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[2003-09-30] Into The Limelight
To stand out in a cluttered world, you need to be slightly famous
There are over millions of small businesses today vying for our attention. Yet, the marketplace is more discriminating and skeptical than ever. To get the greatest return on your marketing efforts, you need to rise above the crowd. You need an edge over the competition. In short, you need to be to be slightly famous.
[2003-09-30] Instant Sales Letter Profit Boosters!
1) Greet Your Perfect Prospect Directly
Instead of starting your letter out with a "Dear Friend" salutation, address your perfect prospect directly...
[2003-09-30] Collect Your Money - On Time!
Most SOHO and small business owners don't have the financial resources to wait for their customers to pay them. The inability to collect money in a timely manner is a leading reason for small business failures.
[2003-09-30] Believing These 5 Joint Venture Myths Is Bad For Business
Joint Ventures - or JVs for short - are a hot topic lately. But for people earning their living online JVs are nothing new. All of the most successful Internet Marketers already know that they are the fastest, easiest way to grow ANY business in ANY industry.
[2003-09-30] Protect Your Company From Employee Fraud
Fraud occurs because a person believes they will not be caught. Opportunity seeded by poor internal controls generates the inspiration. Couple this with financial need and inadequate penalties and your deep
pockets become fair game. Is your business at risk?
[2003-09-26] Why Some Web Sites Sell and Others Don't
Why is it that some web sites help sell products and services while most languish in obscurity and only serve as a drain on finances? Web sites are relatively low in cost to build and manage, and have worldwide reach. They can help you grow your business and in some cases be the primary source of new business. Yes, a web site can be the next best thing since sliced bread.
[2003-09-26] How To Get New Clients In Tough Times
You've heard it before: "Times are tough. No one's hiring copywriters (or teachers, or plumbers, or builders)".
[2003-09-26] Business Idea: Profit-Pulling Pickets
The news media tend to give disproportionate publicity to anyone who parades around carrying a picket sign. Even more attractive to the media is several people parading around with picket signs!
[2003-09-26] Affiliate University - How to Succeed as a Publisher Online Is Contextual Advertising About to Rock your World Wide Web?
The role of a trusted third party to handle the complexities of affiliate marketing is a hotly contested market niche on the web. The players range from very large and complex (like LinkShare and beFree) to small programs for small business like MyAffiliateProgram.com & even affiliate tracking built into simple shopping cart software such as 1ShoppingCart.com.
[2003-09-26] I've Been Infected!
The last few days, I've been so proud of myself. I've been working on my ebook, getting organized, really getting things done, and then...
[2003-09-25] The Art of Negotiation
According to the dictionary, to "negotiate" means "to confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter." Yet, it is a fact that nearly 75% of individuals faced with having to conduct crucial negotiations do not realise success at their negotiation efforts and rarely have a clue as to how to win more during a negotiation. Instead, most negotiators have learned only how to push against others, criticising and attacking rather than identifying one another's strong points. Typically, criticism, rather than creativity, has become the norm during most negotiating efforts.
[2003-09-25] Unlocking the Power of Your Web Site!
Did you know that each and every month over 1,000,000 new web sites make their appearance on the Internet? Day by day new sites emerge, enthusiastically sharing their wares, their services and their gifts, yet most have little or no idea how to unlock the power lying dormant in their web sites.
[2003-09-25] Internet Marketing Is Like Fishing
"What on earth?!" I hear you say after reading the title of this article. But bear with me a moment.
[2003-09-24] 5 eBook Joint Venture Marketing Tactics!
1) Give Away Reprint/Resale Rights
You could give e-zine publishers an e-book which they could sell and keep all the profits in exchange for an ongoing ad in their e-zine. When they stop selling it, they can stop running your e-zine ad. Maybe only do it for a small number of e-zine publishers at a time, so it doesn't get saturated and they start turning your deal down. If they only want to run your ad once, you could always include some of your ads in the e-book.
[2003-09-24] Discipline is *Not* a Four-Letter Word
When I sit down to write an article for my ezine, WriteSuccess, and draw a blank as to what to write about, I reread my ezine's mission statement for guidance: "Ideas, information and inspiration for writers who want to launch and/or maintain SUCCESSFUL freelance careers"
[2003-09-24] Online Sales Close Secrets
One of the biggest problems in any type of sale is the close. With one-on-one salesmen, getting them to ask for the sale is one of the hardest things to teach. In online selling, where words are the salesman, many times you see the same problem - the writer never asks for the order or business! Do you make that mistake in your marketing?
[2003-09-24] The Power of Keeping Lists
How do you balance work and family, keep things from falling out of the loop, and be as productive as possible at all times? These questions plague people in all walks of life - Home office professionals, CEOs & Executives, and Domestic Engineers too.
[2003-09-24] Advertising 101
Advertising has truly become a part of all of our lives as consumers, as business owners, as parents, as concerned citizens. We simply cannot escape from its presence no matter how hard we try. Considering how pervasive advertising is in our daily lives, it's no surprise that people have such extreme views about it.
[2003-09-24] What are you teaching your kids?
If you've ever started a home-based business, your kids noticed. And if you've ever quit. Your kids noticed. If you've kept on though... through rough times and good... they've noticed that as well.
[2003-09-24] Grow your business using B2B Emarketplace
If you are a small to medium size company and selling or planning to sell products and services over the Net and still did not try out emarketplaces, you are simply loosing a great opportunity!
[2003-09-24] Get More Clients using Pull then Push Marketing
Marketing is like rowing. You pull hard on the oars to go forward, then lift them out of the water and push them back to finish the stroke and get ready for the next pull. Once you've got the sequence of the stroke right, you and your boat slip forward through the water and build speed and momentum. If you push when you should be pulling, the boat goes backwards, or, even worse, you lose your balance and fall into the bottom of the boat.
[2003-09-24] Get Business Now: Winning Marketing Strategies
Not Getting the Clients You Want? There is a good chance it is not the services or products you offer that is the problem. While you may be an expert in most aspects of your business, many service professionals and small business owners don't do the right things to market their products and services.
[2003-09-24] Use "Immediate Answers" To Increase Your Sales Letter's Conversion!
Ever read a sales letter, and like magic, find that just as soon as questions or doubts come into your mind, they're knocked down in the next line of copy? If so, then you've seen the power of this technique first hand.
[2003-09-24] How To Build Your First Web Site!
Getting Started!
Most Internet service providers offer their customers a space to place a basic site on the World Wide Web. With this basic site you will get your very own URL. (Universal Resource Locater) This will be your business address on the web. Now, anyone who knows your URL will know how to contact you on the World Wide Web. Even if they are on the other side of the world!
[2003-09-24] The 10 Cash Flow Rules You Can't Afford to Ignore
The statistics on small business failure are alarming.
Michael Gerber, author of "The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It", says that 40% of businesses fail in their first year. 80% fail within their first five years.
[2003-09-22] Add Your Voice to Your WebSite
With millions of web sites out there, how can you make yours stand out? Many experts suggest putting a picture of yourself on your home page to add warmth and create a feeling of trust. They suggest visitors feel more comfortable knowing there's a real person behind the otherwise anonymous web site. And while this is probably true, I still haven't added my picture to my site. I've just never liked pictures of myself that much. (Note to self: Get over it!)
[2003-09-22] Put the "Vacate" in Vacation
There's a good reason why we call it a vacation. It's the time that we set aside to forget all the have-to's and should's of daily life and indulge in rest and recreation. In fact, it's re-creation! Reduce your stress. Relieve your anxieties. Relax your body. Rest your mind.
[2003-09-22] Legislators Ponder New Credit Protection Laws
Legislators in Washington, D.C. are considering several credit-related consumer protections as outlined in The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 (H.R. 2622). If approved, consumers could benefit from the most wide-ranging changes to the rules covering consumers and credit in decades.
[2003-09-19] 5 Ways to Boost Your Business Income
The other day, a patient of mine asked me a question. By itself, asking your doctor a question is not unique, but what makes this question stands out is that this was not a question pertaining to health.
[2003-09-18] Jumping on the "Next Big Opportunity" Bandwagon
How many times have you received email inviting you to join a brand-new opportunity -- one that's "sure" to be a success? Often times, we're told that we can strike it big if we join an opportunity early:
[2003-09-18] The Realities of Starting a Home-Based Business
When most people think of working from home, they immediately think "freedom". And with that thought follows the thoughts of "freedom to do what I want, when I want", "freedom to set my own schedule", "freedom to sleep in or go have fun when I decide to"... the list goes on.
[2003-09-17] Start an Article Trading Center
A great way to improve your search engine ranking and attract more visitors to your site would be an Article Trading Center. This is where you would swap articles with other webmasters/article authors in order to benefit both parties. This is done much the same way as exchanging links but with far more effective results ( in my opinion). There are many benefits to adding an article center to your site:
[2003-09-17] Would A Telemarketer....Please Call Me!
How many of you like to get calls from telemarketers?
Raise your hand right now if you do.
[2003-09-17] Get Paid in Multiple Ways for Your Expertise
Whether or not you have formal credentials, if you have years of experience in your line of work, you may be able to cash in on these four innovative ways of delivering your expertise. For each option below, Ive provided two links for learning more.
[2003-09-16] How to sell your products online?
E-commerce is gaining pace! Research firm eMarketer predicts that 2003 will see online sales reaching US $58.2 billion excluding travel. According to Forrester Research, another reputable research company, business to consumer e-commerce will hit US $230 billion by the year 2008.
[2003-09-16] Love Your Way to Success
One of the most important things I learned back in business school was that promotions often don`t depend on one`s job skills, but on interpersonal skills. It was impressed upon us that an employee could have the best skills in the department, but if he/she could not get work done through people, cooperate with people, then that employee could be going nowhere fast, in spite of wonderful skills.
[2003-09-15] 4 Ezine Joint Venture Marketing Secrets!
1) Trade Your Product For An E-zine Ad
You could ask an e-zine publisher to run your ad in exchange for getting your product at no cost. The product should be something that would interest them.
[2003-09-15] Scammed! Don't Be A Victim!
1. Get a free custom-designed website for a 30-day trial period, with no obligation to continue! Sound familiar? It sounds too familiar to many who have been charged on their telephone bills for offers they never accepted!
[2003-09-15] Is Your Product Suitable for the 'Net?
You've probably been subjected to the many hyped-up claims about how easy it is to make money on the internet. Simply grab a product, put a photo of it on a web page, and thousands of eager customers will flock to your site, credit card in hand!
[2003-09-12] Implement Your Ideas And Insights To Grow Your Business
Growing your business means doing more and more, and working harder and harder, doesn't it? Well, certainly the "doing" and the "taking actions" are critical elements. Without action being taken, your business will get nowhere fast. There are also times when you need to stop taking action, sit back and do nothing.
[2003-09-12] Open the Door to More Business with Your Ideas
Visualize your business as a building. Whether you are an architect, lawyer, coach, graphic designer or accountant, to bring in more clients, you need to make it easy for them to enter. The more doors you create and open the more prospects will come in and become clients. Too many small businesses inadvertently put up walls instead of opening doors to new business.
[2003-09-12] Lottery Scam, what it is and how to avoid it?
Internet scams and frauds are on the rise! The quantity of scam emails with various fraud schemes any email account receives today is simply overwhelming! There is this infamous Nigerian 419 scam, which is by far the most widely circulated one. I wrote about it in one of our ezine articles not long ago.
[2003-09-12] Mental, Emotional and Physical Prosperity
To create true, lasting prosperity, almost any guru can tell you that you must align your physical, mental and emotional states and actions. This all sounds very logical, but when it comes right down to it, most of us are not quite certain how to proceed.
[2003-09-12] Self-Promote Using A Powerful Pitch
You meet important job search contacts every day. The people you meet when you complete routine tasks, such as shopping or taking your children to the local ball field, may know the person you want to meet or they may have friends or family working in the industry you are targeting. Plan to use the first 30 seconds of every initial face to face meeting to deliver a brief "infomercial". Start with a smile and make eye contact before you deliver the introduction you have prepared.
[2003-09-11] When Tactics Are Not Enough
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all about hits on a radio show or mentions in a newspaper column. Or, which to do first, the trade show exhibit or the video clip. All useful tactics, but hardly the detailed planning needed to REALLY do something about the behaviors of those outside audiences that impact you the most.
[2003-09-10] Revisiting Your Childhood for Business Ideas
"Success is waking up in the morning, who ever you are, wherever you are, however old or young, and bounding out of bed because there is something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you are good at - something that is bigger than you are, and you can hardly wait to get at it again today" -- Whit Hobbs
[2003-09-10] What to sell on the Internet?
The phenomenal growth of ecommerce lures more and more people to dream about starting an online business. The question that bothers many and restrains them from realizing their dream is what to sell on the Internet.
[2003-09-10] Is It Plagiarism or Copyright Violation?
Plagiarism is derived from the Latin plagiarius ("kidnapper"), and refers to a kind of intellectual theft defined as "the false assumptions of authorship, the wrongful act of taking the product of another person's mind, and presenting it as one's own." (Alexander Lindey, Plagiarism and Originality)
[2003-09-09] 5 Proven Ways To Make Your Biz Op Simply Irresistible
At the dawn of the Internet, business opportunities were a new idea. People flocked to biz op sites in hopes of striking it rich online. However, as scam artists and thieves got hold of the idea, the term "Biz Op" became equal with the term "con artist."
[2003-09-09] Affiliate Programs 101!
Joining an affiliate program is one of the easiest ways to start an online business and generate income for your website. These revenue sharing programs are very popular on the net. And is the way many new entrepreneurs started online.
[2003-09-08] Best Work At Home Business Option, Network Marketing or Affiliate Programs?
Cruise the Internet at any time and it is obvious that many individuals are actively seeking to either start a work at home business, or maintain one. The literature available and the number of programs concerning home businesses attest to this fact, simply by the sheer volume of available materials on the Internet.
[2003-09-08] Affiliate Cash from Niche Marketing
One of the first keys to success in promoting affiliate programs is finding a market niche.
[2003-09-08] How To Create an Offer Your Buyers Will Love
With the creation of the Internet, it has become easier than ever to start a business, especially online.
[2003-09-08] Promote Your Website - Part II Search Tools
Many companies after spending a substantial amount of money on the development of their websites assume that once the website is published on the Internet, people will flock onto it and, therefore, do not take website promotion as seriously as the development part of it. Today, with millions of websites around, no matter how great your website is, if you don't promote it effectively, you will not get the visibility that your site deserves.
[2003-09-08] Q&A If You’re over 50 and Looking for Work in the US
I interviewed HR Expert, Brett Larson, SPHR to find out what the scoop is for older workers.
[2003-09-08] How To Develop An Effective Marketing Strategy For Your Work-At-Home Business
Working at home in your home business has many advantages and many, many individuals now are choosing to start their own work at home businesses. The flexibility of a home business, as well as the freedom achieved with your own work at home business is an opportunity that is desired by many online now.
[2003-09-08] 3 KILLER Joint Venture Marketing Strategies!
1) Donate A Percentage Of Your Profits To Charity
[2003-09-08] Enhancing Productivity
Here are a variety of tips from one of my recent seminars that will help you enhance your productivity. They've all been used by top managers with great results.
[2003-09-08] Can Your PR Game Plan be Salvaged?
If, as is often the case, you are preoccupied with comm- unications tactics instead of working a plan to actively pursue those outside audience behaviors that stop you from achieving your objectives, the answer is yes.
[2003-09-06] How to Host Several Domains Under One Hosting Account
If you operate several websites, each with its own domain name, signing up of separate hosting accounts can be an expensive proposition. Even if your hosting company offers the add-on domain feature (which will allow you to add different domains to the same hosting account) you will be charged a monthly fee for each domain you add, sometimes costing almost the same as your full hosting fee. The solution is to open a reseller account.
[2003-09-05] "E-mail" vs. "Email"
While going through revisions on a project a few weeks ago, my client asked me, "Is it 'e-mail' or 'email?'"
[2003-09-05] Eight Tips For Gathering E-mail Addresses
Use these tips for collecting customers' and prospects' e-mail addresses -- and don't forget to ask for permission before sending information!
[2003-09-05] Preparing Your Online Business for an Emergency
Many internet entrepreneurs manage their businesses almost entirely on their own -- and if you're one of them, then it's a good idea to have some reference documentation prepared in the case of an emergency.
[2003-09-05] Set Marketing Goals To Build Your Confidence
This article was featured in the Marketing Clinic of our paid-subscription ezine for copywriters: Freelance Copy Write. The information isn't just for copywriters. It's useful info for all writers. For anyone who wants to market anything, in fact. :- ).
[2003-09-05] If There is a Magic Key to Marketing, THIS is it
We're all looking for a magic key to marketing, something that will finally take the frustration out of failed attempts, unreturned phone calls and prospective clients that don't seem to "get it".
[2003-09-05] 10 Ways For Entrepreneurs To Find More Time
It's occurred to me lately that I don't feel like there's enough time to do everything I want to do in my business. Between working with clients, writing books and articles, teaching/training other professionals, marketing, and just living a good life, there seems to be less and less time in each and every day.
[2003-09-05] Basic Guidelines To Keeping Your Work-At-Home Business Legal
A work at home business or home business can be an exciting, challenging, and lucrative adventure. It is, however, relatively the same as any other business, and is subject to the same laws and regulations that govern any business, no matter what the size. Simply because home businesses are sometimes "one person" endeavors (especially in the beginning) does not free them from adherence to the same laws and regulations that apply to all businesses.
[2003-09-05] Create a Beautiful Work Day
How do you spend your business day? Do you plow through a dreary to-do list? Do you struggle through regular tasks that you've been doing day in and day out? What do you listen to while you're working? Silence? Soft rock? The Rolling Stones? Audioslave? May I suggest Tom Waits and Miles Davis during the quiet hours of 3:00 a.m.?
[2003-09-04] Top 5 Work At Home Business Tools
Let's face it, having a work at home business on the Internet is both exciting, as well as difficult. The competition for customers, as well as the anonymity of the Internet, leads to frustration at times by those marketing their work at home business online.
[2003-09-04] The Basics of Ezine Publishing
Ezine publishing is very important to an online business for many reasons. It keeps you in contact with your potential customers. The relationship is formed that is needed for trust and respect. You are able to increase your income by selling advertising. Ezines can also help you build your reputation and your business.
[2003-09-04] The 5-Minute Writer
Five minutes. That's all you need to begin writing. You don't have to set aside a morning, a day or even a weekend to write.
[2003-09-04] How Becoming an Expert Can Boost Your Success
As a home-based business owner, part of your focus is always on securing new customers. While it is true that your repeat clients are the backbone of your success, you need to add to those returning numbers if you want your business to grow.
[2003-09-03] A Simple Formula for Success
Leaders in the business world need public relations big time, and they show it every day.
How? By staying in touch with their most important external audiences and by carefully monitoring their perceptions about the company, audience member feelings about hot topics at issue, and the behaviors that inevitably follow.
[2003-09-03] Promote Your Website through Search Engines Part I
Promote your Web Store
After spending substantial time and efforts the big day came when you finally published your website on the Internet. You are now ready to show your website to the world. But, with over a billion pages vying for traffic how do you make people visiting your site?
[2003-09-03] Who's Got The Power In Your Life?
Have you ever attempted to do something and failed?
I'm not talking about something outside of your capabilities. I doubt that any of us could run a 4 minute mile or bench press 400 pounds.
[2003-09-03] Making Your Vocation Your Vacation
"The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation." -- Mark Twain
[2003-09-03] 3 Influential Persuasion Secrets!
1) Express the same views as your target audience. Bring up common likes and dislikes in your ad. This will create instant rapport with your audience. For example, you could say, "You, like me, know it's very important to find a good bargain." Another example, "Both of us know that money doesn't grow on trees."
[2003-09-03] Design Your Business The Way You Want
Whether you're starting a new business or developing an existing one, if you want to build it up, first you need to design it. This design should not only attract success but 'fit' for you personally. Instead of moulding yourself to fit your business and conform to a particular way of doing business, you can design your business so that it is unique to you.
[2003-09-03] Play it Again Sam
The marketing director for one of my longtime clients used to complain "does it have to be purple again?" What she and many others don't realize is that the color you are seeing in your sleep, your prospects might just be beginning to recognize, and if done well, associate with you.
[2003-09-03] Understand Brand
Branding has been defined, explained and examined extensively. There are books, articles, publications, seminars, and groups all dedicated to exploring the meaning and use of brand today.
[2003-09-03] Revealing the Roots: The Process of Building Brand
How is branding different than marketing?
Branding is not so much different from marketing as it is an element of marketing. We think of marketing as a tree; the brand is the roots, holding the tree in place and providing constant energy. The leaves are the tactics, reaching in various directions and changing with the seasons, the trunk is the marketing strategy, connecting the brand and the tactics. In this way, brand is positioned as the basis for any marketing initiative.
[2003-09-03] The Big-Pay Off -- Brand Value
Many CEOs and marketing directors find their time wasted evaluating marketing opportunities instead of acting on them. When every possibility is followed, a meandering trail of hit and miss effectiveness is the result. Despite significant expenditure of time and money, marketing tactics may not produce the desired gains.
[2003-09-03] The Keys to a Great Logo
Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image…call it what you will, a logo by any other name is the group of letters and/or symbols used in a consistent and unique way to identify a company. It is the most prominent and stable element of marketing, and should be planned carefully to fully reflect your brand. Understanding the key aspects of a logo will help in developing a durable, on target identity.
[2003-09-02] Web Store: Why Do You Need One?
Internet has opened a new era of business opportunities. Each day, thousands of new consumers are joining the Internet. More and more companies are adopting Internet as their primary sales and distribution channel. According to Forrester Research The survey of 130 U.S. companies indicates consumers spent $76 billion shopping on-line in 2002. This represents a 48 percent increase over 2001, and projections for 2003 come close to $100 billion, representing 4.5 percent of total retail sales.
[2003-09-02] Doubt PR's Clout? Don't!
Done right, it helps modify the behaviors of your most important target audiences, and that can spell S-U-R-V-I-V-A-L.
I don't believe that's an overstatement because a customer who thinks badly of you and your business will not soon be darkening your threshold.
[2003-09-02] When To Make Your Career Move To Self-Employment
Knowing when to make the right career move and start a home based business is just as important as the business you choose to start.
The First Step!
[2003-09-02] The Dignity of Labor
I love artists, because I'm a wordsmith and they say things I can never say. Here are two of my favorite paintings about work, both by Caillebotte:
http://www.webstrategies.cc/caillebotte1.jpg
http://www.webstrategies.cc/caillebotte2.jpg
[2003-09-02] How a Book is Born: One Author's Story
Not all books come out whole, all at once. In fact, most books ease out little by little. They have strange and wondrous beginnings. Some come from speeches, some come from articles or short stories. The saying goes if you write a short story or article every day, at the end of a year you'll have a book--a big book at that! But then, why think so big?
[2003-09-02] When Something’s Not Right about Your Career, Part II/VI: 5 Things You Can Do
Last time we were discussing, "Now, Discover Your Strengths," (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743201140/susandunnmome-20) by Buckingham and Clifton.
These two management experts propose the theory that if you work in your strength areas, you can perform consistently and effortlessly at a near perfect level and find great satisfaction without a whole lot of stress.
[2003-09-02] Get Serious About Your Web Business
So much has been said about this subject in the past but I feel I must reiterate the importance of getting your own domain name if you are to be taken serious in the home business world.
There is nothing more offputting than seeing an ad with a free domain name attached (ie http://www.freedomain.yourname.com). I personally will bypass such businesses.
[2003-09-02] When Something’s Not Right about Your Career, Part III/VI: 6 More Things You Can Do
There are few things that make us as miserable as hating what we do, and it's impossible to be excellent at something you dislike. How do you solve this problem? How do you figure out what you were meant to do ... what makes you shine?
[2003-09-02] What Is "Best Practice" Public Relations?
Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise, of course.
In a nutshell, "People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished."
[2003-09-02] The Right Picture For Your Ultimate Online Success!
Having the right picture as to how an internet business works is one of the most important aspects for online success, but most people jump into their online business without understanding the full picture.
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