Thank you to everyone who entered. There were actually 3 or 4 scripts that I would have liked to make but I had to pick one, and the winner came from Cynthia Abel.

I will be talking in other posts about what attracted me to the script (in fact I’ll let you see the original script in my next post) and why I chose this one over the others, but in the meantime…

CONGRATULATIONS to Cynthia and here’s the final mix of her vision for the Thirty Day Challenge Podcast Intro:

Download audio file (30DCPodcast-Intro-2008.mp3)

But the main reason for this post is that another challenge is happening online at the moment that you might want to catch up on, especially if you are into blogging and/or selling websites. John Cow and Garry Conn are going head-to-head (in fact they have already started) to see who can set up a brand new blog and then sell it for the most money within a month.

I love this sort of challenge, because they promise full disclosure of what they are doing and they are letting you watch for free. It’s one of those win-win situations. They have to succeed (or at least come close) otherwise they look stupid, and in the meantime you get to learn heaps from them.

Dan Raine did a similar thing with his $15k challenge and although he missed the mark by a few hundred dollars (and has been paying for it ever since with the pink thong video), he proved his credentials as an excellent marketer. That made a helluva lot more people want to learn from him and take part in the Thirty Day Challenge and/or Immediate Edge.

I suspect that John Cow and Garry Conn are using this as an opportunity to raise their blog readerships and with a huge prize giveaway as well, they should succeed. If you want to learn more about the challenge and all the prizes (and there’s some lovely stuff there including courses from Ed ‘Mankini’ Dale, Stompernet, Frank Kern, Jeff Walker…) then check out the Cowpetition (see what he did there?).

Especially if you are starting out online at the moment I highly recommend you grab all these free offers whenever you can – whether it be a fly-on-the-wall moment like this one where you can learn by watching others or a participatory challenge like 30DC. As someone pointed out in reference to last year’s Thirty Day Challenge – they learnt more from doing that free training than they ever did from the $1500 course they had just bought..and it made the difference between throwing in the towel with their business and becoming successful and profitable. You can start buying the high-priced courses once you have some basics and cash flow behind you.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

So, why should you consider taking part this year? 

1. It’s the best FREE Internet Marketing Training available

Actually, scrap that. It’s the best Internet Marketing training available…period! Ed Dale and Dan Raine are two of the best brains on the planet when it comes to this stuff. These guys know how to create businesses (very important – this isn’t just about affiliate marketing or Web2.0 or SEO…this is about long-term sustainable businesses) and practice what they preach. Both have been highly successful in creating businesses.

2. It’s cutting edge

A year ago all the Internet Marketing “gurus” laughed at Ed and Dan for promoting the wonders of Facebook and Twitter. They took it in good grace and now they are the ones laughing. Suddenly all the “gurus” have discovered Twitter and Facebook and are claiming them as their own.

Almost always, without exception, the things Ed and Dan teach will be picked-up and taught by others in 6-12 months time. The groundbreaking G-Trends keyword research method from last year’s Thirty Day Challenge is now the standard.

Creating long-term businesses is vital, but on the Internet you need to be ready to use the latest tools to aid you in your business. Jump on the wagon before it picks up the band!

3. It’s tried and tested

Ed and Dan never teach anything they haven’t tested and tested again. Dan is the king of stats and Ed has his own lab testing everything before rolling it out. They are currently testing 2 methods and the best will be used for this year’s Thirty Day Challenge. This is definitely not just theory.

4. You’ll Make Money

OK, it might not be a lot by the end of the 30 days but if you can make $1 you can rinse and repeat and improve so that you can make more (this is more realistic than the get-rich-quick suggestions of many online marketers). But some people have made a significant amount more than $1 in past years.

5. You Can Pick Some Great Brains

People who have done the Thirty Day Challenge before come back year after year to learn more and lend a helping hand. You’ll find some extremely talented people on the forums – especially Caro (always there with a detailed answer, lots of enthusiasm and a kick up the bum when we need it), Nez (Mr Tech) and Man Hunk Pete Williams, to name but a very few. People who have been successful and had their lives changed by the Thirty Day Challenge feel this overwhelming desire to give something back, and it’s worth taking advantage of it.

6. You’ll Make Friends

People in the Thirty Day Challenge come from all parts of the world and all walks of life. It’s a fantastic community of people and if you throw yourself into it you will make friends. Joining a team will help you keep on-track with the challenge and meet new people who could become friends for life.

7. You’ll Have Fun

It’s true. The whole event can be a bit exhausting and you’ll be running on adrenaline for most of it (while trying to remember what your family looks like and when you last saw the sun) but it’s so much fun it’s positively addictive.

Have I convinced you yet? If I have then head over to the Thirty Day Challenge and get signed-up. Pre-season starts 1st June, which is a leisurely amble towards August, helping you get comfortable with the tools and technology, find a team and settle-in before the madness begins.

Hope to see you there.