Interview with Willie Crawford

Willie Crawford is more than just an expert at Internet marketing. Willie is a true example of the American Dream. His humbleness, perseverance, determination, and willingness to help others to never stop achieving success has made him one of the most respected people in the IM world.

His book, "Git Off the Porch" is a magnificent inspiration to all who have read it and can be to those who need to read it. It has tremendous insight into a man who dares not to quit and has the will to overcome whatever he has or had encountered.

Growing up in one of the poorest and roughest neighborhoods in the Indianapolis area, I understand what it means to grow up in poverty. I have spent 99% of my life broke. Willie has been one of the people that helped change that for me. His wisdom has helped me see that no matter the circumstances, you fight through them with persistence, drive, work ethic, and heart.

Willie Crawford is not only a success in IM, writing, cooking, and soon TV. Willie Crawford is an example of a successful life.


Willie, please tell us about yourself.

"I grew up in poverty, on a farm, spending most of my
youth on government subsistence. I escaped that
poverty by studying hard, going to college, and then
into the military. Somewhere in there, I simply
realized that I needed to move away from it!

While in the U.S. Air Force, I decided to use my
college training and start my own business, eventually
discovering the Internet. I ended up staying with the
military long enough to retire, but by the time that I
did, I had already built a full-time Internet business,
written two physical books, and even hosted my own
Internet marketing seminar."


Willie, this is a 3 part question. You have been involved with Internet Marketing since 1996. What has made IM better in your opinion over the years? What has made it worse? And what does it still lack?

"What has made it better is just more people testing out things
and then writing about their results, so there is much more
information available on what actually works. The tools are
now much cheaper and more powerful too.

What has made it worse is that far too many people decide
to build businesses in the same few niches when almost any
niche imaginable can be made profitable, and in many of them,
your typical Internet marketer could easily dominate.

What is lacking is better structure. While I hate regulation,
if we are not going to govern ourselves, then sadly,
government organizations will need to step in and do that.

Better security is also needed. Hackers, viruses, and petty
theft are rampant problems."


Why is the Plug-In Profit Site such a great program for home
business owners who are starting out or want to add residual
income streams to their existing business?

"PIPS allows anyone to get a website, with multiple income
streams, up and running at minimal cost. It gives members
a 'home-base' and a knowledge base to build upon."


How do programs like PIPS, Host4Profit, etc... keep growing year after year? What sets them apart from others that die out almost as soon as they launch?

"The strength in PIPS and Host4Profit is their leadership and
the fact that there IS strength in numbers. My military
training taught me long ago that it's much easier to
accomplish monumental tasks as a group, than it is working
in isolation. PIPS and Host4Profit provides communities
that allow us to benefit from each other's experience and
effort."


In your experience, why do most people quit Internet Marketing? What stops anyone from becoming successful?

"Most people quit Internet marketing because they lack focus
and follow through. They try to do too many different things
at once, and so they end up not doing any of them well. They
eventually get overwhelmed, discouraged, and give up.

Many people also don't stop and ask themselves what their
customers really want. If you sell what your customers really
want... things that they are already buying...then it's
very easy to be a success."


What is one tip for living life that you would like to share with us?

"Admit to yourself that life is not without risk, and learn
to take calculated risks. Don't be afraid of minor failures
and setbacks. Just don't keep making the same mistakes over
and over again. People who get extra-ordinary results in life
generally take extra-ordinary actions and do things that are
outside of many people's comfort zones."


What are some tips that you would give to anyone who is brand new or struggling with Internet Marketing or any business venture?

"Identify a tightly defined niche, figure out what they want and
then offer it to them. Build a database, and follow up with
them regularly.

Let your customers know who you are. Don't hide behind some
corporate name, but let them know who you actually are as a
person. Let them 'connect with you' on a real human level.
People buy from people that they 'know, like, and trust.' They
have to be allowed to feel that they know you first!

Make sure that your target market has money. You need to
sell to people who want what you have, can afford it, and
are willing to pay for it. Otherwise, you CAN'T make a lot
of money online."



What do you see for the future of Internet Marketing?

"More and more offline businesses will go online, and
a huge pool of people who service those brick and mortar
businesses as they use the Internet to drive business,
will develop.

Those people will earn huge profits since
brick and mortar businesses happily spend large sums of
money on things that grow their businesses."


What ventures have you started or will start in the future and where can we find them?

"I am the founder of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle,
and Executive Director of The International Association
of Joint Venture Brokers. Those can be found at:
http://TIMIC.ORG OR http://IAJVB.ORG .

I'm also getting ready to host a live boot camp in Atlanta,
Georgia which you can read about at:
http://InternetMarketingMomentumBootcamp.com

I attend or speak at an average of one seminar a month,
as a yearly average. Some months I'm at as many as three
different events though. My site at:
http://InternetMarketingSeminarSchedule.com is a good
place to keep track of those events.

I'm in the very early post-production stages of coming
out with my own television cooking show. Cooking is one
of several niches that I'm in. So, be on the lookout for
that as I'll be able to add 'Executive Producer' to my
resume."


Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.
--Benjamin Franklin


Doug Gorman - Plug-In Profit Site News

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