Successes and Failures in 2017
This is a story of my successes and failures in 2017. The goal is to help you understand what to do and what not do, based on my own experiences.
Success #1 - Discovered Wealthy Affiliate
In 2017, I discovered Wealthy Affiliate as a solution to my problem.
I was going through training courses on Udemy for web design and development. I was learning everything about how to create websites. – This is a niche, BTW.
The course recommended building websites on WordPress. The same way you build websites here. So I started looking for how to host my WordPress Website. – This is a more specific niche, BTW.
So I googled "wordpress website hosting". Google offered me 10 Million + results.
I was completely overwhelmed with these options. I had no clue where to begin.
In my continued searches, I stumbled upon Wealthy Affiliate as an option. I could even start hosting my Wordpress Website completely free. I didn't have to pay anything to start.
I joined Wealthy Affiliate in October 2017 as a free member. I immediately had hosting for 2 websites. I upgraded to premium membership in 3 days of starting as a free member. I wanted to have more branding control over my websites. And I wanted access to ALL the training courses to learn everything I needed to know for success.
And it was all super easy. Super simple. Like no hassle. Like problem solved!
That was success #1.
Success # 2: Launched First Website
In the month of October 2017, I launched my first website.
I started going through the Online Entrepreneur Certification training here at Wealthy Affiliate. Within the very first course, I created my first website, hosted live on the internet.
I completed the second course, and learned more about to how to get my website recognized by Google. I completed 2 training courses, 20 lessons AND launched my first website.
That was success #2.
Failure #1 - Lost Focus on First Website
Then came November 2017. I learned about the Wealthy Affiliate Black Friday Sale special offering. It's a great deal to save money on premium membership, which gives you tons more features than the free starter package. I knew this was a good deal for anyone who was previously in my position.
I immediately got the BIG DOLLAR SIGN in my eyeballs.
Photo credit, BTW: looneytunes.wikia.com
I saw money making $$$ opportunity with the Wealthy Affiliate Black Friday deal. So I stopped going through the Online Entrepreneur Certification training program.
I started the WA Affiliate Bootcamp training program. To learn how to be an affiliate marketer promoting Wealthy Affiliate as a solution to other people's problems.
Although starting this program or promoting Wealthy Affiliate is NOT a failure, my distraction on the dollar signs made me lose focus. I didn't give my first website a chance to get rankings in Google. So now that website is just sitting there, with untapped potential.
That was failure #1.
Success # 3 - Launched Second Website
Time was ticking for the Black Friday Sale promotion.
So I rushed through the the first course of Affiliate Bootcamp in a few days. Within the first course, I launched my second website in about 30 seconds. Live on the internet, hosted without any hassle.
That was success # 3.
Failure # 2 - Wasted Ad Money
I came up with a plan to drive leads to my Wealthy Affiliate landing page. I decided to do it with Facebook ads. I already know how to create Facebook ads, thanks to my current full-time job. – But there is plenty more for me to learn about successful Facebook ads, BTW.
I launched the Facebook Ad campaign for 3 days and imagined those BIG DOLLAR SIGNS just rushing in. I spent $50 on a few different ad variations. I figured I needed to spend money to make money in 3 days. I only needed to convert one sale to make that money back + make money.
Well, this is listed as a failure for a reason. I obviously didn't make any sales.
I did generate traffic to my landing page. That's one step of many steps needed.
Photo Credit: www.pexels.com
And I learned which images resonated better with my audience. This image above got more clicks than the two other images I used. – You can find this free image on Pexels, BTW.
I do consider these insights as more hidden successes. Because I learned some things through my mistakes.
However, I did not convert the traffic into referral leads. I didn't get them to sign up for Wealthy Affiliate, to start the process of potentially making those dollar signs. I wasted $50 with no return. – That's considered a business loss for 2017, BTW.
That was failure # 2.
Success # 4 - Second Website is Getting Some Traffic
The Wealthy Affiliate Black Friday promotion ended. November 2017 left us forever.
Throughout the month of December 2017, I stayed focused on the Affiliate Bootcamp training. I completed more steps. I added more content to my second website.
I'm starting to see some free traffic. Now, it's like a 1 - 2 clicks a week. That's really super small. Nothing to brag about yet. But my focus on my second website is starting to show. I'm starting to see some rankings for my content.
I accomplished these things above, all while I:
- I worked my full-time job
- Traveled 17,000+ miles to India for one business trip
- In 8 days of December
- 1 weekend to get there
- 3 days of training 29 folks + 2 days of customer visits
- 1 weekend to get back home to United States
- Took 2 personal vacations
- Enjoyed a weekend in Asheville, NC, the beer city
- Enjoyed a weekend with family in New York, New York
- Celebrated Christmas Holiday 2017 at home, with family and friends
That's me in action in the front of the room. Training folks as the instructor, for my day job.
That was success #4.
Now, Happy New Year 2018!
I'm staying focused on my second website. The goal is to get it going, start generating some referrals and making some sales.
When I achieve these goals, I will start working on my first website again. It's in a completely different niche, to a completely different audience. I will take what I learned from my second website to get my first website going, hopefully faster and without these mistakes.
Thanks for reading.
And may we all see continued success and minimal failures in the new year!
Kim Wolfe
What are your successes and failures in 2017? What tips can we learn from you?
Add them to comments below. Lets learn from each other.
BTW, if this post helped you, LIKE IT. If you would like to connect, FOLLOW ME.
Recent Comments
29
Hi, Kim thanks for sharing and giving us a glimpse into your world it was a privilege to read many thanks.
I guess we all go through that topsy-turvy ride when we are building that online presence, Facebooks adds can be hard going and it can be easy to burn some cash with minimal results, the thing is that if we take some time we can create some successful campaigns.
I admire your tenacity the Black Friday deal is a good promotion point, it seems to run on a yearly basis so by next year you will be in such a good position to capitalize on your efforts.
All the very best for 2018 as you expand and grow your sites.
Yes! Thanks Alex! I'm hoping to be ready for next year's black Friday sale :) Glad to hear you've had success with Facebook ad campaigns. Thanks for reading and contributing feedback.
You are welcome, your post was top of the range, ads in the online world can test our metal and are definitely a work in progress. Onward we all go hopefully not making many mistakes and achieving more success.
Thank you so much for sharing this!!! WE learn so much from failures that really, can we call them failures?
You are probably right Amanda! I would call them failures in my book, only because I missed the mark of what I wanted to achieve. But we all know these lead to successes :) Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this Kim and well done on your successes. Your first website, you can always go back to it in time one you finish doing the Bootcamp training, I have been following the bootcamp training since I started in 2016 and still haven't finished it but I will do it at my own pace and when I am ready.
Just take it a day at a time and you are doing fine, I am here if you ever need help and I know what you mean about the facebook ads as I was caught out too and made nothing from it. xxxx
Why thank you Cheryl! That's what I plan to do. Just going to keep my focus on one website for now. Focus is the best advice I learned from my experiences.
Per Facebook, it proved to be good for one thing. Traffic. Reaching people I didn't even know existed. This worked really well. But once the traffic got to my landing page, I didn't do a good job of convincing them to sign up on WA. Facebook isn't really designed to do that. So I will definitely use Facebook again in the future. I know the power of it. I just need to use in conjunction with a better nurturing process for the folks who come to my site.
I'm glad to hear you haven't given up either. Curious if you've had any sales or successes with the training and work you have completed?
Thanks for reading!
Thank s for sharing Kim. I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs. You would have gained much experience in the process.
I wish you much success in 2018 and beyond!
David
Thanks David! I'm sure we've all had similar ups and downs. And you are right, I learned a great deal in the process :) Thanks for reading!
Very cool to list successes and failures Kim, as it keeps us balanced. Too often we can simply list failures and that gets us off track. Best wishes for more and more success in 2018! Peace my friend! :-)
Hey Bob! Thanks for reading. Yes, and you are exactly right. I hope others will see that even failures bring successes. I've noticed that other members here get distracted to. If anything, we can be reminded to focus on one thing at a time. It's super hard but super relevant to success.
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Hi Kim, just jumped over from my blog to yours.
It is very easy to lose focus however if you have a plan which I don't think you actually have.
By that I mean not a written in stone plan that you are prepared to stick to.
You must also create a schedule/timetable you know you can stick to.
You must also have short term goals to move you along.
Most of all you must keep that focus.
You are taking your eye of the ball and that can be costly.
But you seem to be getting it together so all is not lost by a long chalk.
Onwards and upwards to your success.
Have a great Sunday and the week ahead.
Robert
Thanks Robert! You are right about not having a plan. I thought completing the lessons and task was a good enough plan. But I see how I should target competion dates for each course and have a target when I complete bootcamp. That will absolutely help with focus. Good tip!
No probs Kim.
Its easy to get overwhelmed with all the info and you are trying to be here, there, and everywhere at once.
Slow down and one step at a time and get a schedule/timetable together you know you can stick to and let the other people in your life know that these times are yours and you are not to be disturbed.
Have a great weekend.
Robert
YES it is. I'm totally working on this. Thanks again.
Good girl, now onwards and upwards.
Bye for now.
Robert