Online Income Done Right!

Online Income Done Right!

Table of Contents

1. Rules to blog by, for blog publishers and readers 2. How to write web site and article content that sells 3. Top 5 Mistakes made by Online Marketers. Don't make these mistakes and sabotage yourpromotional efforts 4. 10 Tips for Writing Business Communications that get results! 5. What to do when your customer says No! 6. What is absolutely crucial for your business success? Joy, that's what! You either have it, oryou've had it. 7. On the value and necessity for persistence if you expect to be successful. 8. Relationship Building is Good Business, here's why. 9. Planning on making money online this year? Unless you avoid these lethal mistakes you haven'tgot a prayer. 10. You SAY you're in business, but that proposition is dubious, as this article reveals in shockingdetail. 11. The personal ad you'd love to post... but don't have the guts! 12. 100% sales. The 'must read' for business people who want more money and want it NOW!

Rules to blog by, for blog publishers and readersby Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Maybe HE likes all the hubbub.

But will you?

The calm of my Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood was punctuated the other day by studentprotestors outside Harvard University's Science Center. There 1960's wannabees chanted "Harvard,Harvard, shame on you, honoring a racist fool."

The cause of this mayhem was Professor Martin Peretz and his latest blog post on his The NewRepublic website: "But, frankly Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims." It was more thanenough to stir up a reaction from the politically correct, who live to chant and picket.

They shouted... they taunted... they heckled... and HE, owner of The New Republic, the subject of somuch fuss, got valuable, eye-catching full-page publicity in The Boston Globe, New England's paperof record.

Bingo!

One of America's most experienced provocateurs had succeeded, yet again, in using his blog to geteven more publicity for his "take no prisoners" opinions.

Martin Peretz' blog had done its work and done it well.

Will yours? It most assuredly will... if you understand the true purpose of a blog, run it accordingly,and learn to be a responsible blog publisher and blog reader. Here are recommendations to assistyou.

Bogs MUST be honest.

The purpose of a blog is to give ANYONE ANYWHERE in the world, whatever creed, class,station, nationality, or political position, the opportunity to be heard on any subject whatsoever.

Thus, your task as a blogger is to open yourself up... to tell the truth, straightforwardly, honestly,bluntly. The blog is, first and foremost, about you, its publisher and focus. To write anything otherthan the whole truth, so help you God, is to demean the medium -- and yourself.

If you are new to blogging, you'll find this kind of openness difficult, challenging. Most people growup adept at masking their true opinions. For fear of what the listener may say or do, we moderateand water down the way we really feel and what we say.

That will never do on a blog where truth is called for at all times.

Now, you may think you are a straightforward, honest person but blogging will show you soonenough that you, like all social beings, are considerably more adept at masking how we feel, our trueviews, rather than telling them.

In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", for instance, there is an incident that makes this point lucidly,succinctly. Atticus Finch is walking with his children past Miss DuBois' home. She is a notorioustermagant and scold. Does he say that to her? Certainly not. He lifts his hat cordially, saying "Goodafternoon, MissDuBois. You look pretty as a picture." Scout, his young daughter, says just loudenough "You notice he don't say a picture of what." Miss DuBois just catches a few words andwants to know what the impish Scout has said... but Atticus Finch is a wise man, a gentleman and

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http://www.Profit2Riches.com

knows the value of good relations, over the strict, unyielding truth. He lifts his hat again and moveshis children along. Most of us would do the same.

But bloggers cannot. Bloggers must opt for candor, honesty at all times.

The more honest YOU are, the more reactions you will get. Take Professor Peretz, for example.Given that he is an experienced blogger, I take him at his word, when he writes his latestanti-Muslim diatribe.

Others, who feel differently, will abhor and detest what he has written... and propose such sanctionsas having a speaking engagement at Harvard cancelled. But this is wrong.

Voltaire, that very clever fellow, said it best:

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

Unfortunately, sanctimonious members of the Academy (usually the least intelligent on campus)have forgotten their true calling: facilitating free speech, not suffocating and penalizing it. Blogs,then, do the work academicians should do (the reason they are given tenure to do), but are now toooften emasculated, self-protecting and lazy to do.

Thus, when you write, the objective is always to achieve Harvard's ultra clear motto: "Veritas", thepure and always unsimple truth.

Write regularly,consistently.

One of the major problems with most blogs is that they are not regularly produced. Remember,whatever else a blog may be it is also and always the story of your life. It is a window into yourthoughts and occupations. Blogs must therefore be regularly undertaken. Don't start it.... unless youmean to do it.

Write regularly and consistently, being always aware that the first day you do not feel like writingyour blog is the very day you must be sure to write it... or risk the ending of your blog altogether.

The more honest you are, the more and stronger reader reaction you should expect.

When Professor Peretz posted his incendiary opinions about Moslims (a subject on which he writesoften), I suspect he knew that tea cups in Cambridge and beyond would be rattled. What's more,being a true provocateur,he probably relishes the instant, insistent responses of those he hasprovoked. He might not like being followed through Harvard Yard by hecklers... but he cannot trulyhave been awfully surprised by such a response. Relish, rather than alarm, was most probably hisreaction.

You, too, need to reach this level of reaction and response as you achieve greater candor andhonesty in your bog. Because as my grandfather used to say, some damned idiot is sure to protest;the stronger the opinions rendered, the stronger the response from those disagreeing. (He wouldhave been a great blogger, grandfather Walt would have been.)

Prepare for the reaction... expect it... ignore it.

Blogging is one of the jewels of the Internet... treat it with care and consideration.

Millions and millions of folks have come and gone on this planet without leaving even a foot print inthe dust. To our chagrin and detriment, we do not know them in any way at all. But blogging haschanged all that, not merely for the potent and celebrated... but even unto the lowest among us. Atlast they have a place for their opinions...not matter how alarming, uninformed, and (to the rest ofus) silly they may be. And this is a very good thing... for our job is to cherish the bloggers,




protecting and defending them, even at their most reprehensible and loathsome. And that includesyou, too, Professor Peretz, as you sit in comfort and security here in Cambridge, spewing venom. Idefend to the death your right to say it... and blog it worldwide. Defending you, I have done the rightthing, while taking joy from the fact that every hostile word you blog drives down the certifiedcirculation figures of your moribund rag, The New Republic. In the end the marketplace, notcensorship, will determine your fate. So blog on....




How to write web site and article content that sellsby Dr. Jeffrey Lant

It was Bill Gates, the sage with prophetic talents and the deepest of pockets, who said it first:"Content is king." Per usual billionaire Bill was right.

Problem is, he omitted the directions on how to produce the site and article content you need somuch. Humbly, I rectify his omission.

Here then are the necessary steps for producing web site and article copy that sells.

1) Know thy audience.

The purpose of creating site content is to build relationships and loyalty with your designatedpopulations... and produce content that gets them to RETURN and RESPOND.

Are you, therefore, clear on just who you are producing content for?

Say you are running an insurance agency and want to insure more business from people with largeand valuable art and artifact collections. Before you write word 1 of content, you must know andWRITE DOWN a description of the kinds of people you want to attract. Every word you writethereafter, all the content you produce is for -- them!

2) Write content that brings you business

In this report, I am showing you how to write site content that sells. For details on how to write thegreat American novel, you must seek other counsel.

Thus, your next step towards producing site content that sells is to brainstorm subjects and to craftthe all-important title.

Again, consider the insurance agent aiming for lucrative antique collection accounts. He needs a titlelike this: "7 things you need to know about insuring your antiques and collections." Alternatively,try this

"7 things you don't know about insuring your antiques that make you vulnerable."

Or, "5 things you can do right now to decrease the cost of your antiques insurance."

Note: a title like this peeks reader interest... the public designated for this content wants to know, isdesperate to know, just where there may be holes, flaws, and omissions in their policies. Yourcontent (and your title) play to their need to know, including fears and anxieties which motivateprompt response to you.

3) Brainstorm subjects to be included in your article or site content

The most cogent content is brainstormed and outlined before a single word is written. First, andmost importantly, sit down at your desk and write down the topics you want (and your reader musthave) in this content.

Personally, I take one 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet and (in my execrable hand writing) detail all the keypoints about the subject at hand.

Then, having brainstormed all, I arrange these points in logical order, thus: first do this, then this,then this, etc.




Brainstorm and point prioritizing are key to successful content.

Note: for best results, you should have no fewer than 5 points in any individual article or not morethan 10. The content may appear skimpy and inadequate if you have too few points while havingmore than 10 over burdens your reader (and future customer), causing him to postpone reading -- andresponse!

4) Now write.

You are now ready to write the content, for you have considered your audience and what they needto know (and will most thank you for); you have brainstormed the subjects to be included andarranged them in the proper order. Yes, you are ready to write.

Sit yourself down in your writing place (you do have one, don't you), a place where you can writeundisturbed, inviolate to the crafting of superb content

Go there now. Determine your writing schedule. You should be able to produce draft site content in2-4 hours, depending on how experienced a writer you are. Always set a date and time for theconclusion of Draft 1. Never leave it open-ended. Things without deadlines are things less likely tobe done.

Note: Remember, what you are writing now must be a conversation between you and your reader(who is, let's be clear, your future customer, too.) The content must, therefore, be writtenaccordingly. The word "you" (meaning you, the reader) must predominate. You must not write foran amorphous audience of the unknown. You must write instead to and for the chief benefit of eachindividual reader... just as if the reader was sitting beside you and you were explaining one thingafter another of importance to her. This is vital.

5) Read, review, revise your content.

Now hear this: the best writing is re-writing. Thus, when you have finished Draft 1, let it sitovernight. It is the rare, experienced, polished writer who can write such content, review suchcontent, and post the finished product all in a day. Some may disagree, but I remain convinced timeand patience are necessary ingredients in the very best content.

When ready, read your content aloud. No sentence should be more than one breath. If yoursentences are turgid and flow slowly, awkward, break them into shorter lines, easier to read. Yourtempo should be allegro, not andante.

6) Revise, revise, revise.

Having finished your first revisions, it is time for... more revisions. As much time should be spent onrevising your content as writing it in the first place. This, then, should be your schedule:

Day 1, write the content. On this same day, do the first revisions.

Day 2, after letting the content sit overnight, awake early (personally I do this between 5-7 ambecause that is when my schedule is clear and I have the fewest interruptions. In other words, I canfocus.) Then do at least one more content revision.

3) On Day 3, do a final content review. There should be few, if any, changes at this point. Yourcontent should be word perfect, light, graceful, moving; content that will impact the reader, becauseit impacts you!

7) The Resource Box

Now add the crucial Resource Box and About the Author details. Having written content that helps




your reader and future customer, it is now manifestly appropriate to include something that helpsyou... and that is precisely what the Resource Box and About the Author sections do. Treat themaccordingly.

Be sure to include all the means you wish customers to use to get in touch with you, including email,URL, telephone, cell phone, etc. Believe me, the useful content you have given them will inspireresponse. Depend on it.

Exult. You deserve it!

You have now done a useful thing. Your content is now available for use on blogs, ezines, sitepostings, et al. Take a moment to congratulate yourself. You deserve it.

You have taken what you know and can do and transformed it into a focused means of generatingnew customers and really helping them. You may be a tad fatigued by your effort; that's natural. Butwhat you've written can live for years and help thousands. And that's a true cause for jubilation.




Top 5 Mistakes made by Online Marketers. Don't make thesemistakes and sabotage your promotional effortsToday I am tackling one of the BIGGEST problems faced by new online marketers. The problem isthis, the inability to market effectively. This causes so many marketers incredible frustration! Theresult, they throw up their hands in despair and quit long before they see any results.

This is what I hear from people day after day in my role as an online Home Business Consultant. "Iam posting, and promoting but not getting any leads or sales! Help me!" If this is you, keep reading,I am going to tell you what you need to know about marketing.

It is true that you can be promoting every day but if you are making one or all of the 5 commonmistakes I've outlined here, you won't get the results you want. Take note, this is important stuff ifyou are really serious about making money online.

1. The first mistake made by new online marketers is this:

Not knowing WHAT to market.

I talk to people daily, nice people who want to sell something online and earn some extra money.They sign up or this and for that, they get Affiliate Memberships all over the web hoping to getbetter results by being involved in everything they can get their hands on. There intentions are good,they are motivated but they stumble right off the bat by not knowing what to market.

Here's a quick guide for you on WHAT to Market: -Pick products to market that are DIGITAL.Digital products are those that can be bought and sold instantly online. You get your commissionsooner, the buyer gets their product instantly! It's no-fuss no-muss and the best way to start your webmarketing experience and see some results. -In most cases there is no cost to be a product Reselleror Affiliate - hurray! -Pick Reseller products from a reputable long-standing company thatspecializes in helping vendors connect with affiliates to sell products online -Pick products oraffiliate programs that provide advertising copy, banners, and sales aids along with referral links soyou can easily promote the products -Pick products that catch YOUR EYE! Newest releases,products with catchy names, trendy topics, those with positive buyer feedback, and return guaranteesare best! -Look for Joint Venture releases so you can be one of the first to promote the productswhen first released for sale Finally, FOCUS! Keep your eye on the prize - profits - don't spreadyourself too thin. Narrow your efforts to a few products and put 100% effort into your campaign.

2. The second most common mistake made by new online marketers is this:

Not knowing HOW to market.

I am always surprised at the answer people give me when I ask how they are marketing online. Theylook at me perhaps thinking what a ridiculous question that is! They tell me they are sending outtheir website address. When I look at their website I see a site that is oh so boring! It reads like abrochure with company history, and a few pages of fluffy copy. Yes, of course it is important topromote your website address BUT if you wish to capture leads you must do this - get the prospectscontact information!

Getting the contact information from a prospect is often very difficult to do with a standard corporatesite. The answer to this problem is to create what are called LANDING pages, or Squeeze pages.These are single page sites that have one purpose and one purpose only - get you a LEAD - andbetter yet lead to a sale! Some companies provide Landing Pages for you when you become aReseller for their products. Landing pages help you build your marketing list. Every person may notbe a buyer today, but on your mailing list they may enjoy future products you offer. Offering an




option to join your mailing directly on your Landing Page gives people 100% control over opting into your mailing list or not. You build your list while ensuring that people have voluntarily joinedyour mailing list.

Here's a quick guide to creating responsive landing pages:

-They should be FAST Loading! Skip any animation, video or annoying distraction that just makespeople click OFF! -Use images that are colorful, directive, and related to the theme of your product-Your copy MUST be short, punchy, laden with benefits - speak directly to the reader -Your copyshould tell readers what they get if they ACT now! Limit the offer, even better! -Capture the contactinformation of the reader so you can deliver what they asked for -The more goodies, freebies, offers,and cool stuff you can give people the BETTER the response! -Always include an option for peopleto join your mailing list and give them GREAT reasons to want to do so!

Unlike a website, a landing page should be EXCITING, BENEFIT-LADEN and accomplish this:

Look reader! You get this! Do this to get it! Do it NOW and also get this BONUS!

3. Here is the third most common mistake I see new marketers making:

Not KNOWING WHERE to Market

Marketing is NOT simple but if you know what you are doing it can be. The key is to find the sites,the niches where you can target your market. Market to the right people instead of the masses withsolid products and you will get instantly better results.

Here's a quick guide to knowing WHERE to market:

-Do a Google search to find sites related to what you are promoting, then target those sites for yourmarketing campaigns -Use every available niche market you can find and post there, this includesForums, Classified Ad Sites, Banner Exchanges, Twitter and Social Networking and Bookmarkingsites. -Do not discount FREE and low cost advertising options like Safelists, and Traffic Exchanges.These are excellent ways to target a specific market -You do NOT have to spend ridiculous amountsof money on advertising. Find the sites where your target market exists, then place low cost adsincluding safelist posts, banners, and classified ads. Don't even think about buying pay-per-click adsat sites like Google unless you have deep pockets and know what you are doing. -Learn whatbacklinks are and why they are SO VERY important to generating traffic and achieving bettersearch engine indexing for your site, products or business. -If any of the terms above are foreign toyou, you have some homework to do, I have included some resources below.

4. Are you ready for the fourth and perhaps most fatal mistake made by new online marketers?

Not knowing how to TRACK your promotional campaigns

If you are going to spend time and money to promote a product or service you MUST, youabsolutely MUST know where you are getting your results. Ad Tracking is a 100% requirement! Ifyou are not tracking your ads, and the clicks you get and from where, you are promoting blindly.What happens when you don't watch what you are doing? You can fall in a hole! Online this can bea hole where you fall in and throw your money into wasted ad campaigns. I've seen more peopleallow paid advertising to eat up their entire budget than I want to think about. Smart marketers thatget results know exactly the ad campaigns that get results, and the sources they came from.

Get an Ad Tracker Tool. Some advertising sites provide you with data on number of clicks to yourads, or impressions. This is important, just be sure you understand what those terms mean. A clickis usually far more powerful for you then a "view". You want ACTIVE respondents, real peopleactually clicking on your ad to see it. This is much different than an "exposure" or a "view" with the




latter being considered passive and very weak marketing, often provided free. For best results youwill ALWAYS get better results from paid advertising than from free advertising but don't discountfree promotion, it is a good way to earn advertising credits if you have a small advertising budget. Ifyou buy advertising be SURE you get some kind of way to validate the promotion, the click rate,and actual IP addresses of unique respondents to ensure the hits are legitimate and not computergenerated. Make sure your respondents will be geographically specific too, from countries that youwish to target. For example, Canada or the USA. If you have your own domain you are fortunate, asyou can benefit from an Ad Tracking tool that tracks all your promotional activities and traced toyour website domain address.

5. The fifth common mistake I see online marketers making is very straight-forward.

Not being realistic or giving it enough consistent time and effort to see results.

I know we live in an instant gratification world but if you are new to online marketing you will needto be more realistic. Promotion takes a lot of CONSISTENT effort using a number of strategies at anumber or web sites. By tracking your ads you can see instantly where your efforts are beingproductive. Be prepared to try various copy, be cognizant that some products will sell better thanothers, some advertising resources will deliver better than others. Vary your offers, change up yourproducts as needed, update landing pages, post to a number of sites and track the results. Take sometime to learn about some of the terms used in this article. Be honest with yourself about what you aredoing. Are you serious about earning money online or are you doing this as a hobby? Your level ofhunger and ambition to succeed will be your motivator. The good news is that once you have builtyour mailing list, and found niche sites and advertising resources that work, your job to promote getseasier but NEVER goes away.




10 Tips for Writing Business Communications that getresults!by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Face it. If you're like most people having to write is... worse than getting a root canal.

You're not good at it... you know you're not good. You hate sitting down to write... even though youhave things that need to be written... and need to be written NOW!

It's not a pretty picture.

Cheer up. I'm about to solve your writing problems forever with a handy check-list you can printand keep readily at hand to be consulted each time the situation calls for something written by you.

1) Be clear on what you want to say... what you need the recipient to read.

A major reason writing is so difficult for so many people is because they have not considered theobjective BEFORE writing a word. WRONG. Good business writing is based on stating a clearobjective, like this:

I want my customer Linda to order her Venetian blinds today for installation 30 days from now.

Knowing where you're going... and what you want to achieve... makes getting there a whole loteasier.

2) Be clear on what the customer gets.

The person you are writing to -- your customer -- is the most important person on this planet at thismoment.

Your job in writing to her is to ensure that she understands EXACTLY what she is getting fromyou... and exactly what you want her to do and HOW you want her to do it.

ALL business communications that work are based on just 4 vital words:

YOU GET BENEFIT NOW.

Before you write a single word write down each and every benefit the customer is getting from you.Start each of these benefits with the words

YOU GET... and make what they get clear, compelling, and motivating.

3) Make an offer and make sure that offer is meaningful.

As I write the economy is punk, anaemic and anything other than robust. So what? That just meansthat in order to motivate your customer, you must improve your offer, adding another scoop to theice cream cone you are offering.

Craft this offer before using it. Make sure that what you're offering is valuable... and that youpresent it in such a way that it jumps off the page and seizes the recipient's brain, thereby inducingthat "I've got to get this" feeling that ensures success and money in YOUR pocket.

Offers are everything... when you're making a grand one, say so in no uncertain terms.

4) Keep what you write short and sweet. People hate reading only slightly less than they hatewriting!




Dwight Eisenhower, who after all was a military man, required his cabinet secretaries to presenttheir policy recommendations in memoranda not more than 1 page. The president's point wassimple: if you're clear on your objective, one page is sufficient to get your point across.

5) NEVER use text language in a business communication.

Text language is sloppy language; it's also language that can easily be misunderstood. The essenceof business writing is enabling your customer to get the gist, the essential point promptly and easily.Text message s are often confusing and unclear, the exact opposite of what you want: just becausepeople get it fast, doesn't mean they get it accurately!

6) Make sure you give your customers crystal-clear instructions on what to do and how to do it.

Before asking a customer to follow your instructions... follow them yourself. You might find theresults instructive.

The sad truth is, far too many instructions for customers have never been tried by the peopleproviding these instructions. As a result, they are muddled, confusing, incomplete, and unclear.Ouch! That's why you must try them before you send them. Do that now!

7) Make it clear how to get in touch with you.

As humans we have created a network of communications which enables us to connect instantlywith people worldwide. Problem is, we're less dazzling about providing the necessary instructionsenabling us to profitably use this network.

Be different! Give your customers the complete and essential communications information requiredto connect with you... and make these details clear and easy to follow.

This information should include, but is not limited to:

* telephone * fax * cell phone * e-mail, etc.

8) Review your communication before sending it.

Receiving as I do dozens of business communications daily, I can assure you that if proof reading isnot dead, it most assuredly is on the critical list. People nowadays claim to be so "busy" that theybeg your indulgence for sending communications that would embarrass a schoolboy, sloppy, sloppy,sloppy in the extreme.

That's why you must never forget this: people, fairly or not, evaluate your ability to handle a projectby not only how quickly you deliver your words... but by the accuracy with which you present them.In short, presenting properly is an important ingredient in whether the customer decides to dobusiness with you at all. That's why the most important writing you will EVER do is ...re-writing!

9) "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing."

Now for the acid test. Does it move?

The less experience you have had in writing prose that both informs and moves people to action, themore important is this step: reading what you've written before sending.

A word of caution: this stage can be painful, very painful indeed if what you've written is full ofgrammatical and other errors; if it's turgid, sluggish, like walking through a bog. Yes, it can bepainful indeed.

Remember, you can only advance if YOU deal with such problems before you inflict them on your




customers! So read what you've written and be glad to correct before your unfortunate customerswince at the same words (and errors).

What you're looking for is not only accuracy but a lilting cadence, clear, agile, pleasant to hear,irresistible to read. It takes time to create... but it pays off for a lifetime.

10) Say it with conviction and sincerity

One more thing, an absolutely essential thing: make sure that what you write is sincere, honest, andbased on strong convictions. If not, what you write can never be truly convincing because it has notconvinced you.

To write without belief is to create something which, at heart, is hollow and lifeless. It cannot workwith others, because it has not worked with you.

Thus, before you even think of writing, make certain you believe in what you're writing. Feeling andinjecting this confidence into what you write is the best way to get and hold the attention of allcustomers. After all, they value and require want sincerity, truth, candor, too. They want to knowthat you stand behind the words you're sending. If you present your message in such a way, you arewell on your way not merely to writing a persuasive communication but to establishing andcementing that all-important lifelong relationship with your customer . Congratulations! Yourwriting has come a long, long way!




What to do when your customer says No!by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

It's sad, but it's going to happen to you today: a prospect is going to say no to your offer. That,however, is NOT important. What is, is knowing what to do when it happens. That's what separatesthe men from the boys; the business people who will profit from those who won't!

1) Prepare for the decline

People who succeed in business do not expect every single prospect to purchase what they're sellingimmediately, effortlessly. No way!

Instead, they anticipate that while some will buy, many will not. Their job is to anticipate thosedeclines and to prepare in advance what to do when they get them.

2) Write down every potential objection you will hear. Then answer them.

The worst possible way to handle an objection is spontaneously, on the fly. To render the best reply,you must consider the best reply, crafting, improving it as you go.

Face it: some people are going to decline your offer. You should be prepared to respondimmediately when it happens. This means brainstorming all possible objections... and coming upwith the best, most telling responses. Your use of these responses must be swift and sure. There's notime for improvisation when your sale hangs in the balance!

3) Ask customers why they've declined your offer.

Successful business people, people who get rich from business, are never daunted by hearing "No!"from a customer. They see this response, however adamant, as nothing but a milestone on the way tomaking that sale.

Successful marketers know that any "no" means "tell me more", not "go away, get lost."

4) Ask why

The first step upon hearing the customer decline your offer... is to ask why.

Treat "why" as an essential tool in making the sale. The minute your prospect starts telling youwhy... you are on your way to a certain sale because the very act of answering this question meansthe prospect is willing to work with you to reverse the very answer they've just given you! Thusasking "why" is essential to getting to yes.

5) Listen carefully

While your customer is explaining why she declined your offer, LISTEN. The natural tendency is tobarge ahead, overwhelming the customer. This is a mistake. Instead, ask the customer why shedeclined; then give her the time and courtesy to listen to her response without any interruptionwhatsoever.

6) Make sure the customer understands your original offer.

By asking the customer why she has declined your offer, you may discover that she doesn't reallyunderstand what you are offering. If she doesn't, present the offer again, making sure the customerunderstands absolutely everything you are offering and its substantial value and utility.

7) When your initial offer is not enough




If you have presented your offer clearly... if you feel the customer understands it but is still notwilling to bite, it's time to IMPROVE YOUR OFFER!

Now hear this: before you ask a single customer for a sale, you must brainstorm every single thingyou can offer prospects to induce them to buy.

You must NEVER try to improvise an offer when you are speaking to a customer. Instead, youshould have at your finger tips the extra goodies you can offer a customer, goodies that will makethe sale without breaking the bank!

"Ms. Prospect, I see you want to get our widget... and I want you to have it. I'm going to improvemy original offer to make sure you get it! Let me show you what you can get if you purchasetoday!"

8) When money -- or lack thereof --is the problem

Be prepared to hear from customers over and over again that money is the problem. This may ormay not be true. Your job is to be prepared either way.

Ask your customers if they would purchase your product if they had the money. If they say yes, thenyour job becomes improving the offer until the customer understands it would be foolish not to buy.Improving the offer may well induce the customer to 'fess up and buy... or risk losing the terrificoffer you have made. Improve the offer and in a minute or two people who have just told you they'rebroke will magically "find" the funds. With improved offers, this happens time after time!

Note: make it clear to your prospect exactly what this improved offer contains. Also, be sure thecustomer understands that this is a limited-time offer and that it cannot and will not be repeated.Make sure the customers understands; this is essential in ensuring acceptance of this offer!

9) When lack of money really is the problem

Of course, some people -- particularly in our difficult economic days -- really are broke. They need adifferent approach. For this situation, too, you should have planned in advance. Can you offer

* improved payment terms * readily available credit resources (like those at www.paypal.com) *details on how to secure a pre-paid credit card, etc.

In short are you ready to be helpful when your interested, but cash challenged, customer is ready toact? That's mandatory... if you want this sale!

Turning a no into a yes is what determines your business success!

Let me be blunt: you cannot achieve maximum business success and the profits that go with it unlessand until you can turn no into yes. Therefore, mastering the steps in this article is essential to yourmaximum well being.

Thus, start today. Never let a prospect go until you have exhausted every approach to securing hisbusiness. Treat this as a great game, a game constantly testing your skills and ingenuity; one withthe greatest possible benefits to both your customer and yourself. For you, hearing the word no onlyfocuses and concentrates your efforts. After all, YOU are prepared for this moment. You know whatto do and when to it. You are more determined to make this sale than the prospect is to decline it. Asa result, this is not just a sale you will wish for; it is a sale you will get!




What is absolutely crucial for your business success? Joy,that's what! You either have it, or you've had it.by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

What would you say about a business owner who said these kinds of things about his occupation?

You say your job is like "mopping the floor" and "cleaning up the mess."

You complain that what you do is "confining" and "frustrating".

You moan and groan that "nothing beats a day where I can make an escape, I break out."

You whine about how difficult your challenges are because "I'll be honest with you. This is reallyhard."

What would your opinion be of such a person and his chances for success? Would you want to bearound this person, to emulate that negativity? Would you want your children to grow up ready,willing and able at the drop of a hat to ladle out such lamentations and self pity by the bucket, likethe man who spouted these telling, quoted words?

That man is the President of the United States, Barrack Obama, the pampered resident of 1600Pennsylvania Ave. The man with the biggest, most important job in the world... a man whose goldenprize offers immeasurable possibilities for transforming lives... but seems to give him no joy at all.

Seen a photo of the president lately? His lips are pursed, brow furrowed and intent, the bodylanguage contained, controlled, the famous "don't touch me" quality, smiles cool, fleeting, andunbelievable. Is it any surprise his presidential ratings have dropped like a stone? We all want to likehim... but it's becoming increasingly difficult because he doesn't seem to want to like us... "thepeople" he is there to serve, inspire, motivate, and enhance.

Do you approach your business looking like you were weaned on a pickle?

It was the irrepressible Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of a president, married to a speaker ofthe U.S. House of Representatives, who nailed Calvin Coolidge forever more, declaring he lookedlike a man weaned on a pickle. Coolidge, too, was the master of frosty distances and the laconic.Again, it was just so hard to like him!

Is that you? Do you bring everything to the table except the one thing that trumps all the others: joy!Then you are hurting your business, your fortune, and to a certitude, yourself.

Start with Robert Burns, perceive yourself

In his celebrated poem "To a louse" , Burns writes of a young woman coming to the kirkinappropriately dressed to kill, preening and posturing, little sensing she is also showing off a louse,lazily trespassing her over-combed locks. This sight, and Burns' poetic talents, turn this incident intostunning insight:

"O would some Power the gift to give us To see ourselves as others see us! It would from many ablunder free us, And foolish notion:"

The first thing to do is review yourself "warts and all", to see yourself as others see you. Is there abusiness person in the world who actually wants to be a person putting off others, the very peoplewhose respect and admiration he should be doing everything to garner and maintain?

Evolving into a person whose joy is manifest in all aspects of her job means undertaking a




self-scrutiny which must be honest, candid, stark, and unyielding. After all, you may well find onepainful trait after another and must be ready to see them as in a spotlight.

Walk yourself through a day in your life

Your model here is Frank Capra's ever relevant classic film "It's A Wonderful Life", where a man isforced to see himself as he is and see how many lives he has touched. It's a good beginning for yourown self tour.

Start with your smile

A smile doesn't mean all is well. It is not some cosmetic to mask reality. Rather, it is a statementthat, whatever else is going on, bad, even catastrophic, you intend to be a beacon of welcome,someone striving to lighten the load for others, not to contribute to it by your gloomy visage andoff-putting demeanor. In others words, you intend to make a heartfelt difference, one smile at a time.Each smile is a sign of possibilities, unlike a frown, scowl or evident disapproval which is a doorshut and locked in the face of all who unhappily come across you.

Do you welcome your customers... or merely (and inadequately) acknowledge them?

Watch yourself as you perform your daily customer contacts. Are you easing the way for others witha manner congenial and forthcoming? Even the great French King Louis XIV, master of the greatestof kingdoms, used always to doff his bonnet with celerity and style to EVERY woman heencountered, be she serving wench or marquise.

Count the moans, groans, whines and all the renditions of "poor little me" in a single day

As is clear from his quoted remarks above, President Obama, is a man with an unflattering tendencyto invite folks to feel sorry for him. Him! President of these United States! Him! Waited oneverywhere he goes... with access to the world... flattered... consulted... revered... deferred to. Rich,powerful, caressed, cosseted to a degree we can only imagine... yet wanting us to feel sorry for "poorlittle me", whose job is so hard, so demanding, so limiting. Come on!

Your customers want what we want from our chief executives: the power of potential; a feeling thathere, right in front of us, we have a person of care, empathy, concern, and sincere interest; a personwho enthuses us about the road to come, difficult yes, challenging to be sure, but replete withpossibilities for all. Is that how you approach your customers, as a person of possibilities, anempowerer, for whom the glass is always half full, not discouragingly half empty? With whom doyou think your customers want to do business?

Joy the sine qua non

It takes many things to be a business success, conjuring sales and profits wherever you go; productsof value, excellent personnel, offers that cause folks to pause in their tracks. ALL are necessary. Butno single factor is as important as the joy you bring to your job, because that joy will inspire all andensure success. Joy enables and empowers. It attracts and motivates. It takes the difficult andtransforms it into the wished for future. It is your gift to the world... and to yourself.




On the value and necessity for persistence if you expect tobe successful.by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. Winston Churchill who left the world so many memorable lines, said thisone, too: "No young man should ever take no for an answer." Allowing for the fact that these days"young man" would need to be changed to "young person", what he said is as relevant today as itever was, not least because of the challenging and seemingly unending dismal state of the economy,USA, Europe, the world.

Sadly, though I sound like an old fogey for saying it, today's young people take no for an answer allthe time, seeming to expect it, and certainly having little or no inkling of what to do when it hitsthem in the face. And this is a problem indeed, calling for immediate scrutiny and action.

To set the scene for this article, which can (kept and used) change your life for the better over andover again, go to any search engine and find the tune "True Grit", composed by Elmer Bernstein forJohn Wayne's 1969 film. Persistence, unwavering determination, in the face of obstacles big andsmall, is what true grit means. And that's why, even in our adulterated days, it is in such shortsupply.

London, Summer 1977, your author, in a single day, learns the unalloyed value and usefulness ofpersistence.

It was 1977. London was packed with folks from everywhere who had come to find the England oftheir dreams and memories, and to see H.M. the Queen, celebrating (along with her husband,"always a step behind" Philip of Edinburgh),her Silver Jubilee, 25 years of her (mostly) happy andglorious reign. I was there, too, but not to gawk. I had serious business I meant to transact... if Icould find anyone willing to transact it with me, young, green, determined.

The situation.

In 1977, I was a newly minted Ph.D. of well under 1000 days. My credentials -- including that Ph.D.from Harvard -- were impeccable. "That and fifty cents," said my ever-practical and deflating father,"gets you a cup of coffee." I took his point, not least because 1977 was a year of recession, wherewould be junior professors, from even the best universities, were having a very difficult time gettingjobs, much less jobs they liked. I knew that only too well. Employers, academic or otherwise, didwhat employers always do in such situations if left unobserved: they raise the level of qualificationsrequired... and slash the salary as much as possible.

That was why I was in London, to turn myself into the kind of gilt-edge property even the mostsupercilious of institutions would rush to recruit. My strategy went something like this:

* take my Harvard doctoral dissertation and cannibalize it for articles that could be sold toappropriate popular publications as well as published by appropriate academic journals.

* once the articles were published, use these to convince an appropriate publisher of my dreams(and I knew who they were) that I as a first-time book author was worth the money they'd have toinvest to launch me and my book publishing career.

* Use the published articles and first book (remember, the first of many) to leverage a suitableposition at a suitable (read "condescending and renowned") institution.

Short, sweet, piece of cake -- not.




The first challenge requiring persistence involved the cannibalization of my dissertation, mined fortwo very different kinds of publication: popular (newspapers and magazines) and academic. Iwanted to publish at least 10-15 popular articles from what some (with consummate snobbery)called "ephemeral" publications... and an equal number for academic journals bearing lofty namesand high credentials but few readers. By pursuing this two-pronged strategy I got maximum valuefrom the dissertation and paved the way for its ultimate use as the launching pad for my publishingcareer and the Nobel Prize for Literature, which must, in due time, be granted. (Still waiting.)

Writing the articles, researching where to send them, organizing an efficient production process.

"Well begun is half done", we say in New England, and fortunately for me the dissertation (entitled"Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee 1887", covering the creation and perfection of English royalpageantry) covered events known, attended, and loved by millions of people. This apt selection ofsubject made the achievement of my objective the more likely than those who has selected morerecondite (read "dull") subjects. I wanted fame, acclaim, and all the trimmings therefrom andselected my subject accordingly.

I confess now (but never would then, insouciance being an essential part of a Harvard degree) thatthis was demanding... and needed discipline, focus, and persistence. It also required at least aone-way ticket from Boston, Massachusetts to London, for you see the overwhelming majority ofthese publications were there. Money being tight I worked hard to get it. I won't say I resorted tocutting grass and baby sitting... but it was close.

And this is why on a sweltering Summer day, so hot English mates stripped thereby exposing thewhitest of flesh, that is why, I say, I was standing on Fleet Street, my lengthy list of publications inhand, poised to enter the Daily Telegraph and ascendant celebrity.

That confident pipe dream lasted for 5 minutes, maybe less. No, the features editor wasn't in; what'smore if she were, she wouldn't see you anyway, Harvard man that you claim to be. Yes, this merereceptionist all but kicked me out shouting "Get out maggot." I was shocked... and it was but theprelude to a very, very long day of being turned down by newspapers great, mediocre, andprovincial, many of which I had thought (only that morning too) beneath my superior notice Oh,how the mighty had fallen.

And so it went, with only fellow countryman Johnny Apple of the New York Times agreeing to seeme. He was a true gentleman, he was, the late Johnny, for all that he told me (in the nicest possibleway) that hell would freeze over... not least because some of my article subjects the revered NewYork Times was paying him to render. And that was that.

The "luck" that is persistence.

And so it went until at last I was at the end of my day, my tether, and my list... just two more placesleft to reject me and my once vibrant ideas. I was bushed, crestfallen, irked, with a dollop of self-pity(I'm sure) in the mix.

And so I entered the offices of the Associated Press, London, one of the most important journalisticoperatives on earth. And there I commenced to tell my story to a bored clerk, the clerk who had thepower to crush 1/2 of my available prospects... a giant to a fly. And then, then, a disembodied voicebouncing off the wall divider... "Did you say your name is Jeffrey and that you're fromMassachusetts?"

It was as if the voice of God.

And in less time than it takes me to tell you, there was a chipper person before me with an Americansmile and directness. "You look terrible" my benefactor said, "Come in and tell me what's on your




mind." And I did, to a length which only his good nature and courtesy would have excused. Butfrom this encounter, which so easily might not have occurred, everything else, everything elseensued... for Reporter Jeffrey, whose surname I to my everlasting chagrin long ago misplaced...published a story titled "A Massachusetts Yankee in Queen Victoria's Court"... a marvelous story, astory of intelligence and timeliness, well written too. And this story ran everywhere on this planetthanks to the giant reach of the Associated Press.

But I had one more place to go, The Times, the paper Charles Dickens dubbed "The Thunderer".And here again, nirvana for the Features Editor saw me, knew AP reporter Jeffrey who was indeedfrom Massachusetts, and told me to prepare one article for her perusal. It was on her desk the nextday... and accepted at once; the first of five articles bought by The Times and syndicated to theworld; articles which my soon-to-be editor Roger Machell read in his office at Hamish Hamilton,that exquisite house I so longed to be part of and thanks to my AP benefactor now was. How Iwould like to see that man again and shake his hand, for he -- and my own persistence -- weredecisive in shaping my life.

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Relationship Building is Good Business, here's why.If you want to set your business apart from your competitors spend some time creating and fosteringrelationships with your current and prospective customers.

Strong business relationship lead to long term customers and this is good for your bottom line. If youhave been ignoring social media it's time to recognize that you are turning your back on a vital directconnection to the people who have supported your business and those people who may be your nextcustomers. Your customers are a vital source of information for any company. They can help youunderstand how to better meet their needs and therefore, retain their business while attracting newbusiness. One of the most powerful ways to tap this valuable resource is by finding more ways toconnect with your customers and build lasting relationships.

Relationship building is an ongoing process on and offline. Social media makes it easier to start andbuild relationships with current and prospective customers all over the world. Your marketing planshould include dedicating resources for building your online presence through posts, blogs,backlinks, bookmarks, commenting and more. Your website is simply not enough any more. If youwant to speak to your customers and grow your sales you will need to connect with them usingpopular social media.

Social media makes it easy to build relationships with your customers, here's how.

- Instantly create connections

- Expand your reach to new markets

- Ability to jump on customer service issues right away

- Better identify gaps in your service provision

- Know what people are saying about your company

- Increase awareness of what your business offers

- Increase referrals and sales

- Generate new sales with offers

- Post Product or Service Reviews

- Improve customer experiences with your company

- Generate fresh online frequent content that you control

What to do next:

Have a look at some of the popular Social Media sites to see which ones are the best fit for yourcompany, products or services. Don't limit yourself to just the large sites, if you can find niche sitesdirectly related to your purposes this can be ideal and easily found with a Google search. Here's justa few of the top ones ranked by Alexa.com

YouTube.com Facebook.com Twitter.com LinkedIn.com MySpace.com Yelp.com StumbleUponTumblr.com Reddit.com Flickr.com Digg.com Metacafe.com del.icio.us segnalo.comBlogCatalog.com technorati.com mixx.com Rojo.com Kaboodle.com gather.com Folkd.comKillerStartups.com Newsvine.com Faves.com BlinkList.com BuddyMarks.com WireFan.comMister-Wong.com




Before the Internet, building business relationships meant greeting your customer by name whenthey came into your store. Today, it means using social media to better connect with your customersand in the process of helping them you help your own company grow stronger. Companies and theircustomers are connected in a way never seen before and it’s your job as a business owner tofacilitate this process.




Planning on making money online this year? Unless youavoid these lethal mistakes you haven't got a prayer. by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. Like ABBA? I do. I think they produced some of the most clever, stylishand sophisticated dance music and rhythms ever. Like their mega-hit "Money, Money, Money"(released in 1976). It's not only one of the best jump-up songs ever, but it's got a message you mayhave to take to heart if you're still trying (but consistently failing) to make money online.

It's this: "If I got me a wealthy man..." That's right, it may be time (and is probably way past time) touse your wiles and charm to snag a rich mate... because you're just wasting your time online...

... unless....

you take heed to the irrefutable verities about what you must know and do... and so finally turn theInternet into the cash hose it's long been for people like me, who make money online daily, whileyou can't even figure out who's on first.

Must avoid mistake #1.

Don't work alone. Working online all by your lonesome is just plain nuts. I credit my awesomesuccess online to a crucial decision I made nearly 20 years ago: the overwhelming majority of onlineentrepreneurs need more skills -- technical, marketing, people -- than they've got. For such people(and I very much include myself) success is unlikely, even impossible if you try to go it alone.Don't.

You're going to need cutting-edge tech experts; Internet marketing experts, and yes personnel tomake sales and bring in the bucks 24/7/365. Have you got this team in place? Well you'd better getit together before you waste any more time and money.


STOP thinking, STOP believing you can built a profitable online business off free stuff. You can't.Say that again: YOU CAN'T! Bite this bullet here and now, once for all. It's going to cost youmoney to create a successful online business; just like it costs money to establish a successful offlinebusiness.

If you've been trying and trying and trying to succeed online without investing you're probablybeyond hope. But let's assume you've still got some of your little grey cells in place and functional.Use some of them to get the money you need to create a profitable online business. There's no wayaround it: it takes money to make money, and personally I won't even talk to the steady stream offolks who approach me without investment dollars in hand. That's the "bad" news; the good news isthat it's still ridiculously cheap to start a profit-making online business that can net you the minimum6-figure income it takes to live well these days.


Get educated about what you need to establish a money-making business online. Stop trying to"teach" yourself. If you knew how to make money online, I imagine you'd be making money, right?But you don't. And you will never know if you have yourself as your prime expert and instructor.Bluntly, you know and can do too little to justify that.

There are many fine online business-building instructors. I swear by mine: George Kosch. He's beeninstructing me for almost 20 years now. He's smart about what you've got to do in the constantly




changing 'net environment, a superb trainer and communicator.... good looking, too. I've made outlike a bandit by putting my ego where it belongs (in some closet) and LEARNING from a man whoguarantees you'll make money if you follow his proven system. I did... and I have.


You don't know how to generate unlimited traffic to your site...and until you do, YOU'RE DOA.That why you must become a traffic expert immediately, if not sooner.

If you launch your online business without knowing precisely where your absolutely essential trafficwill be coming from, you deserve what you get: Nada! Nothing! Zip! Yet to my utter consternationand astonishment, not a day goes by when some knucklehead tells me he hasn't got guaranteedtraffic, doesn't know how to get it, but is a "survivor" who'll figure it out as he does. OMG! Suchpeople probably believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. They are casualties just waiting tohappen.

Here again I want to pat George Kosch on the back. The guy is a walking encyclopedia of each andevery way that exists to generate online traffic... and trains lucky folks like me to use these everysingle day. He does it in an amazing program called "Home Business Boot Camp"... and he guidesyou (with skill and patience) to get the traffic you must have... starting today! He's got a worldwidefollowing who swear by his methods.... as I most assuredly do myself. Do you have a George Koschin your life? No? Then book your space in the lifeboat today... you'll need it!


It happened again just yesterday. I was counseling a gent who told me he'd bought some traffic; sentit to his home page... and didn't get a single response! What did he do wrong? Just everything...

The first rule of successful traffic and crucial list building is to direct ALL traffic to a landing page.Why? Because that's the proven way to get traffic, traffic, traffic and build the prospect lists that arecrucial to online success. So, ask yourself this: do you know how to create and use landing pages?And be honest, totally honest with yourself, because if you get it wrong you're toast... (By the way,you won't be surprised to learn George Kosch -- there he is again -- writes my landing pages... andthey're gold mines.)

Well, I've run out of space, with lots more to tell you, but that'll have to wait for another day. Now,I'm heading over to my favorite search engine where that fabulous dance number by ABBA iswaiting for me (and you). As I listen to "Money, Money, Money" I'll know I'm the rich guy you'relooking for, the guy who can give you that cushy life you'd like. But why would I want an Internetloser in my life? After all, it's a rich man's world...

## What do you think? Let us know by posting your comments below.




You SAY you're in business, but that proposition is dubious,as this article reveals in shocking detail. by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. One of Broadway's happiest and most enduring musicals is "How ToSucceed In Business Without Really Trying." Written by Frank Loesser; it was released in October,1961 to immediate acclaim -- and a Pulitzer Prize to boot. Most recently it was revived with DanielRatcliffe -- famous for his eponymous role in the Harry Potter films -- starring in the lead roleoriginally done to mischievous perfection by Robert Morse, simultaneously menace andmastermind.

I have selected one of the lesser tunes from the production for the occasional music to this article.It's called simply "Coffee Break", and you should go to any search engine now to listen to it. It'sabout how the absence of coffee -- and therefore the coffee break -- raises more anxiety andlamentation than a plague of locusts and completely stops the whole company, convinced that theend of the world as they know it is at hand. Oh, my! So much grief for one missed cuppa. However,the real shock is not that the coffee was late for the company coffee break, no indeed; the real shockis that more time, trouble, energy, irritation, and anger was expended on this event than on anythingelse that entire day... including the company's business they were hired to transact...until the outrageabout the coffee break was surpassed by certain stale items on the lunch menu... thereby divertingeveryone's outspoken attention to this even greater snafu.

The sad part is that this kind of ludicrous "crisis" and massive waste of time does not occur solely orexclusively on Madison Avenue or in Broadway shows... it is most likely the way you are runningyour "business" and why it doesn't prosper.

That's why today, I am going to put you and your "business" under the most minute scrutiny, thebetter to help you understand that your business, as you currently organize and run it -- cannot makethe desirable profits of your imagination... until such time as you rethink everything -- absolutelyeverything -- so that the focus of your energy and action every day is NOT the coffee break... butactually doing BUSINESS. And as this analysis develops right before your very eyes, you are mostlikely to be chagrined, embarrassed, and horrified - and that's just for openers.

On the acute need to perceive what you are really doing every single day.

You say you are in business, correct? You say you want substantial, increasing profits, correct? Yousay you are a hard worker; indeed that the sun never sets on all the work you do, the tasks done, thechallenges confronted, correct?

In short you are about as swift, intelligent, able and valuable a business person as business has everseen and that your DNA should be donated to the nation so that generations yet to come may havethe benefit of you and your unmatched business expertise and execution.

You, of course, are even now nodding your head in sage agreement with this flawless description ofyou and your business acumen. Modest though you are, you cannot but admit that you are the veryparagon and model sketched above... just like Kansas City, you've gone about as far as you can go.

It is this proposition swallowed hook, line and sinker by the overwhelming majority of businessowners of every kind that keeps you trapped in a business that doesn't grow, expand, prosper andthat does not make and will never make the profits you consistently and repeatedly say are the reasonyou are in business to get and enjoy.

YOU and your business under our microscope.




Now, it's time to knuckle down to the important, sure-to-be-shocking analysis of what you do duringyour "business hours"... for you cannot improve your business until you know precisely what you doand precisely when you do it.

Business is about two things and two things only...

Quick! Can you guess what they are? The correct answer is 1) the generation of qualified prospectsand 2) contacting these prospects, making them the most lavish, persuasive offer ever, then closingthe deal forthwith. This is the two- step dance that keeps you in business, expands your business,and leads to money, money, money... yours, all yours.

Now let's see just what percentage of your average day focuses on these two key points... and whatpercentage of your business day goes to anything but these two essential tasks.

You'll need a pad, a watch, and total honesty.

To make this crucial scrutiny work, you will need to be clear about what you do, when you do it,and how long it takes to do it. In other words, you must start by creating a detailed picture of youraverage business day... and why it either works to produce the prospect leads and orders you need...or why it doesn't. Give this essential project which can launch the most profitable epoch for yourbusiness your fullest attention. Nothing will come of this project unless you are careful, thorough,and complete.

Your first task is to list all the things you do during your average business day. These will includebut will certainly not be limited to

* all breaks, kind and duration;

* non-business related telephone and other communications;

* time spent "surfing" the Web, especially at sites unsuitable for visits during business hours;

* gossip with friends and co-workers;

* writing ad copy;

* creating offers that make sales;

* time on the telephone etc where you connect with prospects, and either upgrade them to bequalified prospects, or close them by making sales.

Get the picture? What you're trying to do is this: show yourself in unanswerable detail what you doon the average day that has absolutely nothing to do with the identification and closing ofprospects... and how much time and effort you expend generating prospects and closing them.

Reforms must follow identification of what you are doing wrong, over and over again.

Chances are, you will be shocked and abashed by what you discover, for instance now seeing thatyou spend far more time surfing the Web and gossiping on the phone than you do on that samephone contacting prospects and closing deals. Such pernicious reality must be dealt with at once, forit is costing you money every single day.

Start today.

Do you care whether your business succeeds or fails? Do you care whether you make more moneythan less? Do you care whether the limited time you have on this planet is transformed into themaximum amount of coin of the realm, and so serenity, security, satisfaction?




That is why you must do this necessary exercise, and do it today. For you see, succeeding inbusiness without really trying makes a dandy theme for a witty musical... but can in no way beregarded as a truth to build your ever more prosperous business by. That truth will be vividlyapparent to you as you implement the recommendations of this important article.

*** We invite you to post your comments to this article below.




The personal ad you'd love to post... but don't have the guts!by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. As far as I can tell, everyone in the world has either run a personal ad(mostly online), is running one at this moment... or will run one before you can say "JackRobinson." This means you. The question is not whether you will use personal ads... but whetherthey'll deliver the exact person you are seeking. Sadly, the vast majority of personal ads cannotdeliver the bacon (or the cheese cake or the beef cake). They just don't provide enough detail and soare quite capable of delivering the Wrong Prospects. Witness the personal ad celebrated by JimmyBuffet in the tune that made Pina Coladas mandatory Happy Hour fare as you bar hopped in pursuitof nirvana.

Start by going to any search engine and listen to Buffet's anthem. It was written by Rupert Holmesand recorded in 1979. It's official title is "Escape" but hardly anyone knows that except Buffet whobecame with each insouciant word the recognized master of la dolce far niente... or, since most ofyou know no Eye-talian, the art of doing absolutely nothing... and doing it with the utmost style andgrace, but without ever breaking a sweat.

Buffet's tune makes it clear why personals as currently structured are silly, pointless, absolutelycertain to deliver people you wouldn't be seen dead with. I mean, who doesn't like getting caught inthe rain (given the right person on your arm)... who doesn't hate yoga.... and is hardly into healthfoods... but insists on champagne? Add long walks on a beach, making love at midnight in the dunesof the cape, and holding hands at the cinema... and you've got the personal ad in all its banalinsipidity.

The wonder is not that they don't work for most people investing hope, time and money in them; thewonder is that they work for anyone at all... but then there are people (one hopes not you) who canbe fully described with a few generic phrases. Avoid them like the plague.

Time for rethinking the personal ad.

In the olden days when personals appeared solely in newspapers and a few progressive publicationslike the alumni magazine for Harvard and such finicky folk as insisted on making known theirpreference for classical composers, stock brokers, and obscure holiday destinations; in those daysone paid by the word and through the nose. Publishers counted on your desperation and longing tofill their coffers. Even the august Times of London cleaned up with such ads, universally called theagony column and always run on Page 1: "Should the fine lady in the blue mantle with yellowsleeves exiting the horse cars at Grosvenor Square Thursday last at 10:59 a.m. desire theacquaintance of a gentleman of means...", but you get the picture.

When writing such ads, where each word raised the cost, it was necessary to cultivate the virtues oflaconic language, short, sweet, clipped. The objective was always to meet the person ardentlydesired but spend pennies, not pounds. As a result, it was understandable, even excusable whenadvertisers slashed words; robust clarity at all times was desirable... but unaffordable.

Enter the Internet.

The very first thing I learned about the 'net was that it's boundless, inexhaustible, absolutelyunlimited. Thus, it can hold, maintain and preserve infinity. The implications of this fact arefathomless, too... not least on the matter of creating personal ads that get you the long-awaited appleof your eye. For now, since we have an infinity of space, there can be absolutely no excuse forwriting and posting ads which are at once jejune, inadequate, and platitudinous in the extreme. Theydon't work, can never work, and must be abandoned, jettisoned, abjured, forsaken and, in case you




miss the point, tossed into the dustbin of history at once.

Now you can write this all-important ad without being hobbled and restricted. You are at lastpermitted, nay empowered and directed to write what must be written, the ad, the whole ad, andnothing but the ad.

... but this will take careful thought and planning, for it is doubtful ere now that even one personaladvertiser has written the magnificent advertisement you are about to write, edit, post, and benefitfrom for a lifetime. As such the most scrupulous planning is de rigueur and cannot be stinted.

Two people, two parts.

A good personal ad, which is to say an ad that accomplishes the desired objective, must be dividedinto two parts: half about who you are; half about what you desire in the person you wish to presentthe key to your (probably much bruised) heart.

Brainstorming, musing, total honesty.

Now, we all know that everyone, absolutely everyone lies in their personal ads. Excess poundsdisappear as if by magic; years are thrust in the dresser drawer; educational degrees are now citedfrom institutions which scorned the pleasure of your company; financial net worth up, all manner ofimperfections down; spouses of decades unmentioned, and the eight darling children, too. This is thenature of the beast... until now. Now you have the space to tell everything... and complete details onthe extenuating circumstances. Yes, you were flunked out of Alma Mater, but it was most assuredlynot your fault... and you insist upon making the full dossier available right here and now. You havethe space; honesty is desirable; and your bringing up the subject at all proves what a gem you are.

Thus instead of lying about the pounds you haven't lost, cite the reasons why. Honestly own up tothe fact that your dietary habits are lax; list all your favorite foods... and the rate you consume them.List your last month's worth of dinner menus... and be scrupulous, entirely above board witheverything you consumed, the kind of dishes on which you served the repast, and exactly what youdid with the left-overs. You want your soon-to-be beloved to know you, fully, completely and soardently; for after all, honesty is the bedrock of every meaningful relationship, don't you agree?

The desired one.

Once you have gathered all the critical intelligence about yourself, proceed at once to Part 2 of yourad, the absolutely crucial verbiage about the person to whom you wish to extend the glorious honorof sharing bed and board. Your complete and total focus is required. Again, brainstorm everydesirable point, giving equal attention to what you do not want and cannot abide, and what you musthave, a deal killer if not readily available, and in the desired quantity, too.

Starting this list is easy, almost effortless. You either want a smoker... or you don't. You either canaccept pets (even the most exotic)... or you can't. But make it a point to move beyond these obviouspoints. Consider such matters as the odor you desire in a mate; how many showers per day; the kind,frequency and intensity of bodily hygiene. Honesty is required, and so honesty there must be. And ifthe length of your ad grows long and weighty, what of it? What you are doing here impacts thecurvature of two lives, so no apology is necessary.

Post at once, reap your reward.

First, you are to be congratulated. You are a pioneer, a model of integrity and rectitude. Now it'stime to reap the inevitable rewards which must come with posting. Mind, it may take a little time toget the single response this ad is meant to generate, for so thorough have you been that there canonly be one response... from that extraordinary person daft enough to put up with you...and love you




anyway.

*** We invite you to post your comments to this article below.




100% sales. The 'must read' for business people who wantmore money and want it NOW!by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. I have the inestimable privilege of training some of the brightest businesspeople on earth... people of wit, intelligence, good humor... and a fierce determination to besuccessful, climbing the greasy pole, making more money, and living just the way they want. I findthis work enthralling, exhilarating... and (I'll admit it) frequently frustrating... as I watch even thebest and the brightest muff it.

And so, today, I am writing about the one essential thing these fine folks -- and that now includesYOU -- must do every single minute of every single day that you want more money. For, let's notkid ourselves... if you understand this crucial article and follow its directives... you are going tomake more money, lots more, and leave your lackadaisical and languid colleagues in the dust. Andwon't that be sweet?

To put you in the mood for my insistent message, I have selected a dance number that once madeyou gyrate and awe... "I Want Your Love" by a group named Chic. It hit the charts in 1978, and itmade its point early and often:

"I want your love. I want your love. I want your love. I want your love."

In other words, they kept on message, driving home the point of their endeavors until even the mostmentally challenged "got it". As a teacher with a sledgehammer, repetitive delivery, I like that... Ilike it a lot.

And so to set the stage for what follows, look this tune up in any search engine now and move thatoverweight, arthritic body; because you're about to recapture your alluring youth... and be the personwho got what you wanted, oh yeah!

Painful, so painful.

It happened again yesterday... and it gets me, right in the solar plexus, each and every time I see thisfundamental error. The sales person I was training was operating solo. In other words, they hadprogressed sufficiently far in their instruction to where they get to fly all alone. I am there, of course;I am always there... but I try to remain as silent as the grave and unobtrusive so that I am seeing thestudent and just the student. And make no mistake about it... this situation (as every parent knows)can make you as nervous and frustrated as all get out.

Lights, camera... think!

Picture the scene. All parties are on the 'net. I am present in my video box, the student is in his... andthe "real life" prospect enters... like a bull at a corrida. Everything happens in real time.... and hasreal world implications, for good... or for ill.

Ok... the student (and, remember, my students are established business people, notwet-behind-the-ears kids) goes into closing mode. This starts by greeting each and every prospect byname; then asking each prospect to watch a 20-minute video packed with the vital data that bothexcites the prospect and instructs her.

These steps are crucial... and the students know I am a stickler for ensuring that they occur. In otherwords, make SURE the prospect has the critical facts before any further action can occur.

The prospect is prepped... are you?




"As soon as you've finished the video, return to me for a spectacular one-time-only offer."

These words usher in the next phase of the operation. We make it clear what must be done (watchvideo) and what is coming thereafter (spectacular offer). So far... so good.

Close but no cigar.

The first mistake the students make is to present the offer before the prospect has been adequatelyprepped. This is a critical error. Prospects must have the necessary facts... or they end up asking aton of unnecessary questions; questions which have already been answered -- and in precise, cleardetail, too -- in the video.

The video, the whole video, nothing but the video.

As soon as you have confirmed that the prospect has watched the ENTIRE video, proceed to the"Big rock candy mountain," your scintillating offer. It IS scintillating, isn't it? For if it doesn't snap,crackle, and pop you've just thrown away a sale. Sales occur because the offer sizzles, excites, is justtoo thrilling to decline. You ARE making such an offer, I trust. And if you're not, you'd better makeits improvement "Action this day," which is what Winston Churchill did when as Prime Minister ofEngland he demanded instant attention and RESULTS.

And now... the critical moment that turns you into a master... and puts another sale in your pocket:100% sales.

To remain an average closer, keep doing what you're doing.But to fly high as one of the world'ssales masters you must set the desired goal... then do everything possible, everything necessary toachieve it.

That is... 100% sales.

Is this what you do?

Make your objective immediately clear to the prospect: "I want you to get the benefits of thiswidget... and I'm going to do everything I can to make it happen." Don't just say these words... meanthem. Because once the prospect knows you're serious, they can be serious too, working with you forfastest, most complete mutual advantage.

At this moment, the prospect may well start back peddling saying things like this:

"I don't have any money."

"I can't do it today."

"I need to tell the little woman. We're a team."

And so forth. Your job is to thrust these obstacles out of the way and CLOSE THAT DEAL.

To do this, you must remind yourself AT ALL TIMES that you have a 100% closing goal... and thatyou are going to make this close. If the prospect stalls or blocks you, keep things going by asking forthe prospect's undivided attention and for an all- important OPEN mind. Make sure the prospectunderstands what the offer is.... and if necessary improve it; always making it clear that this offerexpires the second the prospect leaves. In other words, there is a premium for staying, workingthings out, but irrevocable loss if they won't.

Now, gun it.

Keep in mind at all times, with the terrific offer you are making, the prospect will be better off... if...




and only if... they take immediate action. It is your job to drive this home NOW... making itabundantly clear that action now is the only sensible course.

Do this, and do it with enthusiasm, gusto, and good humor, and you will not only want that sale...you will get it! For as Chic sang, "a better love you won't find today..." or a better offer either.

*** What do you think? We invite you to post your comments below.




ResourceAbout The Author Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., where small andhome-based businesses learn how to profit online. Attend Dr. Lant's live webcast TODAY andreceive 50,000 free guaranteed visitors to the website of your choice!

Republished with author's permission by Lance Sumner http://Profit2Riches.com.



http://Profit2Riches.com


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