/brainstorming sessions to ensure you’re on track for a bigger list and more sales.

Well there you have it, my friends.

Take what you want from what Alice said above. I agree with it all.

And, if you are interested in her course, you can see more details here: 30 Day List Building with Alice Seba

Gotta get back to the fun.

Talk soon.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS.. Just for fun, here's a picture of (from left to right) Dennis Becker,  Alice, me, Kelly McCausey, and Connie Ragen Green.

I always learn a lot from Kathleen when we talk at NAMS in Atlanta – and she's not just a marketer – she's a business woman. So, listen up and enjoy this guest post.

How to Really Create Multiple Streams of Income

by Kathleen Gage

One of the areas I specialize in is the creation and development of information products. If they don't know it when they first come to me, within a short period of time my clients learn the importance of packaging their knowledge into information products.

Once developed, the need to distribute becomes a key concern. Who your market is and what their needs are determines how you will distribute your product. Distribution costs must be factored into your overhead costs and what you charge, and the distribution channel (method used to distribute) you choose impacts your marketing decisions. Distribution on the internet is much more cost effective than traditional methods because you can use your own channel and those of joint-venture and affiliate partners.

Match the distribution channel you choose to your branding. Stay current with changes in the market so you can change your distribution channel as necessary.

Consider:

• Who will buy your product?
• Is there a primary or secondary target market (a niche within a niche)?
• What factors influence their decision to buy?
• Who is involved in the purchase decision?
• How often will they buy?
• Where do they currently buy, when, and how much?
• Is there opportunity to turn casual buyers into loyal buyers?
• Can you build a long-term relationship with your market?

Other considerations

• Is what you offer lucrative?
• How will you reach your potential customers?

What Does Your Customer Want?

Pay attention to what your customers are asking for. Avoid developing your books, ebooks, teleseminars, etc., in a vacuum if serving your market and making a profit is important to you.

The One-Product Wonder

Although you must start somewhere, your offerings and development should be ongoing processes in your business. This does not necessarily mean you need to be the person developing the products, but don’t make the mistake of developing one product and never thinking about product development again. If you subscribe to this way of thinking you will either quickly be out of business or you will constantly struggle to generate revenues.

However, going to great lengths to develop a product without knowing whether or not it will sell can also cripple a business. Begin by introducing a very low-risk item such as an article, e-report, audio, or short ebook to test the waters. You can use a low-risk product as a springboard for others. And you can repurpose virtually anything you create.

My first product from 1995 was a cassette tape called Living Life with Serenity. What a laborious process it was to get that product to market! Creating information products in the nineties was very different, and much more difficult than it is today. In today’s online arena, just about anyone can create a simple product such as an MP3 with a computer, a microphone, and editing software. Actually, you don’t even need a microphone because a telephone works just fine with many software programs.

With print-on-demand technology you can send a master file to any one of hundreds of companies that create the product only as orders are received. And there’s always the option of digitally downloaded products with extremely low production costs and very high profit margins.

Regardless of what method you decide on, the main decision is to get started in packaging your information as soon as possible. The sooner you do, the sooner your business will generate multiple streams of income.

About Kathleen Gage:

Kathleen Gage is the “no-nonsense, common sense” online marketing strategist, speaker, author, product creation specialist and owner of “Power Up for Profits.” Kathleen helps entrepreneurs make money online. Her clients are driven by making a difference through their own unique voice.

Kathleen's mission is to help people understand that their business is merely a means to get their message out to the world. She teaches that it’s not just about what you do, but the reasons behind why you do it.

Her newest book, Power Up For Profits; The Smart Woman's Guide to Online Marketing is the perfect resource for any author who wants to reach more of their market in the fastest, most cost effective methods possible.

For a very limited time when you order the book through Amazon you receive Kathleen’s full Six Figure List Building Program and Sell Thousands from Any Platform at no cost to you.

Go to this bonus page for full details.

Well there you have it. I told you she was smart.

Be sure to grab a copy of Kathleen's book and get the awesome bonuses while you can. That's the best way to ensure that I can get great people to share their wisdom over here.

Big hugs and I'll be back soon.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

This week I asked our panel of experts …

With PayPal lately banning Internet Marketers – how do you personally diversify the income streams in your business?

I think you'll find the answers this week interesting and very helpful.

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

I currently accept orders through Paypal, Clickbank, and my own merchant account. Merchant accounts may not be for someone who is just getting started, but as soon as you have to ask about “diversifying” your income, you should definitely have your own. It gives you the most control of what you're doing and how you're processing orders.

In my main shopping cart, customers can choose to pay by credit card or by Paypal during the order process.

One of the big elements to mention here though is prevention. When dealing with a large company like Paypal, they can make some random decisions at times. So nothing is foolproof, but here are a few things you should always do.

• Make sure you communicate with them. When you're going to have a surge in orders, let them know.
• Communicate with customers and keep claims to a minimum.
• Be careful about any income claims or weight loss claims on your site (both major issues).
• Be careful what you're offering on your site. Remember, Paypal doesn't like 2 tier affiliate programs in most cases, for example.

Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Organize Your Online Business says:

I've not personally had any problems with Paypal, but I work hard to keep down my refund rate. And in 99% of my products, I also provide a credit card option for buyers. With my less expensive products people tend to use Paypal. But with my more expensive products and larger orders I see more credit cards coming through.

There are so many options for taking money online now that I don't think anyone should be held hostage by a single payment method. With Google checkout and Clickbank everyone can take payments online.

If you want your own merchant account I highly recommend iPowerPay – they understand Internet marketers and work with many of the largest marketers, so you don't have to worry about them “freezing” your account.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts says:

If PayPal were to slap me tomorrow I'd survive. I do have a separate merchant account that feeds payments from credit cards directly into my checking account. Right now I only use it has a back up for those who don't like using PayPal but I could swiftly move my ecommerce over to use that as primary.

A couple big income streams I've developed have nothing to do with PayPal. My blog ad network is paid by monthly check and one of my partnerships is paid through direct bank transfer. I love that I'm not paying big PayPal fees on these payments each month.

The biggest challenge I'd face would be paying my affiliates. If I can't use PayPal I'm going to end up writing checks and that is so much more time intensive. I hope I never have to deal with it.

Ronnie Nijmeh of PLR.me (< -click for a special free offer from Ronnie) says:

Firstly, I try not to worry too much about Paypal banning accounts. I mean, I'm not doing anything wrong and I try to be as legit and “legal” as possible.

My company is a registered corporation here in Canada. I have my phone # and address on my site, in the footer, etc. I keep money inside of Paypal (instead of siphoning it out immediately, which would seem suspicious, right?). I pay my staff mainly through Paypal, so Paypal sees that it's not just money coming in and withdrawn to my bank account.

The bottom line is, I use it like I would a regular bank account and don't do anything crazy.

With that said, I also have a merchant account that I use to diversify my payment options. Some clients prefer to avoid Paypal anyhow, so I can accept credit cards without having to deal with Paypal.

Since I'm in Canada, I use Beanstream.com – they seem to be really solid… the support is awesome and responsive, and they even have an iPhone app I can use to collect money in person (although, since I'm entirely online, I haven't tried it).

The key is to be smart – setup accounts with other payment services and merchant accounts, honor your guarantees, and don't worry about it.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I've heard of people losing their paypal accounts since I came online nearly a decade ago and it is still a looming fear of many.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, right?

I decided awhile ago to have multiple types of income streams outside of Paypal – but then I slacked on it a bit until recently when the buzz about Paypal banning Internet Marketers came up again.

Like my very smart friends have said in their answers above, there are really two issues at play here when it comes to Paypal.

1. Prevention. What to do to keep your PayPal account.
2. Insurance. What do have in place in case you lose your PayPal account.

Let's address each individually.

Prevention.

Terry and the others were spot on in my opinion. Here's what I'd say is important.

1. Play by the rules.
If you're using PayPal, you want to always be aware of what their rules are and understand one fact. They are the judge and jury of their own kingdom and we are merely visiting. Yes, we make them money through our transactions, but in the end, what they decide is law. So, read up on their rules and stay informed to make sure you're on their good side and you stay there.

2. Be CLEAR on your sales page.
Make sure what you say you're selling is very very clear – and you deliver as promised.

If you use the term “book” in your sales copy, clarify multiple times if it's really a downloadable book, so the customer isn't waiting by their mailbox day after day, getting more and more upset about their order that didn't arrive. (This is obviously more important in certain niches than in others.)

If you say “videos” make sure you explain that the videos are in mp4 format, in case the customer lives in a town just east of Boondocks and south of Nowhere where he only has a dial-up modem.

This will help keep people from starting disputes against you.

3. If customers complain about something being unclear during your ordering process – FIX IT!
This feedback is golden. Listen to your customers and try to fix what you can. If you can't fix it, then be very clear up front so that customers know what to expect.

For instance, my shopping cart had a setting where downloads expired after 48 hours. There's nothing I could do about it for a long time. So, I put a note in bold on the order page that said “Please download your order immediately. The link will expire in 48 hours. If you have any issues or need this link reset, please contact (and I had the support link)”. This helped people to actually access the products they paid for…. kind of an important thing.

4. Make your support desk easy to contact.
There have been a few times when I've ordered something and could not contact the person through any means when I had an issue.

• I tried the website. Nothing.
• I tried to reply to an email. No-Reply@TheirSite.com.
• I tried to reply to their paypal email address. No response.
• I even googled the person, trying to find their help desk. No luck.

They left me with no option but to file a Paypal dispute. Don't force your customers to resort to contacting PayPal.

5. Like Terry said, communicate directly with PayPal.
If you have an issue, pick up the phone. I know, as Internet Marketers, most of us hate the phone – but, in my experience, the people at PayPal want your business account with them to remain in good standing – and will help if they can.

6. Be careful in setting up multiple accounts.
I've heard through the grapevine that transferring money through multiple accounts can raise a red flag.

Insurance.

The next part of your protection is what I call Insurance and this is where the diversification part comes in.

I, personally, get paid from a variety of sources – which helps me to sleep at night, in case, God forbid, I were to lose my PayPal account.

1. Google Adsense.
I still receive deposits directly into my bank account from Google Adsense (from some of my niche sites). The deposits aren't as big as they used to be, but they're big enough to make a difference if I needed the money.

2. Clickbank (as a product seller).
I have several products on Clickbank for a few reasons. You'll see that I run YummyPLR.com through Clickbank and JustAddSweat.com, too.

Why? The first reason is because I love how easy Clickbank makes it for me to use them. It's very hands-off for me – which is important, especially in the branches of my business that are not the core of what I do. The second reason is because the money gets deposited directly into my bank account – which is another separate income stream for me.

You can learn how to put your products on Clickbank here -> How to Sell your Products on Clickbank.

3. Promoting Affiliate Products that Pay in Various Ways.
I promote a few affiliate programs that pay by check and/or direct deposit. I didn't choose these affiliate programs because they paid via check or direct deposit. I chose them because they were good. The payment part was just a lucky coincidence.

A few to look into are -> CJ.com, LinkShare.com, and ShareaSale.com – (and, of course, Clickbank.com)

4. Offline Clients.
I also dabble a bit in the offline world where I have a few clients. If I were in a position where I needed a quick influx of cash, I could easily go to them with more offerings or ask for referrals to bring in more income quickly – outside of PayPal.

5. Partnerships.
I have one partnership where my business partner pays me with direct deposit every month.

6. Merchant Account.
I had a merchant account, but let it go. (Long story.) I am ready to try again and will be looking into iPowerPayas I'm impressed by them.

Last year, I spoke with their reps at an event in Orlando and really liked their commitment to Internet Marketers. So, watch for that update soon.

7. Amazon Kindle.
One of my most favorite revenue streams is from publishing on Amazon Kindle. In fact, I plan to do it more in the coming months. Amazon Kindle deposits money into my bank account and it's totally hands-free for me. I don't even have to do my own customer support. Thank you, Amazon!

I may be forgetting something. If I think of it, I'll add it below.

So, how about you?

Got questions? Got resources? Please share below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,
Nicole

PS. Resources –

Here are the resources mentioned in this post:

• iPowerPay – Merchant Account for Internet Marketers
• How to Sell your Products on Clickbank.

PS Again – The Experts –

• Ronnie Nijmeh of PLR.me
• Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts
• Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Organize Your Online Business
• Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach

I was talking with one of my coaching clients this month about the importance of recurring income.

You have to have some consistent income in order to avoid the rollercoaster of unpredictable cash flow.

One month you launch a product and you get a huge influx of cash. The next month… not so much.

This can create a sense of panic followed by relief, followed by panic again. It's definitely neither healthy nor happy.

So, the goal is to make that you have a BASE income that is coming in – to keep you sane and comfortable (and make sure you can pay your helpers and your affiliates). My personal goal is that everything  above that is gravy.

One way to do this is to start your own membership site, whether a Fixed Term type that runs for X amount of time and is then done. Or an ongoing one that runs forever….

And, there are plenty of different models to use to do this. You can offer information, software, or a service – each of these will work.

BUT…

There are other ways to get recurring income
without having to do all of the work yourself.

For instance, you can promote products or services, as an affiliate, if they offer two things.

1. Lifetime tracking of a bunch of products.

2. Recurring income that gets billed monthly.

Then, not only is the income recurring, but it's pretty passive as well. You don't even have to deliver the goods. Someone else is doing it for you. (ooooh…. ahhhh…. )

Let me show you a few examples of programs like that.

NAMS Affiliate Program. (Recurring Income & Lifetime Tracking)

First up. This is a screenshot of my affiliate stats from promoting the NAMS membership last month.

As you can see, I had several transactions. But, the interesting thing is that this the membership is recurring – so many of those sales were from referrals that I'd made months and months prior. AND, many of them are for orders that will continue to pay me for years to come.

Do I have this many transactions every month? Nah. But, many of the members do pay month after month after month, so I do have a “base income” from recommending NAMS.

Plus, every January and August, I see a spike of higher sales when the live event (the Workshop in Atlanta) happens and people purchase tickets for the following workshop (since so many are repeat attendees).

Want to see what exactly NAMS is? Here's a video.

And, the best part? It's a great value – otherwise, I wouldn't be promoting it!

• Check out what's included here: What is NAMS?
• Join the Affiliate program here: NAMS Affiliate Program

Yummy PLR. (Recurring.)

One of my programs that offers a recurring payment is YummyPLR.com. Hint, hint. Be my affiliate! (Subtle, eh?! lol)

And, as much as some people don't like Clickbank, I love it for two reasons.

1. As an affiliate, it's a great way to diversify your dependence upon Paypal because you get paid either by check or direct deposit into your bank account. So, worse case scenario, if you lose your Paypal account, you will still have your Clickbank deposits to live off of during the interim.

2. You are guaranteed to get paid and don't have to track down your affiliate payment from someone who spent YOUR affiliate earnings – which is money that was not theirs to spend. (Don't get me started on that one…)

So, I like to promote some stuff on Clickbank.

And, one of my programs on Clickbank that has recurring commissions is this.

So, if you reach bloggers or foodies – this may be another program to promote to earn some recurring revenue.

• Check out what's included here: What is YummyPLR?
• Join the Affiliate program here: Yummy PLR Affiliate Program

There are tons of programs like this that can help you to get a base income so that your cash flow isn't taking you on a rollercoaster ride.

Here are a few more that pay monthly…

• Mom Webs Hosting.
• Aweber
• Audio Acrobat
• Outsource Weekly

What if you are in a Niche like Fitness?

If you're in a niche – like fitness, you can go to Clickbank.com and search their marketplace.

Just click on “Recurring” when searching and it will show you only ones that earn you money beyond the first payment.

For instance, these would show up:

Of course there are plenty of other ways to get recurring income, but I hope this has got you thinking about what you're promoting and how it's affecting your cash flow.

Please share your questions below.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean