How do we know who to listen to when it comes to Web 2.0?

There is a new internet craze going on now from my perspective. Lately everybody has become an overnight expert about making money online by Wordpress blogging and social bookmarking.

That’s funny to me because I remember hearing an interview with Ed Dale on a tele-seminar (around January 2008) speaking to a group of the interviewer’s “inner circle” students. The guy interviewing Ed Dale was an “expert at internet marketing” and had no idea about Facebook as a marketing vehicle.

Until very recently, few gurus promoted Web 2.0 and social bookmarking as a viable marketing online mechanism – in fact many of them referred to social media sites like Facebook as a playground for adults like MySpace is for teenagers. Something not to be taken seriously.

Suddenly they are all experts with megaphones touting Web 2.0 as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Now Will the Real Web 2.0 Please Stand Up?

There are exceptions: the two most notable are Jack Humphrey and Ed Dale in my experience.

Long before it was fashionable to be a Web 2.0 expert, most SEO-Internet Marketing guys looked at Jack Humphrey like he was one of those bus stop evangelists holding a sign that said, “The End Is Near,” preaching doom to everyone.

Only Jack was really holding a sign that said,

“Social bookmarking is cool. Web 2.0 really works and it’s the wave of the future.”

And the naysayers, would wink at each other implying that Jack should be locked up – wondering when the guys in the white suits were coming to take him where he “really belonged”.

I actually hired one of Jack’s partners (Peter Lenkefi) to build three adsense sites for me before I had a clue what adsense was all about. After that he contacted me again and said that he and his partner were starting a new program that would revolutionize internet marketing. Fall 2006 the subject came up again in my discussions with Peter about joining the new system and to get involved in an intensive and specialized training program – kind of a insider’s club of the new wave – the future of internet marketing. There was a last minute a glitch and I was unable to participate in the training.

Well that was the precursor the current version of Authority Site Center, Jack’s baby.

The idea is that if you create an extensive network of social media sites – a “web” – correctly linked and constructed, you will end up with an Authority Site that ranks well, has tons of inbound links and is both “Google-slap” proof as well as recession proof.

One of the BEST FREE Web 2.0 Resources on the Net

Jack Humphrey wrote the book on Web 2.0 and Social Bookmarking. Literally….

It’s been downloaded over 40,000 times. If you want a blog that gets read, follow the instructions in this book.

Get the Authority Black Book free.

Jack gets about 5000-10,000 unique visitors a day to his site. And he does not spend a dime on Google adsense.

How many SEO guys can say that?

A few months back, Jack offered a free 8 week webinar class to 500 people on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The classes were held online at 1:00 p.m. and then the session repeated again at 10:00 p.m. There were participants from all over the world. The moderator did an online presentation and the students could text questions and comments.

What a great course and what excellent teaching. Jack sat in on a few sessions, but the vast majority of the course was taught by Sam Clarke. What a fantastic guy and a what a great class. The camaraderie and the depth of the learning and the bonding was exceptional. It was like Sam created a family.

We liked it so much and liked Sam so much, we’ve decided that we are going to have a reunion on a cruise ship next year – so all the “text-forum” friends from around the world can meet face to face.

These guys give it their all and they do not hold back.

The emphasis of the training was on extensive and professional market research, prior to ever publishing a blog or a website. The course was based on years of Jack’s personal experience – as well as their experience as internet marketers, bloggers, dealing with students and clients for several years.

The best part about this course was that it was laid out in a step-by-step format sequentially in 16 Steps. Accordingly, the name was 16 Steps to Success. What to do and how to execute each step.

My iron clad conclusion was that Jack, Sam and Authority Site Center are the real McCoy.

I was so convinced I joined the membership site for more extensive training.

Ed Dale and The Thirty Day Challenge

Ed has an annual program that he started several years ago called the Thirty Day Challenge. This is the fourth year, I believe. Prior to last year, I don’t know the history, but I do know that there are people who came out of the 30 Day Challenge and have gone on to be millionaires. My wife and I took the 30 Day Challenge last year and it was a great experience. We both agree that it is one of the most valuable courses we have taken.

Another Absolutely Amazing Free Web 2.0 Resource

Sign up for the Thirty Day Challenge.

The Thirty Day Challenge is chocked full of cutting edge techniques because that’s the way Ed Dale does stuff. He is a massively successful internet marketer. I believe he started this tradition because he wants to give back.

Take this class.

And it’s free. It doesn’t cost anything to take the course.

Here is the concept: In 30 days, even if you have no internet experience, you will learn how to make money online from scratch using Web 2.0 and social bookmarking.

You learn how to make $10 (ten dollars) from a website you build during the 30 day class.

$10 bucks – big deal, right?

The idea is that once you know how to make $10, you know how to make $1,000 or more. Just do more of the same thing that worked.

The 30 Day Challenge is a blast. This year is supposed to be the best one yet because the technology has come so far since last year. And last year was awesome. We’re taking it again.

See you there.

Both Jack Humphrey and Ed Dale Share Something in Common.

They care about people. They put people first and making a buck second.

They also encourage you to learn what you can with free tools first, before you spend money on mentoring, software, design and business development.

They teach focus.

And they teach to research your topic completely – identify your niche (or niches) and thoroughly do your market research before you invest in your topic. Make certain there is demand, traffic and a way to monetize the site before you build it.

That’s damn good advice guys.

Two excellent marketers, Web 2.0 experts and Teachers

Other related links…
Jack Humphrey in Vegas…again – Hey all. Just dropping by to report my where abouts so no one freaks out and I don’t go too long without posting. It is also required by my probation officer, and the CIA likes to keep track of me as well. Wish I had some pictures. …

How many of you Baby Boomer Life blog readers participated in the incredible amazing Thirty Day Challenge??? With Ed Dale and Dan Raine?… That’s it. Time to wake up and touch the internet and I don’t mean check your email either!

Officially, the 2007 Thirty Day Challenge… is over. But, for me it will never end, as I will continue to challenge myself every day to do and learn more. What they have taught me will stay with me forever. …

30 Day Challenge: Can you do without TV? – I do a lot of things differently in an effort to enjoy my life. Sometimes I forget just how abnormal some of them are. This past week I co-instructed the IRA Association of America professional member enrollment course in Denver, CO. …

Thirty Day Challenge – It’s called 30DC (Thirty Day Challenge). It starts August 1st. This is a wonderful thing to join because it teaches you allot of wonderful, helpful & and free ways to find your “Niche” or find what kind of online business you would like …

Visual Communication And Video Publishing – Selected Tools And Web … – Web 2.0 Free Logo Generator Web 2.0 Free Logo Generator is a web-based service that lets you create Web 2.0 logos, without knowing anything about photo editing. You can personalize the text, font, background color, size, reflection, …

Web 2.0 a social networking explosion…Web 2.0 – What the hell is this all about then? Most of the folks that I’m trying to get this across to around their early 40’s. Having just mastered the www and now know what a web site is, how email work and how to download all the free music you need for life. …

A couple of weeks back we bumped into a guy named Erik Olson (and his lovely wife, Heather) on Facebook.

Through a series of exchanges and communications, we quickly learned that we share a lot in common and that we could easily talk for hours at a time.

You can Meet Healthy Wealthy Boomer Erik Olson by listening to an 6/9/08 interview I did with Erik.. He’s a character, you’ll love this guy.

Erik is a classic example of a small business serial entrepreneurial.

However, Erik is a member of a fairly elite group because he has learned how to effectively put his entrepreneurial talent to work and rise above the ’serial stigma’ that plagues most small business owners. That stigma includes perpetually spewing forth new ideas and driving everyone around them nuts – business associates, friends, family and particularly spouses.

Through our interaction with the Olson’s on Facebook, on the phone and via email, it became obvious quickly how uncanny the similarities are between us.

I downloaded a copy of

Nine Simple Rules, by Erik Olson

and was astounded how much our philosophies correlate as well as our hands on experience in small business. As I read further it was kind of spooky how close his story felt like my own – even his statement that basically says we will never truly succeed as an entrepreneur until we create a business that is built around our life, instead of a life built around our business.

Quoting from Erik’s Nine Simple Rules,

“When you design a business for the express purpose of giving you more life, several things change. The first thing that changes is your choice of business. You can no longer be held hostage to your own labor. By this I mean that the business must be able to produce revenue for you without your constant involvement. If you are a plumber with no employees, you only produce income when you hold a wrench in your hand.
This makes you a slave to your business. On the other hand, if you invent a plumbing gadget, and license the rights to another manufacturer, you get paid every time any plumber around the world buys one. The first business sucks the life from you, but the second has at least the chance of giving you more life…”

And further…

“So why not take what’s behind door number two and create lots of value while generating lots of reward for yourself at the same time? You deserve to have a wonderful life… if you can stand it.”

This felt like a commonly shared thought and had a strong ring of familiarity to it but I didn’t realize how much so until I was doing some editing on my eBook last night and read the following:

The title of a sub-chapter in Chapter 11 of Healthy Wealthy Boomer is:

“The 9 Golden Rules for Online Business Start Up”

And rule # 9 is: Plan your business so you laugh, play and relax more than you work.

But, it’s essential to plan from the beginning to create a business that will not require your presence to operate, once you get things fully operational and stabilized. Begin with this objective in mind.

When you begin to plan how you want to create your business, factor in:

• Lots of vacation time
• Intimate dinners and nights out
• Rewarding your spouse with surprises that are generated from the business so that the subject of having a home based business is positive – create positive reinforcement for yourself as well
• Pay yourself first
• And don’t forget First Fruits…Be grateful – remember the attitude of gratitude that Zig Ziglar talks about.

Spend time enjoying your life and build your business around your life, instead of building your life around your business.

Erik’s book has value as a small business owner because it will give you a sense that you belong.

And that somebody really does understand you.

But The Value of Erik Olson’s Advice Goes Beyond That…

He explains the cyclic nature of the mind of a serial entrepreneurial in such a way as to explain:

• why we really do the things we do and
• what we need to do to compensate for our true nature
• a simple method for becoming effective business owners

Most small business entrepreneurs frustrate the heck out of consultants because they sit and listen to what the consultant has to say, they nod in agreement and then do exactly what they wanted in the first place – often ignoring the consultant.

Erik describes a method of management – kind of an Erik Olson-entrepreneur-version of Peter Drucker’s Management By Objectives. But Erik is smart because he knows if it gets complex, entrepreneurs will not follow instructions – not unlike trying to herd cats.

Instead Erik’s presentation – like placing the aromatic ‘fish’ strategically to attract the cats, rather than trying to herd them – is a appealing to the mind of the entrepreneur in a similar manner.

Erik Talks a Lot About “The Business Wheel” – A Cool Business Tool for Entrepreneurs

Throughout the book, Erik talks about ‘The Business Wheel’ – a kind of gadget that appeals to the mind of the entrepreneur like a lure for bass or something.

Erik Olson’s Business Advice Made So Much Sense, We Joined His Mentoring Program

Erik’s insight in the book about a practical and intelligent approach to converting useless, relentless hours of serial working behavior into effective, manageable results made a lot of sense to us.

So much so in fact that we joined his mentoring program. We highly recommend Erik’s professional expertise and if it sounds interesting to you, you can check it out at Erik Olson Profit Center

Semiologic Pro Simplifies Starting an Online Business

Semiologic Pro is a turbo charged version of Wordpress and we recently converted to Semio for our blogs. We really hadn’t planned on doing this but we liked the first install so much, we changed them all over. It’s a cool system.

We found out about Semiologic from our friend Sherman Hu – an SEO and internet marketing expert and an emerging video-blog master – he’s sharp, kind and savvy. Sherman runs Sherman Live and Wordpress Tutorials. He is also a faculty member for Stomper Net and uses Semiologic Pro himself. Thanks for the tip Sherman.

Semiologic is a versatile and powerful blog platform that really makes starting an online business a piece of cake. It’s search engine friendly and enhances your internet marketing efforts without having to know HTML or PhP. This lets you focus on creating good content instead of trying to figure out the latest technology before you can use it.

The more familiar I become with the capacity and the flexibility of this system, the better I like it. Although Wordpress was created as a blog platform, it seems to be evolving into an effective platform for e-commerce as well because it is so easy to use.  And cool new PhP widgets are popping up al the time. More on Healthy Wealthy Boomer Online Business Tools – Semiologic Pro