Happy Holidays

I hope everyone has the happiest of holidays. The new year is approaching and it is time for New Year resolutions. This is a great time for setting goals and for making a plan so that you can reach those goals. Don't make the goals impossible to reach but don't make them too easy to reach either. Set up monthly goals that build up to a yearly goal. I will share some of my goals in future posts. Why not share some of yours too?

Trust Vs. Paranoia

Paranoia is a thought process heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs concerning a perceived threat towards oneself or one's traffic exchange? Ok, yes I admit that I added the "traffic exchange" to the definition.

I am a big believer in trust being something that is earned and shared between two people, groups, etc. If a traffic exchange owner wants his or her members to trust the administration than trust must also be shown toward the members. Obviously not everyone is trustworthy, but not every member is out to cheat either. Paranoia is destructive and should be avoided at all cost. Some precautions are sensible and necessary, but don't let paranoia in!

Would you rather buy something from a stranger or a friend?

Today I would like to talk about your internet reputation.  With all the scams on the internet and with so many products and services for sale, how do you know what can be trusted?  And a better question is why would someone buy from you? 

I stopped trying to sell "things" and put my efforts into building relationships.  There is no price tag for a good reputation or trust.  Don't scam people.  You might make a few dollars but you will have lost a much more valuable thing. 

Not Just a copycat TE

Visitor Concepts is a unique traffic exchange and it is shaking things up this weekend.  Please visit Visitor Concepts Weekend but hurry!

I was told a story when I was young

I was told a story when I was very young but remember it and live by the lesson it taught still.

The story told of two groups of people sitting at a long dining table.  All the people had large spoons tied to their arms keeping them from being able to bend their elbows and feed themselves.  At one table the people ended up starving even though the table was full of wonderful food, because they only wanted to feed themselves and would not help anyone else.  At the other table each person fed the person across from them and all ate well. 

The moral of the story?  If you help others succeed you will also succeed.  Help yourself by helping others. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Everyone has many things to be thankful for, regardless of nationality. Family, friends, and many extended friendships acquired here on the internet. So, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I would like to give you $500! A good friend of mine owns 5for500 and has allowed me to extend his Thanksgiving offer to you.  From now until Friday only, this is 100% FREE to join! This is a short matrix to fill that will pay you $4/referral until you have earned $500!  You can learn more about it by visiting the site itself.
http://www.5for500.com/?id=271

BUT, this IS a Special Gift Invitation!
>> DO NOT PAY anything from now until Friday <<
Just click the link and join. Your membership ID will be emailed to you shortly after filling in the information and then you may share this gift with family and friends!  It's like a $500 Thank You just for being here on the internet!
Join Here But DO NOT PAY- Sign Up then just wait for the email to activate your account.  Do it now so you don't forget.

http://www.5for500.com/?id=271

Ever watch the lobsters in a tank?

Have you ever watched the lobsters in a tank?  Did you notice how they can't climb out?  When they start to climb their "friends" pull them back down.  Don't let your "friends" pull you down.  A real friend helps you climb.  Next time you see a lobster tank watch the lobsters.  The ones at the bottom don't want their friends to succeed.  Be careful of the lobsters in your life.

If you saw a penny on the ground....

If you saw a penny on the ground right by your feet and a dollar a few steps away and could only pick up one, which would you choose?  The dollar right? 
Yes those pennies in Surf4Cash are easy to pick up and there is nothing wrong with surfing for them, but don't forget the dollars.  How do you get those dollars?  By referring, upgrading, and networking.  Get out there and meet people that are in the traffic exchanges.  Share ideas.  Listen to suggestions. 
A word of warning though.  Try to verify the owner of a traffic exchange before dumping money into it.  Have they opened several sites, taken in quick money, and disappeared, or are they out there mingling with the members, improving their sites, and building trust.
Just some things to think about!

Setting Goals

No matter what you are building it is important to set goals.  I set a goal when opening Magic Garden Surf and met that goal tonight.  We are now at 200 honest members.  This might not sound like much when you look at the mega sites, but my 200 members are not just numbers.  I am committed to helping them to grow their online businesses and there to help whenever I can. 

Now time for new goals.  Set your goals today,   Don't set them too high but not too low either.  Be realistic but don't make it too easy.  Work hard to reach the goals you set but be sure to set the next goal a little higher. 

Referral Competitions

Since Magic Garden Surf opened there has been a monthly referral contest.  To qualify members need to refer at least 5 active members.  The same names are always at the top of this list, not just at MGS, but at several TEs.  These members work hard and are awarded for that hard work.  This is a great way to earn some extra cash within the traffic exchange circuit.  Whether it be at Magic Garden Surf or any other TE running a referral competition, get out there and start referring!

It always surprises me how some of the BIG traffic exchange admins scam their members, and how other admins stick up for them.  Today I was scammed again.  I won't mention the name of the Traffic Exchange here because that would make me just as low as them.  I will say that if you join a traffic exchange that will not post the cash out minimum, makes it next to impossible to find their contact link, and take weeks to answer support tickets when you finally do find the link,  run away as fast as you can.  If the minimum is raised everytime you meet the minimum and request payout without even a reply to your request something is not right.  When you wait for months and then get a rude email back, well then you know you are being scammed.  I have been scammed and will be sure never to trust him or buy into his many famous products again.  Someone should SWAT him.

Activating your accounts after signup

Hello,

Today I would like to remind everyone that you are leaving a lot on the table if you sign up for a traffic exchange and then never surf to activate your account.  In most traffic exchanges you are given free hits just for signing up but you need to surf a minimum number of sites before you can add your own sites.  You are also missing out on the referrals you could be getting, competitions you could be winning, and traffic to your sites.  So remember,

S - sign up
V - verify the email you receive after sign up
A - activate your account by surfing
A - add your sites and banners

Want to try it now?

Join our new traffic exchange  HERE

A Traffic Exchange Review

I probably belong to over 100 traffic exchanges.  Some are great for building a referral list.  Some for the commissions they pay to members.  Getting your sites seen is always a good reason to join a TE.  But with all that said sometimes it's nice to belong to a TE where everybody knows your name.  CrosseyedSurf is that kind of traffic exchange.  Crosseyedsurf's design is amazing, the tools page is excellent in layout, and the site is so easy to navigate.   There is all your typical Ventrino script tools but also  Random Surf For Cash And Chat, bonus credits while surfing, and contests all the time. The customer service is friendly as well. The owner even has the yahoo IM Shout Box included so you can Chat with him when he is online. The Shout Box is connected to 20+ Traffic Exchanges Around The World.  Definitely a site to join!

JOIN HERE


and surf 25 sites to activate. Take advantage of their upgrades.

Adding splash pages to your advertising

Today I would like to talk about the importance of great splash pages.  In a traffic exchange you have 10 seconds or less to get your message across to surfers.  Most of these surfers have viewed hundreds, if not thousands, of sites in just one day.  What will make your page stand out?

If you are using a standard affiliate page or a splash page that has been seen a million times you probably will not get any ones attention.  If you went to a store and saw a faded sign would it draw your attention?  Probably not.  It is the same on a traffic exchange.  Keep your ads fresh and bright.  Remember that bright doesn't mean fluorescent green or pink.   I'm not saying that those colors are bad, but you don't need to blind anyone either.
Just remember to make the ad clear, make sure the viewer knows what they are supposed to do by adding a "JOIN HERE" or "Click Here for more Info".  More on splashes tomorrow.

Invoice from Visitor Concepts

Hello TE fans,

I just got my info from Visitor Concepts and not only have they paid me for everything I do there, but they also paid me interest.  If you have not joined VC yet do it now.  If you only upgrade at a few TEs this year make sure Visitor Concepts is on that list.  I upgraded with the smallest upgrade and made over $75 this month but join even if it is a free account - you will not be sorry.

JOIN HERE

Did you know?

Did you know that I send out an email once a day to all MGS members with a simple question in it?  Answer the question in a support ticket and you get paid.01.  Yes that comes out to only $3.65 a year but what if every traffic exchange did that?  Wouldn't that be nice? 

I will start adding small hints and tips to this blog about Magic Garden Surf and other traffic exchanges and programs.  Want to know what's new?  Need help with something?  Just post your questions here.  If you own your own traffic exchange and would like to have a surf competition send a support ticket to me and we will schedule it.  Need splash pages or banners made?  Graphics By Saphyre is very inexpensive with splash pages starting at only $2.50 and banners at $1.50.

Magic Garden Surf's New Blog

Hello,

The purpose of this blog is to keep members up to date on what is happening not only in our traffic exchange but within the traffic exchange community.  If you have any comments or questions about Magic Garden Surf or if you are a TE owner, then I recommend that you read this blog. 

I will try to include tips and tricks for TE owners as well as general information for traffic exchange users.  If you have a question please post it and I will find an answer for you.

Thanks,
Susan (Saphyre)