Affiliate Buzz | Affiliate Marketing / Affiliate Programs / Internet / Online / Social Media Marketing - James Martell

Affiliate Buzz | Affiliate Marketing / Affiliate Programs / Internet / Online / Social Media Marketing - James Martell

By James Martell: Online Entrepreneur, Speaker and PodcasterBusinessTechnologyEducation
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Affiliate Buzz | Affiliate Marketing / Affiliate Programs / Internet / Online / Social Media Marketing - James Martell episodes

  • AB #405 | Increasing Productivity – How Does Arlene Get So Much Done in a Week?
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell takes a closer look into the typical day and week of his wife and co-host, Arlene. James says Arlene is a master at increasing productivity and gets more done in less time than almost anyone he knows.
    James kicks off the episode by giving Arlene credit for the reason he completes things on his list of things to do, including showing up on time to a meeting, event, or webinar.
    A Typical Week in the Life of Arlene
    Then James segues into what a typical day looks like for Arlene. The discussion includes time she takes off because of the the freedom of making her own schedule. Here is an example:
    *Sunday Night: Map out schedule for the week by writing a list of everything that needs to get done and then making daily to-do lists.
    *Weekday Mornings: Begin with the list of what needs to get done for that day. Arlene recognizes she may not complete everything on the list, but she gives it her best attempt.

    * Check business and personal emails
    * Answer any urgent messages from Basecamp
    * Check her main calendar which has items for multiple people in their family

    *Weekday Afternoons: Arlene's afternoons include things related to working directly to members of their team. Because she outsources a lot of the work, she can set aside time during the day to spend with James and their children and grandchildren.
    Members of James and Arlene's team include a graphic designer, an IT person, a couple of writers, and two virtual assistants. Having a couple of people in the same role expands the overall skills associated with that aspect of the job.
    Because Arlene and James use Basecamp, it provides a central area to pass messages about various jobs. Arlene likes Basecamp because it conveniently keeps the thread of conversation going for different topics, which helps everyone stay more organized.
    James mentions that Basecamp now offers a special, and urges listeners not to let another day go by before trying it. He and Arlene agree Basecamp has increased their efficiency. Arlene observes that it works equally well for individuals, as it keeps everything in one place.
    *Weekday Evenings: If she has checked everything off her list, then after dinner Arlene can relax and unwind. Otherwise she may do some light work with the television playing in the background.
    James and Arlene's Tips for Increasing Productivity
    During the podcast James discusses their rule about dropping everything to answer questions from their freelancers. Unanswered questions sitting in an inbox result in holding up progress for other areas of projects, like publishing podcasts online.
    Then Arlene explains that when it comes to keeping her calendar organized, she uses a color-coded system so she can easily find different things for family members and business-related items when looking at the entire month at a glance.
    Arlene notes that a calendar and daily schedule help her better organize her day so she has adequate time to work without sacrificing precious time reserved for spending with her family, including her children, grandchildren, and even the granddogs.
    James points out that Arlene's schedule also allows her to come and go as needed, whether it's to pick up an online purchase from a Facebook swap-and-shop group or pick up a grandchild from school. It a perk she wouldn't have commuting to work 9-to-5 in an office for someone else.
    This schedule that allows Arlene to work from home also gives her the freedom to do more in her community, like Bible study or book club, or be more available for her family. The lack of a commute, formal dress code, and being able to work from home also help her save money.
    Arlene encourages, "It's just so awesome. You still have to have the discipline to focus yourself and get the work done so you can m...
    31 min
  • AB #404 | Business Coaches, Trainers and Consultants Earn Between $200 and $600 for Each Sale Referred to Our “Do-it-Yourself” Podcasting Courses and “Turnkey” Podcasting Services
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and co-host Arlene introduce a new affiliate offer where business coaches, trainers, and consultants can earn between $200 and $600 for each sale referred to their “Do-it-Yourself” podcasting courses and “Turnkey” podcasting services.
    James and Arlene kick off the episode by introducing their granddogs, a pair of Keeshonds.
    Next the hosts reveal something that's been in development for the past fifteen months - their new Podcast Mastery services for affiliates who are a business coach, trainer, or consultant, someone who works in web development, or an online audience looking to increase revenue.
    Then James explains why podcasting for businesses is so important. He points out that it not only gives you a voice, but it is also a great method for marketing.
    The Podcasting Mastery Course
    James points out that http://podcastingmastery.com is just the front end. The program offers landing pages with free reports. This puts people into the 'sales funnel' to help them figure out what the Podcasting Mastery courses can do to improve their business.
    James put the course together based on his and Arlene's twelve years of experience. They wanted a step-by-step method to walk someone, from scratch, through the process of how to put together a profitable podcast designed to impress anyone who hears it.
    Next James explains the purpose of your podcast should be turning listeners into buyers. As he points out, most people do not start a podcast as a hobby. They want to generate something for their business, such as leads or sales.
    Then James shares the two-fold concept of the Podcasting Mastery courses: ways to use a podcast to develop a passive monthly income stream, using the podcast as the business, and podcasting for an existing business who is looking for ways to generate passive leads and customers.
    It's More Than a How-to Course
    James goes on to explain that the course is not limited to teaching about podcasting. It also talks about systems that attract and convert listeners, converts listeners into buyers, and a sales funnel that converts buyers into raving fans for your show.
    This all-inclusive intensive training includes visually rich video presentations, and comprehensive checklists, “to-do” lists, worksheets, templates and everything you need to develop a winning web radio show and podcast. Here's the 8-step course outline:

    * How to Get & Stay Organized
    * Goals Achieved! Goal Setting Success in Podcasting Made Simple
    * The 12 Part Formula for Developing a Podcast That’ll Impress All Who Hear It
    * The Extraordinary Podcast – Establishing a Strong Foundation
    * Positioning Yourself for Long-term Success
    * It’s Time for You to Be a Somebody
    * It Pays to Be Everywhere
    * The Money? It’s In the Follow-Up!

    The cost is $1499 USD. James and Arlene pay a 20% commission, which is $300 USD, to affiliates.
    The market for a DIY podcast has really taken off. iTunes boasts one billion podcast subscribers. Major newspapers like the Washington Post, USA Today, and New York Times publish articles on topics such as why small businesses need podcasts.
    Arlene then reminds if you are an affiliate who knows of a business that needs a podcast, then send them to James and herself to qualify for a handsome commission.
    Do-It-Yourself Podcasting Services
    Then James goes on to explain the services associated with the do-it-yourself podcasting course. This course is for someone who has time to learn how to get more hands-on with their podcast.
    One of the services included is virtual assistance. These skilled VAs have the training to set up podcasting for businesses. The virtual assistance is broken down into four steps:
    53 min
  • AB #403 | Black Friday Shopping Deals & Cyber Monday 2015 – Ads, Deals & Sales – Are You Ready?
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and co-host Arlene discuss what you should do to get your agenda in order to prepare to the very lucrative holiday season.
    Getting Ready for Black Friday Shopping Deals and Cyber Monday
    The episode kicks off with a throwback to the early days of affiliate programs and what they called the Online Christmas Shopping Season. It was pre-Black Friday and nothing like what it is today.
    James explains that affiliates start getting ready for Black Friday and Cyber Monday as early as the late spring and early summer before the events.
    BLACK FRIDAY - November 27th, this is the day after the American Thanksgiving, and since the early 2000's it's been regarded as the beginning of the shopping season.
    CYBER MONDAY - November 30th, this term was created in mid-2000's to persuade people to shop online. Cyber Monday 2014 saw consumers doing a whopping 2.29 billion dollars in business.
    Affiliate managers get prepared for these big shopping days months in advance. Around this time affiliate marketers can expect to be inundated with emails related to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
    James says it just takes some searching to see what merchants offer in the way of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. In fact, he wishes more were as creative during the entire year as they are around these two shopping days.
    The Truth Is in the Statistics
    James completes a live Google search which reveals Amazon is all over Black Friday shopping deals. Many affiliates have had great success with Amazon. James finds the Amazon checkout process a bit more outside the box than other affiliate programs.
    James goes on to explain that while Amazon has a one-day cookie return, on the upside when people go to Amazon they are typically ready to buy now. This caused him to avoid Amazon for years, while other affiliates did very well with Amazon's program.
    Then James and Arlene discuss Amazon's yearly sales revenues and how it's grown over the years. During the episode they share the following annual figures:

    * 2010: $32 Billion
    * 2011: $48 Billion
    * 2012: $61 Billion
    * 2013: $74 Billion
    * 2014: $89 Billion
    * And in 2015 the company expects to break the $100 Billion milestone.

    During the podcast James and Arlene try to do some quick calculations but their calculators aren't able to comprehend figures of that size. While sales have nearly tripled in almost five years, Amazon says it's still just getting started.
    Then James segues to Amazon's first brick and mortar location in Seattle's University Village. Their insight into which books sell best give them a good idea of which books to stock.
    James adds that he recently read an article asking who keeps Google up at night. The answer is Amazon, because they have the shoppers. Google's past attempts to enter the retail market never came close to Amazon's success. (Anyone remember Frugal?)
    Why People Prefer Shopping Online
    After a short break, Brasco, Executive Producer for the Affiliate Buzz, joins James and Arlene to discuss Wal-mart versus Amazon. They agree that Wal-mart needs better in-store customer service and fails in online sales compared to Amazon.
    Arlene and James prefer online shopping overall because:

    * convenience to shop any time
    * delivery to your front door
    * a wide selection of items
    * prices are better online

    Then James relates an experience from some years ago when he needed a birthday gift for his mom. Dreading the thought of packing up the kids for a trip to the mall, he decided to try online shopping for the first time.
    James goes on to describe the ease of selecting items he knew she would love and how impressed he was with the speed of delivery, arriving at her door a day early.
    32 min
  • AB #402 | 24 Magic Little Words to Use When Outsourcing to Get Awesome Results!!
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and co-host Arlene share 24 magic words to use when outsourcing to get awesome results! Learn how to get the right help and work when outsourcing your most important projects - it's all in what you ask.
    James kicks off the episode by declaring himself the Official Canadian U.S. Political Armchair Quarterback. As Arlene points out, James can't vote but he can watch. Currently James is pulling for American real estate developer, television personality, and Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
    If you're an American listening to the podcast and you have some extra Donald Trump political signs to share, email James and Arlene to find out where to send them. You could see them shared on their social media pages!
    The Number One Benefit for Affiliates
    Next James segues into the topic of today's episode, which is outsourcing. He states outsourcing is the number one thing affiliates can benefit from because if you can learn to find and hire the right person, and get the project in front of them, then you can find success.
    James has been outsourcing for over a decade, but Arlene is relatively new to the scene. Watching the areas that give her struggle gives James a better idea of what other affiliates might be experiencing.
    Arlene shares the key is giving the right project description. Once you hire someone who works out, then you can hire them repeatedly because they understand what you want. Arlene and James repeatedly hire the same freelancers in many cases.
    Outsource the Work and Get Quick Results
    Next Arlene explains how nice it is how nice it is to send work out and have freelancers who do the work overnight. When she wakes up the next morning and checks her email, she finds quick, concise results. It allows her to get on with her day.
    Arlene once did everything herself. Since outsourcing the work, her role is more of a project manager who oversees the progression of work for the different jobs. This level of efficiency helps her get more done in less time so she can spend more time with their kids and grandkids.
    Next James explains how outsourcing helped one of his clients. The person was swamped with several WordPress-related tasks. James walked him through setting up a project with a description with instructions how to hire the right person and get them started. The next day, the client reported that for $20 the job was done and he was thrilled with the entire process.
    James points out that if you bill your services at $100 an hour, but you can outsource that same work to someone for $20 per hour, is it really worth your time to do the work yourself? He suggests outsourcing that work and using your time in areas worth your $100 per hour fee.
    What Not to Do When Outsourcing
    After a short break, James and Arlene return to discuss a client who outsourced but kept getting crazy high bids. Arlene reads the headline and project description during the episode. Then she and James explain how to improve the wording to encourage bids more appropriate to the job.
    James goes on to explain that even if he knows who he plans to hire, he still outsources the project to that person through Elance or Upwork. Along with the protection from regulations, the competitive bids help keep the freelancer's rates in check.
    24 Magic Little Words You Need for Outsourcing
    Next James reveals the 24-word sentence he tags onto the end of each project description for every job he outsources: I am standing by to award this project to the first qualified person who gives me a fair price and can start right away.
    Then James breaks the sentence down to explain the different parts, which are:

    * "I am standing by" tells the freelancer the job is available now
    * "first qualified person" says you will look at their background and feedback...
    31 min
  • AB #401 | WiFi in the Cars, Smartphones, and What You Need to Know About the Changing Face of Affiliate Marketing
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell along with wife and fellow co-host Arlene discuss WiFi in the cars, smartphones, and what you need to know about the changing face of affiliate marketing.
    The episode kicks off with a review of the Affiliate Buzz intro which welcomes guests listening from their smartphone, tablet, computer, or WiFi radio.
    James confirms that statistics show most listeners listen to the buzz via podcast on a device versus tuning in live each Thursday. This got him thinking about changes to affiliate marketing.
    The Early Days of Affiliate Marketing
    Back in 1999, James worked out of the basement office in their family's home to create content that was exclusively textual which people accessed on their desktop computers.
    James describes how evolving technology and the popularity of laptops improved online speed and the ability to share images.
    Next James shares that by 2005, high speed internet allowed for the introduction of sites like YouTube and iTunes. This changed content type, but people still used their desktops and laptops to access it.
    James fast forwards to how people access content today. Arlene lists off some popular ways including:

    * smartphones
    * tablets
    * laptop
    * desktop

    With this in mind, you can see the way content is being consumed today versus how they consumed it in 1999 has definitely evolved.
    Are Your Videos Responsive?
    Next James describes how he was surfing around on one of their sites when he noticed while the website was responsive, the videos were not. You can check your videos by looking at the page on a tablet or smartphone.
    If the video is too far to the right then it needs to be fixed. This is something you can outsource at Upwork for about $10, or Google search for "how do I make my videos responsive in WordPress".
    James points out that while content in the early days was text and images, today's content consists of text, images, and video. As affiliates, we need to make sure we look as good on all devices as we do the laptops.
    The More Things Change....
    After a short break, James and Arlene segue into the common denominator throughout their entire affiliate marketing careers, which is content. Arlene points out that regardless of type, you have to get the content out there.
    Last week James interviewed Lisa Riolo, the Executive VP of Customer Service at CJ Affiliate and an industry pioneer. She confirmed that excellent content is where affiliates need to focus their priorities.
    James observes that while creating content might be time-consuming and you may have to outsource some of the work, it's really not complicated. The process is simply:

    * Find an audience.
    * Recognize what they need.
    * Put helpful affiliate content in front of them.

    Arlene mentions that the content is so easy and inexpensive to create, that there's almost no reason to source it out.
    The Power of One
    Then James talks about something he refers to as "The Power of One". Unless you are a big corporation with the resources to tackle all the various social media types, choose one that's right for your affiliate marketing program.
    In the early days, James offers, it was easy because Google was the only place where they shared content. When you lack the manpower to keep up with too many areas, then it makes it difficult to keep up when those places start changing.
    Next James segues into the topic of repurposing content. Back in the early days, he and Arlene would create a white paper which became a foundation for:

    * blog articles
    * podcasts
    * videos
    * PowerPoint presentations
    * and more

    Taking Technology on the Road
    James and Arlene return from a commercial break to talk about WiFi in the cars...
    32 min
  • AB #400 | Revenue Opportunities for Affiliate Marketers with Lisa Riolo Executive VP of Customer Experience at CJ Affiliate
    In this 400th edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell speaks with Lisa Riolo, the Executive Vice-President of Customer Experience at CJ Affiliate by Conversant. She talks about her history with Commission Junction and how she has returned back nearly a decade later, and revenue opportunities for affiliates.
    Introducing Lisa Riolo
    Lisa was one of the first people James met from the industry when he attended Commission Junction University in 2002. The Affiliate Buzz wasn't even an idea yet.
    Lisa says James made an impression on her by his willingness to educate people on the success he'd recently started to enjoy. She adds that in the early days of the industry, educating others was so important.
    Commission Junction - The Early Days
    Then Lisa takes listeners back to her early days at Commission Junction, starting in Y2K. She reminds that as an affiliate before it was considered an industry, you had to go to each advertiser or brand individually. Cloud services weren't yet available.
    In these early days, some things affiliates, including Commission Junction co-founder Lex Sisney, struggled with included:

    * how much had they earned as affiliates
    * confusing systems for reporting things
    * not knowing when payment would arrive

    Commission Junction offered a marketplace-type environment that aggregated brands and merchants in one place with consistency to when and how everyone received payment. During that time the concept was a pioneering idea.
    Lisa reminds that the industry does not exist unless it is easy for affiliates to be successful. That concept was the most important aspect of the Commission Junction business model. Lisa took on the role of client development which oversaw:

    * servicing and managing advertisers and trying to build their programs
    * trying to advocate, assist and support the publishers to be successful
    * helping the marketplace thrive and be successful

    Commission Junction University
    Then Lisa and James discuss the communities that have built around the marketplace environment, like ShareASale as well as the early days of Community Junction University, otherwise known as CJU. They start at the beginning, with the early days of CJU.
    Lisa shares that very early on the goal was to create consistency for third-party tracking with the idea that there is no turnkey solution. It takes education, collaboration, and the sharing of ideas. In the time since, the content of CJU has evolved to keep up with the evolving marketers.
    Lisa goes on to describe the affiliate industry as communities built around a marketplace environment. James observes that the internet today is made up of a large number of communities. The idea of community in the early days of CJU was very new, and the primary two ways to form a community were through live events and chat forums.
    The Evolution of Commission Junction
    Then Lisa segues to the Commission Junction forum, created with the original purpose of helping affiliates, and how a lack of moderators to police the forum caused a blurring of the forum's original purpose.
    Lisa explains how a government investigation led to the Commission Junction forum being disabled in order to become ABestWeb, a new forum community which still exists today and offers affiliates the opportunity to help each other thrive.
    Next Lisa explains how she left Commission Junction in 2006 for new ventures. After her departure, the company evolved. ValueClick already owned BeFree and Commission Junction. A few years after Value Click acquired Dotomi, they went through a re-branding but kept the CJ name.
    Then at CJU 2014, it was announced that Alliance Data Systems, under its Epsilon group, would buy Conversant but to date plans to keep all the brands the same.
    56 min
  • AB #399 | Tips for Turning your Passion into Recurring Income with your First Membership Site (Pt 2)
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and wife Arlene continue sharing tips for turning your passion into recurring income and offer 5 reasonably no-brainer ways to monetizing your membership site.
    Update on the Transition from Elance to Upwork
    James and Arlene kick things off with a recap about their transition from Elance to Upwork, discussed in Episode #397. Arlene describes some trouble she had navigating the Upwork site and suggests spending an hour or so clicking every option to see where it takes you.
    James agrees, explaining about the hours spent trying to find things on the site and calling Upwork for direct support. Upwork has 9 million freelancers and more than 4 million clients who do over $1 billion in work done annually. Despite these stats, James feels the problems run deeper than just being a new platform.
    5 Ways to Monetize Membership Sites
    Next James hearkens back to last week's discussion which included Dr. Raj Banerjee's site, Go Beyond Fat Loss and The School of Internet Marketing, both linked in the References section below, as well as software and structuring.
    This week James and Arlene discuss the monetizing side of creating a membership site in order to generate recurring income. During their career as internet marketers, their revenue from
    1. Recurring Membership Websites
    An example of a recurring membership site is The School of Internet Marketing. Members pay $47 per month, which is deposited into PayPal.
    2. Affiliate Programs and Drop Shipping
    Generating income in the affiliate marketing industry means selecting the products and services that will be of interest to the people who sign up for your membership site.
    James points out that these products should be something the audience needs to complete the course. As students go through his Podcasting Mastery course, for instance, students need things like podcast hosting and graphic design.
    This is a good opportunity to attach merchants who pay a commission to refer your students to them. James explains you want to disclose affiliates during the course, as he does when sharing about his headset, seen at http://www.podcastingmastery.com/headset which is an affiliate link.
    Arlene adds that with all the great companies joining the affiliate arena, it should be no problem finding one that complements your site. Examples discussed during the show include the F.U. Money Show, Dan Lok's Shoulders of Titans, and the Road to Wellness, all linked below.
    For drop shipping, James uses the example of Dr. Raj Banerjee's site, Go Beyond Fat Loss. Raj is very selective about the products he endorses through his site. If you are interested in this, James suggests a Google search for the type of products that interest you as they typically pay higher commissions than other affiliates.
    3. One-on-One Coaching
    Arlene adds that coaching is a great way to monetize your website, as you can get paid quite a bit for it. James has experience with this, and points out that it's a fun way to really get to know your client or student.
    4. eBooks
    Next Arlene segues to eBooks. After you write the book, have it edited and a nice cover created, turn it into a PDF and you can repeatedly sell it. The first book James wrote, The Affiliate Marketer's Handbook, sold around 5500 copies at $167 each. His next book is based on his popular Podcasting Mastery course.
    5. Larger Courses and Products
    Then James lists some larger courses and products, such as his Podcast Mastery course, or Dr. Raj's full training session. Because the larger items come with a larger price tag, you can sell less of them and still see a profit from it.
    James goes on to explain that it all begins with putting together a course starting with the outline and table of contents, back filling that with content,
    32 min
  • AB #398 | Tips for Turning your Passion into Recurring Income with your First Membership Site (Pt 1)
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and wife Arlene offer valuable tips for turning your passion into recurring income with membership sites while reminiscing about their first membership site.
    A Review of Successful Membership Sites
    James and Arlene start off by discussing their successful membership sites. The Affiliate Buzz started out as a membership site in 2003. It charged a small fee, which along with podcasting was a pretty groundbreaking idea at the time.
    When the Buzz began broadcasting on WebmasterRadio.FM, James says giving up the recurring revenue was a little scary, but the new strategies he and Arlene pursued worked out much better.
    In 2009 James and Arlene kicked off The School of Internet Marketing. James has always had a passion for teaching and training, and this membership site offers him the chance to do that. The site has since evolved to offer courses in:

    * affiliate marketing
    * podcasting
    * email marketing

    And anything else affiliate marketers and other business owners might need to know about marketing online. The recurring income that adds up from these sites can add up to substantial profit - as much as six figures or more.
    Running and Building a Successful Membership Site
    Next James segues into discussing a membership site that belongs to Raj, one of their students. Arlene says the more she talks to Raj, the more impressed she is by his passion for helping people.
    Raj's goal is to help people improve the quality of their health with alternatives to traditional medicine. Arlene observes that his site accomplishes this through educating visitors without the fluff used on other sites.
    Then James turns to the framework of Raj's site. He points out that although its the same basic format of The School for Internet Marketing, the tools and technology have come so far in just a few years.
    Materials for a Successful Membership Site
    The key to a successful membership site is coming up with a course. During the podcast James outlines what you'd need to maintain a site that would pull in around $2000 in revenue per month, including:

    * a basic website
    * WordPress
    * a plugin called S2 Membership
    * a plugin called WP Courseware
    * someone from Upwork to do the tech work

    James adds the key to making your site a success is having a passion for something, and makes his point by asking Arlene to talk about their new baby grandson and her recent visit with him, their daughter, and son-in-law on Vancouver Island. You can indeed hear the difference in her tone as she talks about the experience.
    When creating a course, James recommends using eight parts, or steps. He thinks of them like chapters and uses them to create an outline. Arlene adds that James normally has a video training. He then attaches the audio training so they can listen as an MP3. Then he adds a transcript, booklet, or other document that goes with it.
    Expanding on the Table of Contents
    Next James and Arlene outline their process for creating and filling out the table of contents, which include a headline for each step and the sub-headlines of topics covered within that step. He builds he presentation in PowerPoint and turns the lessons into videos with Screencast-O-Matic.
    Arlene points out that it's very easy to find someone to transcribe your videos on Upwork. She pays her current freelancer $13 per 30-minute episode and is very happy with the work that comes back. The end result is a workbook that goes along with the video.
    James then goes on to explain how you can use the episodes to build membership for your site. Come back next week for more information on this topic.
    Did you enjoy today's episode? Please head over to
    33 min
  • AB #397 | Elance Becomes Upwork – How to Transition Smoothly
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and wife Arlene discuss what you need to know to transition smoothly as Elance becomes Upwork.  Elance of course is an online freelance marketplace company, and Upwork, the new online platform.
    James and Arlene kick off the episode with the announcement about their new grandson, who is on his way and should arrive soon on nearby Vancouver Island.
    The Merger between Elance and oDesk
    James kicks off the episode by recapping the merger between Elance and oDesk. The two former competitors are both successful on demand service providers. He and Arlene first discovered Elance at Commission Junction University in Santa Barbara.
    Over the past decade, James has discussed Elance frequently on the Affiliate Buzz. He and Arlene have posted over 1300 projects through the Elance system, and are not sure what they would do without it.
    Upwork - A Freelance Talent Platform
    Elance and oDesk are in the process of transitioning to a new freelance platform called Upwork, which has more than 9 million registered freelancers. Their skills include editing, writing, producing, accounting, legal, and anything else you could need to outsource.
    Upwork has more than 3 million jobs a year posted, and there are over 4 million active clients - which include James and Arlene. Arlene points out that the fierce competition forces freelancers to offer affordable prices.
    James adds that the ability to work from anywhere is a highly desirable trait. As long as you have a computer and a decent internet connection, Upwork offers an unlimited talent pool of low cost professionals to take care of the work for you.
    Upwork offers you the chance to hire freelancers from all around the world. If you live in an expensive area, for example Vancouver where James and Arlene live, then hiring a freelancer from a geographic area with a lower cost of living allows you to hire them at a rate that's affordable to you, but still lucrative for them.
    James has already registered for Upwork and started to post projects. Because his current service providers have also made the transition, he can post new projects and continue working without interruption.
    Making the Transition: Elance becomes Upwork
    During the podcast, James offers a live walk through of the Upwork dashboard. While similar to the Elance dashboard, James observes that Upwork is a lot cleaner. It uses the full screen instead of a narrow view.
    Then James reviews the jobs he has listed on Upwork and compares the amount of bids he's received here as to what he would have received on Elance. With 9 million freelancers, there will be no shortage of service providers to bid on your jobs.
    If you are dreading the move from Elance to Upwork, then you are not alone. James had some initial concerns, too but now that he is registered on Upwork and is getting comfortable with the dashboard, he looks forward to using it for future jobs.
    James had some questions about certain features included on Elance, and how the move to Upwork would affect them. He called Elance who assured him that the following would transition over:

    * your portfolio where you include samples of your work
    * the biography you put together for others to view
    * all the feedback you've given or received on Elance

    Comparing Upwork to Elance
    While looking around the Upwork system, James noticed that the messaging system is a little more organize than what Elance users are used to seeing. He points out that you can filter freelancers according to ones you've hired or ones you've messaged.
    Arlene is newer to the outsourcing side of things than James. During the podcast she shares some of the experiences she's had hiring freelancers, what she looks for including details in their proposal, ratings, and feedback.
    32 min
  • AB #396 | Organize Your Podcast In 21 Easy Steps Checklist
    In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, host and Instructor of the Affiliate Marketers BootCamp, James Martell and wife Arlene discuss how to organize your podcast in 21 easy steps to ensure a successful podcast.
    These steps are a prime way to quickly get on track to becoming a podcasting pro. The checklist works in any market whether you are an affiliate marketer, chiropractor, trainer, speaker, author, brick and mortar business owner, pub owner, or even a funeral home.
    Getting to Know James Martell
    James is a 12-year podcasting veteran and has found that podcasts allow you to not only create local traffic for your business, but also national and even international traffic to your website as well.
    For those who don't know James, he is the:

    * author of Online Success for Non-Techies
    * founder of The School of Internet Marketing
    * co-founder of jambMEDIA, a podcasting company

    These are only a few of the hats James wears. He has also assisted tens of thousands of business owners through courses, podcasts, books and multiple of speaking engagements.
    Vital Steps to Organize your Podcast For Better Results
    Arlene is not only married to James, but she always works closely with him and has produced well over 1,000 individual podcast episodes for both James and their clients. She is the co-host of the Affiliate Buzz and has worked alongside James to develop protocols and systems to create podcasts both internally and for clients.
    James and Arlene have their 21 steps in a PDF, but this podcast brings them to life sharing stories and insights along the way.
    1. Identify the Why

    Determine why you need a podcast, such as wanting to increase web traffic or to position yourself as a go-to expert. Having your own show adds to your credibility.
    2. Identify your Ideal Listener

    Know who your ideal listener is and put together a profile that identifies the person, who is often your ideal client as well. For Arlene's podcast, Epilepsy Moms, her ideal listener was someone like her, which enabled her to answer questions listeners asked via email.
    3. Identify the Podcast Type

    A podcast is a method of communicating a message to your ideal listener or client. It might advocate, educate, or inform. During this episode, James cites newspaper articles from Bloomberg and Social Media Examiner which are linked in the references section below.
    4. Name your Podcast

    The name of your podcast offers a first impression, so make it a great one. James advises having the name of your podcast clearly reflect the topics you're covering. Arlene gives examples like:

    * Shoulders of Titans, Dan Lok's interviews with successful business owners
    * The Web Commerce Expert Show, about marketing your business online
    * The Natural Therapies Show, where Dr. Tim Brown discusses natural health
    * Label Reading Moms, a show where moms discuss a healthy sugar substitute

    Arlene cautions against having a name that's too long, and James adds that the name of your podcast should also be easy to spell.
    5. Use your Photograph

    James explains that adding your photograph adds to the first impression listeners get when they visit your website. People want to do business with people they can visualize because it helps build trust. Using a professional photo of yourself online positions you as a confident expert in your field.
    6. Podcasting Artwork

    The podcasting artwork is one of the first things your listener will see before they hear your podcast. Display the artwork, which should include the name of your show and your tagline, in the directories with every listing of your show including social media, your website, newsletter, and so forth.
    7. Episode Topics

    A podcast is made up of individual episodes.
    56 min

About Affiliate Buzz | Affiliate Marketing / Affiliate Programs / Internet / Online / Social Media Marketing - James Martell

From the publisher's feed

Since 2003, James Martell has been keeping affiliate marketers inspired, informed and motivated to succeed with affiliate programs. The Affiliate Buzz is the first and longest running podcast in the…