MLM The Easy Way - DRe Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
by Amit Kothiyal

Social bookmarking is a new trend in search engine optimization, which has gained recognition as part of a new type of Website optimization, termed "social media optimization (SMO)."

Social Bookmarking, also referred to sometimes as "social bookmarketing," is the term used for bookmarking sites on the Web and sharing them with friends. It is similar to bookmarking a site on your pc, in the "favorites" of your Web browser.

There are an increasing number of Websites available that provide this as a free service for bookmarking your favorite sites or blogs on the Web. These sites are known as social bookmarking sites. Once you have created a free account, you may begin adding bookmarks to your account.

The advantage is that, once you have bookmarked any site, then you can access them from anywhere on the Web -- and also share them with friends.

These are some popular social bookmarking sites:

del.icio.us, Digg.com, Simpy.com, blogmarks.net, feedmarker.com, myweb2.search.yahoo.com, lookmarks.com, bluedot.com, furl.net.

So -- how is social bookmarking useful for SEO?

Social bookmarking sites are "tag based" - which means you can "tag" them with keywords, so your visitors that bookmark your site can find them easily later. Search engines index these tags, as well as the link, so you are essentially getting free one-way links from high-traffic sites, with all of your keywords attached to them!

It's a great way to get your Website visitors working for you. However, choosing proper tag names is critical and plays a very important role, if you want to truly get social bookmarking to work for you in your search engine optimization process.

The interesting thing is that there are no limitations for the number of tags you can attach to your link. The extent to which you declare tags will allow for your site’s information to be stored. Additionally, when someone bookmarks your site, the bookmarking site checks the tags to see if the link already exists.

By periodically changing your bookmark tags, you can get multiple links with different tags on the same site. In other words, your site will be stored in different pages and you will get links from the different pages of the same sites.

Because these sites are regularly crawled by search engines, your site will most likely also be crawled more often by having bookmarked links on these Websites.

Amit Kothiyal is a Website marketing executive for Phoenix- and Las Vegas-based Web design & marketing firm Vision Media Corporation. Vision Media specializes in rich Web application development (http://www.vizmarketing.com/), search engine optimization (http://www.vizmarketing.com/web-marketing-and-search-engine-optimization-i-8.html), custom Website design, multimedia production and other rich Web applications.

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Stone Evans

Many people think that starting an Internet home business is hard. In fact, there is no business in the world that is faster or easier to launch. If you have 15 minutes and a connection to the Internet, I'll show you how to launch your own Internet business right away.

Before you launch your first Internet home business, you need to understand the basics. The first step of having a business on the Internet is having your own Website. This is the major stumbling block for most people. They think getting a Website is expensive or difficult. It's neither of those things. Actually, it's free and it's easy. In fact, let's go ahead and get your first Website setup right now.

To do this, I recommend using a free tool called Blogger. Blogger is used for creating blogs on the fly, but a blog is nothing more than a fancy name for a Website. To set up your blog Website now, visit: http://www.Blogger.com

Once you arrive, click the "Create Your Blog Now" button on the page. On the next page, enter a user name, password, display name and email address. Then click "Continue." On the next page, enter a blog title and blog address. These can be anything you want. Then enter the word verification code and click "Continue." On the next page, choose a template for your blog (this is what your Website will look like) and click "Continue."

Voila... Your blog/Website has been created!

Next, click the "Start Posting" button. A new page will appear giving you the option to add content to your new Website. Write a title for your page in the "Title" field and then write whatever you want that page of your Website to be about in the larger data entry field below the "Title" field on that page. You can use the tools on that page to change your fonts, make links, format your text, add pictures, etc.

When you're happy with what you've entered into the page, click the "Publish Post" button. You just created a new page on your Website! On the next page displayed, you'll see a link that says: "View Blog". Click that link and you'll see your Website live on the Internet. Pretty easy, right?! ;-) Now you can wash, rinse, repeat and create as many new pages on your Website as you want.

But, let's turn your Website into a business first. After all, Websites are a lot more fun once they are making money for you.

Here's how:

Get back into your Blogger account and click the "Template" tab. Then click the "AdSense" link near the top of the page. AdSense is a simple but powerful program that allows you to earn advertising revenue from your Website. Follow the easy instructions on that page to launch your AdSense account instantly. On the next page, click the "Save" button to save AdSense into your Website. Then, on the next page. click the "Republish" button. Your Website will instantly be rebuilt, now showing a Google AdSense ad at the top of each page on your Website. Every time someone visits your Website and clicks one of those ads, you earn money from AdSense.

You now have a moneymaking business setup on the Internet. How long did that take? 15 minutes! ;-)

The only thing you need to do now to start the cash flowing in is get people to visit your new Website. One way to do this would be to tell your friends and family about your site. Here are two more easy things you can do to drive an unstoppable flow of traffic to your new Website:

Traffic Strategy 1: Tell all the major blog directories about your new blog/Website. To do this, visit http://www.PingoMatic.com and enter your blog name, blog URL (that's the link to your Website generated by Blogger), check all the boxes on that page and click the "Send Pings" button. This will tell all the blog directories about your new blog/Website and you'll start getting some traffic from interested visitors to those directories. Do this each time you add a new page to your blog.

Traffic Strategy 2: Go back to your blog URL/home page and click the "Next Blog" button at the top of the page. This will take you to another blog of another Blogger user. Read through a post or two on that person's blog and look for a link that says "Comments" and click it. On the next page, you'll be able to type your comments and a link back to your blog inside a form. Once you've added your comments, click the "Login and Publish" button; and a link to your site along with your comments will be added to that blog. Repeat this process as many times as you want with other blog Websites. This will "link you in" to a network of sites all over the Internet helping you drive a steady stream of traffic to your blog.

Blogger is a great tool to launch your Internet home business, but it's not the only tool you should be using. To build a solid Internet home business that you can rely on, you need to register your own domain name and Website hosting account. A domain name is your unique home on the Web that you own and control. Example: domain names are yahoo.com, ebay.com, google.com, etc.

You could either register your own name as a domain or a keyword of something related to the topic of your business. Either way, if you are going to have a legitimate long-term home business on the Internet, a domain name and Website hosting account are required. When choosing a domain name and hosting account, it's important to select a company that has a track record for success. The company I host all my Websites with is at: http://www.PlugInProfitHost.com

This top-rated Website hosting company also provides several turn-key Internet home businesses called "Plug-In Profit Sites" such as the one described at: http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com which is a very popular and easy way to start earning multiple streams of income on the Internet. In fact, in addition to the blog you launched a few moments ago, you can get a Plug-In Profit Site setup in the next 24 hours and add another 5 easy streams of income to your Internet home business.

Alternatively, there are other turn-key Internet home business systems such as the one described at: http://www.HomeBusiness.org which provides a proven formula to start making money online within minutes of signing up. In fact, I earn an extra 5-figures every month using the above mentioned system myself.

As you can see, starting an Internet home business is actually a very fast and easy thing to do. Now that you know this, there should be nothing stopping you from earning a little extra income from home on the Internet. Persevere and you can make it your living just like myself and countless others have done.

Stone Evans (articles@home-business.com), The Home Biz Guy, is an Internet home business authority who has helped thousands of people launch a successful Internet home business. To learn more about Stone Evans and find an Internet home business that is right for you visit http://www.Home-Business.com .

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Willie Crawford

One of the newest buzzwords in the Internet marketing niche is co-reg leads (short for co-registration leads). The recent release of a very good product called Pipeline Profits has started a lot of open discussion about something that seasoned Internet marketers have long known about, but also rarely openly discussed.

My definition of generating a co-registration lead is "capturing the permission to send someone more information on a topic in the process of them doing something else."

Examples of generating a co-registration lead include:

1) You register a piece of software and, in the process, you check a box on the form asking for information on the products and services of the company or its associates.

2) You download a free piece of software or other gift and, in the process, you check a box requesting any of several ezines offered on the order form.

3) You enter an online drawing or prize contest and, in the process, you check a box requesting more information on building an online business.

4) You sign up for a free email account, or to use an online service and, in the process, you check boxes asking for more information on a variety of niche topics that can range from business, to health, to pets, to... “you name it.”

5) You subscribe to an ezine on a webpage and, in the process (or on the confirmation page), you are invited to subscribe to any of several other related ezines.

Number five is a technique that I have used with success. You and your partners jointly grow each other’s lists.

All of these are examples of generating a co-registration lead. In the process of taking one action, your prospect can also "co-register" for something else.

The process has been in-place for a very long time and is used by some VERY big companies. The recent product release that dealt with the topic focused on using co-reg leads to generate Website traffic. In that system, leads are generated using techniques similar to the ones outlined above, and then, in the follow-up process, the person who obtains the leads drives them to a Website and, eventually leads them to make a purchase.

The recently released Pipeline Profits is something that I checked out thoroughly, and saw as worth adding to my Web business arsenal. They have eight different videos posted on their Website that do a great job of explaining what their system is. You can watch all of those videos via "inner circle" connections at: http://TheInternetMarketingInnerCircle.com/co-regs/ Scroll to the very bottom of this page for the links to each of those free videos.

My first in-depth understanding of the nature of co-reg leads was from conversations with Edward Thorpe. Ed is now an old and treasured friend. Ed wrote an ebook, that he most recently updated December of 2006, which is entitled "Co-reg Secrets." Co-reg Secrets is available at: http://CoregistrationMasters.com

In his ebook, Ed asserts that "all co-reg leads are junk." That's a pretty bold statement in an ebook that teaches you how to use co-registration leads to build a list and grow your business.

Ed explains that this is true because, until you build a relationship with the individuals behind those "leads," they are worthless. They don't know who you are, don't trust you, and aren't even certain how you got their names and email addresses.

As Ed explains in his ebook, and Buck and Brock explain in Pipeline Profits, there are different qualities of co-reg leads. Some of the factors that distinguish one batch from another are:

1) Whether or not the box confirming that they want to receive the additional information was pre-checked. If it's pre-checked, realize that, since no conscious opt-in action is required on the subscriber's part, they may inadvertently subscribe.

2) Whether or not they are incentivized to join as many lists as possible. If they get some kind of points or prize just for joining lists, then there's a higher probability that they have no real interest in the topics of the lists.

3) How fresh the co-reg leads are. There are systems that deliver the leads to your autoresponder system as soon as the form is filled in. This is what is advocated by Pipeline Profits. There are many "list brokers" who sell lists that are anywhere from hours old to MONTHS old.

Generally, the older a list, the more "dangerous" it is for an online marketer to use it. The problems with older leads are that the person may not remember having requested information on the topic, AND the person has probably been contacted by so many others that they are now ready to "choke" the next online marketer who contacts them.

There are numerous other factors that determine the quality of co-registration leads and how useful they are in building your online business. There are numerous ways of using them in your business, and some of them can very quickly cause your business to get shut down, or can generate lawsuits from businesses that feel you have tarnished their images.

Seeing all the confusion in the marketplace on the topic of co-reg leads, I tracked down Ed Thorpe, who is semi-retired, and talked him into doing a recorded teleseminar with me. In the teleseminar, I grill him on a topic that he first wrote about at the turn of the century :-)

Like me, Ed has spent a decade online building a very successful business by teaching others what actually works. Like me, Ed believes that you benefit the most by giving. In fact, one of Ed's email signature files reads, "He who helps the most people - wins." That's the person I want in my corner, and when it comes to a topic as confusing as using co-registration leads in your online business, he is the person you should learn from. I consider him "the grand master of co-reg leads knowledge."

You can access the teleseminar with Ed at: http://CoregMasters.com

Hopefully, we have cleared up the confusion of exactly what a co-reg lead is, how it might fit into your business model, and where to learn more on this fairly complex topic.

co-reg lead, co-registration lead, lead generation

Willie Crawford (http://www.WillieCrawford.com) has been uncovering and teaching real internet marketing insider information for more than 10 years. Don't miss his in-depth recorded discussion of co-registration leads (or "co-reg leads") with Ed Thorpe, author of "Co-Reg Secrets." Get the truth about co-reg leads at: http://CoregMasters.com .

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Deon Melchior

Have you been thinking about breaking into the online business world? Don’t yet have a product and aren’t sure what products you should carry? Have you thought about becoming an information publisher on the Web?

Maybe you're wondering what the heck an information publisher is. It’s exactly what it says. It’s a Website that publishes information, quality information that is a valuable resource for your readers.

The problem with starting a product site is that they require a great deal of your time and the investment can be rather high since you will need secure checkouts, and a method of processing credit cards. The learning curve for this type of site is also rather steep. It can be difficult to choose a product that will do well online. You're going to have to spend some time doing your research if you take the physical product route.

It is generally believed that the products that do best online are products that consumers do not need to see, touch, or smell in order to make a purchase. So -- products such as books, CD’s, or DVD’s will usually do better than clothing.

But why not skip the whole hassle of product Web pages and become an information publisher? But you might be wondering how you choose a topic and how you're going to make any money.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what you are an expert in. By expert, I don’t mean you need to be a doctor or an engineer. I mean what subject do you know lots about? Do you have a hobby that you are a real pro at -- perhaps your job or career has made you an expert on a specific topic.

If you are an expert in more than one area, then you have options and you should do some research to see which topic generates the most traffic or interest. To make money, you need targeted traffic and, in a minute, I’m going to explain how you're going to make money.

Once you’ve decided what your site is going to be about, you need to design it. The layout you choose should be easy for your readers to navigate and it should use colors that are easy on the eyes. You’ve probably come across those psychedelic sites that make your eyes hurt and quickly hit the back button. Your Web site needs to provide an environment that is inviting and comfortable for the reader.

If you have no Website experience, that’s okay. Most Web hosts offer a range of templates that you can use to design your site and they also do not require you to have any html programming skill. You type it like you want it and the software converts it to a language that computers can read. It’s really quite simple.

You still could be wondering -- what the point of information publishing is and how you are actually make any money. After all, that’s what this venture is all about right?

The answer to your question lies in two words – Google and Affiliates.

Providing you design a site that is rich in content and keywords, you’ll be able to make money using both Google and affiliate programs. Of course, you’ll need to be patient. It takes some time to earn your page rank and to get traffic to your site, but once you're rolling, you’ll be generating income.

Google offers a program called Adsense. You need to sign up for the program and then you need to place some code on your Website that will allow Google to display ads that are related to the topics on your site. When visitors arrive at your site, if they click on one of the ads being displayed, you get paid.

You’ll want to take some time to learn what ads work best, what type of flexibility you have, and how to earn the most income. There are some excellent free resources online and there are some very good E-books available.

Affiliate programs are a little different. You need to look for companies that offer affiliate programs that you think would do well on your Web site. Each affiliate program offers its own set of rules and commissions that it pays. When you find an affiliate program that you think would do well, you need to apply to their program. There are Web sites like Linkshare or Commission Junction that host many companies that offer affiliate programs. They are a good place to start.

Make sure you read all the terms and conditions that the affiliate program has set out. Once accepted, you will be provided with both text and banner links that you display on your Website. If a reader clicks one of your affiliate links and purchases a product from that company, you earn a commission.

An information site is a lot less work than a product site. Don’t get me wrong -- an information site still needs your time and attention. Contrary to what you may have heard, you don’t get rich on the Web just by putting a Web site up.

But -- why not work smarter rather than harder? An information site allows you to do just that.

Before you begin, you should also take some time to understand how keywords work and their relevance to your site. The result will be success in generating good ad placements and income. You’ll be a pro in no time.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - http://www.articleclick.com .

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Karen Hurd

If you are marketing online, it's essential that you know how to write effective ad copy. If you can string two sentences together, you can learn to write effective ad copy.

Best advice -- "Enter the conversation already going on in your prospect's head."

People don't care what you're selling. They care if you can solve their problem, or meet their need. Talk about what they want to buy, not what you want to sell.

1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy instead of text. Write the ad on a piece of paper, scan it and publish the ad on your Web page. Adding a personal touch will always increase your sales.

2. Publish a list of famous and respected customers who have bought from you on your ad copy. People are more likely to think that, if these people bought from you, they should also trust your business and purchase your products. Make sure to get their permission first. Local personalities and celebrities count!

3. Show "before" and "after" photos for your products on your Web page copy. Show the problem picture and then, beside it, show the picture of the resolution to the problem when they use your product.

4. Need more testimonials? Hold a contest: the top five people with the best testimonial get their product order for free. Boost your sales!

5. Include an article or review that has been written about you or your business with your ad copy. This will show people that your business is respected and will increase your credibility. To get the article, send press releases with pictures to the local paper. Make sure your press release is in the paper's best interest, not yours!

The paper won't do a story on your business, unless they think it will matter to their readers. Getting published will get you the publicity you need.

6. When you offer free bonuses in your ad copy, also list the dollar value beside each bonus. People will feel they're getting a good deal and it will increase the value of your product. Keep it honest. The good feelings and excitement of the bonus will turn to cynicism and distrust if your customer feels the value of the bonus was inflated just to get the sale. Would the bonus truly excite you?

7. Include your own picture on your ad copy. This will show people that you're not hiding behind your ad copy and will increase their trust. Also, include your contact information below the picture and a brief statement or quote. Got kids and pets? Include a family picture too.

8. Tell your potential customers on your ad copy that you will donate a percentage of their purchase price to specific charity. This will show them you really care about the people. They may just buy your product to donate to the charity.

Speaking of donating to charity, set up a program where customers can refer charities.

9. Ask your potential customers plenty of "yes" and "no" questions in your ad copy. The questions should remind them of their problem and make them think about what will happen if they don't purchase your product.

10. Tell your potential customers they will receive a free prize if they find the five words in your ad copy that are misspelled or spelled backwards. The longer you can keep someone reading your copy the greater chance of them purchasing.

And -- test, test, test. Keep making adjustments until you are getting the result you want. You can write the cleverest copy, but if you ain't getting the action, the copy is a waste of time. You'll be surprised at how the simplest changes can sometimes increase results significantly.

Karen Hurd is a former Marketing executive. She's been a top producer in network marketing since 1988. She is a writer, teacher & wellness educator. She lives in Virginia, with her husband & 5 children. Karen built her business while her children slept, and now she makes money while she sleeps. Home business ideas (http://www.squidoo.com/ezmoney) MLM Maniac:

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by John Hirth

You know this one ... you've identified what they need, maybe even found out how much they are willing to pay. Now it's time for that infamous "trial close."

"If I can show you a way to solve your problems, will you buy my product?"

They answer "yes" and you believe you've got the deal. Then, you come back and make your presentation and, when you ask, "so -- are you ready to buy?" the prospect says, "I like it, but I'm going to have to check on some other options."

Now you ask, "what went wrong?" Weren't they listening, or did they just out-and-out lie?

Think about it... when you asked, "if I can show you a way to solve your problem, will you buy my product?" what was the prospect thinking? Usually, they're in one of two positions: ready to buy and favorably disposed to your offer (in which case, you would have gotten the deal), or not ready to buy -- still needing more information.

I believe that, by asking that closing question, you often end up forcing your prospect to "lie" -- a strategy that, half the time, will back-fire!

Here's why.

If they were really ready to buy when you asked for the "trial close," I think you would have gotten the order. However, in this situation I don't think they were that far along. In fact, they probably needed more information, hoping that your presentation might provide it.

What they would really like to say is, "I'm not sure I'm ready to make a decision," but they're afraid if they tell you that, you won't give them the information they need. So they lie and say "yes," to get what they want.

It's not that they are "bad people" -- it's that you're a "bad" sales person!

What will work much better is what we refer to as an "open close." Your question is a closed-ended question, only giving the prospect two choices.

Use an open close like, "If I show you a solution to your problem that you believe will work, what would you feel comfortable doing next?" With this open close, there is much less pressure and the prospect will more likely tell you the truth. They haven't been put in a corner, forced to pick one of only two answers.

Now can tell you anything.

The true "sales master" understands that, "to close or not to close," is really the prospects' choice and, by giving them more options with an "open close," you will raise your winning percentages!

Now that I've shown you a better way to close -- will you use it?

Instead of thinking about closing business, think about "opening" new business. With that thought in mind, "open closing" should be much easier!

John E. Hirth is President and founding principal of Selling Dynamics, a sales force development, sales training and sales process consulting firm dedicated to increasing sales revenue and corporate profits. Email: jeh@sellingdynamics.com Website: http://www.johnhirth.com .

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Paul Speziale

“There is no harder job in the world than copywriting, yet there is none more rewarding...both financially and emotionally. It truly is the world’s best kept secret job.”

First of all, there is some confusion about copywriting...let me dispel the most common myth:

What Copywriting is NOT

“Copywriting” is not “Copyrighting”. Copyrighting is the act of securing the copyright on a piece of work. A copyright is just the legal right to reproduce the work.

What Copywriting IS...

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, defines copywriting or the act of writing copy as:

Copywriting is the process of writing the words that promote a person, business, opinion, or idea. It may be used as plain text, as a radio or television advertisement, or in a variety of other media.

I agree with this definition, but copywriting goes much deeper than that...It is both a science and an art.

Where You Can Find Examples of Copy

It’s generally used in advertising and marketing and is primarily used to sell goods and services, but it is also used to communicate with people.

You can find it in all ads that you see everyday...

That includes: the Internet, newspapers, magazines, billboards and radio...on the package of things you buy, on the back of your milk cartons, and even the bible! More on that later...

The Problem With Copywriting and Why It’s So Important

The act of copywriting is the most mis-understood skill in any business, yet at the same time it’s the most important.

Here’s why:

It’s really just words on a piece of paper.

It makes it even more mis-understood when a copywriter asks for thousands of dollars and it only took them a week to prepare it.

But, when written correctly and sent to the right people, it has been known to turn a mediocre business into an industry giant very rapidly.

Your words, reproduced thousands of times, leverage your message to thousands of people...and it costs only fractions of a dollar per letter to distribute it.

A well-crafted, persuasive letter is one of the most powerful forces in the world today.

You know, while the National Enquirer won’t even win the Nobel Prize in Literature, they write with simple language and very effectively target their audience...they have over 15 million readers after all. With all the complaints they get, no one has ever complained they write too clearly.

Words on a piece of paper have been known to create wars (or prevent them), to sell millions of dollars in goods, to express emotions and so on...

I said earlier that copywriting was in the bible...St. Paul, the Catholic saint, used copywriting to communicate the word of God to other people. He spread the message without ever having to be there personally. He was one of the earliest copywriters.

The president’s speechwriter is a copywriter...he or she has to be very careful about the words they use.

The Role of a Copywriter

The role of the Copywriter is to write copy. Simple.

To write copy, a copywriter must research their a) intended audience and b) their subject matter. Then they must put pen to paper and create a message that will communicate their subject matter to their intended audience.

The copywriter must also pay attention to how the copy

a) Looks: if the copy looks too overwhelming, no one will read it.
b) Flows: if the ideas and words in the copy connect together properly.

In the end, what does a copywriter produce? The length and type of copy can vary...they can produce letters 30 pages long or as short as one sentence (or a word or two).

Writing 30 pages is definitely a skill, where if you want to sell something, it has to be extremely interesting so that someone will read it...

What about writing a sentence? Sometimes that can take months of digging into volume after volume of dry product data and material to uncover the one phrase that can best describe the product.

Every word counts and is worth its weight in gold

In both cases, every word counts...the copywriter must agonize over every word because not only are you paying for the space you use (in a magazine for example) to distribute the copy, but the very words themselves can either persuade your audience to listen to you and buy your products...or completely turn them off.

Because of the complexities and the needs for copywriters...there has emerged a wide range of copywriters...they range from artists and English majors to people in sales.

The difference between the two, I will discuss in my next article: “The difference between your “everyday copy” and “copy that sells”

Conclusion

Copywriting has been around for hundreds of years in various forms. Only in the last 100 years or so has it been used so widely to sell goods and services. Yet, despite all this, it still remains one of the most mis-understood, but important aspects of any business.

Everyone should know the basics of it and use that skill in their business.

Paul Speziale is a direct marketing consultant / entrepreneur based out of Toronto, Ontario. He has served all industries from manufacturers to retailers, from entrepreneurs to professionals. Besides helping clients, he is working on his own projects. He also volunteers his time for several worthy causes both local and global. You can reach him at: http://www.AnelloSolutions.com: Growing Your Business Through Low-Risk, Optimized and Results Based Marketing.
]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
By Laura Koehne

Usual advice to entrepreneurs focuses on practicalities like learning to evaluate the market, write a business plan or raise money. But this assumption that we’ve already found the perfect idea or business opportunity is just plain wrong!

As a kid I dreamed that someday I would have my own business. In my 20’s I kept my eyes open, freelanced a bit and even had a little web start up with a friend that turned out to be more of a hobby than a sustainable venture. I completed an MBA and studied entrepreneurship, and along the way I wrote a number of appealing business plans. Unfortunately, none of those businesses were appealing to me.

Truth was I didn’t know what my dream looked like. I was surrounded by great opportunity but I hadn’t spent enough time honing my receptors to know which opportunity was right for me.

What was missing was the atypical business advice: To find my perfect business opportunity, I had to find myself first. I needed to assess ME before I could even look at the market!

How will you recognize the idea or business opportunity that is the perfect fit for you? Do you know what gives you the passion and energy that you’ll need to start a business? Steel your courage and get ready to dive in: knowing yourself objectively, good and bad, inside and out, is essential for recognizing your perfect opportunities.

Here are some unconventional ideas to help you prime your entrepreneurial pump:

1. Specialize – in Yourself

Take the time to inventory your most important values and goals. Evaluate your strengths as well as your blind spots. Remember that it’s not easy to read the label when you’re inside the bottle, so solicit help from friends you respect and who know you well. My friend, Jim, was stunned to realize that not everyone loved talking to people the way he does. He had discounted his talent for networking because for him it’s as natural as breathing and he assumed everyone could do it. These overlooked gifts are often our easiest, most energizing and valuable skills.

2. Generalize – in the World

You’re an expert in your field, no doubt, but don’t forget that there is a whole world out there. Be curious and pay attention to different industries, trends and patterns. Many of the biggest breakthroughs come from making connections between previously unrelated needs. Visit the newsstand once a week to pick up a publication you would otherwise never read. Watch the ideas start flowing. Collect the ideas that are most intriguing to you. Are there any patterns?

3. Take a Vacation

Taking a break from your routine is needed to reconnect with your creativity, insights and passions. Have you ever been driving a car or daydreaming in the shower when suddenly an amazing revelation pops into your head? A relaxing vacation can have the same effect on a grander scale. Give yourself time to dream.

4. Prepare Your Financial Attitudes

You’ve heard all the advice about preparing your bank account for the big leap, but you must also tune up your money attitudes. An off-kilter relationship with money can derail your entrepreneurial dream. My client Lori, whose business was slipping, examined her beliefs and found she wanted to protect money, and thus failed to take needed risk. Now that she’s more comfortable with money, and bolder, her business is thriving! Appreciate money as you would a business partner and create a good relationship with it, before you start the company.

5. Kick Butt at Work

While you develop your entrepreneurial dreams, redouble your commitment to your current job. Do great work for co-workers and clients. Develop relationships and a sterling reputation. So what if these people are not among your first customers, they can become your greatest advocates! Do your day job to the best of your ability and be someone that others are proud to refer.

6. Befriend Your Fears

We all have them – big, tummy-knotting fears or little nagging, “I’m not good enough” worries. Learn to recognize the limiting perceptions or attitudes that may become speed bumps on your way to success. When acknowledged, these fears become allies that will actually make you more successful: Business owner, Lisa, is a creative visionary who shivers at the thought of implementation. For sure, she will want to hire a crackerjack implementer for her team. Seek opportunities that minimize the effects of your fears, or consciously prepare to accommodate them with additional training, specific people in your team or advantageous alliances.

7. Discover – and Live -- Your Personal Brand

When people’s perception of you is in sync with the real you, life gets a whole lot easier. Act consistently on your values and beliefs, and people will recognize what you stand for, what you can be counted on to do, and how you will do it. This makes it easy for others to introduce you to the perfect people, the perfect companies, and perfect ideas. An authentic personal brand gives you a high likelihood of finding the perfect opportunity. After all, your unique dream comes from who you really are.

Laura Koehne, founder of THRIVE Against the Grain, coaches you to take the road less traveled with complete confidence. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from University of Maryland and has realized her entrepreneurial dream by helping others find theirs. For coaching, guidance and additional exercises to help you prepare for your chance of a lifetime, visit her website at http://www.ThriveAgainstTheGrain.com and subscribe to Laura’s DoWhat!? monthly eZine.
]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php
by Jonathan Teng
http://www.TheMarketingCraze.com

"It's NOT another wave. It's a PERMANENT wave destroyer!"

I have to admit it...

Article writing is, hands down, the most powerful weapon in the marketing arsenal to date! I have always asked myself why very few marketers are taking advantage of it. It's so easy and so rewarding.

Just watch the article directories and announcement lists; you'll quickly see what I'm talking about...

...and you'll see the same names, over and over again!

These people are consistent in their work. They keep submitting articles, month after month, while they're establishing themselves as leading experts in their fields. They're building their credibility each day ... and their businesses? Well, they are simply thriving.

While most new Internet marketers will come and leave like a blink of an eye, these "article" guys have staying power. Their articles will be around years after they are gone -= a legacy that will outlast them.

Isn't this amazing?

(1) It's free. While other marketers are losing money on pay per click ads, article marketers promote their businesses for free. No hidden cost whatsoever. Their articles will be reprinted on hundreds of Websites, all bringing warm leads and pre-sold customers to their businesses.

(2) It's easy. They don't need to hold a PhD in order to be an article writer. It's as simple as writing a 300- to 500-word article a week, and they're done for the week.

(3) It appreciates. "Hey! I read your article ... It rocks!" "Great article ... I have bookmarked your site for other posts ..." "Fantastic ... I like what you write ..."

Only Article Marketers receive these types of messages in their inboxes. They are respected among their peers. They get their inspiration from the appreciation of other people.

(4) It sets them apart. What's the difference between an article marketer and other marketers? Simple ... Article marketers are smarter. They are a step above the average Joes in the business arena. They are problem solvers. They write for reputation and trust. And they write for profits.

(5) It's the center. Articles are the central part of an E-zine. They stand alone, with no disturbing ads. They get all the reader's attention and their words will gently direct them toward a link to their Website.

(6) It links to others. Articles are the ultimate linking strategy. Article Marketers don't need to beg for incoming links from Webmasters. Their job is to provide free content -- quality content that Webmasters will fight for.

(7) It's viral. While an ad will last only for a few days, articles will last for years. Great articles will be reprinted over and over again, reaching thousands of new potential customers. It's like planting a seed that will take root and then develop a life on it's own.

Article writing is the only complete weapon that a marketer should be equipped with because it's truly the only skill a marketer needs to master to succeed.

]]> http://miraclemoneyblog.com/MLM/MLM_DRe_154/user/index.php