Monday, December 29, 2008
Who should my affiliates be?
How should my affiliates be paid?
Always pay your affiliates on a commission basis. Like most salesman, if they do nothing... they receive nothing. The harder they work, the more they earn. However, the value of each of your affiliates is going to vary. Consider paying commissions based on a tiered payment structure. That's what we do in the Home Seller Assist program created by John Alexander and also known as We Provide The Cash. And you get paid the next day!
How do I motivate affiliates to act?
Even the best partners need motivation to work with you. Here's the key: make it EASY and LUCRATIVE for them. They're busy. You've got to do as much of the work for them as you can. And, you need to be generous. Remember, it's their influence and list you want, not their work. Make it easy and lucrative for them and your success will soar.
Creating and managing multi-tiered affiliate structures should not be difficult. Find an affiliate management software program that does this for you. Then, sit back and see what your affiliates can do!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Is This All There Is to Life?
It's the difference between having a job you dread, or the job you dream about... between retiring with just enough to get by, or with a seven-figure nest egg... between living the life you live today, or living the life of those you envy...
Here's your opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime insider's look into the practical ideas, systems, and methods for creating an abundant life for you and your family.
All the risk is on our shoulders to deliver this. All you need to do is accept this generous offer and follow the step-by-step details for enjoying a brand new life. Here's the way that can change it all for you... take action now!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
It Is a Great Time to Start a Business… And Let Me Tell You Why
William Hewlett and David Packard founded Hewlett-Packard in 1939, while the Great Depression had been underway for a full decade...
In September 1945, Masaru Ibuka started Sony after his country had been devastated by war and was occupied by a foreign power...
You see, a business start up can not only survive, but thrive in times of economic crisis.
YOU can do the same. And thanks to the Internet your journey to a bright financial future will be a lot easier - and faster - than Sony's or Hewlett-Packard's.
You can be making $100,000 to $25 million a year in no time with your own business with our proven strategies we use in the Home Seller Assist program created by John Alexander.
Monday, December 15, 2008
2 Things You Should Never Do on Picture Day
It's the moment you have been dreading. Your employer has informed you that a photographer is coming in to photograph the entire staff for the purpose of updating the website. There is even talk of a group photo for a company "Happy New Year" card. Good grief! Are they serious? You hate having your picture taken!
No worries. Here are two simple tips to help you look your best in any photo.
1. Don't wear patterns or logos.
Patterns (such as stripes) and logos are distracting. The center of attention should be your face, so it is best to wear clothing in solid, subdued colors. Dark colors are especially flattering, because (as you may have heard) the camera tends to make you look heavier and dark colors slim you down.
2. Don't show too much skin.
The eye naturally goes to areas of high contrast - the brightest brights and the darkest darks - first. If you show a lot of skin, people looking at your photo will focus on that instead of your face.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
How to Establish "Brand Presence" - Even If You're Not a Brand Marketer
The end goals of direct-response marketing (DRM) and brand marketing are entirely different. Direct response wants to get the customer to provide information or open his wallet. Branding, on the other hand, wants to get the customer to remember the product.
But today, with the power of the Internet behind them, branding and DRM work more closely together... closer than they ever have in the history of advertising.
Think about Early to Rise. Because ETR is a true daily - delivered seven days a week and reaching close to 450,000 people - it has developed a certain "brand presence."
By "brand presence," we mean that ETR has a specific look and feel. It has a strong mission statement and specific core values. These are aspects of our "brand" that have been with us since ETR's inception.
All of the products we produce carry our logo. So when you see our banner ads on other websites and text ads in other newsletters, you know by the logo that the ads come from ETR.
But at its heart, ETR is not a brand marketer. ETR is a direct-response e-newsletter. That's how we developed our subscriber list. That's how we've grown our business. And because we've been consistent with our message, our values, and our product quality, we've been able to create a brand presence that other people recognize. A brand can develop organically from good direct-response marketing.
For most small businesses (the non-Cokes and non-Nikes of the world), this is the best way to grow. Spend your money on great multi-channel direct-response campaigns and let your brand develop while you make money.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Work at Home Jobs That Aren't Scams
You've probably learned by now that finding legitimate work at home opportunity is no an easy task. There are countless scams which are like wolves in sheep's clothing. They appear to be above board but they really aren't. Some never pay at all. They just charge you a membership and thats all you've got. Others actually do pay, but after a few simple calculations you learn that with the time you've spent marketing their product, you're earning about half of minimum wage.
It's time to Stop the Madness.
Stop wasting your time and money filling out surveys for pennies and soliciting others to join multi level marketing referral programs.
If you don't have young children at home, and can guarantee a quiet working environment, customer service and sales phone work is a great opportunity. Many companies like West and Live Ops which I can personally vouch for, allow you to set your own hours. They both give bonuses although Live Ops does pay about $3-$12 more per hour depending on how good you are at upselling.
Below is a long list of real work at customer service/phone jobs. Some I have actually been hired for, or know other wahm moms who have. As with any employment opportunity, be sure to research each opportunity to verify that it is right for you.
CUSTOMER SERVICE JOBS
Accolade Support
ACD Direct
Alpine Access (Arizona, Colorado, Texas & Utah)
Baby to Bee *Babytobee does not list their employment opportunities on their website, but regularly recruits via classifed advertising*
Beyond Marketing Online
BRG Research Services
Connect2Agent
Connect Plus, LLC
Customer Loyalty Concepts
eCallogy (Utah Only!)
Grindstone
Greene TeleServices (WA, DC only) Greene Teleservices
JetBlue Airways (Utah )
LiveOps
MicahTek, Inc MicahTek, Inc
Niteo Services, Inc.
O'Currance Teleservices (Utah)
RepsForRent
Secure Call Management
Service 800
Sterling Testing Systems
Time Communications (St Paul, MN)
Ver-A-Fast Corporation
VIPdesk
VoiceLog
Willow
West at Home
Working Solutions
XAct Telesolutions
I have actually worked for some of these companies and can personally recommend them. If you take your time and do your research you should be able to find a work at home employment opportunity thats just right for you.
Ann Brown is a 32 year old freelance writer and MOM from Phoenix, AZ. She also owns http://www.getrichmom.com - a website devoted to helping work at home moms find legitimate work from home opportunities. Getrichmom.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_G_Brown
3 Great Tax Deductions For Your Home Based Business
1. Home Office Expenses
You don't have to have a separate room with a door. Any space in your home that you use regularly and exclusively for business can qualify you for the home office deduction. If you qualify you will be able to deduct a portion of your housing costs, rent or mortgage interest, utilities, and even some home improvements.
2. Auto Miles
For 2009 you will be allowed to deduct 55 cents for every business mile that you drive. That can add up quickly! Commuting miles don't count as business miles, but because your commute is just down the hall you will be creating a tax deduction the minute you leave your driveway!
3. Computer and Internet Connection
You may be able to deduct a portion of the cost of your computer, and your internet connection. You will need to keep a log showing how much of the time you use your computer and internet connection for business, and how much of your use is personal.
Now all of these deductions will require some research to make sure that you follow all of the IRS's requirements, however, by taking every deduction you are entitled to you will save yourself a lot of money at tax time.
Kathleen Parker, EA is a professional tax preparer with 20 years experience helping businesses with taxes. You can read more about home based businesses at The Work From Home Pro.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Parker
Creating a Successful Home-Based Business
This was the scenario for me and my husband during the recession the 1990's. Our house was repossessed, we were unemployed and broke. We were frozen with fear wondering how we could face life in the future? And to top it all Sid, my husband, became very ill and it was a possibility that I might have to face all these problems on my own. But we humans can be very resillient when the need arrives. The only things of value that we owned at the time were a computer and some books. So I sold the books on eBay to make a bit of money to get started again. This was the start of my Home Business Cash Builder - just a few pounds in a biscuit tin.
Luckily in time Sid recovered and he started to help me to pack books and post them off to the buyers. This got us started on the road to financial recovery. It wasn't big bucks but it was better than being broke. However a little bit of success urges you on to bigger things. It is important never to set goals that are too low, otherwise once you achieve them you tend to sit back and not bother anymore. When, in truth, there could be so much more success just around the corner.
Then I added e-books to my sales projects which was fine, but then I thought, if I want to add bigger profits to my home business cash builder then why not write my own e-books. So I wrote a few little 'how-to' books and advertised them in local newspapers and on the net. It was easy because there were still setbacks. This is inevitable when you run your own business. But you learn from every mistake and build up a lot of knowledge over the years.
We all get chances to achieve success, but sometimes they pass by without us even recognizing them. Failure is not something to be ashamed of. Try to think of it as something positive that you can learn from. Actually the present financial situation throughout the world offers immense opportunities to those prepared to find certain niches and offer their experience and services to others.
If you are strapped for cash then becoming an Affiliate is the ideal way to get started in your own home-business. It costs nothing to join and all your sales material is provided for you. There are hundreds of free ad sites on the net where you can promote the products and get paid a commission.
You can build up your own successful Home Business while many others are still thinking about trying to earn some money. Let's face it, one of the most negative phrases I know is, I'll get round to it. And you know they never will. Don't look back five year's down the road and think 'if only I'd done this or that.' Life's too short, so take positive action now to plan a secure future, working in your own Home Business.
Irene Forde is a writer and publisher of Internet Books & CDs. To learn more about the Business Opportunity that got us back on top, and to Collect your Free Biz Report click on http://www.homebusinesscashbuilder.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irene_Forde
The Profile of Work at Home Scams
How Scams Work
Work at home scams tend to follow a pattern. Most scams make big claims but do little to back those claims up. They are big on words and little on details. Scams also usually want you to pay money to get nothing.
You have to look at a work at home job in the same way you look at any job. If you would not pay for the equivalent job outside of the home then you should not pay for it to work at home.
Working at home is no different then working outside the home. Many scams try to make you believe that you have to pay to work at home because it costs them to have you work at home or there is some major risk to them to have you work at home. The truth is that home workers save companies money. So do not fall for that old trick.
The bottom line about scams is that you put in a lot of work and get nothing or very little in return. They just are not real jobs. You can not earn money and eventually the company will fall apart because it is not a real business.
Confusion of Scams
Scams can be confusing because there are many things said about scams that can be applied to legitimate opportunities. That is why defining a scam and understanding what a scam is becomes important.
Home businesses which are legitimate opportunities often do require an investment up front. The big different of a home business and a scam, though, is that you are given all the information up front on a home business. That way you can decide if the opportunity is for you or not. With a scam you get no information until you pay.
Another confusion is with opportunities or jobs that are just not a good fit for you. Sometimes people feel they are scammed just because an opportunity did not work for them. A true scam is an opportunity that will not work for anyone because nothing is being sold. No products are a sign of a scam. You should really check to be sure that you are being scammed before pointing the finger at a company because it could simply be that the job just was not for you.
Knowing the difference between a work at home scam and a real opportunity can really help you to discover good work at home opportunities. You will find that you can more easily spot a scam and that you can find a legitimate opportunity that is best for you.
Who Else Wants A Proven Internet Business With 6 Easy Automated Income Streams? Plug-In Profit Site is our #1 recommended home business opportunity.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dustin_Cannon
Generate Ideas To Solve A Problem
for a problem that needs to be solved, your next task is come up with
a product that deals with that problem.
The best way is to brainstorm a list of possible solutions. Do not
worry about the logistics of developing them at this stage of the game
or second guess your ideas. You mainly want to get your creative juices
moving as you write your thoughts down on paper. Allow everything in!
Consider services as well as products, check the products your competitors
offer and ask yourself where you could improve on them. Perhaps they do
not address some aspects of your market's problem. Maybe they are too
expensive or to complicated for beginners to use or comprehend. Perhaps
your competition is not specialized enough or maybe they are too specialized.
There is also the possibility that the solutions available are offered by
individuals who are not experts in their field and don't really know what
they are doing.
Keep asking yourself, "What can I offer that no one else is providing?
How can I make my solution different from anything else that is currently
being offered?"
Take Raymond Lemire who created FlyingNoodle because of his love of fine
food. He wanted to develop an online home business based on this love.
He decided to "one-up" his competition be selling only high-end gourmet
pastas and sauces. So he sells exotic pastas such as "Roasted Red Pepper
Fettucine" and his sauces range from "Portobello Shiraz" to "Artichoke
Heart Pesto".
Instead of making these products himself, he buys them wholesale from
other high-end Italian manufacturers and then offers them for sale through
his site and his business revenues are $1 million a year!
Then there is Scott Marino who wanted to start a online home business with
his sister and her husband. Their idea was to sell lingerie, but realized
their was too much competition online. Then they came up with the idea of
selling only novelty underwear! Now their site, WebUndies is the bigest
supplier of novelty undergarments on the Web and it is generating revenue
of $650,000 per year!
So, it's important to keep your mind open to all possibilites, since your
winning product idea may come from the most unlikely source and it may be
something very different from what you originally envisioned for your home business!
Check Your Competition
A balance must be made between the demand for a solution against the amount of competition that is already providing some sort of solution. If there are a lot of sites that appear to address the problem, chances are the market is already saturated. But if there are only a small number of sites offering solutions, this market probably has space for your home business, allowing you to make money.
Using tools like Wordtracker, the Alexa Toolbar and search engines to research keywords related to your niche market's needs will help you discover whether there are any sites that offer products or services that address those needs.
As you explore your competitors' sites, carefully study the products or services they offer and the way they present them to the market. Consider how well they address the problem and whether or not there is room for improvement. If you can identify ways in which their products or services aren't perfectly meeting the market's needs, then you might be able to come up with one that does a better job and opens the way for your home business to be highly successful and allows you to make money online as an entrepreneur!
Your Home Business Should Deal With A Problem People Are Actively Trying To Solve
the following prhrase:
My niche market is people who are [action] + [your area of interest].
Here are a few examples;
My niche market is people who are [trying to find] [Civil War memorabilia]
My niche market is people who are [wanting to build] [backyard bird houses]
My niche market is people who are [attempting to train] [pet cats].
Finding a niche market is about identifying a specific and highly focused group of
people who are looking for something on the internet that they cannot easily find.
If you cannot describe your niche market in these terms, you probably aren't focused
enough yet. But if you can, then you've already taken the first step to setting
yourself up for success with a home business!
This gives you many advantages which include:
*Small markets are much easier to dominate--you become the source for your product
or service online
*It's often relatively cheap to advertise on other sites that target your small market
*You can easily gain the loyalty of your customers which affords you lots of chances
to expand your home business with related products and follow-up offers
*There is way less competition
*Niche markets are often close groups of people, so your reputation can spread by
word of mouth and offer you an ever-growing base of potential customers
As stated before, people do not go online looking to buy a product or service--they go
online to find information and solutions to their problems.
Therefore, your task is to think like your potential customers -- determine what problem
they're trying to solve and what you could offer as a solution.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Proof of Funds Letters!


Proof of Funds Letters!
As a Platinum Member of HSA, you are entitled to
use our Investor’s Private Funds.
Cost to use the funds is 1% plus $300
The fee is paid out of closing!
Which means Nothing is paid uprfront and there are No CREDIT checks!
Now as you may already know, Banks won’t consider your offer on
Short Sales or REO’s without a “Proof of Funds” Letter.
This is the part that stops most investors dead in their tracks…until now.
Here’s a 2 minute video on how to obtain and print out as many of your Proof of Funds Letters as you need:
Click Here for 2 Minute Video!
If you are not a Platinum member yet, visit us at:
http://www.FUNDSFORSHORTSALES.COM
and find out how you can be flipping short sales and
REO homes using NO CREDIT AND NO CASH!
Make sure you sign up for the FREE 30 Day Trial!
It’s time to think big…really BIG!
Larry Potter
Home Seller Assist
847-872-4047
Saturday, December 6, 2008
TELL Your Visitors Who Your Gifts Are Suitable For
So rather then leave your visitors to fret over whether particular items on your site would be suitable for certain people on their gift lists, make sure your salescopy tells them which of your products would make good gifts, and for whom...
This would make a great gift for mom!
This would make a great gift for the entrepreneur in your family!
This would make a great gift for video game fan!
This would make a good gift for [insert recommendation here]!
Never assume your customers "get it," because they probably don't... you need to tell them who your product(s) apply to and why they should buy it for them as a gift.
This why we tell potetial members of the Home Seller Assist program created by
John Alexander that the program can be used by real estate agents, investors and
anybody looking to run a business from home!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Now is the time to get rid of non-performing assets...


...We Buy Non-Performing Assets
Get Rid of Non-Performing Assets Now
...We have billions to buy your non-performing assets...
Simply send a spreadsheet of your portfolio...
...Mortgage loans, car loans...
Credit card debt, installment loans....
...Our hedgefunds are looking to buy now...
Contact Larry Potter Now At lpotter33@gmail.com
Thursday, November 27, 2008
A trend that can kill....

There is a trend that will set you up for ultimate failure
without you even knowing it. A trend that is so discreet
and subversive that you may not even know it's happening
to you.
Many people start out by saying . . . "I don't have a lot
of money or time, but I really want to make this business work.
I want you to show me exactly how to do this business without
having to spend any money or devote a significant amount of time
because I don'thave either."
Well, my team knows I don't mind helping anyone get their business
going, but when I hear or read this from a newbie I silently shake
my head in disappointment. I'm not disappointed because they don't
have money or time for their business, but rather because of their
mindset from the outset. These people whether they know it or not
are disqualifying themselves away from success. They are approaching
this business as if they "could" have a winning lottery ticket.
They bought in and now they are waiting to cash in. Too much hope
and not enough confidence. When you approach your business from the
initial standpoint of what you don't have, you're working from the
wrong paradigm. In essence what this paradigm says is . . . "I hope
this works, so tell me exactly what to do and I'll do it as long as
it doesn't take much money or time and if doesn't work in Xamount of
time I'm going to quit because IT obviously doesn't work.
" This is WRONG!
But, I understand why people unknowingly think this way. I get emails
just like everyone else and most of them say .. . "Join this business
under me and I'll build your downline for you." As if just getting in
is going to make you money. Sure for the marketer that sends out these
messages they will probably get quite a few people to join their business
because they are playing on our inherent laziness, but think about this
approach long term.
Say you get in a business with someone with this approach and they do
put lots of people under you in your business. Why are those people below
you? They are all WAITING for the initial person to put more people under
them. They may stick around for a while, but it's highly unlikely that
many of them will ever take any action themselves. Further for the marketer
themselves, they're not growing a downline of people wanting to create
freedom for themselves, rather they are actually attracting people that
are waiting for the marketer to do it all for them.
Take it from me, that's not the type of team you want to attract if you're
looking at this business with a long term perspective. So . . . With this
message pervading the market I can see why so many unsuspecting people buy
into it and think that someone else doing everything for them without them
really putting in personal time or money is going to work. It's lazy and it
can create some initial excitement, but that's about it.
When you approach your business with the above mentioned perspective - what
you don't have or can't do, you - are setting yourself up for failure and
you are limiting your chance of success. I don't care if you don't have a
dollar to your name, don't treat your business like you don't have a dime
or any time. If you run your business from a poverty standpoint it will pay
you like bankrupt business.
Can you make money in the Home Seller Assist program with very little time
or money? Yes, but you have to think of your business from an abundant standpoint.
Personally I didn't have much money or time when I began my business, but I
never thought about it as being a disadvantage. Instead I thought . . . How can
I create the money and time that I will need to create high levels of success?
The resources you need for success are out there whether you have them immediately
or not. It's your job first to realize this and then to creatively find ways to
tap into them.
Don't kill your business before it even begins by disqualifying yourself from success!
Have a great Thanksgiving!!!
Larry Potter
847-872-4047
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Short Sales from A-Z This Saturday Morning
Special Note: This information is coming from an
exclusive source and is not generally available
to the rest of the public will not be presented
again in order to keep it confined to only a select
group.
This Saturday morning (time not yet set) all Platinum
level members will receive live training on how to do short sales
from A-Z and how to incorporate the 1% funds to purchase an unlimited
amount of short sales and you will also gain access to members only
title company that knows how to close out short sale flips in ALL 50 states.
The live webcast training will take place at
http://www.fundsforshortsales.com
Register now!
You will be notified of the starting time. Register now!
Please have a notepad near you and if you miss some
details, you will be provided with a video of the
presentation for you exclusive use only
See you there, this will be great.
Larry Potter
www.FundsForShortSales.com
PS: 1% Funds Available for REOs too
Friday, November 14, 2008
Let me show you MORE....

I firmly believe that each and every person on this planet has a "success switch" somewhere deep inside them.
And all you have to do to accomplish your longest-held dreams is to flip that success switch to the "on" position.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Google Searches
But Google can help you narrow down those results... and help you stick to a specific budget, too.
Let's say you can spend only $150 on those cowboy boots. Simply type "cowboy boots $50... $150" into Google's search field.
Now, you'll find that your results have been narrowed down to about 19,500 options - all of which fit into your price range.
Want to find out more about the Home Seller Assist program created by John Alexander
or the Temporary Seller Financing program or the 1% financing for short sales and reos?
Just do a quick Google search now!
Then for more tips on We Provide The Cash, head over to
http://www.myspace.com/homebusinessnow daily.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
One Secret That Could Change Everything
Our small warm market doesn't want anything to do with our business and our cold market doesn't know or want anything to do with us. Pretty tough situation to find success in wouldn't you say? Well it's not something that can't be overcome. But let's take a closer look at it first.
In order to overcome this issue we have to do one of two things.
1. Grow our warm market until we find a few people that we haven't hit over the head with our less than successful efforts and get them excited enough in our new business to get started.
2. Somehow have our cold market get to know us enough to want to do business with us. Well I'm going to share with you a little secret that's worked like gangbusters to solve this problem. I'm going to show you how to turn your cold market warm. And the truth is, this little secret principle to success has been under your noseall along, you probably just didn't know it.
So let me ask you a question . . . What's the difference between your warm market and your cold market? Simple right? Your warm market knows you and your cold market doesn't. Well to the next question . . .
Why does your warm market know you so well? The answer to this is very simple as well . .. You interact with your warm market all the time. For instance, you probably speak to your family and friends at least on a weekly basis and share ideas and stories about what's going on in their life and yours. The interaction over time increases and maintains your bond to them.
On the flipside, Your cold market you probably only interact with once. You make a cold call or send out one promo email for your business and you wait to see how they react. You wanna see whether they join this business or give you a call or something like that. Well there's a problem with this. They don't know you, so why would they leap out of their seats to pick up the phone to get in touch with you because you sent them an email?
Now if you sent your best friend an email that said "Hey give me a call later today" don't you think there would be a pretty good chance that they would? The reason is you have a relationship with your friend where you don't with your cold market.
So here's how to solve our little marketing conundrum. You have to turn your cold market warm to get them to respond. How do you do this? The same way you do with your friends and family. Just stay in contact with them on a regular and consistent basis. Over time, many of those in your cold market will become your closest friends if you treat them like friends.
So in your marketing efforts if you want to get the best results focus on staying in contact with your cold market consistently and over time you'll find you have a world full of friends ready to join you in your cause.
If you remember one thing from this email make it this. ***In marketing, frequency outperforms reach every time.***
So make more frequent contact with your contacts and over time you'll find you'll have more success in your business than you thought possible.
To Your Success,
Larry PotterCall Me: 847-872-4047
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Can Making Money Online Be Easy?
In this case, you can copy the exact steps one man used to make $187,296 in one day. No, that's not a misprint.
What's stopping you from doing the same? The program is called Home Seller Assist and I guarantee it works exactly as it says. Take a look and see just how easy making money online can be.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Mommy, tell me about America.

What was a dollar?
If Only Sarah Palin and Joe The Plumber Knew That...
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...Well, sometimes it is only $400...
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fastbuyerloans@gmail.com
Monday, October 20, 2008
3 Powerful Ways to Benefit From Your Journal
Every month, I consult my list of yearly goals and create a list of monthly objectives. I keep both my yearly goals and monthly objectives on notepaper - a throwback to my handwritten days. But then, based on my monthly objectives, I put together my weekly and daily task lists - and those are input directly into my journal.
I highlight my priorities on my daily task list in yellow, and try to accomplish them all early in the day. And as I complete each task, I change its color from red to black on screen (the equivalent of scratching it out). This is a technique I'd recommend to you. The point is to give yourself a little psychological reward for completing your work.
At the end of each day, I note which tasks I've completed and which I've failed to complete. I also note how long it took me to complete each task. This helps me get better at estimating time commitments in the future.
The goal-setting aspect of my journal has become the most productive part. It may not always be the most fun, but it's critical to the success of my long-term plans.
2. Stay creative and keep your writing fresh.
Writing in your journal every morning gets and keeps your creative juices flowing. You can record ideas for new products or services... draft memos to your team or letters to colleagues... jot down outlines for books you want to write... even practice your copywriting.
3. Remember things you've learned, books you've read, and observations you've made.
We all have great thoughts now and then. And what do we do with those thoughts? Scribble them on scraps of paper and then lose them, right? Nowadays, whenever I get a good idea, I make note of it by entering it in my journal and putting NTS (note to self) in front of it, highlighted in yellow. It is easy to spot these highlighted entries, so I can be sure they will be put on my goal list and not forgotten about (like so many of my good ideas were before I kept a journal).
I also record interesting facts and figures from my reading. (I make it a point to locate at least one useful fact or idea in every newspaper or magazine or business book that I read.) And I use my journal to list recommendations that I read or hear about: a new wine to try, a new book, a new CD from a favorite singer, a new restaurant, an exotic destination that I want to travel to.
It's amazing how much good stuff you can accumulate once you get into the habit of putting things that interest you into your journal and highlighting them for future use.
So those are three important benefits of keeping a journal - but there are many more. A journal can also be a place to:
record snippets of conversations that you can use later when writing your next (or first) novel or screenplay
list reasons why you deserve a big salary increase (or reasons why you shouldn't be let go during your company's upcoming layoffs)
identify all your assets and their locations, so your spouse or children can get to them in an emergency
index your favorite recipes, quotations, images, etc.
record the good deeds you've done and the blessings you've received
Keeping a journal takes about 5 to 30 minutes a day - well worth it when you consider the payoff: It will help you make better plans and accomplish more with your time.
And when you get much older, a journal can give you an unexpected bonus: hours and hours of fun, reminiscing about your rich, rewarding, productive life.
Just Crossed the $32000 Profit Mark Since June 23rd...
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
Joe The Plumber Knows - You Need Money Now
Make $400-$600 on each person
...Our program is catching on like wildfire...
$32,000 made since mid-June...
...Learn how you can take part...
Short webcast explains all...
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at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
Cash from the Ash
Well, if you call the HALF MILLION made by helping others, then I guess the answer is a resounding ‘YES’!
The Home Seller Assist program can help make this sort of wealth a reality for you NOW. The worse the economy gets, the more money you make.
Please, I’m not here to tell you the same ol’ same ol’ "buy things cheap in recession"! Sure, that works IF you have the cash. This method involves NO buying at all...
In a few minutes, you’ll understand.
Please watch the short video without delay- you deserve to at least be informed about this amazing, low-risk cash-on-demand system VERY few people know about:
View It Now
Friday, October 10, 2008
How To Prosper in Today's Economy
Secondly, approach the markets with a clear mind. This is going to be difficult for all of us, but thinking clearly is an absolute must. Modifying your portfolio with a clouded mind puts you in a vulnerable state. The fact that there is this emotional susceptibility is going to create chaos on both sides of the financial markets. Do not let this emotion interfere with your thinking when it comes to financial matters.
The third trait of successful investors that I find critical is flexibility. One should not approach any volatile situation without backup plans. You should be adaptable in your approach to the markets. Things are going to change rapidly and the sentiment is going to have wild swings. Do not become rigid in your approach.
This may seem like hard advice to take, but now is not the time to panic. There is enough panic selling going on already. In fact, those that remain calm during this financial crisis will be the winners in the end.
Beyond the advice above, there are other things you can do to get through this fiasco.
First, seek the advice of a seasoned professional to help guide you through this turbulence. As oversold as the market is, it is hard to recommend shorting it, and at the same time, it is hard to recommend going long with the market getting crushed every day.
Second, there are other investment arenas besides the stock market. With the free-fall going on with real estate right now, there are bargains galore at this point in time. You should consider doing some bargain hunting in the real estate market. One person has made $30,000+ in recent months using a turnkey, online program that requires no risk and a very small investment.
Third, the financial crisis has hit most businesses hard. Yet Internet information businesses continue to grow. These businesses may even see more growth as consumers seek more information and seek to improve their financial lot because of the financial crisis. You may want to capitalize on this opportunity by looking at launching an online business. I encourage you to get out there. If you are not "online" already, think about attending our next live webcast at 7pm-Central on Tues or Wed at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com, where you can learn how to build your own profitable Home Seller Assist income stream.
Bottom line: Rather than panicking at this point with your investments, look beyond the present and figure out how to make your financial position better five or ten years from now.
Larry Potter
fastbuyerloans@gmail.com
847-872-4047
http://www.myspace.com/homebusinessnow
Visit us now
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Get Your Piece Of The Pie

Just a few decades ago, becoming a millionaire was a pipe dream... A goal only a select few could reach.
But now... even though "millionaire" still means incredible wealth, freedom, and opportunity...
It's a goal that's well within your reach.
In fact, the number of millionaires grows by leaps and bounds every year. A survey by TNS Financial services found that there are nearly 10 million millionaire households in the U.S. alone.
There are five major ways to become a member of the Millionaires Club:
Make it big by investing in stocks
Win the lottery
Inherit your wealth from a rich uncle
Become a real estate investing mogul
The stock market these days? Not very promising.
Gambling or inheritance? You might as well wait for lightning to strike twice.
Real estate? Not a bad option, but for a variety of reasons it's simply not right for everybody.
But there's another way that IS very promising... where you CAN have a high probability of success ... and that you can build around something that you enjoy.
Start your own online business
In fact, according to an AmEx-Harrison survey, half of all millionaires made their money by running their own business.
Discover how you can start your own business... and be making $1.2 million by the end of 2009.
http://homesellerassist.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/homebusinessnow
http://weprovidethecashnow.blogspot.com
Visit us now
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
About Ready to Give Up on EVER Getting Ahead?

I don't blame YOU. More likely to blame are the METHODS you've been using.
So let me show you something different. Something that is virtually foolproof and WORKS very nearly 100% of the time... if you follow the plan.
And let me be more specific. I'm talking about the possibility of enough money to set you up for life here. I'm talking about something which, if applied according to this simple step-by-step instruction, can alter the course of your life FOREVER.
That's a bold promise, and I'm very serious... because this is a VERY serious proposition from a VERY serious entrepreneur direct to you.
At this moment, YOU have a one-time window of opportunity like none other...
To take advantage of this opportunity, please watch.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
You Can Keep Your Current Job While You Quickly Transition Into Your New Business
You can put in as little as 2 to 3 hours a week in your new business, and still bring in nice profits fairly quickly - often in just a week or two. And once your business is bringing in enough income, you can quit your current job and focus full-time on your new business. You get to choose which business to get into (there are 20 to choose from), there's no limit on what you can make, and it is easier than ever to get started.
You'll learn why when checking out all the exciting details here.
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Attack On Your Future

Many will fall.
If you put on the TV today, you hear about big financial
institutions in America, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and
others having huge financial challenges.
And they say there’s more to come.
Pundits, reporters, and more shout from the rooftop gloom,
doom, and then they repeat themselves.
Over and over again.
Half of the United States can’t stand one candidate for
President, the other half can’t stand the other candidate,
and it seems like everyone is complaining about something.
The negative mind isn’t the creative mind.
The negative mind isn’t the prosperous mind.
The negative mind isn’t the winning mind.
The negative mind is set up for ONE thing.
No, two things.
1) Fear
2) Poverty
You can look at the news today and say, “Oh no!” or you can
say, “Where’s the opportunity?”
Yes, there is a huge opportunity going on today.
This new century is practically forcing us into the AGE of
talent, the AGE of individuality, and the AGE of self
expression.
Security now is not being an employee. Those days are over.
Security now is in being an entrepreneur, though more than
just being an entrepreneur.
Security now is in BUILDING YOURSELF and YOUR PERSONAL VALUE.
It is in MAKING YOURSELF OVER and rebuilding your habits,
character, and thoughts.
Yes, you must rebuild and reprogram yourself.
It is in serving your clients in a grand way and doing
everything you can to help them succeed.
This is the only financial security now and in the years to
come.
Unfortunately, many people won’t step on the stage in this
new era.
Why?
You know the answer. You do.
Fear.
So many people have been beat down by their family,
environment, and culture; they’ve seemingly forgotten their
true heritage.
They’ve forgot that they were born to triumph, to conquer,
and to win.
Their inferiority complex is sky high and their self esteem
is soaring downward.
Are you ready to take a stand?
Are you?
Do you rally want to pass mediocrity down to your kids and
their kids?
I didn’t think so.
You’re reading this right now and that tells me one thing
about you.
In your heart of hearts, YOU love yourself and YOU believe in
your own power.
You do.
Now’s the time to show it. It is.
It’s so EASY to be distracted right now.
It’s almost laughable how easy it is.
Give yourself the GIFT of focus.
Give yourself the GIFT of courage.
Give yourself the GIFT of taking ONE step at a time.
You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it
going.
Are you ready to increase your self confidence 1% today?
Are you ready to take 1% more action today in your business?
Are you ready to give 1% more today?
Are you ready to say YES to your greatness?
I honor you, appreciate you, and believe in you.
Now, let the world CELEBRATE you.
Watch our webcast each Tues and Wed evening right here
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Success Is as Easy as Flipping on a Light Switch.

Suppose that there was an almost magical switch you could flip that would put all your dreams within reach.
And I'm talking ALL your dreams...
Adding a few thousand bucks to your paycheck each week. (And who doesn't want a little extra cash?) Turning your passion for gardening into a small business... or becoming a black-belt martial artist... or writing a book of poems.
Whatever you want to do...
Here's your chance to get everything you want out of life.
Monday, August 25, 2008
New Webinar Times for Home Seller Assist program with John Alexander
and Wed followed by a Q&A session.
Tue Night: 8:00 CST Seller Call (www.webuyfastnow.com) attend this if you have a property to sell or buy
Tue Night: 9:30 CST Business Overview (www.fastsellerloans.com) attend this if you want to make a 1% on any loan that funds - my profits since June 23rd are just over $17,000
Wed Night: 8:00 CST Seller Call (www.webuyfastnow.com) attend this if you have a property to sell or buy
Wed Night: 9:30 CST HSA Training Call & Q/A Session (www.fastsellerloans.com)
using the info in our training, I have made over $17,000 since June 23rd
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Build Serious Wealth This Year
This "back door" to wealth-building is, for some, a close-to-perfect formula for consistently making money... regardless of what shape the economy is in.
Best part: It is easy to follow this method and it flat out WORKS fast. To get the full scoop and all the exciting details just head over to www.fastsellerloans.com
and this visit our blog at
http://homesellerassist.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Break Out of the Crowd to Get Free Publicity
By Paul Lawrence
A big article about your business in a publication (online or offline) - or even a brief mention on television - can catapult you to a whole new level of success. That kind of exposure just can't be bought at any price. As a result, there are hordes of businesses trying to attract the media - and that makes it difficult for you to stand out from the crowd. Difficult... but not impossible.
For example, let me tell you about a technique I used to catch a reporter's attention and get enough free publicity to transform myself from a starving ballroom dance instructor into one who was completely booked with a waiting list several hundred names long.
I sent the reporter a letter inviting her to watch one of my dance lessons - any one that she wanted to see. I also told her that I had so much confidence in my ability that I would happily take on the challenge of teaching her any dance she wanted to learn... no matter how complicated and no matter how many "left feet" she had.
The reporter was intrigued by my proposition. She came. She saw. She learned how to dance the tango. And she wrote a great feature article about me for her paper. The rest is history.
If you can come up with an idea that a TV or newspaper reporter might be able to turn into a good story, you can practically guarantee that you'll become "newsworthy." And with exposure like that, you'll have customers knocking down your door.
Learn more each Tues and Wed at www.fastsellerloans.com, it takes place at noon - Central
Monday, August 11, 2008
Lie About It?
Take, for example, a television ad for Cici's Pizza. Their tag line was something like, "All you can eat pizza, pasta, salad, and dessert buffet for under $5."
So why was there a little disclaimer below the "$5" that said, "Prices at some locations may be slightly higher"?
When you're advertising your product, coming up with a USP (unique selling proposition) is a must. That's what sets your product apart from others like it.
But if your USP isn't really true... it stops being a USP. And ends up becoming a lie.
I get it. Prices do vary by location. A franchise on Park Avenue in New York City is going to have higher costs (rent, salaries, state taxes) than the same franchise in Hicksville, Arkansas. But if something renders your USP null and void for some of your customers - come up with another USP.
If your product is good enough, you should have no trouble finding something else about it that's stellar. If you can't think of anything yourself, hire a copywriter. A good one will be able to help you discover - or create - a new USP.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Building Wealth Online Is Just Like Riding a Bike
But once you got on that bicycle... you felt a special moment when suddenly, the magic happened. You were free! Since then, you've never "unlearned" that knowledge. Doing it again is easy... automatic... instinctive.
That's how it feels once your first Internet income stream is up and running. The magic hits you... the next one is even easier... the rest are almost automatic.
Checkout John Alexander's Home Seller Assist program now.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Rights
1. Find an interesting product with rights that you can control.
You can create the product yourself (a book, video, song, formula, etc.). But it will probably be easier to find an existing product and acquire the rights.
Search the Internet for websites that are old and haven't been updated recently. What you're looking for is a great information product that hasn't been promoted for a while. You can also search manufacturer listings for physical products. Another way to find good physical products is to check inventor chat rooms and sites.
2. Make the deal for the rights.
When you find an interesting product that has potential, approach the owner of the product with a proposal to acquire his rights.
There are essentially two ways to obtain the rights to a product. The simplest is to offer to purchase the rights outright. Once you've paid for them, you own them, free and clear.
If you don't want to shell out the money up front, you can option the rights. In other words, you can agree to buy the rights at a later time for an agreed-upon price. What this means is that if, for example, you option the distribution rights for a patented invention for $5,000 and then sell those same rights to a manufacturer for $100,000... you've just made a killing!
3. Monetize the rights.
Once you've got the rights to a great product, decide how you want to make money with it. You could sell the product directly to the public. Or you could sell your rights to another company that would then market it. (That's what I did with the supplement deal I told you about.)
To find a company that you might be able to interest in your product, you've got to do some research. Create a list of a dozen prospects, and contact them. If you're not afraid of personal selling, simply pick up a phone and make some calls. But if you prefer, you can create a sales letter and send it out. Either way, it's helpful to do a little investigating first to get the names of the people in those companies who are in charge of considering new products. (Those are the people you address your sales letters to or ask for when you call.)
How you structure your deals with those folks depends on the way you negotiate them. You might want to sell your rights outright - or you may prefer to go for profit-sharing.
Either way... you can't lose.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Worst Behind-the-Scenes...

...Inflationary Spiral Ever To Be Seen
In this Country
I estimate we're only about halfway through the inflation process that the U.S. is being put through by the powers-that-be in Washington, namely the Federal Reserve.
Already, in just the last two years, $4.3 trillion in fiat money has been created. But by the time the mortgage and credit crisis passes, hundreds of banks will have failed and I calculate the Fed will have to pump at least another $2 trillion into the economy.
Under our fractional reserve banking system, where every $1 of new money created by the Fed creates as many as $10 through relending, that means more than $60 trillion in fiat money could ultimately flood the economy.
Even if it gets back to a factor of half that, or 5 to 1, we're talking as much $30 trillion in fiat money working its way through the economy.
Inflationary? You bet it is.
A systemic devaluation of the dollar? Absolutely. It effectively slices the purchasing power of your current dollars in half, or worse, by increasing the existing supply of money by almost 200%.
In plain English, that means if it takes you $50,000 to break even today, a few years from now it could take you double that, or $100,000 - perhaps even more.
Prepare Yourself Now
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Make a Fortune With Service Businesses
1. Identify a service business that has a standard value for an ongoing account. In the case of our pool service, it was $250.
2. Develop a marketing plan to bring in new customers. For the pool service business, we had a mailer that that brought in a consistent response. But other forms of advertising could work too - such as door-to-door flyers, newspaper advertising, Internet marketing, etc.
3. Get your business started. Your goal here is not only to build a service business that you'll be able to sell, but also to test and perfect your marketing approach.
4. Find a buyer for your business. You can use classified ads in newspapers, network through local business groups, and, of course, search for potential buyers via the Internet.
5. Offer to help the buyer build his business by bringing in new customers. This is where having a proven marketing system is essential. By knowing how much an account is worth to a buyer ($250 in our case), and exactly how much it costs to bring in a new one ($50 in our case), you'll be able to structure a deal that works for both sides.
6. Once you've successfully helped your buyer expand your former business, you're ready to approach similar service businesses and make them the same offer. Helping other entrepreneurs build their businesses gives you a way to extract considerable profits from a service business without needing to operate one on a day-to-day basis.
One final important note: Most states have laws that regulate the sale of business opportunities - and you must comply with the laws of your state. So make sure you get professional legal advice before you get started in this business.
http://www.webuyfastnow.com
http://www.fastsellerloans.com
http://homesellerassist.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Make sure your business is compatible with your potential strategic alliance partner's business.
There's nothing more frustrating than attempting to establish a relationship with someone you despise or who drives you nuts. (Talking from experience here.) No matter how hard you try to ignore it, their idiosyncrasies will affect your decision making - and, ultimately, your bottom line. No, you don't have to have them over for Thanksgiving every year. But you will be spending a lot of time together. So you'd better make sure you can put up with them on an extended basis.
Set the parameters of the strategic alliance early on and stick to them. Put them in writing or, better yet, have your lawyer do it. There have been way too many multimillion-dollar agreements that started with a handshake but then crumbled because the two parties didn't hash things out clearly. I don't want to see yours do the same.
Monday, July 14, 2008
1/2 day working vacations offer the following benefits:
For four hours a day, you focus on the most important, most rewarding business work you do.
You give your superstars a chance to upgrade their skills and build their confidence (which makes it easier for you to take another, possibly longer, extended vacation next year).
If you are vacationing with a friend or spouse, you give them the chance to do their thing while you are doing yours.
You never feel guilty about being on vacation.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Make a Few Thousand Dollars Online in Just a Few Weeks?
Here's the thing though. This isn't some one-off fluke. It's entirely repeatable. Sometimes more, sometimes less money comes in. But one thing's for sure... there's no limit on how often you can copy this simple process.
In fact, I guarantee this new program does exactly what it promises.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Look That Sells
Always, always, always ask your designer to read the copy. I'm blown away by how many don't. And it shows. Boy, does it show.
The general rule is that good design can't make bad copy work, but bad design can destroy the performance of good copy.
Fancy design isn't always good design. Your first aim is readability. Your second is to make sure the copy isn't obscured by the design. Good design makes the copy look and feel easy to read.
If you throw your finished sales piece onto a table with other finished sales pieces... and it disappears into the pile... you've got a problem.
No screened images behind text. No screened images behind text. Did I mention? Please avoid screened images behind text.
When in doubt, cut graphics before cutting copy. Really. By the time the designer gets a piece, the copy should be airtight. Or close to it. Graphics are less important than the written message. That's just the way it goes.
Designers need to understand the motivations of their target market just as much as marketers and copywriters do. There's no way to be a good designer when you're working in a vacuum.
Follow these guidelines, and the design of your sales pieces will always enhance - not detract from - your sales message.
Differentiate Your Product from the Competition
To help you come up with a strong USP, here are three points to consider...
The Best USPs Have the Appearance of Uniqueness:
The feature or benefit you decide to promote with your USP does not necessarily have to be unique to your product, but it does have to seem like it is. If, for example, you're a tailor and you wash and iron every item of clothing you mend, make the washing and ironing your USP. Other tailors may be performing those same services - but if they're not mentioning it in their advertising, it will make you appear to be the only one.
The Best USPs Have a Trendy Appeal:
The appearance of uniqueness is not enough. If the feature or benefit you're promoting is not desirable, it will do you no good to promote it. The best USPs are those that tap into trends. The big screen on Apple's iPhone, for example - a feature emphasized in all its ads - played into a growing demand for bigger and more technically refined TV screens.
The Best USPs Are Conceptually Simple:
If your product's USP is trendy, it is almost certainly simple too. Very few complicated things ever become trendy. Plus, keep in mind that you have to sell the USP - and nothing sells well that is difficult to explain. The Fedex slogan - "When it absolutely, positively has to get there overnight" - is a great example of a conceptually simple (and highly successful) USP.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Give Your Prospects a Taste, Get More Sales
The obvious benefit of a free sample is that it allows the customer to confirm the quality of a product before they spend any money on it. Free samples of all sorts of things are given away regularly - ice cream, vitamins, cosmetics, shampoo. But you can also take advantage of this strategy for attracting new customers by giving away free information.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Popular and Profitable Niche Engines
In many ways, Amazon.com is a niche engine devoted to books. Newegg.com is a niche engine devoted to computer supplies and technology products and reviews. BestRatedTravel.com is a niche engine (and ratings service) devoted to travel websites.
BestRatedTravel was one of the first niche engines with a "paid-inclusion" program, where companies can pay to have their websites included in the search engine database. Today, hundreds of search engines, including Yahoo! and Overture, offer these programs.
EquiSearch.com is a profitable niche engine developed by a group of entrepreneurs in Kentucky. It serves the thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industry. Most of EquiSearch's users and prospects are horse buyers, stables, trainers, brokers, and racing speculators. Its revenues come from multiple sources, including online and print advertising, Google AdSense, directory listings, affiliate partnerships, and classified ads.
Choosing Your Niche
When it comes time to create your own niche engine, the first thing you have to do is choose your niche. Countless opportunities are out there just waiting for you. But don't forget, your aim is to make a profit, so you want to choose a niche that will help you do so. You don't want to develop a niche engine on an area that is so tight almost no one will ever search for it. Instead of going with something like Naso Tang tropical fish, a better choice would be tropical fish in general (buy/sell, products, accessories, information, etc.).
Here are a few of the hottest niche engine markets:
Travel
Stock trading
Real estate
Matchmaking (dating)
Online education (courses, seminars, e-books, tutorials)
Images (non-adult)
Vacation rentals
Precious metals
Online gaming (cheats, strategies, tools)
Live Web cams
Specialty automobiles and parts
Business research
Restaurants (reviews, forums, images, live video)
Retirement communities
Resorts
Apartment rentals
Programming code
Pets
Global positioning systems (GPS)
Not interested in any of those? There are lots more niches out there. Do your research. Find out what's popular. Figure out how you can cater to the latest trends with your niche engine.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Sell With Statistics
For example, marketers often cite the number of units that've been sold to prove that their product is popular and, therefore, must be good.
In the good old days, McDonald's restaurant signs would proclaim "Over 1 Billion Sold." Of course, that really wasn't proof that McDonald's burgers are good. Many restaurants make hamburgers that are better. But it gave customers the impression that McDonald's burgers were exceptional.
Ironically, a statistic that says the exact opposite - a number showing the product does not sell well - can also be used to make a case for superior quality.
Perhaps you have received a catalog for Harry & David, the mail-order company that sells, among other things, Royal Riviera Pears. The copy for the pears says, "Not one person in a thousand has ever tasted them." It makes the product sound exclusive, special, rare, and desirable. But what it really means is that very few people buy them!
Here's another example of how statistics can be skewed in your favor...
I was asked to write a brochure for a company that did research for manufacturers. I asked the client about his competition and where his firm stood among them.
"That's a negative," he said. "There are hundreds of small mom-and-pop operators doing this kind of research out of their homes. But there are only five real companies - and of those five, we are, unfortunately, the smallest."
So in the brochure copy, I wrote: "XYZ Research Associates is one of the 5 largest industrial research companies in North America" - turning a potential negative into a bragging point.
A few additional guidelines for using numbers in your marketing copy to make a case for your product or service:
Write your numbers using the largest unit of measurement. "A quarter of a century" sounds longer than "25 years."
Round off to make a number sound bigger. If the client tells me his newsletter has 2,015 subscribers, I talk about "thousands of satisfied subscribers."
Use "negative statistics," saying what the product doesn't do or have, rather than what it does do or have. For instance, club soda has "no sodium, no artificial flavors, no calories."
Prove statistical points with pictures. Compare two quantities with a bar chart, or show a price chart illustrating how shares of the stock you recommended went up.
Use a persuasive statistic at least three times: in the body copy, in the chart or graph, and in a caption for the chart or graph.
Make unexpected comparisons to dramatize numbers. You might, for example, say "More people have died from malaria over the past century than are now living in the United States" - much more memorable than just stating the number of malaria victims.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Figure out how you are going to sell it.
By phone?
By personal sales presentations?
By direct mail?
Pick the method that gives you the best chance of being successful right away. You don't have any capital now, so you need cash flow.
Each of the above marketing channels has its own unique personality. Select the one that makes most sense for you.
Then learn everything you can about how to market that way.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Will the World End in 2012?
As with any doomsday prediction, there are naysayers. Other New Agers say instead of chaos and catastrophe we can expect a worldwide elevation of consciousness on December 12, 2012. And experts who specialize in ancient American civilization say all the predictions for that date are a major misinterpretation of Mayan writings and history.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Powerful PPC Tactics
Most PPC campaign platforms offer a variety of location targeting options. Google AdWords is the most robust. Depending on what kind of business you're running and in what part of the world you're running it, the ability to laser-focus your campaign can make a big difference in its performance. Consider targeting by Country, Region, State, Zip Code, or even a radius around particular streets (which could be particularly useful if you have a local delivery business - a pizzeria, flower shop, or even a courier service).
Several factors may come into play when deciding where to target your PPC ads. Assuming no problem with your country's business laws, potential language barriers, and your willingness to ship internationally, you may even choose to target worldwide. The important thing is to make sure you can successfully do business in the location(s) you target.
Seasonal or Holiday Campaigns
If you have a tight budget, turning your PPC campaigns on and off based on seasons or holidays could be a great strategy for maximizing your ROI (return on investment).
Let's say you run an online sporting goods store. In that case, you may want a campaign for summer sports and another one for winter sports. You'd turn on your ads for bathing suits and water skis in April and turn them off in August, when you'd turn on your snowboard ads.
Or let's say you run a tiny print shop and sell custom greeting cards online. In that case, you could create targeted campaigns around Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas, and turn those campaigns on only for those big holidays. Again, the key is testing. Find out which holiday gets you the most bang for your buck.
Dayparting
A close cousin to the seasonal campaign, dayparting is a fancy term for showing your ads during certain times of the day. Dayparting can play a pivotal role in making sure your ads appear during peak business hours and make the best use of your budget. Again, this could be particularly useful if you are running a local delivery service.
Dayparting can also be helpful when used in conjunction with analytics data. If, for example, you notice that your target customers tend to search for your keywords between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and noon, you may want to schedule your ads to run only during that time. A little tweak to your campaign using dayparting may just make a big difference in sales.
Placement Targeting
Once called Site Targeting, Placement Targeting is specific to Google AdWords. Creating a Placement Targeted campaign will allow you to run ads on Google's Content Network, but on a smaller scale. Placement Targeting allows you to choose which websites - or even which sections of a site - you want your ads to show on.
Placement Targeting is particularly useful if you are launching a new product that people aren't yet searching for, or if you are in an industry that doesn't receive a lot of search traffic. Perhaps you know what kinds of sites your audience visits. If those sites are in Google's Content Network, you will be able to target them, without having to waste impressions on other underperforming sites in the network.
Placement Targeting is also a great strategy for testing out advertising on a site that has a rate card beyond your current budget.
Multi-Channel Marketing
Finally, to really make your PPC campaigns sizzle, make them part of your larger synchronized marketing effort. Wendy Montes de Oca wrote about the importance of multi-channel marketing earlier this year, and her advice is as important now as ever.
By synchronizing the message you push in your PPC ads with the message in your PR, online media buys, and print advertising, you increase your company's presence and solidify name recognition, branding, and trust. This increases the chance that searchers will recognize your products and company name and, therefore, see your PPC ad as coming from a viable company to do business with.
Whether you are just thinking about starting your first PPC campaign or have been managing one for a while, the above tips can really amp up clicks and sales while maximizing your allotted budget.
Just remember... to determine which PPC strategy is best for your online business, keep testing.
Blockbuster Basics of PPC
Several tools are available to help you choose keywords for your campaigns. These include WordTracker and Keyword Discovery, which you pay to use, and a free tool from Google. To use these tools, you simply enter a keyword or phrase that you'd like to target. The tool spits out a list of related terms and the volume of searches that each keyword has received in a 30-90 day timeframe.
Depending on your goals and your budget, you want to choose a combination of high-volume keywords and lower-volume, but more targeted, long-tail keywords. For instance, if you are in the health food industry, your high-volume keyword may be "health food" and a more targeted long-tail keyword could be "natural health food store."
Refine and target even further by including negative keywords. If you run a health food store but you don't deliver, you could add "delivery" as a negative keyword. That way, your PPC ad won't show up for searches that include that word. By spending a little more time on research and keyword selection, you can vastly improve the number of sales you make, while controlling your budget.
Refining Your Ad Copy
Now that you've spent that extra time targeting the right customers, be sure to capture their attention with compelling ad copy. Study your competitors' ads. What do they have in common? What can you do to stand out amongst them?
To increase the clicks on your ad, be sure to include your targeted keywords in the copy. A quick and easy way to do this with Google AdWords is to use their Dynamic Keyword Insertion tool. Another option is to write a custom ad for each keyword. Try using quirky or funny language in your ad, experiment with punctuation, and, most important, include a call to action ("Get all the details here!"). The key to success is always to be testing.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Increase your customers
Do things that will make you stand out from the pack. If you see an article that you feel may interest one of them, mail it (or e-mail it, but sending something in the mail tends to have a greater impact). A good way to find appropriate articles is to set up a Google News Alert for topics you feel would interest your customers. If you think a story is relevant, send them the link.
2. Make sure your customers know about every service you provide.
If you sell Product A to someone, make sure they also know you carry Products B, C, and D. The more solutions your customers know you provide, the more likely it is that they'll know someone who will benefit from getting a call from you.
3. Establish relationships with people who sell complementary products or services.
For example, if you sell boats, contact the local marina and introduce yourself. Tell them you'll be referring your customers to them, and make them aware that you'd be open to any referrals from them.
4. Ask for a referral.
If you don't ask, chances are you'll never get a referral. Customers usually don't volunteer them on their own. When the time seems right, say something like "Do you know anyone else I might be able to help out?"
5. Always thank your customers for their referrals.
Obviously, say "Thank you." But then take it one step further. Send a thank you note or a small gift. It could lead to another referral.
6. Keep your customers informed.
Let your customers know what happened when you called the person they referred you to. Offer to keep them in the loop as things progress.
Develop and follow through on a referral and repeat-business strategy and, like Joe Girard, you'll make more sales... and have an easier time doing it.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hacking Technology
A German team from Saarland University uses telescopes to focus on the reflection of computer screens on glasses, bottles, teapots, spoons, and even eyes. They can read 12-point type from up to 15 feet away, and 18-point type from 30 feet. As far as they know, no one has yet exploited this technique to "hack." But to be on the safe side when you're working on your computer, keep an eye out for people lurking around with telescopes.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Neglecting to Follow Up
Maybe you think you're too busy to follow up. Or you lose new business cards (they are tiny and easy to lose) in the piles on your desk. Or maybe you suffer from blank screen/blank mind syndrome.
The fact is, it takes no more than a few minutes to compose a short e-mail to a brand-new contact. Yes, it's possible that the other person won't remember what you discussed. He may even have forgotten talking to you at all. But don't let those "what ifs" prevent you from making contact. When you're sitting in front of a blank computer screen with a stack of cold business cards, push yourself to make the effort to write a short note. That way, your e-mail address and message will be in the other person's inbox to jolt his memory.
Set the foundation for follow up while you're talking. Note anything unusual about the other person or the work he does, any details or specifics that you might forget. As soon as your conversation ends, jot down a few notes on the back of his business card - ideas about what to say when you follow up, the link you promised to send or the resource you want to pass along.
And then say goodbye to blank screen/blank mind syndrome.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Effective E-Mail Subject Lines
That means avoiding vague subject lines like "Hi!," "Just to let you know," and "Quick Favor to Ask."
Instead, use specific language like, "Agenda for tomorrow's team meeting,"
"Your OK needed on Henderson contract," or "FYI: TPS report due next Tuesday."
http://www.WEBUYFASTNOW.COM
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Deductive Reasoning
My son Jose is 11 years old. So when he looked at me and said, "I think it would be a good idea for me to clean the birdcage and throw out the garbage now," the heavens opened up and a chorus of angels sang. If you have children, you know that hearing words like that can seem like a miracle.
Of course, I simply could have ordered him to clean the cage and take out the trash, but that might've led to an argument. Instead, when discussing chores with Jose, I use a powerful persuasion technique called "Triggering Deductive Reasoning." The idea is to get him to logically decide that it's in his best interest to do his chores right away. And that's why he's (usually) eager to take care of them.
Ordering people around - even if you're in a position to do so - is one of the least effective ways to get them to do what you want them to do. It's always better to use proven persuasion techniques to change their thinking - and even their actions - without sounding like a dictator or a jerk.
You can use the Triggering Deductive Reasoning technique to get your own kids to do their chores. But you can also use it to persuade clients to buy your products... to get an employee to take on an unpleasant project... or to get your spouse to agree to take you out to dinner. I'm going to show you how.
First, let me explain why there's more to this technique than appealing to the other person's sense of logic. For instance, I could have said to Jose, "Why don't you do your chores now, so you don't forget?" In asking that question, I would hope Jose would recognize the wisdom of my logic and agree. But that approach would've likely failed miserably. Why? Because he didn't come to the conclusion on his own.
If you can subtly lead the other person to make the decision you're hoping for, their conviction that it is the right thing to do will be very strong. And they won't even realize what you did.
Here's how I did it with Jose...
I knew he was really looking forward to playing at his friend's house, and he didn't want anything to interfere with his plans. So I said, "What time are you going to your friend's house?"
"I'm supposed to be there at 2:00," he replied, without looking up from his video game.
I responded, "Mom's going to drive you over there, right? What time are you leaving?"
"1:30," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's 12:30 now."
"Well then," I said, "I guess you can keep playing your game for a while."
"I'm supposed to clean the birdcage and take out the garbage before I go," he said, looking up from his game.
"I'm sure you won't forget," I said.
I watched his eyes as he thought about it. It was obvious that he recognized the distinct possibility that he could, indeed, get wrapped up in his game... forget about the chores... and have his mother tell him he couldn't go because he didn't get them done. He deduced for himself that the wise choice was to do the chores right then, and not take the chance of missing his afternoon fun.
The Triggering Deductive Reasoning technique works just as well with adults.
A few years ago, a partner and I were getting ready to produce an instructional video. He was going to fund the venture, and I was going to do the legwork. Neither one of us owned any video equipment at the time, so I investigated what it would cost to hire a professional videographer. Because we intended to market the video by showing clips in television ads, it had to be of the highest quality.
After getting many quotes, I came to the conclusion that for 25 percent more than we'd budgeted, we could purchase everything we needed to shoot and edit the video ourselves. A big advantage of this plan was that we could then produce further videos inexpensively. However, I was reluctant to approach my partner and tell him that he should put in more money than we originally discussed.
So I decided to use the Triggering Deductive Reasoning technique. I showed him the quotes I'd gotten from all the videographers, and told him, "I'm not sure any of these guys know more about shooting and editing a video than we do. But as much as I'd like to buy the equipment, we can save at least $5,000 by paying one of them to produce this one for us."
Being a smart guy, he instantly realized that it would be much better for us to own the equipment. "Remember," he said, "we already have plans to do three more videos together." And so he decided, without me asking, to make the additional investment.
To use the Triggering Deductive Reasoning technique, take the following steps:
1. Identify your goal.
You must know precisely what you want to achieve. In my example with Jose, my goal was to get him to make the decision to stop playing his game and get his chores done immediately. In my video-production example, my goal was to get my partner to make the decision to invest an additional $5,000 so we could buy our own equipment.
2. Make a statement that leads the other person to the conclusion you want him to come to.
The leading statement I made to Jose was, "I'm sure you won't forget [to do your chores before it's time to go]." The leading statement I made to my partner was, ""I'm not sure any of these guys know more about shooting and editing a video than we do."
Let's say you want to persuade your boss to increase your budget for a particular project. In that case, you might say something like, "I can definitely get this project done within the budget - although, with the shortcuts we'll need to take, there may be some quality issues."
That statement would lead your boss to the realization that not giving you a bigger budget might be a bad idea.
3. Reinforce the logical conclusion the other person comes to "on his own."
When the person you're using the Triggering Deductive Reasoning technique on comes to the conclusion you were hoping for, agree with him that he made a wise decision. You might even admit that you were thinking the same thing... and he convinced you it was the right thing to do.

