Mom always said “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”  It sounds like simple common sense, and I followed it wholeheartedly.  After all, if one of something is good, then more is even better, especially in business.

When I first got into affiliate marketing back in 1999, I was looking to quit my regular job, and do something I could do strictly from home.  I wanted to make enough money to support my family the way they deserved and be able to be home and spend more time with them.

Common sense told me that in order to make a sustainable income, I would have to diversify as much as possible.  I thought the only way to be a success was to build multiple sites and develop a ton of content, and boy did I do that!  At one point I had nearly 90 websites running.   So much for my plans to have time to spend with my family.

Listen to Mom

I would never dispute a mother’s advice, but in this instance I should have been following a different proverb, “less is more.”  Mom always says that too, and this time that’s the advice we should all be listening to.

If I could go back in time to 1999, I wouldn’t waste my time and resources on multiple sites, and certainly not so many.  So how many is the right number?  I would say just one.  That’s right, focus on a single website.  That’s all you need to become a success and live your life they way you want to.

The Beauty of One

Still doubtful, well lets think about it for a moment….What if all the effort you put into promoting your multiple sites were focused on one single site?  Just imagine the results.

• What if all the content you created was dedicated to building up one single site?  You could showcase all your knowledge and expertise in your field, and make your site as utilitarian and attractive as possible.  In a world full of competitors, consumers look for the best, and notice it when they find it.  Then they recommend it to their friends.  Think about many more consumers you could attract to your one comprehensive site, as opposed to many half-hearted ones.
• What if all the Organic search traffic, backlinks, Twitter feeds, Facebook comments, and other promotions you created,  lead to your one site?  How huge would your audience be and how many email addresses would you get from sign ups?  Think of the countless ways you could use that volume of prospects and consumers to improve how you do business.  Think how many more sales it would generate and how it could grow your business?
• What if you only needed to spend time managing one site, instead of many?  How much more free time would you have?  What else could you be doing with all those hours?  How much dedication could you give to the things that really matter?

Get the picture now?  

When you focus on just one site, it will show in the improved quality of your content, and your audience will notice.   It won’t take long for your traffic to increase, and that leads to more sales and bigger profits.

New Toys of Today

You can use free video conferencing online to meet with those you need to handle your growing business, like suppliers, partners or prospects.   Hold meetings right from your living room without the hassle or expense of time consuming commutes.  The technologies available to you today, from webinars to phone apps, are not only designed to make things easier for you, but also easy to use.

If you want, sell your extra sites to either fund growth or invest.  Let someone else take on the extra work.  Then take your profits and go on a celebratory spree and get one of those beautiful glass computer desks for home that you’ve always wanted, or whatever else you dream about.  Or better yet, get something for Mom that say’s thanks, you were right.   Less is more.

About the Author

James Martell is the author of author of the Affiliate Marketers Handbook back in 2002.   He launched the Affiliate Buzz,  which is the first ever and longest running podcast in the industry (now on WebmasterRadio.FM)  His trainings on Internet based business opportunities can be found on his site.  He resides near Vancouver, Canada where he works from home with his wife Arlene.  They have been married for 27 years.