I'm a new student of the Cyber Gold Online and Business Success Course and have just come across another new student and her diary-blog, Kathy Leventhall. You can see her here, http://mynewsmallbusiness.blogspot.com/
She has decided to keep a run-down of her experiences during each module, much like I have, and will be posting as often as possible. I love this!
Kathy is a sweet lady (I actually ran into her at one of the seminars that Pam and Tobin like to give--which is a crazy coincidence!) and is a totally different generation than me, so it should be interesting for you, the reader, to see this course from two completely different points of view.
I'll be reading her frequently, because I'm interested to see how she gets along, and I'll post here on her highlights.
Learn more about the course on how to start a small business or build a website for an existing business, http://www.smallbusinessonlinecollege.org
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Small Business Website Design: Don’t Buy the Cyber Gold Course Until You Read This
I've been reviewing tons of sites lately and, like most of you, have come across the internet marketing, how to make money online niche. Now, it's true that many people make a good deal of money online in this niche, but it's even more true that for every one that makes money, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who don't make enough to pay for the cost of their website host.
This sucks. It's sad and it is discouraging, but it's true.
Now, my thing is that I've recently signed up for an online course. It’s called the “Cyber Gold: Online and Small Business Success Course.” It’s taught by Pam Mosbrucker and Tobin Alder, authors of a book called “Cyber Gold.” I usually don't go for online courses because they seem high-cost and low-value, but this one was very different. First, I've seen these people on YouTube doing an interview for a real television show and I've actually seen their second edition book in the bookstore. Yes, a real, legit book in the real live bookstore. Sticker, barcode, and everything.
Then, after a bit of research, I found that these people have taught the course before--at a real live university: Idaho State University. I wondered why they would take the course online and it turns out that they found that most of their students had busy schedules and couldn't make the drive to Pocatello for the class (that’s Pocatello, Idaho). Since they wanted to reach as many students as possible, they chose to start their own university and teach the class online, so that students all over the globe could participate.
Okay, I admit I was a bit stunned at first by their attitude. Most "gurus" can only talk about how they made so much money overnight and are now buying a new home and have a hundred fancy cars. But Pam and Tobin have never tried to sell me that way. In fact, they never tried to sell me at all. They offer the course, bios of themselves, a good deal of free information, and leave the rest up to me, whether I want to take their course or not. I liked their approach because I didn't feel like I had to read between the lines of a sales pitch. In fact, they didn't even have a sales pitch!
I looked over their site and even sent them an email to see if my situation would fit into the course. Within hours I had a reply. It was honest, didn't try to sell me, and even mentioned that if I couldn't afford the course (though they do offer a payment plan) that I could send them my questions and they would help me. Of course, they suggested that I buy their book. About 19 bucks on Amazon and, they said, the book is used as the textbook for the course so I could get all the basics down just from reading through it.
Having seen their book in the bookstore before, I knew it was good. I wished I had purchased it then but my daughter wanted the box set of that "Eragon" series and she took precedent.
But after their kind and generous email, I decided just to sign up for the course. I chose the three pay option because I'm a bit strapped for cash with the holidays approaching and already I've received my textbook in the mail.
The course is divided into seven modules. I'm halfway through Module 2 and am so happy I took this chance.
Not only do they actually offer a good, easy to follow course on how to start a website and online business, but they've given me hope that there are still good people online who care about the success of others.
I do have to comment that I've sent them a few emails as I've progressed through the modules. I couldn't decide what to sell and I was having problems with picking out a niche. For each email, they replied within hours with suggestions and ideas for me. I've never gotten a warm and fuzzy feeling from someone online before, but they gave me that. I feel like I can ask them anything and they're there for me, whenever I might need them.
It sounds incredibly cheesy, but that's online customer service to me!
Now, to have an honest report, I must talk about the downside. The social community, where I can chat and compare with my fellow students, is growing every day, but it is still small by comparison to others that I've seen. Since their course is new, that's why the community is still small, but I do hope that more students join and participate.
The only other downside that I can think of is that I can’t literally have them sitting at my shoulder and helping me build my website. I wish I could, but that would be kidnapping and is, as far as I’ve been told, illegal.
They do, however, write back almost as frequently as I send them emails, so it’s almost like Pam and Tobin are with me, teaching me how to build a website.
If you’ve been burned before, or genuinely want to start a business online, or even build a professional looking website for your existing business, I highly recommend this online course.
Enroll here, http://www.smallbusinessonlinecollege.org
This sucks. It's sad and it is discouraging, but it's true.
Now, my thing is that I've recently signed up for an online course. It’s called the “Cyber Gold: Online and Small Business Success Course.” It’s taught by Pam Mosbrucker and Tobin Alder, authors of a book called “Cyber Gold.” I usually don't go for online courses because they seem high-cost and low-value, but this one was very different. First, I've seen these people on YouTube doing an interview for a real television show and I've actually seen their second edition book in the bookstore. Yes, a real, legit book in the real live bookstore. Sticker, barcode, and everything.
Then, after a bit of research, I found that these people have taught the course before--at a real live university: Idaho State University. I wondered why they would take the course online and it turns out that they found that most of their students had busy schedules and couldn't make the drive to Pocatello for the class (that’s Pocatello, Idaho). Since they wanted to reach as many students as possible, they chose to start their own university and teach the class online, so that students all over the globe could participate.
Okay, I admit I was a bit stunned at first by their attitude. Most "gurus" can only talk about how they made so much money overnight and are now buying a new home and have a hundred fancy cars. But Pam and Tobin have never tried to sell me that way. In fact, they never tried to sell me at all. They offer the course, bios of themselves, a good deal of free information, and leave the rest up to me, whether I want to take their course or not. I liked their approach because I didn't feel like I had to read between the lines of a sales pitch. In fact, they didn't even have a sales pitch!
I looked over their site and even sent them an email to see if my situation would fit into the course. Within hours I had a reply. It was honest, didn't try to sell me, and even mentioned that if I couldn't afford the course (though they do offer a payment plan) that I could send them my questions and they would help me. Of course, they suggested that I buy their book. About 19 bucks on Amazon and, they said, the book is used as the textbook for the course so I could get all the basics down just from reading through it.
Having seen their book in the bookstore before, I knew it was good. I wished I had purchased it then but my daughter wanted the box set of that "Eragon" series and she took precedent.
But after their kind and generous email, I decided just to sign up for the course. I chose the three pay option because I'm a bit strapped for cash with the holidays approaching and already I've received my textbook in the mail.
The course is divided into seven modules. I'm halfway through Module 2 and am so happy I took this chance.
Not only do they actually offer a good, easy to follow course on how to start a website and online business, but they've given me hope that there are still good people online who care about the success of others.
I do have to comment that I've sent them a few emails as I've progressed through the modules. I couldn't decide what to sell and I was having problems with picking out a niche. For each email, they replied within hours with suggestions and ideas for me. I've never gotten a warm and fuzzy feeling from someone online before, but they gave me that. I feel like I can ask them anything and they're there for me, whenever I might need them.
It sounds incredibly cheesy, but that's online customer service to me!
Now, to have an honest report, I must talk about the downside. The social community, where I can chat and compare with my fellow students, is growing every day, but it is still small by comparison to others that I've seen. Since their course is new, that's why the community is still small, but I do hope that more students join and participate.
The only other downside that I can think of is that I can’t literally have them sitting at my shoulder and helping me build my website. I wish I could, but that would be kidnapping and is, as far as I’ve been told, illegal.
They do, however, write back almost as frequently as I send them emails, so it’s almost like Pam and Tobin are with me, teaching me how to build a website.
If you’ve been burned before, or genuinely want to start a business online, or even build a professional looking website for your existing business, I highly recommend this online course.
Enroll here, http://www.smallbusinessonlinecollege.org
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