An exclusive interview with Mark Joyner!

[Alpha] Mark, as (in my opinion) the most successful internet marketer alive, please tell us how you started using the web as a marketing tool... [Mark] I was exposed to the web when I was a very young kid and my uncle had an arpanet teletype. I completely forgot about it until 1993 when a few things I had been studying converged on the net. I had immersed myself in the study of mind control psychology and Asian military strategy and had learned that if one were to really master these arts, they could apply them to any discipline. I was also thinking of starting my own business. I learned about the net and discovered that no one really knew anything about doing business on the net. It was virgin territory. So, I said, "Well, if ever there was a test to see if the things I have learned are applicable to *anything* this is it." It turned out to have worked quite well for me. [Alpha] How did you learn what it takes to turn a website into a raving success? [Mark] Persistence and testing. That is the only way. One must take a rigorous scientific attitude (as much as is practical) when doing Internet marketing, or any marketing for that fact. That, combined with learning from the masters, is what it takes. Some of the masters are right on. Some of them are full of shit (or maybe what they teach worked for them and not for you). Over time, through study and testing, you will begin to develop a sense for what works. [Alpha] How long did it take your first website to start making a profit? [Mark] About 3 months really. The budget was so low, and I did everything myself, so there really wasn't too much in the way of expense to overcome. That's one of the things that makes marketing on the net so fantastic. [Alpha] What is your take on mini-sites? Do you have a *favorite* marketing strategy to promote mini-sites? [Mark] My favorite strategy is the one that works. I am so often shifting the way we do things (based on what I learn) and changing my game, that it's hard to pin down one particular favorite. In general, I opt for *anything* that can be done with very little expense. Master hundreds of low cost marketing methods, automate them, and then have fun playing with what happens. [Alpha] What mistakes have you made as an internet marketer? What would you recommend us to watch out for when starting out? [Mark] Take all advice - even mine! - with a grain of salt. Test everything. Question everything. Don't assume things are just going to happen. For example, I used to mail my newsletter out on a particular day because I had heard via word of mouth that it was the best day of the week for mailing. I finally did some testing and found out it was wrong! [Alpha] You recently opened a new (free) service - StartBlaze. Could you offer us a suggestion on how to take the best advantage of it so my users can promote their mini-sites and build mega-traffic to them? [Mark] Absolutely - tailor a mini site that immediately grabs the attention of the StartBlaze user. A StartBlaze page that overwhelms the user with too much information, or doesn't grab them up front, will not get the best response. You want to immediately identify, and grab the attention of your target - then walk them down a path towards the sale. [Alpha] Thank you Mark! This was an insightful interview... [Mark] It's my pleasure to help you and your customers into success. :)