THE GR8 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GR8

Health Guide | Correct way of eating Fruits

2009-11-11T14:34:00.000+05:30

Correct Way of Eating Fruits

EATING FRUIT - GuideWe all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think It's important to know how and when to eat..What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! - FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.If you eat fruit on an empty stomach, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD - Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit.. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid.. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat water-melon I burp, when I eat durian (fruit from Asia with a foul smell yet delicious flavor) my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc. - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes - all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans.. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste.Cooking destroys all the vitamins.But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoid which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
ORANGE: Sweetest medicine, eating 2 to 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.
Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can you believe this??For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this...It could save your life!

Hot Chocolate...

2009-11-11T14:32:00.000+05:30

Hi all, this is a nice story, worth reading.A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking ata reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, nowretired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaintsabout stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate,the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hotchocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, someplain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to helpthemselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hotchocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nicelooking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheapones". While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves,that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you'redrinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In mostcases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what wedrink.What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but youconsciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing eachother's cups.Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money andposition in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold andcontain life.The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality oflife you have.Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hotchocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man choosesthe cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. Theyjust make the best of everything that they have.Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy yourhot chocolate. With all good wishes

Every girl's desire who go in for an arranged marriage....

2009-08-25T14:38:00.000+05:30

A walk to remember .The woods were lovely dark and deep. Walking slowly beside her, in thedamp mud road, was her husband whom she barely knew. He was veryrelaxed, happily watching a group of kids playing at a distance.Her "mehandi" was still dark and smelling fresh, reminding of the excitements and tension 2 days back. "It cant work this waymom...please stop this", she kept telling her mother till the lastmoment,who wouldnt listen but carry on with beautifying her.She hadbeen crying all night and her make-up had to be patched up twice or thrice to hide her awkwardly swollen face.It was too late now.She had to get married "NOW" to the guy...The guywhom she had seen once and talked thrice.The guy about whom she knewnothing at all but for his name and work.Everything happened in ahurry and everthing was over before she could breathe again... herewas she with this guy, all alone in this hill station... how cananybody send their daughter such a long distance with a stranger???"Hey look at that....!!!" he shouted in excitement... she shrugged and looked where his finger pointed...Bright colored balloons dotted the sky. Children were jumping in joyand he seemed to be completely absorbed into it...colors are alwaysexciting...but not now.She was not with her friends, not with her teammates, not even with her parents. This was not a 3 day tour or teambuilding trip.This was her life and she has been forced to start off with this person.Loneliness and discomfort with this stranger was sickening...Shelooked at him in wonder... does he even realize that he has marriedme?Does he understand that he has to love me,protect me,care for me,a new girl,a stranger,all his life?The marriage morning started like a daylight nightmare for her.Thefirst time in life she felt she should have fallen in love and thenmarried somebody. some man who she would have felt more comfortablewith, someone whom she could call by name and introduce to friends,someone whom she could trust. But marriage morning was obviously not the time to think all these.Her parents would never have said "no" if she had declared that shewas in love.But she was not emotionally attached to anybody shemet,especially guys.She was very friendly,playing,teasing, but neverhad second thought for any man around her.That brought the entireresponsibility of looking for a groom on her parents' shoulders.Herparents had had a very bad time with this entire process.They startedtheir groom search with unending "&" operation. The concatenation of"Horoscope matching" & "Decent family" & "Good looking" & "Good pay" &"same cast" & so on... that always gave 0 output.Now after all that 8months hunt,they were not ready to hear her "ifs" and "buts" for this 'good guy'.She had explained to her father.She does not feel anything for this person.He is nothing more to me than any other softwareprofessional.Like list of names she sees in the chat rooms. Distantand usual...Her father asked her to talk to him and even meet him anddiscuss their likes and dislikes.That meeting started like theinduction programme self introduction and ended like a 3 hourseminar.She was waiting to get away from that place."So did you talkwith him?"."yes"."was he polite and decent"."yes"."Oh he got thatspecial flavoured tri-color icecream...!!!".OK.All her family andrelatives discussed...She was given the chance to "understand her lifepartner" and that they have understood each other "well" and she is ready for the marriage now.All arrangements geared up and it was 24 days after her first meetingthat she was getting married to her man... perfect match as everybodyelse described.Marriage hall was full with excited people, kids gotthe chance to play,ladies got the chance to wear the silk saree.Thesmell of rose and jasmine filled the hall.Different poses for thephotographer and atrificial smiles for the videos.The moment he hadtied the sacred thread was unexplainable vaccum in the head.It wasover.She was his wife.Accepted by the society and law.Her proudparents were relaxed.This was their duty they had been planning tofulfill since she was born.All this crowd will fade away,leaving her to explore her new world...He pulled her hand gently to sit on the stone bench.The bench was wetand the chillness was indeed enjoyable."So what are you thinkingabout?"... that was an unexpected ball.should she reply?should she besilent?She remembered the two hour presentation she had taken lastmonth.Bold and confident, she kept answering all the queries with abroad smile.Now she remained silent."Do you know honey... I was notfor this marriage too..." Oh my God... what did i hear??? did HE tellthat or did i think aloud? what does he mean?didnt he like me?was heforced into this? He must have noticed the quizzical look on myface...with a gentle smile he continued..."I wanted to look for a girlmyself,buy her everything,care for her,argue with her,laugh and crywith her,then get married to her... Anything otherwise would be adrama. Traditional drama and i was not for it anytime. But my love formy work and also my stress would not give me time and mind to searchthat girl...When your parents talked to me 2 weeks before ourmarriage, about your fear of getting married,to a stranger, i couldcompletely understand your mind. I could see myself in you and thatwas the moment i decided i will marry you.There was no time to provemyself to you,make you trust me,everything happened in a hurry.Butthere was the entire life before me, to please you,to love you, tomake you trust me.This is no less than what i had dreamt,the girl iwas waiting for,is you.Now tell me... will you love me???" Tears camedown her cheek.Her parents had done more than their duty.They hadfound her the perfect guy. Thank you Mom!!! Thank you Dad!!! His question remained unanswered yet both knew the answer....

Bus PAssenger

2009-08-14T11:40:00.001+05:30

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive
young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the
steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the
location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat
he'd told her was empty. Then she's settled in, placed her
briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Susan became blind. Due to a medical
misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly
thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity.
'How could this have happened to me?' she would plead, her heart
knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or
prayed, she knew the painful truth, her sight was never going to
return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic
spirit. All she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his
heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into
despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength she
needed to become independent again.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she
get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to
get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to
work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the
city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to
protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the
slightest task. Soon, however Mark realized that this arrangement
wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly.

Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted
to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him
cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?
Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking
the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I
supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning
me."

Mark's heart broke but he knew what had to be done. He promised
Susan that each day he would ride the bus with her until she got
the hang of it.

And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark,
military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each
day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses to determine
where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped
her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save
her a seat. Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark
would take a cab back to his office.

Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the
previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan
would be able to ride the bus on her own. Finally, Susan decided
that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning
arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her
temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend.
Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his
patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they
went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday....
Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt
better.

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was
paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure
envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or
not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had
struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? "Why
do you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and
protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was
talking about, "What do you mean?" The driver said, "You know,
every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a
military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you
when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely
and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he
blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are
one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she
couldn't see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was
blessed, so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than
sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love
that can bring light where there had been darkness.

"You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is
beautiful because you love her..."

girl and boy

2009-08-14T11:39:00.001+05:30

A girl and a boy were on a motorcycle, speeding through the night.
They loved each other a lot.....
Girl:"slow down a little.. I'm scared.."
Boy: "No, it's so fun.."
Girl: "please..it's so scary.."
Boy: "Then say that you love me.."
Girl: "Fine..I love you..can you slow down now?"
Boy: "Give me a big hug.."
The girl gave him a big hug.
Girl: "Now can you slow down?"
Boy: "Can you take off my helmet and put it on? It's uncomfortable
and it's bothering me while i ride."

The next day, there was a story in the newspaper. A motorcycle had
crashed into a building because its brakes were broken. There were two
people on the motorcycle, of which one died, and the other had survived...The guy
knew that the brakes were broken. He didn't want to let the girl know,
because he knew that the girl would have gotten scared. Instead, he was told
the last time that she loved him,got a hug from her, put his helmet on her
so that she can live, and die himself...

Once in a while, Right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love
gives us a fairy tale...

Message "Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing
those you hold well"

Good Stories...Lovely

2009-08-14T11:38:00.000+05:30

Nurse: "It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am,
when an elderly gentleman, in his 80's, presented to have sutures
(stitches) removed from
his thumb.

He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an
appointment at 9:00 am. I
(nurse) took his vital signs and had him take a seat,
knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I
was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam
it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed
supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in
conversation. Asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning
somewhere else, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he
needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she
had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.

As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I
asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no
longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still
going every morning, even
though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he
patted my hand and said. "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she
is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps
on my arm, and
thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love
is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

Good friends are like stars...You don't always see
them, but you always know they're there

Use the Force!

2009-08-14T11:31:00.001+05:30

Here's a scenario. You're studiously working on your laptop or desktop, when all of a sudden your screen goes blank. You can swear that the computer is still on, though! What do you do?

It might be a serious video error, or perhaps your display driver decided to go on a coffee break for a bit, but not matter what you press, the video just won't come back up! Well, today I'm going to teach you what to do in this situation to force an answer out of your computer. You may never actually need this tip, but for the few that might, it's a lifesaver!

So here's what you do if your screen goes blank. There's a little bit of magic in this technique, so have a bit o' faith moving forward!

Press the Windows Key + R. This will bring up the run command. Yes, I know, you won't be able to see it if your screen is blank, but trust me, it's still there.

Type “cmd”, without the quotes. This brings up a command prompt.

Now, here's the spell. Hit Alt + Enter. This toggles full screen mode; putting your display into what is known as “text only” mode. If your display is only experiencing a minor glitch, this should reset your video, allowing you to go back to work. Type “Exit” to leave the command prompt, and you're all set!

Funny Word Time!

2009-08-14T11:30:00.002+05:30

There's something about learning a funny technological word that brings out the geek in everyone! Today's subject is one that will help everyone work more efficiently while searching on the Internet. It's called “Boolean”.

Say you're looking for a specific thing on the web, but every time you search it seems as though there are too many results, and to go through all of them would take hours! Boolean operators can streamline this process; giving you a more refined search. Here are a few to try out:

Quotes:
Yes, putting quotes around your search terms looks for the words or phrase exactly as typed. If you put in “Granola Bars” the sites returned will have only those words in their exact order. This is my favorite one to use when I'm looking for a specific file or subject and want to skip all the browsing around.

And:
The operator “and” is used to combine search terms so that information is only retrieved if all terms occur in the same document. So if you're looking for “Doctors and Lawyers”, type in that phrase, and what will be returned are documents with both keywords in them.

Not:
“Not” prevents retrieval of documents in which specified terms occur together. This operator is also good to use when a keyword has multiple meanings. So the search “milk not butter” will find documents where “milk” occurs but “butter” doesn't.

Or:
"Or" combines keywords so the retrieved documents contain any or all of the keywords. Most search engines don't need this though, as they assume this as the operator being used already.

What's that File? - PPS

2009-08-14T11:30:00.001+05:30

You could say that I'm a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to e-mail. I get literally hundreds, sometimes thousands of e-mails per day depending on the scenario, so I've seen all kinds of attachments, subjects and the like.

One attachment in particular has always put me off, though. The PPS file.

What is this file, anyways?

A PPS file is actually a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or slideshow. Just like slideshows past, it is nothing more than a series of pictures, only a PPS is conveniently packaged into one file for easy viewing. Problem is: What if I don't have MS PowerPoint on my computer?

Rest easy, you can download a PowerPoint viewer here, which will allow you to look at PPS files,without actually owning the software!

Windows Mail Shortcuts

2009-08-14T11:29:00.001+05:30

It appears as though a healthy portion of Worldstart readers out there are using Windows Mail as their primary E-mail client. This is great, but I realized that I haven't offered up a single tip on WM since I've been writing here!

Please accept my most sincere apologies in the form of some helpful keyboard shortcuts! ;)

Main window

CTRL+O or ENTER - Open selected message
CTRL+ENTER or CTRL+Q - Mark as read
TAB - Move between message list, Folders list, and Preview pane
CTRL+W - Go to a newsgroup
Left arrow or + - Expand newsgroup conversation
Right arrow or – - Collapse newsgroup conversation
CTRL+SHIFT+A - Mark all newsgroup messages read
CTRL+SHIFT+M - Download newsgroup messages for offline reading
CTRL+I - Go to Inbox
CTRL+Y - Go to a folder
F5 - Refresh newsgroup messages and headers

Main window and View Message window:

CTRL+M - Send and receive
CTRL+N - Open or post new message
CTRL+SHIFT+B - Open contacts
DELTE or CTRL+D - Delete message
CTRL+R - Reply to message author
CTRL+SHIFT+R or CTRL+G - (newsgroups only) Reply to all
CTRL+F - Forward message
CTRL+SHIFT+F - Find message
CTRL+P - Print message
CTRL+> - Go to next message
CTRL+< - Go to previous message
ALT+ENTER - View selected message’s properties
CTRL+U - Go to next unread message
CTRL+SHIFT+U - Go to next unread newsgroup conversation

Message window

ESC - Close message
F3 or CTRL+SHIFT+F - Find text
F7 - Check spelling (when sending)
CTRL+SHIFT+S - Insert signature (when sending)
CTRL+ENTER or ALT+S - Send message or post to newsgroup
CTRL+TAB - Switch among Edit, Source, and Preview tabs in Source Edit view

Definition – Buffer

2009-08-14T11:28:00.001+05:30

If you've ever heard the term “buffer” before, you're probably wondering what it relates to. Well, a buffer is basically an area of memory hardware or software uses when it needs a constant, uninterrupted flow of information.

For example, if you've ever listened to any kind of streaming audio on the Internet, the program you use “buffers” the signal a little bit before it is actually played.

Here's how it works: The site (or program you're using) collects a few seconds of audio, and then starts playing them, If there's a split second of interruption, you wouldn't notice it because the audio you're actually hearing is a couple of seconds old. Buffers compensate for any slight interruptions, making it easier for your Internet connection to process large audio files.

A Better Image Search

2009-08-14T11:27:00.000+05:30

We all know of the joy that is Google image search. You can find pictures of just about anything on there, but did you know that the rabbit hole goes much deeper than just typing in a word or phrase into the search box?

For example, say you want to look for an image of a specific size. Simply use the drop-down box to choose large, extra large, medium or small image sizes. Additionally, you can refine your search using the other drop-down to specify search terms for faces, line drawings, clip art and much more! You can even search by color if you like!

It doesn't stop there, though! If you click the “Advanced Image Search” link a whole array of extra options spring up! Here, you can get really, really specific as to what you're looking for. Exact dimensions, specific filetypes; you can even look for images that match your desktop resolution!

Vista Icons

2009-08-14T11:26:00.000+05:30

Ever since you upgraded or installed Vista, you've probably noticed that the icons on your desktop are a little bigger than the earlier versions of Windows. You've probably noticed also that the text that comes along with those icons is larger as well. Or, who knows, maybe neither of them are big enough to meet your preferences. So, how can you change them?

First, Right-Click on your desktop and go to View. Once the pull over menu appears, you'll see the first three choices of Large, Medium and Classic Icons. Your icons right now are probably set on Medium, so if you want to make them smaller or larger, choose either Larger or Classic. Just click on your choice and the icons will automatically change for you.

Are Hackers Bad?

2009-08-14T10:52:00.001+05:30

Originally the term "hacker" was used as a compliment in the computer community to denote an expert, especially those who experiment with and use code to improve software and computer performance. In popular usage and in the media, it generally describes computer intruders or criminals.

"Hacking" can be looked at as a collection of skillslike a locksmith's ability to pick locksit can be used for good or evil.

We realize that the positive definition of hacker was widely used for many years before the negative, and could be considered more authentic. But, we prefer to follow the common popular usage since the positive form is confusing and not likely to overcome the negative connotation. We apologize to all the "good hackers" out there.

H1N1

2009-08-14T10:49:00.000+05:30

"Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach." This increases the resistance of the body and, thereby, reduces the chances of inviting swine flu," believes Patel.

Little Boy.. :)

2009-08-13T15:32:00.000+05:30

Hi,A little boy wanted Rs.50 very badly and prayed for weeks, But nothinghappened.Finally he decided to write God a letter requesting the Rs.50.When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God,India,they decided to forward it to the Finance Minister of India as ajoke.The Finance Minister was so amused, that he instructed his secretary tosend the little boy Rs.20.The Finance Minister thought this would appear to be a lot of money to alittle boy, and he did not want to spoil the kid.The little boy was delighted with Rs.20, and decided to write a thankyou note to God, which read:"Dear God: Thank you very much for sending the money.However, I noticed that you sent it through the Finance Minister inDelhi,and those donkeys deducted Rs.30 in taxes..."

DASAN VS VIJAYAN

2009-08-13T15:29:00.001+05:30

Mammutty kku CBI Director Padavi

2009-08-13T14:58:00.002+05:30

Vazhi Kanichukodukkuka

2009-08-13T14:57:00.002+05:30

Old story with a new climax

2009-08-13T14:54:00.001+05:30

A Behari hat-seller who was passing by a forest decided to take a nap under one of the trees, so he left his whole basket of hats by the side.A few hours later, he woke up and realized that all his hats were gone.He looked up and to his surprise, the tree was full of monkeys and they had taken all his hats. The Behari sits down and thinks of how he can get the hats down.While thinking he started to scratch his head. The next moment, the monkeys were doing the same. Next, he took down his own hat; the monkeys did exactly the same. An idea came to him, he took his hat and threw it on the floor and the monkeys did that too. So he finally managed to get all his hats back.Fifty years later, his grandson, Laloo, also became a hat-seller and had heard this monkey story from his grandfather.One day, just like his grandfather, he passed by the same forest. It was very hot, and he took a nap under the same tree and left the hats on the floor.He woke up and realized that all his hats were taken by the monkeys on the tree. He remembered hisgrand father's words, started scratching his head and the monkeys followed. He took down his hat and fanned himself and again the monkeys followed. Now, very convinced of his grandfather's idea, Laloo threw his hat on the floor but to his surprise, the monkeys still held on to all the hats. Then one monkey climbed down the tree, grabbed the hat on the floor, gave him a slap and said...........................Guess What????????........................................ ............................................... ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................."You think only you have a grandfather?"

Technology changes never ends..........

2009-08-12T10:55:00.000+05:30

Designer Jinsun Park from Korea has come out with a simple tool called Color Picker. Place the pen against an object and press the scan button, the color will be detected by the color sensor and the RGB cartridges in the pen will mixed the required inks to create the target കലോര്‍

see this

2009-08-12T10:53:00.000+05:30

*************************************************** "A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC 75 BC) *************************************************** "Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "A man is great by deeds, not by birth." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friend s." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person." Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC) *************************************************** "Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth." Chanakya quotes (Indian & nbsp;politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275 BC)

2009-08-11T15:18:00.000+05:30

Please find below useful information on H1N1 influenza symptoms and list of authorized Government hospitals where treatment can be sought:

GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU
City
Hospital
Address
Contact
Chennai
King Institute of Preventive Medicine (24/7 Service)
Guindy, Chennai – 32
(044) 22501520, 22501521 & 22501522
Communicable Diseases Hospital
Thondiarpet, Chennai
(044) 25912686/87/88, 9444459543
Government General Hospital
Opp. Central Railway Station, Chennai – 03
(044) 25305000, 25305723, 25305721, 25330300
Pune
Naidu Hospital
Nr Le'Meridian, Raja Bahadur Mill, GPO, Pune – 01
(020) 26058243
National Institute of Virology
20A Ambedkar Road, Pune – 11
(020) 26006290
Kolkata
ID Hospital
57,Beliaghata, Beliaghata Road, Kolkata - 10‎
(033) 23701252
Coimbatore
Government General Hospital
Near Railway Station,Trichy Road, Coimbatore – 18
(0422) 2301393, 2301394, 2301395, 2301396
Hyderabad
Govt. General and Chest Diseases Hospital,
Erragadda, Hyderabad
(040) 23814939
Mumbai
Kasturba Gandhi Hospital
Arthur Road, N M Joshi Marg, Jacob Circle, Mumbai - 11
(022) 23083901, 23092458, 23004512
Sir J J Hospital
J J Marg, Byculla, Mumbai - 08
(022) 23735555, 23739031, 23760943, 23768400 / 23731144 / 5555 / 23701393 / 1366
Haffkine Institute
Acharya Donde Marg, Parel, Mumbai – 12
(022) 24160947, 24160961, 24160962
Kochi
Government Medical College
Gandhi Nagar P O, Kottayam - 08
(0481) 2597311,2597312
Government Medical College
Vandanam P O, Allapuzha - 05
(0477) 2282015
Taluk Hospital
Railway Station Road, Alwaye, Ernakulam
(0484) 2624040 Sathyajit - 09847840051
Taluk Hospital
Perumbavoor PO, Ernakulam 542
(0484) 2523138 Vipin - 09447305200
Gurgaon & Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Ansari Nagar, Aurobindo Marg Ring Road, New Delhi – 29
(011) 26594404, 26861698 Prof. R C Deka - 9868397464
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
22, Sham Nath Marg,New Delhi – 54
(011) 23971272/060/344/524/449/326
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi – 01
(011) 23741640, 23741649, 23741639Dr. N K Chaturvedi – 9811101704
Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute
University Enclave, New Delhi- 07
(011) 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182
Bangalore
Victoria Hospital
K R Market, Kalasipalayam, Bangalore – 02
(080) 26703294 Dr. Gangadhar - 94480-49863
SDS Tuberculosis & Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases
Hosur Road, Hombegowda Nagar, Bangalore – 29
(080) 26631923 Dr. Shivaraj - 99801-48780
STAY ALERT! PREVENT AGAINST SWINE FLU

Puzzle

2009-08-11T15:17:00.000+05:30

The 4 criminals are lined up on some steps (shown in picture). They are all facing in the same direction. A wall separates the fourth man from the other three. So to summaries: - Man 1 can see men 2 and 3. Man 2 can see man 3. Man 3 can see none of the others. Man 4 can see none of the others. The criminals are wearing hats. They are told that there are two white hats and two black hats. The men initially don't know what colour hat they are wearing. They are told to shout out the colour of the hat that they are wearing as soon as they know for certain what colour it is. They are not allowed to turn round or move. They are not allowed to talk to each other. They are not allowed to take their hats off. Who is the first, 2nd, 3rd and 4th person to shout out and why? PS: There is no trick to the question, just logical deduction.

It's not your fault,

2009-06-25T12:46:00.000+05:30

However, what you were taught about playing and winning The Old Business Game wasn't The Truth, most of which was cleverly hidden from you.
You can't win The Old Business Game -- if you play the way you were taught. That particular Game was designed to be un-winnable, for reasons you'll soon discover.
The only way to truly win in business is to bust loose from The Old Business Game entirely, and start playing The New Business Game, a radically different game that will surprise and delight you.
A new book has just been released that can show you how to bust loose from The Old Business Game and start playing The New Business Game. To get the details, click on the following link:
http://www.bustingloosefromthebusinessgame.com/opportunity.html
I recommend the book highly and strongly encourage you to click through and take a close look. It's a paradigm shifting creation that can rock all aspects of your world if you embrace it.

Men's Fashion / Grooming

2009-06-25T12:44:00.000+05:30

Summer is officially here and I have been receiving lots of emails about self-tanners and sunscreens. I have said it many times and I'll say it again--it's so important to use a sunscreen when exposing yourself to the sun, even if you want to get a little color when sitting out by the pool. Using a sunscreen will help you avoid wrinkles, sunburns and more importantly, skin cancer. Use a self-tanner to give yourself summer color and then use sunscreen when out in the sun--you will thank yourself years down the road.

Top 6 Self-Tanners The better quality self tanning products whether in cream, gel or spray form are made with the same active ingredient which stimulates pigment in the skin rather than dying it. These better quality self tanners offer a natural looking tan, not orangey. I have compiled a list of top selling self tanners which alleviates some of the guess work when trying to pick one for yourself.

Top 6 Sunscreens And Sunblocks For Men Keep in mind that 90% of the damage done to skin can be attributed to the sun, so if you insist on being out in it, use a good sunscreen. And trust me, I know my sunscreens. Being of English and Irish decent I have very sensitive skin and I have tried almost every product out തെരെ

Top 7 Face Moisturizers For Men With SPF It's not news that premature aging to the skin and wrinkles are caused by exposure to the sun. Skin cancer risk is also significantly increased. However, sun damage is avoidable by making sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. So part of your daily skin care regime should include using a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher all year-round, even on cloudy ദയ്സ്

Status of New Cruise Ships for 2009

2009-06-25T12:41:00.000+05:30

With the launching of the new Costa Pacifica and Costa Luminosa earlier this month, I thought this would be a good time to review all the new ships being launched this year. It's almost the middle of the year, and we still have several new ships still under construction.

New Ocean-Going Cruise Ships Sailing in 2009 The new ocean-going cruise ships range in size from the significantly refurbished Clelia II with 100 passengers to the brand new Oasis of the Seas, the largest ship ever built, with 5400 passengers. Some of the ships are budget priced for the mass market, others are ultra-luxury for the well-to-do. The new ships were rolled out starting in early April, and the behemoth Oasis will top off the year in December.

New Riverboats Sailing in 2009 Several new riverboats will be sailing the rivers of Europe, China, and Egypt in 2009. These river ships are owned or operated by river cruise companies Avalon Waterways, Tauck, Uniworld, Victoria Cruises, and Viking River Cruises. Some of the riverboats include small balconies, and all have outside accommodations.
I am currently sailing the Danube River with Viking River Cruises (but not on their new ship), and love river cruising!

Look Back at the New Cruise Ships from 2008 We are half-way through 2009, and I thought this would be a good time to look back at the many new ships launched last year. How many of you have sailed on one of these?

Partner Offer: Re-resolve to be healthy this year

2009-02-10T22:55:00.000+05:30

	Today

We hope you've been enjoying your daily subscription to About Today. Below, you'll find a great offer from Calorie Count, a service of About.com, that we hope you find valuable


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Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter as avincepaul@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=todaysl&e=avincepaul@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc. About screens special partner offers and messages to make sure they are relevant. About does not endorse the products or services offered in this message and is not responsible for the statements made.

Partner Offer: Shop Smart This Holiday Season!

2008-12-17T05:53:00.000+05:30

	Today

We hope you've been enjoying your daily subscription to About Today. Below, you'll find a great offer from ConsumerSearch, a service of About.com, that we hope you find valuable.


Search About
Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter as avincepaul@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=todaysl&e=avincepaul@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc. About screens special partner offers and messages to make sure they are relevant. About does not endorse the products or services offered in this message and is not responsible for the statements made.

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Motivational Bankruptcy, Attracting New Clients

2008-11-12T22:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

11/12/08 issue: Motivational Bankruptcy, Attracting New Clients

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Free E-Course: Get Organized!
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Michael Dell
-- Article: Sales Management: Avoid Motivational Bankruptcy, 6 Tips for Exciting Your Sales Team - By Sam Manfer
-- Article: The Best Way to Approach New Clients - By Stephanie Ward
-- Subscription and Contact Information

---------------------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
---------------------------------------------------------------

* Increase Revenue and Productivity Using Tools You Already Have! *

FREE E-Course will show you how! Declutter, manage your time and priorities and get things done. Spend time building your business instead of searching through piles! Learn how a few simple organizing strategies can boost your business. Go to www.CarrieThru.com

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

There are a lot of things that go into creating success. I don't like to do just the things I like to do. I like to do things that cause the company to succeed. I don't spend a lot of time doing my favorite activities.
- Michael Dell

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: Sales Management: Avoid Motivational Bankruptcy, 6 Tips for Exciting Your Sales Team - By Sam Manfer **
---------------------------------------------------

The president of an office supply company was recently lamenting that his sales people were not operating to their potential. "Motivationally bankrupt," he said.

This is a very common complaint in any area of business. However, it is usually the managers who unconsciously demotivate their employees.

Sales people want to succeed in their jobs. When they sign on they're psyched to do well in the company. Even if they are experienced, they are new to you and new to your company. If you haven't made a conscious effort to show them how to do business your way, they will do it their way and probably be less effective than either of you hoped. What happens next is they become unhappy. That's strike one. You're disappointed, which shows -- strike two. Then, you probably tell them what they're doing wrong and that's strike three -- motivational bankruptcy.

Here are 6 tips to keep your staff motivated and producing.

1. Set The Expectations.
Tell your people what you want and your method to get it. Nobody knows what you think they should know. Believe this or live in frustration. Never assume they know because of experience, intelligence or whatever. Make your desires perfectly clear.
Also, get over any concern that it would be insulting to them, or unnecessary.

You will have to take the initiative because your employees are probably not going to ask for your expectation or how you want them to work. They foolishly think this would make them look badly to you. Therefore, pull each aside quarterly and spell it out.

If your employee has a different approach, work it out together. Otherwise, even if successful, you will always be suspect, waiting for the fall, and your anxiety will come through. This causes self doubt which leads to failures and demotivation.

2. A Well-Trained Employee Is A Happy Employee.
Employees -- especially when new or entering a new role -- are like sponges trying to learn what to do. You can fill that sponge with good liquid or let them fill it with whatever they pick-up. Even your best people are sponges, but they are looking for new liquid to get a competitive edge.

Unless a person has learned how to sell (or do) your stuff how can you expect them to know how? I hear all the time, "They are experienced." I always retort that I am an experienced golfer, but I am still a 17 handicap. Experience doesn't mean they know how to do it well, and for sure not your way.

Doers need skills - skills they never learned and/or don't use. Besides, everyone can learn again or be refreshed. Employees will never accept responsibility for failure. They will always blame the company -- you. So put your people through skills training. In this way you will know they actually have the tools. Additionally business is constantly changing and your people need to be updated.

Be careful of in-house training. Consider bringing in a professional to train. Internal people, unless doing or managing the task, lack the been-there, done-that knowledge and credibility to be effective. For example, many companies let marketing do training for new sales people. This is a curse to salespeople.

Marketing pushes product advantages, features / benefits, and competitive differentiation rather than selling skills. This indoctrination makes salespeople feel they should go out pushing prospects to buy, rather than digging for needs and relevant information. They become annoying and never build their credibility.

3. Coach Your People Until They Get It Right.
People cannot coach themselves. If Tiger Woods needs a coach, your people need one. A few years back he was without a coach and his game slumped considerably. You are the best to do the coaching. Do sales calls together. First you do the interviewing. Discuss it and then let your person do the next one. It is crucial to give positive feedback. Also, once is not enough. You will have to do it until he or she gets it right. Better comes before perfect.

4. Recognize Good Behaviors.
Saying something was done well -- no matter how small the deed -- is a big deposit in their motivational bank account. Your urge will be to tell what the employee did or is doing wrong. No matter what you think, this is a motivational withdrawal. You have to exert an extra effort to spin negatives into positives. Say, "Consider doing it this way in the future." This will be tough because it takes more energy to find positives, or take poor behaviors and restructure them into constructive suggestions, than it is to just say something negative.

5. Pay Attention to Your Bad Days.
Here's a typical situation. You're up to your ears in alligators. It's a bad day and you want to strangle someone, and now your subordinate comes in and lays-on another frustration.

Be very careful here. Your day is not his or her issue and a negative reaction will inadvertently be a drain to the motivation account. So be alert to your awful moments. Avoid your people or at least decompress before engagement. This will mitigate unintentional damage.

6. Rewards Are Very Powerful Motivators.
Rewards are catnip to employees' self esteem. Salary, benefits, and bonuses are part of the job. Rewards are special and personal. They are public acknowledgements of your appreciation and can be very energizing.

Two keys: First, don't presume to know what will excite a person. Everyone is different. Ask what special something would excite him or her. If they say something monetary, probe to see what else. You'll be amazed.

Second, the cost of the reward is not important. A $10 plaque with the person's name is big. Decals or coasters are significant. Make it tangible -- something for them and others to see. This is a lotto size deposit into the employees' motivation account.

Also, make rewards so that everyone can win for meeting expectations. This creates a team atmosphere for all to help each other.

In summary, demotivating is like going down a slide -- fast and without effort. Motivating is like crawling up a flight of stairs covered with broken glass. So check your negative reactions and your employees will stay motivationally high with little effort on your part.

Although intuitively obvious, the implementation will require you push yourself into behaviors that are different -- and nobody likes to change. However, if you make the shift you will stop the motivational withdrawals and your portfolio of satisfied, highly productive employees will keep paying you dividends.

And now I invite you to learn more.

About the Author:

Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales manager to be effective coaching his or her sales people to feel comfortable connecting with and relationship selling C-Level leaders. Bonus tip: FREE SALES TEAM ASSESSMENT TOOL. Just go here.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: The Best Way to Approach New Clients - By Stephanie Ward **
---------------------------------------------------

As a business owner you know the kinds of clients you want. Why not go one step further and make a list of actual companies you would like to have as clients?

Then, get clear about who it is you want to contact within each company. What position does the person hold? Is it the owner? Is it someone in HR? Is it the sales manager?

Once you have your list, ask people in your network if they know the person who holds the position in the companies you have identified. If so, ask if they would be willing to introduce you via e-mail or a phone call.

If you aren't able to find someone who can introduce you, you can still approach companies without cold calling. Begin by finding out the names of the people you want to contact (Google or call).

Then send them valuable information you have created along with a personal letter. Be sure to send it in the mail (snail mail).

Your valuable give away can not be a brochure that is information all about your business and what you do. It is hugely important that you send content that is practical and informative for the person receiving it.

Think about things like: tips, trends, research, pitfalls to avoid, etc. It can be a few pages or many; the key is that it must be relevant and applicable to the person and their business.

(SIDENOTE: Be sure to leverage your valuable give away, see how here: http://tinyurl.com/6ojtwl)

In the letter you can say that you are sharing this information because you believe the person may find it valuable. Also state that you will call next week (you can include a date and time if you want) to find out if the person found what you sent is useful.

So when you call as promised, it's not a cold call because the person has received valuable information from you (for free). This makes it a warm call. You simply want to find out if it was of interest for the person.

It is important that you have a marketing sequence in place so when a potential client is interested; you know what the next step will be. Is it a proposal? Is it a consult? Is it a scheduled phone call?

If there is interest, but not a need right now, there are still several opportunities. First, ask people if they would like you to check back with them in a certain time frame. If yes, put it in your calendar and do it.

Second, if you have a newsletter with valuable information, you can ask people if they'd like to receive it.

Third, if they are not interested but you feel a positive connection, you can ask if they know one (yes only one) person who may need what you are offering.

Why only one? Because if you ask people if they know 'anyone' they will draw a blank. But, if you ask for just one person, it's much easier to think of someone.

Please remember to thank everyone who takes the time to talk with you or give you referrals. Yes, even the people who are not interested in what your business offers. One of the best ways to do this is to send a thank you note in the mail.

Are you starting to see how sharing valuable information and connecting with potential clients can be relaxed and rewarding? Create your give away, share it, and make a warm call to discover the possibilities.

© Stephanie Ward, 2008

About the Author:

Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire! Grab your FREE copy of the special report '7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time' plus monthly business building tips here.

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Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Secure Your Financial Future Now

2008-11-11T19:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

If you'd like to examine how to have a secure future now, I recommend you check this out.

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

------------------------------------------------

Want To Learn
A Secret?

One that could make you
financially secure -
for the rest of your life?

-------------------
You are receiving this email as part of your Free Subscription to our Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from http://www.SelfGrowth.com.

To change your profile information, go here.

To unsubscribe, go here.

Or contact us at:
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Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Essential Communication Tools, Business Mentors

2008-11-07T22:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

11/7/08 issue: Essential Communication Tools, Business Mentors

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Instant Income Plan
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Henry Kravis
-- Article: Seven Communication Items Every Business Needs - By Kaye Z. Marks
-- Article: The Importance of the Business Mentor - James Brown
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
---------------------------------------------------------------

* Discover How To Put My Simple & Proven System To Work For You And Profit $5,000-$10,000 A Week Like Clockwork *

Is this for real? Yes – in fact, this is as real as it gets.

I'll Reveal How You Can Use The EXACT Same System To Turn On Your Very Own Automated Money Making Business...

If you listen closely, you will hear something that is sure to change your life in a BIG hurry. Click on my picture to start the audio and hear a personal message....(or go here to read).

If you're tired of the hype and scams, then you've got to see this.
Go here to find out how!

> Solve The Money Puzzle Today & Change Your Life Forever <<

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

If you build that foundation, both the moral and the ethical foundation, as well as the business foundation, and the experience foundation, then the building won't crumble.
- Henry Kravis

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: Seven Communication Items Every Business Needs - By Kaye Z. Marks **
---------------------------------------------------

Within the lifetime of your business, your company is going to need some essential items that communicate core messages about your company to others. Others could be investors, clients, prospects and the media.

Your company's success could depend on how well you present your information -- these communication items could land a huge, multi-million dollar deal, or blow that multi-million dollar deal to smithereens.

Every company should have the following items in the office, ready to hand out to the next person that walks in:

1. Your mission statement. Mission statements give new employees an idea of how your company operates, and what your values are. This statement also tells potential investors, media members and others what's important to you as a company.

2. Company fact sheet. This should be a one-page sheet that gives media members, industry analysts and potential employees the important facts about your company at a glance. Your fact sheet should include the following:

• Date the company was founded
• Office locations, making sure to note the location of the headquarters
• Contact information
• Mission statement (abbreviated, if your mission statement is long)
• (optional) Names and brief biographies of top management

3. Product fact sheets. Each product you sell should have its own fact sheet. The uses are the same as the company fact sheet, and should include the following:

• What the product does
• Benefits
• Features
• Comparisons to other similar products
• Reliability statistics, or any other kind of reliability measurement
• Price

4. Biographies on the founders and upper management. Biographies of key players in your company show people the quality of your company and lets customers feel like they know the top echelon personally. Biographies should include:

• The person's position at the company and number of years with the company
• Education
• Awards or honors
• Other relevant experience
• Publications that the member has been featured in or has written for

5. Company background. This is different from the fact sheet in that it is more of a story rather than a list of facts. It's written in paragraph form and should flow like a story.

6. Current list of clients and/or partners. This will be of interest to potential investors, potential clients and potential employees.

7. Media kit, or press kit. These kits are pre-packaged marketing materials that are often used to promote a product or company. These are convenient to hand out at trade shows. Press kits include:

• A folder with your company's logo
• A letter promoting your company or product
• Your company fact sheet
• Your product fact sheet
• A press release related to whatever you're handing out the press kit for
• Any articles written by a third-party about your company or product
• Your company background
• Business cards

You'll want to keep the folders and business cards or company background items in stock, but the other items you may not want to print because they're more likely to change as time goes by. Keep these items as files on your computer so you can change them and print them easily and quickly.

It's not a bad idea to combine a few of these items, like founders' bios and your mission statement into one flyer or brochure. Your flyer or brochure printing budget will do double duty!

Also, be sure to update these items whenever there's a change in the company. Keep a limited number of extras around the office, and order large quantities of copies when you know you'll need them -- for a trade show, for instance.

With these items at arm's reach, you'll be ready for anyone that walks through your doors!

About the Author:

Katie Marcus writes about the brochure printing technologies being used by businesses for their marketing and advertising campaigns. Go here for more information.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: The Importance of the Business Mentor - James Brown **
---------------------------------------------------

Would you jump into the deep end of the pool without first having an experienced swimmer teach you the basics of survival in water? Would you head for the steep slopes of Aspen or Breckenridge without first asking a professional to recommend the best equipment for the skiing conditions you are likely to encounter? Of course not! Failure to seek and heed the advice of those who have been there, done that, and experienced these situations can be life saving or at the least prevent you from going under -- literally as well as figuratively. The same is true for the business mentor.

Why would a newbie enter the world of business without seeking out the help, advice, and guidance of an experienced business mentor who has already tread where the newbie is seeking to tread, and failed where the newbie might be able to learn from the experience of another and thus be spared the failure? The answer is simple: a misguided understanding of personal business acumen and a failure to realize that a business mentor is easier to find than one might have imagined!

Granted, for the newbie is might appear to be a lot of extra work to go out and seek out that individual business person, but all things considered, this time and effort is an upfront investment in the health and wellness of the business! Yet even here there is still room for error! Too often the importance of the business is understood but the acting upon that understanding is flawed. Instead of looking for the business man or woman who is ahead of the person in the business and who is willing to take them under their wings and teach them everything they know about the business, the newbie might be looking for the casual acquaintance that might have an opinion or two on business.

Sure, these individuals have some great advice in store and can make a lot of difference in the start up of a new business, but ultimately they do not offering the business mentor relationship. Instead, they are called upon in a strict question and answer kind of relationship where the business newbie may approach them in times of need, while at other times she or he will be working on their own. The business mentor, on the other hand, anticipates needs and questions before they even occur and therefore it is not at all surprising to find that individual seeking out interaction with the business newbie throughout the week or month, even if there is no pressing business problem.

This underlines the difference in the relationship between the casual business advisor and the bona fide business mentors who will make it part of their business to see another business person succeed from the ground up. No new business owner can succeed without such a mentor and once you find yourself at the top of your game, remember how you go there and then offer up your services as a business mentor yourself!

About the Author:

James B. Brown is a Plug-In Profit site affiliate and very proud to be part of the Plug-In Profit opportunity. Find out more and take advantage of all the free information available at his website. Or go here for a Link and Article Submission Directory.

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Self Improvement Online, Inc.
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http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Once In Love With Maggie

2008-11-07T20:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

Patti Fenwick is "so in love with Maggie" that she is ready to shout it from the rooftops.

Not only does she credit "Maggie" with saving her knees from replacement surgery, she has also seen remarkable improvement in her son, who has Parkinson's... including a reduction in his hand tremors. Even her son's doctor was impressed with the progress he made in such a short time.

If you or a loved one experience chronic pain, you owe it to yourself to check out Patti's story - and "Maggie" - for yourself.

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

---------------------------------

"Once In Love With Maggie"

The verse of the song goes, "Once In Love With Maggie - Always In Love With Maggie" - except I've substituted my favorite name "Maggie" for Amy.

Why "Maggie?" Because my "Maggie" has made my life so much better.

Hi. My name is Patti Fenwick - and I really do love my "Maggie."

My first experience with the "Maggie" was spring 2007. Seven years prior my Doctor had advised me to have both knees replaced. I was resolved not to have the operation as long as I could walk comfortably. That spring I was on and off crutches 3 times from February to April, while I was wintering in Arizona. When I returned to Michigan, I had decided to get the knee replacements.

Then I heard about the "Maggie."

Ron Gillespie, a friend of mine, has a "Maggie" and he let me experiment with using it. Here's a picture of Ron, using "Maggie" on his knees.

I started out using "Maggie" once a week at Ron's house for about two months - and today - because of "Maggie" - I still have my own knees - and I can tell you - I intend to keep them.

My "Maggie" is a cellular exerciser that has literally changed my life for the better. It just helps me rejuvenate - feel better - and my aches and pains are gone.

Our son was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 38 (trauma induced from a closed head injury 20 years ago). He has tried everything from prescribed medicines and treatments to alternative treatments in naturopathic clinics for the past 4 years - getting progressively worse at an extremely rapid rate. Since I had such great success with the "Maggie," we decided to have him try it. He seemed to respond somewhat after just 3 sessions. Then we heard that other people with Parkinson's symptoms, who had success, were using it 2 to 3 times a day. So we decided to purchase the "Maggie." My son uses our "Maggie" in the morning and at night for an hour or more at a time. He's so much better now.

In fact, after 4 months, I received a phone call from my son's Doctor. She had to tell me how impressed she was by his progress. She said his color is improved, his attitude is much better and his tremor improved. He had severe dystonia in his neck and shoulders, affecting his lower back. All improved tremendously.

"Maggie" has been an answer to our prayers.

As I said - I really love the verse of the old song - "Once in love with Maggie - always in love with my Maggie."

If you'd like to get more information about what the "Maggie" can do for you - and view a short "Maggie" demonstration, please visit our page here. You'll find an informative 4-minute video of Ron and his daughter showing you how the "Maggie" works, and a brief form you can fill in to request additional information.

In addition - private demonstrations of the "Maggie" are available in North America. Just give us your name, email address and phone number and Ron or I will contact you.

Here's the link for your free "Maggie" demo

Sincerely,

Patti and Ron

P.S. - If you'd like to get immediate information, please email Ron at maggieworks@yahoo.com

Six Million Reasons for Failure - But No Excuses

2008-11-06T21:00:00.000+05:30

Dear vince,

Now that the stress from the election is mostly over - it's time to refocus your mind on success and the role YOU will be playing in it. Regardless of whether you were for our newly elected president, you won't gain any ground if you expect him to be the cause of your success or failure. You are still the cause. You're the decider. You're the one who will make things happen.

Recently I came across a fantastic new book and CD program written by Matt Furey called 101 Ways to Magnetize Money. It's quickly become a best-seller with testimonials pouring in as well as FAXes to attend a special LIVE seminar. It's free for all who get a copy of the book.

If you haven't picked up a copy of 101 Ways to Magnetize Money, you're missing out on some major life-changing information.

No, this is NOT just another book on the Law of Attraction, written by an "expert" who has never really succeeded at a high level - but is willing to tell you what to do - for a fee.

In this book and CD program book, Furey tells you, flat out, what works and what doesn't - based on his EXPERIENCES of winning a world kung fu title, operating a multi-million dollar business, writing an international best-seller, holding sold out seminars - and so on.

Furey has used the principles and LAWS in his book to succeed in many, many areas. What he has recorded for you is not mere theory. Nor is it something he wrote to make people feel good - with no tangible or practical application or results.

YES, his book teaches a combination of mind and elbow grease. The key difference is that with Furey's approach - elbow grease does not mean struggle, resistance or unnecessary effort.

It means acquiring the ability to use your mind and body in harmony, in a spirit of relaxation. When you do it the way he teaches, you are able to exert maximum power over your circumstances. You are able to change your life for the better.

Drawing from his accomplishments as a world champion martial artist who believes in the adage "never stop learning," Furey recently wrote about being in China - where he has a vacation home - to train with a kung fu master he greatly admires. Over and over Furey was encouraged to relax into each movement - but to be explosive at the same time. The importance of relaxation is something you may already know - yet Furey does far more than remind you of its importance. He drives the ability into your mind and body a deeper level - and the power that comes forth is dynamic indeed.

You may find it ironic that relaxed physical effort can cause more mental and spiritual power to flow through you - or that you're most powerful in attracting money when you relax and practice cultivating a tremendous inner power. But think of it this way, your body is mighty small compared to the power of the wind. Yet, the same Universal Power that gives power to the wind also gives you power - and the more you choose to open yourself to it - the greater that power becomes.

There is a reason why kung fu and tai chi masters in their 70's and 80's can beat the tar out of their younger students. And it isn't because their muscles are stronger. It's because they know how to harness the power of imagination and combine it with breath and a dynamic, fluid structure. They know that INNER POWER beats outer power every single time.

This is the same sort of thing Furey teaches in 101 Ways to Magnetize Money. You have an imagination that helps you create the life you want. You also have a body that can do things. The key to success is learning how to integrate the two for maximum effectiveness with minimal effort.

Right now there is a post-election special on 101 Ways to Magnetize Money. You can order the program NOW and try if before you decide to buy it. I think you'll be so amazed with what you learn and how much money you begin to magnetize that you'll read the book and listen to the CDs over and over again.

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

P.S. The subject line of today's email is a spin-off from one of my favorite quotes. "There are 6,000,000 reasons for failure, but not a single excuse." This quote comes from Rudyard Kipling.

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Mind Mapping, Branding in Second Life

2008-11-05T22:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

11/5/08 issue: Mind Mapping, Branding in Second Life

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Certified MasterMind Executive Coaching Course
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Donald Trump
-- Article: How to Use Mind Mapping for Success - By Kathy Andrews
-- Article: Lessons Learned from Second Life - By Dr. Tracy L. Tuten
-- Subscription and Contact Information

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** Recommended Product of the Day **
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In addition to a generous referral program we are also offering a discount for an additional $100* off for the next 10 selfgrowth.com readers that register for the Certified MasterMind Executive Coaching Program™.

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** Article: How to Use Mind Mapping for Success - By Kathy Andrews **
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A mind map is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps structure information to see how each step affects the whole. It helps you better analyze, comprehend, synthesize, and generate new ideas.

When you use viral marketing techniques to mind map Internet marketing, you build your business and fast earn Internet riches. Viral gets you out there in a huge way, mind mapping gives you the steps on how to get out there. You simply follow the steps. Even Internet beginners can earn money quick with this system.

Just as with every great idea, the power of mind mapping for success lies in its simplicity. In a mind map, as opposed to traditional note taking, information is structured in short, concise statements, not a lot of words. Mind mapping avoids dull, linear thinking, jogging your creativity and making note taking fun again.

What can we use mind maps for?

Internet marketing
Note taking
Brainstorming (individually or in groups)
Problem solving
Studying and memorization
Planning
Researching and consolidating information from multiple sources
Presenting information
Gaining insight on complex subjects
Jogging your creativity
Mind mapping can help clarify your thinking in any area: personal, family, educational or business. Planning you day or planning your life, summarizing a book, launching a project, planning and creating presentations, writing your blog, anything.
When you mind map business planning and mind map life coaching together, you create the exact steps to follow to live your dream life.

The challenge of mind mapping is getting your arms around a lot of information and making sense of it. Once the map is created, you can step back and think about your thinking. You may decide to re-organize or move things around now that all the information is out of your head and on the map.

Entrepreneurs are responsible for an incredible amount of detail and communication. A mind map can clarify your thinking and put all your points on a single piece of paper. Then you reference your plan at the beginning and end of each day to keep you on track.

We have all been trained to take linear notes. Most brains are wired neurologically to continue with this habit even though it does not reflect the natural nature of the brain. The truth is that all of us are visual thinkers to varying degrees. In order to adapt to mind mapping, it means changing how you think, and taking the time to create a new habit. Free how to use mind mapping software is readily available. Simply google mind mapping software and you will see a listing of various free and paid software programs.

Entrepreneurs who want to try mind mapping can start by tackling a strategic plan or solving a problem. Write your keyword plan or problem in the center of a piece of paper, then branching out from it, write the steps you need to perform to achieve your keyword. You will find mind mapping is the key to success, maybe even a way to earn easy money.

About the Author:

Kathy has combined her experiences into a unique niche -- improving your mindset and your marketing both, at the same time. They happen at the same time, so it makes sense to look at them at the same time.

One of her specialties is mind mapping for success. Mind mapping is the Key. Kathy's Internet marketing mind maps give you mind map business planning and mind map life coaching. Save tons of time and effort, follow her viral marketing techniques and create info products for beginners. And learn how to use free mind mapping software. Watch free movies here.

She is also a Joe Vitale (The Secret) Miracles Life Coach. Learn how to get rid of limiting beliefs, subconsicous beliefs, and stop self sabotage with daily affirmations, positive affirmations, that will unleash the power within to give you inner balance, inner wisdom. Watch a free miracle movie about a course in miracles here.

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** Article: Lessons Learned from Second Life - By Dr. Tracy L. Tuten **
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Virtual worlds give participants an opportunity to be whoever they want, wish or hope to be. With a custom designed "avatar," you can look, behave and speak any way you want. It's your "second life," after all.

Brands, however, don't have that luxury. They bring established reputations and perceptions into a realm where everything is new and anything goes.

The "Wild West" nature of virtual worlds frightens brand managers schooled in carefully crafted and controlled messages, and Second Life indeed chased many away.

But with technology -- and especially social media -- becoming more and more pervasive in consumers' lives, virtual worlds will get a second chance. Here's how to capitalize on it.

Second Life and other virtual worlds have enormous branding opportunities. In terms of social media, virtual worlds really are communities in the most literal sense, and it is the level of interaction and engagement that creates such a strong platform for branding. Some brands (like Vodaphone) have found ways to develop interactive spaces in world that intrigue and engage prospective customers. For these brands, virtual world marketing is much like participating in a sponsorship: the presence is valuable if there's a good fit between the space, the target market and the brand -- and if the brand can find a way to add value for those visiting the space.

For some brands, though, virtual worlds are not the most friendly of communities. They may find that other forms of social media marketing are better suited -- or at least simpler to manage (particularly if the virtual world in question is Second Life)! Here are a few factors that can help you understand "why" . . . or "why not."

Ease of Use
Second Life is complex and user-unfriendly. Time magazine called it a case of Fortune 500 companies trying too hard to be hip. A recent report from Forrester suggests that marketing in virtual worlds is still too complex for broad adoption as a business strategy, but that this is likely to change in the next five years. Complexity is an issue, not only from the marketer's perspective, but also from the consumer perspective. It is one of the primary characteristics that can slow the rate of adoption for innovators. Some virtual worlds are easier to learn than others; Second Life is likely the most difficult to learn.

Software Requirements
Second Life, and some other virtual worlds, requires users to install its software. Software installation could be a deterrent to growth beyond the innovators and early adopters already a part of the virtual world phenomenon.

Number of Active Members
Second Life, for example, does not have the reach that other online advertising venues garner. Despite the claim of millions of residents (with continual growth), under a million are active and engaged.

Opportunities for Negative Response
Residents of Second Life are known to dislike and distrust big brand promotion. "Griefing," vandalizing and harassing in world, is a common problem for brands. Linden Labs takes a hands-off approach to managing griefer attacks, relying instead on resident governance. How bad can griefing be? A helicopter crashed into a Nissan building, starting a fire that left a couple of dead bodies, and American Apparel customers were attacked by members of the Second Life Liberation Army armed with virtual guns.

Accuracy of Results Reporting
Second Life offers publicity and the value of free media impressions as social and other media cover new developments. However, no distinction is made between positive coverage and negative coverage. When the media attention is negative, such as reporting attacks on customers, the publicity does not build brand equity.

User Security
Aside from the security from griefers, Second Life has struggled to provide security to the real life people behind the avatars. In 2006, hackers obtained credit card information for some residents.

User Capacity
Second Life's infrastructure limits the capacity at some events. Your brand might do a phenomenal job of planning and executing a relevant brand experience with an outpouring of enthusiasm, only to find the system crashes when more than 70 avatars are present at a time.

Number of User Interactions
Of course, capacity concerns are only an issue if things go well. Spend some time walking or flying around Second Life. It is filled with exquisitely detailed representations of real and fantasy locations. Yet seeing other avatars is rare unless one is spending time earning free Linden $ (the currency of Second Life) at Money Island.

Tie-In to Real World Sales
Some brands have sold digital versions of their products. Toyota, Reebok, Adidas, and Dell are all examples. No brand has yet announced success at using the in world branding site as a direct response tool for real world sales. Bob Tedeschi, in his article entitled "Awaiting Real Sales from Virtual Shoppers," explains that brands experience little measurable influence on real world sales that can be tracked to virtual branding efforts.

Number of Media Outlets
There are still a limited number of Second Life media outlets and advertising opportunities (beyond supporting retail space, experiential facilities, and events). NPR and Reuters are there, along with the AvaStar newspaper, but for brands accustomed to buying ad space in hundreds of television networks, consumer and trade magazines, and national, regional, and local newspapers, this is not a rich media landscape. Ad inventory will develop over time. A "MetaAdverse" network has been established to provide in-world billboard advertising.

Scalable Branding Initiatives
It is difficult to gain economies of scale in branding initiatives. One cannot lower the average costs of products by making mass amounts of products, and there are no huge media buys to lower the costs of advertising.

Design Costs
There are expenses to brand building in Second Life. Linden Labs sells land and then requires ongoing maintenance fees. Those are minimal compared to the design expenses brands encounter. Alex Veiga points out that brand building requires artists, designers, writers, and marketers to develop all aspects of the brand's identity in Second Life. Scion City, a Toyota initiative, took about 10 weeks and probably cost in the range of $100,000. Importantly, brands that enter Second Life must be committed to operating there. It does no good (and in fact could harm a brand) to have a presence there that is not manned, managed, and leveraged towards accomplishing the brand's objectives.

In open worlds, economies are free markets. Brands are welcome to compete and the spoils go to the brands with the best strategy, the best targeting and the best engagement propositions for their target audiences (mindful, of course, to ensure the strategy is suitable for the virtual culture in question). The brands with the wherewithal to strategically plan a social media marketing campaign will also know to commit to the campaign and to provide ample time for the strategy to work prior to making judgments of success or failure and redirecting resources to other marketing executions.

In other words, they'll understand and capitalize on why...or why not.

©2008 Dr. Tracy L. Tuten

About the Author:

Dr. Tracy L. Tuten is Associate Professor of Marketing at Longwood University and the author "Advertising 2.0: Social Media Marketing in a Web 2.0 World." Tuten's research interests include Web-based survey methods, branding and identity, and online advertising. She serves on the editorial review board for Psychology and Marketing.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Stop Working So Hard

2008-11-04T20:30:00.001+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

This FREE BOOK will expose you to highly sensitive and profitable information...

"Stop Working So Hard! ...This Is Easy

...Make $1,000 A Day Working Only 60 Minutes A Day

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Just imagine coming home to automated cash each day. Being comfortable and secure as your family's provider. Paying off any lingering debt. 133-PAGE FREE BOOK shows you how. Get your copy rushed to your door by visiting: www.MakeRealMoneyOnTheInternet.com

Only ~~720~~ 52 Copies Left...Then They're Gone!

Sincerely,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Networks and Communities, Audio Streaming

2008-11-02T22:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

11/2/08 issue: Networks and Communities, Audio Streaming

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Join SelfGrowth.com
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Kerry Stokes
-- Article: Accountability Circles, Peer-Leaders and Your Personal Posse - By Ken Donaldson
-- Article: 5 Ways to Add Audio to Your Blog Or Website to Attract More Clients - By Irene Houston
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
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* Join the Largest Support Network of People Interested in Self Improvement! *

1) Do you want to meet thousands of other like-minded men and women who want to improve their lives?
2) Do you want to learn from experts on success, relationships, finances, health, and spirituality?
3) Do you want to participate in forums, chats, and social networking with people dedicated to personal and business success?
4) Do you want to share your ideas, beliefs, products, and services with tens of thousands of SelfGrowth.com members and visitors?

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then a free SelfGrowth.com membership is for you. To join today, go here.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first.
- Kerry Stokes

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: Personal Success Strategies - Accountability Circles, Peer-Leaders and Your Personal Posse - By Ken Donaldson **
---------------------------------------------------

Have you ever noticed that successful people have a "team" that they surround themselves with? For example, the president has his cabinet, as well as numerous other advisors and consultants. The head coach of any sports team has countless assistants and trainers. Every CEO has a board of directors.

And what about you?

Who is on your cabinet?

Who are your assistant coaches?

And who is on your board of directors?

Do you have anybody? Read on...

One big reason people have difficulty accomplishing their goals is due to trying to do all the work in isolation and on their own.

In other words, you try to do something in a vacuum, all by yourself and without outside assistance. I have said before and I will say it again:

You do not get any extra points for doing life all by yourself!

In fact, you are far less likely to accomplish what you really want to by trying to do it all by yourself. It is time for you to give up the fear or ego or pride or whatever it is that has stopped you from reaching out to others. It is time to rely on the power of the group.

There is an old scripture that says, "Whenever two or more are gathered, there I will be." This refers to the spiritual intervention of the Divine when there is a group (a "group" constitutes anything more than one person). What this means is that there is synergy in a group, meaning that one plus one equals ten. It is exponential power. The sum of the members is greater that the whole. There is automatically more power for you to access when rely on the power of the group.

There are three distinct power groups for you to seriously consider in growing your life into more power and passion. One of these groups is the accountability circle. The purpose of this group is to hold you accountable to your commitments. Ever notice how you get more done when you have committed to someone else? That is the power of accountability.

Furthermore, the people in this accountability circle can be used to check in with, as well as also being used to problem solve any obstacles that may come between you and your desired goals. They are also the people that will just flat out get in your face and kick you in the butt when and if your stubbornness happens to rise to the surface. I believe there are times when we all may need a good kick in the butt.

Another of the power groups that carries a tremendous amount of power is that of your peer-leaders. These are individuals whose main function is to celebrate your accomplishments. With these individuals, you have already agreed that their primary function is to celebrate your wins. You are no different that the rest of us in that you need positive reinforcement for your efforts and accomplishments. Your peer-leaders are the people in your network to rely on for these needs. Every time you have put forth effort in accomplishing any of your tasks, it is your responsibility to contact these individuals and celebrate your efforts.

The third group is the group that I like to refer to as your personal posse. Some people also refer to this as their "inner circle." These are the people that know you inside out, upside down, backwards and forwards. They know your strengths, weaknesses, dreams, failures, accomplishments and desires. Your personal posse, in fact, may at times know you better than you know yourself. The primary purpose of your personal posse is to give you a place of unconditional safety and to provide a sacred space for you to come into. The personal posse looks out for you and protects you.

In addition, your personal posse also may do some scouting for you. Since these individuals know you better than anyone else, they know exactly what you are wanting in your life. Furthermore, they also know your absolutes and bottom lines, your deal makers and deal breakers, and your wants and desires. They can help find you the “missing pieces” that you are searching for.

There are also other networks and communities that can be highly beneficial for you. Mastermind groups and brainstorming sessions can be of great use when you want a problem solved and/or a breakthrough to a new level in your life or business. These are very focused-oriented gatherings and are not designed to be as personal as your other networks.

All of these networks and communities take time to develop. I often hear people complaining about not being able to find such people. Like anything else in life, if you make a 100% commitment to creating these networks and communities, you will surely find the people and develop the corresponding groups. Start groups yourself if you cannot find groups already established and you can filter the people who participate and determine what networks they would be the most appropriate to participate in. Also, be prepared to give back in an equal proportion.

The goal here is to create a system of people who will support, challenge, encourage, confront and love you into your greatest self. They will help you to stay 100 percent committed to you. They will help you stay married to yourself, and in doing so, live the life of passion, purpose and power.

About the Author:

Ken Donaldson has been offering counseling, coaching, and educational programs since 1987. His programs are focused on empowering people to have more successful lives, businesses and relationships. Ken is the author of Marry YourSelf First! Saying "I DO" to a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose. Claim your FREE Relationship Success Special Report here.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: 5 Ways to Add Audio to Your Blog Or Website to Attract More Clients - By Irene Houston **
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It's amazing how many people don't realize the power of their own voice.

Audio streaming has been around for a long time, but admittedly, it used to be quite complicated to work out how to add it to your site a few years ago. But that's all changed now; there' s no excuse for not having audio as a marketing tool on you web site or blog nowadays.

Here are 5 simple ways to add audio to your web site to attract more clients:

1. Add an audio introduction.
Tell people who you are and what you do. Your voice coming out of a computer screen can often be what makes the connection between you and your prospective customer. The personal touch goes a long way. Don't go over the top though; your introduction should only be around 1 - 1.30 minutes long. Short and sweet.

2. Record your clients' testimonials.
Lots of people forget overlook one of the best ways to advertise your products or services is to have other people endorse them. Many audio streaming websites now provide a special telephone number where your satisfied customers can call in, without any the hassle of complicated equipment.

3. Record your ebook or special report.
Remember, not everyone likes to learn by reading. Many people, particularly those who don't have English as a first language, or who are dyslexic, can prefer an audio version over a written version of your products. Break the chapters of your ebook into sections and record them one by one. Add the audio MP3 file version with the written transcript and charge extra for the two products.

4. Deliver teleclasses or teleseminars.
This is an excellent way to connect on a regular basis with your customers, particularly if you are launching a new product or are considering a joint venture you wish to promote.

5. Question and answer sessions.
Instead of writing a Q & A section on your web site or blog, consider recording the most frequently asked questions to let your customers hear you personally explain how you can solve their problems.

About the Author:

And now I invite you to join me on my free weekly teleclasses where I help solopreneurs, coaches, consultants and service professionals to raise their online visibility by adding Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, audio, videos, social media and info products to their sites to attract more clients. Sign up for my free weekly teleclasses here.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Partner Offer: Searching for Safety in an Uncertain Market?

2008-10-31T22:50:00.000+05:30

	Frugal Living

We hope you've been enjoying your weekly subscription to About Frugal Living. Below, you'll find a great offer from one of our advertisers that we hope you find valuable. Thanks for subscribing!

Vanguard funds could be the answer...as long as you know which ones to buy...and which ones to avoid!

Investors fleeing the panic, negativity and uncertainty on Wall Street are eyeing Vanguard funds with increased interest these days, hoping that managers with the reputations of being the best in the business can provide some relief for their battered portfolios. Given the ongoing financial crisis we're all facing, that could turn out to be a pretty smart move.

Here's the problem...

Not all Vanguard funds are created equal...and you can, quite easily, lose your shirt investing in the WRONG ones. Especially in this uncertain market.

Some of them are wildly popular. Vanguard can, after all, profit from crummy funds as well as good ones. Sometimes they make larger profits from crummy funds.

Many funds are poorly managed. And many stand to get CRUSHED in this down economic cycle.

If you have ANY money at Vanguard, in your 401(k) perhaps - or are thinking about moving money there in search of safety - I urge you to get my updated report, "Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now."

It's FREE. That's right--it costs you nothing. No obligation to buy a thing. Simply click here now for your FREE copy.

WHY FREE?

This FREE report is a sample of the advice I provide to subscribers of my Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors. "Independent" is the key word.

I have no affiliation with Vanguard. In the 17 years I've been reporting and writing about Vanguard, I have not once been paid a dime from them--not for consulting services, not for research.

Meet Dan Wiener

Some say that Dan, editor of The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors, has the "Midas Touch" when it comes to Vanguard's funds.

Consider the facts: According to data released by the Vanguard Group itself, the average "go-it-alone" Vanguard investor has grown his or her nest egg from $100,000 to $409,061 in the past 17 years.

Not bad, but Dan's subscribers have done even better. They saw their personal pot of gold grow from $100,000 to $966,083 in the past 17 years! That's 144% more profits!

Let Dan help you do the same for your portfolio. Click here now for your free copy of Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now.

I take no advertising from them...or anyone else. I give credit where credit is due...but I also expose the skeletons in Vanguard's closet, much to their chagrin.

I firmly believe that Vanguard, with its low-fee structure, is the single BEST fund family. But I also know you can't just buy any old funds and hold them for success in the long haul.

Click here to learn more in my FREE report.

Less Risk...Bigger Profits

If "less risk...bigger profits" sounds good to you, get your FREE copy of "Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now," with no obligation to buy anything.

As the old saying goes, "You can't tell the players without a scorecard." And you'll get a starter scorecard RIGHT NOW when you download this free report.

Inside, you'll get what you need to improve your portfolio for years to come:

Independent advice, NOT fund-family PR
A proactive strategy to manage risks
A way to DOUBLE your monthly income in retirement

What You'll Learn

*** Why sector investing is for SUCKERS--with a handful of exceptions, including Vanguard's Health Care fund. Believe me, this belongs in your portfolio, especially if you're investing for children or grandchildren.

*** 6 Vanguard Funds to dump NOW...or avoid like poison if you DON'T own them. As I mentioned, not all Vanguard funds are winners. Many are bona fide LOSERS. If you listen to these fund managers' empty promises, you're giving your money away. My advice is to steer clear of these Vanguard "vampires!"

*** Vanguard's Top 6 Funds for 2008. Why are these 6 my favorites? Because they help diversify and balance your portfolio...AND they're managed by some of the best fund minds in the business.

*** How to DOUBLE your monthly income when you're retired.

*** The truth about Vanguard's "no load" funds and fees. They nibble away at your returns like termites in the night--and there's a simple way to avoid them all.

*** How to get "set it and forget it" security without the RISK of Vanguard's rip-off Lifecycle funds.

*** The 7 worst mistakes Vanguard investors are making today--and how to avoid them.

*** And much, more. Simply click here for your FREE copy of "Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now"--available immediately online!

Want An Extra $587,022?

144% Greater Profits Sound Good?

It's FREE--No Strings Attached!

"Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now," is yours FREE. You are under no obligation to buy a thing, ever. Download it free, right NOW.

Can the information in "Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now" make any real difference to you?

Let me give you an illustration...

Picture two investors, each starting with $100,000 in 1990 (just before I started publishing my newsletter, The Independent Adviser) through 2007.

Over that time, the average investor at Vanguard starting with $100,000 ended with $409,061--not bad.

But by following my Growth Portfolio recommendations, you would have turned that same $100,000 into $996,083. That's another $587,022...144% MORE than the "average" investor at Vanguard!

No rocket science. Simply the difference between independent advice for your Vanguard funds versus old-style buy-and-hold. Download your FREE report here.

Sincerely,

Daniel P. Wiener
The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors

P.S. Don't risk your portfolio in the WRONG Vanguard funds when six of the best are right within your grasp. Reduce your risk and multiply your returns--without spending a DIME. Get my new report, "Vanguard's Best and Worst Funds to Own Now," FREE by clicking here.

FFSA and The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors are completely independent of The Vanguard Group, Inc.

InvestorPlace Media, LLC, 700 Indian Springs Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601


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vince, Grab your fre.e lifestyle design and wealth creation books...

2008-10-30T20:15:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

We have arranged something extra special for you today. It is fre.e but highly valuable... written by the Creative Consultant on The Secret... and exclusive to SelfGrowth.com newsletter subscribers!

My friend, David Cameron Gikandi, is giving you three excellent books on wealth and lifestyle design, fre.e. Read below to find out more.

Regards,

David Riklan

Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter

Founder - SelfGrowth.com

-----------------------------

Hi vince,

We have arranged something extra special for you today. It is fre.e but HIGHLY valuable... written by the Creative Consultant on The Secret... and exclusive to SelfGrowth.com newsletter subscribers!

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1. 34-Page MANIFESTO The Amazing Lifestyle Creation Formula -- FRE.E

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- The Truth about time, images of the mind, the blueprints of life

- Thinking and speaking, goals, being, acting, certainty...

- Cause and effect, conditions and conditionality, what is real and what is an illusion?

- Giving, gratitude, consciousness...

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- Money: How to use the symbol. And much more...

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- Income and wealth: The relationship explained

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- Power strategies to preserve your capital and protect your assets

- More reasons why people never become wealthy

- What is The Way of the Financial Warrior?

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David Cameron Gikandi

Entreprenuer, author of A Happy Pocket Full of Money, and Creative Consultant on The Secret

-------------------

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Or contact us at:

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Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Marketing Communications Plan, Accomplishing Something Big

2008-10-29T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/29/08 issue: Marketing Communications Plan, Accomplishing Something Big

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Business in a Box
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Carl Icahn
-- Article: How Customer Communications Technology Brings Extra Factors to the Marketing Communications Plan - By Mark Evans
-- Article: One Big Thing - By Ron G. Holland
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
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** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

In life and business, there are two cardinal sins. The first is to act precipitously without thought and the second is to not act at all.
- Carl Icahn

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: How Customer Communications Technology Brings Extra Factors to the Marketing Communications Plan - By Mark Evans **
---------------------------------------------------

In delivering a customer communications management system, there are extra considerations in respect of the development of a marketing communications plan.

The marketing communications plan can provide a clear guideline as to how to execute, the expected costs and the expected return. Customer communications management will increase the ease with which a multi-channel marketing communications strategy can be executed. It will also increase the sophistication with which a company can communicate in a relevant manner with its customers.

In the context of discussing the plan I will use Philip Kotler P's framework as this is the standard study for virtually all marketers.

First off, let's establish the Four P's of product marketing:

* Product - Which products are you looking to promote? Today's customer communications management platforms mean that you can market more than one product in an individual campaign based upon an individual user's profile. Therefore Product Range Selection is an additional component in the customer communications management driven marketing communications plan.

* Price - Are you making a promotional offer, or are you marketing on a recommend retail price basis? Are you proposing other kinds of incentives? Are you going to segment your customer base and perform propensity to buy analysis that delivers unique offers to each customers? In other words, price elasticity is available in your campaign should you choose to use it.

* Place - Customer communications management processes give the marketing communications plan complete freedom to choose from a wide range of communications methods. These include voice, Direct Mail, Transactional Mail, Email, Social Media oriented email, social media direct, SMS, mobile and web. Therefore channel flexibility is a key advantage for the marketing communications plan.

* Promotion - Specifically what is your promotion and what are the promotion objectives? To garner new customers? To market more to your existing customers? To raise awareness of a product launch? To build brand appeal through a news advisory about your companies efforts in the community? To raise funds for a charity that your company sponsors? The options are wide and varied. The key thing to note again here is that with an integrated customer communications platform, you will have promotion flexibility.

I've highlighted four key phrases here that I feel should now be implemented within the marketing communications plan. Let's review these individually.

Product Range

A good customer communications infrastructure will provide significant data analysis and extraction capabilities. A good propensity to purchase analysis model will allow not just a single product to be promoted to an individual customer but, a range of relevant products that will appeal. Remember that each customer can be communicated with on a genuine one -- one basis. Therefore rather the scope of products that you wish to promote should be considered -- They may not be in the same category but you may desire to push certain products in certain categories harder.

Price Elasticity

Not all customers are born the same. The data analysis process within customer communications management will allow you to build price elasticity into your marketing communications plan. You may know for example that keener customers may only buy when a promotional offer is in place. Other customers may buy only when the product is the newest item available. The marketing communications plan may need to consider price elasticity and the targeting of offers on a one to one or customer segment basis.

Channel Flexibility

The ability to deliver a standard but relevant message, in a synchronized way to virtually any customer communication channel has always been a holy grail. My list reveals 9 communication channels here.

Whilst this level of flexibility is new in the market, I can see that the next few years will reveal much interesting data about the use of these channels and their performance in different customer and product segments. The ability to analyze the performance of campaigns using data from a single system is a new feature that works in support of the marketing communications plan.

Never before have companies had such a choice of communications channels combined with the ability to manage them effectively. The next decade is going to offer some very interesting insights in communications channels and their relevance in different market segments.

Promotion Flexibility

Promotions can be designed on a one to one basis. They can now be wide and varied and can target an individual consumer through her preferred channel of communication. Thus we might know that one consumer always buys two identical items when he orders. This might make the occasional 2 for 1 offer a big loyalty builder. Another customer may be very price sensitive thus a 30% discount may bring you that customers loyalty and an additional sale.

We can now communicate all elements of the four p's in an entirely new manner, it is scope of elasticity and flexibility that needs to be managed and contained within the marketing plan. I feel that the power and return of the marketing campaign is likely to see exponential improvement.

I hope that this article has been interesting. Next time I discuss the marketing communications plan in context with customer communications management, I'll talk about measurement and the feedback loop.

About the Author:

Mark owns and manages a document projects website with commentary, news, and advice relating to the world of marketing and customer communications.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: One Big Thing - By Ron G. Holland **
---------------------------------------------------

Over the years, I have developed strategies for success by reading hundreds of biographies of high achievers and also working closely with numerous multi-millionaires I noted one trait they all have in common.

They DISCIPLINED themselves to accomplish ONE BIG THING every day that would have a profound effect on their lives.

Most people do not run their lives like this. They allow themselves to get bogged down with trivia, and at the end of every day they haven't moved forward, most just managing to keep their heads above water, many living lives of quiet desperation.

You may want to start by accomplishing ONE BIG THING every week and if you start to be honest with yourself the ONE BIG THING that needs doing will be apparent.

It could be that you actually have to put an advert in the paper to search out and locate an employee that will take over the massive workload of admin or bookkeeping or appointment setting. Maybe this had been put off because you thought you couldn't afford such a person. The people who do ONE BIG THING know they can't afford not to. The people who do ONE BIG THING every day move ahead in leaps and bounds.

You may write a book to increase your profile and credibility. Most people have a book inside them but never get around to writing it. My books have created fabulous incomes for me both in royalties, but even more importantly and lucratively, via creating credibility and awareness for consultancy income.

You may have to track down a database that will change your life...do it now. Maybe your ONE BIG THING is to attend a seminar or workshop that will change your life. Maybe your ONE BIG THING is to totally change direction. Maybe you need to call a list of your most important customers to ask them how you can deliver an even greater level of service...just do ONE BIG THING. Maybe your ONE BIG THING is to stop drinking, stop watching the soaps, womanizing or taking drugs. I don't know. Everyone is different. All I do know is the people who make it BIG in life do whatever it takes. They know that no one else can make the changes for them.

Doing ONE BIG THING can bring massive results, change, wealth and happiness into your life. Small moves don't bring anything except more of the same.

I make a point of accomplishing ONE BIG THING every day. And even now I still have to overcome laziness, call reluctance, a full agenda, a young family (my beautiful Romanian wife is only thirty two and our baby daughter Kay is nearly five), and demanding clients who have powerful and demanding agendas of their own. I would find it very easy to do all the small things and miss out on the ONE BIG THING.
The word self-sacrifice comes into play and over the years I have missed many parties, TV programs, shows, football games, social gatherings and family get togethers...but by hook or by crook I manage to do ONE BIG THING!

You can't possibly do it all. Something has to give. I have noted that famous TV stars are not watching TV, but they are creating the programs that others watch. Famous authors are not reading books; they are creating and writing books for others to read.

I realized that if I left all my paperwork until the end of the week, or even the end of two weeks, I could catch it all up to date in one mammoth concentrated effort on a Sunday afternoon...thereby freeing off many hours for selling and accomplishing BIG THINGS that would make quantum leaps for me in my life. No longer would I be able to use the excuse that paper work takes up all my time because I realized it I can and will take up all the amount of time you allow it to...OR NOT.

To do ONE BIG THING, you must make time to allow yourself the luxury of being able to carry it out and carry it off. The ONE BIG THING will be apparent very quickly. All you have to do, for once in your life, is to do the ONE BIG THING and then repeat the trick on a weekly basis and then on a daily basis. You'll never regret it! I celebrate the fact everyday that I do ONE BIG THING! Whether I am down, too busy, too tired or just plain lazy, I do ONE BIG THING regardless of EVERYTHING else! And I do mean EVERYTHING!

About the Author:

Ron G. Holland is author of eighteen business books, manuals, and audio programs; is Britain's leading motivational speaker and Top Biz Guru. To purchase his book, "How to Create Wealth, Security and Happiness -- Even In a Recession," go here.

To change your profile information, please click here.

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Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Are You Ready To Play?

2008-10-28T18:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

You know that being a successful entrepreneur takes grit - and many times a healthy dose of luck doesn't hurt. Well, this is your LUCKY DAY!

I've come across something that's truly unusual. And, it's FUN! It's a program from Europe that's been helping people save money - or earn money - as they shop for high quality products at lower than wholesale prices - MUCH lower.

I think you're going to enjoy hearing about this innovative concept. Check out the video!

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

Are You Ready To Play?

What if you could shop online for things
you need and want...
using a unique set of rules?

What if it was an auction - kind of like eBay - but you get the merchandise when you bid the SMALLEST offer instead of the highest price? Imagine that!

Or, what if your goal at that auction was to get the item for NOTHING or just shipping...

Or, what if you just had a good time bidding for something like a new car or a new computer or a vacation or shopping trip to a national chain store and you succeeded with a bid around $500 for the car, or $68 for the computer, or $122 for the thousand dollar shopping trip? Does that sound like fun?

Well, you CAN do all this - it's already happening!

That's how you participate in a unique program from Europe that millions of shoppers are using to buy and win exciting products for under a dollar a bid. Under a dollar a bid! And, yes, they are successfully buying cars, and electronics and shopping vouchers and much, much more.

Would you like to know more? Who wouldn't?

Use this link to see our video and get 8 credits to play with.

By the way, if your entrepreneurial mind is already ticking - yes, there is not only money to be saved by customers, but more to be MADE by you as an associate in this program.

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Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Business and the Recession, Self-Confidence and Sales

2008-10-26T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/26/08 issue: Business and the Recession, Self-Confidence and Sales

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Join SelfGrowth.com
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Michael Gerber
-- Article: The Economic Crisis... The Bail-Out... And You... - By Thomas H. Swank
-- Article: Sales Training: Self-Confidence is What Top Salespeople Build and Maintain - By Patricia Weber
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
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* Join the Largest Support Network of People Interested in Self Improvement! *

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then a free SelfGrowth.com membership is for you. To join today, go here.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

If your thinking is sloppy, your business will be sloppy. If you are disorganized, your business will be disorganized. If you are greedy, your employees will be greedy, giving you less and less of themselves and always asking for more.
- Michael Gerber

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: The Economic Crisis... The Bail-Out... And You... - By Thomas H. Swank **
---------------------------------------------------

"These are perilous times for the federation." Jean Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise (Star-Trek)

While the turmoil of current times might seem like something from a galaxy far away, this is not "science fiction." The economic crisis, supposed bail-out and the resultant impact on business and peoples lives… is all too "real"!

So, precisely "how" should you or your organization manage these difficult times and challenges? Earnestly consider the following perspectives which may serve you and your organization well throughout the remainder of 2008 and beyond:

Step # 1: Refocus your "thinking" on what you need to do survive, and away from the negative media.
Begin by seeking clarity in your internal processing of the available "facts" and valid information. Remind yourself that there have been many market corrections before. In fact the "DOW" was at a comparable low point just a few years ago, in 2004. Also, be acutely aware that interest rates are near record "lows.".. this is not the Jimmy Carter era, when mortgage rates were in the 17% - 18% range.

With these perspectives made clear, refocus your intention and attention on what you, or your organization need to do in order to appropriately manage your strategic thinking and resultant planning. In sports, it is believed that "Good shots, are built on good shots." In business the same principle holds true, "Good thoughts are built on good thoughts"! As I have cited to you before, right thinking is the precursor to executing right action.

Step # 2: Address your fears.
I heard a news broadcast recently which reported that "The American people are anxious, and anxiety fuels more anxiety." This is clearly a prescription for impending failure, based on wrong thinking and assumptions.

What ever your deepest concerns or fears are... face them now! Previous studies have determined that what people fear is almost always unfounded:

» Less than 5% of what we fear, can we potentially do anything about.

» Another 5% of what we fear, we have no control over.

» The other 90% of what we fear is not reality and will never even happen.

So, reframe your concerns or fears as challenges to be over come. Even better, restate them as goals to be achieved. Now follow through and rally your troops. Reassure the members of your organization that their fears are not appropriate, that they should remain calm, and that your organization is being proactive in its response to market conditions. If necessary, meet individually with the organizations employees to reassure them, dispel limiting thinking or false assumptions.

Don't fail to understand that in order for your organizational staff members to maintain good morale and to be positively motivated... then must be assured that everything is going to be "OK."

Step # 3: Appropriately "assess" your present circumstances and business assets.
For many organizations and people, making accurate assessments of their current situation, can in itself present a challenge. This is a crucial step to undertake if you are going to survive now, and prepare to thrive tomorrow. If this somehow sounds familiar, it is. It parallels an age old axiom... "Live to fight another day."

As for initiating the assessment process, there is a key piece of strategic thinking that you need to apply to this process. You must first determine:

» What do you or your organization have the ability to directly "control"?

» What is beyond your ability to exert control?

» What is insignificant or of no importance at all?

With regard to making the actual assessments, there is a virtual litany of potential considerations. Focus on the core elements of your business endeavor by initially assessing:

» What is working well for you right now?

» What are the core "strengths" of your organization and your people?

» Reassess the talents, abilities and available resources of the organization and its people; then take a fresh look at how they can be better utilized.

Step # 4: Reevaluate your process for conducting business.
During times of economic downturn and soft market conditions, it is important to remain focused on "why" you are in business. What is the "Vision" and "Mission" of your organization? Do today's economic and market conditions necessitate reevaluation of the organization's vision and mission statements?

Once you have revisited your organizational "purpose," there are again strategically important actions to be immediately taken:

» Communicate the redefined vision and mission to every member of your organization, in a clear and succinct manner.

» Carefully explain to each and every member of the organization exactly what their "role" is and how their work directly contributes to the achievement of the organization's vision, mission and goals; as well as the potential for the company's future growth and resultant benefits to its employees.

Step # 5: Conduct a thorough sales and marketing review.
In times such as these, it is essential to accomplish more, with less. There is also the necessity of working "smarter" than ever before. In like fashion, it is also important to return to our developmental roots. The point of which is that the process of development is from the "inside-out." Investing the time to determine how to grow your organization from inside-out, is crucial to your survival process.

Following are some primary considerations for implementing inside-out business growth:

» Develop, update or expand your customer "referral" and "rewards" programs.

» Determine how you can gain additional or repeat business from your existing customers.

» Survey both existing and previous customers to learn how to improve your service and product offerings.

» Determine who the primary and secondary vendors are in your customer's business or industry.

» Develop strategic business alliances.

Reliable business studies have determined that it costs 5 times as much to get a new customer, than it does to keep one that you already have. This fact alone should be enough incentive to grow from within.

Step # 6: Work more effectively.
Not only does your overall organization need to work smarter, they need to work more efficiently and effectively. In conjunction with Step # 3, your people can learn how to be in "control" of both their time and their schedule. While there are only so many hours in a work day, your people can maximize both productivity and results with effective time management.

Step # 7: Evaluate the opportunities that are available to you now.
While business may be on a slower track in the short term… Don't fail to take advantage of the time which is now available to you to improve your skill sets, prepare for busier times that will most assuredly return, and to explore new options or opportunities that may be available to you. What ever it is that you've wanted to do and just haven't had the opportunity... now is the time.

If you want to maximize your future ROI... the time is ripe to invest in the future of your organization by investing in your people. Consider the following key points:

» SALES: The typical sales representative has been well versed in knowledge and training regarding the organization's products and services. Yet, on a universal basis sales professionals have not received any formal development training with regard to the actual "BUYING / SELLING PROCESS," "NETWORKING TECHNIQUES & PROTOCOLS" or "EFFECTIVE PROSPECTING."

» MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISION: The vast majority of management and supervisory positions are filled as a result of promotions from within business organizations. Through hard work and dedication, "super-workers" have earned the opportunity to then be promoted to supervisor or manager.

While thoroughly indoctrinated with their company's operational policies and procedures... these managers and supervisors have never been provided with appropriate formal management development training for the all important roles and responsibilities which they have already assumed.

» LEADERSHIP: You need only to turn on the news to know that there are multitudes of business executives and government officials who are referred to as being leaders, who clearly don't exemplify the public perception of what a leader is, or even should be. Just because an individual has had some degree of financial success, and resultantly gained public visibility, does not qualify them as a bonafide "leader." The simple truth is that the vast majority of those individuals which are referred to as leaders have again, never had any formal leadership development training.

Step # 8: Take a "fresh" look at your future.
Taking a hard look at the future of your organization or yourself, is far more important that you might first realize. Simply think back to 2007... was your business journey last year the same as the one you are currently experiencing this year? Are the results that you are currently getting the same result outcomes that you obtained last year?

As you and your organization move forward toward the threshold that soon awaits you in 2009, rest assured that you will be again undertaking an entirely new journey into ever changing market conditions, economic environments and technological advancements.

Neither time, nor the marketplace will afford you the luxury of remaining where you are.

So, what will you do? What actions will you take? How will you prepare? Your "future" is waiting...

Copyright © 2008 Thomas H. Swank, CBC. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author:

Tom Swank is a highly respected Executive Coach and Motivational Speaker. Mr. Swank is the Founder and President of Executive Coaching International, which is known for the development of "High Performance People and Organizations." Tom is recognized as an expert in the field of "business development and personal improvement," as well as a contributing author, by SelfGrowth.com, the number one ranked website for personal improvement. He is also a contributing author to the number one ranked website for small business and entrepreneurs, Evan Carmichael.com. Tom's articles are also regularly featured and highly ranked on BizSugar.com.

Contact Tom at (877) COACH-10 or by e-mail at TomSwank@ExecutiveCoachingInternational.com

To receive Tom's acclaimed "Results By Design" or "Coach's Perspective" Newsletters which provide Ideas and Resources For Success, visit Tom here.

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** Article: Sales Training: Self-Confidence is What Top Salespeople Build and Maintain - By Patricia Weber **
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If you suffer from low or no confidence, or whatever your self-confidence indicator may be, this can translate to something minor or major which leads to low sales. Just as cars have become more sophisticated with warning lights, a salesperson who is in tune with their own kind of indicator systems will know when their confidence is low. Low or no self-confidence can be disguised as procrastination, negative self-talk, or the three sister words in conversations: would have, could have, and should have.

Procrastination may be an indicator of confidence in particular if you know what to do, how long it takes and can probably teach someone else! Like a brake light indicator being a warning that brakes aren't working properly, procrastination is also a warning. Why do you procrastinate? Is it because you are new in sales and don't yet understand how to break the sales process down? Or do you know what to do, but have a more serious system indicator light, like fear, that may be deep routed in a limiting belief? To start to get over procrastination, first determine if it is a warning (you are still learning the process) or a system malfunction light (you have a limiting belief).

Your self-talk can be a warning indicator light that your confidence is about to steer you off course. Like a seat belt warning, this kind of indicator light usually points to one thing and is usually temporary. After a long annoying chime, the seat belt indicator turns off if you fasten your seatbelt or wait long enough for the noise to cease. Because we have so much negative self-talk inside us we may be immune to the sound, not hear it or just move on autopilot not thinking anything of it. The key to get back on track with your self-confidence to sell is to stop, listen and redirect your self-talk. Replace the negative with positive at every chance. If you find it difficult to zero in on your self-talk, then pay attention to your feelings. Law of Attraction teachers say our feelings let us know when we are off course.

Our language patterns and how much we use "would have," "could have," and "should have" in our conversations in and out of self-talk can be a serious malfunction indicator. Negative language patterns like this are indicators usually more encompassing and serious like a car's engine light. Who knows where the problem is until you take your car in for service? Our language patterns and how much we use "would have," "could have," and "should have" in our conversations outside of self-talk can mean our belief system is limiting our ability to maintain our confidence. If you have found you have tried many repairs to your self-confidence, but it still shows up in a whiny "would have," "could have," and "should have," consider a coach. Coaches can usually more easily diagnose your situation and have longer lasting tools available to correct your problems.

These first three self-confidence indicators: procrastination, negative self-talk, and the three sister words, can keep your sales at a standstill or worse, subtly sabotage increased results for salespeople. Try all mental, emotional and behavioral strategies until you find your personal effective formula for shutting them off. In my next article you'll learn where other times self-confidence shows up in lack of follow up, feeling like an imposter or somehow fearful in giving presentations, networking, or even asking for an order.

About the Author:

Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America's Sales Accelerator Coach, specializing in Introverts and Shy people here.

For more top salespeople ideas no matter what the reason for sales reluctance, follow Pat's blog here.

Uncover your personality and #1 selling strategy with quick assessment here.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Web Numbers, Defining Your Business

2008-10-24T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/24/08 issue: Web Numbers, Defining Your Business

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Ex Bike Courier's Secret
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
-- Article: What You MUST Understand About Your Web Numbers - By Alexandria Brown
-- Article: Defining Your Business Keeps Company Focused and Saves Money - By Charles W. Daviss
-- Subscription and Contact Information

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** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

A business is successful to the extent that it provides a product or service that contributes to happiness in all of its forms.
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

---------------------------------------------------
** Article:What You MUST Understand About Your Web Numbers - By Alexandria Brown **
---------------------------------

Six years ago, when I first started selling online, I focused on doing what I did best: generating useful content that people would want to pay for. But I quickly learned that selling a product online required me to have to learn about...

...my Web statistics.

"Yuck!"

"Why should I have to do this?" I thought. "I'm not a numbers person. Such small details! I want to spend time on big ideas."

Then after a few months of poor sales, I realized I needed to learn more about my numbers so I could learn how to improve my results. (You can't improve something that you can't measure.) After getting acquainted with my stats, I not only realized that this information would help me immensely, but I was relieved that it wasn't so hard after all. It had just been something unfamiliar.

There are four types of basic "Web numbers" I want you to understand. Don't worry -- if I can handle this, you can too!

1. Sales
HOW MANY SALES are you making? This should be easy to determine on your end.

2. Unique Visitors
HOW MANY PEOPLE are visiting your sales page? To know this, you'll need to know your number of unique visitors for that specific page.

Do NOT confuse unique visitors with "hits," which refers to number of graphics downloaded.

Your Web host may already provide some stats you can access, but many of these programs are hard to understand and only track hits. If this is the case, it's well worth it to use a low-cost outside tracking service such as WebSTAT that will show you your number of unique visitors. (I use them and love their service.)

3. Sales Conversion Rate
Here's where we start with some math. Take your number of sales during a given time, and divide it by your number of visitors during that time. We'll walk through this in a minute.

4. Value per Visitor
This tells you how much each visitor is worth to you. It's basically your selling price times your conversion rate.

Let's Walk Through It Together

Say Suzy Q runs a site that sells a special report on how to teach your dog to do a back flip. The report sells for $20. Last month she had 50 online sales. Her Web stats show that during that month she had 1,500 unique visitors.

First let's figure her sales conversion rate -- sales divided by visitors.
50 / 1,500 = .0333. We'll round it down to .03. (If we're talking about percentages, that's about 3%. Or 3 sales for every 100 visitors.)

Now, let's determine her value per visitor.

The report sells for $20, and we now know that her sales conversion rate is .03.

So .03 x $20 = $0.60.

That means each visitor is worth 60 cents to Suzy, whether they buy or not.

(Here's a longer way of doing this, but it may make more sense to you: Based on Suzy's current conversion rate, she makes an average of 3 sales per 100 visitors. 3 x $20 = $60. So for every 100 visitors she makes an average of $60. $60 / 100 visitors = $0.60 per visitor.)

This number tells Suzy how much it's worth spending to get a visitor to her site. For example, if she decides to advertise via a pay-per-click search engine (such as Google AdWords), she knows that $0.60 is the maximum she'd want to bid.

Want My FREE Calculations Template?

Would you like a free fill-in-the-blanks template to help you make the calculations above? I've put one together for you! Send a blank e-mail to ali-39796@autocontactor.com and you should receive it automatically.

What to DO With Your Numbers

First of all, look at your unique visitors. If your numbers aren't as high as you'd like, work on attracting more prospects to your site via your e-zine, search engine listings, advertisements, articles, etc.

Then look at your sales conversion rate. The average for information products is actually around only 1%, according to both my testing and that of my colleagues. (So don't get upset if that's where you're at!) Often my conversion rate is a lot higher, but it depends on who's visiting that sales page. My conversion rate will be a lot higher if I'm sending my own subscribers there (people who already know, like, and trust me) versus strangers who found me from a search engine or other website. Make sense?

Aim to continually improve your sales page to boost your results.

Keep a log of what changes you make and when you make them so you can see which factors help or hinder your sales. (There's a place for these notes in that template I created for you.)

You should also do simple "split tests", but I'll go into that another time.

Don't Wait Any Longer!

Remember, you can't improve something you can't measure. Take a few minutes and start tracking these things. I guarantee that once you do, you'll actually enjoy this process because it gives you the power to continually IMPROVE.

For STEP-BY-STEP instructions on all of these strategies (and dozens more) see my SPECIAL REPORT: "101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a MASSIVE EMAIL LIST" that's part of my "Boost Business With Your Own Ezine System".

© 2005-2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.

About the Author:

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning "Highlights on Marketing Success" weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now here.

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** Article: Defining Your Business Keeps Company Focused and Saves Money - By Charles W. Davis **
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Are you having a problem defining your business? You realize it is important but you simply cannot seem to get your arms around it. Here is a place to start.

First, why do you need to define your business? Defining your business purpose is necessary to set company objectives, stay focused, and use resources wisely. Further, if you were asked what your company does, it provides the ready answer. Actually, once you have your company definition, you probably should memorize it.

Maybe it would be useful to understand what is not a definition of a business. For instance, "We shampoo carpets," is not a definition. "We install fences or I am a plumber," is not a definition. There are at least three things wrong with each of these. First and foremost it does not address to whom the services are to be rendered. You may be thinking, well it is to the population generally. That is not good enough. You need to pare that down to a more specific population. There are several ways of defining a population (market segment) such as by location, demographic, and life style, for instance. Secondly, the problem is not addressed. If you install fences what problems are you solving for the buyer? If you mow grass, what problems are you solving for the business or homeowner? Trust me, if you are not solving a problem, your product/service is not going to sell. Finally the product is largely undefined as well. What kind of fence? Is it a privacy, security, wood, chain-link, chicken wire or what? And what about quality? Is the quality state of the art, durable, long-lasting, attractive, flexible or what? And as you think about these qualities or attributes of the product or service, you should come to recognize that each is solving a particularly different problem. Fence is simply not just fence. Privacy fence is clearly not the same as a wood farm fence. It has a different purpose. You must consider the benefits as part of the description. It is not simply a fence; it is a high quality, long lasting privacy fence. Or it could be a long lasting, rot resistant, fence for farm applications.

Models are frequently useful to answering the big definition question because they help us structure our thinking. However, complicated models simply confuse and bewilder the reader. Here's a simple model that is easy to understand and remember. Bear with me as we look at this more closely. Once we are finished, you should be able to define your own business.

Market Segment < = > Problem < = > Product/Service

What this model says is that a market segment has a problem that a product/service can solve. You can start with any part of the model. For instance you could start with the market segment and ask, what problems does this segment have and what products/services would alleviate/solve that problem? Or you might start with the problem and ask, who would like to see this problem solved and what products/services would solve the problem? And finally, you could start with the products/services and ask, what problem does it solve and who would be interested in solving it?

Let's take a look at the components of this model. The market segment is the population you expect to service. As mentioned earlier you can define this in any number of ways. Just some thinking on your part will help you choose the best one. Consider who your customers are right now or who have been your customers. What do they have in common? Are they local business people? Are they local homeowners? Are they people who own expensive sports cars? Are they people who own swimming pools? Are they people age 65 and over? Are they people who do not currently have health insurance? Who are they?

The problem to be solved is critical. Recall too, that product or service attributes (characteristics) will likely play a role in defining the problem to be solved. What is the problem? Is the problem wet, mildewed basements? Is it overgrown weeds? Is it an education fund for a child? Is it a retirement fund? Is it getting more clients/customers? Is it cost control over manufacturing cost? Is it unaffordable health insurance? Is it termites eating the floor joists?

The solution is the product or service you are promoting. It is the thing that the market segment wants (or should want) to solve the problem it has (or should be aware of or made aware of).

Now for a simple template:

Your company definition relates to the model. You serve (your answer to the market segment definition here), with products/services that (benefits of this or these) that alleviates/eliminates/forestalls the (description of problem here).

XYZ Company serves busy homeowners with swimming pools with high quality products and services that alleviate the tiresome chore of pool maintenance.

Note that the business definition has three elements. It addresses who is to be served (busy homeowners with swimming pools), it indicates that the products/services used (with high quality products and services) and that solve the problem (tiresome chore of pool maintenance) will be solved.

This helps keep the business focused. This business is not about walking pets, or building lead systems, or cleaning skyscraper windows. This business is about pool products and maintenance. Further, XYZ carries only high quality products – no seconds, no cheat substitutes. This company solves a real problem for those who are too busy or otherwise occupied to do it themselves.

Now here is another benefit. Once you have adequately defined (at least a good draft) you can begin to focus on the market specifically. Returning to our example of the pool maintenance company, it now is reasonable to ask, where is the highest concentration of individuals who have swimming pools and would otherwise be to busy to clean and care for one? Obviously the answer is the area where the well to do live. That immediately sharpens your advertising focus. If you plan to do flyers, that's the area to canvas. By defining your business you have sharpened your advertising focus and consequently saved money. Clearly, a business definition saves resources (time, money, and effort).

A company definition also assists in setting goals or objectives. If the market segment is adequately defined then it becomes reasonable to ask how large it is. You could further ask what the competition is like (those with similar definitions, even if they don't know it.) You could pose the question as to what degree of market penetration you might experience. You might also realize how your company differs from that of your competitor and what you can do better. The definition then helps in setting an appropriate goal.

Defining your business is not easy. As Henry Ford once said, "Thinking is hard work. That is why so few people do it." Do not be among those that do not. Defining your business will make it more successful and make you wealthier.

A final example: Gray Fox Consulting and Investments serves the US Small Business community with insightful educational materials, training and business consulting that bring positive results to the bottom line.

About the Author:

Charles Davis works for Gray Fox Consulting and Investments, which serves the US Small Business community with insightful educational materials, training, and business consulting that bring positive results to the bottom line.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Are You Ready To Play?

2008-10-23T18:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

You know that being a successful entrepreneur takes grit - and many times a healthy dose of luck doesn't hurt. Well, this is your LUCKY DAY!

I think you're going to enjoy hearing about this innovative concept. Check out the video!

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

Are You Ready To Play?

What if you could shop online for things
you need and want...
using a unique set of rules?

What if it was an auction - kind of like eBay - but you get the merchandise when you bid the SMALLEST offer instead of the highest price? Imagine that!

Or, what if your goal at that auction was to get the item for NOTHING or just shipping...

Well, you CAN do all this - it's already happening!

Would you like to know more? Who wouldn't?

Use this link to see our video and get 8 credits to play with.

By the way, if your entrepreneurial mind is already ticking - yes, there is not only money to be saved by customers, but more to be MADE by you as an associate in this program.

Here's the link for your credits,
the video and more fun:

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Boosting Business, Connecting with Customers

2008-10-22T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/22/08 issue: Boosting Business, Connecting with Customers

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Business in a Box
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Chris Corrigan
-- Article: What To Do When Business Slows Down - By Charlene Rashkow
-- Article: Sales is Simple: From Luck to Leverage - By Rod McKinnis, the Official Guide to Sales Management Training
-- Subscription and Contact Information

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** Recommended Product of the Day **
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* Finally: A Turnkey Home Business-In-A-Box *

Are you tired of jumping from one biz op to the next? After years of market testing and millions of dollars in collective earnings, we have created the most powerful online marketing system on the planet -- The revolutionary "Business In A Box" (BiB):

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Discover how normal people like YOU are earning as much as $5000 to $10,000 a week from HOME using this revolutionary online marketing system!

Get your FREE REPORT: "7 Crucial Things You Must Know Before Starting Any Online Business" GO HERE NOW.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

You can't overestimate the need to plan and prepare. In most of the mistakes I've made, there has been this common theme of inadequate planning beforehand. You really can't over-prepare in business!
- Chris Corrigan

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: What To Do When Business Slows Down - By Charlene Rashkow **
---------------------------------

I doubt that anyone reading this article hasn't at one time or another found themselves facing a drastic drop in business. Without any warning, and for no apparent reason, inquiries for your services or products drop off and everything seems to stop. The phone stops ringing, your email box has nothing but spam and it looks as if your business has literally come to an end. You can't imagine what happened and even more important, you're not sure what to do when your business appears to hit a wall.

Where Are You Placing Your Focus?

In today's market, with so much doom and gloom on the news, it isn't surprising that business might drop off. Even when you offer something of importance, people tend to pull in the purse strings when economics look bad. So, what can we do? For most people, usually, the first reaction is sheer panic, putting all of our attention on what isn't working. We quickly start worrying and worse than worrying; we begin commiserating with those who may be experiencing a similar situation. On the material level, worrying is a natural reaction when we feel out of control, but on a higher level, it's actually the worst thing you can do. The reason? Have you ever noticed that when you put your attention on something, it seems to get bigger? The truth is, wherever you put your attention, will tend to expand. Whether you think that's true or not, the fact remains that whenever we talk about and think about something that isn't working, it grows right before our eyes. In contrast, when we put our attention on what is working, or if we pull out our gratitude journal and start acknowledging all the good things in life, it seems that things quickly turn around. When you change your thinking, you change your circumstances.

The Tide Comes in and the Tide Goes Out!

Over the years, I invariably have had an opportunity to practice my skill regarding a very important lesson about business. What I continuously learn, is that no matter what kind of business a person has, it's going to have ups and downs. Plainly stated, the tide comes in and the tide goes out. As a doer, it has been a hard lesson for me to learn, because whenever business drops, I tend to think I have to do something to fix it. But, I've gotten better at seeing that whenever there is a big drop in business, it usually means I am preparing for a change. Typically, a few weeks after the slump, I get a big surge of new clients or past clients return in droves. Now, instead of feeling terrified when business stops, I make a conscious effort to take a different approach. Rather than fretting, I commit to releasing the situation and trust that it will get better. As soon as I'm able to let go, things invariably shift.

Change Your Focus

Now, whenever those quiet times occur, which are less and less frequent, I simply do my best to relax. By changing my focus and remembering that it's natural, new ideas bubble up and I start to feel more creative. In fact, during a recent quiet period I was inspired to give some of my writing away to someone in need. Just as we must prime the pump by adding a little water to get things flowing, I know that giving some of my services away as a gift or adding a little extra to my tithe for that week, is a good way to get things flowing again. It immediately changes the energy around any situation.

For Those Who Need to Take Action!

If you're like most entrepreneurs, you would probably prefer to take some action while waiting for things to shift. The following few ideas can easily be applied during the down times.

1. Write an article and submit it to a popular publication.
Nothing will give you quite the same sense of achievement as seeing an article you've written in print. Just about everyone has something they've learned through their work experiences that others would love to use. Share it in an article and you'll be amazed at how quickly the tide turns.

2. Submit a press release and distribute it through one of the free press release distribution services.
Often smaller companies think a press release is only for the big guys and hold back from using the media. But press releases are for everyone. You'll be pleased at the outcome.

3. Pay attention to your marketing dollars.
One of my clients had been spending a lot of money on advertisements that weren't working for her. Instead of focusing her attention on trying to reach everyone, she started putting attention only in places that were associated with her particular industry. She found that once she began focusing on her specific arena, many more people started visiting her site and business started picking up.

4. Try networking.
Recently, I made a connection with someone who aligned perfectly with my business. After communicating with him via email I found that his site and services were very complimentary to my services. I then suggested to him that we add each other to our sites, which is exactly what we've done. The added exposure to both of us has been extremely beneficial

5. Update your web site.
Try looking at your web site from an objective point of view, almost as if you're looking at it for the very first time. As you review it, pay attention to whether it still appeals to you. You don't necessarily have to change your site, but simply update it while you're waiting for things to shift. Add a new article, change the verbiage or add some new pictures.

6. Visit past clients.
This might be a perfect time to send an email to clients from the past. They might be in need of your services and have misplaced your address or phone number. You might also ask if they would be willing to recommend you and in return offer to pay them a small finder's fee for anyone who becomes a paid referral.

Just because you aren't busy at the moment doesn't mean that all of your hard work has come to an end. Instead of scrambling to quickly drum up more business or fretting about the lack of income, perhaps this is the time to be still. Take this time to relax into the changes that are probably on their way. Before making a judgment about your quiet period, consider using it as an opportunity for expansion and growth.

Copyright 2008

About the Author:

Charlene Rashkow brings 15 years of experience as a Writing Stylist/Consultant to her creative efforts as a freelance writer. She has successfully helped thousands of companies and individuals reach their objectives by writing exceptional articles of interest, web site content, press releases, bios, business plans and all other forms of business, personal or marketing material. You may visit Charlene here.

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** Article: Sales is Simple: From Luck to Leverage - By Rod McKinnis, the Official Guide to Sales Management Training **
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Sales is made to look simple by the most talented practitioners. It is time to expose new skills to your sales team to achieve true success with sustained results. Rod McKinnis, sales management training consultant, will open your mind to a new level of selling...

As a Global Fortune 500 Executive, Rod grew a $40B business unit 50% in just 18 months. The conversion is legendary and enabled him to become the youngest officer of a 150 year old bank, 5th largest in North America. Rod's new book Sales is Simple - From Luck to Leverage highlights the necessary steps to High Performance Sales Results.

Rod has a powerful gift for teaching advanced sales techniques, while discarding unnecessary complication. His lessons are as entertaining as they are enlightening. An excerpt from the book...

I remember taking a flight recently to a sales conference in Atlanta. During my flight I struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to me. Our idle chit chat led to a conversation about careers. He was working for a major home improvement company that had distribution centers in 4 states along the South and Southwest. After explaining my consulting background in sales and how I help sales teams and salespeople. He immediately responded with "I could never be a salesperson."

As we waited for the dinner cart to come down the isle, we continued our conversation. He said he was preparing for a major presentation for his company's executive team. His goal was to increase his budget by $3 Million for the following year. He offered details on how the organization "would ultimately benefit from the additional spending with a better Return on Investment (ROI)..."

I began to chuckle while he was talking and he probably thought I was insulting him.

"So, you are trying to an additional $3 million added to your budget from the Executive Team, correct?"

"Yes." He replied.

"And you say you are not a salesperson?"

He sat back in his chair with smiled. His face lit up like overhead light bulb He was coming to understand the true nature of sales. He was delighted when I offered him some coaching on how to think more like a "salesperson" and improve his "sales" presentation.

He shows how great sales impressions are forged in just 15 seconds. Another excerpt from the book...

Have you ever experienced and instance in which you and another person just clicked? Upon meeting a person, you feel immediately connected. The relationship is natural. Ever have a sales interaction where the process was effortless? You and the prospects or customers just connect naturally. The prospects may have met dozens of sales representatives; however they chose to work with you because in their mind, there was something different about you. Chances are you struck a cord with them that made you stand out in their mind. (i.e. you maximized your 15 seconds!)

What about those times when you met someone whom you did not connect with? For whatever reason, you and the other person just could not get along. You really could not put our finger on it; however there was something that hindered the connection. Ever have a sales interaction where you and the prospect could not get on the same page? No matter how you tried, you just could not connect.

What about a sales presentation you create that you thought was a surefire hit that ends up being a complete miss?

What exactly explains the dynamics of these scenarios?

I have experience in each one of the scenarios as I am sure most of you do as well. It was not until I mastered...

McKinnis provides the tools to establish an immediate rapport in sales encounters and gain the leverage to make closing the deal look easy. His teachings help sales teams and companies achieve desired results an differentiate themselves from the competition...

Here's a riddle for you, how do you grow company revenue to over $7B without spending much on TV advertising?

Starbucks has solved this riddle. Think about it, when was the last time you have seen a Starbucks coffee commercial? It is amazing isn't? Here's a coffee company that makes $7 billion/year in revenue without spending much in TV advertising. How did they do it?

The answer is, they found a way to "connect" with their audience. For those of us to drink Starbucks we do not mind waiting in the what appears to be a long line because as we wait we listen to the soft jazz playing in the background, we enjoy the ambiance and environment as if we step into a momentary slice of European culture. As the line moves quickly we don't mind being greeted by a highly energized, infectious crew that calls us by our first name and diligently rushes to make our order. For those of us that visit more frequently chances are, they have our order memorized -- "Venti coffee light Frappuccino please!"

Starbucks has defined its ideal experience for its customers. The Starbucks experience is so strong that people like me don't mind paying the 30% per cup premium, on average to get it. To some coffee is coffee, they go to the local convenient store or fast food restaurant to get a cup. To others like myself, there's coffee and there's Starbucks. The Starbucks coffee is better and the experience is superior. I am not alone in my thinking, many entrepreneurs and business people tend to hold meetings, interviews, etc at Starbucks because of the experience and the product...

Buyers will pay a premium for your product and/or service if they see the value. In most cases it is up to the salesperson's responsibility to position the value. Buyers find value in a salesperson's ability to connect.

Deploying Rod's message in your sales organization will position your team to maximize its opportunities and make the sales process look easy by creating your own "Starbucks experience."

Think you've heard this sales message? Think again..." I made a startling discovery that will simplify the sales game forever. My cutting edge practices attract more business and seals the loyalty of today's sophisticated buyer." -Rod McKinnis

About the Author:

As the founder of The McKinnis Consulting Group, Rod is considered one of the top sales management consultants in the country and the authority on Sales Management Training. He specializes in the acceleration of High Performance sales results for sales professionals, organizations and associations in a very short period of time.

Rod's client list ranges from Fortune 500 Companies and NASCAR to the US Government.

For more about Rod, please go here.

To order "Sales Is Simple: From Luck to Leverage" please go here.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

FRE.E Manifesto: Discover the Inside Story on What's Holding Your Dream Lifestyle Back

2008-10-21T18:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

Do you want more money? How about time? Peace and happiness? Sure...we all do! My friend, David Cameron Gikandi, can show you how with his free Manifesto. Read below to find out more.

Regards,

David Riklan

Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter

Founder - SelfGrowth.com

-------------------------------

Hi vince,

How does a "Third World" kid end up living a dream lifestyle by the age of 32, starting from scratch?

Download David Cameron Gikandi's Amazing Lifestyle Creation Formula 34-Page MANIFESTO plus videos FRE.E...

http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/creationpack.html

And get the inner and outer game secrets of how a Kenyan entrepreneur, author of "A Happy Pocket Full Of Money" and Creative Consultant on The Secret, David Cameron Gikandi - and many other people you have never heard about - applies the Amazing Lifestyle Creation Formulas to have up to 93% more fre.e time, over 362% more money, and much more - doing what they love!

===========================

Manifesto Table of Contents

===========================

- One Third-World Kid's Hero's Journey... And His Reward For You! 5

- So what went wrong? And when?!! 13

- The "Secrets" to Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams 16

- Who Is David Cameron Gikandi? 17

- Why Are These "Secrets" Being Shared? 19

- The Reason Why Most People Struggle: Putting Life and Work into Perspective (Who and What Almost Killed Your Dream?) 20

- What You Need Is To Put Together A Lifestyle Framework Around You To Support You And Make It Happen! 22

- Busting the 10 Myths... The Myths That Say, Quite Convincingly, Why Your Dreams Cannot Be Achieved. Let's Bust Them! 24

- Myth #1: You cannot create wealth if you don't have education or money to begin with 24

- Myth #2: Time = Money. You cannot earn money without exchanging your time for it 25

- Myth #3: The education system is adequate 25

- Myth #4: Work hard, and you will achieve financial liberation 26

- Myth #5: Fix your weaknesses if you wish to succeed 26

- Myth #6: Struggle is normal 26

- Myth #7: Solve it yourself. Figure it out. Do it yourself (DIY) 26

- Myth #8: Life is risky, play safe 27

- Myth #9: Your retirement is handled automatically if you just do your work now at your job 27

- Myth #10: Don't be yourself! 27

- Time Is Running Out, but You Can Still Live the Lifestyle of Your Dreams 28

- How to Apply the Law of Attraction for Great Success 29

- Poor Inner Game and Lifestyle Design Results in Your Working Too Much For Too Little With No Free Time 29

- Here Is the Promise: You WILL Be Working Less, Doing Only What You Love and Are Strong at, Outsourcing Your Weaknesses, Making More Money, and Achieving Your Dream Lifestyle by Simply Being Who you Naturally Are 29

- BUT WAIT! There is more! 30

===========================

Can your life use more peace, more love, 93% more time, 362% more money, doing and living the life you love?

Would you like to achieve this and get rid of your most nagging problems of financial bondage and constraints, being torn between your work and your family and fun, feeling like life is passing by without you living your life to the fullest, pressure from negative issues and thoughts from your past, fear of uncertainty and failure and lack of action, focus and organization?

The BIG question is:

After all you have been through, after all the promises given to you... plus the studying, the hard work... after all the New Year resolutions, starts and stops, honest tries at this and that, doing your best to be good to your neighbor, doing what your daddy and your school teachers told you to do... after all that...

How on earth did these statistics below come to be the order of the day...?

- Free time to spend with family: 4% ONLY

- Free time to indulge in what you truly love (your true passions): 0.9% ONLY

- Time spent working on what you truly love: 8% ONLY

- Time spent "treading water" (working and maintaining life, often doing mundane tasks): 54% ONLY

- Holiday/vacation/free traveling time per year: 8% ONLY

- % income currently earned without having to exchange your time for it: 2% ONLY

- Current wealth as a % of desired wealth (assets, passive cash days, people, mindset): 1.5% ONLY

- Current level of financial liberty (passive income days): 0.003% ONLY

The rat race... it robs a person of their time and rewards them quite lowly for their efforts, relative to what is easily possible for them if only the person were to... Have you ever felt it?

I mean, it does have its good times and benefits, this rat race, but it also makes it seem as if life is passing you by, carrying with it all your unrealized dreams, not to mention the chance to live, today, in a sane manner on your own terms. Doesn't it?

The infamous rat race... With all its peculiar characteristics, most notably composed of no free time and too little money to live the life you truly desire... Plus an apparent bondage to it...

The IMPORTANT questions are:

What maintains your rat race, and more importantly, how did you join it?

But even more importantly, how do you definitely, absolutely, for sure, guaranteed, no-more-nonsense-gaddamnit leave it?

And so the objective of this Manifesto is for you to understand what went wrong, and when, and how to fix it...

So there you have it.

Get this fre.e Manifesto plus videos here:

http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/creationpack.html

David Cameron Gikandi

Entreprenuer, author of "A Happy Pocket Full of Money," and Creative Consultant on The Secret

The Amazing Lifestyle Creation Formula

http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/creationpack.html

-------------------

You are receiving this email as part of your Free Subscription to our Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from http://www.SelfGrowth.com.

To change your profile information, go here: http://newsletters.selfgrowth.com/subscribe/profile?f=10&id=9982295.3215c60f8e39d97470427b778e5b7a52

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Or contact us at:

34 North Main Street, Marlboro, NJ 07746

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Email: HomeBusiness@selfgrowth.com

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Indexing Web Pages, Business Plans

2008-10-19T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/19/08 issue: Indexing Web Pages, Business Plans

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Join SelfGrowth.com
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Richard Branson
-- Article: How To Index And Maintain Your Pages In The Search Engines - By Nelson Tan
-- Article: Top-Biz Guru's Top Ten Tips for Writing a Business Plan - By Ron G. Holland
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
---------------------------------------------------------------

* Join the Largest Support Network of People Interested in Self Improvement! *

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then a free SelfGrowth.com membership is for you. To join today, go here.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.
- Richard Branson

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: How To Index And Maintain Your Pages In The Search Engines - By Nelson Tan **
---------------------------------

Who controls the Internet? Don't be surprised if we say it's the major search engine (SE) companies. While it gets more baffling to keep up with their ever-changing algorithms or whatever criteria (as and when they like it) and more convenient to label them as notorious for indexing your web pages only to see them suddenly dropped altogether, there are at least some things you can do to maintain your SE visibility in the long term.

1) Create a sitemap.
This sitemap page contains all possible links to sections that make up your site's overall structure. Submit this page and you are submitting the whole site to be spidered, not just the home page.

2) Keep your site flat.
As far as spider algorithm goes, it's not easy to register web pages more than 3 levels deep. Pages that are too deep are considered insignificant and submitting them can be detriment to your site's overall ranking status. Focus on building significant sections of your sites, create a sitemap pointing to these sections and let the spiders search for themselves.

3) Submit everywhere except the major SEs.
There are hundreds of minor SEs you can submit your site to, but as your site gets more prolific, soon the spiders from Google, Yahoo, MSN, AllTheWeb, Hotbot, AOL, Teoma and Lycos will take notice and see it for themselves. Sites 'naturally' caught by spiders are seen as quality content, will rank highly and less likely to drop.

4) Avoid CGI-generated pages.
These type of pages usually contain symbols like a question mark and ampersand to separate parameters. A typical URL would look like: http://www.sitename.com/cgi-bin/pagename.pl?cat=gardens&subcat=japanese

If you observe search results from time to time, most major engines refuse to index these pages. Wherever possible, create non-CGI pages. They give no clues that they are instantly and artificially 'churned' out which is exactly what spiders are looking for to censure. Pages employing dynamic technologies like PHP, XML etc. are just fine.

5) Cultivate your site.
As long as you add in fresh content, spiders will take notice and come back just as often. Spiders seem to use a 'trained' schedule to learn that your site always stays up-to-date and come back to take a look. Update less often and the spidering frequency lessens.

6) Linking strategies.
More than just one-to-one manual link exchanges, you will find every possible way to submit articles, give testimonials, comment in blogs, participate in forums etc. all for the sake of creating link-backs to your site by leaving your signature behind. To put it bluntly, hijack other people's web space to create backward links. If your pages don't show up, at least your keywords or domain name shown from other sites will.

7) Create a mini-web.
Build mini-sites around an overall and similar theme and link them together interdependently. This pattern of incoming links here and there establishes and builds up each site's link popularity, and links from same-subject websites are now ranked higher in the search engines than they do if stand-alone.

About the Author:

Nelson Tan is the webmaster behind Internet Mastery Center. Download $347 worth of FREE Internet Marketing gifts by going here.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: Top-Biz Guru's Top Ten Tips for Writing a Business Plan - By Ron G. Holland **
---------------------------------------------------

1. Put Yourself In Their Shoes
Meaning the people who will read your plan -- who are they and what do they want to hear? They'll either be investors or a bank or loan company who are lending you the money. Either way they'll want to know how your business is going to generate cash to pay them back and in the case of investors, give them a bit extra as a reward for their risk.

2. Describe Your Business Accurately
For example a car hire firm may be anything from a single minicab parked in your drive to a large fleet hire company leasing to corporate clients plus a range of self-drive vehicles. Be specific about what you're setting up. So long as your plans are underpinned by a coherent strategy you shouldn't be afraid of thinking big.

3. Identify Your Customers
It's no good talking about "customers" in the abstract. Find out who they are likely to be, why they will like/need your product or service and how you are going to sell it to them. Is your business limited to a geographical area? If so, define it and get hold of some statistics about the local population. Show the demographic breakdown and those sections of the community who will be your prime customers.

4. Remember the Big M
That's marketing of course. Bank managers are approached by countless numbers of dreamers who think all they have to do is come up with an idea, throw some money at it and make a fortune. It can work like that, but only if you're very lucky. Backers will want to be convinced you're relying on more than luck, so show them exactly how you're going to get people buying from you. Have a marketing strategy and set it out on paper.

5. Show You Understand the Competition
Who are they and where are they? If there are already three hairdressers in the immediate locale what are they offering and how much do they charge? Will simply undercutting them (sorry about the pun!) work or do you need to offer something they don't -- maybe pedicures, additional beauty treatments or some other USP...

6. Describe Your Unique Selling Point
You may not think you have one, especially if your business is traditional. But think again. A sandwich bar that opened amidst several others in a town centre was finding it tough to tempt in the customers. Then one of the staff came up with naming the sandwiches after the classic film stars -- Bogart, Dietrich, Fonda, Chaplin, etc. They also put old movie posters on the walls. Gimmicky yes, but what had been just another café became a talking point in the town and drew in the punters.

7. Logistics
Provide a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of exactly how your business will operate. It's no good leaving these things till later, you have to show you've thought about it fully in advance. How many staff, what they'll do, how the equipment works, where and when supplies come from, how customers collect and pay for goods. These things must all be itemized.

8. The Sums Must Add Up
Never be vague about amounts of money. Bank managers and accountants' toes curl up at words like "about", "probably" or "roundabout" Your financial statement must show exactly how your start-up finance will be spent -- capital equipment, stock, rents, running costs etc. Your income from the business will of course be based on estimates but nevertheless give specific figures for these estimates.

9. The Breakeven Point
For your backers this is probably the most important element of your business plan. And because you know they're keen to see you start to turn a profit, it's tempting to be over-optimistic. Serious investors are realistic people however and they'll want to see this quality in you. The important thing is not quick profits but sure and steadily growing profits.

10. Look to the Future
Obviously this is what a business plan is all about. But include some "blue-sky" thinking for the longer term. Talk about expansion possibilities, diversification and opportunities for exponential growth. For investors in particular, this is the kind of Wow Factor to bring them on board with you.

About the Author:

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Copy Usability, Boosting Event Attendance

2008-10-17T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/17/08 issue: Copy Usability, Boosting Event Attendance

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Certified MasterMind Executive Coaching Course
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Bob Parsons
-- Article: How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions - By Karon Thackston
-- Article: Conversion! Drive Attendance to Your Seminar - By Lee Salz
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
---------------------------------------------------------------

The next Certified MasterMind Executive Coaching Course™ starts soon.

This program is designed from the ground up so that you can get certified as an Executive Coach in just 5 weeks!

10 high powered classes starting September 15, 2008. Two classes a week, each 90 minutes in duration.
Certification in our exclusive Executive Coaching MasterMind Process™ in only 5 weeks!
Exclusive access to many powerful, proprietary Coaching tools.
Full Year Membership in the cutting edge Coaches Village™, a private site created exclusively for Executive Coaches to share ideas, resources, and opportunities.

Go here for more information.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

Like most business people, I want every aspect of my business to be perfect. I know that this goal is unachievable, but it is nevertheless what I strive to achieve.
- Bob Parsons

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions - By Karon Thackston **
---------------------------------

It's funny how we, as website owners, don't always think like our visitors. A course of action that might seem perfectly obvious to us may stop our visitors right in the middle of their buying process. Take, for instance, e-commerce-type copy. Do you realize that what happens after your customers read your copy could make or break your sale? I'm not talking about shopping cart abandonment. I'm talking about good communication that keeps the buying cycle moving forward. Let me give you a real-world example.

One website offered custom-designed gift bags. The photos on their site were gorgeous. The copy seemed self-explanatory until I got to the request for quote page. There I found a form that asked questions I wasn't expecting. I was supposed to explain my preference of fabric color, the type of handle I wanted and a description of any accessories that should be added to the bag. I had no idea how to answer.

Because the copy stated that each gift bag was custom designed, I assumed I'd be given options to choose from. Instead, as it turned out, I was responsible for knowing precisely what I wanted and also for describing it in detail in writing on the request for quote form. It set me back a little.

Since most people aren't very comfortable with writing, I can easily see how a page like this would immediately stop visitors and send them packing. I could place the most compelling copy ever written on the sales page for these bags -- copy that would have visitors primed and ready to whip out their credit cards. But after clicking to a request for quote page like the one described above, most would likely not order.

Would that be the fault of the copywriting? No. Yet most site owners would assume the text wasn't doing its job. Low conversions, in this case, would be an error in the sales process.

Web Page Copy Doesn't Involve Just One Page
Unless you're talking about a specific landing page that is created for the sole purpose of receiving clicks from a targeted PPC ad campaign, there are very few instances where the copy on one web page won't be affected by the pages around it.

Visitors click in and out of pages and back and forth throughout your site. They can also enter your site from literally hundreds of different links around the Net. For this and other reasons, you have to consider where they might come from and where they'll be headed.

How to Test
One of the best ways to make sure your site flows as it should is to ask several outsiders to take a tour. Have them start at one of the many beginning points (a search engine listing, a link to you from another site, your home page, etc.) and click through just as a customer would. Ask them to make notes about what they didn't understand as they go along so you'll know where to tweak your copy.

You may even choose to give them specific tasks to complete while they are there. For example, ask them to read the copy and then explain the benefits of a new product or service you've added, or ask them to tell you the process for registering for the members-only area of your site.

Another good idea is to draw a flowchart of your website. Seeing all the pages on paper can oftentimes give you a better understanding of how the copy on each page might affect all the others surrounding it. Once you take a look at the big picture and get some feedback, use that information to shore up the weak copy on your site.

When you take time to see things from your visitors' perspective and then implement adjustments accordingly, you'll begin to notice increases in conversions. And that makes all the work worth your while.

About the Author:

Let Karon provide emotionally driven web copywriting for your site. Get details here. Read Karon's insightful copywriting blog here.

--------------------------------------------------
** Article: Conversion! Drive Attendance to Your Seminar - By Lee Salz **
---------------------------------------------------

There is a major difference between visibility and conversion. The key to success for any event is the understanding of the factors driving conversion.

You've told everyone that you are having a seminar, tele-seminar, webinar, etc. As a strategy to gain visibility, you invested in Google Ads and Facebook ads. You've promoted to your database and posted the event on your website. You've blogged about it. Yet, you look at your registrant list and it is not at the level you had hoped. Hey, you know your stuff! You're an expert on this subject. Why aren't people signing up?

Whether you are hosting a paid event or a free one, driving attendance is challenging. All of the advertising in the world does not put people in your event. It just informs people that you are having an event. How do you drive attendance for your event? How do you get people to move from an inert state to an active one? The key to registrant conversion is the event description. There is a five-step formula that takes "tire-kickers" and makes them participants.

Issue
The traditional way that event descriptions are written is to tell the reader what the event is all about. The parallel to sales is to tell a prospect of a solution when you have not yet identified a problem. Look at the way this article has been presented to you. I didn't start with telling you my methodology. I presented a challenge that faces anyone who hosts events. The description should start with a problem that the target audience for the event is experiencing. Thus, the first one, at most two, paragraphs explain the issue, or problem to the reader.

Impact
We all have problems and issues in our lives. Yet, we aren't trying to solve all of them this minute. Once the reader has been presented with the issue, they need to also understand the impact this is having on them, their business, their family, etc. Without this element, the reader will simply look at this as another problem they have and metaphorically throw it in the bucket with the other ones. The impact creates a sense of urgency and tells the reader, "Of all of the problems you have, this one needs to be dealt with right now. It's critical and here is why." The best way to present the issue is to finish the "issue" portion of the description with the impact. If you don't tell the reader of the impact, they will not feel a sense of urgency to resolve it.

Solution
The solution portion of the description is the opportunity to explain to the reader what information will be presented during the event that will help the attendee with the issue that was presented above. It should be clear, concise, and action oriented. Think of energy words like action-packed, hands-on, powerful, interactive, etc. You will also want to be mindful of SEO when writing the solution as it will help search engines to increase visibility to your event.

Takeaways
The traditional event description usually has a section presenting what you will learn. That's nice to share, but is not necessarily an effective way to drive conversion. Consider telling the reader what they will be able to do immediately following your event that they either can't do now or can't do as well now. This approach creates action and energy. It allows the reader to visualize themselves being more proficient at tackling the problem you presented earlier.

Credibility
Unless you have a household name, credibility is a critical requirement of the event description. Without that, you will not be able to convert registrants that are not already familiar with you. In most cases, there are thousands of people who present similar content. Since time and dollars are fixed, precious resources, the reader needs to know that you are an expert on this specific subject and others can vouch for you. What they need to see is: "Of all of the people in the world from which to learn this information, why you?

There are two components to establishing credibility. The first is to present, in a few sentences, what makes you an expert on this specific subject matter. This is very different than a bio. It is specific to the topic of this event. Why are you passionate about this subject? Passion sells! The second is the use of testimonials. Testimonials are critical for converting those who don't know you into registrants. Use testimonials that vouch for you as an expert on this topic. A testimonial for you as an author is meaningless when you are delivering content on financial planning.

With those five elements presented, the obvious question is how long should the description be. The true test of that is to ensure that the value of the event is consistent with the description. A description comprised of two sentences and three bullet points does not convey value. The best suggestion is once you have created your description, test it on colleagues. Do they see the value? Would they be motivated to attend? Once the polish is applied, you are ready to drive registrants to your event!

About the Author:

Lee B. Salz is the C.E.O. of Business Expert Webinars, President of Sales Architects, and author of "Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager." Lee is an online columnist for Sales and Marketing Management Magazine, a print columnist for SalesforceXP Magazine, and the host of the Internet radio show, "Secrets of Business Gurus." Look for Lee's new book in February 2009 titled, "The Sales Marriage" where he shares the secrets to hiring the right sales people. He is a passionate, dynamic speaker and a business consultant. Lee can be reached at lsalz@SalesArchitecture.com or 763.416.4321.

To change your profile information, please click here.

Self Improvement Online, Inc.
34 North Main Street
Marlboro, NJ 07746
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
732-761-9930

Copyright (C) 2008 by Self Improvement Online, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety and provided copyright is acknowledged.

4 Ways to Win

2008-10-16T19:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Home Entrepreneur Subscriber,

In times of economic uncertainty, we can use all the help we can get.

The ability to buy the products we need at well below wholesale prices represents an enormous boost for our budget - especially with the holidays coming on.

I encourage you to read this important email and visit the website to view a highly informative video that explains - in detail - how you can win in life with reverse auctions.

Regards,

David Riklan
Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
Founder - SelfGrowth.com

--------------------------------------

4 Ways to Win

If you ever vacationed in Las Vegas or Atlantic City - or put a few quarters in a slot machine on a cruise ship - or even bid on an eBay auction -

Here's Some Hot News
You Need to Hear

A new type of auction is here - a reverse auction - where new cars - high def LCD TVs - digital cameras - new state of the art computers - and even gift vouchers at national chain stores - are being sold - way below wholesale - and in some cases, being given away free.

You Could Win
At This New Type of Auction

Actually, there are four ways to win. If you follow this link - we'll tell you about them.

By the way, if your entrepreneurial mind is already ticking - you're right, there is not only money to be saved by customers, but more to be MADE by you as an associate in this program.

Best of all - it costs nothing - nada - zippo - to join this program and explore the auction - and start bidding.

If you'd like to find out more - if you'd like to see where your super big $$$ - are hiding -

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter from SelfGrowth.com -- Micro-Blogging, Team Players

2008-10-15T21:30:00.000+05:30


	Home Entrepreneur Newsletter
	Grow your business, improve your finances

10/15/08 issue: Micro-Blogging, Team Players

Home Entrepreneur Newsletter for vince
Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

In This Issue:
-- Recommended Product of the Day: Business in a Box
-- Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs: Chin-Ning Chu
-- Article: Twitter: Not A Waste Of Time For Small Business Owners - By Jennifer Haubein
-- Article: Teamwork and Management Greed: Speaking of Negative Motivation - By Barry Maher
-- Subscription and Contact Information

--------------------------------------------------
** Recommended Product of the Day **
--------------------------------------------------

* Serious Entrepreneurs Wanted *

Most selling, convincing, and explaining: ELIMINATED
Cold calling, selling to your friends and family: ELIMINATED
Mickey-Mouse home based money games: NEVER AGAIN!
Multi-Level-Marketing or Affiliate Marketing: NEVER AGAIN!

Discover how normal people like YOU are earning as much as $5000 to $10,000 a week from HOME using this revolutionary online marketing system! $2k investment suggested. CLICK HERE for more information.

---------------------------------------------------
** Inspirational Quote for Home Entrepreneurs **
---------------------------------------------------

To succeed in life in today's world, you must have the will and tenacity to finish the job.
- Chin-Ning Chu

---------------------------------------------------
** Article: Twitter: Not A Waste Of Time For Small Business Owners - By Jennifer Haubein **
---------------------------------

Social networking has changed the way we do business and the biggest change has been for small business owners.

Small businesses usually have one person who makes a great representative for the company in the social networking arena. And this makes small businesses a perfect fit for a social networking tool called Twitter.

Twitter is a micro-blogging tool in which you have 140 characters to answer the question "What Are You Doing?"

At first I was reluctant to join in on Twitter and wanted to make sure I would see business results from it. Since connecting through Twitter I have seen these results: more Website and Blog traffic; product ideas from my target market; and an increase in expert status. Another bonus, Twitter makes working from home not so isolating, and I feel as if I'm in an office talking around the water cooler.

So how can you obtain these results for your business?

1. Create a Compelling Twitter Profile
Add a professional photo to your Twitter profile, because no one will follow you without a photo. Include a link to your main website and create an interesting bio that entices people to find out more.

2. Create Interesting and Useful Tweets (a Twitter message)
Don't just write about your personal life, but also include blog posts, links to articles and anything else your target market would be interested in.

3. Follow Others
Start off by following others in Twitter and return the follow when they follow you.

4. Automate It
Use your cell phone with Twitter and update your status while you're on the run. Within Twitter click on the settings tab and then the devices tab. Within this section you will be able to add your and setup your cell phone to work with Twitter. Also, I have my blog set up to automatically post new posts to Twitter. This is a great time saver and generates a lot more traffic to my blog.

5. Is Your Target Market on Twitter?
Before jumping in on Twitter, I would consider if your target market is there yet. If you target small business owners then, yes, Twitter will work great for you. Also, the younger generation is very involved in Twitter. So think about your target market and where they are.

Action Step: Create a Twitter profile at Twitter.com and you can start off by following me @jhaubein. I look forward to connecting with you.

About the Author:

Jennifer Haubein publishes "SiteNotes," a FREE bi-weekly ezine for small business owners who want a website that actually works. If you're ready to get insider tips website developers don't want you to know, and start making more money online, get your FREE tips now by going here.

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** Article: Teamwork and Management Greed: Speaking of Negative Motivation - By Barry Maher **
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Many managers extol and even demand teamwork, then set up situations that destroy any possible team spirit.

Tip: Don't expect team players if you haven't made it a team sport.

If you want team play and then set up competitions in which one employee wins and others lose, you aren't going to get team play. At least not among those employees.

If some employees have to work significantly harder than others who are supposed to be part of the same team, how are they going to feel? Especially if some of those they're outworking are supposed to be leading the team. How would you feel?

And, though my CEO friends don't want to hear it, there's also the continuing issue of compensation. In 1990, the average CEO made about 45 times what his average worker made; today it's 450 times. Companies lose money and their CEOs get $70 million. Companies don't reach their targets and their boards of directors redefine the targets -- making sure the top executives get their bloated bonuses. Business writer Charles R. Morris calls it "affirmative action for the managerially challenged."

If you're one of those CEOs, you may be absolutely certain you're worth 450 times what one of your average workers is worth. But I want to hear you explaining that to those particular "teammates."

"[The CEO] made over $10 million last year, I made $34,000," is the way one of those average workers put it. "That tells me how he values himself and how he values me. If we all bust our butts like he's asking, next year I may make as much as $34,900. And he'll make $20 million. How can we be on the same team when we're not even in the same league?"

"It is more apparent every day that our managers are making decisions that will influence their bonuses, stock options, et cetera, not decisions for the good of the company," insists an employee of a major chemical company.

AT&T fired their president after just nine months, saying he lacked "intellectual leadership." He got a severance package worth $26 million. To me, getting $26 million plus for nine months work sounds like pretty solid evidence of intelligence. Paying $26 million for nine months work may not be the best possible example of "intellectual leadership" on the part of the board of directors.

On the other hand, Silicon Valley companies are attracting and retaining top people by sharing stock options not just with top executives, but throughout the company -- in some cases, that includes the janitor.

Lynn Parker who runs Parker LePla -- a 22 person PR agency in Seattle, Washington -- distributes nearly 40 percent of profits to employees. Her stock option plan vests everyone after six months. Only five people have left the company in the last six years. "Unless your people experience some type of ownership," she says, "you're going to have turnover."

Tip: If I don't win when the team wins, I'm not on the team. And it will never take more than one victory for me to figure that out.

About the Author:

Barry Maher writes, speaks, and consults on leadership, management, and sales. A highly motivational keynote speaker and workshop leader, his client list includes ABC, the American Management Association AT&T, Blue Cross, Infiniti, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, the National Lottery of Ireland, and Verizon. He's appeared on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News and CNBC, and he's frequently featured in publications like USA Today, the New York Times, Business Week, and the Wall Street Journal. His books include "Filling the Glass," which has been honored as "[One of] The Seven Essential Popular Business Books." For more information, please go here.

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Stock Market Surprise

2008-10-14T20:00:00.000+05:30

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Editor - Home Entrepreneur Newsletter

Founder - SelfGrowth.com

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