Never made a penny online? This is for you!

At some point in your lifetime, the thought of operating a successful internet business will cross your mind.  I mean, how appealing is waking up to no alarm clock, traveling the world and building your lucrative empire anywhere your mobile device takes you?  Very!

It has been said that a new internet business is started every 7 seconds.  Out of these, 70% will fail.  Yipes!  That sounds pretty harsh!

What's the stumbling block?  Human nature.  What the heck does that mean?

I'll explain.  Just like anything in life, we as people are incredibly impatient.  We want results NOW and if we don't see any pretty quick, we get discouraged and doubt ourselves.  It's funny, we don't look at an online business the way we look at a traditional business.  Could you see walking into a bank and saying, "Yes, I'd like you to make me Bank President and I want to start out with a 200k annual salary."  (You already know the response that would be returned.)

For some reason, we feel that if we started a business online, that money should start pouring in with very little effort.

Here are five things you need or must do to start making money online:

1)  If you're working as an affiliate marketer (a great place to begin), choose your partner company very carefully.  Many have come and gone over the years.  Pair up with an established entity that has been successfully operating for at least 5-10 years.  Two of my personal favorites are DS Domination and Trafficwave.

2)  You must get the word out like there's no tomorrow!  You can never advertise enough.  Remember, daily consistent effort is much better than putting in 100 hours your first week, burning yourself out, then quitting.  Be prepared to work smart and hard.  You have the potential for an amazing income!

3)  Don't over extend your business budget.  It's very easy to be excited in the beginning thinking you need every business tool under the sun to be successful.  Do the best with what you have, then reinvest your profits.  (Never borrow money to begin your affiliate marketing enterprise.  You'll increase your risk 100 fold and be stressed out if you don't make money...then you'll quit.  (see step 4)

4)  Don't quit (see step 3)!  :)  Sometimes we get so frazzled that we want to just throw in the towel and be done with it.  Take a break if you need to, but don't call it quits.  Have a written sheet of reasons why you are doing what most people won't.  If you're WHY is big enough, you'll succeed.

5)  Have patience.  This realistically could take two or more years to see a good income coming in.

Honestly, we make things too darned complicated in this lifetime.  Use common sense, keep an open mind, and do your homework before you get involved.  Stay away from anything pressuring you to join today.  As the old saying goes, a good deal today should be around tomorrow as well.

If you're a newcomer or established online marketer that needs some help, please email me anytime at sam@samprindle.com.  I wish you the best in your upcoming online efforts.  Good luck!

Confused about domains?

That's understandable.  In today's world, there is a lot of terminology thrown around.  If there's something this post doesn't tackle, please leave a comment or question below.

What is a domain?

A domain is where you can be found on the internet, similar to your home address; some refer to it as a URL.  (example - http://www.prindledomains.com)  (Hip tip:  In 2014, no one really says World Wide Web or "on the net" or "on the web" anymore...it's similar to referring to country music as "Country & Western"...today, all you need to say is "online" and 95% of people will know what you're referring to.)

Do I need to buy a domain?

No.  But, an online presence is certainly helpful in today's world.  Whether you're a business, blogger, do-it-yourselfer, etc., the possibilities are endless.

After I buy a domain, how do I get stuff on it?

Good question.  We'll most likely cover that in a future blog.

How do I buy a domain?

Buying a domain name is similar to buying a house.  In most cases, there is a real estate agent or domain registrar involved.  (prindledomains, godaddy, etc)

How much is it?

Not to get really general on you, but they can be free, several thousand dollars +, anywhere in between or higher.  With a premium domain, it's similar to having a valuable coin.  You're holding a valuable piece of online real estate.  Some flip them for a profit and some hang onto them.  An example of a premium domain is google.com and facebook.com.  At the time of this writing, they hold the number 1 and 2 spots of the most visited sites in the world. 

What if a .com in not available?

Search engines (google, yahoo, bing, msn) and individuals put a lot of clout in the trusty .com extension.  2nd best choice is .org, then .net.  Many times you can make the current owner an offer if the site name you want is not currently available.

How do I know if my website name is valuable?

Our site has an appraisal tool that's easy to use.  Start at prindledomains.com, hover your cursor over domain names, select domain name appraisals,  and follow the simple instructions from there.

Hopefully this has helped clear a little confusion.  You're welcome to poke around our website prindledomains.com and learn all you can, or leave a question or comment below.

Junk food (shocking!)

Peanut brittle, extra large cyclones (similar to DQ Blizzards), blueberry muffins, pancakes with butter and syrup (not drizzled, but saturated), home fries, toast, cheesecake, bread pudding, and pizza were the stars and co-stars of my treat week blowout at the "29" (our nickname for our place).

Sam Prindle, are you kidding me?  Aren't you the king of nutrition?  Don't you analyze every crumb of food before it enters your body?  I know.  No.  Uh, kind of.

Tomorrow, July 22, 2014, I begin a savagely grueling fitness and nutritional program.  ("Savage" & "grueling" is probably unfair) But, it's the most intensive challenge I've ever signed up for.

My week of junk gave me 7.7 additional pounds, a 3/4 inch increase in my waist, and a half an inch extra on my shoulders. 

Part of my marathon indulgence was to actually see what could be done in a week's time.  The results were absolutely shocking to me.  I knew the numbers would be up, but not this up!  (ouch!)

Today, I'll brainstorm of any treat I've mistakenly left behind (and enjoy it to the fullest) before it becomes Tuesday.  Tomorrow, the eatery vacation ends and it's back to work!

Are you Queen/King of your domain?

Hello friends!

I sincerely hope that 2014 is treating you very, very well.

On this side of the world, we've been very busy in beautiful Lisbon Falls, Maine.  What do I mean by this?

Well, as you know from samprindle.com, I'm on a mission to help 1,000,000 people to start.  Now, help can come in many different forms:  saving money, better health, improved nutrition, positive outlook, or just great information to enhance the quality of our lives.

This post is zeroed in on cost savings.  A little over 2 months ago, we launched prindledomains.com with this philosophy in mind:  offer a variety of innovative products for personal and/or business use at rock-bottom prices.  Simple. 

prindledomains.com includes over 50 helpful products and services (including domains, hosting, spam-free email, pro website builders) at the lowest prices available.  Browse the store and if we can help, let us know.  Also, if you wake up at 3am and want to speak to one of our friendly and helpful agents, you can at 480-624-2500.

Also, we're on the lookout for more ways to help you.  We welcome your ideas in the comment section below.

Have a fantastic and productive Positive Tuesday!  :)

In 2014, This Is Really Refreshing

A friend of mine approached the dj booth and asked, "Have you seen Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech?"

I said, "No."

A co-worker was standing by and jokingly made a comment.

When my friend left, I asked my co-worker, "Who's Kevin Durant?"  (As you get older, you're not as afraid to admit what you don't know.)

I watched the speech, first the 12:00 minute version, then the 26:00 minute version, then the 5.  My eyes were glued.

As I hung onto every word, I thought, if this doesn't move you, nothing will.
Here is the complete version.  If you have the time to watch it all, I'd highly recommend it - truly refreshing in 2014.

Have a fantastic and productive day!

Your friend,

Sam Prindle

What To Do When Your Teenager Runs Away (Part Two)

Just in case you've missed part one, you'll find it here.

After you've completed step one, I'd highly recommend contacting your child's school, church, and parents of friends.

Most parents will do the right thing.  In our case, at least 2 out of 3 did.  Even our family counselor said that so many situations would have a better outcome if "well-intentioned" outsiders didn't become involved and harbored kids (from their family) to "keep them safe". 

Another important item on your action list is to (try your best to) stay calm.  If you've reached out to all the appropriate agencies and people, it's usually only a matter of time before the situation is resolved.

Check with your state to determine your parental rights and liabilities in your specific scenario.  It may be wise, helpful, and necessary to seek legal counsel.  Most states offer free or low-cost law advice if hiring an attorney is out-of-reach.

If you're facing or experienced a similar situation, I would enjoy your comments and questions.

For all good parents of runaways, our family feels your pain.  You've done nothing wrong and we wish you the best.  We hope that your situation is resolved as quickly as possible.

What To Do When Your Teenager Runs Away (Part One)

Startling title, I know.  Those who know me very well know I have a good sense of humor, but I'm definitely not a practical joker; unfortunately this is being written from raw experience and I wish it were a bad joke.

Why does a 16 year-old (now 17) run away (twice) from a perfectly good, loving home?  That is the question.

Hopefully the phrase is "if" rather than "when" your child runs away, but if it does happen, call the police first.  Every parent wants to ensure their child is safe whether they're on Mars or at your residence.

At the time of this writing, there are only 8 states in the U.S. where running away is illegal: Georgia, Idaho, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Our local police force, detective, and school administration have done an outstanding job in assisting our family, which we greatly appreciate.

In Maine, (where running away is not illegal) parents are severely limited legally when your child is 16 or under.  From 17 on, your child can willingly live freely at another family's house without your permission - which is what's happening in our case.  Our child belongs here, not at your house!  Parents don't spend years raising their kids for them to vanish (because they (the kids) feel we are too strict) and take up residence elsewhere.

For those that are curious, here are the rules at our house:  for full privileges you must maintain a C- or above in every subject, be well-mannered, respectful, and a team player.  Being on time is a core value taught in our family, it's a matter of respect and definitely beneficial in the real world.

In summary, get the police involved as soon as you know your child has runaway.  In most cases it will not be illegal, but your local authorities will guide you through this painful process.

Your comments and questions are most welcome.

Part two coming soon...