Viral Storytelling with The Story Lady, Ronda Del Boccio

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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Last night at about 10:30 local time I was already going out of my mind. I had hoped to be higher than 10th so that if anyone pulled anything drastic to move up in Top Affiliate Challenge, I’d have a bit of a cushion. Yet I was grateful to be in 10th and a true contender. And I kept thinking grateful thoughts for all of the people who supported me with votes with with super votes so that I could have the opportunity to be part of the world’s first real time internet reality show, Top Affiliate Challenge!

A thousand thank-yous to each and every person who supported my race for the top 10.

One of the most fun things last night…we had a Skype group chat with a number of the contenders in attendance. Thor and Kimberly from his company were also there.

For me it was a true nail biter, of course, as the 11th-place contestant’s score jumped from 55 and change to 58 and change. Would this person acquire a bunch of super votes at the last minute? Would someone from lower on the list have a higher-scoring video that they were waiting to reveal at the last minute? It could happen, and being at the bottom of the list meant I would have been the one to drop off.

So in this chat, we all had a blast. In fact, some of us have been at it again today. Also I had a very wonderful and long audio chat with #1 Ty Hurd yesterday. Go have a look at his blog. I’ll get a list of everyone’s blogs up this week in the links off to the right…

Anyway Many of us are already creating family. We had a brief visit from one of the more vocal contestants who has garnered the most video testimonials…but he left as quickly as he had come.

And though there were dozens of fraudi attempts, every one of them was caught and corrected.

So this is the list of the top 10 finalists. These people will definitely go to Lincoln for the reality show. We’ll be leaving at the end of the month.

A great big congratulations to the top 10!

Ty Hurd
Big Jason Henderson
Jonathan Van Clute
Devin Hunter
Top “the Furry Hat Guy”
Jani Gaffor
Jonathan Ryan
Carl Zetterlund
Chad Van Norman
Ronda Del Boccio

Those in the top 25% have a chance to write an essay about why they should be chosen. Some people are asking the top 10 for endorsements. Nobody has asked me yet.

I am truly honored and humbled by the outpouring of support from everyone. Thank you so much!

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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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Chad Van Norman may have gotten my guide dog Molly’s audition removed from Top Affiliate Challenge.

You can vote your conscience for the guy who got the guide dog’s audition out of the contest…but for sure vote me a 10!

Because but now I OWN Chad Van Norman!

Sweet justice! Oh yes! He’s mine until someone else buys him…but I’ll just buy him back! It’s what he deserves, afterall…to be Owned.

OK for those of you who think I must have gone loopy, it’s all in good fun!. No I don’t really own him and would never own a person anyway…

but on Facebook I own him!

Actually I just own his picture, but wasn’t that a fun story??? Didn’t it get your attention? That’s what I meant to do!

I bought his picture with virtual money on Facebook and now I’m telling you about it, and of course that means you are more likely to visit our profiles and vote for us. See, that’s a look behind the curtain, so to speak, about how you get people talking.

OK OK I have to give you the rest of the story and the teaching that goes with it. Drama is a fantastic traffic strategy. Ben Mack taught me well, and now I’m applying what I learned from him and Dave Lakhani’s persuasion books to the auditions for Top Affiliate Challenge.

So let me give you a storytelling lesson around creating buzz…

If I didn’t want you to know who had done or said something, I would not use their name, because bringing publicity to someone by name captures attention. Heck I even pointed you to his audition as well as mine. I would never have been so specific if I didn’t expect something like that to happen.

No I’m not mad that Chad got Molly’s video removed. No, I’m not mad at Thor for removing it either. If it was just plain old votes that would be fine, but people bought super votes, and even though she’s an affiliate marketer in her own right, she can’t go to the show on her own. I mean, she doesn’t read or type or speak.

I’m among the top traffic senders and it has been through purely natural means with a splash of drama. So when I’m on the show you can watch what’s happening and imagine how you can use those types of stories you’ll see unfold to create buzz around your work.

thanks for playing, Chad! Nice to have a good sport.

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Wow do I have a story for you today! Yes it’s about Top Affiliate Challenge, as you can no doubt tell from the title…and well they say money doesn’t buy happiness, but throw enough money at the show and you can get on even if your average vote is less than a 3 out of 10. Oh yes. You can check out this audition and see for yourself. I’ve got nothing against this contestant. He’s a delightful person.

So how does someone whom the voting public does not favor make it to the top 10? He’s in a voting triumpherate, and they’re throwing a LOT of money into super votes. I would like to thank my most worthy “adversary” Ty Hurd for pointing this out on his blog post “Top Affiliate Challenge - Pay to Play???”. i had not looked at the statistics in a while. And I bet this is one reason the servers had been slow as molasses in January for several days.

3 of the top 10 have 160 super votes or more as I write this. $5 X 160 (the lowest of the 3) = $800 We have people spending over $800 for super votes

What Are Super votes?

Ty goes into this in great deatail, so you can also check out his blog pos… Super Votes allow you to pay $5, which goes toward production costs of the show, to boost the score of 3 contestants. yes you pick 3, and each of them gets 25 perfect 10 votes. A number of people have bought them for me. Now I have not pushed people to buy votes, though I am giving a $500 course away to one of those who does!

hey, Big Spender!

Some people have taken the buying of votes thing to a whole new level. It makes me think of the joke about Chicago politics - vote early & vote often. Throw hundreds of dollars at the show and you’re in. This is all well and good for the ones who buy their way to the top with super votes, but not for everyone else.

The sun will still rise Sunday morning no matter who is in the top 10, but let’s be real about what’s happening. If you want to see anyone’s stats, you would click on their audition and look at the upper right corner where it says “show stats” in small letters.

What Does It All Mean?

Ty Hurd is in first. He got the highest video base score of 9 out of 10 and his “open vote” average (meaning taking out the perfect 10s for the super votes) is 6.47 as of now.

Big Jason Henderson, in 2nd, has an average of 5.25 and 200+ super votes.

Jonathan Van Clute, in 3rd, has an open vote average of 7.07 and 100 super votes.

Chad Van Norman is currently in 10th and has an open vote average of 5.85. Now he has done something that is earning him some low votes from a bunch of people. He is the one who complained about Molly Flagtail having an audition and taking votes from others because of I’m on the show, so is she. Well she may be boycotting. I’m told by a number of my fans that they don’t like his video and don’t like that he goe Molly off the show. Of course, Thor Schrock shot the original audition video and sanctioned her inclusion in the first place, so… ??? Molly had over 40 super votes, and let me tell you - those votes did not transfer to me when her audition got unceremoniously dumped from the show. Read about that here.

Chad video got an 8. In it he makes fun of most of the contestants on the show and acts as if he’s eating a bagel out of the toilet. Very mature. Two other contestants got an 8 as the judges base score for eating things out of the toilet too.

And What’s up with the Fluctuations?

I wrote about voting strangeness in the post: “Your Vote Counts - Or Does it?” yes OK the scores are supposedly daily averages. Yesterday my score dropped more than 8 full points for several hours, then came back up. (that’s full points, not hundredths or tenths.) I was in 11th, then 20th, then 8th, then 11th. Numerous members of the organization I am supporting with part of my winnings from the show have emailed me and the Chairman Emeritus about the slow servers, the difficulty voting, and the fluctuation of my score.

One of the officers of the World Association of Persons with DisABILITIES is convinced that the show is a scam because of the fact that dozens of people were trying to vote for me between Saturday and Tuesday, and the server was so slow that many had to give up. I can’t blame them. He thinks the super votes and the fact that the money goes to the show makes it a scam. He even said, without seeing all the stats, that the show must expect people to buy their way in.

A scam? The show will happen. Thor has some amazing sponsors and prizes lined up. but imperfect - you bet! The producers seemed to defy their own words in th e strategy guide as to how the judges’ base scores would be determined. When you see some of the scores under statistics, you’ll understand what I mean. Some of the best videos got lower scores than one would think they should based on the strategy guide.

What about the Story lady?

So what about The Story Lady? How do I stack up against the rest? My stats are that I FINALLY managed to get a 7 for my last video, miracle of miracles. My open vote average is currently 6.99, even accounting for the fact that I know some other contestants are doing their very best to vote me down. I have 40 super votes, mainly from other people and a few from 3 of us going in together to support each other.

That means I’m getting higher popularity averages than 2 of the 3 the potty video creators. My open vote average is higher than most of the top 10 (Gaj, Jani, Chad, Carl, Tom (4.6) and even Ty.)

I made my own videos and am among the highest open vote average contestants, and I’m currently in 11th where 3 have bought their way to the top. Hmmm…

Now I feel even better about how I’m doing in Top Affiliate Challenge. I humbly ask you to vote me a 10 today, tomorrow and Saturday.

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