The reason I have not written much about internet marketing stuffs these days is because I really feel I have nothing much to write about. It is still the same now as was 4 years ago. It’s still about finding a profitable market. Create a useful website that will provide value to visitors. Offer the product to the visitors (be it your own product or as an affiliate). Build links and generate traffic via SEO. Profit and make money. The concept HASN’T changed at all although techniques might be slightly different now, because things changed so fast online.

I guess I will have to change my blog theme soon. Maybe a redesign of my blog header. It’s not just about internet marketing anymore. I have moved on and venture into investing and trading too.

I am an internet marketer, trader and investor. : )

1. Hiring a part-time assistant

I will be hiring an assistant to help me out with data entry, articles submission and blog postings. I mentioned I will be focusing on my money-making sites on my last post.  There are a few older sites that I need to work on simultaneously. Even though I have article submitting software to help me speed up the process, it’s still taking up quite a bit of time. I need to free up my time to do more important tasks such as researching profitable niches, improving conversion etc.

2. My wedding videography site has leads and sales

After a few months of SEO-ing, the site is “up there” in search engines. Leads are coming in and closed a few deals in the process. But the conversion rate can be better. Will be working on that as well.

3. Wedding photography site is up next!

The photography website is a sister-site and similar to the videography one. This niche is much tougher to break into cos’ competition is fierce and I will take more time and effort to optimize the site.

4. My 7.5km run weekly.

Because I work from home, there is a need to have some kind of “activity” for me, or else I will be sitting on my chair most of the time at home. I am very proud to announce that I have been running consistently for the past 6 months. My usual routine now: Running 7.5km three times  per week. Hope I can continue this healthy lifestyle!

Yeah, that’s all for the update now.

My plans and directions for 2011? Just gonna focus on these three:

1. Current money-making niche sites

About 5 sites of mine are getting good traffic and I believe I can increase the traffic further. I will be focusing the long tail keywords. Don’t underestimate those low traffic keywords. They all add up to form a sizable traffic.

Also, with the traffic that I am getting (~19,000 unique visitors per month for my bigger sites), I think I am not fully maximizing my income. So instead of starting from scratch, I shall work on my existing sites to bring in more moolah.

2. Physical Products Affiliate Marketing

The conversion rate for physical products is high. I have been testing out again recently by promoting Amazon products. So far: 9 sales from 55 clicks, conversion at 16.36% with commissions of $75.94. The income is nothing great to shout about. But the conversion is just awesome. Just need to drive more traffic, traffic and more traffic!

3. Local Lead Generation

Been working in the wedding niche to provide leads for companies. I want to earn some SGD! Cos’ USD=FAIL. Damned the diminishing exchange rates!

I do set some goals for myself for 2011.  But I am not going to announce it publicly here (I am a bit superstitious). So, I rather tell you my directions instead!

What’s yours?

I have finally jumped on the bandwagon and become a smartphone user. Before that, my phone was strictly for calls and and sms.

Now I can check my emails on the go, surf the net, peep at facebook, take photographs (5 MP with AF and flash), play games, wi-fi tethering (using my phone as a modem) and lots more. This phone becomes my entertainment companion! No more boring rides on the MRT or buses. LOL.

I knew iPhone 4 is coming out soon. No doubt it’s a very sleek-looking phone with lots of apps and new features. But I hate to use a product that is so commonly adopted by the masses. I read from some articles saying that Singapore has the highest penetration rate for iPhone: 1 out 10 mobile users are using it.So it’s a no-no for me.

Well, I am very pleased with my Samsung Wave till now. So far so good….

I was living a routine lifestyle from 7-25 years old, going through the standard Singapore education system. From PSLE to O levels to A levels to National Service to 4-year university degree course.

You get what I mean? I had to study 4 years to get O levels cert, another 2 freaking years to get my A levels cert, another 2.5 torturing years to serve the nation and then the university years. I knew what lies ahead. For majority of the people, I can predict the future for them.

I know what lies ahead for them as well – that is after graduation, work your ass off until you are 65 and retire. In between that, there will be a lot of grumbles: salary is too little, no time, work’s stressful, boss sucks, colleagues suck, incompetent people get promoted etc. Blah blah blah.

For me, after I graduated, life is no longer a straight path. I really have the freedom to do whatever I want. I chose the entrepreneurship route. And never in my whole life will I thought that I will be doing business in Cambodia.

Whether it’s my internet marketing biz or my cafe… I create my own path. I make my own decisions. Whether I fail or succeed, I am the one responsible.

That’s what I call – LIFE

You get to choose what you want to be, where you want to be and how you want to be.

That’s what make life exciting isn’t it? Of course, you need people to give you opportunities and a little bit of luck as well to complete the whole picture.

Dare to dream, dare to fail and live the life you want.

So, my life kinda just started! LOL

Will be flying back to Phnom Penh again on 20th March 2010.

It feels good to be back home. Nothing much to complain. Singapore is still the very best (maybe except the weather).

My cafe is finally opened. Well, technically speaking… it’s not a pure cafe anymore. I would prefer to call it an eating house that serve good coffee! LOL. Our cafe serve Hainanese chicken rice, Singapore curry, Japanese curry katsu, pork floss buns, Kaya toasts etc.

I can’t say our chicken rice is “up there” with ChatterBox, but many Singaporeans and Malaysians residing in Phnom Penh commented that our chicken rice is good. Maybe it has been a long time since they tasted authentic Hainanese chicken rice, cos’ basically the so-called chicken rice there suck. LOL.

Things I learnt while doing business – Don’t trust anybody. Not even fellow Singaporeans. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Just for your information… the alcohol I consumed in Phnom Penh is more than the alcohol I drank in my whole life in Singapore.

Lack of sleep. Been running here and there to get stuffs and getting things done. And things are especially difficult because my partners and I have no experience in setting up a brick and mortar business and in F&B industry.

A lot of Singaporeans and Malaysians who are in Phnom Penh say we are very “adventurous” and have the “guts”.

Seriously, come to think of it, I think we are. We only visited Cambodia a few times and without in-depth market research, we started a business there.

Forget everything you know about doing business in Singapore, it’s totally different in Cambodia.

I lost my temper many times here.  I seldom lose my temper in Singapore. LOL.

I don’t know whether this cafe and succeed or not. Nevertheless, it’s a good experience and I have fun doing the business set-up process.

Besides that, November and December are traditionally slow months for health sites and my income did drop for this period of time. My all time high income was in October.

And along the way, many “unexpected” things happened as well – such as deciding to set up a brick-and-mortar business in Cambodia. My partners and I made a fast decision and before you know it, we are in Phnom Penh.  For the whole of November, I didn’t manage to focus on my Internet business at all, cos’ I was flying too often. What I am glad is that, my online income was still pouring in even though I did not touch it at all for that month.

Having said all these, it’s NOT meant to be an excuse on why I didn’t achieve my goal. I will strive even harder to make sure I achieve it in 2010. In fact, I set up another 2 new sites here in Phnom Penh!

I will juggle between my cafe and my Internet business!

Right now, as I am using the Internet, it is considered a “luxury item”. I am paying about USD$70 per month for an approx. 384kbps speed. My 3 partners and I shared the costs and we take turns to use the Internet.

When we cooped up in Singapore for too long, we tend to take things for granted. We think that our government is not doing enough, our wages are not high enough, things are too expensive, transport system not good enough etc.

Wait till you come to Cambodia. You thoughts will changed.

Singaporeans like to complain on the slightest issues. In my opinions, we are just too pampered. Our Gen Y generation never face hardships. We are fed with a silver spoon since we were born. We have good families, good education, good living environment… basically good life. The only thing we are worried is not getting a grade A for our examinations.

Please complain less and appreciate more. Singapore is really the BEST.

We took a bus to the Serangoon station and head off to Dover.

It has been quite some time since I board a bus/MRT during the morning-rush peak hours. Even though I am not working now, I still hate it. The crowds are terrible.

People “squeeze” you, you “squeeze” people. It’s packed like sardines.

Once I was on the bus or MRT, I started to observe the expressions on people’s face. What did I see?

Glum. Sleepy. Frown.

Yup. None is smiling. All have the dreaded it-is-time-to-go-to-work face. I understand their feelings. I was once in their shoes as well. Waking up in the early morning and going to work is not exactly the best feeling in life.  If you dislike your job, that’s even worse. Isn’t it?

I am very used to leading my own kind of lifestyle since I quitted my job since May 09. I can’t go back to such 9 to 5 working lifestyle ever again. I hope I don’t!

Anyway I hope my upcoming cafe will run smoothly as well. I do my best and God will do the rest!