Long time no see, huh?
I’ve been in a serious writing phase these past few months. Creating new reports, constructing new strategies, testing those strategies, writing some more.
In between all of that, three things have happened.
1) I moved.
This time from New York City to Center City, Philadelphia. One incident that prompted this move was the guy who bypassed my buildings concierge, and followed me and my daughter into the elevator. The hairs on the back of my neck bristled like a porcupine because he didn’t press a floor when he got on the elevator.
By the 3rd floor (I lived on 14) I dropped my shopping bags, removed my gloves, turned to face him, looked him directly in the eyes and gave him a look to let him know that he wasn’t going to catch me by surprise.
Even though he could’ve been going to see another person on my floor, I just knew that wasn’t the case. I was 100% sure he was going to harm me. It was a distinct feeling that I absolutely couldn’t ignore.
In the movie New Jack City, there’s a scene where Ice-T (a rapper in real life, but a cop in the movie) is telling a story about a thug who killed his mother in order to be initiated into a gang. It was a random killing.
Well THAT was the thought I had as soon as that elevator door closed. It was truly a gut feeling at its best.
Long story short - it didn’t get gory, but it did get scary. He was found waiting for me to come out of my apartment. In fact, when he ‘attacked’, he didn’t know it was the police coming out of my apartment.
I packed up, found a gorgeous condo in Philadelphia, overlooking Rittenhouse Square, and the rest is history.
All hail the portable lifestyle of information product creation!
BTW, this isn’t meant to scare anyone away from visiting NYC. I still feel very safe in the city. I just didn’t feel like the building I was living in was secure anymore. And for the money you have to pay to live in NYC, the stress of that incident took A LOT away from me.
I’m a pansy that way - a pansy who’s determined to be around for a long time.
2) Meanwhile on the Internet… last month I realized that I had a super scamming affiliate.
He had two Paydotcom usernames - both shared a similar phrase.
He sent a number of orders for Desperate Buyers Only in June. I paid him for those sales on July 1st. In July I started getting more orders from him.
Then all of sudden, I started getting chargebacks. First it was one a day, for three days. Then one day I got like four chargebacks. I looked at where the sales came from, and sure enough they all came from that one affiliate.
And all the customer e-mail addresses looked exactly the same - first name, last name, with a Gmail or Yahoo domain. Or first name, last name, and a number.
I went through and refunded the rest of the orders he sent, terminated my relationship with him, and closed the DBO affiliate program to new applicants.
I was so pissed off! Especially since I’d just gone through that PayPal account freezing incident this year.
Apparently Paydotcom got complaints about this person, and they reported him to PayPal. I also reported him to PayPal as soon as the chargebacks started coming in. But that call probably fell on deaf ears.
When I called PayPal about the incident, the rep didn’t even know what an affiliate program was! That’s idiotic.
How the heck can PayPal put their reps on the line to talk about e-commerce issues, and a rep NOT know what an affiliate does? There’s something wrong that picture.
That incident further prompted me to continue launching my new products with Google Checkout.
Speaking of new products and Google Checkout, I’ve been VERY pleased with the service so far. I’ve been with them for 5 months, and I have nothing to complain about.
Amen to that one.
3) As I mentioned in a previous blog post (when PayPal originally froze my account) I’m currently adding more print products to my lineup.
First off, when you snail-mail your products you have a tracking number. So you have fewer problems with chargebacks. In fact, when I did print products early on in my career, I won around 75% of my chargeback cases because I was able to provide tracking information, and show that the person signed for the delivery. (They frequently claimed they didn’t get anything.)
But even more important - (because in reality, chargebacks and problem transactions are the exception - not the norm) - print products create a better long-term image.
I think we all get a little excited and anxious when we’re waiting for something in the mail. I order at least one thing from Amazon nearly every, single week, because I like getting stuff in the mail - (and I read a helluva lot).
As I’m bombarded with information online, I can appreciate being able to pop something in my bag to read at the park.
Yes, e-books are far easier to deliver, and they give the customer the benefit of instant gratification.
But when you want to start going into higher price points - as I wish to do, you’ve gotta go print.
So my brand new $129 product - The Good and Fast Content Creation Formula - is print. And that’s just the beginning.
In case you’re wondering, I’ll talk about The Good and Fast Content Creation Formula later this week.
Until then!
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 am
dude…
u had a stalker???
do tell!
what happened after you got out of the elevator?
did he not follow you all the way to the 14th?
and did you call the cops immediately?
that is freaking scary!
just goes to show you how crazy MFers are out there!
keep it safe Dawes and glad to see you back…blogging
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:40 am
Glad you are safe.
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
So awesome to have you back Alexis. I’ve certainly missed you!
Yes, do tell more, we want details… details!
I love your new look blog, I hope to be visiting more often to hear more of your entertaining anecdotes.
Take care, and best of luck with your launch!
August 24th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
ALEXIS! I meant to email you the other day — I finally got my book written. I discovered a desperate market that wanted me and *silly me* had been giving away part of the farm. Scaled back, worried that they would desert me once the little green rectangles became part of the conversation … and no! They’re excited! They’re thrilled! “It’s about time you made a product to address these things!”
Shocked. Floored. Stunned.
I got started writing … and it flowed, and flowed so well. I finished off 60 pages in roughly 12 hours, including the time I sat in a fit of rage because I suddenly got transported to the set of Teenagers Gone Hog Wild in my own house (you’re a parent, you know what I mean. LOL.)
Love the new blog look - nice touch. We’ve missed you, but I’m so glad you moved to a nice place - overlookin’ the square, eh? You inspire me to keep believing in this internet business game. You know the copy you wrote for The Focus Plan? How your friends & family looked @ you for believing in this in spite of the bills stacking and everything? Yeah, that’s what I’m living *right now* - nobody believes in our little company except me & my biz partner, and that’s OK - I know where we’re headed.
I gave him my printed copy of Desperate Buyers Only, the book I still tell folks got me started on this product creation bend — he loved it! You’re a sharp writer and your copy is going to be part of my “swipe file” for years to come — not that I’d copy you, naturally, but when I’m stuck to figure out how to close or what to say, I turn back to DBO, or Speaking For Profit (another one of my favorites, as I’m becoming a speaker soon), Book is in the Buzz, and No More Smelly House (yes, readers, I’ve bought just about everything Alexis Dawes has published, and I will continue to in the future.)
You’re such the real deal — you go against *everything* in internet marketing land - no upsells, no list, no constant contact — you blog when you want to, and do what you want to do. You don’t do the seminar circuit … and you’re making a killing. I’ve never seen you worry about money in a long time. And you’re female, and yes, that’s part of my inspiration too but I don’t niche you into the “female marketer” box, cos you’re so much more.
OK, shutting off my fangirlishness for a while. You are STILL the unchallenged, undisputed, untouchable underground marketer for the ages - now get in there and make us a sequel to Desperate Buyers Only, please?
(and what’s this about a print product on product creation? I swear there’s a section in my budget spreadsheet marked “Alexis” ;))
Stay safe out there, lady.
Isabella “Niche Lady” Murphy, The Staying Paid Diva
August 25th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Details, details for Robert and Lesley…
Okay so I’m on the elevator and I’m staring this guy down. My heart was beating so loudly in my ear, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. He starts pacing in the elevator, and he puts his hands in his pocket like he’s building up the courage to do something.
I’m looking at his shoes, his coat, everything - trying to remember the details just in case. He’s just pacing back and forth.
We reach 14 and I pick up my bags and get off the elevator. I was sooooo scared. My door was the closest to the elevator so I walk past it to get closer to my neighbors doors so they could hear me.
I turn around to see what he’s doing, and he was still on the elevator.
Now normally when the elevator door closes it says “Going down,” or “Going up” or something. This time the elevator door closed and it said NOTHING. So he hadn’t pressed a floor. He was just sitting in the elevator.
I got the door open, locked it and immediately called the police.
The police came in like 10 minutes, and took a description. I was shaking like a leaf the whole time. I just didn’t feel right about the situation.
As soon as the police stepped out of my door, and I lock the door behind them, the guy pops out of the exit.
Mind you… my apartment was the closest one to the exit. So he charged RIGHT INTO THE POLICE - obviously not knowing who they were.
The police take him down and they’re asking him questions in the hallway. They arrest him and take him in.
Turns out he was a 15-year old - up to no good.
I would’ve been his victim.
So folks, the next time you feel like something’s “just not right” don’t ignore your feelings, or turn your back to the person.
I honestly believe the only reason why he didn’t attack me on the elevator was because I had the gonads to face him head on.
Besides, I had my kid on the elevator with me. So when I dropped my stuff and took my gloves off, adrenaline was coursing through my veins like hot iron. Short of him taking out a gun and shooting me, I would’ve jumped on that guy like the Tasmanian Devil on Bugs Bunny!
I made him feel so uncomfortable that he had to go into the exit to rebuild HIS mental strength.
Needless to say, my concierge got a tongue-lashing that night. She was on the phone (as usual) when this guy slinked past her.
In any case, he wasn’t a stalker.
I just think I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or perhaps I was in the right place at the right time.
I’m not sure that most people in that building would’ve done what I did. So it’s probably better that he came up against someone with some street sensibility.
August 25th, 2008 at 2:20 am
Isabella,
You’re such a queen! Thank you so much for your feedback. I’m blushing.
I’m happy you made the transition. It’s easy for me to tell people to do it, but it’s often very difficult for people to actually take that first step.
They assume - like you did - that people won’t stay on board if you’re (GASP!) actually selling something.
There’s no shame in the selling game. We all gotta put food on the table. I make no qualms about selling my ideas, or charging what I feel is a fair rate. Neither should you, or anyone else.
Keep on writing AND selling girlfriend!
Alexis
August 25th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
hi Alexis,
wow!
just abso-friggin-lutely crazy!
good job on getting that little punk taken care of!
August 25th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Alexis,
As a man and a human being, I am sick and tired of these knuckleheads who continue to harm women. A woman was stabbed to death, in NYC, apparently by her ex-boyfriend, last night. Her neighbors ignored her pleas for thirty minutes while she was attacked. The police found her in a pool of blood.
There is nothing “pansy” about changing your environment after such a traumatic event. God bless you for having the fortitude and courage to let that punk know you weren’t going for the okey-doke! Great to have you back.;-)
Anthony
August 27th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Hey Alexis,
I’m glad you’re back. Can’t live without you.
Steve