1) A Strong List Based on Honor, Loyalty, and Strength — those three characteristics may seem odd to talk about in public, but it’s always been my goal to become a full time internet marketer with 100% integrity. Sure, if I had taken the “low road”, I would have been able to quit my day job far far long time ago, but I wouldn’t have been able to sleep like a baby the way I do now.

I want to build a list that educates, teaches, encourages, and yes, even disciplines along the way for entrepreneurs that need to hit the ground running. I’m notorious for being the Fast Content Creator — I generally create & launch new products from start to finish in less than a week’s time.

I put product creation on pause to really build a strong list, because I know from direct mail marketing that a good list is worth far far more than just money.

What I see is that a lot of list owners are afraid to market to me, the list subscriber. MARKET TO ME, AND MARKET WELL. I’m a buyer, a devourer of information like nothing else on earth. Why *not* market to those people? Sure, people may unsubscribe, but they aren’t really apart of your core team of fans anyway if they can’t take a marketing message every once in a while in exchange for valuable content, yes?

2. Less Free Work — I gave away a lot of content in 2008, and didn’t have the systems in place to make money anyway (like a strong backend, or even a real product) – I was very client oriented and spent hours and hours of time trying to convince clients to pay me a living, breathing wage instead of a nickels and dimes wage.

3. Get Physical. Refund bandits screwed up digital sales for me. I don’t mind that someone asks for a refund — it happens. But when you continue to purchase my other products and keep doing that, it gets my attention. The excuses are pretty lame “it uh, didn’t work for me” (I find that very vague — tell me why so I can make the product even better!) and one guy even said that he never got the product, when my servers indicated he did.

Also, I feel that physical information products fetch a higher premium — do you think Lucinda Bassett’s “Living Without Anxiety” or any of the Tony Robbins tapes sold for $27? I think not
People are used to physical information products costing a bit more money than digital products, and I am all about creating premium experiences in 2009. I simply cannot create mucho super crazy value and then ruin that by selling it for $17 — some of my buyers have noted that the low price was a hesitation they had — if it’s so good, why is it so cheap?

I know that in the MLM world, a 3 figure entry fee (for example, when my friend joined YTB she had to pay like $400) is common. I’m going to definitely create an affordable product line, but I definitely want to channel my inner Saks Fifth Avenue / Neiman Marcus as well

4. We Get Local. I’d like to join the Chamber of Commerce, to communicate with and really get to understand the trials and tribulations of local business owners, and teach them direct response techniques that have changed the way I do business.

I want to raise the profile of my company and also give it “roots”, something that I think is highly important even for us virtual folks.

5. More Syndication. There’s a lot of strong content I’ve created over the years, but no one actually sees it. It hit me when I saw that Connie Ragen Green (@ConnieGreen on twitter), has over 883 articles created in the span of 1.5 years! I’m a fast content writer, I really need to raise my profile and create authority in my niches. I *am* a sharp copywriter, it’s time I make that known

Creating a book and being on radio for real really has changed my opinion on product creation, promotion and everything in between. I used to believe that others would just toot my horn for me, but I gotta get out there and shine.

6. More Isa! I’m still a rather shy person, but as I began watching your videos, I realized that hey, I could be in front of the video cam too! I’m actually creating a video series on how I create copy. I’m doing a salesletter for Amanda Goldston’s new Clearing Limiting Beliefs program for my copywriting portfolio, and figured I’d generate another source of income by giving people a rare peek into how my brain works to create good copy very quickly — it’s a process that I’ve refined over the last few years.

Can’t you tell I’m a long form copywriter? I’ve written a little mini book here, but when Chris asks, I write! Take care, and I wish you nothing but success in 2009 — and beyond!

Work hard, play hard, love easily!

Isabella “Niche Lady” Murphy, The Staying Paid Diva