So, here’s the deal…

I will be doing a live, public webinar on January 25th, at 8PM EST. That’s this coming Monday evening. And I’m located in Florida, so adjust your time accordingly.

RSVP For The Webinar Now

This will be my first, public webinar – ever. Up until now, the only webinars I’ve done have been for my Blog Masters Club students.

On Monday evening, I am going to be talking about what I see going on in the world of blogging. I’m going to talk about what I think all bloggers should be doing moving forward, and why NOW is the time to get into gear. Lastly, I’m going to finally give the entire run down of what’s inside the Blog Masters Club.

This webinar will be completely free, and YES, I will be recording it if you aren’t able to make it. Of course, that is depending on all systems working as planned.

Also depending on all technology working as its supposed to, I’m planning to simulcast the entire thing over UStream. Now, you won’t be able to easily see any of the cool slides or anything on UStream, but you’ll be able to see my funny-looking face.

I invite you to attend and I look forward to interacting with everybody.

For full details and to RSVP to secure your seat in this webinar, click here.

We’ll see if we can keep Elyana entertained so you don’t hear any baby noises on the webinar.

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Today, I have launched a brand new report. After all, I couldn’t let the new year go by without doing something interesting.

It is called….

Pro Blogging in 2010 And Beyond

The report is completely free.

In this report, I talk about some of the trends which have led up to 2010 and why I’m excited about 2010 as a blogger. I also talk about this whole FTC thing and why it is actually a huge gift to the blogosphere.

I hope you enjoy the report. Grab it here.

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For bloggers, I mean.

There are certainly changes afoot. The landscape is moving quickly. The market is growing. Some would say it is saturating. On top of that, the FTC threw a rock into our pond with their new rules concerning disclosure.

Well, 2 friends of mine (Nathan Hangen and Mike CJ) have just released a FREE report which talks about the future of blogging in 2010 and beyond.

It is a 15-page report – a quick read. And there is no opt-in required. Just go and grab it.

Nathan and Mike are leading up to something really cool. Something I am a small part of, in fact. You’ll learn more soon.

For now, I encourage you to grab the report. You’ll be reading it in less than a minute. Like I said, no opt-in required. So, go grab a copy.

We all like easy!

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It just got better, too. They are rolling out a brand new web form generator. The new generator will allow you to create great looking opt-in forms and hover forms without knowing a lick of HTML.

Here is a video to show it in action:

If you don’t have a proper mailing list on your blog, you are leaving a TON of money on the table. You should run, not walk – right over to Aweber and sign up for an account. You can get a 30 day trial for only $1.00.

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Membership sites work. Period. I have made a bunch of money this year from two membership sites. Here is why I like this model so much:

• Sell once, get paid many times.
• Electronic delivery – no shipping costs
• It works with a blog almost like magic.
• You can market/promo it any time you want. Essentially, you write yourself a check whenever you need it.

This isn’t marketing hype. Sure, it’ll take work. But, the model is strong. My only surprise is that more bloggers aren’t doing it.

So, along that line, Yaro Starak recently released his Membership Site Masterplan free report. The report is thorough. It most certainly isn’t some marketing gimmick where all the good stuff is given to you after you pay for it. This free report has real meat to it. Yaro, seriously, well done on the report. Good stuff.

This morning, Yaro has officially opened the doors on his training program, Membership Site Mastermind.

Now, if you are a blogger, you are lucky. Because, bloggers are positioned to get the most value from Yaro’s program. I cannot even BEGIN to overstate the power of a membership site with a blog. I mean, having a blog isn’t a requirement, but you’re going to be much better off if you have one.

Now read on, because I’ve got a very special offer for you today. You’ll like it.

Talking Price

There are two choices in how you will pay for Membership Site Mastermind. The first is 3 payments of $297. He also has a one-time payment option where you will save some money. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to take Yaro’s Blog Mastermind course as well at a drastically reduced rate.

Now, let me just inject something here. Chances are, you’re thinking something along the lines of “That’s expensive”. Or… “let me make some money first then I’ll consider it.”.

Let me tell you why you’re shooting yourself in the foot if you do that.

This is a business. A real business. It takes knowledge to make it work. For many, having a helping hand from somebody who has done it makes all the difference.

Also, those who are willing to do something a tad uncomfortable to make it are the ones who usually succeed. There is a REASON why so many bloggers fail to make money – because they’re not willing to do anything to create that success. Enrolling in a course like Yaro’s is a huge step toward creating that success. It puts you ahead of the vast majority of bloggers out there who just won’t ever make it because they’re not willing to do anything.

My Personal Offer To You

If you’re going to take this step toward your success, I really want you to have the full package. So, here’s what I’d like to offer you.

I would like to offer a FREE enrollment in my own training course for budding professional bloggers, Blog Masters Club.

My current students will tell you that I over-deliver like crazy. This is a 16 module course designed specifically to turn any willing blogger into a true problogger. What makes my course so different is that I approach everything from a marketing angle. I get into the real in’s and out’s of internet business, including how to sell, how to influence people and win sales using your blog, how to write content to inspire action, etc.

I will warn you. It is a lot of material. I am currently working on Module 10. Some of these modules contain about 2 hours of video. The total value of the course (using pricing from my last launch) is $582.

Oh, and the doors to the Club are currently closed. This is the first time I’ve allowed anybody new into the Club since I launched back in July.

So, for this week only, I will grant you complementary access to Blog Masters Club, but only if you enroll in Yaro’s program using my signup link. You MUST use my link from this post otherwise your name will not appear in my control panel. I have to see your name before I’m going to set you up with a profile in Blog Masters Club.

Yaro’s Fast-Action Bonuses

Yaro’s offering a special bonus pack to readers registering for Membership Site Mastermind within 24 hours of it opening. There are five bonuses, including:

• Two live workshop presentation recordings from Yaro (he rarely speaks on stage, so this is unique content from his latest talks in 2009)
• A series of 13 videos of Yaro revealing his techniques to build a successful and profitable blog (this is really comprehensive stuff!)
• An interview and coaching call discussion with Gideon Shalwick on how to create video using a basic PC or Mac computer
• A detailed discussion of advanced conversion tactics with Will Swayne, the man who helped Yaro sell more of his products in 2008

You only qualify for these bonuses if you join Membership Site Mastermind within 24 hours of it opening, so you need to be quick!

Ball Is In Your Court

I’m pretty confident you won’t get an offer like this for awhile, precisely geared toward you as a blogger.

For the next few days, you have a chance to gain access not only to Yaro’s powerful training program on membership sites, but you can get into the Blog Masters Club training program.

There’s a good chance that the Blog Masters Club won’t actually reopen for another couple months or so, and it most definitely won’t be complementary.

You’ve got until Friday to partake in this offer. And until the end of today (Tuesday) if you want Yaro’s fast-action bonuses.

Yaro’s got you covered on the money-back guarantee and everything. Plus, he’s a standup guy. You’ve got nothing to worry about.

So, now the choice is your’s. Stick with the status quo? Or do something you’ve never done before and take it to the next level?

I have always preached on this blog the importance of action. Well, now is the time.

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• Huge Growth. I was really impressed with how much Blogworld has grown. My first year was 2008 and it was pretty big then. For 2009, it was truly huge. Signs of a growing industry. I expect next year will be even bigger.
• It is a Can’t Miss. If you are a blogger, I consider Blogworld to be the can’t-miss conference of the year. There were a LOT of newbies at Blogworld, however at least they took the time to hop on a plane and come to Vegas. That shows a level of commitment that is a step toward success as a blogger. For the bloggers too lazy or cheap to come to Vegas, well, you’re missing out. I’ll just leave it at that.
• Better Monetization Track. Sure, there were those people who talk about ads, ads, ads. But, it seems there were more ACTUAL probloggers there who were talking REAL BUSINESS. Things like products, marketing. There were even a few outright internet marketers at Blogworld this year. Props to Jim Kukral for putting together the monetization track. With a few exceptions, good lineup.
• Great networking. This is the #1 reason why I come to Vegas every year for this. It is great to get that “face time” with folks. If you come to a conference like this and act shy, it is to your detriment. I had dinner with Warren Whitlock a few weeks ago and he told me the only reason he goes to conferences is to meet YOU, so he doesn’t like it when people are afraid to walk up to him. I had a reader of this blog say she was nervous to walk up to me. Me?! She did, though, and gave me a really sweet gift that I can take home to my daughter. Thanks, Coree. Oh, Coree wrote a post about this, too.
• We’re Adults, But Come On. The closing keynote was a bit of a train wreck. Kevin Pollack is absolutely hilarious. The Chad Vader guys and the Bloggess were a stretch. The keynote was dirty. I heard words come out of Guy Kawasaki’s mouth that I would have never expected (dude, you’ve got a brand to uphold – don’t blow it!). All in all, this was gutter-level humor I would have expected from a late night comedy special from crappy comedians on HBO. This is Blogworld and it is worthy of respect. Let’s act like it. I’m not opposed to a little foul language. I use it myself sometimes on this blog to get the point across. But, there are limits.
• Evolution. Leo Laporte ended his keynote by saying to everybody, “Pretty soon, you will be THE media”. Right now, it is called “new media”. But, “old media” is dying. Kevin Pollack talked about his new show which is completely internet based. Leo, of course, has his own media brand (Twit) which is completely online. Bloggers are now gaining plenty of respect as media personalities, even despite the protests of the old guard trying to call bloggers untrained. I’m beginning to see the monetization stuff move into the realm of actual business rather than “beer money” crap like banners. All in all, it is evolution. I like it. I hope it evolves into next year’s Blogworld and I think the schedule needs to be designed around that.

I’ve got some follow-up post ideas from the conference which you’ll see soon. And, if you were at Blogworld, I’d like to hear your thoughts about the conference. Please comment below and let me know.

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In the first update to the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising in 29 years, the FTC has included the following language:

Bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.

The update also says this:

The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections” (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed. These examples address what constitutes an endorsement when the message is conveyed by bloggers or other “word-of-mouth” marketers. The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement.

The effect here could be pretty sweeping. The most obvious application of something like this would be pay-per-post arrangements like that from Izea or ReviewMe. The way it is phrased, though, seems to include the common practice of sending review units to bloggers for review. Does this mean that you have to disclose when a company sends you a product for review or else be subject to a fine?

Is This Necessary?

Such an update is only natural. A lot has changed since 1980. The word “blog” didn’t even exist back then, so it could be argued that the FTC has to adapt. The devil could come in how it is applied.

Personally, I don’t think it is necessary. I think the free market takes care of this problem far faster and far more efficiently than a government bureaucracy. The moment one discovers a quid pro quo for a review, the entire reputation of a blogger is cast into question. Those kinds of people don’t usually last long, and the backlash can be severe in the social media circles.

Have you ever seen the itchy trigger finger on Twitter alone in some circles when an affiliate link is tweeted?

Plus, at the end of the day, the government is about the most inefficient and unsuccessful group – EVER. Pretty much everything they do turns to crap. Do we really want the FTC using blunt (and ill-informed) force to inject itself into a constantly evolving new media that it is pretty much guaranteed not to understand? Are we going to see forms and reports that bloggers are forced to fill out on threat of jail? After all, how is any of this information going to reach the FTC?

On the surface, I can see that this is a natural update. When I look deeper, I see a potential can of worms. Is it just me?

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Inside the Blog Masters Club, I have student forums and the Club students have said they get a lot of value out of interacting with other people who have the same goal – to be successful bloggers. Darren has taken the same idea and made it much more accessible to anybody.

Now, this new Problogger community is not free, but it is cheaper than dirt. At only $1.95/month, the price is an absolute no-brainer. The way I see it, having a tiny price associated with it will not only weed out the people who aren’t really serious about blogging, but it will weed out the bottom feeders otherwise known as spammers. The math works out to $23.40 for an entire year.

I’ll see you in there, guys. I just joined.

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I’ve had a LOT of people express interest in Blog Masters Club. People are still signing up for the early notification list every day waiting for me to reopen it. But, alas I am waiting until the time is right to do that.

However, I’ve got another online video course set up, and that is 3 Day Money. I have decided to place the course on special this week. In fact, you can get immediate access to the 3DayMoney training at 50% off.

Oh, and along with the 50% discount, I’m throwing in two additional bonuses:

1. Blogging Formula Using Wordpress – a 12 VIDEO course which takes you from blogging basics through installing Wordpress, customizing your theme, adding plug-in’s, promoting your blog and getting traffic.
2. Quick Start Guide To Online Profits – With so many others already earning money and touting the praises of their methods, where exactly do you begin? This report will give you a great head start into the world of Internet business.

So, yeah, I’m giving you guys more for less. Because I’m just that kinda guy.

3DayMoney Versus Blog Masters Club

I’ve had a lot of people ask me what the differences are between Blog Masters Club and 3DayMoney. Well, the differences are many. Not the least of which is that the Club is a 6-month program at $97/month, whereas 3DayMoney is regularly a one-time payment of $97.

Content-wise, 3DayMoney is more of an overview type of course designed to give a high-level view of online business as a blogger. It consists of 14 videos, a 92-page transcript, plus (as a bonus) a 30-day email course.

Blog Masters Club is more advanced and much more in-depth. In the Club, I throw pretty much everything I know in there. It is for the serious, aspiring professional blogger.

Let’s Get Started

You have until September, 8th at 2:00 PM EST to take advantage of this offer. There’s a money-back guarantee, and you guys know I’m an easy dude to deal with. So, I hope you see this as a no-brainer.

Take The Half-Off Offer… Enroll in 3DayMoney.

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What is the Blog Masters Club?

NOTE: If you want to view the video much bigger, just click the full screen button on the player.

As I mentioned, on Monday afternoon, July 6th, I will be doing a live video broadcast from BlogBase 1A (aka my office). I will be answering any questions you have about Blog Masters Club. But, even more important than that, I will stay on the air for 2-3 hours and answer any and all questions you have about your own blog. Want me to take a look at your site? Want some ideas for building a list? Getting more traffic? Come on by and ask and I’ll do my best to help you out.

The live stream will be completely free, hosted by Ustream.Tv. Details will be announced via email (so make sure you’re on the list).

And on that note…

The official launch of the Club will be on July 7th, at around 12PM EST. If you get onto the early bird list, you will have a little head start to get your “seat” in the club. I might even throw in a surprise for you.

If you haven’t yet downloaded your copy of the Six Figure Blogger Blueprint, go here to get your copy.

To get onto the early-bird list, go to:

www.blogmastersclub.com/signup/

That is the URL where you will be able to enroll to work with me starting on July 7th.

In the meantime, enjoy this video and please leave a comment to let me know what you thought. And if you have any questions for me, please post them in the comments. I’ll make sure to answer them.

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