Viral Storytelling with The Story Lady, Ronda Del Boccio

`As part of Top Affiliate Challenge, we are facing unique situations daily and making as much money as we can in a very limited amount of time.

for example, although we are doing an individual challenge, and reality would gbe I could do it from anywhere, I am being forced to work in the room with everyone else.  There isn’t enough room for us all to work comfortably.  I’m listening to my speech program out of one ear and hearing all the room chatter as I try to type in conditions that are far less than ideal.

But reality is we don’t get what is normal or comfortable or ideal a lot of the time. 

Today I am working for immunity so that whatever the day’s challenges bring, I cannot be eliminated from the show.  I’m also going for an extra prize from my team leader guru, Shoemoney.

Today there is an immunity challenge.  This means that we are going to make one person safe from being kicked off the show today.  Whomever wins this immunity challenge is, indeed, safe from elimination – at least for today.

I can’t say much about the team standings except to say that one team was in last place and WILL lose someone from the team tonight.

 So let me tell you what’s up today.  We’re getting bids for a blog auction

•  An Amazon Kindle ($360 value)
• A LIFETIME subscription to ShoeMoney Tools ($250/month value)
• 2 VIP Tickets to Ken McArthur’s JV Alert Live Conference ($2500 value)
• A FREE Paid Post on John Chow’s famous blog (a $450 value)

That is easily over $5,000 in some pretty sweet stuff.  All you have to do to have a shot at winning it all is post a BID in the comments section http://blog.topaffiliatechallenge.com/.  Here’s how it will work:You place a comment on the post  at http://blog.topaffiliatechallenge.com/ stating the name Ronda Del Boccio, who referred you to this fabulous auction, and your bid amount.  You MUST use your real name and email in the appropriate comment boxes so we can contact you for payment.This auction ends at 4:00 PM Central Standard Time.  Once the auction ends, we will attempt to contact the winner via email.  The winner will have 10 minutes to pay for the auction vi PayPal to the provided address.  IF for any reason we do not have a payment from the winning bidder within 10 minutes, we will move down the line to the previous high bidders until we have one.Contestants MAY NOT bid on the auction themselves.  Good luck and happy bidding! Now, while I can’t directly bid, that doesn’t mean I can’t be in a “pact” with someone.  I couldn’t care less about the Kindle.  It’s not accessible to me anyway.  Ken McArthur’s JV Alert Live is not to be missed, and I already ahve my ticket.  What I REALLY want are the Shoemoney tools.  So if you’re more interested in a live event and exposure, let’s talk.  Skype rondadel or chat me up on google (profitableauthor at gmail) if you want to “go in” together.Nobody said we couldn’t wheel and deal.naturally, I want immunity, I want the prize I could win, and I want the extra loot from Jeremy.

How do you imagine you would live without sight? 

If you’ve read my blog before or watched my YouTube videos, you already know that I am “legally blind.”  I introduce myself as a blind person because I function more or less as a blind person.  Sure, I have some vision and I can see colors, but without adaptive technology and techniques, I would not be able to do what I do.

I can’t just go to the drugstore and buy those $10 reading glasses.

 “The doctors” can’t “fix” my eyes.

Can you believe people actually say things to me like, “Why don’t you go have an operation or something?”  DUH!  They’re wearing one of Bill Ingvol’s stupid signs!  Ah well.

I also get the Christians who want to lay hands on me and if I’m not instantly healed, then I don’t have enough faith.  That’s a whole other rant, but the bottom line is that I AM healed because I am at peace with my situation.  If my lot in life is to be an inspiration for the rest of you to get off your rear and make things happen, then so be it.

Life goes on and no point whining.  I have no desire to complain.  What a wonderful life this is.  And I can work from my beautiful little house in the Ozarks and listen to the birds all day long while I work.  No worries about gas prices.

One of our local television stations, Springfield’s  KOLR 10, ran an excellent piece last week.  I’ve spoken to Emily Baucum, the reporter who ran the piece.

Watch the video here. 

The couple she interviewed are much like myself.  They don’t feel that being blind is a big limiting factor in their lives.  It just means doing things a little differently.

One of the great things about me being on Top Affiliate Challenge is that people worldwide will have a chance to see that a blind person can navigate and work.  The only thing that can hold you back is you. 

There are so many technological advantages we have today.  I can use the comptuer because of a speech program.  I have an audible caller ID on my phone.  I have only one gripe about the adaptive technology, and I’ll save that for my next post.

I am about to go to Lincoln, Nebraska for the world’s first real time internet reality show, Top Affiliate Challenge.  Producer Thor Schrock and the rest of the crew will definitely have a new experience having a blind person and my guide dog Miss Molly Flagtail around for 2 weeks!  You can watch the blind woman work starting July 1.  Incidentally, I am the only woman in the world who made it to the show!

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 story reported by Emily Baucum: Download

I get more and more excited as time draws near for the Top Affiliate Challenge, and today I want to share some things

If you’re a runner preparing for a marathon, you know exactly what to expect.  26 miles of grueling, exhausting pavement pounding action, and you can prepare yourself appropriately.  You understand that you have to increase your endurance and you know the types of activities that you will do both in preparation and during the competition.

Nobody will be there to say, “I’m sorry but you’re going to jump hurdles today, not run the Boston Marathon.”  You know that if you’re going into a marathon, that means running 26 miles. Period.

Not so with Top Affiliate Challenge.  Oh sure, we know that it’s about affiliate marketing.  That much is a no-brainer.  But what types of challenges will we face?  none of us knows for sure. 

I’m pretty sure that the contestants who are whiz-bang with pay per click campaigns believe they’ll grind the rest of us slackers deep into the dust.  Jeremy Shoemaker (Shoemoney) calls best selling author Ken McArthur an old spammer because he uses email marketing, yet a couple contestants are a little scared that Ken got over 4.1 million emails sent out for his book launch May 15th of this year.

And I know that show producer Thor Schrock is really pulling out all the stops to get the community involved.  Heck, he’s got the Governor of Nebraska and the Mayor of Lincoln coming, from what I heard, to the welcome ceremony.  He is dedicated to showcasing Lincoln.  So I’m thinking a lot of the challenges will have offline elements to them.

Lots of drama between the 3 gurus Shoemoney, John Chow and Ken McArthur.  Plenty of drama amongst the contestants.  Some unplanned for drama as well.

how do you prepare for a competition when you don’t know what the challenges will be?

What do you consider as you prepare yourself to go into a competition knowing very little about what to expect?

If you’re me - well I can’t tell you all my strategies of course - but you start with your mindset first and foremostl

Shoemoney said in his video review of the top 10 that the most important attribute is a work ethic.  All the rest can be learned.  he is so right.  I have a great work ethic and I can learn anything.  There are some types of campaigns (affiliate marketing) that I have never tried yet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be wildly successful.

And heck, I’m the only female there, so someone has to balance out all that testosterone!  women unite!  Help keep me on the show!

Plus my guide dog Molly Flagtail will be there too, of course!  She will help us all keep it real

I am going in with these things in mind:

1.  Do everything I can to make this a great show!

2. Be open to new situations and ways of thinking

2.  Keep my mind in the success zone

3.  Play smart

4.   Learn lots

5.  Keep emotions in check

6.  Build lasting relationships

So that’s it for today!

Ronda

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The competition at Top Affiliate Challenge isn’t only about the contestants. The gurus are putting up their dukes as well. Today Shoemoney posted on his blog that his rankings are rising and John Chow’s are falling. These stats are from the Google Toolbar, which is free to install. He likes the toolbar better than Alexa.

Go ahead and grab that Google toolbar.

Techy stuff for sure, but the interesting thing is the mounting competition. The 3 gurus in Top Affiliate Challenge will each have a team of 4 contestants to start the game. I haven’t heard or read (for me it is heard because I use s speech program) Ken McArthur weigh in yet, but we’re still 8 days away from the start of competition.

You can read guru John Chow’s bio here.

You can read guru Ken McArthur’s bio here.

You can read Guru Jeremy Shoemaker’s (Shoemoney’s) bio here.

Watch Top Affiliate Challenge starting July 1.

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I am extracting this post under the Increase Your Impact category.  It also is related to Top Affiliate Challenge. 

Read the full story here.

I was Ken McArthur’s advisor as he wrote his book Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions, and Make a Difference in a Noisy World. And I’ve practically got the book memorized I was so deep in it! So naturally I want to put what I learned from Ken McArthur to the test.

World Association of Persons with DisABILITIES (WAPD) The World Association of Persons with DisABILITIES has the mission of empowering persons with disABILITIES to create financial freedom and increased quality of life worldwise. “We believe that all of us who want a high wuality of life can have it” is part of the welcome message you can see and hear on the website. There are pages for working from home,disability resources, knowledge base, chat rooms, volunteers, local chapters and more.

Membership for an individual is $20USD Corporate/business memberships are also available here. Donations are welcome - but the point is to say that as a member and as the Missouri State Chair, I am dedicated to this organization. It is the best multi-disability group I have found with people of such high integrity and tremendous heart.

Swelling with Gratitude

It really is humbling that I am able to ask for the help of the membership to vote me a 10 for Top Affiliate Challenge even though nobody knows if I’ll make the show yet. Naturally, I am using my knowledge of viral storytelling, creating buzz, and running a business to help me spread the word about the organization. There are already a couple of videos and I will make more.

Read the full story here.

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What good is buying a book if you don’t put what you read into practical use? Not much. It becomes “shelf improvement” if you don’t use the strategies. I’m an action taker. Sure I spend time creating a vivid dream, but I also act.

I was Ken McArthur’s advisor as he wrote his book Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions, and Make a Difference in a Noisy World. And I’ve practically got the book memorized I was so deep in it! So naturally I want to put what I learned from Ken McArthur to the test.

So this post could fit in both the Impact and Top Affiliate Challenge series’, because I put impact to the test in my efforts to get on the world’s first real time internet reality show. We’re close to the end now, and you can read the Top Affiliate Challenge thread on this blog for more about the show and all the goings on.

More than one Voice

I’m running a clean campaign. I’m not throwing hundreds of dollars to buy my way in. I am, however, using the power of an alliance to help me. Now let me tell you, when you’re involved with something that involves daily voting over about a 14 week span, you have to get pretty creative. That is a LONG time to keep sufficient momentum without driving people nuts.

I’ve been telling you all kinds of stories and bringing in comments from other people etc. along the way to keep it fresh and interesting. I’m also teaming up with an organization in which I strongly believe.

DisABILITY Touches Every Human Life

Maybe you haven’t stopped to think about the fact that everyone is somehow touched by disability. If you’re not disABLED yourself, perhaps you will acquire one unexpectedly due to accident or illness. Or perhaps you have a relative or close friend who has some sort of “limitation” that makes him or her do things a bit differently from how you do them.

Indeed, 18% of the world’s population has some sort of physical, mental, or emotional distinction, and that’s about 1/5 of the population. So figure a little less than 2 billion people worldwide are affected. And one of the biggest misconceptions about disABILITY that people have is that the population as a whole does not significantly contribute to the local economy.

An Economic Force

If you think this, please allow me to remind you that even if a disABLED person is on government assistance, they still buy food, clothes and shelter. They still vote or otherwide participate in the political process of their particular country to whatever degree is allowed.

According to Dr. George Kerford, Chairman Emeritus of the World Association of Persons with disaBILITIES (wapd) , this “underdog” population contributes $3 trillion to the world economy. And yet the unemployment rate among us is so very high. Among blind people it is over 70%.

World Association of Persons with DisABILITIES (WAPD)

The World Association of Persons with DisABILITIES has the mission of empowering persons with disABILITIES to create financial freedom and increased quality of life worldwise. “We believe that all of us who want a high wuality of life can have it” is part of the welcome message you can see and hear on the website. There are pages for working from home,disability resources, knowledge base, chat rooms, volunteers, local chapters and more.

Membership for an individual is $20USD Corporate/business memberships are also available here. Donations are welcome - but the point is to say that as a member and as the Missouri State Chair, I am dedicated to this organization. It is the best multi-disability group I have found with people of such high integrity and tremendous heart.

Where Impact and the Reality Show Converge

OK I said this was about both Impact and Top Affiliate Challenge. one reason is that our best selling impactful author is also one of the 3 gurus who will lead a team on the show. He is the White Hat Guru. But beyond that, as you may have seen from my audition videos, I am giving a share of my winnings from Top Affiliate Challenge - which I expect to be on! - with WAPD. This means that I have been able to send mailings to the entire membership. I am also doing special webinars for WAPD members only sharing business strategies, so if you want in on this, simply join WAPD! I have also “blasted” a free copy of my inspirational ebook to the list as my way of saying thanks. (note: take care of those who support you)

We are doing conferences around the US and possibly other places as well that are specifically geared toward prosperity and financial freedom. The first one will be in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma September 18-20, 2008.

Swelling with Gratitude

It really is humbling that I am able to ask for the help of the membership to vote me a 10 for Top Affiliate Challenge even though nobody knows if I’ll make the show yet. Naturally, I am using my knowledge of viral storytelling, creating buzz, and running a business to help me spread the word about the organization. There are already a couple of videos and I will make more.

The Fickle Finger of Fate

As fate would have it, the first time I sent the mailing asking for votes, the TAC server had a meltdown thanks to fraud attempts. We got hundreds of emails of people who could not vote when they were so very kind to give what should have been a matter of 30 seconds to help me help the organization.

Then again fate twisted and Monday we had more fraud related problems and molasses servers, adding further frustration to those kind enough to attempt to vote.

And today I sent one last mailing with a gift in it and a word to look out for my special webinar next week, and wouldn’t you know it…the scores didn’t move for HOURS! I’m sure it’s more fraud sweeps and the like, but I realize how scammy that sort of thing can appear.

My Enemies Rally to Keep Me Off the Show—–AGAIN

AND now that they did finally move, after 2 huge mailings have gone out today, my score is up only .03. I think perhaps my enemies have been busy trying to keep me off the show again! rest assured, you will be caught! All fraud attempts are being thwarted. I’m sure efforts like this mean it will take a while for the official top 10 even to be announced. The top 10 as of close of voting make it to the show for certain, plus 2 others from the top 25%. I want to be on the top 10. I’m sure they’ll have to do a massive and detailed fraud sweep before anything is made official. Thanks so much, cheaters!

IMPACT

Anyway, one of the strategies Ken McArthur teaches in his book Impact is to combine your efforts with a nonprofit. That is exactly what I have done and I know of at least 2 super votes and I don’t even know how many regular votes have come from the fact that I love what WAPD is doing and want to give more financial help and buzz to the group.

So expect to see me wearing a WAPD T-shirt on the show at least part of the time as I participate in the Prosperity Team and help guide people with disabilities to multiple streams of income.

So if you want to make impact, team up with a powerful group!

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The big day is finally upon us.  Well, it’s certainly a big day for Ken McArthur and for anybody in the world who wants to make a big impact with your work.

Ken McArthur’s book Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions, and Make a Difference in a Noisy World shows you a system for creating impact that Ken created based on a year of hard study and research.  It has been fun for me to watch his amazon rank come closer and closer to 1.  He started off at over 5,400, and then the big mailing went out and he quickly dropped below 3,000, then 2,000…

 He made it (so far) to #10 in Motivation books - WOW!  Congratulations, Ken McArthur!  It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

And today was also for me because I coached him along with Glenn Dietzel of Awaken The Author Within. 

One of my jobs was to help him craft his book as the perfect lead generator.  Ken is a good writer, yet there were a few times when I had to tell him to simplify the language or make something clearer or stay on point.

He sent his manuscript to the publisher in December, and I was really sweating bullets, wondering what this traditional publisher (Career Press) would say about this author coach and mentor’s guidance.  What came back was that their editor said to Ken, “You’ve made our job so easy!”  The changes were truly minor,