Sunday, 23 February 2014

Internet Survival Guide


Group Leverage



Like a long pole, that can shift a great weight with little effort; such is the case with succeeding in business. 

Your chances of succeeding- as an 'army of one' fall somewhere between zip, zilch and nill.

Social Marketing [i.e. Joint Venture Marketing] is the critical key to enjoying on-going success. There are approximate 100,000,000+ Web sites out there...and growing daily.

Without some good old' fashion Joint Venture Networking skills under your belt; you chances of *not* getting noticed are virtually guaranteed! Though there are many different types of leverage, two- in particular- will be explored in this segment:


Joint Venture Marketing Leverage


All but gone [certainly rare, to say the least] are the days when you could merely just e-mail an E-zine Publisher with a copy of your offerings and a 50% profit-share. 

You've got to captivate your potential Joint Venture Partners with a more strategic, longer-range heap of killer benefits, as well. Prove to them that you are extremely sensitive to *their* overall wants, needs and desires- not yours or mine.

Good Strategic Joint Venture Alliances take time to cultivate...It's all about building trust. 

When a List Master recognizes you as a genuine Expert within your niche, and that you just don't recommend anything that you- yourself- are not absolutely delighted with as the end-consumer...

They will be far more enthusiastic about JV'ing with you in the future, because people like to do business with people they know and trust...

Are you someone who is trustworthy and whole-heartedly worth getting to know? 

Does your JV Proposal showcase *them* in the 'limelight'?

Is your focus on assisting them, in every way within your means, to help them grow their business and become even more successful?

If not- You need to seriously reconsider your marketing priorities...before you 'figure it out' the hard way!

That said...nothing can propel you to [seemingly] overnight success like a well-thought-out and deftly-crafted JV- Nothing. 

8
Every single truly successful marketer realized- at some point within their career- that in order to get to where their truly trying to be; they have to whole-heartedly and cheerfully assist others in doing the same.

This is especially true when making first contact with a good potential Partner...remember; it is you going to them, for something you want- Not the other way around.

Until you've cultivate your own Master List of 20,000, 50,000, even 100,000 Loyal Readers; and you are now the one getting slammed with 10 to 20 Joint Venture Proposals per day, on average...

To create successful, mutually beneficial JV's; you must pole-position your wants, needs and desires in such a way as to naturally resonate with/compliment theirs. 

Often times, this is *much* easier said than done; as good JV Proposals require a fair and reasonable amount of selfless and candid receptiveness, attention to detail and deep meditation.

However...the dividends are supremely worth it!


Traffic Leverage


Short of having a 'bottomless wallet'...you will quickly realize, early in your online success endeavors; exactly just how difficult it is to drive consistent, quality traffic to your Web site.

Virtually all of the 'marketing gurus' trying to sell you how you, too, can quickly and easily make boatloads of cash online, with no out of pocket expenses; are feeding you a fat, stinky pile o' bull. Run...Fast! 

And hide your wallet!!!

Furthermore, they straight-up buy their traffic, one way or another; until such point as they have established a monster downline of resellers [one of your primary goals, actually].

Ahhh, yes...

Then you too can- indeed- make boatloads of cash on the Internet and perhaps even become the next 'guru'...



Safe Rule of Thumb for ANY Business Endeavor


The more money [up front] you invest in yourself, the less time that you'll be shackled to your venture. The less money you are willing to you invest in yourself, the more time you will spend [exponentially] to overcome lack of funds.

In a nutshell, you can actually become quite successful on the Internet- generating a modest four figures a month- with virtually no out-of-pocket expenses. However... 

Do plan on exercising Due Diligence and spending thousands of hours.  

Hence, why it is critically important to choose something that you are 100% *absolutely* passionate about- as the end-consumer hobbyist!  

I apologize if the blunt truth of the matter 'takes the wind out of your sails'...but, again- I wish someone was this brutally honest with me years ago!

“This will increase your profitability substantially, while cutting down your work load!”


Labor Replication


The closer you want to get to all of that free time and boatloads of money you've indubitably been promised time and time again... 

The more closely you must examine exactly what it takes to become as digitally automated as possible!  Which also takes into consideration creative opportunities such as outsourcing, viral e-marketing and B2B JV barter.

One very excellent example is the awe-inspiring power of autoresponders. Depending on your particular approach; a deftly-crafted autoresponder series can cultivate long-term customers, clients, subscribers, etc...Only if the information you are divulging high-quality.

Another prime example is a genuinely high-quality, PLR e-book. Most especially if these can be re-branded, featuring your downlines' primary Web venture.

Perhaps a  Strategic Joint Venture Alliance...or a Member Site- In which you provide your members with a step-by-step plan of action and everything they need to achieve their own success, on- line [tenacity not withstanding, of course]! 

In each of these examples, the Principle of Labor Replication [another demonstration of leverage] is invoked- your one and only Way to *consistent* Internet Success- 

Regardless of your offerings...but if you are not willing to actually put forth the effort and initially act upon your knowledge, and then this will merely be entertainment to you. 


Due Diligence


This is one subject that the vast majority of Internet Marketing 'gurus' avoid like the plague. 

Why? 

Because if they were 100% straight-up with you from the get-go and told you in no uncertain detail exactly just how hard, time-consuming and resource-consuming owning and operating your own truly successful biz op *really* is...

They somehow got it figured that you'll end up opting out and they'll end up losing the almighty buck they stood to make on your complete and utter ignorance. The faster and easier they promise you tons of money and leads; the far more cynical I'd be, if I were you.

And this applies to the so-called Joint Venture Systems out there, as well-of which I own several.

Good, solid long-lasting Joint Ventures actually do require a great deal of time, effort and giving of yourself...especially if they require a Joint Venture Agreement Contract.

However- these are the very the types of JV's that really can make you fabulously wealthy... seemingly overnight.

As a matter of fact, if it is anything short of a methodically built-up System- over a reasonable period of time [6 months to a year]...then I can all but guarantee you that you are setting yourself up for some serious grief.

Sure...the rare exception to the rule- such as that deftly-crafted and patiently-researched Joint Venture Proposal you hit BIG with in just a few short weeks or even days...because you done paid your Due Diligence!

An entirely different approach: Tell your people the *whole* truth- and nothing but.

Don't sell them pipe dreams, fluff and just plain crap; in the hope of making a sale. In fact, don't sell them anything. Give 'Till It Hurts [for being such a blatantly promiscuous sneezer...it happens to be one of Robert G. Allen's truly superb Principles].

And when you actually do attempt to 'sell' your reader something:

Do it in a way that they are both absolutely eager and confident in your recommending them such a kick@$$ deal, offer, etc. Treat your Reader [most literally] as if they were your best friend, and develop a relationship accordingly. And this is just one of many ways Due Diligence comes into play.

One very sad mistake made over and over again -particular to Internet Marketing proselytes and neophytes- is promotion of a cookie-cutter biz op that they are absolutely not the delighted end user of. Self-evident. 

If you're just starting out [or strongly considering doing so] - Do not fall into this fatal trap....

In other words, before you go wishing failure, stress and duress upon yourself...

Compliments of the infamous University of Hard Knocks:

“Be the end consumer of whatever it is you'd seriously consider promoting, and put it to the hardest-core Satisfaction Tests that you can possibly devise.”


One Chance on the Merry-Go-Round of Life


Find a means of online revenue that is something you are already approaching as a joyful leisure hobby; and then research out biz ops that naturally compliment your favorite hobby. 

After carefully researching and refining your biz op you'd like to focus on; aggressively put it to the test- as the end user- and see if it truly Stands and [over-] Delivers on all Promises made. 

And, though this may- at first- sound a bit oxymoronic; do NOT focus on making the sale. Instead, focus on the wants, needs and desires of your Loyal Readership, and sales will follow in a completely relaxed, zero-pressure manner. 

Your Readers will appreciate your lack of hype and high-pressure sales tactics; and will be quicker to recommend you [provided you freely quality content with them]!

PART II: YOU ARE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE



What's In It For Me?

It's ALL about value adding. If I were to actually take a moment out of my busy day, and experience your Web endeavor for the first time...

“The challenge you face is that people don’t care about you. They care about themselves, which is pretty natural.”

- Seth Godin
Flipping the Funnel [Companies Edition]

What is my very first impression, visually, of your site?

Are you using obnoxious/psychotic color schemes, hard-to-read fonts and/or multi-media over-load...

Or, is your page clean, crisp and completely devoid of truly unnecessary noise and clutter?

Is your color/font scheme aesthetically pleasing to the eye? 

Does your layout represent single-focus, which a clear and definitive call to action?

What real value are you actually adding to me?

Does the amount of value {you seek to add to me} inspire me to naturally share your Web site with others, based on simple excellence?

Can you actively pinpoint each of the viral techniques both present, and missing, in each of your Web endeavors?

This one Principle, alone- if mastered with passion and zeal- will conservatively increase your base-rate chances of outstanding success by at least double. 

Do NOT, for love of all that is precious in your life, promote something that you are not whole-heartedly sold on- as the end-user: failure is a statistical certainty waiting to happen.

Compelling Copy


Thousands of books have been written on the subject and more are being manufactured daily... A subject that most people have a difficult time- at best- to actually sit down and learn just the fundamentals of.

And with good reason...it's Real Work. 

However, you will be simply astounded  -if not outright floored- when you pay your Due Diligence and see just how much per hour top Sales Copy writers are thoroughly enjoying-

And they can easily command these prices because the amount of people that actually can write juicy, hypnotic copy are very far and exceptionally few in between...

People like Henry Gold, Brett McFall and Alex Mandossian. Is yours up to snuff?

Remember the Great Internet Marketing Caveat: Your Web, sales, and autoresponder copy. 

Why? 

There's a whole lot of it out there that comes across as just plain cheesy. Pay your due diligence and start your own private swap file of both on and off line ads/sales copy that:

Totally grabs you, or...

Leaves you with the impression that a chimpanzee would most likely have created a better ad or superior sales copy! 

The former is to inspire you to write your own compelling sales copy [not to plagiarize, of course]...while the latter is to inspire you to see all advertising in a whole new light...

Whether it be radio, TV, Web, etc.

Specifically- how you would make a bad ad or sales copy compelling; and really compelling sales/JV copy or ads irresistible. Take some time each and every day to gain further mastery in copy writing. In as few as a few short months- even weeks- 

You'll find yourself able to quickly and easily adapt to [and emulate] quite a number of different writing styles and 'voices'. Furthermore, you will start to naturally pick ads and copy apart and 'rebuild' them...almost subconsciously. 

When that happens, compelling copy will begin to flow out of you like a refreshing babbling brook!

Just imagine the untold money you'll save, alone, writing your own copy...and money saved is money earned...not to mention the fact that you'll be cultivating a high-paying skill in huge demand.

The best part, however, is the fact that you do not have to rely on someone else's concept of 'good' copy- heck, you'll be quickly designing your own in practically no time!

If the extent of your effort is merely to present your offerings in a bland, uninteresting way-

Then whether or not you actually make the sale depends solely on your price, and the visual information I can glean from the quality of your photos. 

If I actually, really want your offering bad enough, I might convince myself to send you an e-mail with a question or two. 

However, that detracts from both my precious time and overall eBay experience- unless I want your item THAT bad; which I most seriously doubt- all things being what they are.
Let's face it- we live very harried lives with a bazillion “taxing” of our extremely limited time and money resources. 

If you do not inspire me to keep reading- for my own personal enjoyment- you have a better than a 99% chance of loosing my- and countless other's- interest and business. 

Why? With just eBay, alone, I have millions of consumer choices at my immediate fingertips. And that doesn't even factor in the other 70+ million Web Sites, my bills, children's needs, etc., etc.!!!

However, when you inject your personality into your descriptions and storefront, and it's one I find somewhat intriguing; at very least- you'll inspire me to read on a little farther. 

Maybe put your site in my fav's, to get back to. Perhaps your Character even persuaded me to make a modest bid! One thing's for absolute certain, though- you will sell far more, far quicker, by putting some real personality into your copy! Remember...

The globalize attention span is about as long as the average cell phone antenna. 

With a little bit of extra time invested- you may very easily find your sales doubling, tripling even quadrupling; far greater than what they would have been...if you would've just “let happen as it may”...test, Test, TEST!

The primary way the world will know you is by your copy; convince us you're worth knowing- because you get one shot- and friends do business with friends, over strangers!


Delivery Is Everything


“It doesn’t matter whether your product is information or a flyswatter. If you understand marketing, you can make serious income.”

Robert G. Allan, Author
Multiple Streams of Internet Income

How will your offerings make me look better, feel better? What will my family and friends say? Will this help me enjoy my leisure? Money is forever the great desire. 

Saving money and buying at a lower price are sound copy points. But they must be followed through with benefits, reasons, sound facts and lots more benefits. 

When designing your copy, stick to the emotionally-gratifying benefits. A potential customer may be sold, but will that person buy? 


Getting Your Reader's Attention

Endorsements and testimonials are effective ways to dramatize facts and back up the benefits of your product, but don't use ones that look or feel transparent- bad juju. 

If you use an endorsement from a famous or popular person, that person should use the product. Any testimonials you use must be true. Always aim for satisfaction. Self-respect, accomplishment and security are human aspects everyone strives for.

Never talk down to the readers as though you know something they don't or you're better than they are. To you, the potential customer is POTENTIAL GOLD. 

You've caught the reader's attention with a catchy headline.

You've followed through with good copy that demonstrates benefits and appeals to the reader. 

Now- before you lose that interest -command an action in their baser interests [greed, sloth, etc... 

You can to close the gap between reading your sales copy and acting upon impulse. The purpose of your eBay ad is to make people buy. You have to tighten the desire to buy. 

An iron-clad money-back guarantee is the most useful tool in pressing action-
The more generous, the better! It goes for the bottom line: What do I have to lose? 

And it affirms the quality of the product. If you are willing to back the claims you make with a full refund, you can get a hook into those borderline buyers. 

Absolutely STAND BEHIND your word. Be cheerful and expedient in returning a refund. Let them know that you sincerely appreciate their business and not to hesitate in contacting you, if there is any way you can be of further assistance.

If you give a time limit the product will be offered for sale, or mention a limited supply, or have a reduced price for a certain time, you'll increase the impulse to act. 

Again, STAND BEHIND your word; do not make a “time sensitive” or limited quantity offer that- in fact- is not; illegal and unethical- better to be a flaming spammer!

What you're after...

Appeal to the reader's urgency; 

Make the product totally irresistible to have- now;
Extend a generous guarantee;

Whole-heartedly stand behind the above!

What is your competition doing? When testing new ads; start with the tried and true. Don't try to be different. It is the sound and worthwhile that brings in the customers- time and time again. 

The best way to write your ad is to disregard size at first, writing everything on paper that might attract readers. 

Tell it all. Stress the need for what you have to offer, what it will do for readers, how they will benefit, benefit and benefit, what they can expect by using your product, how easy or more pleasant life will be for them...

When you have finished writing, you might have a long paragraph or a dozen pages. Now is the time to think of clarity, not cost. Unlike a 'zine classified, you do not pay by the word. 

So you won't have to be nearly as selective in your choice of words in the final ad. 

To build sales, this advertising must be seen or heard by potential buyers, and cause them to react to the advertising in some way. The credit for the success, or the blame for the failure of almost all ads, reverts back to the ad itself.

The bottom line in any ad is quite simple: To make the reader buy the product or service. 
Any ad that causes the reader to only pause in this thinking, to just admire the product, or to simply believe what's written about the product -is not doing its job completely.

The "ad writer" must know exactly what he wants his reader to do, and any that does not elicit the desired action is an absolute waste of time and money.

Never forget the basic rule of advertising copy writing: 

“If the ad is not read, it won't stimulate any sale; if it is not seen, it cannot be read; and if it does not command or grab the attention of the reader, it will not be seen!”

Most successful advertising copywriters know these fundamentals backwards and forwards. 

Whether you know them already or you're just now being exposed to them...

Your knowledge and practice of these fundamentals will determine the extent of your success as an advertising copywriter.

All Web copy, sales copy and ads are written according to all the same rules. What is said in a 'zine classified ad must have the same [if not more] impact that's delivered in a larger, more elaborate type of Web site, in ultra-condensed form.


Honing Your Copy Writing Skills


To start learning how to write good ads, carefully study:

High-octane Copy Writers, like Marc Goldman and Alex Mandossian.

[Ed. Note: Neither of the above links are affiliate program links!]

Issues of The National Enquirer. These are some of the all-time highest paid copy writers, and with good reason- sales of products advertised.

No, I am not suggesting studying articles such as “Jennifer Williams Gets Impregnated By Alien!”. Only the ads.

Analyze each of these ads for the following: 

How has the writer attracted your attention

What about the ads keeps your interest?

Are you stimulated to want to know more about the product being advertised?

What action must you take? 

How strongly are you "turned on" by each of these ads?

Rate these ads on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the best. Now, just for practice- without clipping the ads- do the same thing with ten different ads from a Wards or Penney's catalog. 

In fact, every ad you see form now on, quickly analyze it, and rate it somewhere on your scale. 

If you'll practice this exercise on a regular basis, you'll soon be able to quickly recognize the "Power Points" of any ad you see, and know within your own mind whether an ad is good, bad or otherwise, and what makes it so. 

This will give you the "feel" of the fundamentals and style necessary in writing successful ads.

It takes dedicated and regular practice, but you can do it! 

Simply recognize and understand the Master Formula [A.I.D.A.]:

Attention!
Interest!
Desire!
Action!


Practice


Practice reading and writing the good ads -and rewriting the bad ones to make them better- and keep at it...until the Formula, the Idea, and the feel of this kind of ad writing becomes second nature to you.

This is the ONLY WAY to gain expertise in writing good copy, including classified ads. 

Virtually all successful copywriters rate the headline and/or the lead sentence of an ad as the most important part of the ad, and in reality, you should do the same. 

After all, when you ad is surrounded by hundreds of other auction ads; what makes you think anyone is going to see your particular ad? 

This brings you to...


The Naked Truth


The truth is, they're not going to see your ad unless you can immediately reach out and grab their attention; entice them to read all of what you have to say. 

Your headline has to make it more difficult for your prospect to ignore or pass over, than to stop and read your ad. If you don't capture the attention of your reader with your headline, anything beyond is useless effort and wasted money. 

Successful advertising headlines- are written as promises, either implied or direct.  

The former promises to show you how to save money, make money, or attain a desired goal. The latter is a warning against something undesirable. 

Example of a Promise: Are You Ready To Become A Millionaire -In Just 18 Months? 

Example of a Warning: Do You Make These Mistakes In English? 

In both of these examples, I've posed a question as the headline. Headlines that ask a question seem to attract the reader's attention almost as surely as a moth is drawn to a flame. 

Once she's seen the question, she just can't seem to keep himself from reading into the rest of the ad to find out the answer.

Remember, however, that your first 250 words are going to make or break whether they read on- and usually a lot less than that! 

The best headline questions are those that challenge the reader; that involve her self esteem, and do not allow her to dismiss your question with a simple yes or no.

You'll be the envy of your friends is another kind of "reader appeal" to incorporate into your headline whenever appropriate. 

The appeal has to do with basic psychology: everyone wants to be well thought of, and consequently, will read into the body of your ad to find out how she can gain the respect and accolades of her friends. 

Wherever and whenever possible, use colloquialisms or words that are not usually found in advertisements. The idea is to shock or shake the reader out of his reverie and cause him to take notice of your ad. 

Most of the headlines you see day in and day out, have certain sameness with just the words rearranged. 

The reader may see these headlines with his eyes, but his brain fails to focus on any of them because there's nothing different or out of the ordinary to arrest his attention. 

Example of Colloquialism: Do You Experience Severe Brain Farts? 

Another attention-grabber kind of headline is the comparative priced magazine headline: Three For Only $3, Regularly $3 Each! 

Still another of the tried and proven kind of headlines is the specific question: Do You Suffer From These Symptoms??? And of course, if you offer a strong guarantee, you should say so in your headline: Your Money Refunded, If You Don't Make $100,00 Your First Year. 

How To headlines have a very strong basic appeal, but in some instances, they're better used as book titles than advertising 
headlines. 

Who Else Wants In On The Finer Things -which your product or service presumably offers- is another approach with a very strong reader appeal. The psychology here is the need of everyone to belong to a group (read herd mentality)- complete with status and prestige motivations. 

Whenever, and as often as you can naturally work it in, you should use the word "you" (and its derivatives) in your headline, and throughout your copy. 

After all, your ad should be directed to "one" person, and the person reading your ad wants to feel that you're talking to her personally, not everyone who lives on her street. 


Personalize and Be Specific


Whenever you sit down to write advertising copy intended to pull the orders -sell the product -you should picture yourself in a one-on-one situation and "talk" to your reader just as if you were sitting across from him at your dining room table. 

Be specific and ask him if these are the things that bother him -are these the things he wants -and he's the one you want to buy the product...the layout you devise for your ad, or the frame you build around it, should also command attention. 

Either make it so spectacular that it stands out like lobster at a chili dinner, or so uncommonly simple that it catches the reader's eye because of its very simplicity [known as a “plain vanilla” Web site]. 

It's also important that you don't get cute with a lot of unrelated graphics and other “eye candy”. Your ad should convey the feeling of excitement and movement, but should not tire the eyes or disrupt the flow of the message you are trying to present. 

Any graphics or artwork you use should be relevant to your product, its use and/or the copy you have written about it. Graphics [other than your product photo] should be used modestly- as artistic touches; to create an atmosphere. 

Any photos within your ad should compliment the selling of your product, and prove or substantiate specific points in your copy. Once you have your reader's attention, the only way you are going to keep it, is by quickly and emphatically telling him what your product will do for him. 

Your potential buyer doesn't care in the least how long it's taken you to produce the product, how long you have been in business, nor how many years you've spend learning your craft- save that for your About Me page for those who are interested! 

All she really wants to know, is specifically how she is going to benefit form the purchase of your product. Period. Generally, her wants (and perceived needs) will fall into one of the following categories: 

Better health;

More comfort;

More money;

More leisure time;

More popularity;

Greater charisma/beauty; 

Greater success and/or

Greater security! 

Even though you have your reader's attention, you must follow through with an enthusiastic enumeration of the benefits you can gain. In essence, you must reiterate the advantages, comfort and happiness she'll enjoy -as you have implied in your headline. 

Mentally picture your prospect -determine his wants and emotional needs -put yourself in his shoes, and ask yourself: If I were reading this ad, what are the things that would appeal to me? 

Write your copy to appeal to your reader's wants, emotional needs and ego cravings!

Remember, it's not the "safety features" that have sold fine cars for the past 50 years -nor has it been the need of transportation. It has been, and almost certainly always will be the advertising writer's recognition of people's wants and emotional/ego needs/cravings. 

Visualize your prospect, recognize his wants and satisfy them. Then Stand and Deliver on your promise, with a sweet, unadvertised bonus bundle!

Writing good advertising copy is nothing more or less than knowing "who" your buyers are; recognizing what he wants; and then telling him how your product will fulfill each of those wants. 

“I can define copy writing in two words: applied psychology.”

-  Alex Mandossian

The "desire" portions of your ad is where you present the facts of your product; create and justify your prospect’s conviction, and cause her to demand "a piece of the action" for herself. 

It's vitally necessary that you present "proven facts" about your product because survey results show that at least 80% of the people reading your ad -especially those reading it for the first time -will tend to question its authenticity. 

So, the more facts you can present in the ad, the more credible your offer. People want “logical facts” to justify emotional surges of instant gratification- as reasons/excuses for buying a product. 

It's like the girl who wants to marry the guy her father calls a "no good bum."  

Her heart -her emotions- tell her yes, but she needs to nullify the seed of doubt lingering in her mind- to rationalize her decision to go on with the wedding. 

In other words, the "desire" portion of your ad has to build belief and credibility in the mind of your prospect. 

It has to assure him of his good judgment in the final decision to buy- furnish evidence of the benefits you have promised- and afford him a "safety net" in case anyone should question his decision to buy. 

People tend to believe the things that appeal to their ego, individual desires, fears and other emotions. Once you have established a belief in this manner, logic and reasoning are used to support it. Your reader "wants" to believe your ad if she has read it through this far- 

It is up to you to support her initial desire. 

Study your product and everything about it- visualize the wants of your prospective buyers- dig up the facts, and you'll almost always find plenty of facts to support the buyer's reasons for buying. 

Here is where you use results of tests conducted, growing sales figures to prove increasing popularity, and "user" testimonials or endorsements. 

“Just exactly what is it for me?!?”

Draw a mental picture for your potential buyer. Let her imagine owning the product. Induce her to visualize all of the benefits you have promised. Give her the keys to seeing herself richer, enjoying luxury, having time to do whatever she would like to do, and with all of her dreams fulfilled. 

This can be handled in one or two sentences, or spelled out in a paragraph or more, but it is the absolute ingredient you must include prior to closing the sale. Study all the enticing sales presentations you have ever heard; look at every winning ad; these are the elements that actually make the sales for you. 

Remember them, use them, and don't try to sell anything without them. Lots of ads are beautiful, almost perfectly written, and quite convincing- yet they fail to command action form the reader. If you want the reader to have your product, then tell her so and command that she send her money now. 

Unless you enjoy spending money on eBay listings, mildly entertaining your prospects with your beautiful writing skills; always command that she complete the sale now, by taking action now- by ordering, visiting your eBay store or Web site, etc. 

Once you have got her on the hook- land her! Don't let her get away! 

Probably, one of the most common and best methods of moving the reader to act now, is written in some form of the following: 

à All of this can be yours!

à You can start enjoying this new way of life immediately, simply by sending a check for $XX! 

à Don't put it off, then later wish you had gotten in on the ground floor! 

à Make out that check now, and "be IN on the ground floor!" 

à Act now, and as an "early-bird" buyer, we'll include a big bonus package -absolutely free, simply for acting immediately! 

à You win all the way! 

à We take all the risk! 

à If you are not satisfied, simply return the product and we will quickly refund your money! 

à Do it now! 

à Get that check on its way to us today, and receive the big bonus package! 

à After next week, we won't be able to include the bonus as a part of this fantastic deal, so act now! 

à The sooner you act, you more you win! 


In Review


Mastering the fundamentals of Social Networking and the Web2.0 philosophy is merely the permission-based  art of selling- knowing how to present whatever it is that you're selling to your visitor in such a manner that she feels you will personally solve her problems or fulfill her dreams.

Anybody can sell anything to anybody and selling on the Web- absolutely no different than selling by mail, in person, or face to face with your prospect...just a more efficient and economical way of making contact:

You've got to captivate her attention;

You've got to appeal to her interests;

You've got to reveal to her how her purchase of your product will benefit her;

You've got to close the sale by causing her to reach into her purse for her credit card or to write out a check for whatever it is you're selling.

The first few seconds of the opening encounter with your prospect ultimately affects the success of the presentation and inevitably-whether or not a sale is made. Therefore, it's absolutely critical that your sales presentation radiates enthusiasm and success!

Once she's on your Site and is looking at your presentation, you've got to make her feel comfortable; be friendly and believable. Stimulate her interest in whatever you're selling by appealing to one of her primordial wants, needs or problems with a solution. 

Don't waste her time with a long and/or complicated dissertation...

Make your sales presentation flow;

Anticipate her objections;

Logically answer them within your presentation. 

Explain all of the irresistible benefits gained from ownership of your product or service;

Whenever possible, let her see or read of proof or testimonials from people who have already bought from you.

The most important thing you want to do is to create- within your presentation- the fulfillment she'll have as a result of buying from you....

Stimulate her imagination;

Explain to her how she can use whatever you're selling to solve her problems or achieve her dreams;

Invite her to attend the theater of her own mind; 

Cast a word movie that allows her to see herself ultimately gratified and satisfied with your product. 

Give her a payment button to click on or a simple benefits-packed squeeze page.

Make it as simple and as easy as possible for your prospect to buy from you, extend a generous guarantee and – most importantly- STAND BEHIND IT.  

The payment button, order agreement or simple coupon should close the sale for you - that is, if your presentation is well-written and highly compelling; she sees what you're selling as an immediate solution to one of her immediate wants, needs or problems!

Too many sites begin with some sort of blah-blah story about the seller...

“Hello there, I'm writing to you from the beautiful beaches of Waikiki” Or...

“After a hundred years of research I've found the fountain of youth”.

Even some such tripe as “dear friend, you may not know me but I'm now a millionaire...” blah biddy blah. 

Just ask them if they'd like to _____ ...if so, let me explain; if not, then I don't want to waste your time. Treat your prospects as though their time is more precious than your own!



To Your Success
Neville Richards
MD@Funknation Group Marketing.


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How To Develop Your Financial IQ In 2014



Develop Your Financial IQ



“Greatly Enhance Your Financial Sense In A Fun And Easy Way – And Take Control Of Your Finances Today!”



Definition Of Insanity

Naturally, most if not all of us want and crave for something better. It is all part of us if we want a bigger car, a better house, buying good things for the family. We keep hoping for more but, in order to get what you don’t have, you have got to do something you have never done before.

That simply means:

Doing the same thing over and over again YET expecting different results!

As an employee, you can’t stay at the same job forever and hope that a miracle will happen and your boss will suddenly give you a raise. You will be lucky that there is no downsizing in your company. Switching to another company will only provide a short term solution to a long term problem.

Sure, you can take up a second or even third job, but do you have enough hours and stamina in a day to sustain it?

The bottom-line: Trading time for money isn’t wise financial sense in the long term. You keep on increasing the hours just to win the rat race, but in the end of the day, you are still a rat on the mill!

Increasing your wages only puts you in a higher tax bracket. Your salaries increase but so does your expenses on your house and car. How will you invest in yourself when all the time you spend working for a company, working for the government paying taxes and working for the bank paying off your house and car? What if you fall sick and can’t work tomorrow? Will the government take care of your family?

I highly doubt so.

So isn’t it time you take your finances a tad more seriously?


What Is Money?


You see, there are many ideas of what people think money is. 

Some say it is a form of measurement. 

Yes, but a measurement of what? Wealth? In the olden days, people measured wealth by how many cows, sheep and horses they had. But do people measure wealth today by your cows and horses? How about slaves? Was there a time where manpower is considered a hot commodity? Are slaves worth anything today? Are your dollar bills sitting in the bank going to protect you if a recession strikes the country? No, wealth can not be measured by the dollar bill.

Some say it is a form of power.

Yes, money can give you power, but if you are stuck on a desert island forever with a trillion dollars, will that money mean squat to you? If someone offered you water and a helicopter to fly out of there, you would trade all your money in a split second, so money is not an accurate measurement of power – it heavily depends on how and wisely you use it (hint!).

Many believe it is the root of all evil… and several others take on this belief without much questioning.

Now, now, now… money is NOT the root of all evil (otherwise, why do you think churches still accept monetary donation and charity?). The love of money is the root of all evil. Remember, money is an excellent servant but a terrible master. If you are trading your life away for the dollar, money then has power over your time and life.

And unless you have proper financial intelligence, the lack of money can spawn a lot of evil thinking and negative mindset as observed in primarily cheats, thieves, criminals, breakups, freeloaders, cheapskates, and more to name.

But what is money, really?

Money is an idea, backed by confidence.

While money has naturally been developed by merchants in the older days to replace the questionable barter system, money today is literally invented by the rich and wealthy.

Entrepreneurs are willing to part with their money to buy other people’s time. Other people’s time i.e. employees and self-employed people becomes their employer’s asset and the employers this priceless resource to go on to create more wealth for themselves.

And here’s the thing: as long as you work for money, you are enslaved by it! 80% - 90% of the populations today are being enslaved involuntarily.

What we don’t realize is that there is a part of our soul that cannot be bought at whatever price. Would you chop off your little finger if your boss offered you 24 months of your salary immediately? You and I know we are worth more than that. But when you hear of cases of people selling their body parts for cash in some countries, we can have our eyeballs pop out of our eye sockets.

On the other hand, we occasionally DO sell out a part of ourselves for money like a donkey and a carrot.


Awareness Before Change



Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not banging on working at a job (I worked at one before I became an Internet Entrepreneur).

But let’s face it: our needs today are growing more than ever before in any period of history. Prices go up, salaries don’t. There are more baby boomers than ever and have very little pension to show for their decades of years of work efforts.

And there is no guessing to how many people really, really hate the unhealthy, hectic lifestyle of getting up early, coping with stress for most parts of the day, join traffic jams, spend more money and time in traveling, enjoy very little rest, and repeat the viscous cycle.

Definitely doesn’t paint a nice financial and lifestyle picture, huh?

The first step to change is to be aware of the problem. Awareness before change (or ABC for short) is necessary if you are to make any changes in life to start taking control of your financial life and then get out of the rat race.

We need the awareness to know what state we are in so we know where we are going. For starters, indulge me in a quick exercise as we exit this chapter shortly:


Time And Money


There are generally 4 types of people in the world:

No time, and no money.

Most employees fall into the category. You can’t go shopping on a Tuesday afternoon or fire your boss whenever you like. Most employees can’t even save money in their pension to last 3 years!


No time, lots of money.

Self-employed, professionals and small business owners are in this category. They are slightly better off than the employee because they earn more, but they have to work even harder than employees to keep up with the diminishing profit margins, competition and servicing their customers.


Got time, no money.

A lot of farmers, villagers, college dropouts or bums have lots of time but no money. Maybe ignorance is bliss, but without a stable source of income, how long can you last many days forward?


Got time, and lots of money.

It is the category that big business owners, landlords, investors are in. Imagine, not having to work for money, but having money to work for you by investing them and earning profits by using your money to make money.


Short Quiz

Which one of the four categories are you currently in?

Which one category do you desire to be in tomorrow?

Chapter #2:
Ways To Achieve Wealth




2 Wealth Building Models



Everyone wants to make more money, but people are generally split into two categories:

Those who bring results after they are promised wealth first

Or

Those who bring the results first, then are rewarded by others afterwards

Let’s explore the two groups in depth.

Those who only move their butts after promised big fat paychecks are more like employees, freshmen, or mercenaries. 

There is no right or no wrong with this kind of thinking, but consider: you are once again, trading your precious time for money. Instead of investing your time in an ASSET that generates money, you spend your time working on something that is short term, limited wealth, and does not give you income long after you have stopped working.

Consider also, that this kind of short term vision will only produce limited or temporary results at best. Ever seen a security guard asleep at work when the boss is not around?

Furthermore, the part where our emotions get the better of us is when we allow our lives to be run by chasing the dollar. It is evident whenever an employee is offered a higher salary, more medical benefits and longer vacations, that their heart starts pumping faster.

A higher salary doesn’t mean less financial problems. On the contrary when your income goes up, your commitments, your tax bracket and your time spent in your company increases. The greater your salary, the weaker your position because if your boss is paying you a 5 figure income and calls for an emergency meeting, you had better rush over to the office even if you are halfway making love to your wife!

I think the best definition of an employee/boss relationship can be summed up as this.

An employee will only do the bare minimum to keep the boss from firing them and a boss will only pay the bare minimum to keep an employee from leaving.

Now let’s explore the other group.

There are many creative people, inventors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who fall into this category.

An entrepreneur is someone who always has good ideas.


The first obstacle we need to overcome if we want to succeed in the second group is to stop working for money. What does this mean? Isn’t making money part and parcel of having good financial IQ? 

What I mean by ‘stop working for money’ is not working for free. Rather, it means work so as to gain the necessary skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur (or inventor, investor). Allow me to illustrate:

If you lack the contacts for running a business, where would the best place be to look for contacts? Of course, your competitor’s customers.

How about product knowledge? Then work with a company that will teach you all the ins and outs of the tricks of the trade.

Not familiar with the production line of a factory? Work in one! Learn the ropes or manage the factory workers.

Fear of talking to people? Get a sales job where you will be forced to talk to lots of people. It is also a great way to develop perseverance!

Don’t you know that the best education you can get is in real life! Not at a lecture hall.

The bottom-line is: not everybody has what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur!

It is not that easy. Many lack the perseverance, the creative mindset, the financial capabilities or the necessary people to get the job done and usually give up too early before any results can be seen! The fastest way to get those skills to succeed is to learn them hands on and you even get paid in the process! Don’t get absorbed with how much you are paid.

When Donald Trump was selecting candidates in The Apprentice, their first task was to go to the streets and sell lemonade! Many would find it a degrading task. But to The Donald, it was very important: If you can’t even do something as simple as sell lemonade, how on earth can you handle a daunting task like running the Trump Empire?

Again, let me emphasize:

Would you trade time for short term money? (Money stops coming in when you stop)

Or

Trade time and money for a long term asset that generates you income? (Even long after you have stopped)

God created us with a brain. All we need to do is look around us and observe problems to overcome because every problem is an opportunity in disguise.

It is all up to you. You may or may not see the results in the short term, but by using our brains and the resources around us, we can create true value that others are willing to pay for what we have to offer.


3 Ways of Making Money



Let me summarize the 3 Ways of Making Money

Trading Time For Money - employees, self-employed

Manifesting & Using Creative Ideas - inventors, artists, programmers

Leveraging on resources and other people - business people, leaders

If you are a professional, have you ever explored writing an e-book about your field of expertise? If well written, it could provide a new income stream, instead of you selling out your time serving your clients.

How about a computer programmer? You can come out with your own revolutionary product instead of selling your ideas to the company you work for.

How about real estate, instead of selling houses, you can pool financial sources to buy houses cheap, increase their value and sell them off at a higher price. It just takes a little time and research to find good ideas.

Is money a problem? Seek out loans if you can take the risk. Pool money from many investors or seek a grant. The sky is the limit when it comes to making money.

Again, which way do you want to achieve wealth? Answer: it's totally up to you


Chapter #3: The Most Important Rule in Investing 





What Does Investing Mean To People?


What comes in to your mind when you mention the word investing?

Does it mean, putting your money in insurance, mutual funds, the stock market or even high-yield investments?

Other people might only think about investing when they are about to die and they haven’t left anything for their offspring.

Some even shiver when they hear the word, often claiming that they have no money to invest or feel that is too complicated a subject to even discuss about.

Many people even invest heavily in health supplements, personal trainers and beauticians to make themselves live longer, healthier or even look younger! Imagine the advertising budget for beauty companies nowadays.

All these are legitimate concerns when it comes to investing, but I am talking about the most important investment a person can make in his lifetime.


Invest in Yourself



The most important and No.1 rule is “Invest in Yourself” – if you don’t, who else will?


Your parents will only invest in your education only until you leave college. But that is just the basic necessities provided and does not teach you important lessons about financial education.

Would you depend on colleges or universities to teach you how to make money? Most colleges only teach you skills so you can earn money working for other people. How about business school? Honestly, if business lecturers are such experts at business, why are they still lecturing there instead of making a fortune in business ventures?

Would your boss teach you how to succeed in business so that one day, you will be in his position?

You and only you have to be proactive enough to take that responsibility 


You see, when you invest in yourself, it means taking on the importance of educating yourself. Education not in the academic or technical sense, though they are necessary skills to be developed in life. Our education doesn’t stop at college.

For most working adults, their education enters retardation stage after they leave college. They stop learning and therefore they stop growing. They only grow sideways from eating too much pizzas or take-out during their busy lunch breaks.

We know that IQ is important right? But why aren’t the most intelligent people in the world the richest people in the world? There are many accountants and financial planners rushing to their cars every evening trying to beat the after work traffic congestions! They are not rich!

How about EQ or Emotional quotient? Do working hard, having a great attitude and a positive mindset solve our financial situation? These are important when running a business, but let me illustrate:

If you are driving from Boston to New York using the wrong road map, you won’t get to our destination no matter how fast you drive your car (working hard)! You can work harder, but you would only get to the wrong destination faster! You may have the best attitude in the world or the most positive mindset, but you still won’t get to New York (although the journey wouldn’t bother you since you are feeling positive about it)


The Importance Of Financial Education



You must FIRST invest in your Financial IQ.


Having good financial IQ is not about saving tons of money or dumping them into mutual funds. It is developing a healthy relationship money and building a wealth of assets that will generate you money.

What does it take to develop your financial IQ?

Delayed gratification is one of the most important aspects to developing your financial IQ. Take this as a hypothetical example.

Would you pay for a pint of milk or a cow?

If you buy milk, it is consumed and it is over. You will have to buy milk over and over again when it is finished. Even if the milk costs less than a cow, in the long run, you will still be buying milk again and again.

Now, if a cow were to cost 50 times more than milk, you might pay through your nose when you purchase the cow, but after consuming 50 pints worth of milk from the cow, you would break even on your investment and save more money in the future. In fact, the cow might give birth to 2 or more calves and you could sell one of them for profit!

Get the idea?

EVERYONE is capable of creating wealth. When you take a beat up old car and give it an overhaul, paint it with a new coat of paint, and change a few more parts to make it start running again, you could sell that car for more money than if it was just a beat up old car. You would have created wealth in the process!

How about a farm? If you turn a farm into a country home getaway resort, wouldn’t the value of the farm land increase manifold?

It is the same principle for chefs, computer programmers and craftsmen. The sum of the whole is greater than the parts. We are all capable of creating wealth even out of thin air and that is the first step to getting our creative juices flowing.

The value of anything is defined by supply and demand.

You don’t need to be a Major in economics to understand this. Money is just an idea. Remember the desert island example? The true measurement of money is not the cents or dollars it represents.

If you have developed a product that people want, would they pay more to you than usual? Would you apply your skills in creating good assets?

Bottom-line is this:

Invest in assets that bring long term value. Anything that brings you more income is an asset. Don’t invest too much in liabilities like cars or boats.

Even houses are not considered assets until they are fully paid off (If you lost your job tomorrow and you can’t pay for your house, is your house an asset or liability?)

Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and pay the price for financial IQ or ignore the signs of the times and expect your boss, the government and the bank to take care of you financially for the rest of your life, living below your means and never taking risks to better your family’s future?



Chapter #4: How To Get Out Of A Financial Mess





There are two methods I can recommend about getting out of a financial mess.


Defensive Strategies



The first one is defensive:

Cut down what you are already spending on. You can’t start a business being in a financial mess. Cash Flow is more important than revenue. And you need to have lots of cash flow coming from your pockets if you are going to succeed.

Here are some things you can cut down on

Smoking – if you can’t quit, just cut down on a few sticks
Alcohol – booze can drain your finances faster than a running tap
Night outs – spend some nights at home thinking about making more money
Gambling – if you plan to gamble, it is better to gamble in a business
Vacation and Country Clubs – you won’t die without a few memberships
Food – eat healthily and you can even think clearer
Laziness – The biggest thing that will hold you back!

Most important of all, don’t buy anything that constitutes a liability. A liability is anything that takes money out of your pocket no matter what they are worth in the future. Think in terms of cash flow. What can I invest in today that will give me funds tomorrow?

Now let’s move on to offensive strategies:



Offensive Strategies



One of the best, low-cost ways to invest in your business skills is to join a Network Marketing company. There are many other options such as starting a traditional business or maybe even an Online Business.

But if you want to guarantee yourself something concrete where business skills are concern, my take is on Network Marketing.

Regardless of what you have heard about this industry or how much money people have lost there, the biggest reason why I would recommend everyone to invest in a network marketing company is because of what you can learn there, and not because of how much money you can make (although it would be fantastic if you can make a living out of it).

You see, network marketing companies are the one place where people will share their trade secrets FREELY. It is logical because in order for your upline to succeed, they will want you to succeed as well! Therefore, they will not hold back in teaching you the skills of a business person.

Furthermore, the relatively low cost of investing in a network marketing company will amaze you for what you can learn for the price you are paying (a few bottles of vitamins and a business kit for the experience of a lifetime!) They will patiently train you in the attitudes and business skills you need to succeed in this industry.

Basically, you can’t succeed in network marketing with an employee’s mindset. A network marketing company will train you in sales, communication, teamwork, leadership, positive thinking, self-improvement, time and money investment as well as the support of your upline as a personal coach and mentor. I dare say that even if you didn’t make a cent, but diligently went through their program, the skills you develop will last a lifetime.

You can also develop skills by attaching yourself to an insurance agency. The job may be challenging, but those companies will also teach you the same skills above and maybe even gain a few tips on financial planning as well.

How about an Internet business? If you have the aptitude for computers, Internet businesses offer a low cost, high-profit margin business that can earn a lot of money and tap into a worldwide market.

Other places you can learn about business skills can be found at financial planning courses, real estate investment courses, time management courses and lots more.

All these I have suggested will be the safest way you can start a new business. You are only spending a few hundred to a thousand dollars in start-up and education. A traditional business might be too risky for someone without any business experience. You invest tens of thousands of dollars and you might struggle trying to break even. But once you have developed the skills above, you will have a higher chance of succeeding.

The most important thing of all besides a good learning attitude are the people you mix around with.

It has been said before; you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with!

This is very hard to swallow but imagine if you start talking to your five beer drinking, poker buddies that you want to go out on your own and make a fortune, what would they tell you? They would laugh their socks off before tearing your ego into a million pieces!

At the heart of man lies jealousy. They don’t want to see the people around them succeed. If you succeed, it makes them look bad. They know in their hearts that they are going no where yet they embrace that lifestyle and pull you down with them. They will steal your dream, and rob you of your financial freedom if you are not careful!

The key point to remember is: Only mix with Positive thinking people!

Positive thinking is not wishful thinking. A wishful thinker is a dreamer who doesn’t take action. Positive thinking is backed by action and you will feel the energy of people who believe in you and support your dreams.

If you hang out with ducks, you will quack… but if you hang out with eagles, you will soar!

So start looking for people who will follow your vision or are willing to grow together with you.

Lastly, you must BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

The task of stepping out of your comfort zone may seem terrifying and many will not support your dream. They may even go on the offensive even if you don’t share your dream. That person may even be your parents or your spouse. 

Then you will be faced with the question, is my financial freedom worth the price I am paying now? Can I live another day with the same routine, the same job, the same paycheck or the same drudgery? If the answer is no, then take action NOW. Not tomorrow, you will wake up and forget about your dream.

Write down your desire on a piece of paper and hang on tight to it everyday. Share it with someone positive and take that first step.

You won’t regret it.

To Your Financial Freedom!

Neville Richards
MD@Funknation Group Marketing.




Recommended Resources
  

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