Harris Fellman Live Life To Its Fullest

My Goodbye to Bill Nagengast

I wanted to share with you all what I’ve said at my father-in-law’s memorial service. He passed away last week due to a motorcycle accident on his way home from visiting us. Here it is:

I’ve never really been compelled to speak at anyone’s memorial service until now. Heck, I haven’t even been compelled to *listen* to anyone speak at a memorial service until now.

I kind of look at life like a big book with a lot of chapters.

My personal chapter with Bill tarted in the summer of 2000 when I had been dating Andrea for just a few months. To say my first impression on him was a lasting one woud be an understatement — I ended up passed out on the bottom of his boat thanks to some really bad long island ice teas at a little bar on the lake.

But, what most people don’t realize, is that Bill actually made a huge impression ON ME. Now remember — I’m a city boy… born Jewish… wierd sense of humor … and as Bill said, I was wearing “short pants” on the boat… I don’t think he’d ever met anyone like me – But, he deidn’t care about any of that. If I was good enough for Andrea – I was good enough for him.

Just from hanging out with him for those first few hours – we played games, we bought some pull tabs (whatever that means), we had some drinks, we went out on the boat, we had some great bar-b-que, we played some more games at the cabin… this man knew how to have fun!

Beofore the drinks were being poured at that little bar though — I distinctly remember having a conversation with Bill … one that I think laid out his motto for life. I don’t remember all the details… but one simple line stayed with me all this time. Like it was yesterday, I remember Bill saying “I think ya just goota do what makes you happy.”

Over the years, Andrea and I … and eventually our children … always had a good time with him whenever we visited. Whether it was at the cabin or in his home. There was always plenty of games, food, and fun.

Fast forward to just a couple weeks ago… As you all know, Bill got on his Harley that he loved so much… and rode that hog all the way from Minnesota to California, having the time of his life. HIs goal was to “ride the old route 66″ all the way — stopping at all the little touristy things that he could … taking nothing more than pictures and leaving nothing more than that contagious smile of his. (Ironically, he told us that the best “Route 66 State” was Oklahoma.)

He stayed with us for five or six days … of course played games with the kids (McKenna said her favorite card game he taught her is “golf”), found some boards in my garage and made a little racing ramp with Hudson’s toy cars, saw his karate class, doin’ everything a fun grandpa could do…

I personally feel incredibly blessed that our family got to share that last bit of time with him. On his next to last day, he got on his bike and rode to the Santa Monica pier because Andrea told him that there’s an “END OF ROUTE 66″ sign there and he just had to get a picture of it. His trip was complete.

Now.. I had another conversation with him where his personal life’s motto – or whatever you want to call it – came out again. We were talking about him riding the Harley across the country… motorcycle safety versus the freedom of the open rode… and ?at one point in the conversation, I turned to him and said,

“Well, I guess if that’s the way you go… ya figure at least you’ll go happy.”

“Yup” … “I just love the freedom of it all … it just makes me happy.”

So, from the first day I met him — to the last day I saw him, his life was about doing what made him, and others around him, happy.”

I’ve told Andrea this a number of times and I’ll sahre it with you… I’d rather go doing something I love rather than doing nothing with my life. I believe in living life to it’s fullest every day – and it’s clear that Bill did, too.

He genuinely cared about people… he loved to have a good time… and he had a huge sense of adventure. Andrea and I didn’t just lose a father and father-in-law… just like many of you, we lost a kindred spirit.

So, I hope you’ll honor Bill for the rest of your life. Live it to its fullest. And always remember Bill’s words, “Ya just gotta do what makes you happy.”

How to win an Online Contest

I figured since I bugged the heck out of all my friends, customers, subscribers, wife’s friends, and followers… you to vote for me for a Travel Contest, I should at least share with you what I learned from it and also give you a chance to get some really valuable information about Facebook as well…

Maybe it’ll help you, too.

Long story short – we didn’t win. Voting is over.

In the process of trying to win, I did a little bit of googling on the girl who was in first place for a large majority of the contest.

There are some very good marketing lessons in here.

Alright, so, if you’re ever in a contest like this, here’s some of the key components I saw from the winner:

1. Get Others Involved Early
   I see strong evidence that her immediate family and many of her friends were helping out quite a bit from the onset. I think you’ll get more people to take action if someone else is asking for the favor: 

   “Help my daughter win this contest” vs ”Help me win this contest”

2. Do it for a ‘good cause’
   The winner said she was going to help poor people in India and clean up the beaches near the Great Barrier Reef (uh, okay). Still, more reason people will take action, right? 

   “Help my daughter win this contest so she can do good”

3. Create a Facebook Group
   You can invite ALL of your friends to a FB group and they’re automatically in it. Once they’re in it, they can also invite their friends as well. A few days of that and next thing you know you’ve got a FB Group with 5000 people in it. 

   The cool thing about a FB Group is that anytime you update the group’s page — *everyone* in the group gets a little update. This was probably good for 1000 or more votes per day for the winner.

4. Get Strangers w/ lots of Followers to Tweet or Share
   The “others” from step 1, in this case, managed to get none other than Justin Bieber to tweet a single shout out. He would’ve never done this if he didn’t either *know* the person or it was for a good cause.
   UPDATE: CORRECTION — Justin Bieber did *NOT* actually tweet for her. I misread a page in my research.
   (I think a “reason of some sort” works — it doesn’t have to be total “do gooder” stuff, but it helps.)
5. I have no idea if they knew Bieber or not. But they still needed the “do it for a good cause” angle for him to be okay tweeting it I bet. They did not know Bieber… they tried 20 or more times to get him to Tweet and he did not.

   That’s pretty much *it* … the 80/20 rule anyway.

If you can do the first 3 things and get lucky with the 4th – you’ll most likely win the contest.

If, like my wife and I, you have a decent network of people that’ll vote for you – *and* you do the above steps – I think you’ll DEFINITELY win.

“So, why didn’t ya win, Harris?”

Is that what you’re thinking???

Honestly, I heard about the contest pretty late… I didn’t make a plan… and I thought I would just ‘see what happens’.

The *one thing* I could’ve done that probably would’ve put me over the top though … and  that I SHOULD’VE KNOWN: The Facebook Group.

By the time I realized that I should’ve done that, it was too late. And that’s what the info that I’m about to give you is all about actually:

Go Here to Get “Facebook Machine” – Social Strategy for Today’s Marketplace

It’s all about how to properly use Facebook in your business. You can get your hands on a very valuable social strategy right now.

All you have to do is click & connect.

Hope you found this as valuable as I did.

And if you’re one of the hundreds of people who voted in the contest — THANK YOU! Ain’t no shame in 5th place (just ain’t no prizes either LOL).

Peace

Harris

Funny Video Shocks my Wife

Be sure to watch the video & then vote for us at http://bit.ly/fellmantrip

THANKS!

Southeast Asia Trip for FREE????

From the Chicago Ghettos to…

No no – I’m not talking about Oprah Winfrey.

(Although, I will tell you about how my wife got on the Oprah Winfrey show on this webinar, too.)

I’m talking about a very good friend of mine who now lives here in Pasadena, CA – very nearby.

I’ve convinced him to put on a webinar to teach you how he turned $350 into over half a million in online sales – it turns out that it’s a simple system that still works today. (more about that in a moment)

We’ll lay it all out on this webinar here:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/570828179

He was living in a small one bedroom apartment in the ghettos of Chicago (yes those now famous ghettos where supposedly the crack boom had begun).

Luckily for him, things had calmed down quite a bit by 2006 and, well, he didn’t actually live in ”the really bad ghettos” – but believe me, from what he told me – you’d be scared to live there.

He had just gotten fired from his job. A day he had been secretly wishing would happen for the last few months.

Yet, when he was called in to talk to his boss and the human resources person was there…

His hands were shaking & this muscular 20-something kid from the ghetto nearly started to cry.

As he began to make his way back to his one bedroom apartment, a stream of emotions overcame him. Elation.

Confidence. Anger. and Fear.

He began calculating in his head how much money he had in the bank… They say “it takes money to make money”, right?

The answer? Just $350

He knew he could pull unemployment, but $600 and change wasn’t gonna get him very far.

His girlfriend at the time urged him … no she INSISTED that he start looking for another job as quickly as possible.

But my friend knew that perhaps THIS WAS HIS TIME.

Three Hundred and Fifty Dollars in the bank and a plan.

That’s all this kid from the ghetto needed to flip his life around & rack up over half a million in online sales. I make it sound simple – and believe me, in some ways, it is simple!

And the amazing thing is – he secretly still teaches people this exact system to this very day. Works like clockwork.

Please join us on this powerful webinar this Thursday evening to learn how you, too, can put this simple plan into action:

Register Here:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/570828179

We’ll show you exactly how to set up what he calls The MMAS System & the exact daily steps of how you can build to $4,000 a month or more in as little as 90 days from today. We’ll also show you how to build to $100,000 or more per year as well.

Don’t miss this inspiring and life-changing webinar.

See ya there,

Harris

PS
If you’ve ever been on one of my webinars or teleseminars, you know it’s going to be FUN!.

Yet, I have not done a webinar or interview in over 18 months. You’ve got to ask yourself… what could possibly be good enough to cause me to come back?

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/570828179

Need Your Input (for reals)

Hey – I could really use your help on this. I posted this question below in Facebook. (and I don’t just ‘friend everyone’ in Facebook — so, chances are you didn’t see this yet). Can you please read the comments I got and weigh in here on my blog?? Just post a comment so I can get your opinion too. I’m leaning heavily in one direction already – but I want to see what you think, too. THANKS!!!

What’s *wrong* with Mass Money Makers

Alright guys… I actually consider Matt Bacak one of my friends.

I’ve been out to his “land” that he calls “god’s country”,
I’ve shot guns with him, rode ATVs, slept on the floor
of his cabin, and drove NASCARs with him.

So, it’s extra hard for me to write this message…

Maybe he’ll read it himself and make some changes.
I suppose he might think “who the hell does Harris
think he is — I’ve made more money than him, yada
yada yada.” I kinda doubt it though — Matt’s actually
very down to earth & authentic.

Anyway — okay, here go.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s my
affiliate link (yes, there’s plenty of good with it, too):

–> http://tangledweb.massmoneym.hop.clickbank.net

Okay, so, What’s WRONG with Mass Money Makers??

THE MARKETING!!

It’s filled with huge claims & even borderline misleading claims.

Look, I get it, Matt. I love you buddy, and I know
how hard it is to compete on Clickbank today when
*everyone* else is overhyping, overselling, and generally
becoming modern day snake oil sales men.

And I further “get it” that it works!

It converts more sales.

As you’ll soon find out, it also creates more refunds.
So, have fun with that.

I’m really getting sick and tired of all the overhyped
marketing messages that I’m seeing out there. (I even
called it out on my most recent video for SimpleBlogCash).

These guys that are wet behind the ears, popping up on
Clickbank with their overhyped BS claims.

But Matt Bacak is *not* wet behind the ears.

He’s been doing this for longer than I have.

I know I know — what’s a dude to do?

How are we supposed to compete against all the new
gurus who are over emphasizing their claims, showing you
screenshots that have nothing to do with what they’re
going to teach you, and in the end giving you crap
that doesn’t work.*

*Mass Money Makers actually does work by the way.

So, how the hell are YOU supposed to wade through
the sh*t and find the gold nuggets?? I say don’t.

Don’t wade thru it.

Normally, I wouldn’t even send an email about a
product that was overhyped like this – usually,
you CAN judge a book by it’s BS cover. This trend
is actually destroying the internet marketing world.
Matt’s marketing on MMM is just the latest casualty.

However, in this case though, not only do I trust Matt; but
I’ve looked at the basic product and it *IS* something
that works. There’s a lot of upsells and downsells. Just
be smart, read between the lines, and get what you need.

If you just want to spend the $37 — do that.

If there’s something else you want — get it.

You can always check everything out and cancel or refund
if you don’t like what you see (it’s all with Clickbank,
so, really easy to do – you can’t get ripped off, per se).

Here’s the link again:
–> http://tangledweb.massmoneym.hop.clickbank.net

I’m not saying “buyer beware” here. I’m saying
“marketers beware” – this trend is going to make
it impossible for the customer to tell the good
from the bad.

As far as the buyers out there go…
o You will most likely *not* make $7000 in one day.
o You will definitely *not* make $1.8 Billion
o MMM *does* have ~something~ to do with a blog
(sorry, Matt – that was misleading buddy)
o And there’s NOTHING WRONG WITH BLOGS; they’re
just an easy way to set up a web business – hello!

And finally, with these warnings,
o I’d say “go for it”.
o It’s definitely worth $37 to learn a new tactic that works.

Final time, my affiliate link, if you’re gonna get it,
ya may as well get it from me, right?
–> http://tangledweb.massmoneym.hop.clickbank.net

And lastly, a shout out to ethical marketers everywhere.
Let’s throw down the gauntlet in 2011 and wipe those
new guru’s *ASSES* with some great marketing that doesn’t
continue to hurl our little industry down the toilet.

Let’s make 2011 F’in Awesome,

Harris Fellman
SimpleBlogCash.com

Get a Real Job!

YAY!!!

The trouble with “Stacking” your business

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about attempting to create a business that’s a “viral stack”. I first read about “Viral Stacking” in the book, Viral Loop, by Adam Penenberg.

One of the examples given in the book is basically that Ebay was growing incredibly virally, and then Paypal came along with a much needed service and piggy-backed their viral growth. Youtube & Flickr did the same thing with Blogs & Myspace – creating a service that bloggers & myspacers needed. The same sort of thing happens with all the social games out there like Farmville and Mafia Wars built on top of Facebook.

So, now you get the idea…

Some service is growing at lightning speed, you provide a service that’s needed by their customer base, and viola – you’re growing at lightning speed too.

I’ve been thinking about creating something that would ride on top of Clickbank, in much the same way. Even though the growth of Clickbank is not “at lightning speed” as compared to Facebook, Twitter, or Ebay (back in the day); it still has good steady growth and a hungry hungry affiliate base.

And then a few things happened to some of my friends in the last week…

o Paypal has been limiting and even shutting down some companies accounts. It feels like the Paypal of 7 or 8 years ago. I’m not exactly sure of what the pattern is – but I think it’s a backlash from the higher refund rates on higher ticket products that a lot of info product sellers are seeing now because of the recession.

o Ning has thrown out their ‘free’ model. (Funny, Ning was an example given in both the book “Free” by Chris Anderson and “Viral Loop” mentioned above.) A friend of mine had an info product that basically “stacked” on top of Ning – but it was heavily reliant on the fact that Ning had a free model. Oops – back to square one.

o Yesterday, Twitter announced a big change in their API in relation to advertising that will drastically effect a company that I personally use and recommend called Sponsored Tweets as well as others with similiar business models.

o Plus, I’ve recently had a hacker attack us through an exploit in a piece of software that I’ve built my current business on top of.

Believe me, I know these things can happen…

On the flip side, it’s awesome to be able to ride on top of another company’s success, too. I think the benefits far outweigh the risks in this case. But let this be a warning to you (as well as to me) when you try to stack your business on top of another company. They can, and most likely, will change the rules on you at some point.

It’s best to go into the relationship with a ‘white hat’ on and, more importantly, with open eyes as to what the risks might be if the rules change on you.

I’d be interested to know what you. Please comment if the rules have ever been changed on you by another company in such a way that it’s effected your business.

UPDATE May 26

Oh the Irony: Today my PayPal account was ‘limited’ – they want a business license from me. I’m sure I’ve provided them everything they could possibly ask for in the past. I guess they’re just doing a yearly sweep or something. Don’t have much money in there right now… Didn’t do a launch recently… So, can’t think of what it might be other than ‘random’.