While I do believe that great value can be derived (for you, the reader) from learning from my successes and failures, I have mentioned several times in past TCF blog posts how it is my ultimate goal to develop underlying ‘systems’ that will serve to direct revenue back towards readers. For the longest time, it has been commonplace for readers to give so much to helping further a blogger’s ideas, and brand. Even though “value” is provided through content, I do strongly believe that several clear online trends are conditioning a blogosphere in which much is expected from bloggers. In return for Facebook “likes”, Twitter “tweets”, and all the little elements of social media that go towards promoting a blogger’s brand, and ultimately padding their bottom line (the money they earn), I am still working very hard on developing a complex system that will pool monies generated from the commissions earned on various affiliate network.

Currently, any and all commissions (100%) generated, on TCF, from Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and the PayPal Donate button will be pooled and distributed to readers. If you have read TCF for the last few months, you will have noticed that Overstock and Borders affiliate programs have been removed from this affiliate commission based revenue sharing system. Not noticing until last month, Commission Junction (a large network through which Overstock and Borders’ affiliate programs are run through and managed by) decided to periodically deduct monies from accounts that lie dormant. Although I have earned several hundred dollars in affiliate commissions, through Commission Junction in the past, my account hasn’t really earned much lately–and, while it lie dormant, it wasn’t until several months after the implementation of this policy that I began to notice $10 amounts being gradually chipped away from my current balance with each month.

The basic premise behind TCF’s revenue sharing arrangement is to simply further involve and engage YOU, while establishing a system that will continually give-back for positive actions that you do on this blog.

In the meantime, March signified an increase in my InfoBarrel earnings. With the Google “Panda” algorithm change/update, the traffic (and earnings/businesses) of several top-tier Web 2.0 platforms and article directories were hit very hard. Interestingly enough, I believe it was InfoBarrel’s strong adherence to a viable quality control process that caused their platform to go largely unaffected (at least to the extent that other top-tier sites were affected). Amongst websites that realized a significant decrease in traffic and earnings were sites like Ezine Articles, HubPages, Associated Content, and Suite101. With time and growth, I am finding that the earnings on my InfoBarrel articles are naturally continuing to increase, in accordance with the gradual achievement of higher search engine authority over time.

At this time, I would like to diverge slightly from this being an “Income Report”. It seems as if my past posts have either been “overdue” or they have been ridden with excuses as to why I’m not providing YOU with more value. In fact, the last blog post I was able to post was actually my last income report. Right before your eyes, you are seeing the struggle that many online entrepreneur and businesses face. Unfortunately, as mentioned previously, I haven’t quite been able to dedicate myself to this blog “full-time” because the numerous “hats” I am required to wear. In March, my wife and my purchase of our first home was almost simultaneously met with deployment orders to head overseas again. While I did serve in Afghanistan for a year in 2003-2004, it is actually quite uncommon for a Soldier to go this long without another deployment. By all accounts, I would say that I’m overdue for one.

This time, much of my time has been spent processing and training to head over to Iraq. For as much as it eats me alive to not be able to dedicate more time to this blog, I really hope that you will all understand. This blog isn’t the “norm” in that I am not just documenting my experiences, but I am also applying and investing (money and time) into various business models and products. In order to effectively test, and make pure recommendations, I need much more time than the traditional blogger who just writes about their day’s events. While I don’t mean to downplay the value of those blogs, by any means, I do feel a very strong obligation to be 100% accountable (to YOU) for the things I say, the products I try, and the websites and services I recommend.

It is my hope that you will understand.

In the meantime, I am continuing to build my InfoBarrel article database. While exhibiting unparalleled growth trends, the recent Google algorithm change is actually serving to condition a more “level” playing field in a very competitive industry. Unfortunately, the back-end of my blog isn’t allowing me to post pictures, however, I do encourage you to head on over to Alexa.com, and plug in websites like ezinearticles.com, hubpages.com, and suite101.com. Then, compare them to InfoBarrel under a “max” setting in the drop-down menu. Having stumbled across these astounding InfoBarrel trends in late 2009, you can rest assured that even the most intelligent and influential SEO experts have yet to really pick up on how powerful of an authority site InfoBarrel will become. I’ve always said that the early adopters of this transparent and generous platform will stand to earn multiples of what top-earners earn on similar top tier Web 2.0 websites.

In fact, some of the down right despicable lies and deception that I’ve witnessed lately have caused me to nearly “close up shop”, not just to blogging, but to anything related to internet marketing period. I do believe that internet marketing inherently lends to some subtle grey areas that can be very easy to exploit because of the almighty dollar. From product sales copy to developing headlines and thread titles that get clicked, internet marketing inherently thrives off of the ability of one to use just the perfect wording to elicit emotion and, ultimately, get others to purchase what you have to offer. I know that refusing to compromise certain aspects of who I am is causing my monthly earning’s to be hit very hard with each month.

Without naming names, because they really aren’t important, it really kills me inside to see others build entire businesses off of lies and deception. Although I’ve been tempted to throw a net over a massive network of corruption that I’ve encountered online, I believe it best to portray myself, always, in the way that I really am. As mentioned in my last income report, my experiences online weren’t birthed out of being unfortunately laid off or being thrust into the position because of having no other choice but to succeed.

Having come off of four months of U.S. Army officer training in Fort Lee, Virginia, I am actually still looking for a job right now, though. With the uncertainty that I’ve come to accept from the military, I ‘may’ have a job come June while I begin training up to deploy overseas again (this time, to Iraq). In the meantime, I will do my very best to provide value to TCF readers even while I’m juggling quite a few other responsibilities and obligations on the side. I do believe that a great drive towards success is deeply engrained in everyone of us. Without going on a long motivational rant, I would simply like for these monthly income reports to detail, in full transparency, my trials and successes with engaging myself in a variety of online revenue generating business models.

While I did have a few $1,000+ months while selling my InfoBarrel Success course, my earnings in February were very low in part because of a few reasons. Never one to make excuses, there is significant research underlying my tactical approach to earning online. In fact, as I had expected, with time and article maturity, my InfoBarrel articles are already beginning to bear real, predictable, daily results that are comparable to those who have been submitting content to much higher search engine authority sites.

Never one to make excuses, it is important to understand both why these earnings are low, as well as, why these earnings will continue to grow over time:

• Fully convinced that revenue sharing is the best way to go with TCF, much of my work and effort have revolved around developing a system by which readers can earn. Because years of researching various top tier blogs have revealed that so much is expected of readers in terms of purchasing through affiliating links, sharing, reading and commenting, I truly believe that general blogosphere trends are requiring more and more to be given from bloggers. Top internet marketer, David Risley, recently released a blog post in which he detailed lessons learned from the Porn industry essentially being on the cutting edge of all things internet marketing. In a nutshell, with videos and pictures galore, FREE is where business is shifting to online. In anticipation of this trend, as seen in previous posts, I can’t wait until the day when my monthly income reports can include details of readers that have earned revenue share, and how they have applied that revenue share allocation to their online businesses. In March, a significant amount of time was spent on posts like pillar content blog posts like  “101 Books You Need to Read to Succeed” , in which 100% of revenue generated is being pooled to be be distributed to readers.
• Based on extensive research conducted over many months, I have made the deliberate decision to host most of my online articles on a website called InfoBarrel. If you have read any other blog post on TCF, you have read about InfoBarrel before. As a low authority website, currently, my articles naturally don’t earn anywhere near what they would earn had they been hosted on a much higher authority website. Explaining to others why I would do this is, admittedly, borderline impossible. For someone who has spent years analyzing the growth trends and business models of similar websites, I truly believe in the ethics of this website’s ownership, its committment to its users, as well as, its completely transparent 75-90% revenue sharing arrangement and business model. My previous income report includes graphs and charts galore to help give you a better visual understanding of what I’m seeing.
• Around a week or so last month was spent testing an online website flipping/auction site called Flippa. After InfoBarrel failed to show up amidst of list of websites whose revenue and traffic were slammed hard as a result of Google’s latest algorithm change, I had believed that trends online were conditioned that could make my course that much more valuable if a powerful case could be made. In the end, our course auction plateaued at $1,000, with 44 bids, and 20+ unique bidders. Even though I believe our course, just based on income reports alone, is worth well in excess of that, one other reason for putting it up for auction was simply to try the service so that I can report back. A plethora of lessons were learned, and because I’m never one to be shortwinded, I’ll be sure to share those for another time.

With occasional sales trickling in for InfoBarrel Success, Jason and I knew full well when writing it that we would be ‘way ahead of the curve’. In fact, many people the world over have never even heard of InfoBarrel. With time, however, we do expect sales to increase as their registered users–a pre-established and growing aggregation of users with a need we had identified, that can be marketed to directly–continues to increase. Having thoroughly addressed such topics as Search Engine Optimization, Writer’s Block, and Latent Semantic Indexing, we know that the inherent exponential growth of InfoBarrel will continue to inject value into how we have tactically aligned the product with the site.

Currently, my main source of income is through InfoBarrel, and it isn’t really impressive, at least not yet. With growth, and article maturity, I am already beginning to have over $10 days as of March. Please, as always, bear with me with updating this blog. I have many many ideas for it that I can’t wait to share in the upcoming months.

Now, about our deal…kind of….

I’ve chosen a difficult path with my submission of content. Attempting to spearhead or forge a movement towards greater ethics and morality online, you can read in my first income report just how little I currently earn in my endeavors. As only one person, with little resources to outsource, I’ve intentionally chosen to invest alot of time into writing for a low authority website called InfoBarrel. Had my content been hosted in many other places online, it would certainly earn more because of the search engine authority that has been established by simply having been around longer. Having convinced hundreds to join InfoBarrel, I realize that I have alot to be accountable for.

I’ve done everything I possibly can to detail the great benefits, as well as some lingering weaknesses, of utilizing Web 2.0 revenue sharing websites.

You’ve already read about my tactical approach to writing content online, which has manifested into low earnings for the time being. Believing strongly that I can outrank top articles on many authority sites, in conjunction with what my InfoBarrel research has revealed, I’ve committed to proving that with a little time, effort, and growth of InfoBarrel, that my content will naturally outrank the content of very high authority properties online. This determination is being made in a way that I see very few online even consider: in conjunction with the deviations in business models and quality control processes that InfoBarrel presents with.

Having begun writing for InfoBarrel in late 2009, it was extremely difficult to pick up on these growth trends. While it is beginning to come onto other’s radars, I predict that most won’t invest any significant time writing for this site until it becomes a very high authority site. The delicate, subtle, growth is reflective of a website that is in the perfect place to learn and implement lessons regarding the success and failures of its predecessors: namely, very high authority websites like Squidoo and HubPages. You will find that, as InfoBarrel becomes profitable, they will have more capability to re-invest in themselves and their growth through the use of a variety of different advertising methods like Google Adwords.

But, what does this mean to YOU?

While some are so short-sighted, or simply don’t understand what is occurring, they submit one or two articles on to give-up and claim the website isn’t capable of earning them any money. In the mean time, the earnings of those who are targeting long-tail keywords as a part of their strategy, are already beginning to see results comparable to what others are beginning to see on top authority Web 2.0 websites online. When a website like InfoBarrel is young, the reliance on skill in keyword research has to be that much amplified. Unfortunately, where many get frustrated is in the fact that they just simply don’t see or understand the “big picture”, and its implications on their earnings.

Ok…about our deal….for real…

At the time of this writing, I earn roughly $5-$10 consistently each day with InfoBarrel, with occasional outliers on both ends. While many may discard my research, this blog post, or this blog entirely because you don’t see my proof of an insane amount of earnings, I do strongly believe that I could never do anything else and the foundation I have built will naturally earn well over $1,000 to several thousand a month. Although short term gain is great, with  limited resources, my strategy and tactics have revolved around targeting keywords with content that I believe will gain the earnings needed for me to retire. I detailed this in my last earnings report.

Going into my online endeavors, my wife and I came to an agreement that no monies I spend on my online business will come from any other source but my online business itself. While I am currently searching for a job, and my wife works as a nurse, we have made it a priority to not tap into any other sources to fund investments required. Necessities such as Market Samurai, hosting, blog design, and domain registration all came from my InfoBarrel, InfoBarrel Success, and Squidoo earnings.

Even though TCF does have a great design, I’m seriously contemplating having it re-designed. I am finding that, in order to develop a brand, this blog design has a few shortcomings that I don’t feel do what I had hoped for it to do. Inspired by the blog designs of others, I have a list of no less than 50 blogs URLs all written on my dry-erase board overlooking my desk. I’ve thoroughly researched what works for them and what doesn’t. While my wife had her dentist appointment yesterday, I sat in the dentist lobby waiting room sketching out what I had hoped for this blog to accomplish through it’s design. No doubt, I’m juggling many different elements here.

Ultimately, I’d like to do a better job of meshing tactical military principles, through possibly an additional blog navigation, with my experiences exploring new revenue generating business models online. I am still entirely committed to introducing a revenue sharing arrangement to this blog, and I believe, a new blog design and infographic could help to better articulate the seriousness behind it. Noticing huge surges of traffic from my guest posts on high authority blogs, I’ve also noticed that few people connect with me through my Facebook page or other social media outlets. I could attribute this to many things, to include a branding/likability factor, to simply not earning enough to be seen as really knowing what I’m talking about.

Tossing out charts and graphs, with little earnings to substantiate my views and research, only tends to fall on deaf ears sometimes. I understand.

I’ve made several predictions with InfoBarrel, and its repetitiveness on this blog embodies me essentially trying to force feed the opportunity down other’s throats sometimes. Over on InfoBarrel, just about 3 months after reading IB Success, AJWalton is now over $500/month from his writing endeavors. These earnings are particularly impressive because of just how young InfoBarrel really is. I predict that he has laid the foundation already for $2,000-$3,000/month earnings, under a highly transparent and ethical revenue sharing arrangement, had he done nothing else and just allowed InfoBarrel to naturally grow and gain authority.

I have a detailed plan and project brief constructed already for TCF’s new blog design. As I have done with future projects, I will be posting a project on CrowdSPRING in order to again tap into a worldwide network of thousands and thousands of creatives. CrowdSPRING, a pioneer of the crowdsourcing business model concept, has received its own share of praises and criticism for a variety of reasons. Where a project submitter, like I will be, can receive hundreds of submissions for pre-established “prize”, the creatives themselves essentially assume all the risk: investing their time and submitting entries that they know full well may or may not ‘win’. If a creative wins, they receive the prize and basque in their glory. Unfortunately, if a creative looses, they earn nothing for all their time and effort expended, unless, of course, the contest holder introduces an additional monetary prize. Sometimes, it is entirely possible that a contest holder may be unable to decide between, say, 2 or 3 logo options. In this case, like I have done with past logos I had designed there, I had introduced additional prizes in order to purchase the logo designs that were submitted by 2 runners up, as well. You can see why this business model obtains its fair share of criticism sometimes.

A minimum prize for a small website or blog design is $600 on CrowdSPRING.

For the re-design of TCF, I’ll be utilizing this service and I’d love for readers here to help me choose among the submitted entries when this does occur. Now, before I re-invest this $600, my wife and I have agreed that my InfoBarrel articles must be consistently earning $20 a day. Currently at $5-$10 a day, with mild outliers, it’ll take alot more work, but I believe it’s entirely possible to hit $20 a day. As mentioned above, InfoBarrel’s growth, I believe, will help me to naturally achieve my goal.

I want YOU to succeed, but you must first see and understand the reasons behind why I recommend it so highly.

Rest assured, I don’t recommend it just to gain InfoBarrel referrals. If that were the case, I would have kept my research secret, instead of sending emails with documented research for many bloggers to share on their own blogs in conjunction with their own affiliate links. (Just had to get that out of the way…lol)

I want people to succeed under a website that operates under a high standard of morality and ethics, while operating in a clear and transparent manner. I thank those who have sent positive emails of support — they’ve helped to lessen the impact of much of the hate email I’ve received as a result of being so strongly in favor and vocal about InfoBarrel’s business model.

Interestingly enough, the inspiration for this blog post has come as a direct result of reading Pat Flynn’s smartpassiveincome blog for at least the last year and a half. I introduced Pat to InfoBarrel around the tail end of 2009, with occasional postings (to his Facebook fan page) and comments on his blog. I was excited by my research, as I am to this day, and had wanted to share it with the world. On my desktop, you can find a folder with an ample supply of screenshots that depict growth trends that I’ve been following for quite some time now — charts and graphs that I’ve been fortunate enough to have appear on other blogger’s blogs after an email or two helped them to begin seeing what I was seeing. I have noticed that, as of recent, even though Pat’s blog does explore other online business models, InfoBarrel has become a topic that has begun to appear more and more frequently.

A big fan of analyzing and applying various online revenue-generating business models, here is why InfoBarrel is beginning to finally show up on other’s radars, to include Pat and many other influential bloggers online:

• For those with little to no capital to invest into their online endeavors, at least initially, writing for a FREE revenue sharing website like InfoBarrel just makes sense because it requires nothing to be spent outside of your own time and effort.
• Not only is revenue sharing had for a lifetime, but it will become entirely residual in nature. A point that few seem to understand, and many don’t do a great job at conveying either, is the fact that InfoBarrel’s growth has been occurring exponentially as of a late. Akin to getting in on the basement level of a killer stock, you will find that writer’s articles will eventually begin to compete and supersede the content of other authority sites online.
• InfoBarrel, in the big picture, is a website owned by people just like you and I. It is in their best interest, for their company, to do everything they possibly can to make their website earn as much revenue as possible. In a business model such as revenue sharing, the owners work in their writer’s best interest when they work in their own best interest. Every pressing decision that needs to be made, from the effective positioning of ad blocks to expansion into other monetization methods, is done ultimately to earn more money for both writers and the website.
• InfoBarrel is gaining traffic like crazy as of late. Content that ranks low right now, even with minimal promotion and backlinking, will naturally rank high over time. Of course, with proper promotion and backlinking, you can significantly expedite the process of gaining your articles visibility, and, ultimately, earning more.
• In conjunction with an affiliate network like Clickbank, Linkshare, Share-a-Sale, and Commission Junction, the optimal placement of the InfoBarrel signature space “above-the-fold” offers infinite possibilities to expand your revenue generated beyond JUST revenue share. You can sell affiliate products, and/or promote your own website/blog. (At the time of this writing, my 350+ InfoBarrel articles all suck in traffic from the search engines and direct that traffic right here to my blog).
• InfoBarrel has one of the best article quality control processes available online. Case studies are abundant regarding very high ranked websites that, because of the absence of a viable quality control process, were left to sporadically delete writer’s articles, that they deemed didn’t meet their standards, months after they had been published and were earning. This occurred at eHow and became known as their infamous “article sweeps”. While necessary, the way in which they were conducted literally shattered people’s income streams overnight.

Now, for as much as I love websites like InfoBarrel, I would be doing you a great injustice had I not explained some of the potential downsides of using a website like this:

• You do not actually own the website. The mere fact that InfoBarrel isn’t your own online property has caused many to ignore it entirely. Unfortunately, these same people are loosing out on the tremendous opportunity to catapult their own content off of the high search engine authority that InfoBarrel is achieving with each day.
• Owners, themselves, can make decisions that you don’t agree with and, that can negatively affect your own earnings. The cases I have witnessed of lies and corruption run so deep that I completely understand why one would choose to stay away from a website like InfoBarrel. (As a side note: In order to be the best steward possible of other’s time, while writing my course and recommending others to join InfoBarrel, I also felt very strongly about contacting the owners and getting to know them and their intentions as best as possible. There’s not a chance I’d sell a product, or recommend others to write for InfoBarrel, had I not done everything I possibly could to ensure that management intentions were pure AND predictable for a very long time.
• Because of the fact that there is little-to-no monetary barrier to entry, the competition is inherently high. People from all over the world can submit content on just about anything, just so long as it falls within each respective website’s TOS (Terms of Service).
• Many can become frustrated because their content doesn’t earn alot of money right away. For a young site like InfoBarrel, earning is particularly difficult because the search engine authority isn’t quite where it will be. As you can see in my first income report, my earnings are intentionally low because I’ve been setting myself up ‘tactically’ to compete with short tail keywords (as opposed to long tail keywords). Some would argue the rationale behind this approach. I fully admit that I’m giving up short-term earnings, however, I believe that many of my articles will begin to gradually and tactically supersede very high authority sites online. Earnings alone don’t best display the tactical positioning that is occurring (I’ll re-emphasize it, however it’s important to remember that for my future earning’s updates).

With the decline of eHow’s revenue share WCP (Writer’s Compensation Program), as mentioned by Pat in his recent podcast, new members found themselves barred from submitting content, while old members articles were allowed to remain. Rather than continue to manage residual articles through eHow’s WCP program, it became evidently much more lucrative for Demand Media to accept articles through their Demand Studios. When a writer applies to write for Demand Studios, they will find that they can either write articles for a flat-one-time payment, or a small amount of limited titles can be written for revenue share.

The reason why eHow is continually mentioned is because it is a monster of a site. Not only does it gain hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month, but their site also generates a similar number in monthly revenue (Although, I have heard that their monthly revenue is several million…). Based on my research, InfoBarrel stands the greatest possibility online of becoming the next eHow.

Like any business, it was clearly in Demand Studios’ best interest to maximize profits by shifting their method of article approval and management. Many eHow writers can also attest to the fact that the eHow website, although it ranked very high, presented with a plethora of issues when it came to publishing and generally using the site. If you were in Demand Studios shoes, would you rather purchase an article for $15 (and continue to earn off its advertisements for a lifetime), or would you rather submit to managing thousands of writers who all required a (although mysterious and non-transparent) continual lifetime residual payment?

Even though Pat does continue to earn lifetime residuals off of his articles on eHow, it’s clear why he now recommends others to write for InfoBarrel.

Whether you use my affiliate link or not to join InfoBarrel, it would be an honor to have you leave a comment, with your InfoBarrel username, so that I can friend you over there!

NOTE: For each website, I am including what I’d like to call “a Tactical Twist”. Tactical Twists are ways that the highlighted website can either be used in a rather unconventional way (that deviates from what many would accept the website’s core function and purpose to be, in the first place), or a way in which its same core functionality can be utilized to achieve even greater tactical results. (Ex: Amazon is commonly accepted to be an online retailer, however, you can also use it to research your next product).

• Alexa — If you’ve spent any amount of time online, you have more than likely heard about Alexa as it relates to effectively gauging a website’s traffic and popularity as an internet research tool. With the ability to gain a variety of visual comparisons, in the form of graphs depicting everything from user reach, time on site, and bounce %, Alexa currently allows for up to 5 websites’ data to be visualized in conjunction (on the same chart, with different colors representing each webiste). Although Alexa does offer a paid site audit ($199), many people significantly underestimate the wealth of data that can be obtained just by using Alexa free of charge. Unfortunately, just like similar sites, Alexa’s accuracy can a bit lacking simply because its data presented is based on information gained from those who use the Alexa toolbar. While there is a very large pool of people who use the Alexa toolbar, some inaccuracy should be expected because not everyone online actually uses the Alexa toolbar. Despite clear inaccuracies when it comes to measuring a site’s performance, Alexa is still a very valuable tool and resource that can be used to gain a general idea of how a website compares to its competition online. For TCF readers, be sure to realize that there are many website creation companies in cyberspace that will offer website tracking packages that essentially do the same exact thing as Alexa’s free research tool.

*a Tactical Twist – There are many ways that you can positively influence your Alexa ranking for your website/blog. While installing the Alexa toolbar on your browser is a key component of Alexa rank, you can also gain Alexa rank by telling your followers about it. Many bloggers have documented the effectiveness of the following actions, above and beyond installing the Alexa toolbar: Visiting your blog often (some even recommend setting it as your homepage), claiming your site, writing frequent blog posts, commenting on other’s blogs, and syndicate your content to social bookmarking sites like digg and Stumbleupon. I have seen websites jump several million places in Alexa, overnight, simply by their owners doing some of the previously mentioned actions.

Killer Startups — Everyday, this website “reviews 15+ internet startups per working day”. Besides being fun to visit and explore, this site holds an infinite amount of possibilities for research. Always on the cutting edge of what is “new”, I’ve been following this site since its inception several years ago. Embrace it, learn from it, and explore creative ways that you can utilize the data it gives to forward your own online endeavors.

*a Tactical Twist — As just mentioned, Killer Startups presents with fundamental Web 2.0 technologies that make it a tremendous research tool. When constructing my InfoBarrel Success Course, the immediate appeal and inspiration behind writing a course about a website platform came as a direct result of what I had researched on Killer Startups. Not only did I use Killer Startups to see just how popular InfoBarrel was becoming (an evident increase in vote count that was significantly higher than most other startups featured), but I also used it to gain insight into the site itself: and, because of the nature of Killer Startups, I knew about these things long before most knew about them. It was similar to getting inside information on a killer stock. To take this a step further, it wasn’t difficult to relate these vote counts to the potential for InfoBarrel to be a very highly trafficked website, which would essentially equate to a pre-manufactured grouping of people that could be directly helped (and, with a product, they could also be marketed to in order to help solve the problems I had anticipated that they would have). On top of this, writing a course about a platform also allowed me to turn the product, itself, into a marketing and promotional tool for the site (something that, of course, the owners absolutely love). In the end, I was able to use Killer Startups to pre-identify what would become a massive market who would be in need of a product or service. Value was instilled, and relationships were formed. Strive for that, and everyone will win.

(Similar to my 101 Books You Must Read to Succeed pillar blog post, I have also decided to publish this post “as is” and continually add to it over the next few days and weeks. Stay tuned! As always, as I construct this blog post, I highly encourage you to recommend websites you have used–and, how you have used them ‘tactically’–in the comment’s section below.)

To portray Tactical Cashflow as something it isn’t just simply wouldn’t be the truth.

Having arrived home roughly a week ago from four months of training down in Fort Lee, Virginia, full days of training were structured so rigorously that it would have been an impossibility for me to devout more time to my online endeavors. As mentioned in my first income report (sadly, an analysis of all months is still a work-in-progress)  my online endeavors were pursued almost entirely from either the comfort of my car during short breaks in training, or back at my hotel at the completion of a long day. Where others would strip off all their gear, turn on their TV, and collapse in their bed, success online required firm dedication regardless of the situation. The ‘tactics of cashflow’ required nothing short of honing and amassing what little time I did have available to apply methods and tactics, as apart of an overall strategy, to realize as much benefit and gain as possible. I don’t mean to completely ostracize those who have been laid off, or have quit their day job, with this blog, however Tactical Cashflow doesn’t just take into account the residual nature of income, but it is also interested in maximizing your own efficiency and the time you do have available.

If you have noticed the “pretty simple progress bar” included in the right sidebar, I have devoted a significant amount of time lately to pursuing what has been an incredible goal of mine, and one that diverges greatly from what you see on just about any other blog online (at least to the extent that I hope to execute it). Most of my past posts mention sharing revenue with readers, and, although I am making great strides to articulate this arrangement, I am 100% committed to making it work. Rather than use words, great feedback from many of you, via comments and emails, have revealed that an infographic may actually be the better way to convey my complex plan behind making this happen. With some awesome skills, I have exchanged emails with Mike, from Mikeforshort.com, to create for me an infographic that is similar to his. Upon his return from a trip, I really look forward to him creating it.

In the meantime, much like many online, I have begun looking for a job. In some circles of the internet, I understand completely that working a “job” and succumbing to the will of “the man”, especially when the internet offers great room for growth and earning multiples of what one could at a day job, could actually be viewed in a negative manner. Working for someone else can certainly throw a cold shoulder at the entrepreneurial spirit, however, at this point, it is entirely necessary. In the meantime, much of my time recently on Tactical Cashflow has been dedicated to doing the following things:

• Commenting on other blogs.
• Building up pillar articles dedicated entirely to reader revenue share.
• Writing great future content.
• Writing a high value course to be give away for free to help build TCF’s email list.
• Posting on forums.
• Continually adding to my 101 Books You Must Read to Succeed article.
• Exploring slight alterations/additions to TCF’s layout and design.

No longer selling or offering InfoBarrel Success, at least for the time being, you will see a drastic drop in my earnings come next income report: so much so that I completely understand that you may second guess visiting this blog. In my longterm strategy, I want to build Tactical CashFlow into something that will sustain for the long term: although I have intentionally made some decisions that cut my bottom line significantly, as mentioned in my first income report, I believe that I can do much more good by devoting alot of time into developing avenues that will earn greatly for my readers. Although with little momentum now, with time, I believe that this idea will pick up to the point where I will be able to attribute a significant section of my income reports to not only sharing my own lessons learned, but also helping to fund the online business ventures of many of my readers. Having experienced first hand what it’s like to earn little to nothing, while the bloggers I demonstrated significant loyalty to earned 4 or 5 figures a month, I would have absolutely loved if they coupled their sharing of knowledge with a viable revenue sharing arrangement that could help me purchase a Market Samurai or an eJunkie or aweber subscription.

It will happen. Stay tuned.

Rather than allow them to waste away, I truly believed I could apply them holistically to the development and maturation of Tactical CashFlow.

Nestled quietly in the corner of a Starbuck’s cafe, in my local Barnes and Noble Bookstore, it wasn’t uncommon to find me diligently consuming as many books as possible. The books I had chosen stacked high enough where my entire amateur structure could have easily succumbed to the overly ‘wobbly’ nature of the small, circular, table I sat at. While some books I consumed free of charge, like those Barnes and Noble buyers whose overconsumption of lattes easily offset the dollar value lost from those unpurchased books in their business model, I did purchase a great deal of books that I considered to be the best-of-the-best. While I conducted a substantial amount of research, writing, and experimentation that formed my weekly endeavors leading up to the justification for my Tactical CashFlow launch, I vowed that I would integrate and synthesize many of these book’s principles into future writing in this blog.

Succeeding online isn’t just a matter of doing one thing well, however.

I quickly realized that true success required much more than slapping a plethora of Google Adsense ads onto a page and crossing your fingers in hope that it might earn. The internet has evolved in so many ways, and successful people have realized the importance of truly understanding people. All the search engine optimization and web design skills in the world won’t make you successful if you are unable to view humans as holistically dynamic creatures in a complex and evolving world.

The recommended books in this pillar article cover topics that include, but are not limited to:

• Freelance Writing
• Goal Setting
• Website/Blog Design
• Search Engine Optimization
• Social Media Promotion
• Affiliate Marketing
• Lifestyle Design
• Building Relationships
• General Business Strategy & Tactics
• Motivation
• Time Management
• Web Analytic and Metric Interpretation
• Online Content Creation
• etc.

Without further adieu…

“Here is a pearl beyond price and–Glory Hallelujah!–it cost you nothing to obtain. Anyone not busy learning is busy dying. For as long as you foster a willingness to learn, you will ward of sclerosis of the brain and hardening of the mental arteries. Curiosity has led many a man and women into the valley of serious wealth.” — Felix Dennis, creator of Maxim Magazine

“Reading is the best investment anyone can make in their future. College costs $150,000, but life changing books can cost $10.” — Forbes Magazine Website

(In the comments’ section of this blog post, I would be honored if you would share what books you have read, that you would recommend I ADD to this list. Thank you! ~ Howie)

Be sure to keep an eye out for the “TT” at the end of each recommended book entry I have featured here. This is what I’d like to call my “Tactical Takeaway” (hence, “TT”)–a powerful quote from each book, that managed to find its way into this blog post, because that quote stood out as one of the most important and (what I felt) could be one of most use to YOU.

• The Art of War — Although one can find a wealth of adoptions of this book, to include a variety of cover art variations from one book to the next, Sun Tzu’s approach to warfare has realized tremendous application beyond just war. From business, to the sports arena, such time-tested principles regarding deception, maneuver, surprise, sustainability, innovation, and a wealth of others, have actually been synthesized into the development of Tactical CashFlow. While this list of recommended books isn’t meant to go in order from my subjective interpretation of “most valuable” to “least valuable”, this book should certainly be one of the top considerations for your own book library. Want a bit more of a taste of the applications of this book before you purchase? I challenge you to cordone off some time and watch this outstanding 9-Part History Channel YouTube video presentation suitably called “The Art of War”

TT: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

The 4-Hour Workweek — Adorning the resource lists of many influential bloggers online, this book wasn’t just a “book”. It was more like a “movement” that embodied the apex of thought leadership as it embraced a new and emerging trend called lifestyle design. Practical tips and case studies run rampant through this book but, interestingly enough, its teachings embraced a new kind of rich that could be established by gradually outsourcing your life and pursuing your passions. With an inviting cover illustration, my first encounter with this book came in an airport store, enroute to our honeymoon in Jamaica. As an avid reader herself, my wife and I gave a cold shoulder to all those who would criticize the mere thought of taking a book along to a honeymoon that ‘should be’ filled with anything but reading. We found time for snorkling and dolphins, regardless.

[Buy Now: AMZN / BKS / BGP / OSTK]

TT: “It is far more lucrative and fun to leverage your strengths instead of attempting to fix all the chinks in your armor. The choice is between multiplication of results using strengths or incremental improvement fixing weaknesses that will, at best, become mediocre. Focus on better use of your best weapons instead of constant repair.”

Other Books by Timothy J. Ferris:

1. The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide for Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman
2. The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life

The New Community Rules — The social web presents with infinite possibilities for marketing products and services. Jam packed full of my own yellow highlighting and hand-written notes appearing over top words, as well as in that white space in the side margins, my own copy of this book looks similar to a college textbook that has been deconstructed relentlessly by an ‘A+ seeking’ college student with ultra OCD. Effective communication and relationship building can certainly manifest as a direct result of applying some of this author’s time-tested strategies and tactics.

[Buy Now: AMZN / OSTK]

Delivering Happiness — No matter how “old” this book becomes, the story of the company Zappos should forever remain on the radar of both emerging businesses and firmly established businesses alike. By fostering a sense of culture and purpose, revolving around customer service, Zappos is a true case study of what can happen when you continually put your customers first. Towards the tail end of this book, the author speaks of a Zappos’ employee, who realized tremendous help and support after the tragic death of her husband, when she called the only people that made sense to her to call: her employer, Zappos. This book is filled with stories such as this, that detail a highly successful company that still managed to foster a welcoming culture around simply “delivering happiness”. Be forwarned prior to purchase: While most of the reviews of this book are extremely positive, others grill Tony Hseih for failing to adhere to strict English standards in his prose (an intentional slap in the face to his teachers, as mentioned by one reviewer) and not giving adequate attention to more substantial business lessons.

TT: “In any relationship, it’s important to be a good listener as well as a good communicator. Open, honest communication is the best foundation for any relationship but, remember that at the end of the day it’s not what you say or what you do, but how you make people feel that matters the most. In order for soeone to feel good about a relationship, they must know that the ther person truly cares about them, both personally and professionaly.”

• Trust Agents — In this book, two veteran social media experts, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, detail just how the social web can be effectively leveraged to “build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust”.  Ultimately, when these things are obtained, profits will naturally ensue. They speak of trust as being the “new currency”: superseding even the almighty dollar. This book will provide you with some solid, actionable, tools and strategies that you can begin applying today to help develop your own influence and reputation online. While the authors do admit that establishing trust online can be a difficult task, the benefits of obtaining this trust can be much greater than any paid PR service can give you.

[Buy Now: AMZN / OSTK]

Other Books by Chris Brogan:

1. Google+ for Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything
2. Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business Online
3. The Impact Equation: Are You Making Things Happen or Just Making Noise? (Release: October 25th, 2012)

Search Engine Visibility — Online, topics such as search engine optimization (SEO) have been dissected to death by both amateurs and professionals alike. Oftentimes, it can be very difficult to distinguish from who to truly believe, especially when search engines are so dynamic that what a professional SEO expert may tell you as truth one month may simply change weeks or months down the road. Even still, with this book, you will learn search engine friendly design solutions, as well as, ways to increase your website’s popularity. I highly recommend this book because of the sound advice that it gives. As expected there are both good and bad reviews of this book on Amazon. Being my first real exposure to SEO, I do believe that this book provides good information for someone who is just beginning with SEO. For more advanced SEO professionals, as some reviews depict, you may find that this book contains a bit of ‘fluff’ and information you might already be familiar with.

Other Books by Shari Thurow:

1. When Search Meets Web Usability

Secrets of a Freelance Writer — Jam packed with practical tips and advice strait from a highly successful copywriter and freelance writer, I would definitely highly recommend this book to any freelance writer. From new to veteran writer, Bob Bly walks you through every step you need to take in order to “make $100,000+ a year or more”, as this book’s sub-heading mentions. Even with many five star ratings that far outweigh this book’s lower ratings, I really don’t feel like many of the Amazon reviews presented (even the 5 star ones) do this book’s wealth of substantial content any justice. A plethora of generic comments, although good, don’t really manage to delve into topics he covers, such as how to effectively set your own fees and find viable freelance writing markets.

Other Books by Robert W. Bly:

1. How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit: Your Guide to Writing and Publishing Books, e-Books, Articles, Special Reports, Audio Programs, DVDs, and Other How-to Content
2. The Copywriter’s Handbook
3. Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field – In 60-Days or Less
4. 88-Money Making Writing Jobs
5. The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart: 1200 Essential Words Every Sophisticated Person Should Be Able to Use
6. The Online Copywriter’s Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Write Electronic Copy that Sells
7. Selling Your Services: Proven Strategies for Getting Clients to Hire You (or Your Firm)
8. Bly on Direct Marketing
9. Getting Started in Speaking, Training, or Seminar Consulting
10. Make Every Second Count: Time Management Tips and Techniques for More Success with Less Stress
11. The Marketing Plan Handbook: Develop Big-Picture Marketing Plans for Pennies on the Dollar
12. Getting Started as a Freelance Writer (Culture Tools)
13. Blog Schmog: The Truth about What Blogs Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Business
14. Secrets of Successful Telephone Selling: How to Generate More Leads, Sales, Repeat Business, and Referrals by Phone
15. Fool-Proof Marketing: 15 Winning Methods for Selling Any Product or Service in Any Economy

The Social Media Bible — Despite the wealth of information that this book contains, accompanied by its sheer size of over 700+ pages, I really feel bad for this book’s authors. I’ll explain. With the ultimate goal to create an authority resource for social media, social media itself inherentlychanges and evolves with time. As a result, while this book is a tremendous resource, it is nearly impossible to ensure complete accuracy as this evolution continually occurs. If purchased, I encourage you to accept the fact that there may simply be a small amount of innacuracies, occuring naturally over time, interspersed throughout a wealth of great information. Currently on it’s second edition of publishing, this book, in my opinion, will  be destined for even more editions and revisions in the future.

[Buy Now: AMZN / OSTK]

• Influence — With more Amazon reviews than any other book recommendation featured on this blog post, thusfar, this book is an absolute masterpiece. A firm believer in the science of persuasion, Dr. Cialdini has organized and presented this book around six principles of ethical persuasian: reciprocity, scarcity, liking, authority, social proof, and commitment/consistency. Assuming a highly educated, and well-researched, approach to this book, Dr. Cialdini’s writing style still manages to be incredibly engaging to a reader. Throughout this book, he mentions that, while humans don’t always act predictably, there are many identifiable patterns and trends in human behavior and how they are triggered by certain stimuli. I highly recommend this book.

The Millionaire Fa$tlane — This is the first book recommendation on this blog post, so far, that presents with a pure slate of all 5-star rating reviews on Amazon (at the time of this writing). Whether all 49 were received from close friends and family members, or they are all truly genuine reviews, I do not know. I do know, however, that I thoroughly enjoyed this book (and I’m not a close friend or family member of the author, either). MJ Demarco, former founder of limos.com, advocates an entirely new approach to wealth generation than what many have been conditioned to expect. As mentioned by an early Amazon reviewer, all the lessons wev’e learned throughout our lives are challenged within this book. I encourage you to read the free sample preview of this book on Amazon. You won’t regret it.

TT: “Society has bastardized the meaning of wealth to incorporate luxury items.  Yet you’ll find that the true wealth experience comes from strong family and relationships with people, fitness, vitality and the joy of physically moving through space and the freedom to do what you like, when you like and with whom you like.  Of course, having lots of money helps grease these skids but it shouldn’t define them.”

• Switch — While some may immediately dismiss this book as having little substance surrounded by a wealth of “heart felt” stories, as three Amazon reviewer thus far have done, I beg to differ entirely. To those reviewers, I would highly recommend another ‘read over’ of this book’s material. Presented in an easily consumable manner, this book is essentially broken up into three sections that embrace suggested behaviors that, when understood and applied, can help to manifest change. Forever a fan of science and research, the Heath brothers have also managed to inject neuron stimulating stories regarding research that was conducted, that lay a substantial foundation for this work. In my honest opinion, if you aren’t getting something out of this book (like those Amazon reviewers), you just simply aren’t trying hard enough.

TT: “People find it more motivating to be partly finished with a longer journey than to be at the starting gate of a shorter one.”

Deep Survival — This book is entirely different than all my other book recommendations in this blog post, so far. Captivated by the science of survival from an early age, the author of this book has managed to explain just why some survive, and others, well, don’t. Had I denied the variety of life situations that TCF readers present to this blog with, I wouldn’t be taking a holistic approach to the human condition: the fact is, you may be a millionaire who is reading this blog post, or you may be someone who is working 3 jobs just to provide for your family and “survive”. Why do you keep doing what you do? Why do you maintain while others give up? Read this book to find out.

TT: “Survival is the celebration of choosing life over death. We know we’re going to die. We all die. But survival is saying: perhaps not today. In that sense, survivors don’t defeat death, they come to terms with it.”

• Content Rules — Divided into four separate “parts”,  spanning 29 Chapters, this 2011 book release is a ‘must-read’ for anyone who is attempting to realize success online in the manner that I advocate here on TCF. With a plethora of online tools and resources (paid and free) already at your finger-tips online, Content Rules does a seamless job of integrating tried-and-true tactics revolving around the development of “remarkable” content. Where many other books may only tell you that it is important to have good content, few spend almost 300 pages explaining how you can brilliantly craft content that is fully deserving of other’s attention. Having spent years consuming a wealth of information, as evidenced by this blog post, I can assure you that this book (finally) fills a clear void in the marketplace–addressing an overriding issue that has yet to be effectively addressed to the extent that Content Rules does.

TT: “Just as a person is more than flesh and bones and hair and teeth, good content, too, is more than text and graphics and video. It’s an embodiment of your brand. It’s designed to inspire people to read more, or view more, or get to know and love your company a little more. Good content can quickly become the soul of your brand to the online world.”

Web Analytics 2.0 — This 500+ page masterpiece was written by Avinash Kaushik, a very knowledgable and skilled blogger over on his blog “Occam’s Razor”. If you are truly serious about succeeding online, your ability to effectively interpret and understand a variety of web metrics is paramount. Without fading obscurely into dullness, Avinash manages to beautifully navigate what could easily be a very dry and boring subject (for some) with incredible ease and upmost reader engagement. Whether you are just beginning on line, or you are a seasoned veteran internet marketer, you will certainly walk away from this read having a firm grasp of what changes you can make immediately, and what metrics you should be cognizant of, in order to help measure and test everything you do.

• The 48 Laws of Power — I thought long and hard about whether or not to even include this book in this recommended book list on this blog post. For some, this book may be a God-send: revealing to them just how to  assume and exploit power. To others, as occurred to me, you will find yourself continually challenged to agree or disagree with the firm footed opinions this author presents. I decided to include this book because, as one Amazon reviewer said, the greatest benefit of this book can be seen when it is read in the right “spirit” as a person who is more interested in learning how those with power tend to operate, rather than using this book as a guide by which to operate yourself. I will say that I disagree entirely with particular  laws he presents such as “Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You, but Always Take the Credit”.

TT: “Do not leave your reputation to chance or gossip; it is your life’s artwork, and you must craft it, hone it, and display it with the care of an artist.”

Designing Brand Identity — In a fast-paced, ever-changing and evolving world, brands aren’t just reserved for the largest of businesses and corporations. Even as an individual, you can use this book in order to establish an effective and compelling brand identity. The author of this book openly admits to writing it simply because she had wanted to brilliantly craft it into a resource that she could refer to over and over again. Of course, helping others navigate through the sea of branding complexity, I am sure, was another one of her reasons for writing this book. With so many practical tips, and great insights from branding professionals, I only wish that I could apply some of this books many ideas to my own personal brand.

• the Zen of Social Media Marketing — Written in a highly engaging manner and tone, be prepared to consume this entire book in one sitting. Instead of presenting you with the same old rehashed information about social media, Shama has really presented very high quality material that will serve as a great foundation for anyone’s online social media efforts. As you begin to develop your own social media strategy, she also speaks of some surefire tactics that can be applied, as well, in order to help drive your over-reaching strategy. Launched before I had read this book, Shama’s emphasis on the strategy and tactics behind social media, as mentioned in the first chapter, is exactly why Tactical CashFlow was birthed.

Success Secrets of Social Media Superstars — Including in-depth accounts into the strategies and tactics behind the various platforms of their expertise, this book is essentially a massive aggregation of some of the elite players in the social media space. When you open up this book, you’ll come face to face with the writing of such influential social media experts as: Gary Vaynerchuck, Joel Comm, Chris Brogan, Mari Smith, Dave Evans, Brian Clark, and the list goes on and on. Much like the previous book, I read this book in one sitting as well. Interestingly enough, the previous author, Shama Kabani, has contributed a chapter to this book entitled “Online Video”.

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — The top of this book’s cover details the extent to which this book has positively impacted a global population (You may have to click on the ‘thumbnail’ image in order to see the strip that has been cropped out). With over 15 million copies of this book purchased, even after having been on the market for just about 2 decades, this book still offers many timeless insights that have found application into many lives and organizations. This book is a must-read for anyone who is hoping to be successful in anything they do, whether online or offline. WARNING: One reason for the high number of low star Amazon ratings on this book is because it is actually a miniature version of the original. Many people purchased this book expecting to receive a full-size copy of this book. Surprisingly, for such a highly sold book, I was actually unable to find a link to the original full-size copy on Amazon. I have still included it here just in case you’d like to read it (even if you have to find it elsewhere other than Amazon.)

Working Naked — There’s not a doubt in my mind that even the most successful entrepreneurs out there struggle with the temptation to allow unorganized clutter to amass in their personal work spaces. A huge fan of doing everything I can to make systems generally more efficient, I couldn’t help but naturally think about just how much more efficient I (or you) would be had you applied some of Lisa’s tip to your own life and home office. Whether it saves you from stumbling unnecessarily, or scouring for hours trying to find a document (time that could be better spent actually working on your business), this book is jam-packed with tips that are a pure goldmine. On top of her book, check out her website workingnaked.com: her “bare essential” recommendations are great, and one portion of her website even allows you to submit a photo of your home office in order to receive a gentle critique, complete with tips to improve it.

 
• UnMarketing – While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, it is my ‘opinion’ that the two 1-star ratings that this book has received on Amazon are completely unfounded and border on the delusional — from people with a long-standing history of simply ‘complaining’ about every nuance of a product. I would like to see them do better. The truth is, in a world where so much has been written about marketing and social media to begin with, it is very difficult for an author to bring a sense of ‘new-ness’ to the table. Amongst the clutter, it is authenticity and personal experience that shine through that makes a book truly unique and “worth it”. Over 56 chapters, this book manages to do that quite well. As one reviewer had pointed out, I do highly encourage you to be prepared to embrace this author’s personality and approach: with clear witty and sarcastic undertones amidst a plethora of knowledge and experience.

The Dragonfly Effect — With the perfect mesh of their own educational backgrounds, the authors of this book, Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith, have managed to use the dragonfly as a perfect metaphor for connecting several of the major elements for social media strategy. Akin to the U.S. military’s complex synchronization of joint combat power among many branches, in pursuit of a common goal, so also does the dragonfly embody versatility and maneuverability, while its four separate wings work in unison beautifully. As you proceed into embracing social media, it is important to understand just how this book deviates from all the other books recommended thusfar. While other books do provide great insight into the mechanics and functionality of various social media platforms and how they can be effectively utilized to help grow your business and brand, this book gives compelling real-life case studies regarding companies and campaigns that have utilized social media to drive real change. Embrace this book’s core principles and you will have all the tools you need to engage customers on a more meaningful level.

• Hard Goals — Nowadays, so many people have written about the value and importance of setting goals. In nursing school, I became accustomed to setting goals for myself, and for my patients, that were realistic, measurable, and obtainable. With this book, Mark Murphy has managed to inject an entirely new spin on goal setting and he reveals the brain science behind continually pushing for more that separates great achievers from those who set goals and fail to reach them time-and-time again. One thing I really liked about this book (and, one Amazon reviewer had mentioned it), is just how he utilized key scientific findings to “outflank” the brain. Where TCF is concerned with gaining a tactical advantage in arenas like social media and business, I just love how this book applies this same concept to perhaps one of the greatest barriers to true success: your brain.

• I have decided to publish this post “AS IS” right now. Because of just how long and comprehensive it will be, it will be added to over days and weeks. Stay tuned for additions!)

One thing is for sure: No two people’s online experiences will ever be exactly the same.

Despite some stances that are clearly against bloggers sharing their earnings with their audiences, online trends in the blogosphere appear to show that readers are generally fascinated by these earning’s reports. This fascination is further compounded and reinforced when these earnings reports provide great value in distinguishing between effective tactics and non-effective tactics.

Among the many bloggers who share their earnings, here is a list of Top and Middle tier bloggers who do:

• Darren Rowse, of Problogger.net
• John Chow, of JohnChow.com
• David Risley, of DavidRisley.com
• Yaro Starak, of Entrepreneurs-journey.com
• Pat Flynn, of Smartpassiveincome.com
• Zac Johnson, of Zacjohnson.com

You may have heard of some of these bloggers, and may have even read their blogs.

In accordance with my detailed planning behind TCF, I made it a priority to thoroughly analyze the income reports of as many leading bloggers as I could in cyberspace. As their earnings increased, I began to take note of two consistent elements that stood out to me like a sore thumb.

• #1: The income disparity between what they earn, and what their readers earn, only seemed to be widening. While blog post comments would reveal readers who were either just beginning to earn online, or were realizing tremendous difficulty, the blogger’s earnings continued to sky rocket. These earnings are quite impressive and truly reflective of the great income that can manifest when the capitalistic spirit meets creative marketing strategy and tactics. In the end, though, a huge chunk (usually, not all) of blogger’s earnings come from the reliance on readers to click on, and purchase through, affiliate links. There are a variety of reasons WHY people don’t earn online — lack of motivation, skill, time, and the list goes on and on. It’s not always the blogger’s fault if their audience doesn’t earn like they do, however, not only do I strongly believe that TCF can give reader’s the tools, resources, and information to succeed, but if executed the way I envision: revenue sharing can also offset significant monthly expenditures (the natural costs of running a business) that will be necessary for my readers to incur in order to succeed.

(While the following screenshot was posted on Elite, 6-figure bloggger, Darren Rowse’s blog in 2007, I strongly believe that this income disparity has only continued to increase to where we are today in 2011. This particular poll had 3,054 responses, with 854 responders saying that they did not earn any money blogging. Further analysis of this would require another very detailed thread. In the end, however, I believe it is the perfect time to introduce a legitimate revenue sharing arrangement, into TCF. Dependent upon how much momentum this arrangement gains, it is my strong hope that it’ll provide TCF readers with the funds needed to purchase a variety of paid tools and resources that I believe are critical to their online success.)

(As mentioned in the comments’ section, there appears to be good reason to believe that the $15,000 figure is skewed quite a bit by people who just clicked on that response, yet do not earn that amount.)

• #2: None made it a priority to allocate a segment of their earning’s report to giving back monetarily to their readers. Even though most do provide great value through their blog posts, and paid products, common accepted business practice online seems to completely rely on readers to continually display loyalty by commenting, spreading word virally through various social media outlets, yet it gives very little back. This loyalty, I believe, should not go unnoticed. I believe that even more “value” can, and should, be given to readers. What do YOU think?

(I have searched relentlessly for bloggers who allocate a portion of their monthly/annual income reports to their loyal readers. If you know of one, please…please….let me know in the comment’s section here. Thank you! ~ Howie)

*NOTE: The previous mentioned bloggers are just a small cross-section of bloggers who earn quite a bit online. I have spoken to, and/or emailed, some (not all) of them. They are decent people. I respect these bloggers immensely and have learned quite a bit from them that I hope to synthesize into this blog. I do, however, see a void. My desire to institute a revenue sharing arrangement on TCF was the result of seeing a great opportunity to genuinely care, give back, and present something somewhat unique to the blogosphere. It is a Win-Win. I tend to believe that the reason that others haven’t instituted such an arrangement is simply because of the sheer execution and management difficulty, as well as the fact that success will require a huge amount of continually sustained momentum.

I just knew I was onto something. I am up for the challenge….

My income reports won’t contain exaggerated figures, or 6-figure Google Adsense checks. You may see my earnings, realize how miniscule they are in comparison to those 5-figure-a-month earners and vow to never return. I understand. Rest assured, these earnings don’t adequately reflect the long term tactical positioning I have been establishing. Never one to make excuses, my earning’s aren’t nearly as high as other guru’s earnings because of a few intentionally self-imposed choices I had made.

But, isn’t the ultimate goal to make as much money off of people, in the shortest time possible? hm….

Thinking tactically, like a skilled tactician, doesn’t just take into account the passivity of income, but, it also considers thorough analysis of trends and tactical brand positioning for longterm success. Much like the careful and deliberate planning and execution of the Tet Offensive, my experience online has been very similar.

Here is exactly why my earnings aren’t multiples of what they are in this income report. Please, take the time to read this. Embrace these points and you’ll understand why “Tactical CashFlow” was birthed.

• I work. Beginning in August 2010, until February 2011, I attended my basic U.S. Army Officer course, which consisted of early mornings and late nights. Much of my online endeavors were pursued with a pen, and a notebook, in my car during breaks between training events. For as much as I love doing what I do online, I am not pursuing my online goals as a result of being unemployed. A warrior spirit can certainly emerge as the result of being job-less and feeling as if you have no other option but to earn online. My experience isn’t one about being unemployed, but, rather about the tactical steps I took to earn online while having a job. What I do is something that everyone, whether you have a job or you are unemployed, can do.

• Bombarded by countless emails from people who had wanted my InfoBarrel Success Course, but were unable to pay for it because of economic conditions, I gave close to 200 copies away for free. In my first month of selling it, I reduced the price to an unreasonably low $10. Because of feeling deep empathy for people, as well as, our need to test different price points anyway, Jason and I intentionally sold our course for next to nothing. In this sense, our strategy and tactics had shifted to simply hoping to help others by forming longterm relationships, despite there being little (immediate) upside return for us in a business sense.

• To complicate matters, my course was written after a monumental amount of research was conducted into various Web 2.0 revenue sharing websites online. As some of the highest ranked websites in the world, with hundreds of thousands of members and search engine authority that results in millions of daily unique visitors (seriously….), it became my goal to deconstruct the business models of up to 18 of these similar website platforms. Not only did I want to find the best website to write for for myself, but I had also wanted to be a good steward of other’s time by providing unbiased, 3rd-party, research into such website elements as: monetization methods and strategies, website functionality, ownership, revenue sharing arrangement allocation, and core business practices. At the top of the search engine world, was/is currently (at the time of this writing) a website called eHow. With mass article deletions, and a series of what many had considered to be severely morally and ethically compromised decisions, I began to also take notice of an exodus of writers from that particular platform. Intricately embedded into controversy, this, I had thought would be the perfect time to release my InfoBarrel Success Course. My earnings are not nearly what they could be simply because Jason and I made the joint decision to give our course to many of these people for free.

We had violated the number #1 rule in business: Don’t let emotion get in the way of business decisions.  We did. We didn’t care. It was the right thing to do.

• Because of my research, I have had a noticeably borderline infatuation with InfoBarrel (but, for good reason). In order to share my discoveries with the world, I began to feed many bloggers detailed documents I had written, as well as images, and many began to see what I was seeing. They began to post about InfoBarrel here, here, and here, just to name a few. My relentless promotion of InfoBarrel came as a direct result of being just a tad bit self-centered: For a very long time, I had really wanted a website to emerge that prided itself on transparency, as well as, operating with fundamental ethics in how it generally conducts business. I had wanted to be heard, and I wanted a website whose ownership actually listened and displayed traits deserving of being a top-ranked website in the world. Fortunately, I was able to tactically align my personal goals with the strong desire to helps others realize what I had been seeing online for so long.

• In anticipation of the mounting search engine authority that I expect InfoBarrel to achieve, many many of my 364 articles (currently) were written with “short-tail” keywords: knowing full well that they would earn little to nothing now. Online, you will hear quite a bit of talk about the importance of using “long-tail” keywords. This is because, outside of expending a significant amount of monetary resources, it is extremely difficult for everyday people, like you and I, to even compete for those words. Corporations and large scale businesses have the manpower and resources, that everyday people just don’t have, to essentially stake perpetual claim over those keywords. Instead, over time and with a little backlink construction, in relation to InfoBarrel’s growth, I truly believe that my articles will naturally be able to outrank the content of elite websites online.

I strongly believe that the sweat equity I have tactically applied to my online endeavors, in accordance with mounting search engine authority, will naturally grow my content to at least $2,000-$3,000/month (even had I not done a single thing from this day on).

Such articles include:

• http://www.infobarrel.com/people — This article was the first in a long series of “short tail” InfoBarrel articles that I wrote after discovering that InfoBarrel was openly offering these titles to be written. Acceptance of these articles underwent a more stringent review process, however, it was necessary for InfoBarrel to begin filling their database with them. Currently, this article is ranked on Page 11 in Google. At the time of this writing, a Google query for “People” return 5,410,000,000 (yes, billion) results. The very placement of this article, in itself, embodies the presence of that tactical nature of online endeavors: while this article earns very little now, if/when I get it on the first page of Google search results, I will be able to retire off the income generated.
• http://www.infobarrel.com/Actors
• http://www.infobarrel.com/First_Aid
• http://www.infobarrel.com/Aerobic_Exercise
• http://www.infobarrel.com/Military_Ribbons
• http://www.infobarrel.com/Military_Medals
• http://www.infobarrel.com/Beverages
• (See More….)

Some of these articles earn a little money each month, while others don’t earn a dime…yet.

The “Tactical” nature of this blog and my approach takes into account the injection of elements of patience, restraint, partnerships, maneuver, surprise, as well as, a few other militaristic elements that are required to gain a decisive advantage over opponents. As InfoBarrel continues to gain tremendous search engine authority, you will find that those previous articles, that I have sewn into the InfoBarrel platform, will really begin to rank high (and earn quite a bit) over time.

I encourage you to approach some of the foremost SEO authorities online today and ask them what they think. While some will urge you to completely avoid websites like InfoBarrel, even as such a young website with only a fraction of the search engine authority as many elite players online, writers are already beginning to earn quite significant amounts (It’s pretty awesome that every single one of these people have read my InfoBarrel Success Course!).

(NOTE: I have been working on this post for the last 3-4 days. Since this is my first time doing an income report, I really value any feedback you can give! I have yet to complete this post, but I will! Please let me know in the comment’s section here if there is any particular information that you want me to include and/or expand upon. I am still working hard at reviewing past transactions and analyze things I did (and, wish I would/wouldn’t have done) so as to provide you with the best possible lessons learned. Stay tuned!)

Income Breakdown for 2010

January 2010

Squidoo: $22.11

Gross Total: $22.11

February 2010

Squidoo: $24.62

Expenditures:

PayPal Payments Pro: -$30.00

March 2010

Income Sources

Squidoo: $33.01

Expenditures

PayPal Payments Pro: -$30.00

April 2010

Income Sources

Squidoo: $13.47

InfoBarrel Success Course:

(42 Sales)

–Gross: $993.90

–Net: $865.93

Expenditures

PayPal Payments Pro: -$30.00 ($15/each)

e-Junkie: -$5.00 ($2.50/each)

Warrior Forum Membership: $37.00 ($18.50/each)

Warrior Forum WSO Bump(s): -$20.00 x 20 = $400

Lessons Learned:

• The Warrior Forum can be a great place to launch and test a product. Upon reflection, I would encourage others to be cautious about just how much they spend to “bump” their WSO (Warrior Special Offer) threads. We spent quite a bit, and it all probably wasn’t necessary. We had wanted, however, to gain our WSO as much exposure and feedback as possible. Reviews and testimonials are essentially the “social proof” and driving force behind WSO success, as it is very difficult for one to architect their sales copy in such a way that it stands on its own  (without any kind of ‘social proof’). Since we did this, the WSO “bump” price has since gone up to $40, per “bump”. A Warrior Forum membership is also required in order to do this, which would require a total investment of $77 in order to launch a product on Warrior Forum.
• Succeeding with a WSO takes thick skin. With 200,000+ worldwide members, you’ll find an assortment of membership there ranging from those who frequently contribute and help others to those who resort to extreme levels of shadiness. Both types of members should be expected. Some will want your product, will purchase it, and immediately upon download will ask for a refund or file a dispute with Paypal (no matter how much work or effort went into your WSO). Digital products inherently lend for this possibility. Be firm and decisive and believe in yourself and your product.

May 2010

Squidoo: $8.84

Chitika: $10.54

InfoBarrel Success Course:

( 20 Sales)

–Gross: $1,034.95

–Net: $981.23

Expenditures

PayPal Payments Pro: -$30.00 ($15/each)

e-Junkie: -$10.00 ($5.00/each)

Warrior Forum WSO Bump(s): -$20.00 x 8 = $160

June 2010

Income Sources

Squidoo: $8.88

InfoBarrel Success Course:

(20 Sales)

–Gross: $780.85

–Net: $750.98

Expenditures

PayPal Payments Pro: -$30.00 ($15/each)

e-Junkie: -$10.00 ($5.00/each)

Warrior Forum WSO Bump(s): -$20.00 x 0 = $0

April 2010

Income Sources

(MORE COMING SOON!)

Overall Reader Revenue Share

Amazon: $0

Barnes and Noble: $0

Borders: $0

Overstock: $0

PayPal Donate Button: $0

Failure isn’t an option.

Fortunately, in the online world, one doesn’t have to necessarily evade the onslaught of incoming bullets or navigate through a hostile town with snipers posted on just about every rooftop. The furthest extent of injury may be a case of carpal tunnel or an unwelcomed stumble while retrieving a sandwich from the kitchen. Quite honestly, I for one can certainly appreciate the inherent low tempo nature of the online world: your online presence is only as good as your plan, and your willingness to work hard for it.

Months before even the publishing of my first blog post here at Tactical Cashflow, I knew that increasing blogosphere competition required nothing short of very intricate planning and execution. Pages of notebook paper, similar to the detailed planning behind my InfoBarrel Success course, were sprawled out over my floor and desk. From blog promotion tactics and techniques to fundamental structure and monetization strategies, I knew that mounting online competition required nothing short of a very complex plan if I were to see Tactical Cashflow succeed.

To top it off, somehow I had to bring something truly unique to the table with this blog.

While I realize few would share the furthest extent of the plans behind their blog, I truly believe that revealing my plans will not only foster a very high level of trust and transparency, but it will also give you some insight into how you can best position yourself for success. In order to best convey this plan, it is important speak in context of palpable blogosphere trends that are occurring right before our very eyes.

Months ago, I laid out an extensive list of where I believed the blogosphere currently was in its growth and development. It has truly evolved in many ways, which gives further vindication to the importance of many considerations. When planning Tactical Cashflow, I needed to continually stay abreast of these trends so as to best position it in the “market”. Few seem to think of their blog in this manner: as a viable, dynamic, business model that utilizes Web 2.0 functionality to facilitate the continual exchange of value between readers and blogger.

In this blog post, you’ll see just how I perceive these particular blogosphere trends and how my “complex plan” revolves around addressing each one.

1) Transparency is King – Whether on personal blogs, or on various Web 2.0 websites, owners are beginning to find that not only does exhibiting a high level of transparency translate into a viable business model from a personal branding perspective, but it is also simply the right thing to do. New bloggers have embraced transparency in many aspects of their blog, while more established bloggers have either willfully integrated transparency, or just found that their respective business models would be ‘dead in the water’ without it. It is clear that the online world is collectively moving towards, and embracing, high levels of fundamental transparency.

2) The Youth are Taking Over – With a variety of online tools and tactics at their ready disposal, not only are the youth beginning to establish serious online presences, but these youth are also becoming progressively younger and younger. While some are clearly reserved about following the guidance of, say, a 16 year old, others have embraced the desire, drive, and entrepreneurial spirit of these young players in the online world. Just ask Alex Frazier (from Blogussion.com) or Michael Dunlop (from IncomeDiary.com).

3) Much Greater Divide Between Blogger’s Earnings and their Reader’s Earnings – People establish blogs for a variety of reasons that range from the completely selfish to the pure altruistic desire to simply help others. If you are familiar with following the earning reports of various bloggers, one particular ‘downside’ of this level of transparency is evidenced by just how clear the monumental gap between what the blogger earns and what the readers who follow them earn. Never a fan of Communism or Socialism, I do, however, believe that there are certain principles that can be applied to a blog’s business model in order to help facilitate this gap closure. The fundamental premise of my personal leadership and management style will resonate here as I don’t believe this blog should earn until at least a large portion of my readers earn, as well.

Following on the coattails of extremely successful online business models, a few weeks ago I documented my plan for executing a revenue sharing arrangement on Tactical Cashflow. While time spent attending to military obligations has made it very difficult to expound upon and further articulate my plan, I have given quite a bit of information already that you can freely critique and judge the merits and viability of.

Some will think I am crazy, but I have intentionally planned a period of 2-3 years until this blog realizes any kind of profit. In the meantime, I am 110% dedicated to providing as much value as is humanly possible, while continually sharing 100% of the following monetization methods with my readers:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Nobles
• Overstock
• Borders
• My PayPal Donate Button

You can find these:

• In TCF’s sidebar
• In TCF’s resources page
• NOTE: By virtue of the ongoing relationship I have with the Co-author of InfoBarrel Success, the affiliate links associated with the back-end of my free InfoBarrel Success Course are split 50%/50% between he and I.

Not only do these affiliate programs flow from the heart of my personal story, but, after deep analysis of many blogger’s income reports, I truly believe that it is the natural brand loyalty and propensity of people to purchase from an online retailer, like Amazon and Overstock, that will foster continual loyalty and excitement around Tactical Cashflow. I want you to frequent this website, and I want to incentivize loyalty and your willingness to share it with others. On top of that, I would like to devise a system that always places readers first and recognizes the work they do on behalf of this blog. My hope is that you’ll find continual excitement in seeing these numbers depicted in each of my monthly income reports.

4) Originality is a “Must” – Whether because it was simply an easy thing to do – a shortcut – or a subtle coincidence, analysis of leading blogs oftentimes lead to material that was, by all counts, not as “original” as it should be. I’ve certainly learned from others, and will continue to read other blogger’s blogs, however, I will do my very best with Tactical Cashflow to bring high levels of originality to the table – this blog will embrace my personal experiences from a research and analysis standpoint. The online world inherently allows for originality, but originality does take time and effort to produce. I stand committed to giving that time and effort.

5) Readers Know – The days of online affiliate link trickery are gradually fading out as people are generally becoming more and more computer savvy. For the niche that this blog is in, I know full well that YOU understand that when an affiliate link is clicked and an item or service is purchased, I will earn some level of commission. If you require a product or service, and don’t want to use my affiliate link, I highly encourage you to contact another reader of Tactical Cashflow and offer to purchase through their affiliate link. If need be, I can be contacted and I will facilitate this arrangement. There will be no trickery here. Your knowledge and skill is above that. Once again, the purpose of this blog is not to trick readers into clicking links. I want you to continually return because you like what I write, my thoughts and ideas, and derive great value from what I share.

6) Exceptional Heightened Value – I’m a firm believer that bloggers, and internet marketers, should do everything they can to provide their readers and customers with as much value as possible. Even when nothing is reciprocated, I believe that bloggers still have an obligation to help shape the online world, through thought leadership, towards greater ethics and morality.

7) Rarely is Anything Ever “New” – Detailed comprehension and understanding of online business models reveal that rarely is any online money making methodology or technique purely ‘unique’. While packaging and elaborate sales copy may present it as such, the truth of the matter is that most products simply aren’t “new”. What you truly need to get started online can be found in a plethora of free eBooks. With the evolution of the internet, $97 price points for eBooks are becoming harder and harder to achieve because, most of the time, similar information is available online anyway. I will do my very best, with Tactical Cashflow, to provide you with a continual sense of “newness” in my thoughts, ideas, and tactics.

I encourage you to think about these things, and how you can apply these to your own life and online businesses.

1) People need to be continually motivated – Outside of the occasional Billy Blanks (of Old-school Tae-bo fame) or Tony Horton (of recent P90X fame), or perhaps elite special forces soldiers, most people just simply don’t possess the luxury of having self-sustaining motivation that runs on overdrive 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The truth of the matter is that most people need to be continually motivated. There is no shame in this. Much like the lull or awkward silence of a comedian whose jokes have gone bland, people inherently rely on occasional injections of humor or entertainment or some sort of incentive to keep them going. When constructing my online business, it has really helped me to put myself in the shoes of others by asking questions such as:

• What creative approaches can I take to motivate and incentivize my readers and/or customers?
• What can I personally do to help people take action?
• Can I be more clear in my delivery or approach to giving information?
• If I were my reader/customer, what would keep me coming back for more?
• What do other bloggers do that keep their readers interested and salivating for more?
• Can I implement systems and policies that promote a continual, automated, sense of fulfillment?

2) People want leadership who suffer with them – “Suffer” is a powerful word, I know. What leader would actually want (or be expected to) suffer alongside their people? With a massive fleet of hundreds of limos, a documentary I had watched recently about the governance and culture of North Korea depicted a leader (Kim Jon-il) who appears to be extremely disattached from the tens of thousands of people in his country who are suffering. Many barely even have food or water to sustain them. I have a problem with this. While this blog isn’t a political blog, there are blurry intersecting lines of leadership and management styles that are clearly applicable to online business and marketing.

Upon reflection of my recent U.S. Army training exercise out in the field, the brutal weather presented itself in such a way that it would have been very easy to succumb to personal comfort and withdraw back to a warm and comfy building in the rear. By virtue of my rank, I could have easily done this. I didn’t. Where I had expected my mixed platoon of 25 privates, specialists, and non-commissioned officers (NCO’s) to remain dedicated to the mission at hand and brave the staggering elements outside, there wasn’t a chance I would leave their side. True caring, like social media and internet marketing gurus like Gary Vaynerchuk speak of, will be the purest driving force behind reader and customer loyalty, in my honest and humble opinion.

3) People will “embrace the suck”, if you guide them – Not all of life’s situations are pleasant. For 4 days, below freezing conditions, with 5” of snow accumulation and tent heaters that consistently didn’t work, many people had a legitimate reason to complain or be grumpy. Much is expected of soldiers in terms of operating in a highly motivated fashion in the worst of conditions. The inability to see fruits of your online labor can make things generally “suck”. Afterall, we all want to earn and be successful. With the proper guidance, mentorship, and leadership by example, I truly believe that people will embrace their current situation and strive their hardest to become something better.

4) A simple recognition can go a long way – Leadership, as I know and define it, is the art of influencing. Beyond empathizing with an audience, this point falls right in line with the first point I made in this article. Great motivation and overwhelming sense of purpose can be derived from simply recognizing the positive actions of others. In most organizations and sub-cultures, like the military that I know, awards and recognitions are a fundamental “built-in” aspect of this culture. Tactical and controlled giving can have a tremendous impact on an organization, as well as, the willingness of others to continually follow your lead with high levels of motivation. When someone goes above and beyond, don’t be afraid to display recognition. This can take the form of:

• A Handshake
• A “Thank You”
• A Public Recognition, in front of peers
• A gift, such as a plaque, or a month of premiere parking much closer to the building

5) People follow those who speak with confidence – During this field exercise, I was expected to operate and lead soldiers under very unpleasant conditions. While doing this, I was fortunate enough to receive tremendous mentorship from higher ranking officers. Just prior to conducting one mission, my major had pulled a small pack of lieutenants to the side, including myself, and began to tell a story that was akin to something you would see in a major Hollywood production. In his story, he detailed how himself, a group full of Colonels, a General, and several other officers came under intense sniper fire as soon as they left their compound in Iraq. To complicate matters, he detailed how several of his soldier’s lives were lost because of additional unforeseen hardships like IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that ravaged his convoy’s vehicles.

This story was complete BS. After telling the story, he admitted to this fact. Despite how utterly unlikely it would ever be to find such high ranking officers all co-located in the same convoy, our jaws collectively dropped as we could help but buy his story ‘hook, line, and sinker’.

While lost lives are certainly no laughing matter, the major underlying principle behind his story was to demonstrate that people will follow and believe what you say if you speak with confidence. Now, he further went on to say that a “good” leader is ultimately differentiated from a “bad” leader when they actually KNOW what they are talking about. Unfortunately, online, you will find many who speak with great confidence yet have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. Fundamental to online thought leadership should be such a deep-founded desire to see others succeed that you will conduct the analysis and research required to substantiate the courses of action that you recommend to others. More oftentimes than not, I will come across those online who highly recommend that others do something, yet, they haven’t even done the leg work to prove that it is a viable course of action.

What other things have you noticed about human behavior that you can apply to your online business?