Nathan Hangen

Let's have some fun with this one. I need your comments: (Pick Your Webinar) http://bit.ly/dzbNYF

Beer or playing guitar. Hellz yeah. =D

Pringles is also a good topic, I dunno. I'm more into the personal development stuff and building your own personal brand. As well as learning more about marketing stuff.

I'm pretty sure people can submit questions during the chat too so I'm sure more topics will pop up.

Ohhh, and lifestyle design. That stuff fascinates me.

Organization, beating procrastination… and… and just everything. Can't make up my mind. Good jokes, maybe? =)

Pick Your Webinar http://goo.gl/fb/S1zz

Now that's what I'm talking about! You and I are going to get along just fine.

I've noticed that the comments here are much more interactive when I talk about theory and attitude than they are when I give real practical advice, so you might be on to something there.

I'd like to talk about how t decide what product to work on when you don't have a ton of traffic to ask yet. I'd like to plug away on projects for my travel blog, but I don't see much in the way of information products in that niche. I'm not sure what direction to go.

Also, I love to write and would like to take on some freelance writing projects. I just want to write to contribute to the conversation that the development, lifestyle, etc. people are having, but not actually be a niche blogger there. Do you think SEO is going to matter much there, or is it all marketing and content?

Those are the two webinars I'd be interested in seeing, and I would for sure harass you all the way through it:)

By the way, good post yesterday about enabling your customers to level up. Very interesting.

Cheers!

Debbie

Pick Your Webinar http://bit.ly/bbN7bW

Hey Nathan,

Like Fiona wrote, beer is always a good topic to start a webinar.

I would like to know about your time management style. I can use tips on getting more done.

Pick Your Webinar http://bit.ly/bbN7bW Blogging.alltop

Truthfully, I'd like to see something that isn't “fluff”. No offense to those who are still trying to get their feet wet in blogging/IM and need help with a direction to take, but can we seriously get down to business here?

Most of the “basics” come down to two simple variables of advice – effort and time. Make a definitive choice & don't second guess yourself. Put all your energy into it, no matter what. Wait. Be patient. Keep working hard for weeks, months, years. It *will* be successful.

Let's get past all this BS. Stop asking for just one more bit of worthless cookie-cutter advice in the hopes of finding some unique magical answer. It's not there. Instead of looking for the why, look for the how – in *detail*. What are people doing on the lowest sub-level of their work that will teach you a solid concept to apply to your business? Sure, it may be over your head and not too relevant for your current status level… but *that* will teach you more than asking bland vague questions that can be found 10,000 places.

For example, Nathan, I'd love for you to take us through a step-by-step behind the scenes process chronologically of a product launch… not a “what should I sell” or “how to use Clickbank” or “what's a squeeze page” or any other fluff nonsense. I want hardcore stuff from the trenches that consumes 16 hours of your days the week leading up to a product release.

Stuff like split testing, landing page considerations, launch auto-responders, synchronizing it on multiple social platforms, coordinating a schedule with affiliates, dealing with your payment processor & accounting, charge backs and tech support issues, etc…

I could go on and on & I realize you can't possibly cover it all… but this seems like tangibly valuable discussion that really gets to the nuts & bolts of things. It almost seems like many IM gurus are going for mostly “fluff” BS and holding back this info because it'll cut into something they'd eventually sell… or it could be the attitude of “hey, I paid a few grand for Product Launch Formula so if I did, you should. Why the hell would I give you advice from what I learned for nothing?”

Sorry for the rant in your comment section, Nathan. I know I've only been in this space for under a year, but it just irks me that so many “gurus” will recycle the same BS over and over to a new group of eager upstarts, watch 95%+ fail and then start the cycle again – all the time never really getting past the fluff and into the trench warfare of business.

I'm with Jordan 100% on this one. Even though I find enjoyment in the fluff sometimes, I still prefer the really good stuff that only Nathan himself can provide.

Let's dive right into the good stuff. I won't be sipping beer, but I will be sipping my freshly-squeezed, vitamin C filled, delicious OJ

Oh and I hope the Webinar is at a good time for me. I'm 6 hours ahead of EST I think.

I take your point Jordan, and I also saw your pop on Twitter. And I'd very much like to get into the kind of detailed discussions you're talking about – and I will – perhaps here on Nathan's blog.

But the Mike's Life audience is new and learning bloggers – and they do want to know “How to use Clickbank” (my 2nd most succesful post) “What products should I sell?” etc.

It's BS to you because you know these things, but you're not the target, neither am I, or most of Nathan's readers, who will benefit greatly from what you're suggesting.

Mike, I totally understand your point – audiences are different, I get that. That's not really what I'm saying though…

This may sound harsh, but if you can't type in “How to use Clickbank” into Google, read 100 posts on the subject, look at Clickbank's site, help files, forums & support… if you still need yet *someone else* to give you advice about it – then maybe you're not smart enough to ever be successful doing this.

The sad part is there are SO many people like this… and that's why there are so many guru-types able to make money pitching the fluff to them. I can't blame the marketers, really, can I? They're filling a need & solving a problem.

The funnel of those who can get past these first beginner stages is so narrow, you must admit that 9 out of 10 who try to do this, read blogs, buy products, take courses, etc. will fail miserably. It's mainly due to themselves on most occasions…

But have we stepped back for a second and pondered maybe it's because we're all recycling the same old rehashed vague generic fluff bullshit and not actually teaching people detailed concepts that are truly valuable?

Are we dumbing down our content because we want to grab the largest consumer base no matter what? Instead, can we raise the standard of our material to a level even if it “scares” off those who won't understand it, yet actually helps a MUCH larger percentage of those who DO?

#Webrepreneur Pick Your Webinar: Folks, let’s have some fun with this one. I’m relying.. http://bit.ly/bZu0qa

I'm with Jordan on this one. It would be great to see some detailed and advanced topics presented. A fluff piece is a dime a dozen on the net. Why not provide something really useful and stand out from the crowd? To Mike's point about audience – you have to satisfy your old readers and not just the new ones to your site. Having a variety of beginning, intermediate and advanced topics will satisfy more people than just talking about surface topics.

Hey Nathan, You could create a series of topics that build toward a goal. You begin with Newbie material then build toward expert level ideas. You get the new ones in, but you can still satisfy your more experienced audience too.

Just an idea.

RT @nhangen: Pick Your Webinar http://bit.ly/aafhrQ

That's a good idea Karl, and after looking through the comments, it's something I'll probably end up doing.

Jordan, I understand completely.

The way I see it, you have 2 kinds of products that would do well and would help people.

1. Motivational, theoretical, empowerment. Some people need that stuff.

2. Hardcore, no B.S., real technique.

I've toyed around with doing a course on launches, so it's definitely something I'd like to cover. I'm not saying I'll only do it for $, but it's not something I just want to throw out there. It's complex and there is a lot to talk about. A series would be much better I think.

I'm really thinking hard about what I can offer without pumping out shit and still helping people. So, I get what you're saying.

Let me ask you this…do you prefer a short but sweet webinar (30 minutes or less), or something like 60-90 minutes?

And that's the problem we all face…meeting the levels of our audience in one place. I tried to address it with my last post, but I'm not sure I got the point across like I wanted to.

So, what topics are you after? Launches? Product Creation?

OJ works, as long as you have some vodka in it

Gotcha…I have some tips in that department.

Like Fiona wrote, building your own personal brand or / and personal development would be a great topic. Many bloggers struggle with the problem standing out from the crowd. I think something related to that or “being different but real” would be very interesting, encouraging and motivating.

If you're trying to get writing gigs, I think it's much more about networking and guest posting than it is about SEO on your own site. If that's what you mean.

When you say “which product,” I'm assuming you're talking about something to sell, right?

At the moment I'm more interested in launches since I have no trouble with product creation, but who knows, maybe my next product fails miserably. Oh well, that's how you learn

I want to know about how you can apply social media to a bricks and mortar business?

That's a great topic. Actually have some very interesting things planned on that front.

RT @nhangen Pick Your Webinar http://bit.ly/aafhrQ

I'm running a webinar, but you get to pick the topic. Chime in here: http://bit.ly/dzbNYF

Fun idea! RT @nhangen: I'm running a webinar, but you get to pick the topic. Chime in here: http://bit.ly/dzbNYF

RT @nhangen: I'm running a webinar, but you get to pick the topic. Chime in here: http://bit.ly/dzbNYF

Cool video Nathan. I would like to know about how people schedule their hours to work on their blog. This is probably more personal, but I don't think it would be boring. It would be interesting and also helpful to see how other successful bloggers out there work and what their work ethics. It's rare to see entry posts like this. Also for me, I kind of work randomly throughout the day and I know other people work better with set block-schedules. I just think this would be a cool topic to discuss about, but again that's just my thoughts.

are like* (mistake).

I would love how you break down your day. We all have 24 hours but you seem to be everywhere lately. I have the time but I lack the structure working from home for the first time. D you have a set time to read other blogs and comment? Make phone calls etc.

I'm not sure you want to hear it. It's like this: work 20 hours. Sleep 4. Work 20 more LOL

On a serious note, that seems to be a pretty common question, so I might go that route.

Fixed it for you.

Yeah, I learned a lot about that interviewing people for Beyond Blogging, and lots of people seem to want to know.

Hi Nathan,

I am very new to your blog but really enjoy it. Here is a thought and something a bit more interesting and easier to execute on. Go get 4 or 5 known bloggers. They don't have to be Darren Rouse level but reasonably well known. Perhaps pull them from different areas: blogging, social media, motivation/self help, a niche vertical, food, etc…Come up with a series of questions relative to blogging and lead a panel discussion around 4-5 major questions/topics. Each of the bloggers shares their experiences, what works, what doesn't, etc…but the real value is the interaction that occurs between them based on the question being discussed.

For instance, a few people above said they would like to hear about how your day is organized. While that would be interesting it would be more useful to hear the likely different ways each of your peers organize their day. More viewpoints, questions back and forth as to why, etc….

Marc

I'm very interested in hearing more about this. There is a huge market for helping the mom/pop type small biz survive in this economy.

The problem is not in the “fluff” BS, it is in the people's eternal ability to not take action.

True – some people need that motivational, theoretical, empowerment stuff. As I commented to Jordan's awesome lengthy comment there, most people fail because they lack/lose motivation to keep going or even start, to take action. When that is in order, the real “no BS” technique works.

As for the webinar itself, I'm already liking what I see here in the comments, so I'd like to ask that you schedule the webinar with non-US regions in mind as well. I love webinars, but there is no way I'll participate one taking place 0-6am.

Marc, I'd love to do that, but it probably won't work for this one, at least in the short-term. However, I'm going to try and get a few people together for one soon.

I can't agree with you Jordan. Sure, you want an in depth post about a product launch, talking split testing, auto responders etc. That's because you are at the stage where you are about to launch a product. And I'm sure someone (maybe even me!) will provide you with what you need. But to suggest that we all ignore the vast number of readers who aren't yet ready for that does them a disservice.

14 months ago, I hadn't even heard of Clickbank. I was that guy, who despite being smart, typed in “How to use Clickbank” when I read a reference to it on someone else's site.

By having a post on the site that answers the basic question for people, of course it's aimed at the largest consumer base. Some will read it and move on, many will read it and fade away from blogging. But some will use the help, become a part of the blog's community and grow with it.

There's a need out there for information at all levels – people grow and move on. A year ago, everything Darren Rowse wrote seemed blindingly brilliant to me, and solved what seemed to be complex problems. I was his target audience, and I read every word and bought his stuff – it was largely responsible for getting me to where I am. I'm sure Darren has no problem understanding that people move on from his site at a certain point.

I think one of the problems you've identified is that there aren't enough blogs out there to cater for the next steps, and I agree with that. But I don't think people who are established in a given niche (new and learning bloggers) should suddenly change their approach to become that.

BUT, maybe the answer is to take those more advanced bloggers into a new community to give them what they want…………….you could call it something like “The Beyond Blogging Project” maybe…

Mike, I understand your point of view completely. I can't place any blame at those who are just providing others exactly what they are asking for. It's a valid and quite successful business model to pursue.

The point I'm trying to make is – why must this basic information be dumbed down to the point that it frankly doesn't actually provide any tangible usefulness to those who need it? Sure, you can write yet another post on “how to use Clickbank” but guiding someone through that process, no matter how detailed you get, won't see them making any substantial income. Supplying them with the *concepts* on it's effective usage in combination within an entire business model and mindset would do them infinitely more good.

When people are brand new, they have a lot of passion to learn as much as possible, but don't really know what they want or need. They *think* they do, though. Instead of giving in and supplying them with lowest common denominator material that will likely see 95% fail to apply properly… why not up the ante and come at it from the approach of: “I'll let you know the basics, but in the aspect of a wholly successful model you might not fully grasp just yet” Sure, you'll probably lose a bunch that find it too difficult to consume & learn in that fashion, but the ones that are left will see a MUCH higher success rate than they would with the dumbed down method.

I know this is last minute…but this is something we're going to do in the upcoming Beyond Blogging Project.

beating procrastination is a fun topic. Organization is also something I have fun with. I think I'm going to do 1 on LD and another on advanced product stuff.

I know I am a little late on this one Nathan, but I was just going through some of your posts after chatting on Skype and this one caught my attention.

Reading Jordan's comments on “fluff”, he makes good points, but there are new bloggers coming out everyday (just about as many that fail everyday) and I have been at this for a couple of years, so I am not a noob, but I am new to this niche because I make my money from products/services, and that is where I learned to blog.

My biggest question right now is launching products (e-books, videos, books, courses etc…) and I think I have signed up for just about every list I can just to see how everyone is going about achieving their product launches.

It has become obvious to me, that pre-launch “buzz” is probably just as important as the product itself, that is what Iam trying to learn more about…..

Anyway, was good chatting with you.

You too man, and thanks for being a good sport in the chat. Still in the planning phases for this (got a bid behind because of the BBP) so I'll definitely look at doing something like that. I'm going to do 2 webinars, one for those interested in LD and another to talk about products and launches, etc.

You too man, and thanks for being a good sport in the chat. Still in the planning phases for this (got a bid behind because of the BBP) so I'll definitely look at doing something like that. I'm going to do 2 webinars, one for those interested in LD and another to talk about products and launches, etc.