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  • Why Do Great Ideas Fail To Make Money?
    Ever have a great idea, a perfect moment of clarity, and then fail to take action only to see others succeed with your idea?
  • Unleash Your Creativity
    We live in a hectic time.

    Ours is an instant gratification society. We want it now. Yet, as we reflect on the best things in our lives, we often find the truly important things (like relationships, love and peace) took time to develop.

    The 'always on' nature of the tools we use in business can all too easily trap us into believing that we can function as machines too.

    But we're not machines, we're human beings.

    Is there a way to achieve peak performance and happiness in life too? Of course.
  • Are You Swimming with the Sharks?
    A number of years ago a business book was written with the title "Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive". The Internet is a lot like the title of that book.
  • The Most Important Marketing Skill
    As you make your plans to succeed, I want to share with you what I consider to be the #1 skill you will need to succeed online. To possess this skill is to avoid what is perhaps the top reason that people fail in business.
  • Protecting Passwords on Your PDA
    Say it with me. I LOVE my PDA!!!

    But if I lost mine I would be up a very unpleasant creek without the proverbial paddle. What's a PDA user to do??

    All we can do is protect ourselves. Here are three low tech (but highly effective) ways to protect your most sensitive data.
  • FAQ on your PDA
    Have you ever tried to mentally recall an often-used piece of data but were unable to remember all of it? Whether it's the pin number for your bank card (Was it 1408 or 1804?) or your spouse's birthday (Uh-oh!)...
  • Do You Plan to Succeed?
    Many people complain that they just don't get enough done. Do you sometimes feel like you don't have enough time to get it all done? Here's a way to redeem the time, starting now, and make every day do double duty.

    The key is to plan your week in a way that ensures important tasks are done, while releasing your creativity. Let's look at 6 steps to do just that.
  • Database Basics
    We all use databases every day. In fact, you probably used several databases today without really giving it much thought.

    Your email program, your address book, your accounting program... they are all databases.

    Remember the Rolodex? It was a database too!

    A database is simply a collection of data. While a database can be quite complicated, most databases are easy to understand. Once you understand them, they're easy to use.
  • Power Searching
    Information on the Internet is a two edged sword. On the one hand, it's fantastic to be able to sit at your desk [regardless of attire] ;) and find things that used to require a trip to the library, or, if you were lucky, a phone call to the research department. Want to know how much money Martha Stewart makes? No problem. Need a dictionary or encyclopedia and want the most current information for free? The Web's got that too.

    On the other hand it's *very* easy to get bogged down looking at site after site and never find what you really wanted. There's just SO MUCH out there that you could spend literally weeks of wasted time.

    We've probably all had the experience of using our favorite search engine, typing in what we thought were the right keywords, and getting several *million* hits. Who has time for that? Not me and I'll bet not you.
  • Tame the Email Monster
    Email crept quietly into our lives a few years ago. At first, the notion of email was fun, new, exciting. "I'll EMAIL it to you", we said to one another, wanting to be efficient and up to the moment. We understood technology. We got it. We had email.

    Fast forward to today and you find a completely different picture. Today, we're drowning in email. We get more and more spam (not the fine Hormel product) every day. Our inboxes are jammed with notes from family and friends, orders and price requests and unwanted solicitations to buy herbal viagra.

    Today I bring you GOOD NEWS if you are swamped by email. You CAN tame the email monster that lives in your PC by using the five tried and true methods below.
  • Staying Safe with Email
    We all rely on email to communicate, do business and stay in touch with loved ones. Much like the electricity in your house, you never think of your email being unavailable.

    Yet there are dangers in the world of email. People with nothing better to do than be destructive spend their days and nights dreaming up ways to infect your computer and destroy your data.

    There are ways you can protect yourself and make using email a worry free and fun experience.
  • What Matters Most by Charlie Page
    As the gray skies of winter become less frequent, and new life takes their place, now is the perfect time to think about priorities. I'm not talking about New Years resolutions that fall by the wayside in only a few weeks, but rather the real priorities that shape our lives and control our actions.

    Everyone has priorities. Some people are very involved in setting goals and write their priorities down in a formal list. Some think about priorities on special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, while others never give them a second thought. Expressed or not, we all have priorities.

    What matters most to you?
  • Passion, Planning and Action ... A Triple Threat
    Do you remember the last time you had a super-charged goal setting session? You probably left that session feeling like the world was your oyster. You could take on any challenge, climb any mountain, overcome any obstacle!

    Then it came time to organize those dreams into concrete action steps. When you did that, did you still feel that same sense of passion, or had it faded just a bit?
  • Never Surrender Your Dream
    Do you have a dream today? Can you see yourself in one year, three years, ten years?

    Far from some pie-in-the-sky hype, dreams are the currency of the Internet.

    Many reading these words right now dream of quitting their job and working at home. Some dream of having a home of their own. Some don't dream any more.

    My friend, your dream is your roadmap. Without it how will you know where you are going?

    Listen to these words by Brian Tracy ...
  • Avoiding Distractions While Working at Home
    If you've worked from home for more than a few days, you may have discovered it can be a little (OK, a LOT) distracting. These distractions can have a negative impact on your business's bottom line.

    One problem that home workers face is that the rules are simply different when you work from home. Often our motivations are different too. A big part of the reason people work from home is to be able to set their own hours. People want the freedom to go outside for a half hour and read a book, or play with the kids when they come home from school. Yet too much of this type of activity (the very REASON we work from home) will hurt our business.

    How do you find the balance? While imitating the way you worked at the office won't do the trick, adding some much needed organization and setting some practical guidelines will.
  • Staying Current without Losing Your Mind
    We all deal with information overload. The sources of information, much of it necessary to our jobs, seem endless. Magazines, journals, memos, email, web sites and more, combined with endless meetings, provide us with more data than any person can handle.

    To cope, we must possess skills that allow us to process huge amounts of data yet stay current on the information we need to perform at a winning level. Consider these three methods to bring your information flow under control.
  • Developing Online Credibility
    The Internet has changed the way the world does business. Today you can sell goods and services to people across the world as easily as if they were across the street.
  • Keeping Clients Happy in Hard Times
    We all face difficult times at some point. When problems come our way we can become so occupied "fighting the fires" that we forget our clients in the process.

    We must remember that our clients choose us, not the other way around.
  • How To Write Copy That Sells, Even If You Think You Can't!
    You can write great selling copy!

    As a copywriter by profession, I may be accused of being a little nuts for saying that (some copywriters love to think only they can write) but it's true.
  • Are Your Words Killing Your Success?
    No where is crystal clear communication more important than on the Internet.

    When we speak on the phone, or face to face, we can count on the inflection in our voice or the expression on our face to make up for any lack of clarity in the words we choose.

    Not so when the *only* tool at your disposal is words.

    Whether you communicate your message via a Web site, publish an ezine, or utilize wireless technology (even if you snail mail a newsletter), the bottom line is that poor copy will kill your business and great copy will make it thrive.

    So what are the secrets to writing effective messages on the Internet?
  • Are You Being Heard
    Communication is a funny business. When you speak with others, are you sure they hear what you are really saying?

    While we may choose our words carefully, sometimes the message just doesn't get through. Our body language, tone, facial expressions make up what we call true communication.

    Let's look closer at four simple steps that will help those we work with understand us better.
  • Recap Benefits To Create More Sales
    Want to make more sales the quick and easy way? Then follow this simple formula, and create a sixty second summary page for your readers!

    The problem is all too common.

    * People don't have time to read long sales letters.
    * Long sales letters produce better results.

    So how can you solve that problem on your website?
  • When to Offer a Discount
    We live in a world of discounters. Long before Sam Walton sprung on the scene and gave us Wal-Mart, there were the occasional 'dollar stores', KMart and even old line chains like TG&Y. The mindset of the consumer was more focused on quality than on getting it cheaper.

    Now it seems if you throw a rock you hit a discounter.

    In this day of "I can get it cheaper at Wal-Mart", how do we continue to do an excellent job for our clients AND maintain enough profit margin to stay in business? Can we position ourselves in such a way that we don't have to fight the price battle every day? Can we run a legitimate sale without angering customers when the sale ends?
  • Create a Circle of Influence
    We meet many people in the course of our careers. Some we will get to know casually while others will become close friends and trusted allies. Then there are those I call 'centers of influence.'

    These 'centers of influence' people are like the hub of a giant wheel. As you look back, you can see where so very many good things, things like contacts, sales and help just when you needed it most, have come from this one person.

    Wouldn't it be great if you could know that a person was to become a 'center of influence' in your life *before* it happened?

    Here's the good news... you can!!
  • Happy Groundhog Day
    Studies show that it costs from four to TEN TIMES MORE to create a new client than it does to keep an existing client. Yet one look at most marketing plans quickly reveals that companies spend most of the their time, money and effort to make new customers!

    The key to long term profits is in the repeat, or "backend" sales we make to existing clients. No money need be spent to find, capture and convince these people because they already like and trust us!

    How do we cause clients to buy from us again and again?

    We WOW 'em!

    How do you WOW a client? It involves great service, excellent pricing ... and maybe a groundhog.
  • How To Increase Sales in December
    With news stories predicting a 25% increase in online spending this Christmas season over last, it's time to tune up our web sites so that shoppers feel comfortable enough to whip out the Visa and buy.

    While recent trends indicate more online buying than ever this year, reports also clearly point out that people are VERY concerned about privacy and identity theft.

    So, how do you get your slice of a very large pie and soothe shopper's concerns at the same time?

    Here are three things that you can do today to make buyers feel safer, which *will* translate into higher sales.
  • How People Buy
    The Internet is a powerful selling tool. Never before has it been easier to start a business, be able to reach out to literally millions of potential customers and make your business succeed.

    The Internet also offers us new tools to succeed. Email makes communications instant whether across the street or across the globe. Websites act as virtual storefronts, allowing us to stay open 24/7. Newsletters like this one inform, educate and even give us an occasional smile.

    Some tools, like the Directory of Ezines and Directory of Marketing, are very advanced indeed, allowing you to find your perfect market in only minutes.

    Yet time has taught us that there is much more to success than simply having a web site or using these tools. Time has taught us that the fundamentals of selling haven't changed, even if the tools are state of the art.
  • Tell a Story ... Make a Sale
    We live in an age of change. That change seems to be focused in part on making everything happen faster. We eat fast food, drive fast cars, and consume information at a record pace.

    Nowhere are these changes more evident than the Internet. In the time it would take to make one phone call, we can dash off an email to a thousand (or 100,000) prospects.

    But when it comes to selling, is faster better? I submit that it is NOT better. In fact, I submit that it hurts our selling efforts. Here's why.
  • How To Translate Features Into Benefits
    The bottom line in selling is simple. People buy what they want. Always have. Always will.

    The key for business people like you and me is to quickly tell our prospective customers why they should want what we have. In other words ... benefits!

    Understanding the difference between a feature and a benefit is vital, and easy.

    A feature is what your product does.

    A benefit is what is does for me!
  • Supersize Those Fries
    Today we examine a concept that is so powerful it can increase your average order by up to 300%. That concept is called upselling. Upselling is vital to your success online and I consider it a core skill for any Internet Marketer.

    You've seen upselling in retail stores like WalMart or your local grocery store. In fact, you've probably been upsold many times.

    Upselling is simply selling your customer something additional that they want or need AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. Like a pack of gum at the register in the grocery store. Or a bottle of wine strategically placed in the cheese section.

    Simple, yet powerful, upselling can skyrocket your bottom line. The funny thing is that most online marketers miss this technique completely.
  • How to Sell Anything
    Web sites exist for essentially two purposes. The first is to provide information. The second is to sell. If your purpose for being online is to sell products or services, but you don't have tons of sales experience to fall back on, this article is for you!

    Selling is not some mysterious process that happens in smoke filled rooms or some gift you are born with. At it's core, selling is really finding out what people want and providing a way for them to get it. And you must take the buyer through a certain logical order before they will buy.

    Like almost any other skill, selling can be learned.
  • How To Promote An Over-Promoted Product
    I'll bet you've seen the ads.

    "Earn $500 a day!"
    "No selling. No phone calls. Etc. Etc."
    "Fire your boss!"

    Sometimes it feels like everyone is promoting the same thing at one time. Some years back it was the Cookie Cutter or SFI.
  • Affiliate Success Checklist
    You have probably heard that you have to be in 'affiliate programs' to get ahead on the Internet. We all hear about people making huge incomes being a 'super affiliate' and how these programs are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

    But what IS an affiliate program and can we really make any money with them? Sometimes it's very confusing.

    To help clear up that confusion, following are some basic definitions along with a checklist that is useful when examining any program.
  • How to Choose an Affiliate Program
    We all hear that you have to be in 'affiliate programs' to get ahead on the Internet. We hear about people making huge incomes being a 'super affiliate' and how these programs are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

    While it IS true that you can make very good money with affiliate programs, it's equally true that you can waste tons of time on them. Let's look together at the basics of affiliate programs as well as some things to watch out for if you decide to affiliate.

    First, what does the word 'affiliate' mean?
  • The Sweet "Peas" of Ezine Success
    In recent months, it has been easy to see that email and ezine marketing have been under attack. Who are the attackers?

    Some are the unethical marketers who flood our inboxes with messages we don't want, creating a perception that things are just out of control. Some are legislators who want to make a name for themselves by grand-standing that they are going to "fix the problem".

    Some are industry insiders who have an agenda that works best if email marketing goes away. And some are the big email marketers, who want to eliminate competition and consolidate the business for themselves.

    Some are even proclaiming (quite loudly) "email marketing is dead!"

    Happily, that assertion is completely wrong. Here's why.
  • The Law of Large Numbers
    One of the things that excites people about the Internet is the **huge** audience that exists online. The Net truly is a marvel, allowing anyone with a dialup connection to compete with Fortune 100 companies.

    One of the best ways to reach those large numbers, while staying true to your objectives of targeting a niche market, is ezine advertising.
  • The Power of Thinking Small . . . Is Bigger Always Better?
    Internet marketers seem to want everything to be big. The biggest list. The most traffic. The highest number of "hits".

    Now realize that I'm from Texas and we admire big. In fact, we're famous for it. ;)

    But is bigger always better? That depends. When it comes to ezine advertising, it works both ways.
  • The Essence of Ezine Success
    Since the Directory of Ezines began in 1998 we've seen thousands of ezines come and go. Some that we thought would succeed beyond anyone's wildest dreams lasted only a few months. Some that started modestly are still going today with membership numbers that are staggering.

    I've been asked more times than I can count "What makes a successful ezine?" While I don't pretend to have all the answers, if you were my brother or sister this is what I would tell you.
  • Smaller is Better
    What is the one thing that you see in almost every ezine you read?

    Classified ads.

    The reason you see so many classified ads in ezines, on web sites and other places is simple.

    They work.

    Classified advertising is one of the most cost effective forms of advertising on the Net today. Like most things that seem very simple on the surface, a great deal of work goes in to writing a powerful classified ad.
  • Swap Articles to Get More Subscribers
    An article swap is something like an ad swap, only more powerful. The idea of exchanging, or swapping, ads has been around for years. An ad swap is simply when two (or more) publishers exchange ads in each other's publications.
  • Test for Success
    What do you think of when you hear the word "test"?

    Do you remember that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach as you prepared for the SAT? Do you think of the grin on your least favorite teacher's face as she handed you back a paper full of red marks?

    Well here's the good news. Now you get to GIVE the test!
  • How to Market with Ezine Articles
    Of all the ways that people have invented to sell things over the Internet, writing free articles to run in ezines is perhaps the most effective. One great thing about this method of marketing is that you can do it with NO money. So if you are just starting your Internet marketing career, put away the Visa and warm up that keyboard!

    Article marketing may be the perfect way to market. It's free to do. It educates prospects. It gets your message in front of thousands of interested prospects you would NEVER reach otherwise. It's viral. Best of all ... it works!

    So what is "article marketing" and how can it impact your world? Glad you asked. ;)
  • Do Ezine Ads Still Work?
    As a person who is deeply involved in the ezine advertising business, I often hear people asking "Does ezine advertising still work?"

    My answer to these questions is this ...

    Darn right they work.

    In fact, they work now better than ever before.

    Allow me to share with you, by way of this ezine, why I believe ezines still work to make sales, build credibility, establish relationships, and more.
  • Are You Pushing or Pulling?
    To succeed in business on the Internet it is important to be able to see the big picture. Yet seeing the big picture is hard when you are trying to find the right product or program, make sales happen, handle customer service, and trying to find time for a life.

    But seeing the big picture tells us where we should advertise, which is *vital* to our success.

    Let's take the next five minutes to look at that big picture, and see where your marketing efforts should go.
  • Follow Up For Success
    Let's say that you have written a great ad and found just the perfect ezines in which to place your ad by dipping into the rich resources of the Directory of Ezines.

    Your ad is set. You have found the most cost-effective places to run your ad. Now what?

    Now it's time to be ready to take advantage of the responses that come in.

    Did you know that over half of the people who respond to any ad will not buy the first time? In fact, research has shown that it can take an average of seven contacts before a person buys from you. This means you need a plan to capture those sales which otherwise would be lost.

    To maximize the profit potential from each ad you run, use this five-step formula to create a super charged follow up system.
  • Make Your Site Sticky
    Everyone who owns a web site wants it to be "sticky". We want visitors to stay on our site long enough to see what we have to offer ... and hopefully buy something.

    In this regard, web sites and offline stores have something in common. While we both suffer from our share of "tire kickers" (those who never intended to buy), we know that the longer a person stays in our store the greater the odds that they will buy something. And much like an offline store, we entice them in every way we can to stay a while.

    Here are four ways to put more sticky in YOUR site.
  • The Other Side of Traffic
    It seems that every guru (and would-be guru) in the land is talking about traffic.

    This information usually comes in hype-filled fashion, using terms like "How to get 'laser focused' traffic in massive amounts to your site for so little money it makes you laugh until things fall out of your nose!"

    Getting good traffic to your site IS a tough needle to thread. You can easily spend hundreds on software that is hard to use, at best. You can also throw money down a rat- hole buying traffic that ends up wanting to have nothing to do with your offer. And trying to keep up with the search engine rule changes can make you go nuts.

    That's why an entire industry has sprung up to help you get traffic ... for a price.
  • The Host with the Most
    One of the first things we hear when we begin our online business is that you HAVE to have a web site to make sales. While that is not technically true, it certainly is true for 99.9% of us.

    While having a web site may be the conventional wisdom (some people have 5, 6, or more!) getting the **right** site for you is no easy matter. There are many factors that will contribute to the success, or lack of success, of any web enterprise.

    A business person must carefully consider which products to sell, at what price, to what market, using what sales copy, and more.

    One of the big factors is **who** will host your web site. You can have the greatest site in the world, full of pretty pictures and containing copy that makes people fall all over themselves pulling out the old credit card, BUT if your web host is down, you are out of business!
  • Selling Great Products
    E-commerce is wonderful, offering anyone with a dialup connection the ability to be in business for themselves, but at the end of the day, you've got to provide a great product.

    What separates a great product from a "ho-hum" product? What products make people reach for their credit cards and buy now? What products *really* sell on the Internet?

    Let's look together at three characteristics of a great product and how that applies to the real world.
  • Where's the Money?
    You've heard it before and will hear it again. You MUST accept credit cards to succeed online.

    While there have been many attempts to find a payment method other than credit cards, the fact is that paying by credit card is what people want.

    People love to use their credit card on the Web for the same reason they buy overpriced gallons of milk at a corner store when a real market is only blocks away ... convenience.

    As sellers we MUST make the buying process as quick and easy as possible in order to capture the most sales.
  • The Power of the Press Release
    Should I use a Press Release in my business? Perhaps this thought has occurred to you as you have read some "guru" tell you how much money he or she made with a press release. Or maybe you have a friend who did well with a press release and you're wondering if it's right for you.

    The bottom line is that a great Press Release can do a world of good for your business, and help you make more money, IF you use it right and you are a good candidate. Here are some guidelines to help you decide if a Press Release is right for you.
  • One Good Idea Can Change Everything
    Have you ever felt like you just cannot find that one thing that will help you achieve your goals?

    Many of us feel that we have missed that one great idea that could help us get ahead ... help us live the life we dream about.
  • How to Spot the Next Big Trend
    Did you ever wish that you could have a 'crystal ball' to predict what the next big thing will be on the Internet?

    The bottom line to success in any endeavor is to be at the right place at the right time. If you think it through you will quickly see that BOTH elements need to be in place for meaningful success to occur.

    Want to learn how to spot the next big thing on the Web? Read on and you'll begin to get a glimpse of things to come.
  • Are You Ready for the Coming Business Expansion?
    There are few times when everyone agrees on something. Fewer times still when *economists* agree.

    Yet today we see almost all leading economists agreeing that 2004 will be the beginning of a business expansion similar to the 1980s.

    What does this mean to you, the online business person?

    Although this may sound odd, selling in good times is harder than you think. The reason for this is that most online business people fail to switch the *type* of offer they make when economic conditions change.

    Here are four changes that you will see take place if the economy does improve, along with a word about how you can capitalize on them EARLY. Being early is the key!
  • Are Safelists Safe?
    If you are like me, you are ALWAYS on the lookout for an easier way to sell your products, get people to join your opportunity, or subscribe to your ezine.

    Today we take a look at how to do that using safelists.

    Safelists CAN BE one of the hidden gems of Internet marketing. You can sell any product or service with safelists, but if you are a member of SFI, Cash Evolution, or another opportunity-oriented program, pay special attention.

    If you've ever wondered "Do people really READ that mail?" or "Isn't that just a trick to get my email address?" then read on. Today we look at the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to safelists.
  • Marketing With Newsgroups
    Today I'm going to share with you one of the most powerful free advertising methods I know. Surprise... it isn't ezines!

    Back in the early days of the Internet there were three essential tools... FTP (file transferring), email, and newsgroups. While we all use email, and programs like FrontPage have made FTP all but a thing of the past, newsgroups are a forgotten resource. But it need not be so. In fact, newsgroups can be a powerful part of any marketing plan.
  • Help Others Help You
    The Internet is a vast electronic world with millions of people online at any one time. Yet it is all too easy for a person to be online for 10 hours or more a day, even deal with hundreds of emails, and still feel completely alone. This sense of isolation is bad for your outlook, and even worse for your business.

    The good news today is that there is a simple philosophy that will eliminate isolation while increasing the size of your bank account. That idea…
  • YOU Are the Brand
    How many times have we heard "Xerox this", when the copier involved may not be a Xerox brand at all? What brand do you think of when you hear the words "Just do it"?

    Branding is a powerful tool in our business lives. While Nike and Xerox are prime examples of this idea, all businesses can benefit from branding.

    The key factor in branding is this: on the most basic level, the level where clients live and work, your company is represented by a person. In your business that person may be you.
  • The #1 Website Mistake
    Sometimes it seems that there is so much to do in order to make a website successful.

    * "Copy is king!" cry the copywriters.
    * "Advertise or die!" shout the ad sites.
    * "Joint ventures are it!" proclaim the JV "brokers"

    So who is right and who is full of hot air?

    Truthfully ... no one knows.

    What we DO know is this. There are basic tactics that you MUST use if you want your site to make sales.

    Follow these tactics and you will succeed in time. Avoid using these tactics and your success will be limited, and you will be trapped, trying to get ever more visitors.
  • Seven Success Secrets
    I think we have all asked the same question at one time or another. That question is ...

    "What does it really take to succeed online?"

    If we listen to the emails and websites we read, we hear many strong opinions.

    "Create your own product"
  • Four Steps To Writing a Great Classified Ad
    Classified ads are everywhere!

    You see them when you read your favorite ezine.

    You see them on all the search engines in the form of pay per click ads like Google AdWords.

    And you see them on blogs and forums too!
  • Five Ways To Spot A Great Product
    One of the challenges to working online is the huge number of choices we have. While more is sometimes better, when it comes to chosing which tools to use to run or establish your online business, things can get confusing ... fast.
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