I couldn’t believe my eyes when I checked my email. I scanned the boring list quickly and it just wasn’t there.
My head dropped to my computer desk.
Tears squeezed out of my eyes.
And I thought, “This is very hard. I’m so disappointed. What am I doing wrong?”
I flashed backed to that devastating Christmas morning when I was 9 years old. It seemed to be happening to me again.
The anticipation and excitement is only surpassed by the sudden “best” behavior possible.
We didn’t have much money, but my parents tried to make
Christmas memorable.
There was only one thing I wanted that year and it was a plastic box for my viewmaster and reels – to organize them. (I have a bent for liking to be organized.)
I had seen one at a drug store that was beige with a brown lid. It had 3 separate compartments in it with one just the right size for the viewmaster itself. I think the cost was around $6 or $8 – definitely within reason for my one-allowed request for a Christmas gift.
Christmas morning dawned and all four of us kids lined up at the living room door waiting for permission to enter.
With my bare feet on the floor, I stood on my tippy toes to try to be able to see in once the door opened. It didn’t take long for the magical moment to come.
I ran to my designated chair scanning it quickly for the beloved beige viewmaster box.
I saw a stuffed animal, a bulging stocking, and a strange flat box.
I opened the box and it was a transistor radio which I hadn’t asked for. Not that I wasn’t grateful – don’t get me wrong. But the viewmaster box was nowhere to be found.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
It was all I had asked for.
I felt devastated.
Such a small thing, really, but a huge impact on this little girl with dreams of an organized collection.
I put on a brave face and gave hugs and big thank you to my parents, while struggling to make sense of the disappointment.
Christmas was sad for me that year.
The same disappointment engulfed me. It overwhelmed me like a huge wave in the ocean – the kind that knocks you down and leaves you struggling to figure out which way is what way.
I need a large breath of air.
Here is what had happened – maybe you can identify.
I had started blogging about two years earlier.
I love writing and was determined to marry my love for writing with Internet skills so I could market my business online. I read countless articles of others who had been successful, and I knew I could be successful too.
I invested in training programs, and attended webinars like there was no tomorrow.
I spent hours on end optimizing my blog and writing interesting posts.
I created my awesome free giveaway, and proceeded to the big launch.
I syndicated my blog like crazy.
I commented on other blogs, joined “tribes” and put my links on Facebook.
Tomorrow would surely be the day. I’ll get some blog comments and maybe even an opt-in to my free offer, is what I told myself day after day.
Yes, I was like that little 9 year old girl on Christmas Eve many years ago. But the dreaded realization came that next morning when I checked my email…it was just like what happened that Christmas…
…What I was expecting wasn’t there.
No opt-in announcement. No blog comment waiting to be approved.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
What was I doing wrong?
I needed help, but didn’t know where to turn. The weight of the disappointment crushed me once again.
It was a Facebook Ad.
I was intrigued to discover Ann Sieg’s secret for generating leads online.
But admittedly, I was skeptical, and thought, “Here we go again. Another secret that doesn’t work.”
Yet Ann’s video spoke to my pain.
Free is a good price so her Attraction Marketers Manifesto download was a no brainer. I was so impressed I even went ahead to invest in the Renegade Network Marketer too.
Ann had felt my pain and I wanted her guidance.
I feared another disappointment, but not so much so that it held me back from at least giving it a try.
This time it WAS different.
I studied those two ebooks and could identify with all that Ann wrote.
I joined her Daily Marketing Coach Plus program and was pleasantly surprised, and impressed to experience an “orientation” session with live trainers (not a recording like so many others do).
This was followed by sequential steps being laid out for me in my back office for me to accomplish on my blog as the whole 80/20 team (Certified Renegade Trainers as they’re called) helped to coach me.
I was making progress and had some incredible “aha” moments from the individualized attention and training I was given.
Later, the opportunity to sign up for a weekend workshop presented itself.
I was like the thirsty cocker spaniel chasing after a cute poodle in the park. I lapped up all the wisdom the trainers dished out.
Would I really get opt-ins, comments, and leads who called me?
And would any of it translate into earned income for my business?
One of the Renegade team trainers, Eric Walker, challenged us at the workshop to implement a simple strategy known as the “3 X 3 X 1 Facebook Video For Lead Generation.”
I listened intently as he explained it to us. Eric is a great teacher.
It actually sounded a little bit strange – kind of radical – and almost ridiculously simple.
But hey, I’m willing to try anything that my expert trainers tell me to do – so I threw my hat into the ring.
I won’t go into all of the details about this strategy here and now. This post is long enough.
But if you want to know how this works, then I recommend that you join Ann’s Daily Marketing Coach program. It’s easy to join and at least 10 times worth the cost you actually have to pay.
After implementing this simple, yet proven marketing strategy, I began receiving comments, and even had people inquiring “Where is the next video?”
Pretty fun interactions. Those are the kinds we all like having.
I implemented everything I was instructed to do.
Morning dawned and I opened my email as I always do before breakfast and exercising.
Well, what do you know!
I had 3 opt-in notifications.
Now that was fun!
Over the next few hours … 3 more opt-ins.
And the gift keeps on giving. I receive opt-ins to at least one of my offers at my blog almost every day.
I have comments on my posts daily.
I’ve even had leads call me. . . just like Ann said would happen!
I have sold 3 Renegade ebooks already through my follow up emails and have had one person interested in joining me in business.
Guess what that means?
M.O.N.E.Y.
Yep – So far I have earned $454 through the affiliate book sale (since I joined the Renegade system) in addition to sales of the product I sell for my primary network marketing business.
This reminds me of . . . well, it’s kind of like . . . a viewmaster organizing box made of pure gold!
I plan to use this golden marketing strategy over and over again.
Just watch me.
And try it for yourself.
After the Christmas hub-bub died down that devastating year, my mom sensed my disappointment.
(Moms are good like that).
She allowed me to take the money I had saved up to that drug store and buy that viewmaster organizing box myself. The dollars were crumpled up in my little purse and the coins rattled together as we walked into that store.
I marched right over to the shelf I had seen it and sure enough, it was still there.
I gingerly took it off the shelf -excited to realize my dream of having my viewmaster and little library of reels all organized.
I took action to get it.
And isn’t that just like our online businesses?
If we want something badly enough, we have to take action to get it for ourselves. Over and over and over again.
If you are wanting to get results from your online marketing efforts, then do what I did… Join Ann’s Daily Marketing Coach program (EDITOR’S NOTE: More details about the Daily Marketing Coach will be coming soon).
We can no longer wait for a gift to be handed to us on Christmas morning. Sometimes (most of the time) we just have to get that box of gold ourselves.
Photo Credit for Viewmaster Box
Amy Hagerup specializes in coaching people to better health, business building and other life struggles. With living 23 years overseas as a missionary, Amy connects well with people of all cultures and backgrounds. She is a speaker, author, trainer, and teacher. Check out her latest ebook entitled The Christian's Guide to Thriving Despite Life's Hurts.
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