TOPIC: TJ's Journal to Making Ca$h

Hey Dannn, Thanks for the post.

However, just letting you know I already have buy now buttons, I have buttons above the fold with opt-in copy, I am not really sure more colors and images are actually going to do much (only testing will tell), I already have a free mini ebook to bribe people into the list which isn't doing so well, and I already have plenty of free traffic (6,000+ visits a month).

The issue here is I'm guessing: The Offer.

Something isn't clicking with the readers, my messaging is probably a bit unclear, and it is a little confusing.

I'm working on getting the message clear and crispy, changing the opt-in forms, and really going to town on my offer.

1. I don't think you understand how important visual appearance. No matter how gold your content is, if they see a giant wall of text, no images, when they land on your page they're going to get discouraged! Images/small cartoons/pics breaks up the text and makes it easier and more exciting to read. Take a look at this blog.kissmetrics.com/color-psychology/?wide=1

2. It's not very clear at all that what will happen when you press the button on the home page. When you press it it says "Enter Your Email Below And Join Thousands Of Readers In Our Free Community". Nowhere is the ebook mentioned. I think having a larger emphasis on the ebook would convert alot more visitors into opt-ins.

The opt-in you have at the end of posts, with the real-looking book is great, all the opt-in should look like that.

3.There's a difference in traffic, depending on which keywords you target. Analyzing keywords you're targeting right now could tell you if people who visit your site (from google) wants to buy shit or if they just want free information. Both types of traffic can be useful - one mostly converts into sales/opt-ins, while the other primarily converts into email opt-ins (if they do convert, that is). If you don't know which keywords you're targeting you don't know which kind of traffic you're getting. It'll tell you what you should be focusing on.

Your articles look nice, great content, but if you want to sell more you should mention your course more often in them.

Hey Dann,

Thanks for all that advice and feedback, and sending me that link about the kissmetrics article. Good stuff.

Also, "Enter your email below and join thousands of readers in our free community" does sound vague. Thanks for the clarification.

No problem buddy. The depression niche converts amazingly well because of how desperate people are to get rid of it. Your site has lots of potential, but I suggest you start focusing more on how to get your visitors to convert. This means learning how to do keyword research, look at high converting offers on clickbank and copying their techniques, installing www.crazyegg.com/ to see where your visitors click and such.

Hey TJ...if you don't mind, I'd like to throw an idea or two at you.

First off, add a video to your site. Preferably on your main page or do it in a popup. You are already using Wordpress, so there are some good tools out there that would help you with all of that. Here is why I make this suggestion. Video converts. Video connects. You say that you suffered from depression yourself for a little over a decade. I guarantee you, if you make a decent video you will connect with potential customers. If you can be relaxed and heartfelt, people that suffer from depression will connect with you. You will be speaking the right language to them. I see that you are using video on some of your reviews. I really think you need one on your main page and you certainly need one on your coaching page. You want to connect with these people. What are the 3 first things someone interested is going to look at on your page? You main page, your 6 week course page and your coaching page. I would say that if you aren't grabbing people on one of those pages, they aren't going to be looking through your product reviews.

Second, from what I can see you sell a download product and also coaching. I think you mentioned (in this thread?) that you use Skype for doing your coaching sessions? I would suggest finding the right person and getting them to agree to you using the Skype session on your website (record it, good low priced tools out there to make this very easy). Note that if you do go this route, get a well written release before hand. But, again, video sells and video converts. If you are good in your session, you can sell your coaching. You can even record the Skype call with the "client" camera off so that their face is not being associated with anything.

Lastly, a variation of #2 above. With some pretty low priced tools, you can do a Google Hangout or Live Event....a "webinar". Maybe do a little consult live or take live questions from your viewers. You use that to lead into a reduced price on your course. Bundle with that one free coaching call that they must sign up for within 7 days of purchasing your course. The purpose of the 30 minute call (set whatever time you like) is to personally address any questions that they have and make sure they are on the right track. If you can connect with people on that call, they will be more likely to sign up for more coaching. Also, people are (first) getting a deal on your product and everyone likes and is more likely to purchase when they think they are getting a deal. And (second) they are more likely to make a purchase when they know they can talk to you one on one to answer questions that they are sure to have.

OK, I am on a roll typing, so a couple of other things quickly...

OK...last thing. Go out to ClickBank or just Google search PLR (Private Label Rights) for something on depression or related topics. Not everything may be of use to you. Not all of it may be good. But, pull in all of the parts you can use, tweak it and slap your name and website on it. Then, use that as a hook (free giveaway) for getting their email address. Or, using that info, create a free "mini-course" that you send them via email with each "lesson" spread out over a day or two (Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, etc if you aren't already using one). "I am going to give you free info for your email address". They give it. They like the info/it has benefit to them. They are more likely to buy your product...because the last email of your "mini course" is to make a sales pitch to them for your course...at a discount of course. Sorry...just saw you are doing something similar to this, but the PLR can be a great investment for ongoing material.

Another thing...how about a free or discounted short follow up call for the people that finish your 6 week course? Get to the end and still have some questions or unresolved issues? Quick follow up with you and, if they need it, sell them on a coaching package to get those things take care of. Lots you can do after the fact so you keep them as customers. They have already proven to you that they will spend money with you, keep them spending...that is why I reference the PLR content and other "depression related" products and information.

Biggest thing I think would help you is to get into video big time.

I make my living on the internet right now and this stuff fascinates me. Anyway, I hope maybe I gave you a sliver of an idea that you can move forward with.

Meijin! Thank you a lot for your post. That is all great advice and info. I appreciate it.

September Recap:

Profit: $851.87 - 3 Coaching calls, 6 course sales, $60 from Amazon, $79 from random reader
Revenue: $982.62
Expenses: $130.75

61 Email Sign Ups
7,376 Sessions from GA

Bought and read "This will teach you how to write better." Rewrote a bit of my top article to make it clearer and more interesting, redid my sidebar opt-in as the crazy egg heatmap showed not a single click on the other one, started facebook split testing for my product names.

I had one person who said my site helped her so much she simply wanted to send me money and sent me $79.

Another person called me, admitted to stealing my course, then said he was in intensive nutritional therapy and rehab a few years back that cost him $5,000 a week and said that I really knew my stuff. He paid me for both the course and signed up for weekly coaching. He knows more than me actually, but I'm able to see his blind spots. Gave me more confidence about my abilities.

I get about 1-3 emails a day now of people saying I changed their lives and they are extremely grateful for finding my site. I just take a screenshot and put them away in a folder I can look at if I ever start to doubt myself.

I feel like October is going to be a good month, I really enjoy helping these people, and I should finish the VSL I was creating, redo my existing product a tad, and once that's released I believe I will get even more clients.

Once the VSL goes live, will bring my focus back to the immediate pain, survey my customers, and start hitting at those instant solutions. Not too many people respond to the message, "Slowly heal yourself long-term and don't suffer from depression forever." They want relief now, to not wake up in the morning and want to die, etc.

Good news is that if I was in Asia I would be breaking even on living expenses at the current moment (I'm in the USA), but it's cool to know I could live off this).

awesome job man.

building a site is hard work (i just learned recently).

props to you for your success so far, i know you'll have even more in the future.

TJ just checked out your website and think its great. Your knowledge on depression, anxiety, nutrition is impressive. You should do a post on here soon about probiotics and how they effect us mentally. Ive been taking probiotics daily for a little over a month and have to say things have just been great lately. I take some other things like vitamin D, niacin and 5htp most days but really believe the probiotics make a big difference.

Hey Captain Ramius,
Thanks for the feedback. I've been in the trenches of deep depression and have been obsessed with this stuff for YEARS. So I'm glad that it shows on the website. I actually have around 250 posts I'd like to write, 2 other products I'd like to make, etc. but for now I'm working on my one product, my 6 week course (about to change the name to Delete Depression).

Gut health is something I have to write a big post about. If your gut is messed up, you are screwed. Everything starts there. If your gut is messed up, you aren't going to be absorbing any nutrients and you will stay depressed no matter what.

I've also suffered extreme gut problems from Asia and learned all about how to heal the gut naturally and the nasty effects that can bring. I lost my mind with a messed up gut. I couldn't eat a single meal without feeling completely foggy headed and retarded.

Also, about at least half or more of people that email me will complain that when they eat they don't feel good afterwards. Depression can mess with your gut, and gut problems can create depression. I can't say one causes the other, all I can say is each one helps create the other.

At one point I had so many people telling me about their gut problems and in healing my own gut, I almost want to say that almost all depression can have some sort of gut issue or an issue with digesting certain foods.

Could not agree more about the gut health TJ,,,,as you probably already have and know...

www.sciencefriday.com/segment/08/22/2014...s-to-your-brain.html

www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/

www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2014/0...nipulate-your-brain/

And these are just a few of them...

Keep doing well TJ! Both personally and professionally!

Agreed TJ, it wasnt until recently that i learned that we have something like 90 million ( billion? ) serotonin receptors in our guts. This could have such a huge impact on so many of the guys on here. Definitley will be looking forward to your post.

Some links
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114094754.htm

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/arch...tics-new-prozac.aspx

www.meltorganic.com/the-other-happy-pill...ression-and-anxiety/

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/arch...ain-performance.aspx