Interview with Michael Nicholas of Success Triggers By Cort McCadden Feb 15, 2006

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Q: Cort
1. I know that you are one of the new “hotshots” in Internet Marketing; however I would like to know what you did before your Net involvement. When was this? What got you interested in the Net?

A: Michael
Thanks for the kind intro, but really… I’m just like many of your readers… I’m someone who wanted to find a better way than what my local community could provide for me to make a decent living. My curiosity led me to the Internet in my search for something better in life – so here I am. Now I
work globally. Previously, I spent my professional life as a musician performing in clubs, Vegas, studios, touring around and then later got married with children.

At that point it was time to be home more. And I don’t mean just be at home, I mean work at home too. You see, after being in music for extended years, I knew I was in for a rough transition into J.O.B. life if I ever had to go do
the 8 to 5 rat race. As an alternative, I began scoring music for TV and radio spots in a digital home studio I put together. I had a nice run with it till 9/11.

After 9/11 things got quiet in my business. All of my music scoring jobs disappeared fast because all the budgets were cut. I banked on getting hired by certain producers that called me for TV scores and radios spots, but now there was no work. Luckily, from my music computer skills, I was able to learn to build websites and soon after I discovered something called Internet marketing.

Now I’m thankful everyday that I was able to turn the Internet into an income producing work at home profession.
I believe the Internet saved me and can save many people from J.O.B. oppression who really want success and are willing to go after it.

Q: Cort
Did you see the value of Email Marketing almost immediately after it appeared? What made you get involved with Email Marketing?

A: Michael
For me it was immediate in how I responded to it because I bought something from a very early Internet marketing website. But it was really an extension of direct marketing as the product had to be shipped. That was back in 1996.

But at first I really didn’t take it too serious because my computer was set up to score music so that was my main focus at the time. I mostly used email for family and friends. But a little later in 1999 I started signing up online for more info I was curious about since I’ve always had a love for
marketing.

I started buying ebooks through email offers with no hesitation (yes I read them too). I loved the instant accessibility of the download and STILL do. The more ebooks I bought, the more I realized these online marketers were making a living doing it and that really appealed to me. The
light bulb went off. However, I waited a few more years than I should have to get started. I hope your readers don’t make that same mistake. (more on that below)

Q: Cort
What are your feelings about Plain vs. HTML Email Marketing? What about the Audio and Visual Email?

A: Michael
At the time of this writing and while HTML email has been an option for a long time… I still choose to publish using basic text email.

So why text email?...

Let me give you a quick excerpt of bullet points that outline this from page 31 of my new ebook, Email Profit Triggers.

Text emails are still in standard use for a few good reasons.

1) They are easier to produce and take less time

2) They keep the focus solely on your written message
(The written message is much more powerful than you may realize)

3) They get through Spam filters better than HTML emails

Now let’s look at why HTML email may not be a good choice.

1) The Spam filters like to zap HTML emails

2) The setup time to create your issues takes a lot longer when graphics are also required.

3) It won’t be as easy to publish because of the added detail involved with each HTML issue. (This may also hurt your frequency)

4) Your written content may become diluted because now it has to compete with a more visual presentation. Unless you are selling esthetics, written content rules.

5) Overall, text email has been found to be more effective over HTML for Internet marketers. (This can be debatable for other types of online marketing such as retail, or organization based HTML emails, etc.)

One thing for sure is if you want to get into HTML email, you must plan each issue from not only a written point of view but also the graphical too.

I highly recommend text-only emails keeping your written messages as your main focus – and not graphics.

However, if a marketer needs to use HTML email they must be prepared to have web building skills to create email templates for their issues. If you use any pictures in your email they should not be attachments like when you send
your personal emails… but the image source must be on a web server.

As far as email with audio/video media… I have seen them but so far have not seen them regularly after they made their initial splash. I intently watch other marketers so when they send one - I get one. For some reason I am not seeing audio/video emails on a consistent basis which tells me they may be profitable for special campaigns - but not yet in everyday email marketing.

Maybe 2006 is the year for this but it all remains to be seen as far as I am concerned. In the meantime, plain text email seems the most efficient overall in my opinion.

Q: Cort
What have been your biggest successes in your business and why? Failures? What would you do differently if you could do things over?

A: Michael
My biggest success was clearly deciding to get started in online marketing… Once you make that commitment, I find you’re on your way. My failure was I stalled for years.

I thought I needed to write an ebook to be in this business at first. But then I discovered there are so many other products to sell through affiliate marketing that I could have gotten started in online marketing years earlier - but I didn’t get it. I was waiting for the one BIG idea to hit me so I could gain an entrance into the business. So I took 7 months to write an ebook and it did get me an entrance into the business, true. BUT…I wasted a few good years waiting for my BIG idea to come pondering about it each day.

In those lost years (looking back in my 20/20 hindsight) I would have been better off to have started building my list
FIRST back in 1999/2000 instead of late 2003 when I officially launched my ebook and career.

Well… this is the Internet folks… Come as you are… You
don’t need your own product or have to reinvent wheels. What you can do is what we’ve been hearing all the long.

* Become knowledgeable in your area
* Create some free reports and give them away in trade for subscriptions
* Keep building your list
* Make good recommendations to your list on affiliate products you believe in

Basically, you build a list of people on your topic that will like and trust you. Make good solid recommendations to your members and you have an excellent recipe for online success. And it still works in today’s Internet.

I wish I read what I just said 5 years ago. If just one person hears it and gets going changing their life because of it – mission accomplished. But I know there are millions out there that can start changing their lives for the
better by using the power of the Internet in some way.

Bottom line… (and BTW guru Allan Gardyne told me this real Internet secret so I better whisper)

" *** JUST GET STARTED *** " !


Q: Cort
What would be your advice to Internet newbies concerning Email Marketing?

A: Michael
Basically I covered this question above, but let me add this…

Watch other email marketers in how they market to you. Look at their offers. Notice what makes you click to see what they suggest. Take notes by starting your own email copy swipe file. This way you can get an idea on how marketers communicate their messages.

Real email marketing is nothing like Spam. Real email marketing is all about a relationship one on one with thousands of people all at the same time - that want to hear from you. But they must like and trust you before they will accept your recommendations. Once you have their trust they will respond to you. As long as you give them good recommendations and tips, etc… they’ll stick with you for years to come :>)

Cort: Thanks, Michael! And I know you have a wonderful surprise for our readers.

Michael: Yes, I have a new Ebook called Email PROFIT Triggers where your readers will get a 50% discount off the premium price!

Also they will be subscribed to my news ezine Success Triggers where I search hard and heavy all over the web looking for tools and tips that can help trigger your
online success. And I will be sending them a FR** $175 bonus Pack!

http://www.EmailProfitTriggers.com/demc.html


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Cort McCadden is the co-founder of a new AV/TV production company called Avmagination that will be specializing in producing HDDVD – High Definition DVD – for “edu-entertainment” info products like his soon to be released Barter Wealth.

You can reach him at cort@avmagination.com and visit the website at http://www.usprepared.com to be on his mailing list to receive his newly updated FREE Ebook Survival Manual for the Third Millennium.

In this ebook you will find preparation for hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. Cort is a recognized authority on survival and has made appearances on Art Bell Coast to Coast.

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