I just finished a great interview with my new friend 
Maren Kate Donovan . She is an up and coming leader in the online marketing and social media industry. Below is the actual interview that we did. Enjoy….
MAREN: How’d you get started in online marketing?
MICHAEL: I started about 7 or 8 years ago doing Autosurfing and “get rich quick schemes.” I made a little money and lost a lot of money. It was a good learning experience for me.
MAREN: What kind of 9 to 5 job did you escape from?
MICHAEL: I have my undergrad in Sociology and my Masters in Health Care Administration. I was in the business side of health care for several years (hospice and long term care) and I got tired of Corporate America so I just quit. I am also a Sign Language Interpreter so after I quit my health care job I started my own business doing Sign Language interpreting. During that time I also started my online business with 5 other guys. We have rolled out 2 online marketing courses already and have some great plans for the rest of 2010.
Our company is called The Empowered Tribe. Our philosophy is that we can’t succeed in this business alone and we need to rely on each other for accountability, traffic generation, and special skill sets that each one of us bring to the table.
Together we have made tens of thousands of dollars in just a few short months and we have never met in person yet. That is the power of the internet! However, we will be meeting for the first time at the end of March in San Diego, CA and we will be doing a live event for people that are interested in learning how to monetize online. This will be a great time to network with industry leaders and we will be co-hosting a charity event with Raven Starre (http://mlmrealityshow.com).
MAREN: Break down the ways you monetize your blog or online business(es) and if you have other streams of passive income that you’d like to share please elaborate on them.
MICHAEL: There are several ways I monetize online. On my blog http://michaelfeil.com you will see tabs up towards the top. Let me discuss some of these tabs and how I monetize through them.
1. The first monetization tab is called “Featured” and this is where I highlight the network marketing company that I am involved with. People can come here and get all the necessary info they need in order to join my organization. The product I have is very unique and there is no other product out there like it. Plus the social media marketing and tribe building education that the person gets when they are in business with me is second to none!
2. The second monetization tab is my “Mentoring” tab. This tab discusses why it’s important to have a mentor and if someone is interesting in my mentoring services then they can purchase it right there on the page.
3. The third monetization tab is my “Live Events” tab. This talks about hiring me to come to your live event and speak on a variety of topics. It also explains how my business partners and I can come to your live event and do a whole social media / tribe building workshop. It’s a very great time and well worth the money! In fact we are doing one in San Diego, CA on March 26 – 28, 2010. You can find all the info at http://tribesyndicationrevolution.com.
4. The fourth monetization tab is my “Resources” tab. This tab lists several of the affiliate programs that I am linked up with. When someone buys from my affiliate link I will make a commission.
5. Right under the “Resources” tab is my “Facebook” tab. For a price I can build people a custom Facebook welcome page for their Fan Pages.
6. Right under the “Facebook” tab is my “Website Building” tab where I show people how they can easily build sales pages themselves through a product called XSite Pro. I have created a video tutorial series that goes along with the XSite Pro software and people can purchase my video tutorial series that will help them get the most of the XSite Pro software.
So those are six ways that I monetize just through my blog. I also monetize through the online marketing courses that I develop and teach. Depending on the time of year it is you can get more information on these courses at http://tribemastermindformula.com. If the class is closed you can opt-in to get information on when the next class is starting up.
MAREN: What would be your 3 top tips for budding internet marketers to take heed of?
MICHAEL: 1. This industry is not a get rich quick industry. I thought it was when I first started 8 years ago and lost a lot of money. Once I learned that I have to actually build a business I started to become successful.
2. Brand yourself, not your company. When you start to brand yourself people will see you as a leader in this industry and then they will start to follow you. Once they start to follow you can then start to take the conversation offline and get to know them on a more personal level and “interview” them to see what they are really looking for. Maybe you can help them by mentoring them, direct them to one of your affiliate products, introduce them to your network marketing company, doing a joint venture with them, etc. The important thing is getting to know them personally and creating that trust. Once the trust has been established the possibilities are endless.
3. Build your business through the Tribe Concept. I can do a whole 2 hour lecture on this but it basically means that you are to go out and find about 5 or 6 peoples that have the same goals and aspirations as you do and you meet a few times a week to syndicate each other’s VALUABLE (that’s the key word) material all over the social media sites to get back links and massive exposure to your website or blog. There are many different principles to this kind of marketing which again is too long to get into now, but believe me, it works!
MAREN: What is the single best action you’ve taken that has positively influenced your biz and life?
MICHAEL: To find and PAY an already successful mentor that helped me get to where I am today. I was struggling before I got help via a mentor, but when I broke down and paid someone that is already successful and did exactly what they told me to do I then started to make money online. Success didn’t come overnight. It was s stepping stone process and like I said, I followed every instruction to the “T” and I started to see results.
The second biggest thing I did was find a good group a guys to go into business with. We talk daily, have become best friends, hold each other accountable, and are actually making money online.
To sum things up I just want to say there is no overnight success. Everything takes time so don’t worry that you’re not making money yet. If you follow the right steps and principles you will start to see success. Get with a mentor to show you the RIGHT ropes, and then seek out a group of people that are like minded and have the same goals as you do. Then start working with them creating projects and joint ventures.
Thank you Maren for this interview and if anyone has any further questions about what I have talked about you can contact me at mike@michaelfeil.com or Skype me at michaelfeil.
Have a great day!
Please leave a comment and tell me what you think about this interview. I would love to hear your thoughts! Also, Please Tweet and Facebook Share while you’re at it!
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19 Comments and Pings on Featured Interview On Tribe Building And Social Media
Hey Mike!
Thanks for sharing this interview, you have a lot of great tips here. You are so right that this is not a get rich quick industry even though there are thousands of people trying to convince us that it is. I am so grateful to have found people like you who are willing to tell the truth about what it really takes. and to share your experience and skills to help the rest of us.
Even though it doesn’t happen overnight and you had to do a TON of work to get where you are, it is very impressive how much you guys have accomplished in a few short months.
Thanks for everything you do and for not giving up when things were tough!
Melissa Wright´s last blog ..What I have learned from the Olympics
Melissa,
The more we realize that we have to work and sometimes work really hard the better off we will actually be in the long run!
Hey Mike,
I am off to go to work so I cant right much but I love this post, thank you very much.
Blessings
Jeremy
Jeremy Creager´s last blog ..Women Longing For Their Men To Step It Up ~ Self-Love-Reflections
No problem man! Glad you liked it!
Thanks for sharing this interview, Mike! You are a fabulous mentor….you’re helping me get where I want to be online without having to jump through fire to get there!
Yes, it is a ton of work ~ but so is everything amazing in life. Whether it’s a business a relationship or a sport, to rise to the top it takes passionate & consistent action!
Hearing about and witnessing the growth you’ve had is a huge inspiration to me (and many others, I know!). Keep Hustlin’!
Beth Allen´s last blog ..Successful Weight Loss & Long Term Weight Management
Thanks Beth for the great comments! You are doing great with learning everything we’re throwing at you and actually applying it to your business. Keep up the great work!
Hi Mike,
I like how this post is presented. Using the Interview Format, you are able to pass along some very valuable tips about succeeding online. I learned several new things from this post about expanding my blog, and I can definitely second the motion about paying to learn how to do this business the right way! Becoming a part of the Tribe and learning from the team has been one of the best investments I have made in myself AND my business!
Thanks for sharing!
~Mary Lou
Mary Lou Kayser´s last blog ..Why Saying Thank You Will Increase the Value of Your Personal Brand 100-Fold
Thanks for the post! I am glad that you are finding value in my blog as well as the course we’re teaching. Keep learning!!!
hey Mike,
I like this format. Great information in an easy to read presentation. Your points about building connections first is so vital.
You share so much with everyone. Thanks so much,
Val
Val Wilcox´s last blog ..The Power of YOU!
Thanks Val! Yes the connections are so vital to building an online business. Many people just think that if you put up a website people will automatically come to it. WRONG! You have to make some good connections out there first and provide some good value too!
This has been a real learning process, and I’m still struggling to create a flow of making real connections in the social media and bringing people to your blog, skype and telephone where you can really work together. So much of what happens on Twitter and FB seems superficial and I’m trying to scratch that surface and, as you point out, it is a labor and a process.
You’ve done some remarkable things out here, Mike, and I know it takes time and consistent hard work. I admire that in you and will keep it mind as I move forward.
Thanks for organizing the streams of income. I think sometimes we get too caught up in the process of developing really valuable content, which is critical… but we can forget the end game which is, of course, to monetize your efforts. If you don’t stop once in a while to consider your sales funnels, then it’s likely that your content won’t be designed to attract people into them.
Great interview in no small part to Maren’s great questions. Really cut to the chase. Thanks guys!
Thanks David! You are doing a great job and I’m glad you’re part of our tribe! Keep giving that value and you will soon see the fruits of your labor!!!
Michael,
´s last blog ..Power vs Force 
Thank you for this interview. I find it very helpful and right to the point of really doing it – it closes the biggest gap in our lives – between knowing and doing it. The information here will really help me to apply it and get results. Thank you.
Gratefully,
Venus
Venus
It always amazes me how we make decisions to do it our own way when doing what we’ve always done will get us exactly what we’ve always got. I too paid someone to finally get me unstuck and where I wanted to be – but not until a year of ‘thinking’ I could do it on my own. If I hadn’t made any money before what would make me think I would eventually make money without learning from those who have gone before me? (SIGH) people! lol
Great interview Mike. Thanks for giving me another idea for posting.
Kellie Frazier´s last blog ..Leadership Lessons From The Wing and The Bee
Hey Mike…I have no idea how you have to time to continue to add such great value like this. Whatever your secret is…KEEP IT UP!
So many people understand that a blog is a valuable resource if you want to make money online. You’ve given the piece of the puzzle, that most people are missing to actually make money with their content.
Thanks Mike…
Nick Logan´s last blog ..By: Val Wilcox
Michael this is a FANTASTIC interview. Many people I’m mentoring are getting antsy about that “get rich quick” in the back of their mind. This week I was compelled to write a blog on an analogy of it. Sometimes I feel like shouting “Every body Calm Down!”
Some don’t invest in a mentor, some have to be reminded of the proper way syndicate, etc. Basically, this interview brought so much light into the minds of marketers. I will proudly pass it along.
Thanks Michael
Regards
Donna Merrill
http://digg.com/u3Pjyj
Thanks Donna! I’m glad you enjoyed the interview!
Thanks Mike. This is so needed, especially by me LOL. I am coming along slowly, but still making progress. You and the others are amazing and I really appreciate all you each do to help.
I know you will help even without being paid to do it because you have helped me.
Thanks again,
Sandy Abrams
Sandy Abrams´s last blog ..Weight Watchers Says McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets Are Healthy!
Thanks Sandy! You’re doing a great job! Keep up all the hard work!
This entry was posted on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 3:03 AM and is filed under Leadership, Social Media Marketing, Tribe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.