MLM The Easy Way - PLa Update http://www.blogmoneymiracle.com en-us EasyRSS
by Joy Gendusa

Where to Start:

Most novice marketers have definite fixed ideas about direct mail that are way off base - most often in the area of what to spend and how much to do.

You should determine what you are able to spend for your marketing budget, spend it, and determine the maximum number of leads that you can create. For instance, I’ve heard this statement quite often: "We aren’t that large of a company. How could we send out 2,000 postcards all at once?" because "What if they all call?"

Seems like a valid concern, right?

Here is the reality behind it: Unfortunately, they won’t all call. However, a good deal of them very well may and making sure that your traffic is not more than you can handle is something to think about.

Truthfully, there is no sure way to tell exactly how many people will call if you haven’t done this type of marketing before. Think of it this way: What would happen if they did all call? You may not be able to handle all of them, but you would handle as many as you possibly could, right?

In this scenario, you would have maximized your income for that time period, providing you could close all those callers! You can also explore the idea of expanding your operation to handle the number of leads that you can create.

What if you didn’t max out your promotion at the very start? You can afford to send out 4,000 pieces every two weeks but you think that you will simply get too many calls to be able to handle them all. You, instead, send out only 2,000 and the response is decent. However, you still have some down time where you are having to try to “manufacture” sales.

You saved $400 in marketing money but you had enough down time where you could have closed quite a few more sales than you did. The question now is "Which gives me more money in my pocket? Saving $400 on marketing or closing quite a few more sales and earning an extra couple of G’s potentially.”

More than likely, the answer is to spend as much as you possibly can on your marketing, right?

By spending all that you can afford on marketing when you start a program you maximize your income almost immediately.

Okay, Time to Track Results.

Hopefully you have more than one way that you try to recruit new customers. So -- how do you know which ones are working and which aren’t?

Set up a system to track the results.

Let’s take, for example, a situation in which you decide to start a Postcard Marketing Campaign for your business. The first week you send out 3000 postcards. When they start hitting homes you get 30 calls.

Did all of these leads come from the postcards? Probably not. Because the week before you got 8 calls and hadn’t sent out any postcards yet.

So how can you tell who actually got a postcard?

The Answer: All you have to do is ask them. "So how did you hear about our company?" The hard part is making sure that any employee in your company who answers the phone and may talk to a new prospect remembers to ask the question every time.

The fewer prospects who answer this question, the less accurate your information will be when making future marketing decisions.

Now let’s assume that you have been sending out postcards for a while and you have a good number of calls coming in. If you ask the question "So how did you hear about our company?" they may respond, "I got your postcard in the mail." But, by now you have mailed postcards to 4 different lists, 3 times each.

How do you tell which list and which mailing this customer was from?

The Answer: Put a marketing code on the postcards that will tell you which specific postcard they received and when it was mailed.

Give each list a name and work the date into your marketing code as well. And the only thing your representatives have to ask is "Would you mind reading me the marketing code above your address?"

This code should give you all the info that you need to know and help you keep your Marketing Results Tracking as accurate as possible.

Try not to operate off of assumptions about “how to market” if you haven’t educated yourself. And make sure you collect all the data and make your future marketing decisions based on the facts.

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania (www.PostcardMania.com) in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005 the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy.

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by Simon Davies

You’ve heard the classic formula, AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

But, how do you grab attention, turn interest into desire and prompt an action that’s sure to get the phones ringing?

Here’s 20 tips to ease you through the trauma of getting strangers excited:

Grabbing the reader's attention...

Short of saying "Hey, you!" at the top of the page, how can you get more than a passing glance from a busy reader?

1. Avoid using "Dear Sir or Madam." Tie a householder to your product with "Dear Holidaymaker" or "Dear Shopper." For a business, try "Dear Manager" or "Dear Sales Director." (It's true, important people can be just as vain as the rest of us!)

2. Don’t be too clever with headlines. Just get your point across so your reader will keep going. Avoid wordplay at all costs - most people hate puns, and your reader might need to know your product before they’ll get the joke. Wordplay also slows down the reader's inference, which is the last thing you want to do.

3. Don't fall for gimmicks. Headlines in clever fonts and wobbly lines of text can look pretty naff and a little amateur. And whatever you do, steer clear of WordArt – especially the blue wavy font, it’s been done to death!

4. Tantalise. If your prospects have been suitably profiled, you already know what they long for. So write a headline that puts it within their grasp. They'll read on to find out if they really can have it.

5. Use impressive facts or case studies. It's a great way to grab the reader’s attention, and it gives you something to refer back to when you're rounding off the letter.

Turning attention into interest...

Once you've grabbed the reader's attention, you need to keep them reading. At this stage your style of writing plays as big a role as the message itself.

6. Empathise. Show the reader you understand what bothers them. Get them on your side. They don't want to know about your business, but they are interested in how your business can solve their problems or meet their aspirations. Once you’ve got the reader focused, you're free to show how your product meets their burning desire.

7. Keep it personal. Assume you’re chatting to a friend, not writing to the bank manager. You don't want to be over-familiar, but remember important people are still human beings who respond to a warm, friendly approach.

8. Choose your words carefully. Say "and" instead of "but," "when" instead of if" and "will" instead of "might." And keep it customer-focused by using "you" and "your" more than "I" or "my."

9. Stress the key points. Use sub-headings, indent important paragraphs or italicise vital words. But AVOID CAPITALS and exclamation marks!!!!! And don’t emphasise too much - or nothing will stand out.

10. Make it easy to read. Keep your sentences short. Like this. Keep paragraphs to half a dozen lines or less. And leave plenty of blank space on the page. If it's daunting for the reader, it goes in the bin.

From interest to desire...

You've got the reader's attention and used enough hooks to keep them reading. They're focused on why they need your product. Here's where you make them salivate...

11. Sell the benefits, not the features. By and large we don't care how something works as long as it does the job. Unless you're writing to experts or hardened enthusiasts, lengthy product specs will only slow down the read.

12. Focus on the end result. Give the reader something to dream about - look beyond the product and show how it's going to change their life forever! Insurance buys you peace of mind. A car buys you freedom. A new sofa gets you precious moments at the end of a busy day. This is where you take the reader to the end of the rainbow, where their woes are distant memories!

13. Banish doubts. Part of building desire is silencing that nagging voice that says "there's a catch." So prove your credentials with qualifications, testimonials or a no-risk offer.

14. Set yourself apart. By now the reader's fairly keen, but why get the product from you? Be careful of rubbishing the opposition - no one wants to get caught in a bitching crossfire between you and your competitors. Focus on the positives and hammer home your unique selling point.

15. Imagine life without it. Now the reader's imagined life with your product, take it away from them! Remind them how bleak life can be without your miracle solution. Can they carry on without it?

Desire becomes action...

You're nearly there! You've built up an opportunity, but every word matters as you move in for the kill...!

16. Use subliminal closing. When you finally ask for business, you don't want it to read as a sudden jolt or change in tone. So fill the letter with casual assumptions that you will be doing business. Positive phrases like "When you call us" and "You'll see the difference" ease the reader gently into the right frame of mind.

17. Don’t be shy asking for what you want. When the time comes, be bold. You may be looking for a sale or just a chance to quote. But if you don't qualify what you want, no one will second guess you. Make your call to action clear and make it easy for the reader to respond.

18. Add an incentive. It's fairly obvious, but your greatest enemy is apathy. Even a warm prospect could put you on the back burner unless you give them a compelling reason to get in touch today.

But -- remember -- that needn't mean offering a discount. Adding value with a second product or service is better for your image. And your bank balance.

19. Your signature matters. Make it legible and sign in blue ink so it doesn't look mass-produced. And if you're a Sales Manager, remember many readers will be put off by your job title - far better to send the letter from the MD or Head of Customer Services.

20. Add a PS. Letter writing protocol demands that we sign off formally, but in doing so we lose momentum. A PS is a chance to re-excite the reader, where you re-state a key benefit or add one final incentive. By the end of a good PS, your offer should be way too good to resist.

Happy Scribbling!

Simon Davies is the co-founder of Wales-based copywriters EarthMonkey Media. He and partner James Daniel have over 30 years experience as journalists, copywriters and scriptwriters. Their site can be found here: www.earthmonkey.biz.

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by Brandon Cornett

Direct mail postcard marketing is one of the most versatile forms of marketing available. With its versatility, postcard marketing can serve small businesses and large companies alike.

But, as with any form of marketing, you only get out of it what you put into it. To help you get the most from your postcard marketing efforts, I've assembled 55 tips for success.

Obviously, some of these tips will not apply to your particular postcard marketing needs, but with 55 of them ... there's bound to be something in there for you!

Upfront Considerations

1. To keep yourself on track through all of the steps to follow, create an overall postcard marketing plan. After reading this article, you'll know exactly what to put into it.

2. To save yourself time, headache and hassle, turn the logistics over to a professional postcard printer.

3. To find the company that's best for you, create a list of postcard service providers and begin comparing them on the points that are most important to you (cost, services, easy of use, etc.).

4. Begin thinking about the various elements of postcard marketing and who will handle them (the copywriting, the design, etc.).

5. Track down some colleagues who have used postcard marketing in the past. Buy them a cup of coffee and pick their brain about lessons learned, vendor recommendations, etc.

6. Start reading up on direct mail marketing in general, and postcard marketing in particular.

7. Create a postcard marketing budget that allows for multiple mailings.

Goals and Objectives

8. Gather your marketing folks together to define your marketing goals.

9. Avoid generalizations. Be specific with your postcard marketing objective. Determine the type of response you want, as well as the volume of response.

10. Set realistic goals and objectives. Get an idea of what postcards can do for marketers, and set your goals within those parameters.

11. Set objectives that are based on some form of response (as opposed to branding, awareness, or some other immeasurable trait). Postcard marketing is a response generator, not a brand builder.

Powerful Ideas

12. Create a reason for sending postcards before you send them (a promotion, a special offer, a news flash or announcement).

13. Come up with a big idea that will get people's attention. Avoid mediocrity at all costs.

14. Strive to be different from other postcard marketing messages you've seen in your industry.

15. Build value into your message and your offer...

16. Just realize that true value starts with the product or service, not the postcard.

17. Make it your goal to make people say, "Gosh, I'm glad I got this postcard."

18. Don't rely on yourself to come up with a big idea. Get your top "thinkers" together.

19. Seek outside input on your ideas. Run them by some of your best customers. Make sure that what you think is a "wow" isn't really a "yawn."

List Considerations

20. Obtain your mailing list from a reputable source.

21. Find out how often your list provider updates their data. Make sure your list is as current as possible to increase deliverability.

22. If you plan to use your in-house database, check the list for accuracy, duplications, etc.

23. Divide your mailing list into segments to allow for a more targeted message (current customers vs. prospects, for example).

Your Target Audience

24. Create an audience statement that outlines the people to whom you are mailing your postcards.

25. Expand your audience list to include their wants, needs, fears and concerns — everything you can think of that pertains to your audience.

26. Write down the various ways you (or your product) can satisfy their wants and needs.

27. Keep your audience statement handy as you develop your postcard message (next item).

Marketing Message

28. Pull out your audience statement from earlier. Craft your message in a way that bridges the gap between your audience and your objective.

29. Take your big idea from earlier (item #13) and inject it into your message.

30. Remember, the better your product (or the bigger your idea), the easier it will be to write about.

31. Create a message that solves a problem, presents a solution, and offers value.

The Postcard Headline

32. Create a direct mail headline that directly identifies your primary audience. Call them by name, if necessary.

33. Offer a strong benefit with your headline. Describe the value of the message and offer that follow the headline.

34. Write your headline clearly and honestly. Avoid the use of jokes, puns and complex language. Keep it simple so people get it right away.

35. Make your headline interesting. You can't bore people into contacting you.

36. Whenever possible, use numbers and other eye-catching specifics. Avoid generalities.

Postcard Design

37. Hire a professional graphic designer to create your postcard design. At the very least, start with a well-designed template and then customize it. Don't ever mail a postcard that reflects poorly on your organization.

38. Be original. Create a "purple cow," not just another brown one.

39. Design your postcard in a way that enhances your message and makes it more readable. Don't ever let the design obscure the message.

40. Create the kind of eye-catching postcard that bursts from the mailbox.

A Strong Offer

41. Create a strong postcard offer to motivate your readers and improve your response rates.

42. Build an offer that's related to your product or service in some way. Avoid offers that will attract unqualified prospects and "freebie hunters."

43. Make sure your postcard offer is relevant and valuable to the reader (your target audience).

44. Whatever you are offering, position it in a way that showcases its value.

45. Offer something different / better / more unique than what the "other guys" are offering.

46. With the offer in mind, revisit your headline to make sure it relates to the offer. Make the entire message cohesive and focused.

47. Follow your offer with a specific call-to-action (next item).

Evoking a Response

48. Tell people what to do next. Use your call-to-action to move the reader forward.

49. Make your call-to-action stand out from the copy around it.

50. Repeat your call-to-action on both sides of the postcard (using callout boxes or starbursts as needed).

51. Make it as simple as possible for people to respond. Give them more than one way to respond.

52. Restate the reason they should respond. Restate the value of your offer.

Testing and Tracking

53. Make sure you have a way to track and test your postcard response rates. You can't improve your results until you know what they are.

54. Try to learn something from each and every postcard you mail out. Change one element at a time to measure the difference in response. This is how you create "super postcards."

Further Education

55. Spend some time on the website below to further your postcard marketing education.

* You may republish this article online if you retain the author's byline and the active hyperlinks below. Copyright 2007, Brandon Cornett.

Brandon Cornett is the publisher of PostcardSmart.com, one of the Internet's largest libraries of postcard marketing advice. For more tips on direct mail marketing with postcards, visit http://www.postcardsmart.com

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by Joy Gendusa

The United States Post Office in the past had some trouble with its finances and their solution was to raise the postal rates. Whether or not you agree with this approach to trying to stay in business, like the weather and government in general, it’s something you have to live with.

Many companies have used this as a reason to send out fewer or smaller mailings in an attempt to keep their costs down.

Here’s a quote from an issue of Direct Marketing News:

“Despite a string of healthy annual increases, the growth of direct mail expenditures is expected to slow over the next four years. Direct mail continued to grow in 2001 but slowed because of the anthrax scare," the study said.

The study also said, "Direct mail will continue to expand during the forecast period but at a slower pace than in the past because of the emergence of E-mail marketing and postal rate hikes, which will force marketers to limit mailings."

The question is: should you agree with this and follow the trend, or should you turn it to your advantage?

Just think, with fewer mailing pieces arriving in your customers’ or prospects’ mailboxes, your glossy, full-color postcards are going to stand out even more and have a greater chance of producing the desired response.

When you start looking at what you have to gain by increasing the amount of direct mail marketing you do and what you have to lose by cutting back, there really isn’t a question as to which way to go.

Of course you should be smart about your mailings. Make sure they are well targeted and put a little more thought into the design and content so as to make sure they carry impact.

That just makes sense.

So, while others are cutting their own throats by cutting back on direct mailing, you can benefit by increasing yours and sending your postcards into a less heavily glutted marketplace where they will receive more attention.

Win-win.

Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania (www.PostcardMania.com) in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005, the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy

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by Des Smith

It's no big secret that affiliate marketing can give you a lucrative income, but did you know that you can create a seven figure income with it? People are doing this right now, making incredible amounts of money as super affiliates -- and you can, too. All you need are a few effective affiliate marketing ideas and a little work and you're set.

When you decide to pursue online affiliate marketing, you will make money -- as long as you do it right.

You can have a very profitable home-based affiliate business and it is simple to do. Once you find your affiliates -- at least two-tier, and those with the best payouts -- you begin marketing.

There are many ways to market your affiliate business. Some of the best ways won't cost you much or they are entirely free.

Blogs and E-mail Marketing:

These are popular affiliate sales methods today. These venues are probably the easiest to do. Write about related content in your blog and include links to your Webpage or directly to your affiliate Website.

You can also include a link in your E-mail signature line. This is a free and easy method of promotion.

Forum Postings:

You can post to forums, answer questions, establish your reputation as an expert and -- now and then -- include your affiliate link. You do not want to do it often, because you do not want to be labeled a spammer. Just mention it now and then and include a link in your profile, as well as in your posting signature line.

Social Networking:

This is a great affiliate Internet marketing method. Social networking, on sites such as MySpace, Tagged and other similar networks, can give your affiliate business tremendous traffic and drive traffic to your site.

Link Exchange:

A link exchange can cost you money, or it can be free, based upon credit exchanges. You determine how much of an investment you want to make in your affiliate business-driven lead links. Marketing Internet affiliate programs through this method can be extremely effective, as it will draw traffic to your site.

If you get a link exchange that is very targeted, you can ensure that the traffic that is drawn to your site is relevant.

Google AdWords:

This method generally requires an investment, if you want to purchase keywords. This will bring very relevant, specific traffic to your site and boost your rankings in the search engines. Many affiliate marketing programs include this type of marketing and provide you with the tools to get it going. It is highly effective.

Once you learn how to do online affiliate marketing, the sky is the limit. You can promote your site, drive traffic to your affiliate programs and get tons of sign ups. Do it correctly and you stand a good chance of earning that amazing seven-figure income through affiliate marketing.

Take time to learn the ropes of affiliate marketing so that you can best utilize the opportunities that are available. It may take some trial-and-error to find affiliate marketing strategies that work best for you and your business.

You Too Can Become A Seven Figure Super Affiliate Marketer.. http://www.learnonlineaffiliatemarketing.com/recommends/affiliate1.

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by Felton Thompkins

Do you need to automate?

In the Internet marketing business, this is one of those questions that deserves to be answered with a question.

The answer (question) is ... "Do you wish to make any money?"

I'm assuming the answer is "yes" to both questions but, in order for you to automate your business, you must have an autoresponder system in place.

What is an autoresponder?

An autoresponder is a system that allows you to just about "set and forget" your E-mail advertising campaigns, newsletters, E-courses, or just about anything you set it up to respond to.

The autoresponder, simply put, is a computer software program that will automatically answer any E-mail request sent to it. A perfectly good autoresponder will also automatically send you an E-mail notification that will inform you each time someone sends you a request for information.

When choosing your autoresponder service be sure it gives you that option.

You have a choice between a very simple autoresponder service or a very complex one, and the prices vary as such. You also have the option to set up your own system, or you can outsource the service. Outsourcing is highly recommended.

Your autoresponder is by far one of the most important pieces of software that you will need and use for building your E-business.

A word of caution before we continue, however: When choosing your autoresponder system, be sure that you're planning to use the system for the long haul, because your list will depend on it.

You may be tempted to choose a system that costs less but, as the old saying goes, you generally get what you pay for. A good service will cost you about $20.00 per month, and it's well worth the investment, if used properly. In this case, less is not always best!

Is an autoresponder the magic pill to all of your needs as an Internet Marketer? No. But it is a very important piece of the puzzle.

Let's just look at some of the benefits of adding an autoresponder to your business efforts.

INCREASE YOUR REVENUES!

Allows you to convert your Website visitors into subscribers.

Allows you to convert your subscribers into paying customers.

BUILD YOUR MAILING LIST

Add a simple Web-form to your Website in 2 minutes to build your list, boost your traffic, and get more customers.

DELIVER YOUR NEWSLETTERS

You can launch your E-mail marketing campaigns with advanced newsletter hosting features and top E-mail deliverability.

TRACK YOUR RESULTS

You have the ability to track your E-mail marketing clicks, visitors, open rates, undeliverables, sales and sign ups!

BUILD TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE AND BLOG

You know what? Buzz comes and goes. With your autoresponder, you can retain your traffic by automatic mailings to your visitors whenever you update your blog.

You will benefit from unlimited E-mail marketing and autoresponder features, follow ups, mailing lists, and broadcasts.

These are just a few of the benefits that you receive by having your system in place.

Copyright 2007 by Felton Thompkins - The Newbies Advocate. If you are in search of a very good system to automate your marketing efforts, here's an excellent place to start: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Felton_Thompkins .

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By Todd Brabender

When starting a successful business venture or launching a new product, most entrepreneurs or business owners conduct some type of marketing research to determine the extent of their prospective customer base. When getting the word out to that customer base, many entrepreneurs may turn to the media to help generate a buzz for them. However, as detailed as their marketing research might have been, very few business owners are as meticulous at determining their proper "media market" – that is, all those media outlets whose editorial profiles are a match to a product/business profile and would be appropriate for generating media exposure and publicity.

One of my favorite things to do is educate my clients about their "media market." Consider this, in North America there are more than 75,000 media outlets and almost one million reporters, editors & producers in the entire media market. However, only a small percentage of those may be appropriate and applicable to your business/product. Which ones are they? Unfortunately, too many well-intentioned entrepreneurs are either uninformed or misinformed regarding what it takes to attract media attention for their business. I recently surveyed 100 business owners and entrepreneurs who contacted my business about a publicity/media exposure campaign. Here's what I found:

11% - "Are Admittedly Media Market Clueless"
19% - "Have Unrealistic Media Market Perceptions"
29% - "Think Local & Large Media Are The ONLY Media"
41% - "Have A Good Grasp On Their Potential Media Market And Its Benefits"

Here are the descriptions of these categories and the lessons I try to teach those who fall into each category:
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11% - "Are Admittedly Media Market Clueless" These are the business owners who know their product and market inside and out, BUT they have never thought about launching a publicity/media exposure campaign before now. They know very little about their potential media market or how to generate publicity therein.

The Lesson: For these types of business owners I recommend asking for help from a smaller PR agency or publicity specialist who is willing to "hand hold" to get the client educated. Research to find one who doesn't mind spending the time to educate you about what should be included in your specific media market and the pitch. Make sure the agency or publicist understands the product/business as well as you do and can in turn educate you about your media market – one that will be able to benefit your business for years to come.
--




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19% - "Have Unrealistic Media Perceptions" These are the business owners who are CONVINCED that EVERY newspaper, consumer interest magazine and TV show will run a feature on their new products when they launch a publicity campaign.

The Lesson: No product or business, no matter how big or great can be assured media coverage in every outlet in a media market. But you can get coverage in a good number of them given the right media tending. Every media pitch will be weighed against the media outlet's editorial lead-time, its available editorial space, and availability of an editorial staff member to cover your pitch. It is totally up to the discretion of each media outlet as to whether your pitch makes it to the pages or on air. It can be an uphill battle if you target the wrong media with the wrong message. With a little expertise and media market know-how, you can greatly increase the chances generating those media placements.
--
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29% - "Think Local & Large Media Are The ONLY Media" These are the ones who think of their media market in two simple terms: LOCAL & LARGE LOCAL, as you might imagine, means the media outlets in their city or surrounding geographic region -- the local newspaper, a regional business magazine or two, a few shows at local radio/TV stations. LARGE, on the other hand, are media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Good Morning America, Oprah or your other favorite large circulation, trade specific media outlet.

The Lesson: The reality is local and large are indeed part of your media market, but not the only ones. The best media market opportunities may well be the dozens of other smaller scale papers, magazines, newsletters or TV/radio/cable shows that may generate more customer interest and sales than a placement in the big media might. Because of a lack of media market knowledge, many business owners don't even know these smaller, more targeted media outlets exist. This is where a PR agency or publicity specialist can be integral in your publicity campaign. They know the media market very well and will be able to find those media members who will be the best for generating editorial features on your business or product. They also have great media contacts that can turn one feature into a syndicated story that runs in multiple media outlets nationwide.
--
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41% - "Have A Good Grasp On Their Potential Media Market And Its Benefits" These are media-savvy entrepreneurs and business owners who are realistic and knowledgeable about how the media can benefit their business. They know that they have to narrowcast their media pitch to a select segment of the media in order to get coverage that will increase exposure for the business.

The Lesson: Don't let a PR agency or publicity specialist tell you they will send your pitch to 20,000, 30,000 or 50,000 media outlets. The reality is, of the 8,000 daily & weekly newspapers, 11,000 magazines & newsletters, 15,000 radio/TV/cable stations and 7,000 Internet news sites in North America, only about 25% of those accept press releases from outside their geographic area. They cover only LOCAL issues, businesses and products, and it is a waste of time to target them. The key is researching to discover which media outlets will be receptive to your pitch and knowing how to parlay those media contacts into positive consumer interest features that will educate and entice customers about your product or business.
--

Just like marketing to find the right customers, one should be equally diligent about finding and pitching the right media market. Bottom line – whether you have a general interest product that has widespread consumer appeal or a trade specific business with a very narrow customer base, knowing your appropriate media market can mean the difference between product/business publicity and product/business obscurity.

Copyright (c) 2006 Todd Brabender

Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc. His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products, businesses, experts and inventions.
http://www.spreadthenewspr.com
mailto:todd@spreadthenewspr.com
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By Wiley Long

The year 2007 is here. There are several issues to consider if you currently have a Health Savings Account (HSA), or are planning on getting one in the near future.

The deposit you place in your HSA is 100% deductible on your federal income taxes. HSA contributions are tax-deductible on state income taxes, except in four states. If you’re looking to reduce your 2006 tax burden and put more money away for retirement, your HSA is the first place to consider putting your money if you have not yet maximized your contribution.

The maximum that can be contributed to your HSA in 2006 is the lesser amount of your deductible, or $2,700 for single persons, and $5,450 for families. Individuals, who are age 55 or older, may contribute an additional $700. Be aware, the contribution limits are pro-rated, based on the number of complete months during the year in which you have a qualifying HSA health insurance plan.

The deadline is April 15, (or later if you file for an extension), to make your 2006 contribution. If you do not fully fund your account for the current year, you can’t make a “catch-up” contribution for 2006 after this deadline. However, you can reimburse yourself in later years for qualified expenses incurred in 2006, even if you don’t have the funds in your account to reimburse yourself at this time.

In 2007, the maximum annual HSA contribution will go up to $2,850 for individuals and $5,650 for families. Individuals 55 or older will be allowed to contribute an additional $800.

It is also important to have your HSA-qualified health coverage in place no later than January 1, to maximize your tax benefit for 2007

To pay for a medical expense from your HSA, it must be a qualified expense. Some of these qualified expenses include: dental expenses, eyeglasses, chiropractic visits, over-the-counter medications, and sometimes even nutritional supplements.

Make sure you have an accurate record of your medical expenses for the year. Separate the expenses for which you have reimbursed yourself from your HSA from those that you have paid for out-of-pocket. Keep receipts for all medical expenditures paid from your HSA with your 2006 tax records. Place the "non-reimbursed medical expenses" in a separate file, and keep these receipts with the concurrent year's tax records with the year you decide to reimburse yourself.

There is a 6% penalty for over-funding your HAS. You have until April 15, 2007 to withdraw excess funds for the 2006 tax year to avoid this penalty. Your HSA administrator may notify you of any over-funding, however, they are under no obligation to do so. It is your responsibility! Make sure you check into this if you think your may have over-funded you account.

The minimum deductibles for HSA-compatible health insurance plans in 2006 were $1,050 for individuals, and $2,100 for families. This amount will increase to $1,100 for individuals, and $2,200 for families in 2007. If you currently have an HSA-qualified plan with the lowest eligible 2006 deductible, this deductible will automatically go up on January 1 to the new minimum.

Strategies to Maximize Your Tax Benefits

There are basically three different strategies you can take to decide how to fund your health savings account:

1. Put no money in the account, except when you incur a medical expense. This strategy allows you to legally "launder" any money used to pay medical expenses. By depositing money into your HSA, then immediately withdrawing it to reimburse yourself for medical expenses, you’re making all your medical expenses tax-deductible. Use this strategy if you are on a tight budget and need to keep your cash outlay as low as possible.

2. Fully fund the account, or put in as much as possible, based on your budget. When medical expenses are incurred, take money out of the account to cover your costs. Then let the rest grow tax-deferred. This strategy will maximize your tax deduction, while making your HSA funds available to pay any non-covered medical expenses before your deductible is met.

3. Fully fund the account, but pay all medical expenses from a non-HSA account. Reimburse yourself for medical expenses at a later date. This strategy will allow you to maximize your tax deduction, and also allow you to maximize the tax-deferred growth of your HSA. You can reimburse yourself, tax-free, at any time in the future for medical expenses incurred over the ensuing years.

To maximize the potential growth of your funds, you may want to make your 2007 deposits as early in the year as possible. Any growth in your account is tax-deferred, like an IRA. If possible, plan to make your deposits the first week in January.


Wiley Long - President, HSA for America (http://www.health--savings--accounts.com) - The nation's leading independent health insurance firm specializing in Health Savings Plans that works with Health Savings Accounts.
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By Jessica VanderHaar

Deciding to start your own Internet Home Based Business can be an exciting and scary time. There are many opportunities offered on the Internet. Many are legitimate from reputable and honest work at home Internet business vendors. Unfortunately, there are also some fraudulent schemes.

A popular home business opportunity being advertised on the Internet is Medical Billing. While being a medical biller is a legitimate home based business, one must be careful of the schemers who are just out for your money and leave you to fend for yourself in an industry where you have little chance of succeeding.

It starts by you responding to the ad for the medical billing work at home business. You will receive a phone call pitch telling you about the burgeoning health care system crisis. Typically, the pitch includes statements about claims piling up and just waiting to be processed. Your opportunity lies in processing these claims electronically, which is not being done often. This is where you make your money.

Doctors, they say, outsource their billing to you. You can work in Accounts Receivable, Insurance Claims, Physician/Dentist practice management. They claim that you do not need experience as training is included and you get the added bonus that their sales staff will put you together with health care clients to get you started. The sad truth is that your investment - $2500-$9000 is seldom recouped. In order to come close to recouping your investment and/or make a profit, you will need to find your own clients. The training you receive is sub-par. The problem with Medical Billing, as it can be a legitimate business, is that the market is saturated and the competition is fierce.

Make careful considerations when choosing a Medical Billing company to partner with. It is best to locate a company in your area, get hired on as a medical biller, receive their training, and then work towards moving to a home based operation.

Another legitimate work at home business opportunity commonly distorted by schemers is Surveys for cash. There are many survey companies you can join that give you the opportunity to get paid for taking surveys. What you must be mindful of are the websites that say they offer you a home internet survey business opportunity but really only offer you the opportunity to pay upfront money for a listing of those survey sites that will pay you to take their surveys.

Most of the firms they provide for you in their list are firms you could have found for yourself by doing your own search on the Internet. Often, the firms on their list aren't current. The fees charged for the initial directories can be up to $100. What you get for your investment are out of date lists, with incorrect information, poor navigation, inadequate contacts and pages that don't work.

There are some websites that the consumer advocate agency recommended as legitimate paid survey work at home Internet business opportunity firms. These sites do charge upfront fees of up to $60.00. The difference between these firms and the schemers are these firms actually have staff dedicated to helping you find survey clients and assignments. These firms offer a 100% money back guarantee and actually honor that guarantee.

Will paid survey sites make you rich? Probably not, but you can earn a decent income. Most survey sites offer payment for surveys taken anywhere between $15-$25 and some even offer payment of $75 for a completed survey. Time to complete a survey can range from 5-30 minutes per survey. Income potential is up to you. It depends on the amount of time and effort you wish to put forth. A 20-hour week could provide you with a median monthly income of $1600. Again, this won't make you rich but is definitely a good income for something with so many benefits - little to no overhead, no dress code, no rush hour traffic, no training or experience required and hours you determine yourself.

One of the major points of having an Internet home work income business is to be in charge of your life. An Internet home work income business is about working the schedule you want to work, wearing the wardrobe you want to wear, setting up the home office you want to have, and being your own boss. While no one (or at least no one legitimate) would ever tell you that an Internet home work income business is a breeze to start and make a lot of money at, those who have been there and done that and succeeded will tell you it’s wonderfully stimulating and satisfying – no matter what the financial outcome.

Jessica VanderHaar is the Webmaster / Owner of the Best Internet Home Business Website: www.affiliatehomepro.com

To Join Her Newsletter "The Home Pro Digest - All About Making Money Online" send a Blank Email to affiliatehomepro@getresponse.com

View their website at: http://www.affiliatehomepro.com
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