Selected SBI! Forum Posts

10 Tips For Guest Blogging and A Request For More
An SBIer shared some excellent tips for guest-blogging. Ken adds a few more, and invites SBIers to share their best, results-getting tips. Ultimately, this is turned into an article that pulls "the best of the best" together. That way, forum material is never "lost to posterity." Rather, it delivers strong, experience-based original material for future SBIers.

$30,000 In The First Year With SBI
An SBIer recounts his first year with SBI!, replacing 20 blogs and high expenses with 1 low-cost SBI! e-business.

5 Tips for Increasing Your E-business's Income
A long-time SBIer, rarely heard in the Forums, stops by to share his wisdom of what has worked so well for his SBI! e-business that generates 120,000 unique visitors per month (over 600,000 page views). This is the initial post in a thread that continues, made remarkable by comments by other SBIers and William's replies.

(Another) Government Came Calling
Branch of the US Government calls on this SBIer to teach writing. "Another great story to tell," she says.

Anyone Do SBI with Their Children?
This post is just one of many that formed a spine-tinging thread by SBIers who not only build their own e-businesses, they often involve the children in starting family businesses online, imbuing them with values such as hard work and creativity, while teaching them invaluable Web skills that stand them in good stead for their adult lives. AND, they get to be around for their children.

A Quiet Local Business Tortoise Speaks Out
This 5 year SBIer makes his FIRST post ever in the forums! A local business selling "bespoke metalwork," he designs/restores metal windows for historic buildings. He talks about the forums and how SBI! has grown his local business...

A Simple Example Of The Power Of SBI!
Of all the sites, blogs and pages in the world on this topic (4 million according to Google), a Sunday newspaper chose to feature only one.

A Tortoise Story: First day > 3000 visitors
Pressing job, 2 young children, and other life circumstances often leave you with no choice but to make long-term, tortoise decisions. Dominique's post shows how 5-year plans come true.

Business-Growing Lessons Of A Success Story
An SBI! owners sent Ken a private e-mail about her SBI! experience. It contained so many superb lessons that he decided to share it (with her permission). With that brief intro, here is Louann's letter. At the end of it, we include the lessons for you to take away as you build YOUR online business.

Content 2.0 Tip For Those Selling Services
This SBIer explains how he uses Content 2.0 ( http://2.sitesell.com ) to close at least one $3-4,000 deal per month for his services. Low work & high yield, this is a superB tip for anyone selling services online.

Don't Lose Track Of CTPM And How Social Media Fits In
Building a business online from scratch, one that you want to generate long-term income and grow significant equity? Build a Theme-Based Content Site as your CORE. Use blogging, or social media such as Facebook, as an adjunct to the core. Google-searching and "social media" are not either/or, as many people seem to think. It's more about IF, HOW and WHEN you add one or the other (or both) to your SBI! e-business.

Don't Use An Elephant Gun To Hammer A 1-Page Poster To A Wall
There are times and circumstances that do NOT require SBI!. No need for an elephant gun if you are just hunting quail. But if you're trying to build a long-term-profitable Web-based business, you need more than a slingshot.

Do Success Stories Deflate/Discourage You? Read This.
Do success stories deflate/discourage you? For some, reading about the successes of others can seem so incredibly far away. That was true for this SBIer. If it's true for you, this story of an SBIer who "was a recovering #5" is must reading for you.

Even With All The Mistakes, My Future Is Clear
This SBIer explains how much she has learned, starting from scratch with SBI!. Of course, it's not just the learning, it's the earning. With the first site on its way and earning income, the second started, and the third SBI! site in the planning stages, Alison sees a secure financial future ahead.

Ex-Soldier Finds His Niche! Thank You Ken and SBI!
A soldier home from two tours in Iraq discovers SBI!. His impressions of SBI! tie into the talk, walk and run technique of the army. Task, Standards, Conditions form the Army's main teaching method. "Learning right" is life-saving in the army, but merely life-impacting with SBI!.

FACE IT! Launches!
Face It! provides seamless integration of SBI! and Facebook. It harnesses the power of Facebook's viral spread potential and packs it into every SBI! page. Face It!, which is better than any plug-in or other software that does anything even remotely similar, makes it click-easy to put Like buttons ANYWHERE on your page. You can also choose to integrate Facebook's Commenting platform. Now, SBIers can go WAY beyond blogging by enabling visitors' comments to go back to THEIR friends. See full details in this post.

Financially Free and Doing What I Love At 26
An SBIer does more than quit his day job. He gets healthy, moves to Bali and reclaims his life. At the ripe old age of 26.

Follow-Up To: ITAS! Don't Be Evil!
Has Google lost its moral compass? Edmund Burke said "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Read the following and... Do something. Speak up. Spread the word.

Funny Story: My Mum's A Believer
So many people (who have no way of knowing better) firmly believe that you "can't make money on the Net." That's as wrong as saying you "can't make money offline." Of course you can. SBI! has the stats to prove it, but this story about an SBIer's mother speaks volumes more than data.

Going Circumnavigation - Sailing Around The World, Leaving Solid Ground
Not all SBIers use their earnings to go sailing around the world. But it's a great example of how building your own business enables you to take control of your life.

Going Circumnavigation - Sailing Around The World, Leaving Solid Ground, Part II
Alf reveals the ultimate destination of his dream trip. Again, not everyone sets sail 'round the world. But the fact that you could changes your life.

Here's Why iSBI!
How a neglected SBI! site grew to $900/month. This SBIer explains how SBI! sites do not fade away due to inactivity. They are evergreen. See what happens when this SBIer "un-neglected" this "other site."

How I WASTED THOUSANDS on Internet Marketing...
You can spend thousands on all kinds of Internet Marketing courses. Or...

How To Make Site Sponsorship Your #1 Income Generator
AdSense is a superb "monetizing starter." It confirms to beginners that traffic turns into good income. But there are many stronger ways to convert visitors into dollars, outlined in the Monetization HQ. Here is an easy-to-implement one.

"I Created My Retirement (At 39)"
Roberto describes in detail how he re-created his life by building an SBI! site to sell a dating ebook. SBI! sites compete in even the most competitive niches.

Immature Online Business Thinking After All These Years
There's a right way to think about doing business online and there is the much more common wrong way. After 15 years+, it's odd that most people have not left the wrong way behind.

IMPORTANT FOR ALL! New Development At Facebook!
A massively important upgrade by Facebook (Feb 10, 2011). What it means to you and how it affects upcoming tools.

Is Ken Really Anti-Blogging?
In this post, Ken puts this myth to rest. Blogging is an EXCELLENT format for certain types of online businesses. And it's the wrong choice for others. In this exploration of the topic, he even covers when to add a blog to your SBI! site. Bottom line? Ken is no more anti-blogging than he is anti-information. It is merely another form of sitebuilding that has its place.

Is There A Doctor In These Forums? Lots Of Them! Thank You, EVERYONE!
A dramatic example of how the SBI! Forums transcend "help and be helped" and go beyond "[i]The[/i] Place For Friendly, Success-Focused Discussion." This is a community that cares about each other and that pulls ahead as a group, as well as stopping to reach out and pull an individual up and over the most unlikely hurdles.

It Is Not Always About The Money (Part I)
This post tells the remarkable story of how an Australian woman is using her SBI! site to impact the lives of orphans in South Africa.

It Is Not Always About The Money (Part II)
A little over a year ago, Sandy posted what was merely the beginning of her incredible ride. She writes, "it is amazing what you can achieve if no one takes the credit!" That's so true, Sandy, and it is not always about the dollar. You have used your site to earn far more than dollars. You have bettered the lives of so many who suffer. THAT is success on a whole different level.

It's A Touchdown for Python Printable Games!
This SBIer describes the power of using affiliate marketing as a merchant. Ken adds a note.

It's Official....Quitting My Day Job
What could be doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, and earn income doing it? Some of our favorite posts are the "I quit the day job" posts.

I've Given Birth!
A long and winding road finds this 50+ year old marathon runner at SBI!. Only a marathon runner could endure the long and painful road (including 2 failed attempts at WordPress) that ended up at SBI! and burgeoning success.

Life's Economic Stages And SBI!
You have to be ready for it. in this post, Ken tells how his own sister and brother-in-law did not understand SBI! for 10 years, even though HE thought they were perfect for it. But what HE thinks does not count. It's what YOU think and if/when you're ready for it.

MUST-READ: Get Your Photos Off Image-Thieving Sites
This was the original post that started the hunting and squashing of image-stealing sites. The combined power of the SBI! forums (14 pages of comments, reports, ideas, tips) and SiteSell Facebook ( http://facebook.com/SiteSell -- with over 300 comments) closed down the site in question, lxixixl.com. But others remain, so we are bringing this article into the public domain (SBI! Forums are private for SBI! owners), so that everyone can benefit and help overcome the bad guys of this world.

My First $10,000 Month! Thank You SBI! (Ken's Reply)
Ken discusses the powerful lessons that are contained in Christine's post My First $10,000 Month"). Read this and then ask yourself... "What's stopping ME?"

My Husband Is Bragging About Me :)
Powerful story of self-actualization and what it means, at a very real level. Many of our favorite SBI! stories involve SBIers who had spouses who didn't believe... didn't believe in the spouse... in SBI!... in the future. Lack of support is hard to deal with, especially when starting one's any venture. When your spouse becomes your biggest cheerleader... well, no more needs be said

My Traffic Is Going Through The Roof!
A Minuteman explains how his site's traffic is "revolutionary"... approaching 10,000 visitors per day, with a nice impact on income.

NEVER Take Advice That Involves Tricking The Search Engines
This post by Ken explores the history of "Black Hat SEO" and how every trick ever devised to fool Search Engines has been stomped down by the engines. Why do gurus sell their "secrets?" What damage are they capable of? And what are the 3 simple questions you can ask to recognize and avoid these charlatans?

No Such Thing As Luck With E-business Success
This is a story of a tale of struggle, failure, and one SBer's ultimate path to freedom. So many people think that these stories are by "lucky people." Luck has NOTHING to do with it.

Not Resting On These Laurels!
From a mistake-filled beginning to over 4,000 unique visitors per day. This SBIer has some excellent habits that are propelling her to rapidly growing success, self-reliance and true independence.

Off The Action Guide Path At First, One Year Update
This SBI! owner fell "off the AG path" at first. But then he started following the most important advice that every successful SBIer gives... "Follow the Action Guide." Here is his report, including financial, after his first year with SBI!.

Paid Off My Mortgage 258 Months Early - Thanks SBI!
This SBIer has reasonable goals and does not make, in her words, "headline amounts" with SBI!. She has learned valuable lessons beyond Net marketing skills, has reached initial goals, and she sets her target to the ultimate destination, freedom.

Partners in Life and Business
An inspiring story of a husband and wife SBI! team. Don't miss the part about meeting on the porch for cocktails and SBI! talk at the end of the day. What's keeping YOU from leading the life YOU want to live?

Perfect? No. The Best Way To Build An E-business? Absolutely.
This post is all about trust. SBI! is not perfect -- this writer talks about SBI!, warts and all. He talks about how much of SBI! he has come to take for granted. He also points out that he has done best when he stops focusing on the Web (trusting SBI! to staying up-to-date with info and tools) and keeps his focus on growing his business. THAT level of trust opens up hours and brainpower for business-growing.

Poster boy for The Tortoise
A wonderful, patient story about how a part-time SBIer tortoises steadily ahead and converts what he knows, concrete, into information about it (e-concrete). That e-concrete ends up "building" a home in the "real" world. It's not the "end," of course. it's only the beginning.

Rebuilding my business with SBI
John, a 15-year veteran of online marketing, moves away from get-rich-quick and other non-business-building ways of creating websites and blogs to focus on SBI!'s success process. Why? John can no longer ignore these 2 simple realizations... 1) "blogging is fun for me (busyness), but doesn't produce any real income (business)" and 2) "better sites earn more money."

Rock Bottom, Going Up!
When life hits rock bottom, you simply have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Easier said than done, that's true. This SBIer described how she and SBI! did it... and brought her life back.

SBIers From Around The World
People are the same the world over. They want to live better and more freely. They want their children to be healthy, be well educated and to, um leave home before they turn 40! A mesmerizing summary of what's happening at SiteSell Facebook.

SBI! Has Brought My Family Together
How does a website about the Wisconsin Northwoods bring two sisters together (and the rest of the family for that matter) together? Read this inspiring tale of how SBI! impacts people more than "just" financially.

SBI's Christmas Gift to Me
What makes everyone here at SiteSell tick? Poss like this one! :-)

SBI! Wherever I Go, Well, On The Web At Least...
This SBIer makes an interesting observation... You may not realize it, but when you search for information on various topics, you find SBI! sites 280 times more often than the average site. Here's how he figured that out.

Setting Goals and Meeting Them - Met My Biggest Goal Ever!
Lady Gaga says that there's a superstar in everyone, a belief we firmly hold, too. This SBIer's story of setting and meeting progressively larger goals is both inspirational AND practical. YOU can release your superstar.

SiteSell/SBI!... As Green As It Gets
SiteSell is one of the greenest companies in the world, not only in the conduct of its own business, but also due to the ramifications of the impact it has on the lives of others.

Standing Tall, Proud, And Confident...Thanks To SBI!
An SBIer's first-ever post to the Forums after 2 years. Every SBIer has different goals, from helping out with the family income while staying home with the children to the full-blown "quit the day job" AND earn substantially more while doing something you love. This SBIer explains how she reached hers.

Thanks Mom!
A mother's persistence wins the day for this SBI! owner.

Thank You To SBIers, A Rare Breed
It speaks a lot about SBI! when one sees the type of people it attracts. That has been noted many times, but this post is an especially touching tribute.

The $27,000 Power Of PREselling
This SBI! owner demonstrates how PREselling clears the way to monetizing. Too many people do not understand the value of PREselling, focusing on "making money" right away. This is one of the big reasons why 99% of people who try to earn a living online fail.

The Difference Between SBI And Typical Internet Marketing
SBIer recounts her long and winding road to SBI!. A real must-read for those who are "into" Internet Marketing.

The TRUE-TRUE-BUT Red Herring Phenomenon
We are a species that likes to tie two events into neat cause-and-effect packages. Except for when circumstances are simple and obvious, events are just too complex to be able to do that. This important post shows you how to identify and ignore these red herrings, keeping you on the right path.

The Twitter-Spammer, The NY Cab Driver, And YOU
A Twitter-spammer and a nice cab driver in New York show us how to take REASONABLE steps (avoid the doomsday kooks) to reduce risk, preserve capital (at a minimum), and live in a place that you love, doing what you love, all the while minimizing risk and perhaps increasing returns.

Think Business From Day One - Simple Mindset
SBI! imbues a BUSINESS philosophy into every SBIer. The emphasis is on BUSINESS-building instead of SITE-building or blogging. Each DAY of the Action Guide progressively takes you through a BUSINESS-building process, so that by the end of DAY 5, you have what is essentially an "online business plan" that is ready to be executed through DAYS 6-10. This constant emphasis results in people who are much more determined to do what it takes to build a business, instead of playing online games to make a few bucks here or there.

This E-mail Made My Day
It's hard to put a price on feedback like this for this SBIer. It's also a sure sign that you're not creating "pap." That's real BBQ info coming out of his brain and into the lives of others "Add value and keep it real." Do that and the business will build.

Trouble Monetizing? Find YOUR Looming Helicopter Loan.
A powerful lesson from the first-ever SBI! Conference (many of which have since been held by SBIers in Europe and the US) delivers what you need to do REALLY drive your e-business income.

Trouble Monetizing? Find YOUR Looming Helicopter Loan. (Part II)
Life takes detours. Things happen. 30 months after the original post, here's the "winding road" follow-up. Despite what life throws at you... "Take small steps on your website every day and you will be amazed what you can accomplish."

What A Difference!
SBIer explains how she has grown a site to 1,000 visitors/day in her first year, comparing it to a previous experience elsewhere.

What Do YOU Do For A Living?
This is how one SBIer answers this question!

WHAT happened in the last 5 years?!
A Stay-At-Home Mom starts from scratch and builds an online business that helps others, earns income and that builds true value ("equity"). She sells the business. The best part? She can do it all over again in her spare time. The amazing part? What a journey!

What Invisible Person(s) Have YOU Hugged Today?
To a very special group we tend to take for granted sometimes, but without whom things would NOT be what they are. Once you think about THAT, let's extend the sentiment to the important people in your life that we don't hug and thank often enough. :-)

Why Do Whiny Webmasters/SEOers Think Google Owes Them A Living?
In the offline world, consider this... Grifters get away with cons for years. Finally, they get caught and sent to jail. Do grifters complain that society owes them a living? Nope, they got caught and they know it. So what makes "Google-grifters" special? Nothing. So don't let them sell you short-term SEO tricks to fool Google. Remember... Every SEO trick that fools the Search Engines is defeated by the engines, sooner or later.

You Wanna See Lemons Turn Into Lemonade?
Come see what this SBIer does with an incredible litany of problems. BAM (Brain - Attitude - Motivation) are all important for your online success. Brain is not "braininess" -- it's having knowledge about something. Motivation keeps you going because it's not EASY to build a real business. This SBIer has both of them, but this post is the ultimate example of the positive Attitude that's necessary, too. Attitude is something YOU can control. How would YOU respond to this?