One of the greatest benefits of owning an internet marketing business is the power to automate your online business!
Last week I took my family on a winter vacation to Egypt for some winter fun in the sun. I love getting away from it all just after Christmas to a hot country to relax and get away from the cold weather. The big UK winter freeze really gets me down, so a well earned break is always received well.
The problem with most business is they don’t run themselves. My own internet business doesn’t run itself, but it can be automated for long periods of time with very little interaction. This is what I want to talk about today.
Being proactive
To automate your business for a period of time you must have a plan of what you are going to automate for the time you are way from your business. It’s no good simply packing up, going on vacation or leaving your business for a week or two without prior planning. You must have a schedule in place to work for you when you are not. This means setting priorities.
What I did before I shut down for a week was to plan ahead any blog posts or promotions I had in mind for that particular week and set them up on auto responder. This allows me to automate everything without any interaction. So, rule number 1 – Plan ahead and take a proactive approach to automating your online business when you are not there.
Automation
One of the most important tools of any online marketer is a way to automate and deliver content. This means you can send content at any time to anyone or any part of your mailing list or blog without actually being there to ‘hit the button’ yourself. This automated hands off approach allows you to be anywhere rather than at work. It works, trust me I do it a lot.
The two main tools for automation in my business are:
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- An auto responder and email delivery service such as Aweber
- The schedule post function within the WordPress dashboard
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The WordPress scheduling tool is free within the WordPress dashboard, the Aweber tools are not free, but are quite reasonably priced considering the power it provides and the freedom it gives you to provide content whenever you like.
“Auto responder services are essential tool for any online business to build subscribers and provide content”
The WordPress scheduling feature is self explanatory. Simple click the scheduling calendar and schedule your post accordingly. I usually schedule my post a few hours before I send my email informing of a new post to ensure it’s live. You can find below a short video on how to schedule a post.
Aweber is a little more feature packed and something which I rely on, on a near daily basis. It’s not just a vacation automation tool, it’s a business powerhouse!
As you can see from the video, aweber is highly feature packed and something which I could not do without. Below you can find a list of auto responder services, which are without a doubt one of the most important aspects of any online business which distributes content.
- Aweber (Recommended)
- Get Response
- MailChimp
- iContact
- Constant Contact
Remember without an auto responder service you can’t do any of the following:
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- Build a legitimate mailing list (spam filters prevent direct mailing)
- Broadcast information
- Broadcast offers
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Without an auto responder service you remove the most important stream of communication from your business. You can use social media services such as Facebook, G+ and Twitter. However direct email is still one of the most efficient forms of communication you can use within your online business. Try it today and don’t discount it from your business.
Discussion
Do you automate?
Do you pay for a service? If so which one and how much value does it have?
Please comment below, your opinions matter!
Great advice Dan. I posted on my own blog tonight about the importance of keeping up a regular routine of posting to keep readers interested. I hadn’t planned far enough ahead to consider what I would do to take some time off. I’m sure I’d like to the occasional break and still have an operating business when I return. Fortunately I do use Aweber and WP so I’ve got the bases covered. Just have to set it up when needed.
Great news Steven! There are automation tools for a lot of things just as Sue mentioned, so when the time comes to automate your own business for a while you’re ready 🙂
Hi Dan
Sometimes it just makes sense to automate and as long as it is not a total and long term replacement for live interaction then it’s fine.
So going away for a week and having a complete break is great. Hope you enjoyed yours.
Although I still have trouble not logging in for a week!
I automate my social media posting using Hootsuite and Facebook scheduled posts feature.
So yes there is an automation tool for everything and it really does help save time
Sue
Yeah I sometimes use Hootsuite to Sue. I did login a couple of times when I was away, but not to work just to check sales and essential stuff. My wife banned me from my PC and iPhone 🙂
Thanks Sue.
Hello Dan,
Automation is a key aspect in online marketing which can boost your productivity as you have more time to do other tasks, while the automation takes care of everything else.
Many marketers make money in their sleep as they have their systems set up on automation, such as:
-lead collecting,
-emailing,
-Sending heaps of traffic to your sites,
-promoting via dripped blog content,
The good part about automation is that if you have a break or some time off the computer, then the traffic is still coming in, and hopefully the profits.
Email automation should be a must for all marketers, as it is with me, as messages get sent to your list without you even being at the computer.
Don’t you just like that feeling of waking up and seeing the amount of money that you made while you were asleep ?
Hope you’re fine.
Matt Morgan
Thanks Matt. I love the term making money in your sleep, it always makes me laugh when marketers use it as a pitch. They nver seem to mention you need to put the work in first before you can earn money in your sleep. Hoever once you do set everything up, money does come in your sleep even if it’s a few dollars.
I use Aweber for email. The split response and popover features are great. I use EasyClickmate to automate my ClickBank products and RoboForm to do all my passwords and bookmarks except the financial ones. I also use AdTrackzGold to monitor my tracking and web page links.
I will have to check out easy click mate David. Thanks for adding to the post 🙂
Hi Dan
I am on my 4th week of John Thornhills P2S programme and thoroughly enjoying it.
As you will appreciate it’s early days but I am collating information which includes all you have provided, Marketing from Scratch, Bloggers map etc and is extremely helpful and can’t wait to start publishing my blog.
However your automation tools are really interesting and just to say I am registered with Aweber which I expect to get my moneys worth in the not too distant future.
Great news Allan good luck with your findings and your product. Don’t give up it really is worth it.
Hi Daniel,
Glad to hear you were able to take a break and enjoy some nice warm weather. I have always wanted to go to Egypt and check out the pyramids, but with all the excitement going on there took it off my wish list!
Thanks for the video on using the WordPress auto poster. Set one up last week, it didn’t work because instead of editing the publish immediately I edited something else, so when I checked back my unpublished article was sitting in the “drafts.”
Your short (the kind I like best) video solved this problem for me.
Thanks for the share. Sometimes the simplest things get overlooked.
Don’t take it off your wish list completely, it really is a great place to visit and very historical. I have been to the pyramids and they are most definately a wonder of the old world! I tried to keep my videos short this time 🙂
Hi Dan
Good shout, I think what you’ve highlighted is something that will become increasingly important to the newbies and is well worth not overlooking, but investing in now. Luckily I have had aweber for a few years now but not used it in anger yet but hope to do so soon!
Andrew
I’ve had Aweber since the start (very low fee’s) and consider it as one of my best business assets. I would be lost without it Andrew. There are alternatives, but I still stick with what I know.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I fully agree with the notion of how useful an autoresponder can be. I think that the trick is not to send too many, too soon or people will leave the list or feel pushed. Another point is to migrate people to an appropriate list in order that they only receive relevant content. Nice post!
Regards
David
David, I segregate lists and in some cases remove people from one when they subscribe to another to prevent duplicates. I also only send relevant content to relevant lists. Something I never used to do in the past. Building trust is what is needed, not promo after promo which is possible if you have a massive traffic flow, but I feel it’s always best to provide info and build relationships.
Although I have all the tools needed, I didn’t automate yet. I have a couple of follow-ups and usually one or two broadcasts scheduled in the autoresponder though, if this counts as automation already.
However, I thought of making more use of automation tools, especially the WordPress scheduling feature, and start to write a couple of blog posts in one session just to publish the regularly over the week.
Writing a couple of posts is always a good idea. It’s also a good idea to have 1 or 2 ready in draft for emergencies. Auto responder follow-up messages. Many people fail to realize the power of these and the income and traffic they provide.
Hi Dan, great blog.
I am amazed and intrigued about the idea of automation. I have not yet reached that part of the course in John’s ‘Partnership to Success’ but I look forward to it.
It sounds quite easy. I hope it is.
Take care
Pauline
It really is an easy setup Pauline. You will manage fine I’m sure
Hi Dan,
It would be a really a giant leap if this level of Automation is implemented in any business using these insightful tools.
Thanks
Thanks Gregory 🙂
Hi Dan,
I do like your post and especially the way you made the first video
with that explanation for automation of the WP post going live at a
set time later. I’d love to know how that is done (the video that is)
The other thing I enjoyed too was your link to the prioritizing list of
points for when you need to organize yourself well. Agree to all the
points and on the fifth in particular I sometimes have problems with,
you know, at times I have to place a yellow sticker saying: ‘Please…
give me 50 minutes and don’t interrupt me unless it is an emergency’
Sounds harsh may be but I don’t know anything that works better.
Oh, and the graphics on the post too are great!
Regards
German
German, I used screen flow screen casting and a ‘blue yeti’ mic to complete the video. It’s a great video editng suite.
What you are doing is called ‘time boxing’ it helps a lot to shut out the world for periods of time. I find you get a lot done this way..
Thanks Daniel, automation is one of the great advantages of online business.
I agree with other comments that automation doesn’t take over completely, as you also say. I know from being on your mailing list that you bring a great deal of personal relationship to your blogs and posts.
Keeping a right balance in everything is always a must.
Great informative posts on your blog
Regards – Lance
Thanks Lance, I do try to keep all business related subjects on my blog personal, I feel it builds a better relationship.
brilliant advice Dan and something I really need to get to grips with.
I tend to leave stuff to other folks to do which is a tad crazy if you think about it. Sorting my aweber account is now one of my priorities
Cheers
Kim
Kim, Aweber is a key tool. It works when you don’t 🙂 Thanks for stopping by..
Excellent advice Dan. As a student enrolled in John Thornhills training, I just learned how to schedule my blog posts within wordpress, and I also learned about followup messages and email marketing in general (I use Aweber). I love the fact that you can automate certain key parts of this business, especially when you are traveling or on vacation. I see myself doing a lot of this and it is very exciting. Thanks for the great post Dan! (oh, and great name by the way…)
Dan Tredo
Thanks Dan. Good luck with JT’s course. It’s a great one!
Hi Dan
As someone who has been playing at being an Internet Marketer for years, I’ve joined John’s programme intending to do exactly what he says so after 8/9 lessons, the only real automation we have taken on is the use of the Auto-Responder process.
I’m sure as we move through the programme that we will have to automate more to enable us to cope and we will be given the right tools at that time!
I assume once we have finished the course and we are off “on our own” that we will find and use or discard many tools to make our business more automated.
I also like the idea of making money “in my sleep” or “sitting on a sunbed”, both terms bandied around by some GRQ (Get Rich Quick) gurus and I have realised after too many years that I need to put in the effort before that can be accomplished!
DaveT
Thanks Dave for the great comments, much appreciated buddy
AWeber and Mailchimp are two essential business automation tools in my personal experience, which i’ve tried after reading this post a few months ago.