From DEMC.com
Interview with Tuks Engineer a Premiere Info Product Developer
By Cort McCadden
Apr 26, 2006, 13:08
Cort: Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Tuks Engineer who is the creator of numerous Niche Market related sites. 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?
Tuks: Prior to becoming an Internet marketer/information publisher I spent six years in the field of investment banking at a very well known investment bank (from the mid-nineties).
Back then many people thought I had a dream job – I never did and for many reasons. First, in a company that employs 30,000 people it’s pretty impossible to make a real difference (you’re just a tiny cog in a huge machine). Second, I encountered a portfolio of bosses who were nothing more than a bunch of dirty, backstabbing little pigs (and to be fair a couple of real gems too). Third, there was just no scope at all for creativity.
My evolution to Internet marketer was gradual – My first memory was reading an article (I don’t recall where) about how the Internet had opened up a new world of opportunity for ordinary individuals like you and me. I then discovered info-product creation (in my earlier days I sold exclusively on eBay). Then I started creating my own websites after which I began developing an opt in list and establishing a rapport with them. I have never looked back since.
Cort: Did you see the value of Email Marketing almost immediately after it appeared? What made you get involved with Email Marketing?
Tuks: I really wish I had, but in truth I only took email marketing seriously far later than I should have. All the respected online personalities I followed were shouting it at the top of their voices. The hints were also there in the books and courses I purchased.
It’s easy to look back and think, man I was a bit of a thickee, but when you’re a newbie you’re presented with so much information, schemes, gimmicks, solutions etc from just about every man and his dog that you just don’t know what to go with. So inevitably I did my time - tried more or less everything (even things that I now would not touch with a ten foot barge-pole) and when I invested time and attention in email marketing, things started to happen – big time!
In fact, when I talk to my subscribers through my DRR newsletter I constantly impress upon them the importance of building an opt-in list (and creating a positive, responsive relationship with it).
Cort: What are you doing to avoid the ever present spam filters from putting your email in spam folders? Are you considering using PDF files to send your ezine like I have started to do?
Tuks: Generally, I know what general terms the filters look out for so here’s what I do. I write out my email naturally - really let it flow without editing anything. Then, when I review what I’ve written I’ll pick out any phrases that could potentially harm chances of delivery and rework them. Of course you can get hold of software that will pick out any spam sensitive phrases for you and that’s fine if that’s the way you want to go but I just prefer to do it by myself.
As you say, putting your newsletters on PDFs is also a great way of beating the stuffing out of an over-eager filter. There are several additional advantages to this too – for example, PDF newsletters are among the most responsive types around. You can also turn them into mini-info-products, slap master resell/distribution rights on them and (unless you’re publishing utter dross – which you clearly aren’t :) BANG – you’ve just created a viral time-bomb. The PDFs swirl around the Internet, establishing your brand name and getting your offers out there. Can’t hurt, can it?
One final way of beating the filters is by setting up a blog that houses your newsletter editions. Hence you simply email your subscribers to let them know your latest edition is ready and post a link to your blog. The added benefit with this technique is that you can (if you wish) include some Adsense ads on your blog side bar and create an additional viral income stream with every newsletter edition. You can set-up a free blog if this method interests you. You can check out my own blog as an example if you like – http://digital-resale-rights.blogspot.com .
Cort: GREAT advice about the blogging to beat the filters! What are your feelings about Plain vs HTML Email Marketing? What about audio and visual Email?
Tuks: Technology moves on swiftly in this industry. The right answer today (if there is one) may not be so tomorrow. There’s also the “human” element with this issue – some people prefer a standard text email in their inbox (I still prefer this) while others may get more out of the whole audio/video/HTML experience.
What I am sure of is that the most important aspect of any newsletter is not so much the presentation – it’s the content. You could have the most stunning, flashy video presentation but if your name happens to be Dr. Mumbo Von Jumbo and what you’re offering to the end user is absolute garbage then people will find that out pretty quickly. The next time they see your email (be it text/html/audio/video) they’ll think “Oh, it’s that idiot again”…and then they will almost certainly delete your presentation without even giving it a glance.
Cort: What have been your biggest successes in your business and why? Failures? What would you do differently if you could do things over?
Tuks: Success can mean different things to different people. Since setting up my Internet publishing company the one site that seems to continually get people going “Wow, that’s pretty damn good!” has been my Digital Resale Rights club. It’s where I pour most of my time, energy and effort. But the real success has been the lifestyle that the business has brought – I work my own hours. I work at home when I want or anywhere else I fancy (just last week I did my newsletter from one of my favourite little cafés in Central London - delightful).
Failures are strange things – it’s ok to fail (seriously). You learn from them and then you move on to make your next project a sure-fire winner. When I first started my online career I barely made $100 a month. Like all newbies I was clueless as to what to sell and how to get my products to interested prospects in a cost effective way. I spent a fortune on gimmicks that promised the moon but delivered nothing – things like software that would apparently blast your advert to millions of targeted prospects with the click of a button while you sit back and sip camomile tea. Things like sending your email to 1 million eager prospects for $10 and so on. Basically, there are a huge number of scams out there that prey on the helplessness of newbies, and that’s a real shame because it tarnishes the Internet as a forum for cheats and con-artists (which on the whole it isn’t).
What would I do differently? I would learn how to target high-potential, tightly focused niche markets and build highly responsive opt in lists for each one. I would build a relationship with each list and feed them a mix of high quality information coupled with offers that would be of benefit to them. Right there is one highly effective way of making serious money online within six months to a year. For example, here are a couple of very high demand niches that I’ve built a presence in recently:
The Article Marketing Niche
The Real Estate Niche
Just like the two above there are so many more niches out there with millions of cash rich prospects that will gladly pay for quality information. If you can supply them with an info-product that satisfies their thirst for knowledge then you can make a lot of money pretty quickly.
Cort: What would be your advice to Internet newbies concerning email marketing?
Tuks: First, email marketing WORKS and very well at that. At the moment it’s free to send out emails and it’s free/inexpensive to build a targeted opt in mailing list. There’s a reason why practically all the online gurus preach the “money is in the list” mantra. It’s because it’s very true!
Here’s a plan that some newbies may want to look at RE email marketing:
1. First focus on the quality of your material. Remember that content is king and it doesn’t matter if you have a list size of 100,000 - if you’re not providing good quality to your guys they won’t respond.
2. Spend some time each and every day on building an opt in list. There’s no shortage of ways to do this – go to forums where your target prospects can be found and instead of leaving your main offer in your signature file leave the sign-up URL for your newsletter. Start swapping ads with other influential figures in your market. Participate in JV giveaways (use any leverage that you have) where people have to sign up to get your quality freebie. Then, move onto paid methods of building your list if you have the funds.
3. Learn how to build a relationship with your list. Remember, they are on the whole just good, friendly people – like your best mates or your family. Invite them to email you and talk with you. Be professional of course, but don’t be a robot. I have to say, my DRR subscribers are a great bunch and emailing them has actually become one of the favourite parts of my business.
Finally, As a thank-you for inviting me to this interview Cort, and to help your wonderful readers learn all about email marketing and building opt in list’s I’d like to offer everyone a great video tutorial that I usually sell at $29 with my compliments:
http://www.digital-resale-rights.com/listfree.htm
Enjoy.
Tuks Engineer
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Cort McCadden also known by his real name Hugh Simpson is a former consumer investigative reporter for Post Newsweek TV and the co-founder of the website http://www.moneywiselife.com and the new blog http://moneywiselife.blogspot.com where he shares up to date consumer awareness tips for especially seniors since he has reached 60 this year. He is also an emergency preparedness consultant and he encourages you to download the FR** Emergency Preparedness Guide at http://www.usprepared.com offering tips for preparedness on both man made and natural disasters.
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