Interview With a Network Marketing Master

Christopher Terry. By day, stocks trader. By night, network marketing genius. Because of his second "night" job, Terry will be resigning from his primary day job. The really amazing part of that is he will have done this within 5 short months of joining his network marketing company.

Within the network marketing company itself, Terry is a leader and a mentor. He does not abandon his downline members. He keeps us informed of company events and policies on an almost daily basis. He lets us know he is here to support us; as long as we are willing to do the work, he will do anything within his power to help us succeed. He is a network marketer's dream upline sponsor.

How did he do it? What is his secret? I sat down with him to find out and share with you his ideas for success.

Denise: Thank you for granting me this interview, Chris.

Christopher: Thank you, Denise!

D: How long have you been working at your career as a stocks trader?

C: I have been a Stock and Futures trader since the mid 1990's. I owned a construction business prior to that. I wanted to be able work and make money from home. Although I started trading in 1995, it was not until 1998 when I was able to walk away from my construction business and trade full time.

D: How successful were you at doing that?

C: I have done very well. I find it fascinating that I can create wealth from home. I love the fact that a person can take a relatively small amount of money and create a growing stream of income; however, it's all based on your own efforts. For example, in my business if I don't trade, I do not earn income. Also, trading takes years of dedication, time and effort to become successful; in other words, there is no such thing as an overnight success.

D: I understand you became a leader and motivational speaker in your industry. Share with me how you rose to that level.

C: I was actually in Amway for several years in the 1990s. I was fortunate to hit levels of success here in the United States in that company. I then went overseas as Amway opened up new markets, which gave me the opportunity to have an international business. I owe my "positive thinking" to that network marketing experience, since the leaders in Amway always recommended we read positive thinking books and listen to positive thinking tapes. At the time many considered it "brain washing." Today it is called "Laws of Attraction." So, l was into positive thinking and Laws of Attraction before it was a cool thing to do. That time period in my life gave me the foundation to grow both mentally and financially. I started a business outside of Amway, and then I went into the trading business.

D: What qualities do you see within you that helped you achieve success in your trading career?

C: I would have to say vision and foresight. I look at the future of what things can be, not as they are, and then I take action. I have always taken action, I am not afraid of whether that action turns out right or wrong. The worst thing to do is to have an idea and a plan but never actually do anything to put that plan into action. It is better to do something and fail than to never have done anything at all. I have always had a drive for success once I realized I have the power and the ability to become whomever and whatever I want. There is a four-letter word to success, and its spelled W-O-R-K; the reality is anything worthwhile takes work, trading and network marketing included!

D: Do you think those same qualities helped you build your network marketing business?

C: Those, and also reading positive thinking books and books on success, as well as overcoming my fear to speak to people. I was very shy growing up, so I learned to say "Hi" and start a conversation, to truly become interested in other people and what they had to say. I also am not afraid to work; if I had to dig ditches for a living, I would be the best ditch digger I could possibly be. I believe once you get your mindset right and you learn to ask the right questions, the game is 90% won, and success will be yours.

D: Tell me how you got involved in network marketing.

C: Interesting story! I was dating a girl and she was bragging about how her boss was making $5,000 a month in some business and that I should talk to him, so I did. He signed me up, and then my girlfriend, the very one who told me to speak to him, wanted me to quit because it was Amway! I told my sponsor that I had some problems and I had to quit. He told me, "Get rid of the problems." So, I broke up with my girlfriend and built Amway, and as you already know, I became very successful in that business!

D: Were you familiar with network marketing before that?

C: No, I was not.

D: What were your thoughts and, perhaps, preconceived notions, about network marketing in general, prior to joining your first network marketing company?

C: I had no idea what it was, all I knew was I had to bring people in the business with me, sell some products and I would get rich. Unfortunately, though, it does not work that way!

D: Could you elaborate on that idea? Most of us are brought into this industry with that same notion, and we all eventually experience the same rude awakening that you just described, that it is not as easy as they make it sound. So please, for the people reading this who are not yet in network marketing and are considering it, as well as for those who have started and perhaps are failing, explain what you mean.

C: Well, of course you do not just get in and get rich, this is the most common misconception about network marketing. There are people who enter the business and think everybody they know will get in with them. Then there are people who come in saying they have this "one guy that if he gets in, he will make us all rich, he knows everybody!" and it is the furthest thing from the truth. This business is a numbers game. To be successful, you must expose people to the business every single day, to be consistently meeting new people and telling others about our dynamic opportunity. The more people you come in contact with, the more likely you will find people who want to become a part of your team and earn an income with you. This is true from day one; even though you may have a list of 100 or 500 people that you know, you still want to always be in the creative mode and working what I like to call the ABC's - Always Be Contacting. You do not know where the next million dollar earner will come from.

The hardest thing for me is I cannot take the feelings inside my heart and mind that motivate me and give them to someone else, although I wish I could. The truth is, everybody has to find their own will, desire, and hunger to succeed; without them, they will end up like the rest, having some success, but not truly creating wealth. We all know or have heard the hard, cold fact that 98% of the people in this great country are broke and do not have a backup plan; if they lose their job or business, they will be 90-120 days away from poverty. People can blame it on the government, but the responsibility ultimately falls on each one of us. We should be proactive when we do not actually need to be and start our own home based businesses, which will get us out of that 98% and into the 2% income earners.

One final thought on this topic: I think the reason most people fail in the network marketing industry is that they treat it like a job and not like their own business. When you act as if it is just another job, you do the least amount of work possible for whatever pay you can get. These people want to work very few hours and get rich right away. Unfortunately, this does not happen in network marketing. Those who invest their time and effort into growing the business, even if there is no income at first, can see the vision of the future. At the beginning they will work 20 hours a day for zero pay, because they see that putting in 20 hours will pay the equivalent of 2,000 hours' worth of work one day, and eventually zero hours will pay 10,000 hours. Fortunately, in our business the compensation for our work is amazing, but if you do not expand with people, you will not take advantage of the true income potential of network marketing.

D: Thorough and well said. I would like to add that when you said one should always be in the creative mode, in addition to working the ABC's, I think the creativity part should apply to marketing your business. Be creative in your marketing efforts. Think outside of the box and create many different marketing campaigns. Utilize technology and the internet. The more you put yourself out there, the more you achieve exactly what you are saying, Chris, which is maximum exposure of the business to as many people as possible so you can increase your odds of signing up significant numbers new members into your downline. I do this on a daily basis myself, and I also make it a point to talk to people every day to make new contacts, as you have recommended.

Getting back to my questions, what were your first thoughts when you were introduced to the specific business we are in together?

C: I was actively looking for an online business to get into. I was not looking for network marketing/multi-level marketing, I was searching for an online business that was cutting edge and in which I could earn a residual income. When I saw this business it was in a cutting edge industry, doing business in 170 countries, it offered a strong income opportunity without having to sponsor people, yet by sponsoring people, it offered the ability to create wealth and long term residual income. They say to be successful you need a product that people want, need and can afford, that will be used over and over and is desired in the market place. I found it!

D: As we already know, this is not the only network marketing business you have ever been involved in. Were there any others besides Amway and ours?

C: I looked at a few others along the way, but I did not join any.

D: Why not?

C: Well, I am a high income earner in the trading world, both as a trader and an educator. I have been doing this for 17 years, and nothing really struck me as good enough for me to give it my full attention. I have seen MANY companies, products and services. When I saw the opportunity in the industry you and I are in together, I saw an industry that was young, dynamic, and that people loved. It has a place in the market because it meets people's desires to find a bargain and/or make a deal. Also, it is VERY profitable, so I wanted to be a part of it. I got in first, and then I learned about it as I grew with it. I have not looked back. I have built an incredible team that's growing in leaps and bounds. You are a part of that team, Denise, an amazing student and downline member.

D: Thank you, Chris! How do the other network marketing companies you've analyzed compare to the one you and I are in together?

C: They cannot compare.

D: Besides what you have already stated about our company when you actually found it, what made you think that this was the company to join?

C: I have no products to carry around, no juices or vitamins to purchase or sell, I did not have to sneak up on my family and friends, and I do not have to sell expensive products that I can buy in the store cheaper. We get paid to advertise. Period.

D: Now, I would like to share with our reading audience your own personal tips for network marketing success. Please tell me, what works for you?

C: Relationships are everything; your network is your net worth. I am always in the creative process and always opening doors to new people, saying hello and breaking the ice to get a conversation going. In network marketing, our job is to leverage time and money; without people on your team it becomes impossible. I would suggest genuinely becoming interested in others, going to events, whether it is a show or a business event, or any gathering where good quality people who you may want to work with will attend. I also suggest speaking to people who you would not normally speak to and might even make you feel a little uncomfortable; those are often your best prospects. We tend to feel heroic because we got the number of the drive-through window guy at Mc Donalds; meanwhile, we get false impressions of success when we see somebody dressed in a nice suit and tie and just assume they are already successful, so we say nothing to them because we think they've got it all already and don't need a change in their lives. Both of these people may be your best prospect, or your worst, but you will never know unless you open up the door and say something to break the ice. With the "successful business man" (or so we assume) who we are often afraid to approach, you can start with something as simple as, "Hey, nice tie, where did you get it?" Then see where the conversation leads.

D: Is there anything that you've done that didn't work so well?

C: Yes. As I've mentioned before, it takes years to become an "overnight success." I have made, will make, and will continue to make mistakes. It is okay to fail; the more you fail the closer you will get to winning. Becoming immune to failing is the key to success. You may wonder why I say this. Well, if you have somebody who is not used to failing and thinks failing is bad, then when he/she hears "No" enough times, it damages his/her confidence, and that person is afraid to keep trying. However, if you are not afraid to fail, you will not let those "No's" stop you. Instead, you will become more motivated to find the people who will say "YES" to your opportunity or presentation. Become a failure to become a success. This goes for ANY business!

D: What is the ONE business building idea you can share that you think is the MAIN reason you are where you are today, about to retire from trading, and about to embark on some major journeys in life, both literally and figuratively?

C: First, let me clarify something very important. The word "retire" is loosely used in the network marketing industry. I have been trading for 17 years and it is time for me to take a break. Do I think I will stay out of it for long period of time? No, it has always has been and will always be a passion of mine. I have built my name and reputation as a trader and educator, so I will most definitely return to the industry; however, I welcome a break in the action right now.

I love to help and give to others, so this is my current mission. There is nothing better than creating a profit in network marketing and helping others create wealth in the same fashion. Then, bringing my profession back into the mix, profiting on those profits as a trader too is a home run! However, I really do have the freedom to either work or not work; that is how large the income that I have created in our network marketing business is already. The MAIN reason I am where I am today is I will do whatever it takes; I will work 100 hours in a 24 hour day until I make it. As I said earlier, the main ingredient for me is that four-letter curse word, W O R K... and I have a LOW "IQ" ("I QUIT") level!

D: Lastly, you are extremely jazzed about the network marketing company we are in together. What are the defining qualities of this company that makes it so good? Based on that, what should people look for in their own network marketing company or when deciding to actually join one?

C: Well, it seems lately I am sleeping no more than 3 hours per night! The energy of the team, of the company, and of the industry has taken the world by storm, and this keeps me "jazzed" as you say! I believe I had already mentioned earlier the reasons why I like our company, because there are no products to lug around and there is no trying to sell to friends and family a product or service they do not want. I have been approached by other network marketing companies that involve selling legal insurance, utility companies, juice companies, vitamin companies, weight loss companies, you name it! I have found that ours is so simple; our work is to advertise and it takes no more than two minutes per day. I am from the Amway world. I got my PhD in network marketing. In my opinion, the most ideal situation is the one that does not require a person to sponsor people to become successful, yet offers the opportunity to earn larger income because you do sponsor, train, and motivate others, and once you help them earn income, you earn additional bonuses. I come from a world where, when you help enough people get what you want, you in turn will get what you want. Everybody has their own version of what is best for them. Some may like a particular industry. My advice? Do your due diligence, figure out what you are passionate about, and run with it. That's all.

I want to thank Mr. Terry for taking the time to answer these questions so thoughtfully and thoroughly.

On a side note, Christopher Terry is one of the most benevolent and philanthropic men I've ever met, and he does it without creating great publicity or accolades for his generosity. He believes very strongly in the idea that "it is in giving that you shall receive." I am honored to know him and very glad we have gone into business together.

So there you have it. Christopher Terry's story and his tips for helping you create success in your own network marketing company. If you want have any questions or want to learn more, please email me at denise@bettermlmsuccess.com.

How to Use Article Marketing to Conquer the Search Engine

Successfully marketing your business online comes down to one very important factor: making search engines work for you. With a well planned article marketing strategy, you can use your knowledge of the product or service you're selling to boost your page rank and conquer the search engine.

Phone books, newspaper ads, and mailed fliers are things of the past. These days, when a consumer is on the hunt for the perfect product they often turn to their computer and the internet. The first place they go is a search engine like Google, Bing or Yahoo. With article distribution, search engine success leads to business success.

Identify Keywords

Identifying and learning to use the best keywords to promote your website is the first step to a successful marketing campaign. Looking at other sites offering similar products and services to the ones you offer can be a great way to start determining strong keywords.

Another strategy is using online keyword tools to determine the keywords customers search most in your genre. Think about the words you would use for a search if you were looking for your own product or service. Make sure you think about everyday people and the terms they would realistically use to find your merchandise.

Once you've got a sturdy list of promising keywords, you'll need to do a little bit of research and learn about how to place and use keywords in the articles you distribute. Keyword density is a very important factor when working with article distribution.

Websites should generally never contain more than 7 percent keyword density. The optimal keyword density for website content is 3 to 4 percent, meaning that for every 100 words you write, no more than four should be a keyword. For articles you write and distribute, it's best to stick below 2 percent.

Keyword stuffing, or using too many keywords, is highly frowned upon by article publishers. It can cause rejected content and can also trick spiders and crawlers into wrongly indexing your site or article. Using too many keywords in content can also cause your content to sound a lot like spam.

Article Marketing Strategy

Once you've got the keyword game down, a good article marketing strategy is one of the best ways to increase your search engine results. Distributing original content to publishers online creates opportunities for search engines to find your material and lead customers back to your website.

One important aspect of your article marketing strategy is focusing on multiple products. Product reviews on a single topic are often considered unobjective spam. To highlight a specific product in an article, you must include at least two other comparable products.

Consumers are looking for a merchant they can trust, and good communication skills and relevant information pave the way to that relationship. Articles should be designed to share your knowledge and information with your niche of potential customer.

The bottom line is that websites filled with quality, custom content are going to receive much higher page ranks than those filled with random, biased, and questionable information. Focus on keeping your content simple and relevant at the same time.

Article Distribution

This is where the difference comes in between advertising with banners, graphics and forums with backlinks and advertising with original content through article distribution. At first glance, more seems like a good strategy, but search engines actually like links that are relevant.

The relevancy of a link is based on the content of the website on which it appears, and the content of the website it links back to. Posting a link to a dog food website from an auto parts website will definitely not lead to high page rank. However, posting a link from a dog food website to a dog health and wellness website earns points for being relevant and useful.

Search engine results are important for many reasons, but they can also be a great way to judge how your articles are doing. By searching for your own articles by title or a specific section of content, you can see how many times they've been republished. Every article marketing strategy must include a strong article distribution service.

How to Make Email Marketing Works for Your Business

Topic 1 ~ Your Email Subject Lines ~

How To Write A Good E-mail Subject Lines That Works?

Here are the 5 tips:

1. Ask a question. One of the best ways to get a reader's attention is to ask a question. But like a trial lawyer questioning a witness on the stand, make sure it 'll get you the response you're looking for. "What's the best way to grow your business?" is a great subject line for business owners. After all, what business owner would not want to grow his or her business? Or let's say you run a health club. An e-mail with the subject line, "How can you lose 5 pounds in one month?" would certainly be compelling. It's important your question to be relevant to your audience.

2. Be a tease. A clever subject line can be enticing. When it's done right, reader curiosity is piqued. They want to know more - and they'll open your e-mail. Writing a teaser-style subject line requires some creativity, and your content needs to deliver. A company that sells high-definition TVs could use the subject line, "You're not going to believe your eyes" as a teaser to introduce a new addition to their product line.

3. Tell it like it is. Often, what works best is to say exactly what you want your reader to know. Examples of this straightforward approach are, "Sale on all sweaters this weekend," "Master jazz pianist plays live this Friday" and "The seven secrets of a profitable business." This just-the-facts approach works especially well when you can appeal directly to your audience's interests. It's also the best approach to use when you send a newsletter.

4. Remember "WIIFM". When a person gets your e-mail, the first thing they consider is "what's in it for me?" They have a decision to make. Do they open your e-mail, leave it for later or delete it? If there is not something about the subject line that lets them know why it's worth their precious time to see what's inside, then the choice will be clear. Keep WIIFM in mind when creating every aspect of your e-mails, including the offer, content, images - and most definitely the subject line. It's all about them. They know that; just make sure you know it, too.

5. Get personal. The more you can make each contact feel you're speaking directly to them, the more effective your communication will be. Whatever style of subject line you use, you can make it personal by using the word "you." Professional copywriters know the secret of using this powerful little word. Just look at the advertisements, mail and e-mail you receive. A few examples are, "Find the right swimsuit for you," "You can save 50 percent on travel," and "You're look phenomenal in a custom-tailored suit." "You" is ideal, but "your" works too.

6. Not sure which approach is right for you? Try them all, and then show a friend or colleague to get their feedback. Pick the one you believe will be most effective for your audience. Whichever approach you choose, it's always worth spending the time and effort to write a great subject line. Because if your readers do not open your e-mail, they'll never have the chance to read the important message you've created for them inside.

Topic 2 ~ Increase Click-Through Rate (CTR) ~

How to Increases Click-Through Rate (CTR)?

Here are some guidelines:

1. Include a feature, a benefit, and an advantage in the opening. This needs to be used in a subtle way, but in the opening you're really doing a small marketing job for this issue of your email newsletter. Highlight an article or two that are important, explain what you're providing the readers that they will not get elsewhere, and tell them what the benefit will be. A great example is something like "Nokia and Sprint announced second quarter earnings today. Learn what our Wireless Week experts say about the results, and what effect you can expect them to have on the industry at large."

2. Put the email newsletter in the context of your readers' day. This goes hand in hand with the last point. Your readers are busy, and if you can make a compelling case for why they should stop what they are doing and take a few minutes now to read your email newsletter, you'll get them in. We recommend editors reference important events, upcoming trade shows, or other things that say to the reader "You will find it worthwhile to stop and read this email newsletter now, because the information in it will help you stay on top of your business."

3. Keep it fresh. Do not craft a "perfect paragraph" and use it issue after issue after issue. One of the keys to success is to keep the copy fresh and highlight items in that issue of the email newsletter. If you use the same generic language repeatedly, people will stop reading it and it'll be a waste of your time.

4. Keep it short. This is critical. We recommend no more than two to three sentences - just enough to get them interested and pull them in to read the rest of your email newsletter.

Try it out and see the results! This is just one of the simple things you can do to engage your reader and optimize your CTR.

Topic 3 ~ Killer Email Sales Letter ~

How to Write Killer Email Sales Letter That Get Results?

Here are what we've found works best. Use these tips correctly and your results will skyrocket.

1. Your email "from" sender line should be your brand name or company name and stay consistent. Use your own personal name only if that is your brand image.

2. Send emails only when you have something to say that will benefit the reader. No fluff. No filler. You must be relevant. If you can not be, do not send an email until you have something beneficial to say.

3. Start your emails with the specific benefit the reader can get from your message. You have no more than 3 seconds to pass the crucial "what's in it for me?" test.

4. The copywriting tone and language should be personal and conversational, instead of stuffy and "corporate".

5. Make a specific offer to the reader and, if possible, include a short deadline by which he must respond to get it.

6. Use as much copy as is needed to fully pile on all the benefits the reader will get by ordering, answer objections, create urgency, and close the sale.

7. Test your subject lines and offers on small segments of your list before you send the email to your entire list.

8. Include "Email this to a friend" service in all your communications for pass along and viral marketing.

Topic 4 ~ Good Call-to-Action ~

Get More Clicks With a Good Call-to-Action!

The call-to-action is a determining factor of your click-through rate. It is an important component of your email copy because it answers three important questions for the recipient. They are:

1. What you want them to do

2. Why they should do it, and

3. How to take that next step.

Whatever action you want your recipients to take, you can make it happen more often with a good call-to-action. First, decide what you want them to do:

1. Buy something

2. Sign up for a service

3. Fill out a form

4. Read an article or get more information

5. Visit your website or store

6. Make an appointment

Etc ...

Then, make sure you incorporate these 6 characteristics to get the results you're looking for. Make your call-to action:

1. Visible - People read, react, make decisions and take action differently. Some make decisions right away ("You had me at hello.") And some need more details ("I'm from Missouri."). Place call-to-action links in the beginning, middle and end of the email so that recipients can click whenever they are ready.

2. Clear - Stick to simple words, short phrases, bulleted benefits and paragraphs of 1-3 short sentences. Include appropriate graphics and cut the clutter by making effective use of white space.

3. Compelling - Use action-oriented verbs and phrases: "buy now," "call today," "save" and so on.

4. Rewarding - Offer an incentive or reward for action. For example, "Act now and also receives ...," or "the First 100 responders will be entered into a raffle to win ..." The giveaway, or prize, you choose should be closely related to your product or service. That way, you will be targeting customers who are interested in what you have to offer, not just the latest gadget.

5. Urgent - The longer an email sits in an inbox, the less likely it is to be acted on. Create a sense of urgency to get a more immediate response. Try limiting the offer to a specific time period, to the "first 50 customers," "while supplies last," etc.

6. Direct - Your call-to-action links should go to the appropriate page on your website with more details on the specific product or service you're promoting. If you do not have a website, the call-to-action might be store locations to visit or a number to call for an appointment.

Keep in mind that, in addition to repeating your call-to-action, you can vary your call-to-action to appeal to different types of buyers (and to fit your sales cycle). For example: "Click here to buy now" will naturally work better with loyal customers. The softer, "Click here to learn more" may be better for newer prospects.

Topic 5 ~ Avoid Common Pitfalls ~

Read Your Email Message Backwards to Avoid Common Pitfalls

Here are some common problems to look out for:

1. Misspelled words - It's a good idea to spell-check a document, but it's not enough. A spell checker will not catch every error.

2. Wrong word used - This is why a spell checker is not enough. A spell checker will only flag words it does not recognize. It can not tell if a legitimate word is used incorrectly. Some words commonly confused: accept, except; your, you're; then, than; there, their, they're; cite, site, sight; lay, lie; loose, loosen, lose. Also, look out for missing "r" in the word "your." It's easy to overlook a sentence such as "Visit our Web site now to receive you free copy."

3. Grammar error - Again, if you know you're not a good writer, have someone else look your writing for grammatical errors. Mistakes make you look bad.

4. Punctuation error - This is another area where you'll benefit from a review by someone who knows their stuff. If you're determined to do it yourself, purchase a good grammar or style book. One of the most common punctuation problems: Too many stupid commas!

5. Vague or confusing statement - Make sure every sentence is crystal-clear. You do not want your promotional message to raise more questions than it answers.

6. Ilogical statement - Read over what you have written slowly. At the end of each paragraph, ask yourself: "Did that make sense?" Rewrite so that it does.

Topic 6 ~ Frequency of Sending Emails ~

How Often (Frequency) Should You Send Email?

There's no quick answer to the frequency question. It depends on the goals for your email and the type of content you send. Some rough guidelines:

1. Mail at least once a month. Mail less often than this, and you risk being forgotten by recipients. Monthly is the bare minimum if you want to keep your brand or company name top of mind (a common email goal).

2. Let content be your guide. Look at what you provide readers and you'll get a feel for proper frequency. Analyze how often the information changes and how quickly readers must receive it to act on it.

3. Work within your resources. A daily email requires many more resources than a monthly. Better a well-done monthly email than shoddy weekly or daily. It's recommended to start with a monthly. Once that's going smoothly, they can think about moving to weekly. You need to walk before you can run!

4. Watch for trends. Declining response, open, and click-through rates can be signs of list fatigue. Although some decrease is normal, watch carefully and cut back frequency if you see a problem. Do not assume if the unsubscribe rate is stable you're OK. Many people prefer to forward email directly to their delete folder rather than unsubscribe.

Topic 7 ~ Understanding Spam Filters ~

Understanding Spam Filters to Avoid Your Emails Get Junked!

If you send email campaigns long enough, you will inevitably run into spam filter issues. On average, you can expect 10-20% of your emails to just get lost in cyberspace, mostly due to overzealous spam filters. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. If you want to avoid getting your emails junked by spam filters, you have to understand how they work.

Generally speaking, spam filters look at a long list of criteria to judge whether or not your email is junk. For example, they might look for spammy phrases like "CLICK HERE!" Egypt "FREE! BUY NOW!". They'll assign points each time they see one of those phrases. Certain criteria get more points than others. Here's a sample of criteria from Spam Assassin, one of the most popular spam filters out there:

o Talks about lots of money (.93 points)

o Describes some sort of breach (.32 points)

o Looks like mortgage pitch (.297 points)

o Contains urgent matter (.288 points)

o Money back guarantee (2.051 points)

o Why Pay More? (1.249 points)

It's easy to use "spammy" keywords in your email without even knowing it. Here are some common ways marketers unwittingly trigger spam filters with their campaigns:

1. Using spammy phrases, like "Click here!" Egypt "Once in a lifetime opportunity!" too many times in your email. Sometimes, you can not avoid phrases like "FREE SHIPPING!" but use them sparingly, and do not do anything else risky.

2. Going crazy with exclamation points !!!!!!

3. USING ALL CAPS, WHICH IS LIKE YELLING IN EMAIL

4. Coloring their fonts bright red, or green

5. Coding sloppy HTML (such as converting a Microsoft Word file to HTML)

6. Creating an HTML email that's nothing but one big image, with no text (since spam filters can not read images, they assume you're a spammer that's trying to trick 'em)

7. Using the word "Test" in the subject line (agencies run into this all the time, when sending drafts to clients for approval)

Topic 8 ~ Why Email Marketing Does not Work? ~

If Your Email Marketing Does not Work, Think Again Why?

Before you arrive at the faulty conclusion that email marketing does not work, let's look at this from a different perspective for a moment that would make your emails ineffective.

First there's what you are writing in the body of the email. If this is your first attempt to get in touch with a prospect, what are you putting in the email? A dissertation? If it's longer than one or two paragraphs, it's too long. Look at your emails like an initial cold call. You need to laser in and deliver a compelling opening statement that's going to grab their interest and stimulate a conversation. Because there's no one to cut you off in an email or stop you from persistent pontification, people have a tendency to ramble on and on in an email, giving the prospect the life story of the product or service they want them to consider. Keep it short and focus on the one or two benefits, opening up the opportunity to have a dialogue. That's it.

Second, are you sending attachments in the first email? No attachments! It's hard enough sending an unsolicited email to a prospect. Now you're adding more barriers and increasing the opportunities of your email winding up in their spam box or junk email folder. Some people have filters on their email that if an attachment is sent it automatically gets deleted. No attachment until that information in the attachment is solicited by the person.

Third, html or text? Once again, with all the email filters people use today, you will increase your odds by sending a text message only rather than trying to get fancy with formatting, graphics and pictures. The prospect really does not care about how beautiful your email looks; they care about the core message. Beside, they will never even get a chance to see your beautiful masterpiece in an html email if it's winding up in the trash.

Finally, you are using way too many spam words. As mentioned, the largest enemy to email marketing or selling via email is the additional security that companies and individuals have on their network or computer. As such, the specific words you are using in the body of the email can be the culprit who is sending your email directly into the trash or spam box. In other words, you are using words that are often identified is spam and in turn, you email is getting flagged and deleted. Not even eye contact! The prospect is not getting a chance to, at the very least, see your email let alone read it and have a chance to respond accordingly.

Ending ~ Please Forward ~

Making Money Online: 3 Steps to Success Revealed

As you will probably know, the internet is scattered with Make-Money products of a very poor quality. Made by people who want to make quick dollars over the back of people who want to earn some honest money. I know more than 95% of all the people on the internet fail making money online. Would not you be one of the 5%? How?

1. Obviously, the competition in the 'Make Money Industry is huge. For example: When you type at the Google AdWords Keyword Tool: 'Make Money Online' you will see that those specific words are typed monthly 450.000 times. That's 5,4 million times each year, only on those 3 words.

To see what your up against in this industry notice that on Google, when typed all in title: Make Money Online, there are over 661.000 websites having these exact words in their website title. Due to this heavy competition that's why a lot of people will actually fail, or even go broke having success as an online entrepreneur.

2. You either want to make or promote an excellent product, but maybe more importantly promote your product in multiple ways. So you want to have knowledge of building a website, writing a blog, copywriting, e-mail-marketing etc. etc. Knowing the fact that the competition is killing and you have to be a expert in order to not fail. I want to share with you a step by step tutorial helping you survive and guarantee your success.

3. Do you want to become an expert in:

- Video marketing
- Website-building
- SEO
- Reverse Engineering
- Blogging
- E-mail-marketing
- etc., etc.

Take a look at this step-by-step- tutorial at my bio-box and become one of those 5% who will have success as an online entrepreneur.

Working For Money Instead Of Freedom

Once again, this past Sunday in the Los Angeles Times Business section, there was a story featuring the latest Southern Californian who has been out of a job for a long time. While shocking, it always puzzles me to read these stories, as it's quite appropriate that these people have no interest in their own freedom.

This time, it was a 47-year old woman who was apparently an amazing insurance salesperson. After being downsized, she decided to take a few months off before looking for work again. She figured that because she was so good at what she did (especially with her experience), she'd be able to find another job without a problem. Those "off" months passed and she re-entered the job search. Almost 2 years later, she's still without a job. And that's after also applying for menial jobs.

When I first read this, I felt incredibly. First of all, how amazing could she have been if she was laid off? How could this woman not realize how bad the job market was (is)? How could she have such a big ego to think that she could take a few months off because her skills were so good? And how in the world could she miss just how successful she could be owning her own network marketing business ??

Fundamentally, this woman is incapacitated of doing anything else except choosing to be poor. Why? Her values ​​are such that she must have a steady paycheck from an employer, where she can have promotions, bonuses, etc. She values ​​security and money over her own freedom. What she's found out the hard way is that there is no security anymore as an employee. She worked so hard and developed skills, and for what? So she can apply for a job at Costco at 47 years of age?

If she valued her freedom, she could easily succeed with a network marketing business - especially with Infinity Downline. Instead of spending her time working hard for money, she could be working hard for herself, building a business that would create steady passive income for her for life . This is the true power of network marketing businesses.

What most people tend to miss when they hear terms like MLM, direct selling, and network marketing, is the power of passive income. Ads for MLM programs tend to emphasize how much money you can make every month, but the numbers tend to be so high that few people can believe it.

The truth is that those numbers are in fact real (5-figure salary per month ) (and it takes WORK to get there), but that's missing the point. Building a business allows you to build your own security. Who needs a 401k plan if you're making 5-figures a month doing nothing?

Back to the woman, if she invested her time building a business online with Infinity Downline, where she'd only have to pay $ 25 to join (and $ 25 a month to continue), get 100% commissions on her sales, and learn a new skill (internet marketing), she could easily be making her old salary within a year, if not sooner. Especially with a background in sales, this woman's success would most likely happen much sooner than she'd imagine.

But unfortunately, she will not get involved and will miss this opportunity for one big reason - her values ​​are not geared towards that of freedom; she values ​​money and security over all else.

Which would you choose? (Poor) Giving your work working life (40+ years !) Over to various companies? (Rich) or giving 4 years to a network marketing business, leaving the rest for yourself and your family?

I say, make the rich choice.

How to Make a 6 Figure Income Online in 3 Easy Steps

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the different methods of making money online? Not sure who to trust? Believe me, I've been there! It's very frustrating when people tell you that they are making x amount of dollars online and yet you still can not make a dime. This one of the worst feelings I experienced when I first ventured into the world of making money online. But guess what? I've learned from my failures (yes, there were many of them) and am now making a comfortable living off of the internet. And I am willing to tell you exactly how you can do the same in just 3 simple steps!

1) Will You Allow Yourself Success?

One common mistake that people make when trying to make cash online is that they just jump right into it with little or no background knowledge. This is the thought process of many when they come across a potential method of earning money online. "Oh affiliate marketing, that sounds interesting! I think I'll try that out." But, hey! I was guilty of this too when I first started out. It's very easy to become attracted to something when it has already worked for others. So what is the correct way of starting your home based internet income?

A realistic mindset. Alright before you start regretting that you ever started reading this article let me further explain what I mean by this. Having a realistic mindset means that you have to realize that you will not get rich quick on the internet. As with any other business, the money will come after hard work. And that is another thing, just because you will be working on the internet does not make the work easy. If you want to be successful online you need to realize that you will actually have to put forth an effort. The, "I make $ 500 a day doing only 1 hour of work on the internet!" testimonials are complete crap. So if you are expecting the money to start rolling in with little effort, you mine as well give up now.

2) Consistent Work Will Equal A Consistent Cash Flow

In order to be successful at making money online you need to work hard. There is no way of getting around this. But while this may seem unappealing it can also be directly beneficial to you. One of the great things about making money online is that for the most part you get what you put into it. So if you are working hard every day then you will see equal results in terms of money. So how can you take advantage of this principle?

You need to be consistent. Yes, working hard a few days a week will provide a decent amount of cash to you, but if you are putting in work every single day or even every other day you will see amazing results. And the great thing about consistent work online is that it will ever create a snowball effect. At some point your efforts will begin to work for themselves. Once you get the snowball rolling, the possibilities are endless! This is how people are able to make 6 figure incoming online.

3) There Is Still Something Missing ...

You're probably still wondering what exact method you should be using to make money online. And you should be, because without a model my 2 previous methods for success are useless. But I did this for a reason. Covering the basics is actually more important than how you actually go about making money online. Do not worry though, I'm about to reveal a very reliable method of making a 6 figure income online. All you need to do is implement my previous steps and are guaranteed success.

All I did was use a proven method of making online. For a long time I had tried to research free methods of making a living online and soon realized that it was not likely. So what did I do? I searched different guides available that help kick start your success with a home based internet business. Granted, I did have to spend some money but it was well worth it. Why? Apart from the fact that I am now making a living off of the internet, the system that I used offered information and resources that I would have never been able to access otherwise.

Top 4 Ways to Make Money Online

If you take the time to do some research, you will find the most common money making opportunities are covered in this article.

So my friends, here is my review of the most common ways to make money on the internet.

I've tried them all so this is my honest opinion. :)

Surveys

This was my first venture online. Claims of $ 5000 per month filling out survey's sounded good.
Boy was I disappointed.

I spent around a hundred hours filling out surveys from numerous companies. In fact I still get emails from companies today. But my days of 50 min surveys for $ 2 are well and definitely over.

Pros

I did make some money but now near what some people claim.

Cons

A lot are scams
Hard to make a substantial income
Takes up too much of you're time

MLM / Network Marketing

OK so I have not tried this but I have very good reason. I know from speaking to my mentor and other good friends in the home business world that MLM businesses are notoriously hard to achieve great success.
And here's why. Not sure if there is any pro's.

Cons

You're success is mostly dependent on building a huge team of distributors. 100's possibly 1000's

You're income can be affected greatly when people leave the business.
The charges are usually between $ 20 - $ 60 per sale, so a lot of sales are needed to make a basic income.

Payment plans are often outdated and sales sometimes need to be passed up to you're sponsor etc

Affiliate Marketing

OK so this is one of the most popular ways to get started online but in my opinion it's not as easy as a lot of people make out.

Pros
Low / no cost to get started
great for extra income

Cons

Steep learning curve for "newbies"
Extremely competitive.

If using PPC (pay per click) marketing, you could have lost more money than you make. Commissions are usually around $ 40 so high volume of sales is required for a good income

Affiliate marketing is best when you have an email list to market to.

Direct Sales / GPT (Get Paid Today)

This is by far the best way I've found to make a substantial income and it's great for newbies.

Pros

Direct sales and GPT businesses are great because you get paid first and directly. No waiting til the end of the month to get paid from the company.

Direct sales businesses are generally "high ticket" businesses. Meaning missions range from $ 500 - $ 2000 (just a few sales per month is a great income)
You do not need to rely on team members making sales (although building a strong team creates another stream of residual income)

Direct sales is recognized as the best and quickest way to build a big income

You do not need to work any harder to sell a high ticket product than you do to sell a $ 40 affiliate product.

Cons

Not really any cons but as direct sales have high responsibilities, they generally have a higher level of investment.

But you can make you're investment back quickly if you have the right mentor, mindset, and business.

3 Tips to Making Money Online Easily

With the economy in its current condition, people are fearful of their finances. It's no mystery that making money online has been the most sought after stream of income and the most difficult to master. However, having a successful online business in 2011 has not been easier.

Tip # 1: Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is an old way of making money online. This is where most people begin their online journey. There have been so many people selling products on teaching beginners how to excel in this form of marketing, yet they leave out specific details that extremely hinder your success. This method has greatly improved, producing tremendous results. The trick to a victorious money making affiliate marketing business is to partner with companies whose products and services can be respected and trusted.

Tip # 2: Domain Names

Having a domain name is extremely important. When promoting other people's products, you need your own affiliate link in order to be paid. These links are usually long and hard to remember. If you purchase a domain name, it can be forwarded to the website you are promoting. So if you were promoting a product by word of mouth, a short and easy to remember domain name would serve you best.

Tip # 3: Keeping Business in Mind

Having an online business is just that, a business. In order for accomplishment to occur, you must continue persevering toward your goal. You get out of your business, what you put into it. So keep working. Remember, when you treat your business like a hobby, it will produce hobby results.

The Keys of Life - How to be Happy

As a life coach for a number of years now, I have been exposed to the concepts and tools necessary for creating a happy life. This information is not just text book theory, it is real, and I am proud to say that I am making a difference in such a positive way that both my clients and my children will maintain a real advantage in their future.

So what are the messages I attend? What are the tools I employ? And what is the language I maintain for a healthy mind? There are many imaginative ideas one can institute within the household to create awareness, and these examples seem to work for us, not always immediately, but I feel certain they will play out in a positive way in the future. When one singles out each item individually, they may seem too simple to make a difference, however when combined with a full understanding of the technology they begin to make a lot more sense.

So why is it that human animals are so unhappy? Why do we hear that 1 in 4 Australians are clinically depressed? This article would be too long if I were to cover all the reasons, but I will attempt to address a number of them.

1. We compare upwards.

There are so many things around us that make our life "easier" and provide us with more leisure time: .... DVD players, washing machines, fancy cars, play stations etc .. As we have more leisure time, these materialistic things help us fill our days, they make us "look good" and possibly temporarily happy, and more importantly provide us with the things that someone else does not have.

So what happens to the people who do not have some or all of these items? Children want what others have and feel that these things will make them and their lives more interesting and fun. We all want things. We do not need them, we just want them. We want them because our friends appear happier, and we want to be a part of that. So we compare upwards and we look to what we do not have that create a par. It's this vacuum that gives us a feeling of not being complete and we think we are not able to be happy. How often do we compare downwards? How often do we stop and say, "I am so happy to be free and can play with my children at the park", "I am so happy that I am alive and have food on the table". "I am so happy to be healthy and am not in hospital recovering from cancer."

I am consistently reminding my children to not only appreciate what they have, but to create a list on a daily basis of all the things they appreciate. The appreciation list can be as simple as "I appreciate getting a call from my friend earlier today". We need to balance out our comparison mechanism. It is becoming so increasingly difficult with society becoming more affluent, and the media controlling what we are told to think. We really have to start working hard at this. We have to start playing the game of life, so that it starts to work in our favor because as I look around at the number of overweight, depressed people and the state of this planet, we are losing the battle.

What else do I do to make my children aware? For many years I have been telling my kids to mute the ads on television. The marketing people who create these advertisements are a lot smarter than we are. They cleverly use positive associations to sell their products with no regard for what or how it is effecting our comparison state. They use anchors and leverage us into softening our brains.

I have signs around the house and try to create a balance. Small posters that say things like "A week of need not want", "A month of NOW!", "Do not complain about it, change it or fix it", "A situation needs to be either deal with or accepted" "Why make it a problem? There are no problems in the NOW." These signs inspire discussion and subliminal alterations to my children's assessment of life.

2. We have an obscured concept of what success is.

Many people in the western world think that success is a house, car, money, and possessions. You do not have to look far at the statistics to discover that the financially wealthy are not necessarily happier than those with less financial means and are more challenged financially. Who was it that stated:
"Today, we have more experts but more problems, more medicine but less wellness.
Bottom line, happiness has little to do with money. It is our state of mind. I remember when I was in my teens thinking that if I had enough money just for my bus transport I would be so happy. Then I got older and all of a sudden, it was not enough, I wanted a car etc. You know what I mean. Look around you, see how much STUFF you have, is it made up of a NEED or a WANT. Do you remember how happy you were when you only had a few boxes in your life, no baggage. Then you start to fill it up with stuff. Did it make you happier? Ladies and Gentleman, this is not success. It is empty and lacks value. And it never ends. This path will continuously be fed by trying to get somewhere, and humans do not realize that there is nowhere to get. We are creating dreams about "some day, one day". When I finally get my BMW then I will go camping with my family. When I just get $ x, then I will start a family, When I finally drop 7kilo I will be happier with my weight. The time is NOW, right now. This moment. Do not wait, do it now. Go on that trip, get involved with needy children, do that thing you have always said you would like to do. Help the less privileged. Just remember if you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. Success is finding YOUR OWN passion, discovering what you want to do with your life and going for it 200%. Not doing what others tell you. Start today. Learn about yourself, then create the most amazing possibilities for yourself.
Life is beautiful and the universe if perfect in every way. All you have to do is allow yourself see how beautiful things are, how wonderful you are, and start to become part of what is already perfect.

3. Communication:

You do not have go go back many years to see how communication has changed. Think back to the days when you would walk along the street, take public transport and people would say "Gday" "Lovely day" etc. On face value it does not mean very much, but this is the game of life we ​​are not playing any more. We prefer to sit opposite a computer, answer emails, play computers games, swim in our pools at home, watch TV etc, left to communicate with our own "little voice". In fact with 50,000 thousand thoughts we have on a daily basis, it seems that we are spending more and more time "ALONE". Now that would be OK if our internal communication was open to new ideas, with a potential to create thought- provoking new concepts and important issues in life. However, the internal chatter is so limited, and has become so molded by our clever governments and advertising geniuses, that we do not have a chance. That's because we are only working from a position of what we know we know and what we know we do not know. It has left no room for all the things we do not know we do not know. We can only get access to those blind spots in our life if we have other people expose them. We can only get it by being present to our voices. We can only get it from others. If you were to engage in a conversation with that old lady on a bus, imagine what pearls of wisdom you may get from her. Or that gem from that person we chatted to while waiting at the checkout at the supermarket. We have been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet our neighbor. We have acquired outer space but not inner space. We need to get back to basics and start talking. We will all begin to discover that pretty much all people in the universe want the same things and generally think similar thoughts. We all want to be happy. 

I am continuously chatting to people, smiling as I walk past people, and I let my children see that, we discuss it continuously and make points of interest to what goes on. Continuing talking about the concepts of how people are trying to "look good and trying to avoid looking bad", and all about "life". Remember your children are not getting an education about "life" from school where they spend most of their days. Do not forget that you DID NOT GET ANY EDUCATION AT SCHOOL ABOUT LIFE. So get learning, get educated and start educating the children. It will help them with their health, relationships and conventional education.

I encourage you to consider that life is beautiful, and note that we have learned to make a living but not a life and we have added years to our lives, but not life to our years.

What I do:

Among other things, I provide face to face life coaching in Melbourne Australia. I am continuously making a difference in people's lives. I know that 5 minutes before I die I wont be thinking about the house or car I did or did not have, but I will be smiling at the thought of the numerous people whose lives have been effected positively by my input. It is the most rewarding life I could lead and I could ever pursue.

jonathan@lourie.org

There Are So Many Ways to Make Money From Home - How Do I Find the Right One For Me?

You have found so many ways to make money from home. How do you find the right one for you? If you've been looking for a way to make money from home, you're probably inundated with tons of sales offers, e-mails, phone calls, etc. There are so many options! How do you know what will work and what will not? What is the right thing to do? You can quickly become overwhelmed and then you will not know which direction to turn or what to do. You can experience "information overload" The best way to get over this is to decide what you want from an online business. Look for something that will fit your lifestyle, your goals, and your schedule.

See if you can come up with a list of things that you want in an online business. Write it down. As you look at different offers, you can then evaluate them by the list you have made and you will be able to eliminate all the offers that do not fit your requirements. To help you get started, here are the things that I looked for when I went through this process.

1. I did not want a get rich quick scheme. I'd seen hundreds of them on the Internet. I wanted a good solid business that I could run from home and make a good living with. I did not expect to get a check in the mail next week for a million dollars after just putting my e-mail address on someone's list. I knew I had to put in some work and some effort. I wanted to earn the money. I was not looking for a lottery ticket. Get rich quick schemes never work.

2. I did not want Multi Level Marketing business. I hate having to sell to friends and family. I did not want to make sales because a friend was tying to help me out because of our relationship. This is no way to run a business. I wanted something I could market on the Internet to people who were looking for whatever I was selling. This is the way a real business works.

3. No personal selling. I'm not a great salesman. I did not want to have to continuously sell people on my product or spend a lot of time on the phone. I wanted people to already be sold. I wanted people to just come to me and say, yes, I want it.

4. I needed a great support system. I was a total newbie when it came to Internet marketing. I knew how to send and e-mail and surf the web, but that was it. I needed help getting an online business up and running and help with marketing online. I wanted to know that there was a real live person I could call for help and advice if I needed it.

5. Great business system. I knew a lot about business, because I've been running businesses for over 30 years, so I know what makes a viable business. I knew what components I was looking for, what would make it a complete system. I wanted a proven system that others had used and been successful with. I was looking for a system that I could just step into and follow and find a winning business plan. When you have a great business system to follow, your chances for success skyrocket. Look at franchises like Starbucks, McDonalds, Subway, they have the business plan all figured out. If you follow their lead, you have a money making machine.

6. Multiple streams of income and back end sales. Any business that has many ways to make money within the same system is going to be that much more profitable. Once you have a customer, if you can turn them into a repeat customer, your business is going to be that much more profitable. You will not have to constantly be looking for new customers. Your old customers will come back and pay you over and over. That is one of the secrets of a successful business.

7. I love helping people. It brings great satisfaction. I'd like to use the knowledge I've acquired over the years to help others. There have been people who have helped me along the way and I've like to pass that along by helping others.

8. I wanted a great product, one that was unique, that people could not buy at the corner store. I wanted a product that I felt would help other people. I did not want to feel like I was ripping anyone off. I wanted to know that people who purchased my product could be preferred by it. It could make their lives better. That was important to me.

9. My family. The most important thing I was looking for was something that would work for my family. I'm a mother of 6 children and I home school. I still have 3 children living at home and one left in home school. But even having one in home school takes a lot of time. I have a home and a husband and I wanted to have the time I needed to be a good wife and mother. This is my top priority. I needed a business I could run that would not take over my life. That would not require all my time and attention. I wanted something that I could work on for a few hours a day, at my convenience, then not worry about the rest of the time.

It took months of research looking at all the ways to make money from home to find the right one for me. I finally found the right one that fit all my requirements. It is the perfect business for me and for my family. I work a few hours every morning, and then I'm free to be a mom the rest of the day. I never have to worry about my business on weekends or holidays. I can go on vacation without a second thought about my business. It keeps on going when I'm away. It is amazing! And it works!

Money is just a tool. Money is not my end goal in life. Money is a means to an end. If you are sick of worrying about money, living paycheck to paycheck, wondering how you are going to pay the bills, then change things! Do it! If you are ready to have a better life for you and for your family, do something about it! I did it and so can you.

Easy Ways to Make Money

"Are there any easy ways to make money?"

The short answer is "Yes", but this needs to be qualified.

First, understand that there are NO FREE WAYS to make money, nor are there any ways to make FREE money, whichever way you like to say it! There is no scheme where you pay nothing and do nothing, and you make money automatically. If there were, millions of people would be doing it and they certainly would not tell anyone else about it. There are no on-line philanthropists who wish to "help" you to make money from the goodness of their heart; They want only to help themselves in some way. To make money you must expend some measure of your own cash or time or effort, or some combination of these.

That does not mean that you must always pay money for help or ideas to make money. There are several sources of information, and even software, which require no cash payment, but do require your time and effort to make the ideas work. An example is automated advertisements. More of that in a moment.

"What is the easiest way to make money?"

The easiest way to make money is, without a shadow of a doubt, by using the communicative power of the Internet, through which you can reach millions of people who may be looking for what you are offering. If you think that you have nothing to offer, you're almost certainly be wrong!

"What can I offer to people?"

The easiest way to make money on the Internet is by offering products or services provided by other companies. This is known as "Affiliate Marketing". You become an affiliate of the product manufacturer or service provider, and they pay you cash as a commission on whatever you sell for them.

How much does it cost to become an affiliate? Nothing! Only the time it takes to find some good affiliate products or services. Search the Web for "affiliate program program" (where "????" is your chosen subject of interest). When you've found some you like, sign up with them. (You may need to give a web site address for them to check. Do not worry if you do not have one; We'll deal with that in just a moment.) When they've approved you, go to their ' banners' or 'creatives' page and pick a suitable banner. Copy the banner code and paste it into your web pages where you want the banner to appear. Done! Now, whenever someone clicks on the banner and buys a product or service, you'll be paid a commission.

If that's too time-consuming for you, there is, fortunately, a quick way. Join one or more of the "affiliate trackers". These are companies that handle the affiliate sales tracking and commission payments on behalf of a large number of suppliers. You can select the suppliers that interest you from their lists. They also e-mail you whenever a new supplier joins their scheme. This saves you the time spent on looking for suppliers, but the banner work still needs to be done. Some affiliate trackers are LinkShare, ShareASale, WebGains, AffiliateFuture, LinkConnector, Buy, AffiliateWindow, CommissionJunction.

If you find all that too hard to do, there's an even simpler and quicker way. In fact, it's probably impossible to find any method for making money simpler and quicker to set up than ClickBank with the automated advertisements mentioned earlier. ClickBank is an affiliate tracking company that deals only in digital products, that is, products that can be downloaded from the supplier's web site immediately after they have been paid for, such as software, e-books, videos, etc. Just follow these steps:

(1) Join ClickBank as an affiliate. (You do not need to give a web site address.) The cost? Nothing.
(2) Sign up for automated advertisements lifetime membership. The cost? Nothing.
(3) Watch the automated advertisements training videos.
(4) If you do not have a web site, create a WordPress blog in a few minutes, and then watch the advertised advertisements WordPress video. The cost? Nothing.

For about an hour's work, you should have banner ads on your web pages or blog. Each time a visitor visits or refresh the page, the banner ad changes at random among the most popular ClickBank products in the category you chose. This random display is controlled by the automated advertisements software, and always displays the most successful products.

Once you're set up, either with your web site or WordPress blog, you'll need to attract visitors to it. In Internet marketing, visitors are known (somewhat impolitely) as "traffic". Driving traffic to your site is the hardest part of Internet marketing, but there are many ways to do it. This subject is beyond the scope of this article, but, if you can not get good advice from someone you know, there are many training courses available at various prices. Regrettably, many of them are not worth the money, being either poorly written or not comprehensive.

"How much commission will I be paid?"

There are no rules. You'll probably want to go for those affiliate programs which pay a minimum of 4% on consumer goods like TVs and games consoles. Digital goods like e-books and software can pay 50% or more! 25% is common for financial services. Insurance companies can pay you $ 5 just for a lead, without selling anything, and $ 70 if the prospect buys a policy. You may be surprised at some of the companies that operate affiliate schemes, even huge ones, like Sony, Argos, Wal-Mart, Sears.

"What else will I need?"

Patience. Do not expect miracles overnight. It may take some time and effort on your part, but success will come for sure. The amount of your success is usually commensurate with your effort in the early months. Sooner or later, your enterprise will achieve critical mass and start to snowball. Then it will be difficult to stop the money rolling in. Good luck!

10 Ways to Attract New Business at No Extra Cost

Last week I went shopping and saw a sign in the window: "Going Out Of Business Sale". This week I noticed a new cardboard headstone "Space For Rent" in my neighborhood. These are results of the same problem ... not enough business.

It is great when you can open a business and attract new customers immediately or when your website guarantees you a constant stream of income. But, none of these simply 'just' happened. Growing your business means self marketing and planning ahead every step of the way. Here are ten strategies to help you attract more business. And the best part: They will not cost you anything.

1. Be a walking example of how effective your product or service is

Let's say you sell beauty products. Make sure your own skin, make up, etc. is perfect whenever you go out for business. If people see how beautiful your products work or look on you they want to buy them. Or, you're a professional organizer. What will people think of you if you're late for a meeting, forgot to bring the promised brochures, and when you open your calendar it looks all chaotic. BE A MODEL for your business.

2. Seek to serve instead of just seeking to sell

What comes around goes around! Help others to grow their business or supporting them in any way you can go a long way in growing your own business.

3. Add value by networking all the time. Carry business cards wherever you go

Networking opportunities are everywhere where: at the supermarket, the doctor's office, even at the playground. I know that for a fact! When someone asks you what you do, give them a card. You want them to be able to hear and see the name of your company. You would be surprised how often business cards will be passed around and / or turn up months later. Also, find out how you can help. What does that person need? Whom do you know who could help? BE A MATCHMAKER every single day.

4. Sell the benefits, not the features. Nobody buys features anymore

People buy what those features will do for them. Everyone hates to buy insurances, so why are so many sold? Simply because of what insurances will do for you. So, know your benefits and practice your elevator speech.

5. Add value to your potential customers by expanding their professional vision and goals

People appreciate it when they feel that you understand their business needs and you're able to provide creative ideas that will help them to realize or even expand their vision and goals. Go on an exploratory journey with your potential customer.

6. Follow up, follow up, follow up

The secret of keeping your current customers is to show interest. Add value to your customers by making sure they're making the best use of your product or service. Let them know that you have their business at heart, that their success is your success. Show them that YOU CARE!

7. Turn your customers into your company's research and development department

It is of much more value to you to find out why people buy your product or service instead of focusing on why certain people are not interested. Ask your customers why they buy your products and service and use this information to improve your marketing and refine your value proposition.

8. Improve your communication skills and be an active listener

Take time to listen to your clients, prospects, and business partners; listen carefully - do not let your mind wander during the listening process. Never make any assumptions. Take time to find out the real motives and emotions, perceived and real problems. If you can refer to people they want to be around you.

9. Learn from people who are naturally attractive

Some people are; some people are not. Spend time with those who are and emulate them; ask them for help. They will be happy to tell you how it works. Just be ready to make changes in your assumptions, thinking, actions, and behavior.

10. Strengthen your personal finances, so you do not need the money anymore

When you feel financially secure you will become an even stronger magnet for attracting new business - because you do not needily need it anymore.

To improve your business, challenge yourself! Pick one of the 10 strategies described above, the one where you seem to struggle the most. Then, see if you can implement this strategy in the way you do business. Please feel free to share your successes with me - and any questions about how to grow your business.

Online Money Making Tips

Online businesses are some of the fastest growing businesses in the world. Take for example Amazon, which grows from selling just a few hundred books a month to a multi-billion dollar business. This is just one of the numerous websites that are exploding in growth online.

But is the internet a practical place for the average joe to make money, or does it require a tremendous amount of luck? We think that if you just follow a few easy steps, not only will you reduce the risk of getting scammed, but you will also find your success dramatically increasing.

1. If you find yourself spending much more money than you're making, or if a program requires you to spend $ 1000 to join their "exclusive" money making group, stop. Do not be a victim to these scam artists, who have perfected their predatory ways.

2. Myth # 1: It makes money to make money. We at Joe's say that if you can not make money without money, you can not create money with it. Find ways to increase your revenue without spending a dime.

3. Spend time every day working on your business, even if for just fifteen mintues.

4. Do not just rely on one author's advice. Research a particular claim before testing it out. What one author says may be out of date or even worse, just a scam. Knowledge is power and the more you gain about internet marketing, the better off you will be.

5. Learn from your competition. Your competition is by far the best teacher you will ever have. Do not copy their exact methods, but learn how you can improve on what they did.

6. Patience. Online marketing is just like any other business, it is not a lottery. Sucess does not happen overnight. However, great success can happen and you can be a part of it. Good luck.

Joe's Guides [http://www.joesguides.org]

7 Top Tips to Car Salesman's Or Saleswoman's Success

Given that car sales account for 19% of total US sales in 2000 (source: US Small Business Administration), a lot of people are buying cars which mean that they are a lot of people selling cars. Additionally, new car sales have dropped from 63.4% in 1989 to 60% in 1999. Selling cars is not easy given that many still have a negative perception of car salesmen or women. Hopefully, these 7 tips may help you to sell more cars.

1. First and Foremost YOU need to think of yourself as a business. Car sales people work for an auto dealership, but most work on a salary and commission basis. When your compensation is commission based, this means you have more control of your destiny and should view yourself as a business instead of just a sales person.
2. Adopt a Planning Attitude. If you do not have a plan, then you are on some else's plan - usually the successful car saleswoman or salesman. As a practicing performance improvement consultant or coach for the last 10 years, I have observed that most people plan less for their own lives than they do for a simple visit to the grocery store.
3. Learn how to prospect. There exists a fundamental belief that the auto dealership is responsible for bringing traffic through the door because the dealership owners have all those "big bucks" for media advertising. Given that 80% of all new sales comes from referrals, would it not make more sense to prospect individually rather than simply on outside resources to control your destination? Those media efforts usually bring in suspicions, not prospects. Use your time wisely by focusing on prospects those who have a need, dollars and are a decision-maker. Do not rely only on the auto dealer to send out letters. Take the time to write some handwritten notes.
4. Improve your sales skills to make more money. Today's buyers are far more savvy than years ago. Learn how to cultivate and develop long term relationships. Consider a proven buying / selling sales process where marketing and selling skills are united to deliver to the desired results of another sold car. New car sales to used car sales are far more relationship based selling than years ago when car sales was a commodity sale.
5. Establish your sales goals using your great planning attitude. If you are a car salesman or car saleswoman and have 300 customers and the industry average sales cycle is 3 years, then every year you should be selling 100 cars. Focus your efforts of those who will be buying a car this year, but remember to continue to touch those who will potentially be buying another car in 2 or 3 years. HINT: Use the WAYSMARTcriteria for goal setting.
6. Identify the attitudes or beliefs that are obstacles to your success. Working with those in the auto industry, I have heard countless reasons why sales can not be made. However, when these reviews are reviewed, they are usually unfounded reasons based upon existing attitudes and beliefs. For example, "corporate has ruined the car industry by posting prices on the Internet. Everyone knows everything about the car." My response is "if price was a real objection, then everyone would be driving a Yugo or a Chevette. HINT: When you change how you look at things, the things you look at will change.
7. Make managing yourself priority number one. You must learn how to maximize your time especially in the area of ​​time management, ongoing professional development such as through business coaching training and personal life balance. The auto industry is truly a 24/7 business given that cars are with us each and every day of our lives. However, it is important not to lose sight of your personal life including family, friends, physical health, etc.

Yes, you can be an incredible car salesperson who can increase sales through these 7 simple car salesman tips. Just remember, sales regardless of industry is all about knowing your numbers and then multiplying your activity to secure those desired results.

Reasons to Choose Custom Boxes for Your Business

The most important factor that determinates the success of any business is your relationship with your customers. So, the more effort you put into satisficing your customers, the better your growth prospects will be. While the first thing that must have popped in your mind on reading the above lines is, beyond any doubt, the 'product,' there is another - often overlooked- factor, ie the way you deliver your products. Here are four reasons why you should consider packaging and delivering your products in custom boxes:

1. Solution to budgeting problems

As a matter of fact, your way of delivery not only affects your business-customer relationship but can also improve or deter your budget, since your profit and revenue graph; the reason being the freedom and ability to choose the appropriate, or to be more precise, the exact size of the box for each product. Think for yourself- suppose you sell five different kinds of products varying sizes and fragility, and ship them all in the same sized box, would not that cause you to put in more money into providing extra protective sheaths for the smaller, fragile ones to keep it in place and reduce the risk of any damage? However, if you use a custom box of appropriate size, you would use just the right amount of protective layering, like bubble wraps, thereby saving money in the process.

2. Customer magnets

Putting a little bit of thought into the packaging, itself, shows that you care, and it is a well-known fact in the business realm that what your customers feel matters. Think of it from the perspective of the receiver. Would not a good, unique packaging thrill you? Would not it heighten the excitation of getting your chosen product? Moreover, it creates a positive experience for your customers, especially for e-commerce businesses where physical interaction with customers is close to nil, which in turn increases the chance of being recommended. So, custom boxes can be used as an effective marketing technique to score more potential customers.

3. Unique Brand Identity

There are many businesses that are primarily known for their unique packaging boxes. For instance, Amazon or Origami Craft Box or John & Kira's. These boxes infuse a sense of passion and appeal to the customers by making the process of unboxing a little bit more rewarding. Secondly, it makes your business name and logo more identifiable. In fact, the more appealing your custom box's design is, more are the opportunities that your customers will keep it with them. Most people find it hard to toss out boxes that are too beautiful for trash. So, in a way, custom boxes help reflect and polish your brand identity.

Furthermore, if your custom boxes are also durable besides being eye-catchy, you can rest assured that your customers will keep them, and then you get the lifelong worth of continued advertising without any additional investment.

So, what's the wait for? Call in a meeting with your design and marketing team, and build your custom boxes to give your brand a new life.

2 Surefire Big Ticket Home Money Makers

I am going to be frank. This article is not for the unsure, green, and computer struggling work from home professional. This is for the ones who are familiar with the lingo. Who are familiar with the daily actions and mindset to be successful!

Reason being if you can not do it right the first time you'll end up losing a lot of money!

Direct Sales
This is what it's all about. A company with a product that yields you $ 500 or more per sale. and that same yield or more when someone on your team makes a sale! Yes it's harder to make a sale but if you ever wanted to be apart of that "get rich quick" crow, you would love direct sales!

Ask yourself, which one will take longer ... "700 $ 7 Sales or 7 $ 700 sales." The truth is, it's a lot easier to market and sale 7 $ 700 sales, but most need that daily success to keep confident and progressive! If you can withstand not making a sale every day until your marketing budget grows than you make a lot of money in direct sales.

Online Coaching
This is my favorite. Because once you've made money marketing other people's products, it's time to start to market yourself. Your accomplished. And people will pay a lot more for your help on a one on one basis. It's comforting. You do not have to be in the "make money from home" niche. If you have a expertise that you can deliver online, set up a online coaching! We have marketers delivering do 4 tel-seminars a week for then you could be making $ 1000 a person every single month.

5-Step Checklist to Devise Impressive Mobile Applications

The more mobile technology is advancing, the more the market demands of diverse mobile apps are increasing almost following an exponential graph. Today, both iOS and Android platform has their own huge market and most of the mobile application developers are devoting them to build user-centric, feature-rich and business-driven applications for mobile devices. Here is a 5-step checklist that would help you develop stellar mobile apps smoothly.

# 1 Clearly Define Goals and Requirements

The first step is to set a well-defined and proper goal so that you can chalk out a plan on how to reach that goal. If you do not preset the goal clearly, you might get lost at the halfway! Once you know what you want in your mobile application, what features what benefits the users are going to get using your app, you can go ahead with the development process. Before starting with the development process, another important thing to decide is on which platform you want to build the application.

# 2 UX Aspect

To build a successful mobile application, you need to pay special attention to the UX aspect. This defines or makes sure that the users can have a good app experience. Even if your app is top-notch at its looks, design and graphics, until and without it can offer the app users a satisfactory experience, it can not gain that much success in today's vying market. For the mobiles that have a touchscreen interface, it is advisable for the developers to devise multi-touch gestures so that the app users can smoothly navigate it. Apart from being user-friendly, developers need to make that application aesthetically appealing as well.

# 3 Development Process

This part is mostly about writing the coding part. Creating a proper prototype, obtaining approval from clients in the case of building custom applications - everything is part of this development phase. The developers should have in-depth expertise in using the programming language along with the updated tools. According to your requirements, they can integrate different web services, can link the mobile app to cloud storage of backend along with integrating the social sites, payment gateway etc.

# 4 Thorough Testing

There are several parts of this testing phase - QC Checking, UAT (User Acceptance Testing) and Unit Testing. With the help of a simulator, the developers and the designers can effortlessly test the developed application to check whenever any error or any bug is present or not. Before launching the app in the app store, this thorough testing stage makes sure that quality of the app is as per the market standard and it is free from any kind of technical glitches.

# 5 Deployment

This is the last stage of the development process. In this phase, the newly built app appears live in the app store. This step includes distribution of apps as well.

Well, another crucial thing is to market this newly launched mobile app. Without a well-planned and quality marketing strategy, even a feature-rich and impressive app fails to do satisfactory business that it should have in this competing market. Here, jotting down a smart marketing strategy for the freshly developed application is utterly vital.

12 Ways to Keep Your Data & Identity Safe Online

How to Boost Your Digital Security for Peace of Mind

From the recent Facebook data break to compromised customer data at huge companies like FedEx and Delta, personal security is more relevant than ever.

In fact, it might even seem that our data is under attack!

While you can not always prevent data security issues, here are 12 ways to help you protect yourself in this fast-moving digital age:

1. Stop sending sensitive information digitally.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people email tax documents to their accountant, or text a password to a family member in a pinch.

2. Beware of public Wi-Fi.

Anything you send in a coffee shop or airport can be intercepted by someone on the same network. Consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when you're out and about.

3. Secure your texts.

Whether you use a free app like WhatsApp or a paid Android or iOS solution, there are lots of end-to-end encryption options, ensuring only you and the recipient see messages.

4. Stay up to date.

If you do not, you could be at risk for malware, viruses and cybercrime attacks. Make sure your operating system and software are updated - many devices do this automatically.

5. Worry less about wireless.

Secure your wireless network with a password so nobody can jump onto your Wi-Fi network and steal info.

6. Be cautious of clever email scammers.

Today's phishing emails can have links that lead to realistic-looking websites. Never give out passwords or other sensitive info by email, text or phone unless you're sure that you're talking to the actual organization.

7. Lock down your laptop.

Make sure your laptop requires a password when it boots up. That way, if it gets stolen or prying eyes try to access your device, they'll be stopped before they start.

8. Wipe out data .

If it's time for a new laptop or smartphone, make sure your data is not hanging around. Once you've backed up any data you need, use a software program to permanently erase your hard drive.

9. Choose security questions wisely.

Avoid using common words in your passwords. Period. Google estimated someone would have a 19.7% success rate answering "pizza" to "What's your favorite food? Customize questions or pick harder ones to guess.

10. Avoid sites that are not https.

Https stands for "hypertext transfer protocol with secure socket layer" (other known as having a SSL certificate.) Sites without an "s" on the end are not secure if you are being asked to make a purchase or submit private / sensitive data that could get intercepted.

11. Pay attention to privacy settings.

Choose who can see the content you post on sites like Facebook and Instagram, and who can view your profile.

Opt for the highest level of privacy possible but be aware that some settings will prevent potential clients from seeing your posts, so find a happy balance that will not sacrifice your social media marketing efforts!

12. Back up your data.

If your device gets stolen or compromised, what happens to that work report or your niece's baby photos? Schedule automatic backups through your operating system or a cloud service.

While even the largest and brightest companies can be hacked or otherwise attacked, these online security tips can help you reduce some of the risks.

Also, if you're hiring a web professional developer to help with your business, make sure they're well-aware of current security issues. We build websites with our clients' safety in mind and perform regular security updates for ongoing peace of mind.