An Apology From Sally
By Sally | March 5, 2010
Hey Everyone,
I guess this is a bit of a strange blog post, by that I mean, it’s not particularly related to ebooks or Internet Marketing.
You may, or may not, have noticed that I disappeared off the face of the internet for over a year, yes a whole year!
There were several reasons this happened…
1. My online ebook business literally took over my life and affected my personal life.
2. eBay banned digital downloads.
Now I could have told you some big lie, and said for the past year I have been lying on a beach, in my bikini, with a flat stomach, sipping cocktails thanks to all the automated income profits I made online.
But I wasn’t.
Fact is, I have not been near a beach, I would never wear a bikini due to the lack of a flat stomach and I would be more likely to be guzzling a budweiser not sipping a cocktail!
The truth is for the past year, I basically returned to life “B.E” (before eBay).
Like I said before, several things happened that pushed me back to a 9-5 life.
It’s really strange actually, but success came with a price, one I couldn’t handle.
Maybe “couldn’t handle” is a wrong choice of words, I just wasn’t prepared with what came with being a success online.
After I released my first proper ebook “How To Start A Profitable Ebay Ebook Business”, I was thrown into a whole new online world.
I was swamped with support tickets, emails and money!
The money was great, the support tickets and emails were not.
If only I had learned to outsource more of business, perhaps I could have coped better, but it didn’t matter because at the peak of my success eBay ripped the rug right out from under my feet.
It’s really weird, but a few weeks before eBay announced their digital download ban, I had actually looked at another marketer’s business and thought, wow, he has all his eggs in one basket, if eBay ban digitally delivered ebooks, his business will go bust.
I was right, but my business went down the pan too!
Now when eBay introduced the digital download ban, I had two choices:
Switch over to a physical delivery of ebooks on cd
OR
Give up.
I GAVE UP.
Now I am no quitter I can assure you but let me explain…
Have you ever worked really hard at something, doubted it would work, but kept trying anyway?
I did.
I worked so many late nights, every hour I possibly could I was on my pc, I even gave up my social life.
I was practically a recluse.
The worst point was when my daughter Jade said “Mummy, your always on the computer”.
To say I felt bad is an understatement, I tried to explain I was making money to make our life better, but really she would have traded all the money in the world to have her mummy back.
I felt so guilty.
But all my sacrifices paid off, I became a success, I finally made a decent regular amount daily online.
Money was flying into my account left, right and center.
Woohoo, I can relax now.
No.
I actually had to work even harder!
I got more emails asking for help.
More support tickets.
There were affiliates (who I didn’t even personally know) promoting my ebook and making me lots of money, it was literally like a dream come true.
One of my favourite sayings is “watch what you wish for, you might just get it” and now I know that’s so very true.
I suppose one side of the success (apart from the money) was funnily enough the fact that out of all the copies of my ebook that I sold I only ever got ONE REFUND REQUEST!
Every cloud has a silver lining and all that.
So back to me being inundated with support tickets, emails and no one to help me.
I couldn’t cope, end of story.
So when eBay offered me an escape route by banning digital downloads, I gladly removed my ebay ebook business sales page and RAN LIKE THE WIND!
I think I was looking for a way out.
The weird thing is, I don’t think I cared about the success or the money, I just had to prove to myself I could do it or all the sacrifices I had made would have been in vane.
I had one goal, to write an ebook that people bought, loved and could use to make money, my job was done.
I was never money orientated, I have never chased 20k days, I just wanted to make a steady income then show people how they could make money online too.
So like I said before, eBay banned Digital Downloads, and instead of moving over to physically delivered cd ebooks, I gave up.
I didn’t want to amend or add to my ebook, I just wanted a way out.
I did list a few ebooks on cds on eBay but to be honest my heart was just not in it.
It’s actually quite a horrible feeling to work so hard on something for it all to come crashing down around you.
Not sure if you have ever “failed” at anything, but trust me it does your confidence no good.
I was relieved but at the same time I felt like a complete failure.
So that’s why I disappeared.
I wanted to get as far away as possible from everything online, and for that I apologise.
The reason I wrote this blog post is just to say I am back, just like I was when I very first started online, eager and determined to be a success.
But, this time I am prepared for success, I know what success brings and forewarned is forearmed.
This time I will have a happy medium, a work and life balance so to speak.
I believe I can find another way to make money online, and once I find it, I will be sharing it with the people on my list.
My previous failure has taught me to learn from my mistakes, so look out for me in 2010!
Sally 
x
PS. The whole reason I made this post is thanks to an “old” Lee McIntyre Video which inspired me to “come clean”.
You can watch his video here: Believe In 2009
Topics: All About Ebooks | 43 Comments »
Free Affiliate URL Link Cloakers Advice
By Sally | November 10, 2008
Free Affiliate URL Link Cloakers Advice
Recently I was asked which is the best method to protect your affiliate product links.
This is a very good question and I that’s why I wanted to make a blog post about cloaking affiliate links for any other people who may need help in choosing which method is best for cloaking their affiliate links.
So what exacting does cloak or cloaking an affiliate commission link mean?
Well, if you simply think of a cloak and you put it over something, you ultimately hide it!
That’s what cloaking your affiliate link will do, in essence it will hide it.
But why would you want to cloak an affiliate link?
Well the main two reasons I personally cloak any of my affiliates links are that:
1. People cannot steal my commissions.
2. The links look more professional.
Now I shall give you a few examples to demonstrate the 2 reasons I use an affiliate link cloaker every single time I promote any product, be it digital or physical.
Topics: Affiliate Marketing, Internet Marketing | 1 Comment »
What Is The Best Price For Selling Ebooks
By Sally | October 18, 2008
What is the best price to sell your ebook
Ok, so you have written, compiled and published your very own ebook.
Now you have to decide how much you are going to charge for your ebook masterpiece!
Finding the right price for any ebook is essential to the success and sales of your eproduct.
If you charge too little, people will think it’s of little value, and they won’t purchase it, or even if they do buy your book, you will have to sell thousands of copies to get to the point where you can begin to see a profit.
So you have to find a happy medium, where your ebook sells for a good price and the profits are also good.
Topics: All About Ebooks | 4 Comments »
S.I.M.S - Free Internet Marketing Reports Nos 1-2
By Sally | September 23, 2008
S.I.M.S - Free Internet Marketing Reports Nos 1-2
You may or may not be aware that I have recently given free access to my latest, and greatest (if I don’t say so myself!) Internet Marketing Strategy Reports.
Of course any of my subscribers can access them for free, by simply visiting the page at the top of this blog aptly titled “S.I.M.S”.
The first report will take you through the process of buying a domain name, buying web hosting, and of course teaches you how to “point a domain to your new DNS Settings.
If the previous sentence sounds like a whole new language to you, then download the report and all shall be revealed.
I have taken to care to ensure I have mapped out all the steps required, starting with giving you tips on how to choose the right domain name, and the domain names to avoid.
I have used a screen capture program, to show you exactly what you will be looking at on your own pc screen at each stage, this will make the learning process even easier for you.
I remember how difficult it was trying to figure everything out when I first began selling ebooks online, and tackling Internet Marketing too.
Topics: Internet Marketing | 3 Comments »
Steps To Starting An Internet Business
By Sally | July 22, 2008
Steps To Starting An Internet Business
Before I introduce you to my new free reports showing the
“Steps To Starting An Internet Business” please read on…
What is Internet Marketing?
It is simply marketing but online!
There, that’s all you need to know…well not quite!
Internet Marketing is not hard, but it does take time, and I don’t mean learning, I mean implementing the techniques.
Steps To Starting An Internet Business are made simple with my FREE REPORTS!
But before we get to know the basics of Internet Marketing and beyond let me first tell you how I gained my experience.
Sure, maybe you don’t want to know anything about me!
But I feel it’s important for you to understand me and how it applies to you.
If you want to start a profitable internet business, and follow my own internet business model then we will have to build up some sort of relationship too!
When you begin to work online many people become “god like”, almost famous, in fact when I attended my first Internet Marketing Seminar which had marketers whom I had followed their internet business models online, I was almost in awe!
Topics: All About Ebooks | 1 Comment »
Copywriting Straight From The Horses Mouth!
By Sally | May 28, 2008
Copywriting Tips For Creating Perfect Sales Pages
You may, or may not, have received an email from me regarding the sales page “Getting Your Ex” back.
If you want to see the sales page we will be discussing then click the link below:
Ok, it’s not the best sales page is it!
And contruary to popular belief it WAS NOT MY SALES PAGE OR PRODUCT!
I simply wanted comments…
Topics: Copywriting/Sales Pages | 17 Comments »
Increasing Your Ebay Ebook Sales
By Sally | February 7, 2008
Increasing Your Ebay Ebook Sales
Now many of us are reselling ebooks on eBay but so
me of us perhaps a little more successfully than others.
This can be due to several factors, which I would like to discuss.
You may recognise some of the tips I share if you are a current subscriber to my sallys-ebooks newsletter.
Your ebay id, must be related to what you sell.
If you sell diet ebooks, it does not take a genius to work out that diet-ebooks would be a good username, and then to take it one step further you should purchase the domain name www.diet-ebooks.com.
Topics: Ebay Marketing | 20 Comments »
Secret Ebook Tips & Free E-book Download
By Sally | January 29, 2008
Secret Ebook Writing Tips & Free E-book Download
Considering writing an ebook…consider this…
When you are writing about anything, passion shines through!
I recall reading an Ebook by Randy Smith about Writing Sales Pages, and the passion in his writing literally grabbed me by the neck and made me want to read more!
Seriously, Randy gives away some super tips for writing well, you can even see my own personal testimonial on the sales page, but thankfully my “ugly mug” never made it this time, anyway see Randy’s guide here:
Randy Smith - Sales Letter Copy ABC
ok back to ebook writing…
Think about it, remember at school when you were forced to write essays, and the subject did not interest you in slightest?
You had to practically force yourself to write, counting the words, hoping to have reached the required amount.
But…
Topics: All About Ebooks | 45 Comments »