About Me
“Get Inside Your Customer’s Head”
How many times have you heard that line? If you’re a student of internet marketing, probably hundreds of times. Because you’ve followed the marketing gurus, you’ve bought all the e-books, and you’ve taken all of the courses. And in every e-book, course, and blog you’re given the First Commandment of Marketing: “Know your audience”.
But it’s much easier said than done, isn’t it?
Getting inside the mind of your prospect IS absolutely essential if you want to influence their behaviour – whether you want to make a sale, get a donation, collect an email address, whatever. The trick is to find out what your prospect’s wants/needs/desires are, what motivates them – and use that information to influence their behaviour.
That question has been driving me for a long time, and it’s why I started this blog. Because I’m infinitely interested in behaviour, and how it can be shaped.
A Bit About Me
- I’ve been doing research for the past ten years (as a graduate student, in my job, and as an information marketer)
- I have a Master’s degree in Development Economics. My thesis looked at how socio-economic changes affect the behaviour of forest-dwellers in India. I did primary research in two villages in Madhya Pradesh, India, intervewing villagers one-on-one on how their use of the forest “products” was influenced by changes in their socioeconomic environment.
Doing research in a village in Madhya Pradesh, India
- I currently work for an environmental organization in Ottawa, Canada. I do social marketing, which involves using “commercial” marketing techniques for the social good. If you’ve ever seen an ad encouraging people to stop smoking or do their bit for the environment, you’ve seen social marketing in action. (Look here for the difference between social marketing and social media marketing – the two are often confused.)
- I’m also an information marketer, focusing on researching markets to identify gaps. I use a rigorous research methodology based on Glenn Livingston’s system to identify information that people are willing to pay for. I’ve used this approach to investigate dozens of markets.
- I’m an avid surfer, snowboarder, and rollerblader.
Surfing at Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
- I live in Ottawa, Canada with my good bride Lillian, and sons Sachin and Taj.
My wife Lillian
My boys in a cardboard box
Still there? You’re awesome!
If you’re a research geek (or research stud – depends on how you look at it), please leave a comment on any of my posts, or drop me a line: moe at keywordsblogger dot com
To your health and happiness,
Maurice (Moe) Muise
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Moe,
I noticed some of your posts while doing some research on myreinspace. I happened to check out your website and found some interesting topics. I have an avid interest in internet marketing and real estate investing of course. I was wondering whether you work on the side (outside working for the gov in Ottawa) doing any internet marketing?
Cheers
Hi Tom – thanks for dropping by. My job actually involves Internet marketing, along with web strategy and market research. I also have some side projects where I research information gaps in marketplaces and develop information products for sale.
Moe
I came across your site from a comment you left on wordtracker.
You are an interesting creature, living a fabulous life.
Thanks for such an interesting website. You really have put a lot of time into this site with useful information.
Best,
Juliet
Thanks for the (interesting) compliment, Juliet!
Moe
This comment may be a little biased but, well done Son!
Very Professional.
Your Father.
I really debated whether to approve this comment.
But oh well…
Hi Moe,
Very useful info for anyone getting into the IM business. I also use Glenn Livingston’s methods and many of the techniques you outline in your blog, all of which are valid and proven. I am also in the niche marketing business, so I look forward to reading more of your posts.
To Your $uccess,
Richard G Lewis
P.S. I also used to live in India, so we have a few things in common.
It does seem that we have a few things in common, Richard!
Glenn Livingston is a very smart man. I would recommend any of his products to anyone interested in deeply understanding their audience.
All the best,
Moe
P.S. I checked out your blog. Your experience is pretty impressive!
i have just downloaded this e book and read only 9 pages so long but already began to feel this is the perfect book for those who aspire for an successful online business of his/her own like me.after completion the the whole of the book i shall convey my overall view about this e book……………………………………………………………………… WOULD YOU MIND IN ANSWERING A QUESTION?THAT IS “CAN I JOIN ANY AFFILIATE BUSINESS(CLICK BANK.COMMISSION JUNCTION ETC.)AND EARN MONEY WITHOUT A WEBSITE OF MY OWN,BY PUTTING THEIR ADS IN FREE CLASSIFIEDS?
Hi Bappa – thanks for your comment. I hope you feel the same way after reading the whole report!
To answer your question about classifieds: I have never done that myself, but have heard about one or two people who have had success direct-linking from classified ads to an affiliate offer.
In my opinion, that’s not a good way to build a long-term online business though. I focus on niche audiences, and build networks of websites focused on their needs. As a result, I have a diversified stream of online income (from sales of my own info products and affiliate products, from advertising revenue, etc.). So, if one day I don’t make a lot of sales, I can still rely on advertising income (because people are still clicking on the ads on my sites).
If you’d like to read about a truly diversified online business, check out this page on Pat Flynn’s blog.
Moe
Hi Moe:
I am half way through your 60 page ebook, my most important question to you is : Can you confirm the claim many internet marketers have earned USD 500k per year.
Give me a fair idea of how much money a mediocre newbie can earn per month, using the same system you recommend.
Regards,
Derek
Hi Derek – thanks for your questions. My answers:
(1) There’s no way I can confirm the claim that many internet marketers are making $500k per year. In fact, I would guess that most internet marketers are NOT making close to that much money. I meet lots of people who are into IM, but most of them are not making anything – because they’re just getting started, or because they’ve been in it for a while and have not been focused in their approach.
(2) There are no “rules of thumb” for how much a newbie can make per month. But I CAN tell you that if you’re selling a product (whether your own, or as an affiliate), how much money you make will depend on four crucial factors: (1) how much you make per sale (e.g. for some affiliate offers, you’ll make 50% of the sale price); (2) the cost of advertising; (3) how much traffic you get; and (4) the product’s conversion rate.
For example, one of my e-books sells for $27. My average cost-per-click on Yahoo is $0.33, and my conversion rate is 3%. That means for every 1,000 visitors to my sales page, I spend $330 on advertising, but I make $810. So, my profit is $480.
Hope that helps,
Moe
Hi Moe,
I stumbled upon a home based internet business which is called Blog Money Making and I sign up for it. The problem is I am not sure how to handle the blog but I understand it is something to do with affiliate marketing associated with ClickBank.com. Though the support team will assits me in the blog, I still need to do some posting as well….and I pretty new in this thing and was hoping you could provide some advice…..
I can be contacted via my email jackal2912@yahoo.co.uk
cheers
Hi John Michael – thanks for your comment. I’m not sure what kind of advice you’re looking for, though. If you post some specific questions I can try to help.
Moe
Hi Moe,
I just finished reading your report and I think it is exceptionally well written. I am a new Internet Marketer and I will definitely apply your techniques for researching the market before I set up my first online business.
Thank you,
Gilles Doucet
Hey…
Newbie here and my question is what is the importance of glen livingston, still confused about what he teaches and the importance of me understanding what he teaches at his monthly membership.
I also am very much into how the mind works as a whole and fascinated by it, but how it is applied to internet marketing is the big question.
thanks..
ed
Hi Ed – thanks for your question. Glenn Livingston teaches a bunch of things related to internet business, but his focus is on market research. He has awesome material, but he’s a bit academic sometimes.
Moe
Thanks Moe,
Great run through. Loved the tip about putting URL’s into Google’s keyword tool, have seen the option but never fully appreciated how to utilize it.
Also liked the survey set up and will be trying that one for a particular keyword I am working with, that has a high click through rate but poor conversion. Lets find out what they are looking for!
To your continued success Moe!
Cheers
And thanks for your feedback, Ian.
I just checked out your site (the domain name piqued my interest – great one, by the way). I love how you’ve combined your trade with international development work. I have a little bit of intl dev experience, and hope to mix my passion for market research with intl dev work at some point in the future.
All the best in your online business,
Moe
Thanks Moe,
It is fun, this messing about on the net isn’t it!
Survey just completed in survey monkey, not too bad a learning curve, few screens is all.
Oh, thats interesting, it appears that wordpress.org or rather Akismet, doesn’t ‘like you’ very much. Your reply ended up in the spam box, you haven’t been ‘naughty’ have you? lol! I wonder if you can ‘talk’ to akismet about that sort of thing?
Anyways, thanks for calling in Moe, and thanks again for your time to compile such a good download!
Cheers
Ian
Oops!
Just disbarred from adwords for sending visitors to a survey page.
OK, guess that I need to re-read your section on surveys………
Ian, this is something I need to clarify. When I wrote my free report, Google’s criteria for sites advertising on Adwords were much looser than they are today. But recently, Google has cracked down on sites that are new and “thin” (i.e. sites that have little original content). Unless you already have an established domain with lots of content, your best bet is to advertise on Yahoo/Bing – their website standards are still loose enough to get a survey going.
Moe
Sure, I wasn’t being cheeky. It just made me smile. I don’t do ppc generally as I like the organic challenge! Never thought about using the others.
I embedded the form on the webpage in the end, I know that the signup will be less but there might be enough to give me an idea what people are serching for.
Thanks for getting back to me Moe,
Hope you’re having a better weekend than I; an ice dam on our roof started to allow water in…….. (greenhorn first winter in Norway)
Cheers
Ian
Nice Family Moe! Congratulations
Thanks Pablo!
Moe,
Your website/blog needs some work. Surely you didn’t intend it to annoy a regular reader of your posts? Whenever I want to reach the site either directly or by clicking a link on your email, the promo for your e-Book shrouds the site and it is impossible to remove it. I have had the book for months; even read it a couple of times; it’s a good job. I don’t need to see the promo every day. Even it comes on automatically, make it easy for me to remove it. Please!
Hi Paddy – thanks for the feedback. I agree that the pop-up can be annoying sometimes. But the fact is – they work! My opt-ins have increased since starting to use it, and I know other marketers who have had similar results. So the pop-up isn’t going anywhere!
Moe
Hi Moe,
My name is Michael. I Joined this Niche blitzkrieg online program in late July 2011. I don’t know if you ever heard of it? The author is Michael Brown. The course has been very informative and I have just completed my second niche website last week. The more I have learned thru click bank and other sources have made me realize that the 2 websites I have created will probably not make any money. I just can’t afford to waste much time and need to start making some money soon as we have been struggling financially recently. I was just wondering do you know of a good quality step by step approach for me to follow regarding online affiliate marketing. I don’t have alot of knowledge other than what I’ve learned in the last month. There seems to be so much information out there. Could you suggest either a course or an approach i could follow to get started?
Thanks,
Michael
Hi Michael – thanks for your question. I’ve never heard of Niche Blitzkrieg, but I do know there are a ton of make-money-online programs out there.
My advice to you would be to buy a program from someone you trust. I personally follow the blogs of Pat Flynn and Yaro Starak, among others (I’m not sure if they have programs for beginners open at the moment).
And of course there’s my program, Niche Sherpa! (Couldn’t resist making a plug there.)
Hope that helps,
Moe
I appreciate the great outline you created about the 100K Blueprint. I have added to it from Version 2 if you’d like I’ll send you what I’ve got.
Hi Ed – that would be great! Please send it to moe at keywordsblogger dot com.
Cheers,
Moe
Hi Moe
Can you help?
I`m trying to install a plugin on my blog from Walt Bayliss,and I get this mesage
(Server Plugin is not running please contact your server Admin..),so how do I go from here?
Stig
And the reply from support
Stig
As a Silver member you can ask such questions
at the Private Forum (Website Development).
If you have not joined the Private Forum
please see
http://www.clickbanksuccessforum.com/join-privateforum.htm
(you can use this ticket)
Thanks
Norma Harrison
SuperTips Admin
Hi Stig,
Apologies, but that’s way out of my area of expertise. I don’t even know who Walt Bayliss is! Your best bet is to go back to him and ask for help.
Moe
Hi Moe,
I am Chan from Indonesia..I Know your website from surfing and i found that your site is good and educative…
I am a newbie on IM..I really want to learn and want to build a new website, but frankly
i dont know how to start it..I already search for many information about IM and i also learn from Anne ahira..she is an internet marketer from indonesia but i still dont understand much..
can you help me how can i or where can i learn about IM ?or may be you can help me how…
Thank you very much MOe