Interview With Michael Murray:
“Autoresponder Basics”
By F. Terrence (Terry) Markle
This interview is with Michael Murray,
the author of a top selling ebook titled “Autoresponder Basics.” Michael is also involved with many excellent affiliate programs.
Terry: Michael, this is a real pleasure to talk about your experience and business on the Internet. To start off, how did you get involved with the Internet?
Michael: I’m disabled and I always figured I’d get a job with computers. In 1996, my dad got the Internet hooked up and I loved it. At the time, I was 13 and a big fan of Goosebumps (the popular book series back then). I would search for information on it. When I was 16, I started seeing lots of “Get Rich Quick” schemes and fell into it and wasted a lot of money. Fortunately, I learned through trial and error the right way to make money online.
Terry: That is an interesting beginning. What led you to develop your top selling ebook “Autoresponder Basics”?
Michael: For a couple of years, I only promoted affiliate programs. I didn’t have my own product. I was in the very competitive Internet marketing niche and there was already an overload of information. People were writing “How to Make Money Online” ebooks who weren’t even making a dime themselves! I didn’t have anything new to say about the subject. I became a critic of other people’s work and wrote honest reviews about it to my email list. They would save money by buying only quality products. My reviews led people to ask me how to use autoresponders. They realized the need to “build a mailing list” but had no idea how to technically do it. I did some research and discovered that a lot of good guides existed about email marketing techniques and list building strategies. However, the guides all assumed you knew how to use autoresponders. That was a bold assumption. After some encouragement from a fellow marketer, I researched and wrote “Autoresponder Basics.”
Terry: Great! You benefited on an opportunity to develop a product that people wanted. What types of products/services do you believe sell well on the Internet?
Michael: First, information products (i.e., ebooks, tapes, videos, coaching, seminars, etc.) are the #1 item to sell online. Information products have low overhead and high markups. To sell information products successfully, you need a tightly targeted niche market to sell to. You need not only a niche but also a sub-niche. My ebook is the perfect example. I chose a specific subject in a niche that very few other people were marketing.
Terry: Sounds straightforward. Find a market niche and pursue it. In your pursuit, what well-known Internet marketers helped you the most with your business?
Michael: Terry Dean was the biggest help. I have almost all his products. He taught me the importance of email follow-up. Yanik Silver, Jim Edwards and Stephen Pierce have great products that have educated me.
Terry: It is very important to have guidance from a qualified coach. What is your opinion on the best way to market products/services?
Michael: The best way to market your own products is through joint ventures. The JV is a partnership formed to share risks and rewards. For example, one person develops a product and another sells it for a percentage of the profits. This is usually 50% or higher. If I have an ebook on car repair, I’d go to other car websites and ask them to put a link to my website on their website. michael kors sales on bags