AlanSills.com

Remember the classic “Miracle on 34th Street”?

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:51:03 +0000

I can recall watching that Christmas classic every autumn when it started to get cold outside. We got our first color TV in 1966. It didn’t help with this classic ’cause it is in black and white – as it should remain! There were only 7 “VHF” channels (and that was more than most “markets” had)…and TV was free – who would have thought we’d actually be willing to pay for TV?! I can recall people laughing at that notion.

Oh how far we have come… is that a good thing?

Miracle on 34th St. of course takes place in Macys – on 34th St. in Manhattan (NYC). It centers around a man named Chris Cringle and a young girl who believes. For me however, there was more magic… it was Christmas time – a time of gifts and presents! And Macy’s was (and still is) one of the top retailers – not only in NYC, but across the entire nation.

Macys - Retail and Marketing Giant

We lived in New Jersey (ok, no jokes!) But, even then, at the age of 8 years old, I knew that NYC was special – the shops were filled with the latest goods, the best stuff, the best displays. I convinced my folks to take me into “the city” to go shopping (and have dinner in Chinatown!)

When we got to Macy’s, I learned that a major competitor, named Gimbel’s was just across the street. Naturally, we had to explore both stores! At the time, I was very “in” to model trains – Lionel and “n” guage. The electric kind, you know.

A century of retail...now gone...why?

We started out in Gimbels. They had some electric trains, they looked nice and the prices seemed fair, but I wasn’t going to make any decisions until I visited Macys. When we went across the street, just as in Gimbels, there was a wide variety of merchandise available, I found the toy department – and located the trains. And…wow, was I thrilled. They had several locomotives I wanted – and the prices were fair. My parents were prepared to buy one… I convinced them to buy two and forgot all about Gimbels.

And that is the point of the story… fast forward 45 years and Macy’s is still here while Gimbels closed their doors after nearly a century of doing business in the late 1980′s. How big was Gimbels? Well, did you know it was the “Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade” BEFORE it became the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”!

So, why is Macy’s still here and Gimbel’s is a faded memory?

I believe it comes down to the people whom they call “buyers”… you know, the folks who decide WHAT is going to be offered on the shelves in their store. Those decisions determine where an 8 year old boy decides to buy his electric trains! If one buyer has a “sense” of what people want (and gets that item at a price the customer is willing to pay)… the store makes a profit and the customer walks away satisfied – the hallmark of a good business deal – one where both parties are satisfied.

And that is how I see myself today – as a “buyer” – seeking the “best in class” products and services. Because… unless you’ve got that, how long can stellar marketing strategies work?

I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand the mentality of most “home based business entrepreneurs”…

Many folks who “pitch” me on the latest deal (of the week as it seems) are more focused on the “pay plan” (100% commissions?! – ever hear anything SO rediculous? … for the math majors… THAT model is *just not possible*) OR… how frequently you get paid (daily? weekly?)…OR, they are swayed by fast or easy money, and NEVER stop to consider the ethics of the program they are promoting. Currently there is one program, I was just told is being promoted by many pastors – wow – how far off base one’s moral compass can be swayed. I’m not trying to come across as “Mother Theresa” here…but sheesh, how about *some* standards??!! Anyway, I digress…

Don’t get me wrong, I WANT to work with companies who pay regularly and offer a fair chunk of the profits for my efforts…

BUT -

Not before I know the product or service being offered is BEST IN CLASS – and – the company’s inner circle is comprised of moral and ethical individuals (to the best of my ability to assess this). What I don’t respect (again being brutally honest) is the “false Christian” attitude where every other word out of someone’s mouth is attributing success to God as if He is personally managing the company’s pay plan!

Again, don’t get me wrong, I’m all FOR Godly men (and women) running businesses, but for heaven’s sake…don’t use it as a SHIELD (or worse yet, a SWORD)!

Sound business principles are the same now as they were 500 years ago

There needs to be a fair exchange between the two parties – that brings be back to the “best in class” concept.

Now, even if you have great stuff to offer, you will fail UNLESS you let folks know about it!

In the home based business world, this is MIShandled by most – and that is why I put together my “ultimate video training” series – you can access this (for free) on my blog in the top right corner of alansills.com

But…in a world where the Internet has connected us to literally every “corner” of the globe (how can a sphere have “corners”?!) – it pays to learn how to get your message out to the masses.

One tool I recently discovered is produced by a company called staged – this tool, perhaps more effectively than any other I’ve found can quickly gain you exposure to the masses – and for a reasonable fee (about 25./month). You can review a video here that explains (briefly) how it works – http://www.staged.com/learn/buildtrafficnow

Click this banner to learn more about staged.com!

I want to invite you to join me Sunday evening at 9pm EDT (5/20/12) to attend a webinar where I will share with you – step by step – how to use this marketing tool to promote what YOU are currently interested in marketing.

Register here: http://imlivewebinar.com/staged to insure that you have a seat at the table when I serve up the info! Again – get a seat for 9pm EDT 5/20.

Click to grab your seat now!

Have a great day!

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

Create STAGES and watch your business grow

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:17:38 +0000

I’m a business professional. I see myself as a “buyer” in the traditional sense (the video explains this) and as a marketer. As a marketer, I want traffic, but more specifically – QUALIFIED TRAFFIC that leads to “conversions” – that is – one who becomes a customer OR a customer who also wants to learn how to build business and grow their own enterprise!

I’m open to either!

One of the things I’ve learned is the internet is still young – but it has changed. So, you have to be a bit smarter as you generate qualified traffic…OR…you may go broke on your way to becoming independently wealthy…not a desired outcome!

So…that leads me to what you’re about to see…because I’ve found something VERY affordable …and… it is working!

Watch this video, then be sure to read what follows because I’m going to HELP YOU learn how to do what I’m doing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now…want to see some of my pages?

Ex 1: http://video.staged.com/buildtrafficnow/behind_the_scenes_a_fresh_snowfall_for_the_matter

Ex 2: http://www.staged.com/video?v=tQRb (Note on this page there is a banner to “fleabooth” – you DEFINITELY want to explore fleabooth as well!) …note: this stage uses one of my own videos

To get started with Staged (my link): http://www.staged.com/learn/buildtrafficnow

Want to learn how to use this? AND…take a detailed look “inside”?

I’m going to conduct a webinar – it will be a TEACHING webinar. You do NOT have to have purchased a subscription to Stage.com before the webinar, BUT, I encourage it. Why? I’d like you to get an account (use my link above) and then poke around the interface a bit before you come to the webinar. If you want to review this more, of course, you can come to the webinar and then sign up afterwards. To be sure you get notice of the webinar, use the optin box below to get on a list that will be notified of the date/time of the webinar.

Major topics the webinar will cover will include:

How to select good videos to use in your stages
Where to do keyword research to help you gain qualified prospects
How to create banners if what you want to promote does not offer banners to you
Which themes in Stage are the best to use
And MUCH more!

Either way… those who enroll through my link will receive ONGOING support and training. In one week, I’m amazed at what has happened and I expect to see this *really* take off in the coming weeks.

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

Aztec Ruins National Monument

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:54:56 +0000

Aztec Ruins… first, I visited this site while staying at Mom and Pop’s RV Park in Farmington, New Mexico. (A GREAT place by the way!)

The first thing I learned is the Aztec Ruins were likely NEVER occupied by Aztecs! The name was gained from the notes of an archaeologist in the mid-1800′s who was instrumental in un-earthing this site. His notes referred to this as an “aztec-like” area, and since Aztec-lore was big at that time, the local residents named the neighboring town Aztec, and the site was dubbed the “Aztec Ruins”. Built by the Puebloan (indians), and occupied by typically nomadic people who advanced to an agrarian culture about 1000 yrs ago, these structures are actually multi-story!

Visitors are actually able to walk through the structure – much of which is as it was over 1000 years ago! When you survey the pictures, look at the heights of the doorways between rooms; the kivas (deep, circular “rooms” where ceremonies were conducted.) It is thought that this area was not occupied by many residents, as an apartment building may be; instead it was a community gathering site for socializing, food preparation, storage and the like.

Why the site was abandoned is unknown. A lot of work went into designing it! The long wall – look for the shot of it – is over the length of a football field! The large circular building in the center is reconstructed from the archaeological notes made when the site was first unearthed.

I’m personally most interested in “old American towns” (soon you will see an essay on Helper, Utah), so this is about 900 years older than my “area of interest”, regardless, I found the site to be most interesting and highly recommend allocating at least 2 1/2 hours to visit – including a 30 minute video that explains the history of these people and the region.

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

Mom and Pop’s RV Park

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:02:32 +0000

Mom and Pop’s RV Park – located in Farmington, New Mexico is a VERY cool and friendly place.

Study the slides below – really look at them…Pop created the entire scene you see in the photos. I love this travelin’ lifestyle, ’cause you NEVER know who you’re gonna meet – or – what’s around the next curve! So, after my “incident” in Moab, life led me to need to be in Albuquerque in 3 days…on the way was an unassuming town called Farmington, New Mexico… it is where I met Pop of Mom and Pop’s RV park.

For those who study the photos in the slide show below in detail, look for evidence of the scene telling a story – like the railroad being built in stages; or the old west town and whats going on at each establishment. Pop is a great story teller. He is a Korean War Vet and he is on his own now after many years with “mom”.

Pop’s park is quite basic – not in a super-scenic spot, BUT, it has what you need; its priced right (low 20′s per night if I recall) AND it is centrally located to many sites you WANT to see. Upon checkin, Pop gave me a 3 page flyer on what I needed to do while I was visiting. (Oh and Pop’s wifi is strong and solid!)

Since I was only there for 1 day (I was on my way from my incident in Moab to repairs in Albuquerque), I could only reach the Aztec Ruins (click here to see a slide show of those ruins along with some detail of what the site is all about.) The ruins – a National Monument – is literally just 15 minutes from Mom and Pop’s!

Honestly, when I departed, I swore I would return – and soon – probably when I’m on the swing back north (North??) for the winter (for the winter?!) – yup! I’m gonna do LOTS of skiing this winter coming up and I’m “on the hunt” for campgrounds that are situated in the mountains near a ski resort.

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

Posture and Credibility lead to being a master recruiter

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:20:50 +0000

Posture and credibility will lead you on a road to true success in the home based business world. If you’re in search of a reliable PASSIVE income, you need to be able to recruit AND you need to model that for your team. Of course, you ALSO need to be representing a product or service that is TRULY “best in class”! The video that follows will provide you with tips designed to help you build your POSTURE and CREDIBILITY as you expose others to your business.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bear in mind… success is a journey – and you should enjoy the journey along the way. Take time to “smell the roses” and be open to learning at all times. The tips I have provided here, when practiced and implemented WILL give you greater posture and credibility – skills that will help you build your business. If you wish to connect with me to learn more – click here.

If you are already “on your way” and have some valuable “web property” – then you absolutely want to see what Chris Munch has for you here.

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

NAZI’s Socialists The Tea Party and the week is just half over!

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:25:52 +0000

Wow! What a week. Greece elects 21 NAZI’s into their Parliament. France elects a socialist. The Tea Party helps to UNseat a 6 term (36 year) career politician – Richard Lugar in Indiana. And its only Wednesday. Be sure to watch this video to gain my take on these events – I bet you hear some things you’ll agree with and HAVE NOT considered or did not know.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I promised to share a couple of links to projects I’m about to unveil to you…

Well, if you want a sneak peak and become an early adopter – perhaps learning as I learn, here goes.

Know this, I do not join or start ANYTHING without carefully evaluating “it” and IF I move forward, it is because I believe it is worth my time. So, while I’m not perfect (duh!), I do give A LOT of thought to what I invest my time and energy on.

With those thoughts – allow me to introduce you to…

Imagine taking a video – one that is ALREADY ranking or getting lots of views, and creating a “stage” around it – a stage that includes banners promoting YOUR business…

Take a look at this page:

http://video.staged.com/buildtrafficnow/fox_news__ron_paul_dominating_state_conventions

Take notice of what surrounds this youtube video. Notice the banner for “staged” – click it and review the info about this service.

Two key points:

You can use staged.com to drive traffic to your current programs (MLM or Affiliate or Brick-n-mortar)
You can profit with staged.com as a staged affiliate

The World is YOUR Stage

Next… on the SAME PAGE – look at the FleaBooth banner – imagine having a table at the flea market…now imagine having your own VIRTUAL flea market table that is open 24/7 – promoting your goods and services… check it out and take advantage of a free month’s trial by clicking the banner.

FleaBooth - YOUR Virtual Flea Market

Look for more posts from me SOON. I will detail early results on staged; I will share what I LIKE about FleaBooth…and I have 2 more unannounced specials as well… more soon.

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

She calls him out… as he SHOULD be called out

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Rough language but she really makes her point clear!
I don’t think pissed really covers it!!!!!!!!!!!
Alan Simpson, Senator from Wyoming , Co-Chair of Obama’s deficit commission, calls senior citizens the Greediest Generation as he compared “Social Security” to a Milk Cow with 310 million teats. My editorial: I’m not sure what party Mr. Simpson is from…and FRANKLY it DOES NOT MATTER. Both are ALMOST EQUALLY as disconnected.
Here’s a response in a letter from PATTY MYERS in Montana … I think she is a little ticked off! She also tells it like it is!
“Hey Alan, let’s get a few things straight..
1. As a career politician, you have been on the public dole for FIFTY YEARS.
2. I have been paying Social Security taxes for 48 YEARS (since I was 15 years old. I am now 63).
3 My Social Security payments, and those of millions of other Americans, were safely tucked away in an interest bearing account for decades until you political pukes decided to raid the account and give OUR money to a bunch of zero ambition losers in return for votes, thus bankrupting the system and turning Social Security into a Ponzi scheme that would have made Bernie Madoff proud..
4. Recently, just like Lucy & Charlie Brown, you and your ilk pulled the proverbial football away from millions of American seniors nearing retirement and moved the goalposts for full retirement from age 65 to age 67. NOW, you and your shill commission is proposing to move the goalposts YET AGAIN.
5. I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying into Medicare from Day One, and now you morons propose to change the rules of the game. Why? Because you idiots mismanaged other parts of the economy to such an extent that you need to steal money from Medicare to pay the bills.
6. I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying income taxes our entire lives, and now you propose to increase our taxes yet again. Why? Because you incompetent bastards spent our money so profligately that you just kept on spending even after you ran out of money. Now, you come to the American taxpayers and say you need more to pay off YOUR debt.
To add insult to injury, you label us “greedy” for calling “bullshit” on your incompetence.

Well, Captain Bullshit, I have a few questions for YOU.
1. How much money have you earned from the American taxpayers during your pathetic 50-year political career?
2. At what age did you retire from your pathetic political career, and how much are you receiving in annual retirement benefits from the American taxpayers?
3. How much do you pay for YOUR government provided health insurance?
4. What cuts in YOUR retirement and healthcare benefits are you proposing in your disgusting deficit reduction proposal, or, as usual, have you exempted yourself and your political cronies?
It is you, Captain Bullshit, and your political co-conspirators called Congress who are the “greedy” ones. It is you and your fellow nutcases who have bankrupted America and stolen the American dream from millions of loyal, patriotic taxpayers. And for what? Votes. That’s right, sir. You and yours have bankrupted America for the sole purpose of advancing your pathetic political careers. You know it, we know it, and you know that we know it.
And you can take that to the bank, you miserable son of a bitch .
If you like the way things are in America delete this. If you agree with what a fellow Montana citizen Patty Myers says, PASS IT ON!!!!

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

Who are America’s Entrepreneur’s Today?

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:58:10 +0000

Thanks to Brian Mudd, yes the great-great-great grandson of Harry Mudd, I was introduced to a Business Week article that talks about WHO is becoming an entrepreneur today.

STOP… A question – What age bracket would YOU say is the #1 group today becoming entrepreneurs?

Want to know and know perhaps why? Watch the video that follows…

Click here to view the embedded video.

A few excerpts from the article that were meaningful to me include

“55 to 64-year-old age group …, its share of entrepreneurs is up sharply over the past 15 years—from 14.3 percent in 1996 to 20.9 percent in 2011. Business creation was lowest among the youngest age group, 20 to 34, over the same period, according to economist Robert W. Fairlie in the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, 1996-2011.”

“Older people with experience have an entrepreneurial edge in a knowledge-based economy.”

“…the new companies are better known as “Schedule Cs,” businesses established by an aging accountant, a laid-off middle manager turned consultant, or an outsourced specialist. They’re sole proprietors with a handful of employees at most. The ranks of these establishments swelled along with the high unemployment rates of the Great Recession”

Adventurous? Want to check out something as I am as well? Visit - http://www.staged.com/go/buildtrafficnow and watch the video – if you’re like me, the idea “just makes sense”

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

CloudZow’s pay plan continues to evolve…

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:25:39 +0000

Watch this video… (then read the explanation below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

I just invested nearly 30 minutes speaking with a manager at CloudZow and have the skinny on the latest iteration of their pay plan. Understand the company is in pre-launch and the pay plan is still somewhat fluid. With that, here are the facts:

- The affiliate opportunity is still free to join and is expected to remain so
- To earn money and be fully qualified you need to be contributing $40 in personal volume. Personal volume is generated EITHER from your own purchases OR from your CUSTOMERS (these are NOT affiliates who also have the service – lets define a customer as someone who is protecting their data with a monthly subscription but has NOT signed up as an affiliate).

So for example, say you have 2 computers, that counts as $10., then you would want to get retail customers who are generating a combined additional $30 in “personal volume” monthly.

- IF you do not have $40. in personal volume, as the pay plan currently stands, you will ONLY earn money on the retail customer accounts you enroll. (That is 10% per $5 account per month)

While this is not perfect, in my mind, it still allows someone to join for nothing, and if they wish to make money, they need to enroll retail customers. In a world where EVERY computer user needs what CloudZow offers and only about 15% HAVE what they offer, this should NOT be a daunting task. As their affiliate team grows, naturally, IF the person who has LESS than $40 in personal volume, they will want to reach $40./month in volume.

Again – that could be structured as $0 from the affiliate himself and 8 retail customers each paying $5./month – this would meet the $40./month personal volume requirement.

Does this make sense as I have explained it? And… again… it is still fluid. Frankly, I proposed to CloudZow that affiliates should earn their 10% commission on BOTH customers AND personal affiliate recruits who are also using the service.

The company explained to me – and I know this has happened… some people join as an affiliate, do not take out a subscription, then go recruit others who do exactly as they did…this creates a chain of affiliates ALL of whom are paying nothing and earning nothing…and THAT is not productive for anyone!

As far as promoting CloudZow… I just joined staged.com, I am looking to use it to build traffic. The idea simply makes sense to me. If you agree, get yourself an account via the link provided.

Lastly, if you “stumbled upon” this page and want to know what CloudZow is all about… visit this page for more info - http://alansills.com/home/cloudzow-affordable-data-backup/

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional

You’ve never heard Anthony Robbins speak like this…

alan@alansills.com (Alan Sills) — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:51:53 +0000

Greetings from Tijeras, New Mexico! I’m “doing time” here waiting for a repair appointment for my 5th wheel to get repaired. In the interim, I’m living in it – and well, life *could* be tougher… I’m at a campground at about 6600 feet above sea level (1500 ft above Albuquerque). It is on the side of a mountain; a high alpine environment, and a nice cool place to work and relax (and yes…they do have wifi!)

I ‘owe you’ more pictures and videos from my Utah experiences…just been very busy with things that I will share with you … soon – and I can tell you, you’re gonna love what I share.

I’m posting today as I viewed this recently…and well, you need to know.

I can assure you of this – you’ve never heard Anthony Robbins speak like this -

I’ve met Anthony; I’ve seen him speak; I have a lot of respect for who he is and what he has done in his life AND for others.

Now, in this brief video, you’re going to hear him as you never have before…

Click here to view the embedded video.

If his message resonates with you, feel free to click a button above to share it or “facebook it”…and… leave me a comment!

I’m going to close by briefly sharing this – I recently discovered a marketing tool that *just makes sense* (at least to me)… see if it does to you as well -

http://www.staged.com/go/buildtrafficnow

AlanSills.com - Adding value and support for the entrepreneur and small business professional