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Happy 4th of July!!!!

I hope you have a great day with family and friends. It is nice to hear about everyone’s plans for swimming, BBQs, and fancy desserts. Personally, I’m having a traditional 4th, followed by my wife’s birthday on the 5th. I am loving it.

Tonight my wife and kids get back from traveling in Montana and Wyoming - can’t wait to see all of the pictures; bison, wolves, Yellow Stone, Grand Teton National Park, Old Faithful, hot springs, bear, moose, mountains etc., I hope your day is special for you too.

For those of you who have friends and loved ones in the military I want to thank you for the sacrifice that you and they are making to ensure our freedom and independence into the future. Please know that you have a grateful nation supporting you.

Have fun everyone. We will be back in action next week.

10 Little-Known Formulas for Successful Advertising - by Dean Rieck

What is your formula for creating effective sales messages? If you’re like most people, you’ll say, “AIDA,” an acronym for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It’s a classic, perhaps the most quoted formula in advertising and marketing.

However, just as a skilled craftsman expands his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of tools, a savvy marketer can expand his or her creative abilities by collecting and mastering a variety of formulas. Here are some less famous but highly inspirational formulas to add to your collection:

• ACCA. Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action. This is similar to AIDA, but “Comprehension” stresses the importance of clarity, which is vital for any persuasive message. And “Conviction” is much stronger than “Desire.” It suggests certainty.

• Attention-Interest-Description-Persuasion-Proof-Close. This is another AIDA variation by Robert Collier. Intended for sales letters, it outlines what he thought was the correct sales sequence.

• AAPPA. The eminent Victor O. Schwab suggested this commonsense, clear formula. Get Attention. Show people an Advantage. Prove it. Persuade people to grasp this advantage. Ask for action.

• AIU. This is my own formula for envelopes. It stands for Attention, Interest, Urgency. Something about an envelope must get your attention, whether it’s teaser copy, graphics, or just blank paper. This should lead to an interest in the contents and an urgency to open the envelope immediately.

• PPPP. This is a formula by Henry Hoke, Sr. It stands for Picture, Promise, Prove, Push. In many ways, it’s easier to implement than AIDA because it shows you four basic tasks you must perform to make a sale. Picture: Get attention early and create a desire. Promise: Make a meaningful promise and describe what the item will do. Prove: Demonstrate the value and support your promise with testimonials. Push: Ask for the order.

• Star-Chain-Hook. This is Frank Dignan’s charming and surprisingly fresh way to approach an advertising message. Hitch your wagon to a Star with an attention-getting opening that is positive and upbeat. Create a Chain of convincing facts, benefits, and reasons to transform attention into interest and interest into desire. Then, Hook them with a powerful call to action, making it easy to respond.

• ABC Checklist. William Steinhardt’s formula is more detailed than most and very practical: Attain attention, Bang out benefits, Create verbal pictures, Describe success incidents, Endorse with testimonials, Feature special details, Gild with values, Honor claims with guarantees, Inject action in reader, Jell with postscript.

• The String of Pearls. This is a particular method of writing copy. The idea is that you assemble details and string them together in a long line, one after another. Each “pearl” is complete in some way, but when you string all the pearls together, their persuasive power becomes overwhelming.

• The Cluster of Diamonds. Similar to the String of Pearls, this formula suggests assembling a group of details under an umbrella concept. For example, an ad might have the headline “7 Reasons Why You’ll Save Money With XYZ.” The copy would then list these seven reasons. Each detail is a “diamond” in a particular setting.

• The Fan Dancer. The analogy here is perfect, though a bit racy. The idea is to tantalize with specific details that do not actually convey information. For example, let’s say you’re selling a book on reducing taxes. Part of your copy might read: “The one secret way to pay zero taxes and get away with it (page 32). How the IRS uses your mailing label against you (page 122). Three clever ways to turn a vacation into a business tax deduction even if you don’t own a business (page 158).” As with the forgotten art of fan dancing, you reveal little and leave your audience wanting more.

Copyright © 2003 Dean Rieck. All Rights Reserved.
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Dean Rieck is a top-ranked freelance direct mail and direct marketing copywriter. He has been called “the best direct response strategist and copywriter” in America. Dean offers complete copywriting and design services for direct mail, B2B, print, sales lead generation, sales letters, e-mail and online marketing, and radio advertising. For more tips on improving your direct response advertising results, subscribe to Dean’s free direct marketing newsletter at www.DirectCreative.com.

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I found something for you that you’re gonna love…

How would you like to have an empty Inbox and a full bank account?

The Internet Marketing Cure

I came across this killer report earlier today that was written by this guy who is well known for publishing highly controversial reports on internet marketing.

Well, he’s done it again and this one is totally off the charts…

He talks about all kinds of crazy stuff from ebola viruses, to gold rush miners, to a new breed of “silent assasin” he calls “DuRus”.

He also gives some of the best advice I’ve ever read on gaining true focus and clarity, and talks about
a no-nonsense plan for taking any business to the same income levels as the “real” big boys are doing.

The stuff just makes sense.

Gotta give him credit…he tells it like it is, and you certainly won’t hear anybody else saying this kind of stuff.

Best part is though, he’s giving it all away for nothing!

Go grab your copy now…not sure how long it will be available.

The Internet Marketing Cure

Let me know what you think!

The term private equity refers to equity loans and processions that aren’t offered by a government lending agency. Instead they are offered by private businesses and even individuals. This could be an excellent option for those who are struggling to get a traditional equity loan due to their credit or the length of time their business has been established if they are self employed.

It is important to understand that obtaining a private equity loan from a private lender means you are high risk. Therefore you can anticipate having to pay a higher rate of interest. While you don’t want to be taken advantage of, you may really need to access the funds associated with the equity you have accumulated. Make sure you carefully weigh your options because it is to your advantage to work with a government backed lender when ever possible in the area of equity loans.

Make sure you carefully read over all of the information pertaining to a private equity loan. There may be stipulations that you don’t want to commit yourself to. Look for information on high charges for late fees or penalties for paying off the loan early. Many of the different lenders are predators looking for people who they can take for a ride. While it isn’t ethical, the terms and conditions are legally binding if you read them and you sign the documents.

You will find that as you and others struggle to meet your commitment under the terms of the equity loan, the lender continues to generate large amounts of profit. The really don’t have too much risk involved on their end because if you pay on time they earn a high yield of interest. If you pay late, they charge you ridiculous fees. If don’t pay the loan they will simply take control of the collateral associated with the loan.

Private equity loans should be avoided unless you simply have no other options. This is a risky process to get yourself caught up in so be very carefully about proceeding with it. On average, $135 billion in private equity loans is owed right now to various entities. While these types of loans are easy to obtain, you may find it to be a terrible financial decision for you in the long run.

Your career is likely very important to you because it provides you with a way to pay the bills and buy things you enjoy. Hopefully you have a career that you really like because too many years of a person’s life are spent in the working environment for you to dread being there.

In order to show you can handle the responsibilities of the job you have to be able to effectively manage your time on a project. Make sure you ask questions about the project you are to complete so there are no misconceptions. You don’t want to spend your time working on something and then discover it isn’t what your boss really wanted.

As soon as you know your project and the deadline, break the project into small pieces. This way you can accomplish parts of it and then move on to the next without feeling overwhelmed by the big picture. If you are working on the project with someone else make sure you both agree on the set deadline schedule.

If the project has a very long time frame you may be asked to present what you have completed to your supervisor along the way. Make sure you pay close attention to your deadlines so you don’t fall behind. In every type of business there are unexpected events that come up and eat away at your time. Make sure you allocate room for such issues to come up so you won’t be stressed out to finish the project on time.

While you are working on one segment of the project, think ahead to the next. If you need to make phone calls, order materials, or get something approved do it now. This way everything you need will be ready to go when you get to that phase of the project. It will save you time and you can keep moving along at a good pace.

You will likely need to be confident in your decisions when you are working on a project. It is fine to do some research but don’t waste your time second guessing yourself. Trust your gut instincts and run with them. Once you have completed a part of the project don’t go back and do it over and over again. You will just be spinning your wheels and struggle to get the project completed on time.

Network Marketing

Network marketing is simply another name for multi level marketing. People prefer this term though as it is an accurate reflection of the way it works. You network with other people and get them to purchase products from you. At the same time you work to encourage the people in the network to sign up to sell them as well. This is going to result in you earning money for each sell they make. Many types of network marketing also allow you to earn from the people they get to sign up, so your earning potential continues to web out in multiple directions.

Most network marketing companies require you to pay to get a membership. This is a standard practice, but in most cases the fees are very minimal. Since you will be considered an independent business consultant and not an employee of the company, you need to keep very good track of such expenses. Keep your canceled checks and receipts so that you can deduct these expenses on your tax return. Make sure you keep a good record of your income too. The majority of IRS audits are done on company’s that are independently owned.

Not all network marketing companies are legitimate, and each year people get ripped off from the membership fees they send in. It is in your best interest to contact the Better Business Bureau and make sure you are working with a legitimate company. Network marketing can work for you but it is vital that you start out with a company known of longevity, quality products, and fairness. If it sounds too good to be true, then it likely is.

If you feel you have fallen for a scam involving a network marketing company, make sure you report it immediately. While there is little that can be done about it in most cases, the information can go on record and you can prevent others from suffering the same fate. If you come across a network marketing company with little information, you should view it as a red flag. It could be a scam that has just started to contact people. It can also be one that continues to change their name frequently to stay under the radar.

We would love to hear some comments about your experience with network marketing - bring on the good, the bad and the ugly…

Your Business Checkup

Whether you’re thinking it’s Spring Cleaning Time or time for an annual checkup, your business needs to undergo a checkup each year. No matter how large or small your business is, you cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes you’ve made without analyzing the benefits and bottom line.

Here are 10 questions to get you started:

• How do your year-to-date sales compare to the last couple of years? Don’t be satisfied if you managed to match them because if sales stayed the same then you’ve achieved zero growth. With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for more trouble down the road.

• What percentage of your business is from repeat customers? This is important to know because if it’s too low, then it needs to be improved. The estimated cost of getting a new customer versus retaining an existing one can be as much as five to one in terms of dollars spent. Keeping customers is more cost-effective than constantly seeking new ones.

• How long has it been since you offered a new product or service? Loyal customers like to see you changing and progressing with the times. If you’re stuck for an idea, ask your customers what they need.

• Do you consider marketing and advertising expenses or investments? How you look at the money spent in these areas affects your willingness to spend money at all. Would you look at prescriptions as a waste of money? Marketing is really investing in you, your vision, and your company. The old adage that you must spend money to make money is true, but you must spend it wisely. Spend it on ads that are pulling responses and orders, and if they’re not maybe you need to change publications.

• Do you know what PR is and how to use it to positively position your business in the media? I’ll bet that at least one of your competitors does. Nearly every mention of a company or business in the newspapers and magazines is a direct result of publicity efforts. Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your clients and readers who are your potential prospects. A good PR consultant can do that for you and show you ways to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its publication.

• Are you listed in the yellow pages? If you only have a line listing, consider including a small ad in the yellow pages. If you can afford it, it will pay dividends throughout the year.

• Do you teat your regular customers better than your drop-ins? You should. If your customers don’t feel special when coming to you for products of services, why should they remain loyal to you? Have a customer appreciation day or a special invitation only sale for your regulars. Create a mailing list of your regulars. Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for special events or just to keep in touch. Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name when they visit you.

• How long has it been since you really talked to one of your customers? Just as you appreciate when your Doctor takes time to talk to you, your customers will appreciate you if you take an interest in their needs. If you have a service business, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you once or twice a year. The personal touch in an impersonal world will be remembered.

• How is your business doing compared to your competition? Every company, no matter what the size, has competition – even home-based businesses. Is their business growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service better than yours? If so, what can you tell potential customers about the price difference? Think about how you can improve your service to meet or exceed your customer’s expectations.

• Are your employees happy? Don’t ask them directly, but observe them throughout the day. Watch, listen and learn. Employees who like their jobs don’t watch the clock for quitting time, aren’t habitually late, don’t have poor body language, don’t spend time on personal phone calls, and don’t look like they never smiled. Observe how they interact with customers. Not everyone is a match for direct contact with the public, so make sure you don’t have an employee who is driving business away.

I can remember when I was working at my very first job out of school. It was a service business with just the owner and me at work. There was direct contact with the clients, and there was never a problem with smiling when talking face to face with them. I was given the best business tip of my life by that employer, when he pointed out to me that when talking to clients on the telephone I should smile too. For some unexplainable reason, when you smile as you talk on the phone, the exchange with the client becomes more pleasant and more productive. It’s as if that smile went right through the phone wires to the person to whom you’re talking.

Five surefire techniques for effective communication

We all communicate every day. We talk with our neighbors, resolve disputes, write business letters, personal greetings and make the occasional speech. How well we communicate our ideas depends on the techniques for effective communication which we employ. Here are five proven techniques for effective communication to improve your communication skills.

The clarity with which you present your ideas is essential. Whether you’re writing an essay or having a verbal conversation with your neighbor, you must practice clarity. To this end, strive to increase your vocabulary. Let’s say you wish to compliment your neighbor on her new hair style. “That looks good”, is not quite clear. Your neighbor may even be insulted, thinking her old style must have been terrible to evoke your remark. “I love that subtle color. It looks great with your complexion!”, is much better. You’ve made it clear what it is you like and why.

When conveying a more complex message, use an organized and logical approach. Here’s an example of how to put this technique for effective communication to work for you. Let’s say you’re meeting with your boss to discuss a proposed project. You should not arrive at the meeting unprepared. Take the time to sit down and order your material in a written format. You wouldn’t begin with telling him how one of your objectives should be met. You first want to state the problem which justifies the project. Then you might go into a step-by-step itemization of the objectives, how each will be met and the time required to implement each objective. You might conclude with any open issues. Your boss will surely appreciate the clarity, organization and logic of your presentation.

It’s been said that brevity is the soul of wit. When you’re writing Aunt Mary, you might go on for pages, with all the latest family news. However, when you’ve got a list of questions to ask your physician, you want to be concise and to the point. Enough said!

Perhaps the most valuable technique for effective communications is to remember that it’s not all about you. This is one of the most common errors people make when communicating. They get so involved with their own point of view that the other person feels completely left out and stops listening or reading. If you’re chatting with your neighbor and the conversation consists of what you’re doing, thinking and feeling, your communication is one-sided and self-serving.

This leads us to the final point when you study techniques for effective communication. Always keep in mind that communication should result in an exchange of ideas where everyone learns. You, of course, wish to persuade the other party to your point of view. However, you must leave the door open to alternate perspectives. In this way, everyone benefits.

Present your information clearly, logically and in an organized format. When appropriate, be concise. Be willing to be open to other ideas. Use these techniques and see your communication skills improve dramatically.

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
—Peter F. Drucker

Who knows best how well you’re performing as a manager? Your employees, that’s who.

But getting them to speak or write freely on the subject can be difficult. Especially if you run a small department, anonymity is crucial to them. So make it pleasurable instead of a chore for your team. Send them out to lunch together annually or twice a year—on the company’s dime—and instruct them to talk about your management skills. One person in the group will be responsible for taking notes and compiling a report for you that summarizes all that was said without citing or giving away who said what.

Yes, there may be some painful moments as you read through the feedback, but there will also be insights. You may discover that what you intended to do in some circumstances was perceived in an entirely different way by your employees. You may also learn what you’re doing well that’s appreciated, and what you need to do more of. Everyone wins with this kind of feedback approach.

MySpace

MySpace has become the social gathering place online for people of all ages. Just about everyone that uses the internet has a MySpace page. It is free to set up an account and there are plenty of wonderful features. The main page of a MySpace account is all about the individual including their likes, hobbies, pictures, and anything else they wish to share.

In addition to personal pages about people on MySpace, there are plenty of memorials. These are for people that have passed away but their friends don’t want them to be forgotten. Other people continue to come to such pages and leave messages that everyone can share. It is a great way to continue the healing process for most people.

Since MySpace has become so popular, people turn to it for information faster than they do any other type of location on the internet. With millions of hits each day, this has become somewhat of an icon for the internet. Imagine a particular type of site being able to generate that amount of traffic on a daily basis.

In addition to visiting with other people, you can find out information relating to music, sports, events, schools, and fun activities. It is also a place to discuss a variety of different issues with others that have a similar interest. Some people use their MySpace page to promote their business or their band. As a result of the number of people out there, the exposure is unbelievable.

There are plenty of videos that can be watched at MySpace as well. On any given day there are more than 50,000 of them in various categories. The majority of these are amateur videos that people create for fun or exposure. The rest are of celebrities, concerts, natural disasters, and any thing else of interest that you can imagine.

Some researchers worry about the amount of freedom that occurs on MySpace though. It is possible that online predators are able to access too much personal information about others in this manner. Parents definitely need to be aware of what is taking place on their child’s MySpace account. Make that part of the agreement for them to have one. While there are dozens of other social websites that have been ignited due to the popularity of MySpace, not of them have had the same level of success.

A cool and inspirational video - only view this video if you are ready to be motivated…

What can you learn about business from a children’s movie? You can learn some great entrepreneurial lessons from the recent film "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" starring Johnny Depp.

WARNING -Spoiler Alert- If you have not seen the movie (or the older version) yet, this article may give away a few elements of the story that could reduce your enjoyment of the film. You can always come back and read it after you have seen the picture.

Marketing

"Find 1 of 5 Golden Tickets in a Willy Wonka product and be one of the first people in a long time to visit the magical chocolate factory. Also, one kid will win a special prize that will exceed your wildest imagination."

This is an excellent promotion. It sparks interest in Willy Wonka products, builds brand awareness, and most importantly; it significantly increases sales. The media picks up on the promotion and generates a tremendous amount of free publicity. Word of mouth referrals help spread the promotion to areas that were untouched by newspapers and television.

Positive Thinking

There are many "naysayers" who discourage the main character, Charlie, from getting his hopes up about finding one of the lucky Golden tickets. Negative thinking can be devastating, especially to a child. However, Charlie does not take heed of the negativity. Supported by his Grandmother’s constant reassurance, Charlie keeps a positive outlook and believes that he has as good a chance as any other kid to find one of the five tickets.

Don’t Quit

Charlie refuses to give up on his dream of finding a ticket. After he doesn’t find one on his first, and probably only, attempt - he doesn’t quit. Charlie believes that he will get one of those tickets. Providence provides two more opportunities and amazingly, Charlie finds the last ticket! This is especially significant because it had been falsely reported that all of the tickets had been found.

A Good Support Network

Charlie has an excellent support network. Although very poor in financial terms, Charlie is very rich in family. He lives in a loving environment and appreciates every member of his household. He selflessly offers to sell his ticket to provide some much needed cash for his family, instead of taking the special chocolate factory tour. His family will have nothing of it and encourages him to pursue this once in a lifetime opportunity.

When Willy Wonka offers to make Charlie his heir, Charlie refuses because accepting the offer would mean that he probably would never see his family again. Willy Wonka later makes the offer again, but allows Charlie to bring his family this time. Charlie’s family then extends its hospitality to Mr. Wonka and he ends up gaining the positive and supporting network that he had needed as well.

Four Good Lessons

If you are an entrepreneur or are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, remember these lessons from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It takes good marketing, positive thinking, and a good support network to get started. Most importantly, don’t quit - your success may be only one candy bar away.

Updae from Strategic Profits Live

Check out this "short" but revealing clip from today’s presentation from Rich Schefren. He reveals in all of its simplicity the two most important factors for becoming a maven. Don’t be fooled by it’s simplicity and succinct message…

http://www.strategicprofits.com/blog/day-2

If you are ready for the message, this video will really open your eyes, so take a look right now. Enjoy!

At Home Based Business Opportunities for You

Have you ever considered a different career path than the one you chose? It’s okay if you have. This is something virtually everyone does at some point or another in their lives. It’s perfectly natural to become curious about a different line of work. In fact, you may even take it a step further an actually try to tackle a new job field. Believe it or not, but many people are looking into new-age at home based business opportunities that allow them more freedom overall. Can you imagine working solely out of your humble abode with no supervisor telling you what to do?

The first step to starting a company of sorts out   of your home is brainstorming all sorts of at home based business opportunities. There is really no end to this list if you put your mind to it. Maybe you’re interested in developing a product such as organic soap, and then marketing it online.     This business idea could go a long way in this day and age. Everyone is always searching high and low for organic alternatives and the Internet certainly has the ability to help you market your product. The truth is you could easily begin this business at home, set your own schedule and deal with consumers via the web. Now, you can hardly beat that! Most corporate employees never get that kind of occupation freedom wit their jobs.

Why do you think so many individuals are currently interested in home based business opportunities? It’s really not a tough question if you consider the perks of being self-employed. Suddenly you would have the power to work each day without even leaving your house, you’d be able to determine your hours and work load, you’d be able to spend more time wit your family and friends, and you’d be able relax on a whim, not having to worry about whether or not some authority figure is watching your every move. This is what the world of at home based business opportunities is all about. Take a moment now to ponder the different ways you could earn a great income from the comfort of your home. There is a wonderful at-home career just waiting around the corner for you!

Article Sponsor — To start home business has become very easy after the advent of internet. All you have to do is to get some web space. One thing one should take care of is to buy domain from the best web hosting company as it will affect the traffic of the website. Once you are online you can promote your website by direct marketing techniques.