We’ve all been there…You started off 2009 with high hopes for your affiliate business and now the year is coming to a close and you aren’t any further along.

#1: The Niche Challenge

We challenge you to define niches that interest you. Don’t worry about researching them or trying to figure anything out at this point. Just pick them using your “gut” (intuition). Go with what you “feel” is true right now. We’ll teach you how to research and think through it later.

Complete this Challenge:

Step 1 – Open your Challenge Workbook Step 2 – List your niche ideas in the second set of boxes on the page. Here are the nine niches that we want to see you choose:

• List three hobbies that you love
• List three areas where you have a special talent or expertise
• List three areas that you feel money can be made – regardless of your knowledge of these areas

Step 3 – Come back to this page: http://blog.affiliateclassroom.com/challenges and let everyone know that you’ve completed the challenge. Tell us what you chose and what you’re most excited about!

Need some more direction?

Log into your Affiliate Classroom interface and check out course number 140.0 Niche Research and Selection and the checklist Evergreen Niches for help. Not an Affiliate Classroom member yet? Click on the button below to sign up now!

Challenge #2: The 50-10 Keyword Challenge

Time to put on your thinking hat! We’re looking for words, words and more words.

*The video that Anik mentions in this video is coming soon!

Complete this Challenge:

Step 1 – Open your Challenge Workbook spreadsheet

Step 2 – For each of your 3 niches list:

• 50 three-word keywords
• 10 one or two-word keyword phrases

Step 3 – Come back to this page: http://blog.affiliateclassroom.com/challenges and let everyone know that you’ve completed the challenge. Tell us what tricks you used to come up with your lists.

Need some more direction?

Log into your Affiliate Classroom interface and check out course: 130.0 – Paid Search (PPC) Affiliate Business Model and 130.1 – Natural Search (SEO) Affiliate Business Model . Both of these talk about search engines (paid and natural) and how keywords play a role in affiliate businesses.

Challenge #3: The 10 Sites and Research Trends Challenge

This new challenge will take you through some basic research and will show you how to see emerging trends within your own niche.

Complete this Challenge:

Step 1 – Open your Challenge Workbook

Step 2- Find at least 10 affiliate websites from the niche that you selected in Challenge #1.

• Write down the domains in your Challenge Workbook
• Come up with a couple of sentences that describes what each of those websites are doing.

Step 3 – Go to Alexa.com and enter the domain names into the search box.

• Write down the domains traffic stats in your Challenge Workbook

Step 4 – Come back to this page: http://blog.affiliateclassroom.com/challenges and let everyone know that you’ve completed the challenge. Tell us what you’ve found in your research and your traffic trends.

Challenge #4 – Buddy Up Challenge

The Fresh Start Challenge video #4 is up and its time to gear up for the Buddy Up Challenge!

Tell us what niche you’re most interested in and we’ll match you up with a group of people in a related area so you can support one another through the next challenge, the 2-day event and beyond!

Just login to your Affiliate Classroom or PPC Classroom account here:  http://my.affiliateclassroom.com/index/ and click on the Fresh Start Challenge banner on the main page to see the NEW challenge.

Don’t forget, we’ll be opening registration for our live, online, hand-holding event on January 23rd & 24th, 2010, very soon!  Make sure to watch for the registration link to reserve your spot!

Take Care!
-Lurn Team