David Risley: Direct Sales: The Forgotten Revenue Stream For Bloggers?
Tony Teegarden
· 2 months ago
Dead on man! Good to know I'm on track with creating something of my own right now.
I'm also glad to see you're (as always) telling it like it is when talking about other bloggers and in this case panelist at Blogworld. You're one of the most stand up and transparent guys in the business and it's because of that you're readers should appreciate you.
Looking forward to more updates from you!
Christian Russell
· 2 months ago
You are 100% right David. This is why I keep telling people they need to learn how to sell. You're in sales, whether you realize it or not. So many bloggers and business owners of all kinds avoid selling like the plague. I get it. But there's a REASON most businesses fail, and blogging is not immune to this.
If you're not willing to sell, you're in trouble, period!
Dave Doolin
· 2 months ago
Figured this out a couple of months ago, but it takes time to put together products I'm proud to sell. Just don't have one of those "4 hours ebooks" in me.
I am just NOT ready to "go public" with the little projects I have simmering away... nothing is quite finished... the sales chain is still a bit fragile, and I think I want to move to a speedier host than the shared hosting I'm on now.
@Christian, *everyone* is in sales, whether they realize it or not! Especially with this economy.
Very good to see the mindset moving in this direction as well.
remarkablogger
· 2 months ago
Amen, brother. Easily the most powerful business model there is.
David Turnbull
· 2 months ago
I'm always surprised how bloggers gloss over the possibility of actually selling a product. But it takes a bit of effort compared to slapping up a network ad, so maybe that's why.
I have a long time before I'm even interested in seriously monetizing my blog, but I would love to do it with a small range of products, so I can manage the quality myself and keep the revenue generation consistent with my own goals & values. :)
Gordie
· 2 months ago
Thanks for the reminder David, I'm still stuck with ads and affiliate marketing until I develop my first product.
Steve
· 2 months ago
Good advice for everyone. Direct Sales seem like the difficult way to earn a living while everyone is looking for the easy widget they can display that will earn them a living.
Sarge
· 2 months ago
Great post - I have adsense on my blog. I mainly put it up as I just wanted to experience what having adwords on my blog would be like and to see if anyone actually clicked on them. Which would appear not to be the case at all! I plan to take them down at the end of the month and make my site look a bit more professional without all the ads.
I do include affiliate link banners on the side because I feel these products are exactly what beginner bloggers should be looking for. Things like aweber email, web host, Yaro's subscription site and Darren's build better blog in 31 days. I'm not a fan of those ads that are displayed on blogs where it seems evident they're just there with no influence from the blog creator/author. For me they're there as I feel bloggers can benefit from them. (I should add yours too to fill my last remaining spot ;) I would probably do better if I were to directly email my list about products but I feel I'm not ready for that just yet.
I do plan to have my own product eventually for beginner blogger. Can't wait :)
jimi jones
· 2 months ago
Thanks for this post, David. Many bloggers may have this in the backs of their minds, knowing that they will have to go this route someday (me included). But the reality is to bring that to the fore and get busy now.
A great reminder to refocus on what will be most beneficial in the long term
Johnluffa
· 2 months ago
Thanks re-emphasizing that David. This has clearly being your thing for a while now. You've always encouraged selling your own stuff.
The easiest temptation for a new blogger is to go down the banner ads route.
I agree with the "direct sales" approach but have several problems with it. I would love to see a post from you titled: "10 Ways To Sell Advertising On Your Blog With The Direct Sales Approach." Selling anything using the direct sales approach is very time consuming and a new blog is going to have a tough sell. If it's a popular, well trafficked blog then it would seem that affiliate advertising would be a better way to go.
ucomeau
· 2 months ago
I've had this in the back of my mind for a while - this is definitely something I want to do, but I have to come up with a good idea first as a "product", and then I have to find the time to actually create it! Thanks for the reminder! :)
RussRave
· 2 months ago
Hi David, glad to see you had a worthwhile and enjoyable trip in Vegas. I totally agree about the prerequisite for enormous volumes of traffic before banners or Adsense could start to mount up to anything substantial. I'm focusing on building a following and fine tuning some skills and then developing projects (some in process at present) that will offer value to my blog visitors. Kudos to you for having enough insight and perspective to produce some really worthwhile products such as 3-day etc. Also,.. congrats on the impending new baby girl. We have 2 boys aged 2 & 4 and just got news of a 3rd on the way (this will be our last) which we'd be thrilled if was a girl,.. otherwise the boys can start a boyband or something :-). Now this is really motivating me forwards! Russ
Coree
· 2 months ago
I read your Six Figure Blogger Blueprint a few months ago and this was the main thing that stuck with me. I knew you were right, I'd heard it before and yet (just like most new bloggers) I still tried the ad networks and OIO publisher to sell banner ads. I made a whopping zero dollars from that waste of time and energy at such an early point in my blogging career.
I liked what JB Glossinger said on his panel when he told us to stop wasting time looking at analytics & statistics and get busy creating content to sell. For the next two weeks I'm focusing only on putting together my own product. If I wait until I think I'm expert enough, I'll never get it done! Thanks for reminding me once again...this time I'll listen. :)
All Comments
I'm also glad to see you're (as always) telling it like it is when talking about other bloggers and in this case panelist at Blogworld. You're one of the most stand up and transparent guys in the business and it's because of that you're readers should appreciate you.
Looking forward to more updates from you!
If you're not willing to sell, you're in trouble, period!
I am just NOT ready to "go public" with the little projects I have simmering away... nothing is quite finished... the sales chain is still a bit fragile, and I think I want to move to a speedier host than the shared hosting I'm on now.
@Christian, *everyone* is in sales, whether they realize it or not! Especially with this economy.
Very good to see the mindset moving in this direction as well.
I have a long time before I'm even interested in seriously monetizing my blog, but I would love to do it with a small range of products, so I can manage the quality myself and keep the revenue generation consistent with my own goals & values. :)
I'm still stuck with ads and affiliate marketing until I develop my first product.
I do include affiliate link banners on the side because I feel these products are exactly what beginner bloggers should be looking for. Things like aweber email, web host, Yaro's subscription site and Darren's build better blog in 31 days. I'm not a fan of those ads that are displayed on blogs where it seems evident they're just there with no influence from the blog creator/author. For me they're there as I feel bloggers can benefit from them. (I should add yours too to fill my last remaining spot ;) I would probably do better if I were to directly email my list about products but I feel I'm not ready for that just yet.
I do plan to have my own product eventually for beginner blogger. Can't wait :)
Many bloggers may have this in the backs of their minds, knowing that they will have to go this route someday (me included). But the reality is to bring that to the fore and get busy now.
A great reminder to refocus on what will be most beneficial in the long term
This has clearly being your thing for a while now. You've always encouraged selling your own stuff.
The easiest temptation for a new blogger is to go down the banner ads route.
I sometimes watch this video of yours as a reminder of this
How Money is REALLY Made With a Blog?
Thanks for sharing
glad to see you had a worthwhile and enjoyable trip in Vegas. I totally agree about the prerequisite for enormous volumes of traffic before banners or Adsense could start to mount up to anything substantial.
I'm focusing on building a following and fine tuning some skills and then developing projects (some in process at present) that will offer value to my blog visitors.
Kudos to you for having enough insight and perspective to produce some really worthwhile products such as 3-day etc.
Also,.. congrats on the impending new baby girl. We have 2 boys aged 2 & 4 and just got news of a 3rd on the way (this will be our last) which we'd be thrilled if was a girl,.. otherwise the boys can start a boyband or something :-). Now this is really motivating me forwards!
Russ
I liked what JB Glossinger said on his panel when he told us to stop wasting time looking at analytics & statistics and get busy creating content to sell. For the next two weeks I'm focusing only on putting together my own product. If I wait until I think I'm expert enough, I'll never get it done! Thanks for reminding me once again...this time I'll listen. :)