Just as the announcement came out the other day for Big Seminar 10, I’m launching Big Seminar Interviews to bring more internet marketing information to everyone on the web.

Big Seminar Interviews will feature past Big Seminar faculty dishing out tips and techniques that they are using online to grow their businesses.  Each Tuesday will feature 10 minutes of insider’s information from the Masters of Internet Marketing.

Plus, you’ll be able to sign up for the Premium version of Big Seminar Interviews that offers complete interviews, transcripts and more.

I was able to attend my first Big Seminar back in April and was absolutely overwhelmed.  I’m still trying to sort through some of the information shoved at me (in a nice way) so that I can begin to put it to good use.  Just having the chance to sit and meet with other people building their businesses online was a great part of the trip.  Not to mention the fact that you get to sit down with many of the leaders in this business without having to pay their rather hefty consulting fees!

If you’re doing business online or thinking about doing business online, I’d encourage you to check out Big Seminar Interviews.  You’ll get a small taste of what Big Seminar is all about and learn some great tips to get you on the right path to internet business success.

Big Seminar Interviews #1 will be up next Tuesday featuring some tips from the creator of Big Seminar, Armand Morin.

I do hope you’ll take the time to check it out.  Head on over now and subscribe to the feed.  We’ll be in iTunes soon, so look for that.  Also check out the Premium Version just to see the incredible offer you’ll be able to take advantage of.

Heck, just go ahead and sign up for the Premium Version.  You get to try it free for 7 days anyway.  And you get to keep your first audio interview, plus the other free gifts I’m offering.  Just click the button below to start your free trial.

Powered By www.PremiumCast.com

(Did I also mention you can be an affiliate for the Premium Version?  It’s true!  Sign up 3 people and your subscription is paid for!)

I’m fairly new to the internet marketing business.  I’ve only been seriously working hard at starting an online business in the last year and I’ve picked up many tips and tricks along the way.  I’m glad that I’ve been able to glean some knowledge from those that have come before and have "laid the path" for others to follow behind.

For any of you that are doing any business online, I’m sure that you’ve come to the realization that there are many, many people telling you many, many ways that you can become wealthy.  But not very many are telling you the tools they use to run their business.  Yes, it’s all well and good that someone can show you how you can do a product release and make hundreds of thousands of dollars, but how do you get your money?  Especially when you have large sums coming in all at the same time?  Vast sums of money coming into an account can seem a tad bit suspicious.

And how do you set up all those wonderful little membership sites?  What software do you use to produce a video or screencast?

I’ve been able to get many of my questions answered thanks to Mike Filsaime.  Mike has released a free report entitled "The Resource Report" that gives you all the details of the tools he uses to run his business online.

Here’s a short  list and short explanation of the marketing necessities you want to have that Mike discusses in "The Resource Report":

For starters, most established markets will already be using this by default:

- A Domain: something specific to what you want to promote like (ex.www.mysite.com)

- Hosting: a place to put your site, if you’re planning on making money – find a paid solution so you look like a credible business and you cut back on high traffic crashes.

- A website: your image your presence and your marketing message, don’t get pulled into the trap I see everywhere of trying to put too many choices on your website. Maximize on the effectiveness by only giving one purpose to a page. For example if you want to build a list - focus all your efforts and copy on that singular focus, if you want your site to sell a product, then only put that focus on your site. You’ll also need a good editing program, and ftp software to get this up and moving.

- A merchant account: If you have something to sell, people will need a way to pay you. There are a ton of great providers out there, but there are a specific few that give your visitors the security to pull out a credit card with assurance.

- An Autoresponder: This is a real necessity if you want a business and not just a hobby. When you have a family to support this is a real no brainer. This is your email follow up service. You get a name added to your list and this is where they go. You will use this to stay in touch and build relationships with your customers and soon-to-be customers.

- A helpdesk: in the beginning when your business and sales are small you can handle all the little questions and emails yourself. One of the things that will keep a small business is small is thinking “I can do that myself” if you want to truly grow; you need to share the workload (petty tasks) and focus on what you truly want to do creatively for your business.

- Membership Site software: once you’re addicted to the internet marketing lifestyle, you will realize this oh-so-simple fact, it’s great to make a sale, but it’s even better to make a sale once and get paid for it every month. Continuity is king.

- Teleconferencing software: If you want an easy way to create and crank out high ticket products, audios and a transcript is an easy to make, high-value product.

Of course this short list only scratches the surface, but these are the necessities that not only get you started but will make you above average.

Mike covers resources that will help you stay organized and expand your business to make you truly prosperous such as:

-PDF creators and converters
- Mind mapping software
- Site tools to make your business a set and forget it – money magnet
- Internet video and audio creating software
- And the how-to’s of outsourcing

As I said, The Resource Report is absolutely free for you to pick up.  Before now, the only people who got access to it paid $5,000 to attend his 2007 Figure Business Workshop.  But you can get your hands on this incredible report… for free.  I truly believe it’s an indispensable tool that I’ll be referring back to over and over again.

To get more information or download your own copy of the Resource Report for free visit:
The Resource Report

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This might just be me, but I’ve noticed something since I picked up my iPhone.  On at least two occasions, I have been sitting near someone else with a cell phone when my iPhone rang.  These two unfortunate people both had their cell phones ring at exactly the same moment as my iPhone.

Coincidence?  I thought so at first, but in both cases the other person didn’t actually receive a call.  They both looked at their phones as we all do to see who is going to be nagging us this time and laid the phone back down.  Because as soon as I picked up my iPhone, their phones stopped ringing.

One of these people was my fiancee.  Her phone went off and she looked and saw no number in the caller ID.  The other unfortunate gentleman was sitting at the table next to me in McDonald’s yesterday.

Again, this might simply be a fluke, but I’m just wondering if anyone else out there is experiencing this strange phenomenon with their iPhones.

If you are, let me know.  Maybe we need to get our iPhones fixed.

Why? That is the universal question for a number of things.  Why?

At this moment, that’s the question that I’m asking AOL.  After four years, why?  Why are you restarting development of your client software?  Were you not happy enough with the infestation of people’s computers that AOL 9.0 provided?  Were you not happy with jamming your software into every nook and cranny you could possibly find?

The update comes as AOL is beginning a shift from Internet Service provider to web portal.  Gone are the days of having to log in (at least if you’re on broadband.  Sorry, dial-up folks.) as the software now acts as an interface to AOL’s web properties.

They’ve added an “Inbox” to AOL mail.  Wow.  What a concept.  That’s almost as earth-shattering as Microsoft pulling the “My” out of Vista.  It’s not “My Computer” anymore, but at least you have an inbox for AOL.

AOL is hoping to retain long standing customers that have used the AOL interface for years and have become comfortable using the software.  I hope that someone wakes all of you up.

Don’t download this crap.  It will surely send your system into some sort of hyper-chaotic state that no computer tech will ever be able to bring your computer back from.  Just avoid it all together.  Get a new email address from Google or Yahoo! and move on from AOL.  You’ll be glad you did.

Or you can stay with them and become part of Satan’s army.  It’s really your choice.  Let’s just hope you make the right one.

Read [BetaNews]

Technorati Tags: aol, aol software, satan, satan armies

I’ve pondered long and hard about getting A+ certified.  I tinker with computers enough and spend most of my time in front of one, so why not?  I’ve even taken the "prep" courses in college that cover everything you need to know to pass the two certification exams with flying colors.  But…

There seems to be this little problem.  I’m finding that an A+ certification is simply and utterly useless at this point in time.  I’ve come to this conclusion after one recent event that blew me away and left me speechless for 10 minutes, then ranting and raving for the next 30.  Let me tell you my story…

I work for a large retail office supply chain.  Even though I’m the assistant store manager, I still get quite a few questions about tech items from both salespeople and customers.  Not that I am some guru that knows everything, but I do know more than the average joe and I like to share my knowledge with people.

I get a call from a customer the other day as she is having problems with a monitor she purchased for her dad on Father’s Day.  How sweet.  As we begin our phone conversation, she asks me if she needs to install the drivers for the monitor.  I said no, the monitor "should" just plug right in and work fine.

Then she tells me that there is no image on the screen and there is an error message stating "resolution not supported" or something along those lines.  Oh, I immediately think, the resolution is set either too high or too low for the monitor to display.  No big deal, just hook up the other monitor and change the resolution to something that the new monitor supports.  She told me that the computer was a little bit older so I thought the resolution might be set too low, something like 640×480 probably. (Now, if one of you guys knows a way to change the screen resolution without having a monitor hooked up, please let me know.  I don’t think there is, but I could be wrong.  She was wondering about that as well.)

To this point, the conversation had gone like most other technical questions I have from customers.  Then it happened…

She said, "I thought any monitor should work.  I just wasn’t sure.  I mean, I’m A+ certified and all, but I just wasn’t sure how to check to see if a monitor is working."

Wait a minute.  You’re A+ certified and you’re asking some dummy at a retail store that has no "certified" training at all your technical support questions?

And you’re A+ certified?

If you’re thinking about getting A+ certified, don’t waste your money.  Crack open a PC case, buy some books from Barnes and Noble and learn yourself.  You’ll be better off.

Don’t become an idiot that has to call the salesperson at the store to fix your computer.  He should be calling you.  Not the other way around.  You took the tests, you offer the help.

Forget A+ certification.  It’s a load of bull.

I’m done ranting now, thanks.

This article is taken from the introduction of my new book, Stop Spam Once and For All!, slated for release in August 2007.  For more information about the book and to sign-up for the pre–release launch list, use the form at the bottom of this post to signup.  You’ll receive a confirmation email immediately, so check your inbox once you enroll.

Computers have become an integral part of life for nearly everyone in the world. Ever since the induction of the internet, they have become very commonplace in most businesses and homes.  Most people cannot even imagine their lives without their computers. They are used to run businesses, keep track of inventory, gather information, and to communicate with people from great distances.

Naturally one of the most popular reasons that people use the internet is to send emails to others. It is a free and easy way to talk to people that live far away.  You can use emails to send letters, data files, and pictures.  Everybody likes to get an email from their friends and family.

However, emails have also become a popular tool that is used to advertise products and services.  Not that there aren’t some products and services that we like to hear about.  Heck, you may have heard about this guide if you’re a member of my mailing list or someone else’s list!  I know that I’m personally signed up on probably a couple dozen mailing lists for some of my favorite websites and shopping sites, but I signed up at my own choice.  Not by someone else’s choice.

As much as we like to receive emails from those that we enjoy hearing from, nobody likes to receive emails from people we’ve never heard of.  These emails are called spam.

I know how annoying it can be to receive spam in your email everyday, so I decided that it was time to write a comprehensive guide on what you can do to stop these types of emails from getting into your account. Of course I can’t prevent companies from trying to send them, but I can arm you better against them.

I wrote this book to provide you with your comprehensive guide to fighting against, and hopefully someday; completely stopping unwanted emails from reaching your inbox. In this guide you will learn:

• What spam really is.
• What you can do to protect yourself from spam.
• What software and programs can help you rid yourself of spam.
• How to deal with spammers.
• Get some helpful resources and links to check out.
• Password encryption
• The real dangers of spam

I can’t guarantee that if you follow the steps I’m going to talk about to eliminate spam that you’ll be absolutely, 100% free from spam, but I can promise that you’ll be a lot better off than you are now.  There’s a lot of money to be made in spamming, so just expect spammers to continue to attempt to get your email address from you anyway they can.  But, use the tips and techniques that I’ll talk about to keep your guard up and drastically reduce the amount of spam that you receive and have to filter through on a daily basis.

Before I begin, let me set the record straight on one thing: I like Windows Vista. Just thought I’d clear the air and let everyone know my true feelings about the operating system that is getting quite a kick in the teeth from almost everyone. I love Aero, I love the integrated desktop search (and I mean really love desktop search) and I love the fact that you can actually have a user account that is halfway "usable".

However, I can’t stand the multiple versions of Vista. Why does Microsoft feel the need to package their OS into so many different versions that no one can make heads or tails of what the differences are between any of them? Who really gets any use out of Vista Basic (essentially XP, Service Pack 3)?

Did they really need to create a stripped down version of the OS just to appease a price point issue due to the hardware requirements of Vista? I know that people have gotten used to paying $400 for a PC with XP and everything being okey-dokey. That little 512 megs of RAM is just enough to be useful with XP, but not so with Vista.

So, here is the solution that Microsoft came up with: We’ll create a stripped down version of the OS that doesn’t include the biggest feature of Vista (hello? it’s called "Vista" because of the "view"! And you don’t get the view in Home Basic! AARGHH!) so that we can sell tons and tons of cheap computers to unsuspecting people that will be thoroughly disgusted with our product when they get home.

They’ll hate us so much that they’ll return their computer and head to the nearest Apple store to pick up a shiny new MacBook.

That’s what we’ll do.

I think their plan is working.

And why do we need Vista Ultimate? What’s so Ultimate about it? The exclusive Ultimate Extras? To this point, they haven’t been so "ultimate". And there hasn’t been much extra. At least they have apologized for the shoddy state of affairs with the Ultimate program. Thanks, guys. Now if you can send down a copy of Windows Ultimate Uno, we’d really appreciate it.

We need one version of an operating system for home computers. Why does anyone think they can dictate to us what software we need and what features we might like? Just give us all of them and we’ll sort it out. Heck, we’re PC users. We’re used to getting a bunch of crap software on our computers when we buy them new. I know I love firing up a new PC that has 37 different folders in the Start Menu the first time I turn it on. Where’d all that crap come from and is any of it really useful? The answers: who cares and nope.

Microsoft, please listen. Forget the multiple versions. Go with one. Make it excellent. Stress test your OS. Let someone’s grandma be one of your beta testers and see if she understands how to use the computer. Put every utility and feature that you can think of into that operating system. Put it all in one box and release it.

No more multiple versions, please.

You’re killing me.

And you’re killing your company, ever so slowly.

Technorati Tags: vista ultimate, windows vista

Well, I have to admit I was not among the throng of Apple fanatics in line last night at 6PM. I wanted an iPhone, but not nearly bad enough to stand in line for hours just waiting. And I had to spend some time with my fiancee, which is really a great deal more important than the iPhone.

So I waited until this morning. I thought to myself, if there are still some phones left to be had when I get up, I’ll go pick one up. Lo and behold, my local AT&T store did have some 4GB iPhones left in stock. Fantastic. Off I went.

So as I’m syncing up some videos with my new toy right now, I thought I’d give you some first impressions of the device.

First off, I’d like to say what a pleasure it was to be able to activate my iPhone in the comfort of my own home. No sales tactics, pitches or anything else at the AT&T store, just give me my iPhone and let me leave. Very nice, Apple. Once again you give Joe Consumer what he really wants.

The packaging of the iPhone is classic Apple, very smooth and inviting. Why can’t people get a clue and stop using those stupid plastic clamshell packages and spend a little bit of time on the packaging for their product?

I pull the iPhone out of the box, hook up the included dock (now I just have to get the clutter of wires cleaned up on my desk!) and hook up the iPhone. I had already updated iTunes earlier to version 7.3, so my iMac recognized the iPhone and immediately went to work activating the unit.

Again, the process went very smoothly as I chose the middle plan for 900 minutes a month, no extra text messages for me, thanks. I’m still waiting for the transfer of my number from T-Mobile to be complete, but that should be ready before the day’s end. Sorry, T-Mobile. I’ve been with you guys for a couple of years and don’t have anything bad to say, except that you don’t have an iPhone. Sorry about that.

After playing with the phone for just a few minutes, I can already tell you that it’s the slickest piece of equipment I have ever owned. The interface is completely intuitive with the scrolling features and just the overall ease-of-use. Very cool.

I synced up some podcasts, a few TV episodes, and one movie to see how the audio and visuals work. Video playback is gorgeous while watching The Office and Elizabethtown. Podcast art is crisp and looks extremely huge on the screen. I also find it really cool to see my own podcast art on the screen of my iPhone. I also get chills knowing that there are probably a few people seeing my podcast art on their iPhone today.

I’ll bring you some more impressions as I go along with my iPhone. I made a short call to my fiancee and I can say the call quality is fine. I needed to turn her voice up a bit which was no problem with the volume control on the side of the phone. Speakerphone volume is a little low, even with the volume cranked, but I don’t make that many calls where I need a speakerphone.

I’ll have more to come on my iPhone adventures in the next few days.

Technorati Tags: iphone, iphone review, iphone reviews, how does the iphone work

Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a big fan of Apple. I have two Macs, one…make that two…iPods, and have no plans of going back to the misery that was PC land. Things are so much nicer and more productive here on the Mac side since I don’t have to worry about my computer system blowing up on me at any given moment.

You should join Mac Land, too. You’ll be much happier.

What a lot of people don’t know about me is how much I love Google. For one, they send me nice little checks from time to time as I’m a member of their Adsense program. If you don’t know about Adsense and you own your own website, you are missing out on some free money.

Although the Adsense checks are nice, there’s a ton of other things I love about Google.

• No matter what anyone says, Google is still the best search engine on the web.
• I love Google Reader for helping me keep track of the seemingly endless supply of RSS feeds I try to keep up with.
• Google Earth. If you don’t have it, get it. One of the coolest apps I’ve ever used.
• Google Docs and Spreadsheets. The word processor and spreadsheet software that everyone really needs. You don’t use most of the options in Word or Excel, so why buy them when Google has the answer for you, for free?
• Gmail. I have a Gmail account for all of my sites. Easy access from anywhere and a nice interface.
• Did I mention they send me a check pretty much every month?

So, yeah, I like Google. I like the applications they make freely available to everyone.

I love Apple. I love paying for all of the gadgets and computers they come out with. Yes, they are more costly than most PCs. But they’re worth it.

Now, what would happen if these two technology giants got together?

Bliss? Would we all feel like we were sitting alongside the gods in Asgard? On Mt. Olympus?

I can see it now. YouTube is already on the iPhone and Apple TV. There’s a Google honcho on the Apple board. Steve Jobs looks like he has been having some health issues lately (Am I the only one that thinks he’s been looking a little gaunt the past few times he’s been onstage?) and he may be ready to move on to something else.

He did lead Apple from the brink of extinction to a place of fairly high prominence in today’s marketplace. Maybe it’s time for him to hand the reigns over to someone else. Perhaps to an entirely different company.

Maybe we’re about to see the birth of Gapple. Nah, that’s a terrible name.

What are your thoughts on a possible Google/Apple merger?

Read

Technorati Tags: google, google buying apple, google earth, google maps

Well, it seems that another hoop in the quest for an iPhone has been added, not that it’s all that big of a deal.

According to PC World, Apple will require that you have an iTunes account separate from your AT&T billing account for the iPhone once it is released. 

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.  Did you really think that Apple would let AT&T handle the billing for any music or movies downloaded for your iPhone?  Come on.

You really can’t be serious.  The iPhone is just another way for Apple to promote iTunes and the iTunes store and they are going to take full advantage of it.

There are still several movie studios that don’t have any content at all in iTunes and Apple apparently needs to build a bigger case to convince them to start selling movies.  As if having 100 million iPods is not enough convincing.

So, if you don’t have an iTunes account already and you’re thinking about getting an iPhone, go get an account now.

Technorati Tags: iphone, itunes, free iphone, free ipod, ipod, apple, mac