The Business and Marketing Resources

Contest: Win A 16GB IPod Touch at Rocknrollsolo.com!

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:45:00 +0000

Rock N Roll Solos is holding a contest to give away a 16GB iPod Touch!

The rules are simple:

All you need to do is make a post on your website, blog, forum or MySpace page linking back to their article and post a comment here:
http://www.rocknrollsolo.com/news/win-a-16gb-ipod-touch-at-rocknrollsolocom/

Winner will be selected at random on Monday November 12, 2007.

A Simple Guide for Developing a Marketing Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:42:00 +0000

by: Abe Cherian

Getting your initial qualified prospects to make a sale to
is often called front end marketing. When we run marketing
with the expectation of immediate responses by the consumer
to whatever message you put out there, whether it's Yellow
Pages, newspaper ads or direct mail, this is called direct
response marketing.

Before seeking out prospects, having a marketing plan is
essential to any business. I'm going to present a lot of
research and my objective is to include the need to
quantify all the results from all your marketing efforts.
And to look at all the strategies for conducting direct
marketing campaigns and testing variables to determine the
effectiveness of each of the marketing strategies within
your business.

Most people want to be successful, but few plan to be. Very
few people take the time to plan anything. Most people take
more time to plan their vacations than they do to plan
their lives. The most important thing you can do right now
for your business is sit down and develop a marketing plan.
Most business owners fail or they just move along because
they don't have a plan or goal for their business,

I want you to decide right now to make a detailed plan of
what you're going to do and how you're going to do it. It's
the old saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

You can say, I want to make more money or I want to be
rich. That's nice, but too vague. You want 20,000 sales per
month, That's not a plan nor will it even come close to
become a plan.

A plan is a detailed specific road of how you're going to
reach the targets you set out and the date that you want to
reach them by. An example is that you can set sales goals.
You can sell so many of your products for a week or so many
of your services for a week. You should offset these in net
profit instead of gross profit because that is the money
you're making.

I know one lady who grosses $9,000,000 a year. Very
impressive, She takes home roughly $100,000 of that. That's
not very impressive, It maybe nice to have $100,000 a year,
but it's not impressive when you're grossing $9,000,000.
That won't really tell you how well you're doing,

You want to put down the numbers in net profit If you know
your net per sale, and most business owners do not even
know this, but if you do you're way ahead of the game. You
can work backwards on how many sales you need, Then all
you have to do is increase your number of sales per week or
net profit per sale.

Develop a strategy for making those numbers, decide how
you're going to advertise. How am I going to get referrals?
How am I going to get people to buy more often? How am I
going to get people to spend more? This is the beginning of
your marketing plan.

Go out and pick five of the best ideas or most comfortable
ideas and implement them. Start using them to help you make
your goal.

Choose another five, another five, and another five. You
want to set your goals on a weekly basis. As you achieve
them raise the level the next week. This way you will
continue to improve and so will your income,

Don't panic if you have a bad week. Just get right back on
track and try to achieve the next week's goals. You want to
get to know the numbers for your business. It is a business
of numbers. You need to know the net profit per sale, net
profit per service call, and how much it costs to get your
new clients. These are critical in knowing where you are
and if you're achieving your goals.

Take some time each week to plan. It's critical. Here is a
simple guide for you to use.

¡è Write down your goal for your total net income you want
next week.

¡è Write down the number of new clients that it will take to
get that.

¡è Write down your goal for number of repeat clients that
you want to achieve.

¡è Write down how many service calls you're going to make if
you're a service business.

¡è Write down how many products you have to sell.

¡è Write down the net income for each item and your average
income per client.

You'll come up with the total income you're trying to
achieve. Each week put down the actual numbers you want to
achieve and you'll find out if you're reaching them or not.
Then you'll know if you need to increase marketing and in
what areas. Creating a simple marketing plan like this
enables you to keep track with all the numbers and helps
you to achieve your marketing goals.

About the author:
Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media,
a company that helps online businesses find new
leads and more customers without spending a fortune.
http://www.multiplestreammktg.com

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on
your web site as long as the byline is included and the
article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you
activate any html links found in the article and in the
byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you
publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com

A Simple Guide for Developing a Marketing Plan
By Abe Cherian
Copyright 2005

Are You Serious About Your Work At Home Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:40:00 +0000

by: Nicole Dean

Are you treating your business like a Fortune 500 Company or like a Yard Sale? Take this quiz to find out.

How would you describe your Office?
a.) Corporate or b.) Chaos

Which word describes you personal appearance while you’re working?
a.) Success or b.) Mess

And, how would you describe your attitude towards your business?
a.) Winner or b.) Winging-it

If you chose only ‘a’ answers, then congratulations! You’re thinking like a Fortune 500 company!

If you chose even one ‘b’ answer, then keep reading…

We oftentimes think “What does it matter what my desk looks like? And, who cares what I look like in front of my computer at home. Nobody can see me.”

Well, it does matter. It matters, because you matter and because your business matters. And, if you treat your business like something of value and take care of it, it’ll take care of you. And why shouldn’t you? Your business is just as important as any Fortune 500 Company. It’s yours and it’s special.

Here are some steps to take today.

1. No more working in chaos.
Make your office a “no toy zone”. Your office is your turf. Protect it. If you have little office helpers, then establish one area that can have toys, perhaps a basket or drawer – and don’t let it spread.

2. No more working in jammies.
You wouldn’t show up to work at IBM or Microsoft in your fuzzy bunny slippers, would you? You don’t need to wear a suit, but simply feeling more professional will lead to more professional results.

3. No more amateur phone message
Review the outgoing message on your answering machine. Does it sound like the office of a professional or like chaos central? Rerecord it to make a good first impression upon clients when they call.

4. No more ‘winging it’.
Begin each day with a list of six jobs that you want to accomplish. If you make the list achievable with small goals, you’ll feel much better about at the end of the day.

Are you ready to treat your business like a valuable Fortune 500 company? I hope you’ll take your first step today towards success.

About the author:
Nicole Dean is a mostly-sane WAHM, and proud owner of http://www.ShowMomTheMoney.com– a fun, informative site to help moms find success at home. Sign up for her free tutorial at http://showmomthemoney.com/free-tutorial.htm.

Are You Guessing In The Dark When It Comes To E-Commerce?

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:36:00 +0000

by: Jinger Jarrett

In the early days, guessing was considered to be the smartest thing to do. After all, we needed to start somewhere and develop ourselves from scratch so we were ready to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Today, guessing is the least smart thing do. In fact, it can be the most expensive thing to do in terms of time, effort and maybe money.

So, what has that got to do with you and starting your internet business? A lot!

In my experience, I cannot help but notice that most internet business novices prefer to take the guessing path even though there is a lot of uncertainty when you first step into the cyber marketplace.

I think I will probably never know why, but I believe the reason is, is that they would prefer to save the little money they have rather than to invest in the essential education they need to succeed online. Money is another subject by itself that I can’t cover in this article but I’d like you to know that it’s “time over money” and not “time is money” dogma that most of us subscribe to.

If you don’t believe me, here’s a case study for you.

Ed has $500 to spare on his internet business. He wants to start an internet business but he doesn’t know how to. He came across a $97 E-book that can teach him how to do just that, but he decided that $97 is too expensive and decides to take the free way. Ed wants to get web hosting and domain name but since buying a domain name has a price tag on it, he decides to use a free web hosting service at Yahoo! Now, Ed doesn’t know how to get started let alone recognize his available options. By luck, he’s heard about affiliate marketing and decides to be one. After a couple of months without much success, Ed decides to create his own information product but doesn’t know how to. There’s a paid guide on how one can create his own information product but decides that $37 should go to filling his stomach.

Now let’s zoom into year two, and what are the results for Ed? A lot of precious time wasted shooting in the dark, lousy results, a hole in the pocket, and maybe a swell in the pride. What an expensive price to pay for being a cheap skate!

By the way, the name Ed is a fiction. However, the case study is REAL. And I don’t know how many more people are just like Ed.

Even after a few months in business online, the internet business novices are still just that, internet business novices. This explains why we still have people complaining in public forums about not heading anywhere with their internet business even after a couple of years working online.

Is that what you really want? I don’t think anyone wants to remain an amateur for the next three years, let alone forever. Not me, that’s for sure!

I’d prefer to pay for information that can save me from doing the guesswork. You can say that in a way, I’d rather pay other people who have done the guessing for me so I can get ahead quickly. I don’t mind forking out the money as long as I get to save my own time and effort.

However, most people just don’t seem to value their time. This is evident as most novices prefer to save the few dollars they have than to invest their small sum in saving their time from guessing. This explains why we have people whining about not progressing much online even after a couple of years working online.

If you have been trying to save the few dollars you have from investing in the essential education you need to succeed online, you are guaranteed to have little or no results with so much of your precious time wasted.

So, are you going to guess in the dark or invest in your essential education to succeed in your internet business? It’s your choice from here.

About the author:
Jinger Jarrett is a certified Web CEO search engine optimization professional living in Alpharetta, GA. She will show you how to market your business online for free. You'll find dozens of free ebooks, software, ezines, and tools at her site: http://www.jingerjarrett.com

Apply For A Credit Card Merchant Account Online

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:38:00 +0000

by: Shane Penrod

Who should ? Why, you should, of course, if you want to grow your business and maximize sales volume! In this day and age, more and more business functions are moving into cyberspace, which means that business owners must be ready to travel to this relatively unknown domain if they want to maintain strong customer ties and stay a step or two ahead of the competition. Don’t worry if you’re not Web savvy; most online processes that are geared to the general consumer are not hard to perform. In fact, most are downright easy.

First, find a lender that you respect that is willing to extend you a credit card merchant account online. This may be the bank where your business interests and accounts currently reside. Or you may choose to shop for another lender with better rates or services. Don’t rush into this decision, however. Plan some time in your schedule to carefully browse the many services offered through a host of financial institutions today. You can browse the Internet by typing in search phrases like “merchant account” or “merchant services” and seeing what Google or your favorite search engine can bring up. Then it becomes a matter of checking out each lender to find the one that will best fit with your business budget or growth objectives. Some companies may seem a little too shady, while others may not have been in business long enough to enjoy a solid reputation. Others may charge a frightful amount for the services you want. Ask around your local business community to see which merchant account providers others are using, and then compare those costs and services with those you find online. You can probably reduce your list to a few of the better underwriters in short order. Then you will need to make the final selection by comparing monthly and annual fees.

Applying for a credit card merchant account online is fast and easy. Just click on the lender’s home page link to “application” (or some variation thereof) and follow the links to the application page. Then type the requested information in each blank. Contact the customer service representative if you do not understand a question or if you are unsure how to answer it. Remember to print a copy of the application if you are able to do so, or keep a copy of the confirmation number if one is provided. Often a company will email a verification of your application’s receipt and tell you when to expect a reply. At least print this page, if nothing else, for your records.

After applying for a credit card merchant account online, sit back and wait to hear about the decision. Often this arrives within a few days or even hours by email, although some are mailed out by post. When you receive approval and open your merchant account, you can begin to accept credit card payments right away. You will be delighted to see how quickly your profits increase as customers begin taking advantage of this valuable service. Don’t wait—consider applying today for your credit card merchant account online.

About the author:
Shane Penrod is the founder of http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.comSpecializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com

A Home Based Business Even Hurricanes Cannot Destroy

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:34:00 +0000

by: Andrew Shim

When Hurricane Katrina and Wilma struck the U.S., lives were lost, property and businesses destroyed, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. Among the many people affected was home business owners who saw their life's work washed away in the torrent. However, there was one home business that the hurricanes could not destroy. While Katrina and Wilma raged on, ONLINE BUSINESSES were still running and making money!

Online business owners did lose their equipment and belongings in the hurricanes, but they DID NOT lose their source of income, unlike so many other home business owners. Since their businesses were operating in cyberspace, they were safe from the ravaging hurricanes. In a worst-case scenario, even if the owner did perish in the hurricane, their online businesses could still carry on, bringing in passive and residual income to their family.

When I started my websites a few years ago, I didn't really consider this aspect (since there are no hurricanes where I live). I basically wanted a business that would make money even while I was sleeping, but when Katrina and Wilma raced across Louisiana and Florida, I suddenly realized my websites were Hurricane-proof Money Making Machines! Now that's what I call FANTASTIC! It took some effort in the early stages and money was nowhere to be found at first, but as I continued to plug on, I began to see results and I believe, so can you! So if you want a home business that will keep on making money despite human and natural disasters, consider starting an online business.

Here's a short list of the types of online businesses you could set up :

Sell your own physical product
This is probably the most difficult to get off the ground. Unless you already have an established customer base and your online presence is there to add value to your business, it could take years to build such an online business, but having an online store brings you business from all over the world, something a small physical store can't possibly do.

Sell your own electronic products
Being an Infopreneur (Information Entrepreneur) is really easy these days. There are millions of people promoting their e-books, software and training programs online. You don't have to be an Internet genius to sell your stuff online. All you need is to be knowledgeable in a specific niche and build your products around that niche. There is BIG money to be made in this!

Sell an online service
People will pay a subscription fee to be allowed into the subscribers section of your website to use these services. The types of services you could offer are limited only by your imagination and technical know-how.

Sell other people's products
This is called affiliate marketing. It's the most popular because you don't incur development costs. There are literally millions of products to choose from, and the beauty of this online business is that you can sell to anyone, anywhere in the world – there are NO borders!

Selling advertisement space on your website
This has always been a good money maker. One of the easiest ways to make money this way is the Google Adsense program. You need to paste a small snippet of code in your web pages which will then display advertisements based on your content. Every time a visitor clicks on one of these ads, you earn anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars (depending on how competitive the ads are).

The list above doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the thousands of ways to make money online. How you make your money is really up to you.

I love having an online business! It's like having a sales representative in every home or office around the world (that's billions of homes and offices, mind you) and they never need a vacation, never fall sick, never ask for a raise, never complain and always do what I want them to do! I don't have to worry about visitors not coming to my store because of bad weather or because their car broke down or any other physical reason. I'm with my customers as soon as they click their mouse!

Sure, there are millions of websites raking in the big bucks and my sites could be considered small fry, but the online business pie is BIG and it's growing everyday. There's lots of room for everyone to make money! Depending on where you live, just a small slice of this pie (or even a few crumbs) could allow you to live comfortably! An example would be if you were an online business owner living in Malaysia (where I am) where every 1000 US dollars equals 4000 Malaysian Ringgit, and that's a lot! And remember, you won't have to pay a single cent of what you earn to board up your store windows, repair the roof, pump out the water and clean out the mud from your online business when a storm or hurricane comes. Isn't that reason enough to consider starting your own online business?

About the author:
Andrew Shim is the owner and editor of http://www.positivemoneyideas.coma website which offers FREE IDEAS for those interested in starting their own freelance or home based business and http://www.positivetones.coma FREE resource website for Positive Living.

Affiliate Marketing: Why Is It One Of The Most Cost-Effective Ways To Advertise Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:30:00 +0000

by: David Riewe

Ever heard of affiliate programs? These are forms of Internet advertising that rewards the affiliates for driving traffic to the advertiser or for other transactions. The advertiser pays the affiliate to place a link on their website, and the affiliate sends traffic to the advertiser in return. Simply put, it's about paying commissions to people who help you make sales. It's that easy. NOT.

Affiliate marketing has its ups and downs. It could be draining if you are not armed with updated information and the technical how-tos. But this article's sole objective is to reach out to you and not to badmouth affiliate marketing.

Here are the following reasons on why web marketers go gaga over affiliate marketing as a form of Internet advertisement.

1. Low cost

Many are scared to go on a home based business because of the capital required. In affiliate marketing, you don't have to spend much to start raking in moolah.

2. Inventories not included

Product management fuss could be very stressing. An inventory is not asked to be maintained. The merchant does the maintenance required.

3. Unlimited income through leverage

When you have a paid job, your monthly income mainly relies on whether you go to work or not. With affiliate marketing, your affiliates could all just lead traffic to your site without having to lift a finger after providing them your ad copy and links. Though not every web marketer earns limitless, it still is a fact that all the necessary matters for the advertiser or Internet marketer are all there to be successful.

4. Go worldwide

With affiliate marketing, you are dealing with a global market place. All you have to do is choose a niche product and prepare all the necessary tools for your affiliates to lead traffic from just about anywhere to your website.

5. Low risk

The very main reason for Internet marketer's enthusiasm with affiliate marketing is its having a low risk factor. Especially for those with low budget set aside for advertising, affiliate marketing is just the way to do it.

6. No closing time

With affiliate marketing, your business works every single second of the day while targeting a worldwide market! What could be better than that?

But all of these will be put to waste if you don't have the right niche product and all the other important tools to make it big in affiliate marketing, i.e., well-SEO-ed website. So better work on this first before ever considering those benefits.

About the author:
Little Known Minnesota Man Making Six Figures Per Year Online, From the Comfort of Home, Reveals His Top Internet Money-Makers to YOU!" Click here: http://www.push-button-online-income.com/pbi

11 Rules for Selling to a Skeptic

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:29:00 +0000

by: Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, D. Marq

Let's face it: the greatest accomplishment for a member of the sales community is closing a deal with a skeptic. Many who are proficient at this art agree that it is far more gratifying to convince someone who initially felt your product was not necessary that it indeed is, than to complete what the industry terms an "easy sell." Lucky for us all, plenty of doubters buy products and services everyday. Let us examine eleven of the fundamental techniques used by those who succeed in persuading the worst of cynics.

1. Know your product/service
Know it inside and out, backwards and forwards. You should know its strengths, weaknesses, and any proprietary features. Also understand the factors that influence its supply and demand. All of these will strengthen your presentation and help the skeptic make a more informed purchasing decision. There should be nothing that anyone can tell you about what you solicit. You will definitely be asked questions, so be prepared to demonstrate all aspects of your product/service in response.

2. Know your prospect
Along with knowing your product comes knowing your prospect. Strive to know all you can about your target demographic and potential clients. Make sure you deal with the decision maker. You should know their purchasing habits, what motivation determines their choice, and how long a buying decision takes. You must understand how your product fits into their overall purchasing strategy. When you know the buying habits of your prospect, you can use it to develop a longer-term sales plan—that means repeat business. Put yourself in the most favorable position to get a "yes" by focusing on what most concerns your prospect.

3. Believe in your own words
You will never be effective selling something you do not believe in, particularly to someone who is already skeptical. Your lack of enthusiasm will be an obvious as you attempt to convince your potential buyer. When you emanate passion and confidence, you break down the wall of doubt the cynic has built. To not be a pillar of strength during your presentation is a sure-fire ticket to an abrupt "no." If you are lucky enough to sell a product you do not believe in, you still lose because you risk killing referral business and losing the trust of your customer.

4. Be transparent
Too often, we give strong pitches with lots of hype and little information. We will say, "If you want these benefits, buy my product." This is done with the hope that a prospect's curiosity about your bold claims will be enough to convince them to purchase. The idea that if you divulge too much information, you could dissuade your prospect is a far too common falsehood. Be prepared to give as much information as needed to convince the potential buyer to make a purchase. Transparency builds trust. Things people do not understand will always be greeted with "no." The more information available when making a purchasing decision, the more likely they are to say "yes." Another benefit of being transparent is the more resources you divulge free of charge, the more likely you are to generate interest in your product/service.

5. Gain trust by associating yourself with things they respect
By offering endorsements and testimonials, especially from well-known sources that your target market respects, you strike the chord of "trust." Many a skeptic has purchased based on the recommendations of individuals they respect. Secure associations along these lines and look to align yourself with trusted agencies through strategic partnerships. Major endorsements mean less resistance and lots of sales.

6. Offer a free trial, incentive, bargain, or guarantee
The structure of your offer can play a key role in building trust and enticing your prospect to buy. There are many variations of each, but incentives and guarantees are great ways to gain your potential buyer's confidence. Guarantees and free trails allow the skeptic to try the product/service before determining if your offer is a good fit. Incentives and discounts are also valuable tactics as they make the cynic feel they are getting a value. People always love the feeling of getting something for free and buying when it is a low/no-risk transaction. By guaranteeing the quality of your product/service, you disarm the skeptic and encourage them to buy. You also communicate an important message that you are confident in what you sell.

7. Compare and differentiate yourself from your competitors
Know the nature of your business. Is it commodity based, where the low price bidder wins? Is the strength of your brand a factor? Is there something unique about your offer? You must understand your competitors and their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have both the knowledge of your competitors and an understanding of the skeptic's needs, you can choose the most effective marketing angle. We offer such phrases as:

"The lowest cost"…you play to the desire for value
"The official"…you validate for authenticity
"The best"…you show superiority
"The only"…you offer exclusivity

If possible, demonstrate the differences that make your product/service unique or superior.

8. Sell the relationship, not the product
Contrary to popular belief, the best salespeople not only close deals, they foster relationships. Relationships are more valuable to both you and the prospect than a one-time transaction. For the salesperson, relationships bring repeat business and the ability to cross-market your offerings; increased referrals because you gain access to the prospect's network base, and the ability to charge a premium because of the higher perceived value of your relationship. For the skeptic, relationships help build trust. These bonds let them know they will not be abandoned after the transaction is finished. Ultimately, they are buying a relationship with you and your firm, not the product/service, so approach selling that way.

9. Focus on benefits offered and value delivered
Self-interest is the skeptic's primary concern, so focus on how your product/service solves their problem, fulfills their need, or satisfies their desire. If your prospect is solely bottom-line focused, your presentation should be centered on how your product or service will make or save them money. If your product satisfies a desire, focus on how it fills an emotional void. Emotional selling differs from bottom-line selling because it focuses on feelings rather than metrics. Remember to focus on the benefits that concern your potential buyer; anything else will make a skeptic lose interest and you lose the sale.

10. Isolate their objection
In life and business, two of the greatest challenges are making intelligent decisions and properly following through on them. One of your fundamental goals as a salesperson is to help people make informed decisions. To do so, ask two types of questions: those to better understand your potential buyer and his/her needs, and questions designed to lead your prospect to buy. A series of well-placed questions will allow you to isolate any objections. You should brainstorm every possible reason a skeptic will not buy from you and comprise an effective solution or rebuttal for each. Any other question should be crafted in a way that allows for only one reasonable answer, and that answer should compel your prospect to agree with you.

11. Don't seem desperate!
Your emotional state will be apparent to a skeptic. Never appear as though you "need" a sale. Everyone avoids a hard-pressed individual. Often we are conditioned to give to and buy from those who do not need our money. It is the same principle that makes us more likely give a rich man fifty-cents to make phone call because he has no change, than to a homeless man in need who makes the same request. Therefore, it is imperative that you operate from a mindset of abundance. Understand there is always a bigger sale out there, so you need not be pressed for this one. Your confidence will put the cynic at ease and make them more likely to buy from you.

Once internalized, these 11 points will mesh into an effective sales strategy. You will begin to think of them not as individual points to be mastered, but one comprehensive selling technique. They are designed to compliment each other and give you a thorough footing for selling to those who are naturally doubtful about you and your service. Master them and win!

About the author:
Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, and D. Marques Patton are co-authors of the acclaimed business and personal finance National Bestseller, THE BARON SON: VADE MECUM 7. Vicky Davis is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Indulgence Jewelry Corp. William Patterson is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Warcoffer Capital Group, LLC. D. Marques Patton is Co-founder and President of The Warcoffer Capital group, LLC. To receive their breakthrough book and over $3,631 in FREE success gifts, visit: http://www.baronseries.com
This article may be reprinted in its entirety without permission.

20 Small Business Tips For Success

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:06:00 +0000

by: Dave Ryan

These are just some general tips to keep in mind as you design/operate your small business:

1. Take the time out to explore and understand whether or not you are compatible with running our own business. Some people are just plain happier and better off financially on the other end of the paycheck.

2.Get your personal finances in order. Before you jump into the entrepreneurship world, get your own money matters squared away.

3. Pick your niche. Many small business owners succeed in businesses that are hardly unique or innovative. Take stock of your skills, interests, and employment history to select the business that is best suited for you.

4. Benefit from your business plan. The exercise of creating a business plan is what pays the dividends. Answer the tough questions now before the meter starts running.

5. Do not think you need bankers and investors at the outset of your business. The vast majority of small businesses are bootstrapped.

6. Acquire the proper background. In the early months and years of your business, you will have to acquire many skills. Gain the background you need to oversee all facets of your business well, but determine what tasks you should outsource or hire employees.

7. Remember that nothing happens until a sale is made – How many good products go nowhere because they do not reach the shelves? Sales drive your business. You will need a good marketing plan to sell your product or service.

8. You have to see a customer to know one. N o matter how busy you are, spend at least 25% of your time with customers. You cannot make the proper business decision without understanding their viewpoint.

9. Solve your customers’ problems. The best way to satisfy your customers is not by selling them products but by giving solutions to their problems. There is a big difference.

10.Quality takes minutes to lose but years to regain. Quality is not a destination, it is a never ending journey. After you have strayed from quality’s path, your journey maybe sidetracked forever.

11. Put profitability first, rewards seconds. In small businesses, profitability must come first. Find out how to measure your cash flow and understand key financial ratios.

12. Hire supporters. If you intend to create a growing business, your number one duty is to assemble a great team of employees.

13. Do not do it alone. Find such help from small business peers, a mentor, even trade associations. They can help take some of the trial and error of beginning your business.
14. Vendors are partners too! Treat your vendors like customers and watch your partnership grow.

15. Make use of benefits. Understand how to provide insurance and other benefits for your employees and cut your tax bill at the same time.

16. Ignore regulatory issues at your peril. Federal, state, and local governments require licenses, registrations, and permits. Obey them or face losing your business.

17. Know the tax laws. Invest in understanding tax issues that affect your small business.

18. It’s the people! Whatever happens to a small business happens at the hands of the people who work for it. The evolution of the business is a result of their efforts.

19. Fast, good, cheap. Pick any two. Serious trouble awaits those who attempt to be all three in the market place. Stick with what you do best.

20. Develop a passion for learning. As your business grows, you need to change and grow along with it. One common denominator can be found in all successful business owners and that is a passion for learning.

About the author:
For more great business, marketing and mind power ideas to develope your business visit the Higher-Profits Blog at www.higher-profits.com

6 steps to Adsense Domination

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:54:00 +0000

by: Keith Baxter

When you make your living online, you realize the need for multiple streams of income.

One of the easiest and most lucrative ways to generate a secondary income, which also happens to be passive, is via Google’s Adsense program.

I’m sure you’ve read the claims of a few individuals generating five figure monthly incomes from Adsense. For many of you, I’m sure you are wondering why you aren’t making this same income yourself.

Well, wonder no more. If you follow my simple six step system, you will be well on your way to healthy Adsense profits within three months.

Are you ready? It’s now time to pay attention.

Step 1 – Preparation.

The key to making money with Adsense is all about numbers. BIG numbers!

Sure, there are a few people making serious money with less than ten sites, but these are the exception.

Your goal will be twenty-four sites in three months. That’s just TWO sites per week!

In order to accomplish this, I recommend one of the many available page generation tools available today.

Step 2 – Determine Your Markets.

In order to maximize Adsense income with only twenty-four sites, you must know which markets are paying well.

To break this down even further, you need to know which keywords within those markets are paying the most.

Step 3 – Register you domains.

Once you’ve identified and chosen your markets, you must register domains appropriate to those markets. For example, if your market is ‘Cabbage Patch Dolls’, a domain such as http://www.cabbage-patch-doll.com/ would be appropriate.

Step 4 – Create your site.

Using your favorite page generation software and keyword list, it’s time to develop your site. There are several key points to bear in mind when you develop these specifically for Adsense.

1. Format – Always use the large 336x280 large rectangle.
2. Border – Match the same color as your background.
3. Background color - Border – Match the same color as your background.
4. Link = "0000CC"
5. Color_url = "999999"
6. Color_text = "333333"
7. Position – Far left or center and just above the page fold (Top 25% of site)

Step 5 – Verify and track your site

Visit your site and make sure all links work and that the sites appear to your satisfaction. You should also check out the ads Google is displaying. Are they targeted to your primary high paying keyword? If not, recreate your site using your high paying keyword in a higher density throughout your site.

Make sure you track your Adsense format, position, and traffic with a tracking system specifically designed for Adsense. Once you know your stats, you can adjust for maximum clickthroughs and higher revenues.

Step 6 – Get your site listed in the search engines.

This is simple… no tricks involved. Simply rent links to your site. A PR7 or PR8 link will do the job.

While I’ve simplified the process here, you are now armed with enough information and resources to make some serious money with Adsense.

About the author:
This article has been authored by Keith Baxter, the founder of http://www.topkeywordlists.com
If you want to maximize your Adsense income and learn how to drive massive amounts of traffic to your website from the search engines, visit the site now. Only 203 spots are available at the special low introductory rate.

6 more free steps to making money online

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:53:00 +0000

by: Darren Power

Copyright 2004 Darren Power

If you read my previous article you will know that the goal of these articles is to teach you ways to get started making money online without having to spend any money.

This is the second in the series and this time we deal with having your own blog. There are endless ways of making money once you have traffic, and your blog will get you traffic. The income we will be looking at today will come from Google Adsense.

There are multiple benefits to having a blog including the low cost (or no cost), the resources that will help you get traffic to your blog and the fact that you can provide your blog as an RSS feed. An RSS feed will allow readers to automatically receive your updates into their RSS reader.

Let's get started with our 6 steps.

1. Set up your blog. You will need to decide what you are going to blog about. You should decide on a theme and name your blog appropriately.

There are a number of free ways to set up a blog & to have it hosted for free. We will go with Blogger.com for our first blog.

Blogger will allow you to set up a blog for free they will host it for free and they will ping search engines every time you update, meaning you will get spidered & found.

Visit blogger.com & click the button on the front page labelled 'create your blog now' then follow the step by step instructions that Blogger provide.

Some key settings you will want to get right are:

I) 'Host your blog at Blogger' = Yes
II) 'Add your blog to our listings' = Yes
III) 'Ping Weblogs.com' = Yes
IV) 'Publish Site Feed' = Yes

2. Write some content. Before we move any further there has to be some information on the site & that means that you have to make some entries. You can write some of these entries yourself & some can be quotes from sites of interest to your reader that you can post using the Google Toolbar.

You can download the Google toolbar for free at toolbar.google.com. The toolbar includes a Blogger button. When you visit a site that has something of interest to your readers you can highlight the appropriate text & click the Blogger button. The content will then be added to your blog along with a link back to the site.

3. Once you have some content eg a weeks worth of blogging with 1 or 2 entries for everyday, you can apply for an adsense account. When you sign in to Blogger you will see an invitation to join Adsense. Use this link and apply for an account.

You can find out all about Adsense on the Adsense page but basically you get Google ads on your site & get paid if your visitor clicks them.

Google will decide what adverts show on your site based on the content it finds within.

You need to be aware that Google will decline your application if your site is not considered to have content. Nobody outside of Google knows the precise rules on this.

Once you have been accepted you can get some javascript from Google to add to you site. Copy this & then log in to Blogger.

Once you have logged into your blog you will see that one of the tabs across the top of the screen is labelled 'Template'. Click this. You will need to know a little bit of HTML to help find the right location to paste your Google code. But with a little experimentation you will find the right place for you. See the resource box at the end of this article for more help.

I would suggest that the ads need to be seen when the site loads but should not be too obvious or dominate your site.

4. Write some more content. Try and keep your content coming at regular intervals as a number of directories will check on your site at regular intervals & the smarter ones will visit on a schedule based on your update schedule. They will probably determine this in the hours after you first submit to them. Which is what we will do next.

5. Submit your site to Blog & RSS directories. Because you are hosting at Blogger, Weblogs.com will already be notified when you update your blog. (That means that every time you make a new entry they are automatically notified) You will need to manually submit to the various other directories some of which will require a link on your site to theirs.

You can add these links to your template below your Blogger logo. For a list of directories to get you started visit www.themoneyseed.com/rss

6. Keep writing interesting content. Ideally you want people to come back again and again. As with customers its harder to get a new visitor than to keep existing visitors. So make it interesting, in fact make it so interesting that they can't help but tell all their friends about it also.

As with most free ways to make money this will take time to get going, but if you can build a following you will make money.

About the author:
Darren Power is the author of The Money Seed, your step by step guide to making money online. For supplimentary information & free resources related to this article visit www.themoneyseed.com/rss

6 Easy Ways to Increase your Adsense Revenue

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:49:00 +0000

by: Scott Patterson

How much revenue do you generate from Google Adsense?

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about people who earn over $10,000 a month just from Adsense. Furthermore, there are rumors of a few individuals who earn over $1 million a year just from using the power of Google advertisements.

So what is Google Adsense and how can you use this program to earn a six-figure income?

About two years ago, Google created this program to help websites to monetize their web-traffic.

Here's how it works:

Webmasters obtain a special code from Google which then displays targeted ads on their website. Whenever a visitor clicks on one of these ads, the webmaster earns a commission. Unlike other online businesses, there is no selling involved. All you need to do is get people to click on the ads.

Although this is an excellent way to generate an income, many websites are not effectively maximizing their Adsense potential. As a result, they are leaving a lot of cash on the table.

The question is how can you increase your Adsense revenue without increasing the number of web visitors?

The key to earning an income with Google Adsense is to have your ads match the rest of the site, making them look like part of your content. Your focus is to avoid having the Adsense blocks look like blatant advertisements.

The following are six ways that you can do this and increase your revenue at the same time:

1) Find the right place- Most website visitors read content that is in the middle of a webpage. As a result, the best place to put your Adsense block is in the top part of the page, at the beginning of your web content. You want to weave the Google Ads into your web content to give the appearance that they are extra links which expand on the information of the page.

2) Use the Large Rectangle-With Google Adsense, you have the option of picking different ad formats. Most of the time people opt to use the Leaderboard (728x90) or Wide Skyscraper (160x600) style ads. Unfortunately, this is the wrong choice, because both look like blatant advertisements. Instead smart webmasters have found that using the Large Rectangle (336x280) yields the best amount of click-thrus.

3) Ditch the border- Many people experience a sharp increase in Adsense revenue when they changing their border. What they change is very simple…they get rid of the border on their Adsense blocks. This is another way to make the advertisements look like useful web content.

4) Adapt the font- Whenever you write content, it should be the same font size and style as your Google Adsense block. This will help make it appear that the advertisements are a natural part of your website.

5) Match the colors- In addition to changing the fonts, you also should match the colors of your website. For instance, if your content is written in black, and your hyperlinks are blue, then the Adsense blocks should also be the same color. Again, this helps the advertisements appear to be normal web content.

6) Don't have too many distractions- On a webpage, it is important to give web visitor a limited number of options. By having too many links and graphics, the web visitor might go to a section that doesn't help increase your profits. While it is important to inform and entertain your web visitor, it is also vital that you monetize your site. So if the main focus of your site is to earn an income through Google Adsense, then get rid of all non-essential links and graphics.

By taking the time to implement these six simple steps, you'll see a dramatic increase in the click-thru ratio of your ads. If added to all of the content of your site, your Adsense income will skyrocket!

About the author:
Scott J. Patterson earns over $12,000 a month, mostly through Google Adsense. To read about this and other home businesses you can try, download his fr*e ebook, The Secret-Guide to Home Businesses: http://www.duncemoney.com/adsense.html

4 Steps To Unleashing Profits In Your Online Business

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:39:00 +0000

by: Barry Gilbert

Ever wonder how the thousands of "under the radar" web
businesses that earn well over $100,000/year (many with
much higher sales) out of their own home do it?

Over the last year I've had the great fortune to speak
with many of these true, hidden entrepreneurs at
conferences, seminars, e.t.c.

What I'm about to share with you also came true for me,
and is outlined in more detail in my Ultimate Information
Entrepreneur's Success Package

Here's an example of their business model:

1. Information Products. Without a doubt, each one of
the successes I know market their own infoproducts.
For some, it's an ebook. Others have special reports.
Still others run online coaching programs, membership
sites, paid newsletters, teleseminars, or produce
digital audio or video products.
It's not their only source of income, but is a MAJOR
source of income, and more important, brands them an
expert in their field leading to success with 2 and
3 below.

2. Market related Affiliate Products. Again, in almost
every case, these online success stories become experts
at finding and creating joint venture deals with partners.

But, they work differently than most affiliates.

They start by ALWAYS reviewing the product they will market.
Second, they look for a different way to present the
product or service - a more beneficial way to show users the
real benefit in the affiliate product. Third, they use
the branding from 1 to negotiate higher commissions and
focus on high commission programs only.

3. They monetize their traffic using Adsense or selling
advertising on their sites. For high traffic pages
where adding paid ads or Google's Adsense will not impact
their own sales, they will run ads to further monetize
their sites.

4. Sell their time. You will find that truly successful
people online LOVE to help people succeed. But...for
every person who is really dedicated to succeeding there
are 10 "tire kickers" who want someone to hand them
success on a silver platter. It doesn't work that way,
nothing works that way. So, in order to leave time to
help those who really want it, coaching programs are
formed. Yes - you have to pay big money, but you should
easily be able to get 10X the value for money spent.

So as you can see, there is no ONE single way to build
your wealth online.

Instead, you build a diversified, rich and healthy
business by focusing on these 4 pillars. Not only will
you earn more money, but your business will be stronger
and build momentum faster when you do.

About the author:

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Write Your Own Income-Generating How-To Books Today!
It's INSANE...5 Experts Share How Writing Books Changed
Their Lives Forever! "Discover Where The Money Is With
Writing Books...And How YOU Can Get It!
Click Here==> http://tinyurl.com/bm5qw
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
4 Steps To Unleashing Profits In Your Online Business

- by Barry Gilbert

(c) Barry Gilbert - All Rights reserved

You may use this article for free,
Resource box and links must remain as is.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

3 Internet Home Based Businesses Anyone Can Do

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:17:00 +0000

by: Kent Thompson
Copyright 2005 Kent Thompson

If you’re serious about having a home based business, then you need to prepare. The leading reason for a failing home based business is the lack of preparation people commit after they’ve made a decision to start a home based business.

So what kind of home based business opportunity should you take on? Do you want to have an internet-based home business? Millions have done it, are doing it and are earning good livings doing so.

Here are three different kinds of Internet based business models you can try:

1) Be an online retailer for reputable companies. Your home based internet business can give reviews about all the products and services of these companies. Your customers will browse around your website, and then click on to the link. The link will send the customer to the company’s customer service website, which takes care of processing and shipping their order.

Your home based online business website does the marketing, promoting and advertising aspects for these companies. Your commission comes from the proceeds of the sale. You don’t even have to spend money for expensive e-commerce software.

2) You may not be able to bear the pain of separating from your oldest possessions, but how about auctioning these things off? For a minimal entry fee and closing fee, you can put your prized possessions on auction at Ebay or other spin-offs found on the net. This is a virtually free home based business since you don’t pay for web presence. You’ll get traffic since Ebay receives as many as 4 million visitors a day, and you won’t need to worry about your e-commerce software. Plus your small home based internet business stays open even when you go fishing!

3) Sell information. You can start your home based internet business by writing on a subject that you enjoy or are knowledgeable about. If you can do this, then this small home based internet business is for you. Write your e-book and sell it on sites like Ebay.com, ebookAd.com, or Clickbank.com.

These home based internet business are all simple and easy enough to do. You can earn a living on these ideas if you view this small home based business with passion and commitment.

Just remember these home based internet tip:
Constantly fine-tune your marketing strategy and always test new ad copies to see what brings you the most sales!

About the author:
Find out how you can make $1000 per sale in one of the hottest home based businesses! Check out http://RunAdsForCash.com

The 50 best business blogs (Times Online)

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:02:00 +0000

The 50 best business blogs,
according to Times Online.

Internet blogs are taking on big corporations and winning. As the bloggerati continue to set the agenda Times Online provides the first full list of the 50 top blogs, corporate and anti-corporate alike.

10 Ways To Make More Money In Network Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:10:00 +0000

By Noah Ulrich

Network Marketing is an excellent way for the "average Joe or Jane" to make an extra income. This business concept has been around for decades, and it will not disappear any time soon. The reason for its popularity is simple... It Works! It does however, require lots of work and most importantly, dedication and persistance to get the job done. The best part is, once you are able to set up a solid network, your business becomes MUCH less time intensive. Almost like going on "autopilot". The key is to get there as fast as possible.

Here are just a couple of tips I have found to be helpful in maximizing your Network Marketing Business:

1. Use your products regularly. This is Number 1 for a reason, this is the most ignored part of ANY network marketing business. How do you expect your business to succeed if you will not even use your own products? It does seem silly to even have to bring this up, but there are many who are not using their own products, and wonder why they are not making any money. Make a commitment to use your products for a year, and see where your business goes.

2. Educate yourself constantly. This is very important! You must rid yourself of negative ideas, sometimes referred to as "stinkin thinkin". This can be done in a variety of ways. I recommend reading at least 15 minutes a day, but try to shoot for 30. Business and self-help books are a great way to start. Don't forget your Multi-level magazines, as they are full of tips and advice. Lastly, listen to cassette tapes on multi-level tips from top earners in your business.

3. Spend as much time as possible with your upline. Your upline should have only one goal in mind, To Help You Succeed! They are a vast source of knowledge and information. Mingle with top distributors in your group, or other groups, and ask how they made it. Most everyone should be more than happy to provide you with excellent tips and advice.

4. Present your products and marketing plan personally to at least one person daily. Remember above when I said you are going to have to work, well here it is. Now here is the key, the prospects to whom you present your plan, do not have to be yours personally. Show the plan for your downline, and not only will you create "security" by placing members in your downlines' downline, it will also give you a boost in your personal income! I can guarantee if you were to follow this rule for 6 months, you would create a downline with enough width and depth to create an income to sustain you and your family for life.

5. Care for your downline. An entire book can be written on this topic. Usually, it's the little things that show you really care. Try to maintain regular contact, and always praise your distributor's accomplishments. You can even offer incentives for specific achievements, such as money, travel, recognition, or other rewards, to help motivate your group.

6. Duplicate yourself by making distributors independent of you. This will help to multiply your time, thus making you and your group more effective. Always lead by example. Never stop recruiting, training and retailing. Remember the KISS formula - "Keep It Simple, Sweety" I know, I know, I changed the last word, but it maintains the meaning. This can be done my conducting simple, brief, yet dramatic presentations, and teaching your downline to do the same.

7. Create a large customer base. This is another largely ignored, yet very important, piece of your network marketing business. Many try so hard to build a huge downline, that they forget how much profit they could also make by selling their products to retail customers. Some people will just not want to become part of your downline, no matter how great a product/system you may have. This does not mean they will not be personally interested in your product. Try to make everyone your customer. Once you earn their trust, they will come to you more, and perhaps even join your downline later. Always "leave the door open", as people's needs do change.

8. Focus on your customers needs. You must give customers more than they expect, and always satisfy your customers complaints immediately. Try to listen 80% of the time, and talk only 20%. As stated above, your customers can be a huge source of future referrals and/or business. You must earn and maintain their trust. Once you have their trust, you can always ask for referrals, which leads to even more business and a larger downline.

9. Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals - and Write Them Down! You may have heard the expression, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Breaking up a larger goal into smaller easily attainable goals, is the key to success. You cannot just jump to the end, you have to make progress everyday. Writing them down is another largely ignored, important tip to help you succeed. A goal is just a "passing thought", or "wish" until you put it in writing. That is when it becomes concrete and real. It is also a great idea to keep a business journal of your daily activities, as it will help you to become more productive and time-conscious.

10. Get Out There And Do It Now! All of the knowledge in the world is useless and unprofitable, until you put the most important ingredient of them all in place. This "secret" ingredient should come as no surprise at all, but this is the #1 reason for failure at anything in life. It is ACTION! Remember, knowledge is useless without action.

Thank you for reading this, and I truly hope this has provided you with valuable information to help you and your business grow and succeed.

About the author:
Noah Ulrich is a top producing network marketer and webmaster of http://www.informativeresources.comHe maintains a profitable internet business and has done so since 2001.

5 Ways To Explode Your Viral Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:51:00 +0000

By Anik Singal

We all know that viral marketing can be a very effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website, but do all viral marketing tools have to be ebooks or little reports? Absolutely not.

Before we start, let’s refresh our memory on exactly what viral marketing is. Viral marketing is a form of marketing where you get someone else to spread the word for you, just a virus works.

For example, if you give someone a free report, they like it, they pass it on to their friends and their friends pass it on to their friends. Basically the report has become a virus and is spreading exponentially.

You can see the power that this form of marketing has – over time it can really build up. But, if you really want yours to move fast, then you have to be unique.

Just giving away a free report has become too common – everyone is doing it!

So, here are 5 other great tools you can make viral while keeping the unique edge.

1. Freeware.

Freeware is software with that has your marketing message in it – a banner, URLs, etc. If you are not a programmer but like the idea of giving away some simple software, type "freeware +your niche" into Google, and look at the results.

If you find a program that interests you, contact the creator, and see if you can get him/her to add your marketing messages in exchange for actively promoting the software.

Simple, that way you don’t even have to make your own program. Or, if you want, just go to any freelance website and hire an inexpensive programmer to build you a small little program (this is very inexpensive).

2. Surveys and polls.

Many people love to share their opinions on anything and everything. Come up with a provocative poll question or interesting survey for your niche, then use it to drive traffic to your site.

If you can find a “controversial” topic you will get the most viral effect.

3. Tell a friend forms.

Especially effective in niche marketing. Simply adding a tell-a-friend form to your web site can, over time, significantly increase your traffic.

Many think that these forms do not work anymore, but I know from personal experience that they still work. A neat trick to get someone to use it is to offer them something for free in return – maybe another free report!

4. Your own forum or bulletin board.

Adding a forum or bulletin board to your site can be a great way to spread the word about your product or service. In fact, if there's no forum or newsgroup for your niche, you can create one - and reap the benefits of having targeted prospects come to your site regularly.

People get their friends to come participate in forums – it’s a great source of word-of-mouth advertising.

5. Blogging.

Creating a blog just for your niche is a way to get people to bookmark your site and come back over and over again. People also tend to spread the word about blogs they like rapidly. Offering your viral products on your blog gives them a reason to spread the word - plus it helps you get valuable traffic.

What will you write about? Progress reports and advice seem to be popular, as well as humorous blogs and running commentary on current events.

Blogs help build a community and communities are great word-of-mouth networks!

Well, there you have it – viral marketing can once again be a bit more exciting than just giving away free reports. Think outside the box, do something unique and viral marketing could be your next big traffic generator!

About the author:
This article has been authored by Anik Singal, an extremely successful and young internet entrepreneur and affiliate marketing consultant. Anik has developed his own affiliate marketing system that helped him earn over $10,466 in 60 days – Enroll in his FREE course today...

http://www.AffiliateClassroom.com/free-course.html

4 Keys to Unlocking Your Sales Success Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:56:00 +0000

By Greg Beverly

We’ve all heard of the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Rule as it is often called, but today I want to introduce you to another theory that is gaining widespread acceptance. You can call it the “10/90 Potential Theory.”

The “10/90 Potential Theory” suggests that each of us reach only about 10% of our true potential. For reasons that range from lack of knowledge, to an aversion to change, to our desire to remain in our “comfort zone,” to outright laziness, we fail to take the necessary steps to realize the massive 90% of our potential that we leave on the table. When you think about it, it’s outrageous! Think of the happiness, the joy, the love, the wealth that is not being realized! Now consider this…by reaching only 20% of our potential, we can DOUBLE or accomplishments!

Today, we are going to consider some very basic and practical applications to help you double your accomplishments in life. There are 4 keys to unlocking that potential. You can take each of these and apply them to any aspect of your life, to reach “________ Success Beyond Your Wildest Dreams,” but for today, let’s look at how you can use them to reach “Sales Success Beyond Your Wildest Dreams.” So, without further adieu, let’s look at the 4 key areas of what we call the other 90%. The 4 keystones are Trust, Energy, Vision, and Nerve.

1) Trust is all about building and sustaining exceptional relationships. You have to look at establishing a level of trust and rapport within the first 5 or 10 minutes of meeting someone. Remember building and sustaining these relationships is the keystone. Right now, take out a sheet of paper and list 3 ways to build trust with your customers and prospects.

2) Energy. Increase your calm effectiveness under pressure. This is very important. You must have an optimistic presence of mind, recognize when tense energy is taking over and also realize that tense energy wipes out a lot of your own energy and stamina at any given time. Look at distancing yourself from noise, negativity, and anger, taking essential breaks and strategic pauses. Knowing how to convert tense energy into positive energy will take you a lot further in making the sale.

3) Vision means creating your own future. Keep glancing ahead, hope irrationally, always look at the potential, take more risk. It’s very important to constantly visualize what you want. You have probably read this and heard this before, but it’s very critical to use for success in sales. Focus on what you want until it becomes your dominant thought. Have a vision for where you want to be and what you want to accomplish in your life. It is an accepted fact that we tend to move away from things we don’t want, i.e., avoiding pain, rather than moving toward the things we want, i.e. pleasure. If moving away from the pain dominates your thoughts, then you don’t have time to think about what you really want. Instead visualize your ultimate destination and where you want to be rather than thinking about what you want to avoid. Create your very own future, full of pleasure rather than absent pain.

4) Courage. Make adversity your ally. Reach deeper. Look forward. Search harder. Accept that setbacks will happen and they yield wisdom. Test and strengthen your spirit.

We can be better than 10%. We WILL be better! Think about this…we have the potential to increase our success level by tenfold! Now, does doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling your sales results still seem out of reach. We must first recognize what we are missing and then commit to doing what it takes to change it. Start today and begin your journey to “Sales Success Beyond Your Wildest Dreams!” You can do it. Start today!

About the author:
Greg Beverly is a sales coach dedicated to helping create abundance for all who seek it. Find out how YOU can become a sales champion and live the life of your dreams by visiting www.salessuccess.yougethelp.com today.

Be the Elephant: Build a Bigger, Better Business by Steve Kaplan

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:16:00 +0000

Review
“[Kaplan’s] elephant strategy is right on the money.”—Daniel M. Snyder, Owner & Chairman of the Board, the Washington Redskins

Book Description
In business, there's no standing still. The trick is to become an elephant—big enough to make a difference, healthy enough to withstand financial currents, strong enough to influence your market—and smart enough to avoid the pitfalls of growth.

With Be the Elephant, bestselling author Steve Kaplan provides the business-growing playbook for every entrepreneur, CEO, sales professional, small business owner, and manager alike. The strategy, the process, the toolbox.

Written in a friendly, no-nonsense style, Be the Elephant takes the mystery and the fear out of growing bigger. It shows you how to address potential downsides, point by point, and provides a 25-question quiz to gauge your buisness's current health. There are lessons in strengthening sales, a business's front line. Vertical and horizontal growth. Risk versus reward. How to avoid the twin dilemmas inherent in growth—grow too slowly and wither, or grow too fast and lose control. And finally, how to chart it and start it, from developing an all-important USP—unique selling proposition—to avoiding the Five Killer Mistakes that can ruin a company.

And from there, how to go forth and Be the Elephant...

10 Things Every Home Based Business Owner Needs

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:39:00 +0000

by: David A. Bailey, Jr

When you make the decision to earn income from the internet you will need to go through a set up process to be ready for business.

Following are the basic steps in setting up for home business success.

1. Attitude

The key to your business success is your attitude.

Treat your business like a business.

This is critical whether you are working part-time or full-time. One of my colleagues is a mother who works from home around her family. She has always put her family first whilst at the same time developing her business. She says, "I work part-time, but I have a full-time attitude."

Put another way, "If you have a hobby attitude you will have a hobby income, if you have a business attitude you will have a business income."

You can be successful working part-time and you can be successful working full-time but it is highly unlikely that you will be successful working in your "spare time".

2. Working Environment

A space that you can call your own, free from distractions for your scheduled time.

A comfortable chair and organized desk.
Stationery supplies as required. For example:

- pens
- highlighters
- stapler
- hole punch
- sticky tape
- note book(s)
- a simple filing system
- ring binders
- manilla folders

Consider the value of a broadband connection. Your time is valuable and a broadband connection can allow you to get more done in a given time frame.

3. Schedule

Develop a schedule that works for you, your family (or "significant others") and your business. When you allot a block of time for work then use that time for work. Equally important is to schedule time for your other commitments - family time, self education ( reading, listening and viewing), "health time" (exercise, cooking and eating), and leisure time. During these other times don't work. After all if one of the reasons to work from home is to spend more time with your family then you don't want your working at home time to consume your family time.

You are working for yourself and your schedule (by your choice) is your "boss". When you have people calling you or dropping around unexpectedly or maybe out-of-town visitors may want to catch up with you then you need to make a choice. Are you committed to your own business success? What will be your choice in these situations? Only you can decide what is important to you.

In a family environment you may need to negotiate with your partner and children to have your business time agreed upon, during which you will not be interrupted. Put this schedule prominently somewhere so all family members are aware of your work schedule.

4. Describe Your Business

Be able to describe your business concisely; a powerful one or two sentence description that someone can repeat in describing your business to others. A unique and memorable tag line can also be invaluable for promoting your business.

5. Know Your Product or Service

Once you have selected your product or service to sell, it may or may not be something that you use yourself but you need to know your product intimately. If you are selling ebooks then know the content and its value. If you are selling software then use it know it "inside out". You will develop a reputation of providing quality information and because of your product knowledge you can become the preferred supplier.

It is not practical to use certain products (for example a woman may choose to sell man's shoes or vice versa) in which case the seller won't be a product user, however the seller can still know the benefits and features of the product intimately.

6. Administration

Use good record keeping practices.

This may involve a consultation with a tax advisor who can let you know about the optimal way to set up your financial records and what records need to be kept. Your advisor will also recommend record keeping systems and you can find out what software may simplify this aspect of your business. Additionally your obtain advice on the best arrangement for your bank accounts. You will most likely be advised to have a separate bank account.

You will also need to keep track of your various logins, usernames and passwords. A very handy little software tool for this is Treepad available as either the free Lite version (without password protection) or the commercial Plus or Biz versions. http://www.treepad.com

There are other useful tools for this also from a simple paper notebook to free and commercial password keepers. One popular solution is Roboform that will remember your login details and can automatically fill out your login and other registration forms. http://www.roboform.com

7. Computer Protection

Your computer is the lifeline to your business dealings and must be protected including the data that is stored.

You need a virus scanner, personal firewall, anti-spyware and anti-adware and preferably an email scanner with the ability to delete suspect of spam email from the server before it is downloaded to your computer.

Some suggestions are:

AVG Anti-Virus: http://www.grisoft.com
Spybot S&D: http://www.safer-networking.org
Microsoft Anti-Spyware:
www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
Adaware: http://www.lavasoft.com/
Mailwasher Email Scanner: http://www.mailwasher.net

8. A Domain Name

You will most likely need a domain name for your business and one cost effective registrar is GoDaddy, http://www.godaddy.com.

9. Payment Processing

You will need a way to process credit cards; that may be using services such as:
- PayPal https://www.paypal.com
- Storm Pay http://www.stormpay.com
- 2 Checkout http://www.2checkout.com
- Clickbank http://www.clickbank.com or others.

This is the most economical way to get started. Once your business picks up you may need to look into your own merchant account for credit card transactions.

Consideration may also be given to other forms of online currency such as eGold http://www.egold.com

10. Email accounts

Once you have your own domain you can use an associated email account. This can further assist in the promotion of your business and promotes a more professional business image.

As a final comment on continuing in your internet business, conduct your business ethically, provide extraordinary service and be proud to put your name to the products or services that you are selling and you will be on track to developing a sustainable long term internet business.

[ Submitted with ArticleSubmitter Pro - http://www.articlesubmitterpro.com]

About the author:
Are you an internet marketer looking to better your English speaking skills? David A. Bailey, Jr shares his top-secret, little-known tricks, tips, and ideas to learn English FAST in four easy steps from the comfort of your own home. Join the English Club and meet other ESL students just like yourself. SERIOUS ONLY!
Learn English NOW!

7 Reasons You Should Be Using The World Wide Web To Leverage Your Local Business

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:33:00 +0000

by: Anita van Wyk

More and more, potential customers are not letting their "fingers do the walking." To find what they need, they are using
their fingers to click at Google, Yahoo! or MSN .

If you do not have a website – you are loosing them before you even have a change to tell them about your product or service. Think of a Web site as multiple, full-page Yellow Page ads that gets 100 times more results for your local business.

Cover every business category and geographic region for a fraction of the cost of a single Yellow Pages ad.

A Web site that works is the most cost-and-time efficient way to:

1. Build loyal lifetime customers
2. Grow Your Client Base
3. Build Trust With Potential Customers
4. Get the Jump on Competitors
5. Develop and Stay "Top of Mind"
6. Extend Your Reach - Attract new local (and global!) customers
7. Diversify: Open up new revenue streams.

But where do you start?
Well, you need to register a domain name, host your new site, build the site pages, submit your site to the directories and
them promote it. You’ll need other people to link to your site and you’d want to send your customers emails.

Perhaps most important of all you’d need to know how many people are visiting your site and how many of those are buying
from you.

It might seem like a lot at first glance and it can be, but not if you choose a company that gives you all the tools, in one place, with a straightforward, integrated, step-by-step process to support you every step of the way. Site Build It! (SBI!) is the only product in the world that combines site-building,
site-hosting, and site-marketing and that makes it easy for you to build a professional, popular, and profitable business. You don’t need any technical experience (html, ftp, etc.) either, they handle all that for you.

Sites built using SBI! consistently get high traffic, as a recent Alexa.com survey shows.
- 62% of SBI! sites fall within the top 3% most popular sites on the Internet
- 53% fall within the 2% most popular
- 35% fall within the 1% most popular.

If you can use e-mail and surf the Web, you can create a professional-looking, traffic-generating, sales-producing site.
Real estate agent, landscaper, restaurant owner, health practitioner, artist, alarm system distributor, boutique owner...whoever you are and whatever you do... Site Build It! (SBI!) is the affordable, all-tools-in-one-place solution you need to build and host a
Web site that WORKS.

There is no better time than now to get your business on the World Wide Web... before you competition does.

This article may be freely reprinted as long as all links and author information remain.

About the author:
** To learn more about SBI visit – today.

** To download your 28 page booklet, telling you more about SBI and how they help Small Business to get on the Internet – please send a blank email to sbibooklet@getresponse.com

7 Easy Ways to Make More Money in Network Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:32:00 +0000

by: Daegan Smith

Hit a snag lately? Haven’t been able to recruit any new agents? Is you network marketing job paying less and less because you can’t generate any sales? You don’t have to fret! With these easy network marketing tips, you can revitalize your sales pitch and methods in no time at all!

1. Contacts
Remember that your contacts are your most valuable asset. Who are your contacts? The people you see on the streets? Your next door neighbor?

When considering whom to invite, try those closest to you first. This is because they are most likely to be more open to your suggestions and will be willing to do you a few favors (such as buying that detergent you are hawking). The great thing about this is that they will really mind plunking a few bucks to help jumpstart your business. And when they see that you are doing well, they could very well join you as well.

When you run through the whole list of you clan, what will that leave you with? You will of course have to go to those people that next in line with regards to closeness or affinity to you. And what if that gives out too?

You can always adopt a friendlier stance and chat up that neighbor you never talked to. You could meet new people on the bus and on the train. But remember, you have to like them as people first. Don’t go about and look at them like walking piggy banks. People will know if they are being looked upon as ‘things.’ Always regard them highly and get to know them. Build their trust. The truth is, the friendships you build will be the true reward, and the sales will be just a side dish.

Always ask for referrals from your contacts. This is another sure way to increase your prospects.

2. Believe
If you yourself do not believe in your product, chances are you won’t be able to sell it to others. Remember, nothing promotes a product better that a satisfied customer. Let others see you using the product. Say glowing things about it. And most of all, let all that you say be true. If your customer finds out you weren’t being honest, you could ruin your business relationship.

When you choose a network business, take into consideration their product. See if you can believe in it and pitch for it effectively.

3. Recruit the right people
Don’t just recruit anybody. Make sure the people you recruit share an unbridled passion, and tireless work ethic with like you. If you don’t chances are, they will drop out of the networking business and you will not be able to build your downline.

4. Don’t force the issue
When trying to close a sale, don’t force the issue. If you do, people will get suspicious as to why you are doing so. Are selling them counterfeit items? Are you only interested in your profit and not in your customer’s satisfaction? Always keep this in mind: the customer always comes first. Please them, and the profits and windfall from these relationships will follow.

5. Look the part
When recruiting others, you can’t say, “You will get rich with network marketing,” and look shabby all the while. They’d say, “I thought you got rich from this thing, why do you look like you didn’t.” People will want to see a visible sign of success. You are their only reference point. If you are not convincing as a successful networking agent,

6. Hang in there
Perseverance is a virtue. If money grew on trees, you’d still have to wait for them to grow. Remember the old adage: try and try, until you succeed. Remember that your goal is not to just to get money, but to build upon a good income generating business.

7. Evolve
Don’t be satisfied thinking that your techniques at recruiting will forever be effective. Although there are basic principles that should be followed, you can forever improve on your techniques. Today’s society is constantly evolving. If you want to catch up with them, you have to evolve in your marketing strategies as well.

Try ‘Em
Try these tips. They are sure to give you more confidence in your network marketing strategy!

About the author:
Daegan Smith is the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. Find out how we're creating financial freedom all across the globe and how to get in on the action FREE =>http://www.comlev.com Team Blog:

5 Powerful Rules for Writing Advertising That Sells!

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:29:00 +0000

by: Scott Wilson

As you begin to write your sales copy for your advertisement keep one thing in your mind…Everything you put into the must point out a specific benefit to your prospect.

Ask yourself as you write, “How will this help to get my prospect to act now?”

Always focus on the prospect, no matter what everyone else says or thinks. Tell them you’ve got a solution to their wants, needs desires, RIGHT NOW! The purpose is to get them to act.

1. Identify the prospect pain. (Research your target prospect to understand this)

2. Make them really feel it (they will do more to avoid pain than they will to gain pleasure…so really hit them between the eyes)

3. Let them know you can take it away right now. (Go into absolute detail here)

4. Let him know the pain will stay unless they act now. (Remind them of the pain they are currently feeling. Go into detail here as well)

5. Remove the risk of taking action for them. (make it so simple and risk free, they would feel silly not using your product or service)

Write your ad as though they are sitting beside you. You know their needs, wants and desires intimately because you have now done your research thoroughly.

Write the same way, as you would have a conversation. Use a friendly, matter of fact manner, (Don’t beat around the bush! This is serious)

Read it back to yourself out loud, putting yourself in their shoes.

Do you feel the pain? Can you truly empathise with him? Use short sharp spunky words. These will get more reaction from them.

Tell them exactly what you mean and what they need to do in a step-by-step way. Make it as simple as possible.

Take the risk out of it with a very strong guarantee. This will earn their trust for your product or service. They’ll feel like they got absolutely nothing to lose.

Make it as easy for them!

Make it interesting. If they get bored by what you have to say…so will lots of other prospects. Make the phone number, e-mail address, coupon, or whatever it is, easy to see and simple to use!

Make this information plain as day. Make them feel special, important and worthwhile.

You will win their loyalty.

About the author:
Smarter Business Leads specialize in using Low Cost Advertising & Marketing Ideas that will explode your businesses cash register. Check them out at if you hurry they may even send you a free report go to now

3 Keys to Jumping Sales Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:05:00 +0000

by: Allyn Cutts

Copyright 2005 Cutts Group, llc

Marketers from every niche have common ground when it comes to bills. Yeah, every month there’s a new stack of bills demanding to be paid. Will there be enough profit to slide right through bill paying time without a flinch? Or do you find yourself fretting about whether you’ll even break even? You don’t have to be victimized by envelopes and 8x10 sheets of paper. Implement these 3 techniques to boost your sales.

1. Find More Customers
The first thing that comes to mind when we think of making more money is getting more customers through our doors. In fact, the majority of advertising focuses on doing just that. There are several things you can do to entice more customers to buy from you.

Implement Follow-Ups
Marketing gurus have discovered that follow ups can increase your customer conversion rates by as much as 50%. Now, that’s a whopping improvement! Don’t let potential customers fade away. Keep the doors for future communication open, and watch the drastic growth in your profits.

Encourage Referrals
Every satisfied customer will tell 3 friends or family members about your business - without encouragement. Imagine what would happen if you start rewarding their efforts.

Get Free Publicity
Nearly everyone keeps a sharp eye on the local news. Hey, it’s funner to know what’s going on when you personally recognize the names and faces in print! Find ways to make your business newsworthy and catch the attention of potential customers without even paying advertising fees.

2. Sell More Per Customer
Think about it... how can you get every customer that walks through your doors to spend more money before walking back out the doors? Here are 3 sure-fire, profit increasing tips:

Increase your prices.
Hey, that might not be as bad as you think. Along with the price increase, focus on increasing the perceived value of your product. Yeah, we all expect to pay a little more for high quality stuff. Not everyone is bent on finding the absolute cheapest price in town... they may be more interested in lasting quality.

Add some higher end products or services to your business.
It’s never wise to put all of your eggs in one basket. That’s why wise marketers diversify their products and services. Think of it this way... higher priced products may not make as many sales, but each sale will bring in a much greater profit. You don’t need to make as many sales to come out on the best end of the deal.

Upsell
Offer every customer an additional product that accents his current purchase at the register. Hey, maybe they forgot they’d need batteries to go with the toy they're getting for their niece's birthday gift! You can be a hero... a richer hero.

3. Sell More Often
The fact that it’s easier to sell to the people who know and trust you is obvious. Sometimes we get so focused on new customers that we miss the gold mine in our own back yard. Take advantage of the hard work you’ve invested in winning the loyal customers you already have with these ideas:

Create a Special Deal
Show your customers you appreciate them and understand their needs with a special offer catered just for them. You’ll be thanking them, and selling more in the process.

Add New Products
Increase the number of products you already have available - especially products that your customers have asked for. They’ll know that you’re looking out for them, and you’ll take their thanks to the bank.

Communicate
Resell yourself on a regular basis. Don’t forget to let them know about upcoming specials that they’ll appreciate. Most of all... keep selling them on the benefits of the products or services you offer.

About the author:
Who is Allyn Cutts, and why should you care? Allyn has spent over 24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic, providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results. You can learn more about Allyn Cutts at and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.

A Home Based Business That Works

noreply@blogger.com (Fa) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:17:00 +0000

by: Chris Rohrer

Everyone seems to be trying to work from home today. With the success most people are having from running a home base business everyone wants to get in on it. I myself have started up a home based business, but I keep my full time job. I have the time and freedom to do what I want to my business when I want.

Starting a home business is not that easy though. You have to be willing to work hard to get it up and running to the point where it almost makes you money with out you doing anything. Once you have reached that part of your business that is when most people will start another home business. That is how they make even more money by running more then just one home business. It took me a good two months before my home business got off the ground and into gear.

I have the found the perfect work from home business that anyone can do. With my hard work I put into my home business I started to see results a few months after I started. What is this business? It’s working with the e-currency exchange program. It is simple to start but hard at first because there is a learning curve. I bought a simple guide that showed me step by step how to start off in this amazing business. Once I was done I invested $400 and applied the steps that I learned, and watched my money grow to $4,000 in under Two months.

The more you put in the more you will make. My little brother (21 years old) didn’t think it worked but gave it a shot and only invested $100 into it. Before he knew it his money turned into $700 in under 32 days. You can see just that little more put in will make a big difference. The great thing about the e-currency exchange program is that your money grows everyday by 1.5% - 4.0%. There is nothing better then watching my money grow day after day. This is the easiest home business that I found that really does work.

About the author:
Learn how I invested $400 and made it $4,000 in under 2 months time. Please visit E-currency Online for more information.