Don’t Get Above Your Business

Don’t Get Above Your Business

by: Fernando Soave

Young men after they get through their business training, or apprenticeship, instead of pursuing their avocation and rising in their business, will often lie about doing nothing. They say, กI have learned my business, but I am not going to be a hireling; what is the object of learning my trade or profession, unless I establish myself?ก

กHave you capital to start with?ก

กNo, but I am going to have it.ก

กHow are you going to get it?ก

กI will tell you confidentially; I have a wealthy old aunt, and she will die pretty soon; but if she does not, I expect to find some rich old man who will lend me a few thousands to give me a start. If I only get the money to start with I will do well.ก

There is no greater mistake than when a young man believes he will succeed with borrowed money. Why? Because every manกs experience coincides with that of Mr. Astor, who said, กit was more difficult for him to accumulate his first thousand dollars, than all the succeeding millions that made up his colossal fortune.ก Money is good for nothing unless you know the value of it by experience. Give a boy twenty thousand dollars and put him in business, and the chances are that he will lose every dollar of it before he is a year older. Like buying a ticket in the lottery, and drawing a prize, it is กeasy come, easy go.ก He does not know the value of it; nothing is worth anything, unless it costs effort. Without selfdenial and economy, patience and perseverance, and commencing with capital which you have not earned, you are not sure to succeed in accumulating. Young men, instead of กwaiting for dead menกs shoes,ก should be up and doing, for there is no class of persons who are so unaccommodating in regard to dying as these rich old people, and it is fortunate for the expectant heirs that it is so. Nine out of ten of the rich men of our country today, started out in life as poor boys, with determined wills, industry, perseverance, economy and good habits. They went on gradually, made their own money and saved it; and this is the best way to acquire a fortune. Stephen Girard started life as a poor cabin boy, and died worth nine million dollars. A. T. Stewart was a poor Irish boy; and he paid taxes on a million and a half dollars of income, per year. John Jacob Astor was a poor farmer boy, and died worth twenty millions. Cornelius Vanderbilt began life rowing a boat from Staten Island to New York; he presented our government with a steamship worth a million of dollars, and died worth fifty millions. ‘there is no royal road to learning,ก says the proverb, and I may say it is equally true, ‘there is no royal road to wealth.ก But I think there is a royal road to both. The road to learning is a royal one; the road that enables the student to expand his intellect and add every day to his stock of knowledge, until, in the pleasant process of intellectual growth, he is able to solve the most profound problems, to count the stars, to analyze every atom of the globe, and to measure the firmamentthis is a regal highway, and it is the only road worth traveling.

So in regard to wealth. Go on in confidence, study the rules, and above all things, study human nature; for ‘the proper study of mankind is man,ก and you will find that while expanding the intellect and the muscles, your enlarged experience will enable you every day to accumulate more and more principal, which will increase itself by interest and otherwise, until you arrive at a state of independence. You will find, as a general thing, that the poor boys get rich and the rich boys get poor. For instance, a rich man at his decease, leaves a large estate to his family. His eldest sons, who have helped him earn his fortune, know by experience the value of money, and they take their inheritance and add to it. The separate portions of the young children are placed at interest, and the little fellows are patted on the head, and told a dozen times a day, กyou are rich; you will never have to work, you can always have whatever you wish, for you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth.ก The young heir soon finds out what that means; he has the finest dresses and playthings; he is crammed with sugar candies and almost กkilled with kindness,ก and he passes from school to school, petted and flattered. He becomes arrogant and selfconceited, abuses his teachers, and carries everything with a high hand. He knows nothing of the real value of money, having never earned any; but he knows all about the กgolden spoonก business. At college, he invites his poor fellowstudents to his room, where he กwines and dinesก them. He is cajoled and caressed, and called a glorious good fellow, because he is so lavish of his money. He gives his game suppers, drives his fast horses, invites his chums to fetes and parties, determined to have lots of กgood times.ก He spends the night in frolics and debauchery, and leads off his companions with the familiar song, กwe won’t go home till morning.ก He gets them to join him in pulling down signs, taking gates from their hinges and throwing them into back yards and horseponds. If the police arrest them, he knocks them down, is taken to the lockup, and joyfully foots the bills.

กAh! my boys,ก he cries, กwhat is the use of being rich, if you can’t enjoy yourself?ก

He might more truly say, กif you can’t make a fool of yourself;ก but he is กfast,ก hates slow things, and don’t กsee it.ก Young men loaded down with other peopleกs money are almost sure to lose all they inherit, and they acquire all sorts of bad habits which, in the majority of cases, ruin them in health, purse and character. In this country, one generation follows another, and the poor of today are rich in the next generation, or the third. Their experience leads them on, and they become rich, and they leave vast riches to their young children. These children, having been reared in luxury, are inexperienced and get poor; and after long experience another generation comes on and gathers up riches again in turn. And thus กhistory repeats itself,ก and happy is he who by listening to the experience of others avoids the rocks and shoals on which so many have been wrecked.

กIn England, the business makes the man.ก If a man in that country is a mechanic or workingman, he is not recognized as a gentleman. On the occasion of my first appearance before Queen Victoria, the Duke of Wellington asked me what sphere in life General Tom Thumbกs parents were in.

กHis father is a carpenter,ก I replied.

กOh! I had heard he was a gentleman,ก was the response of His Grace.

In this Republican country, the man makes the business. No matter whether he is a blacksmith, a shoemaker, a farmer, banker or lawyer, so long as his business is legitimate, he may be a gentleman. So any กlegitimateก business is a double blessingit helps the man engaged in it, and also helps others. The farmer supports his own family, but he also benefits the merchant or mechanic who needs the products of his farm. The tailor not only makes a living by his trade, but he also benefits the farmer, the clergyman and others who cannot make their own clothing. But all these classes of men may be gentlemen.

The great ambition should be to excel all others engaged in the same occupation.

The collegestudent who was about graduating, said to an old lawyer:

กI have not yet decided which profession I will follow. Is your profession full?ก

‘the basement is much crowded, but there is plenty of room upstairs,ก was the witty and truthful reply.

No profession, trade, or calling, is overcrowded in the upper story. Wherever you find the most honest and intelligent merchant or banker, or the best lawyer, the best doctor, the best clergyman, the best shoemaker, carpenter, or anything else, that man is most sought for, and has always enough to do. As a nation Americans are too superficialthey are striving to get rich quickly, and do not generally do their business as substantially and thoroughly as they should, but whoever excels all others in his own line, if his habits are good and his integrity undoubted, cannot fail to secure abundant patronage, and the wealth that naturally follows. Let your motto then always be กExcelsior,ก for by living up to it there is no such word as fail.

Fernando Soave

Editor and Publisher

CUTTING EDGE MLM

http://www.cuttingedgemlm.tk

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This article comes with reprint rights. Feel free to reprint and distribute as needed. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes and to be sure that the web site address http://www.cuttingedgemlm.tk and is hyperlinked correctly.

About The Author

Fernando Soave is the author of กCutting Edge MLM News.ก He has been in marketing for 20 years and is helping individuals succeed online. Visit his site to find out how you can get free reports. http://www.cuttingedgemlm.tk or Subscribe to the Free Cutting Edge MLM Newsletter and receive your +$585 MLM Value Pack. Subscribe here http://www.cuttingedgemlm.tk

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 14, 2004

by Fernando Soave

ขHow and Why Do Women Buy?ข

ขHow and Why Do Women Buy?ข

by: Kare Anderson

A woman wanted a cell phone that would work anywhere, not rack up high roaming fees, and be กcute,ก according to Martha Barletta, author of _Marketing to Women: How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the Worldกs Largest Market Segment_.

Her husband researchs various plans and finds the one that most matched her calling and financial criteria.

กWhat kind of phone comes with it?ก the wife asked.

กWhat difference does that make?!ก replied the husband.

His wife looked at the information heกd gathered and discovered that Nokia had a model in กocean blue,ก although the nearest store carrying one in that color was an hourกs drive away.

She drove.

‘the color of the phone is the most important thing?ก asked her astounded husband.

No, said Barletta, it wasn’t the most important thing, but while this woman was buying, กshe wanted what she wanted.ก

To women, details of beauty, simplicity, and practicality matter. Says Barletta, กA woman might choose a Jeep Cherokee because itกs the only one whose hatch she can easily flip open.ก

Studies have shown, writes Barletta, that the male sees his relationship to others in terms of higher/lower, faster/slower, first/second.

A female sees her relationships in less competitive terms: similarto/ differentfrom, knowher/don’tknowher. Thus advertising that says others will be jealous if you own this product works with men but is offputting to women.

Women, says Barletta, want to be able to say, กYep, thatกs my life. If that product works for her, itกll probably work for me.ก

Thus the power of cultivating the mavens – the trusted people to whom your market of women turn for advice can be the key to increasing your profits.

When you want to learn exactly how to cultivate those mavens, read Malcolm Gladwellกs brilliant book on the topic, _The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference_ (http://www.sayitbetter.com/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TTB&Category_Code=T2F).

More than half the U.S. population is female, and women purchase or influence the purchase of more than 80% of all products and services.

Women are the majority decisionmakers today, not only in the traditional areas of fashion, food, and cosmetics but also for such bigticket buys as automobiles, financial services, home improvement, computer electronics, and travel.

So you might think there would be nothing about the buying habits of women that American businesses don’t know.

However, Barletta and Mary Lou Quinlan, author of _Just Ask a Woman: Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How They Buy_, believe that many marketing and sales strategies are more likely to annoy their target audience than to attract them.

กYou might feel that you have already evolved into the most politically correct person you can be. Your ads are not offensive your products keep improving, but thatกs not enough to lure a woman to buy your product rather than a competing brand,ก warns Mary Lou Quinlan.

Both Quinlan and Barletta point out that women are especially valuable customers. More than men, they typically ask for recommendations from friends and acquaintances before they buy and, if they are happy with a product or service, will recommend it to others. Again, this highlights the powerful influence of mavens on buying decisions.

According to Quinlan and Barletta, women especially working mothers lead timepressured lives and therefore appreciate products that simplify tasks and relieve anxieties.

They prefer product warranties and service guarantees more than extra bells and whistles.

Women don’t want to be told a product is กcoolก; they want to hear specifics about how it serves their needs and their familiesก needs.

Both agree that women want marketers to be patient and helpful. กItกs frustrating to marketers of highstakes or bigticket services such as financial services or cars to be asked to meet with women several times to go through alternatives,ก writes Quinlan.

But from a womanกs point of view, itกs necessary: กWomen judge the quality of the relationship as well as the quality of a product. They ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening before they form a trusting relationship to believe what that person is saying about the product,ก she says.

Quinlan and Barletta reach many of the same conclusions but disagree on some points.

For example, Quinlan says women today – especially working mothers are stressed out.

Barletta believes the opposite: กIn fact, women today are proud of how well they cope with stress.ก

In another point of disagreement, both authors describe a current ad for the cholesterollowering drug Lipitor, reaching opposite conclusions as to its effectiveness.

In the ad, writes Barletta, a กgracious, glamorous, silverhaired woman is coming up a red carpet as if to the Academy Awards. Suddenly, she trips and falls flat on her face.

The message: Cholesterol doesn’t care who you are; it can even bring a princess down.ก

Women don’t like the ad because they กdon’t like to see anyone get hurt, even for a good cause,ก says Barletta. กAll I can think is, กOooh that poor woman, is she okay?กก

Quinlan praises the same ad for being กclichesmashing.ก She says the way to get womens attention is to play against type. กHow often have you seen the grayhaired grandmother walking the beach and worrying about her incontinence or arthritis?ก she asks.

According to Quinlan, the Lipitor ad is an example of letting older models กbe silly and not just sentimental,ก which, she implies, appeals to women.

On this point, I agree with Barletta, not Quinlan. What do you think?

But the books differ most significantly in how they present their material. Quinlan is CEO of Just Ask a Woman, Inc. (http://www.justaskawoman.com/) a marketing research firm she founded in 1999.

Her main research method is a TVshow format in which Quinlan plays กOprahก to elicit candid views and opinions from an allfemale audience. In her book, Quinlan shares the insights from her interviews of more than 3,000 women.

They have told her that, in their stressed lives, they would appreciate having bank statements that are กunderstandableก and instructions for cell phones กwritten in Englishก (as opposed, presumably, to techie talk).

Surely, a wise bank or cell phone manufacturer would provide same. But a reader can’t help wondering, wouldn’t men like understandable bank statements and cell phone manuals too? Wouldn’t anyone?

Barletta is president of The TrendSight Group (http://www.trendsight.com/), a marketing consulting firm that also was founded four years ago.

Its patented product, the กGenderTrends Marketing Model,ก provides a process for analyzing how to mesh what you sell and how you sell it with, as Barletta puts it, กfemale gender culture.ก

Barlettaกs book not only describes what women want, it also shows many scenarios where no rule applies to 100% of either genderกs buying behavior.

Barletta notes that it is not that women want better products and better service while men don’t. Itกs that women will go to more trouble to obtain what they want.

She points out, for example, that Wyndham Hotels put magnifying mirrors in bathrooms based on suggestions from women who wanted them for applying eye makeup.

Men didn’t request the mirrors and probably never would have, according to Barletta, but they appreciated them when they appeared, because it made shaving easier.

One reason it takes women longer to make a buying decision, Barletta explains, is that women want the กperfect answer.ก

Men will buy a workable answer rather than continue to shop, while women will continue to shop in the hope of finding that perfect answer. Now that sounds familiar.

Women also relate better to กwarmerก than to กwinner.ก A Nissan print ad stating กhorsepower increased 17%, torque increased 6%, bragging rights increased 100%ก is a maleonly ad.

Women (even those who know what torque is) don’t care as much about bragging rights says Barletta. But an ad for an SUV that says ‘think of it as a 4,000 pound guardian angelก is an ad that resonates women.

Both books were helpful to me, but Barlettaกs book contains more information for marketers regardless of gender.

About The Author

Kare Anderson is publisher of the กSay it Betterก newsletter, fivetime author, Emmywinner and former Wall Street Journal reporter.

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 24, 2003

by Kare Anderson

What Makes A Winning Online Ad?

What Makes A Winning Online Ad?

by: Daniel Levis

Most people who have been involved with sales & marketing for any length of time have heard the axiom, ขSell them what they want. Then sell them what they needข. But what does it mean? It sounds a little odd doesn’t it?

Does it mean that people are frivolous & go around making irrational purchases that don’t meet their needs, before more serious ones that sustain them? Should you try to sell trivial goods first, & then follow up with those that are more substantial? Should you put games & entertainment on your home page, and flour & salt in your follow up messages?

No, that’s not it.

What it is trying to say is that people buy for emotional reasons. Does anybody buy a Mercedes Benz just because they NEED to get from point A to point B? Do they buy it because they NEED all of the amazing gizmos, the heated leather seats & hand polished wood trim?

No, a person buys an expensive car that they don’t need because it makes them feel important. You may be shocked when I say this, but I’m going to say it anyway. Luxury purchases are motivated by vanity, envy, pride, jealousy, & narcissism, even greed. And, there is nothing sinister, or wrong with it. That’s just the way we are as human beings. It’s what makes us tick. In fact, these emotions are behind all kinds of everyday purchases too.

Understanding how they motivate buying behavior is critical to selling.

Look at this ad for the Wall Street Journal. It’s said to be one of the most successful advertisements in the history of the world, responsible for over $1 billion in sales.

Look carefully, & see how skillfully it evokes one or more of these powerful emotions. Try to get a sense of how you feel when you read it.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ‘tWO YOUNG MENก LETTER

On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twentyfive years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students, both were personable, and both – as young college graduates are were filled with ambitious dreams for the future.

Recently, these men returned to their college for their 25th reunion. They were still very much alike. Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both, it turned out, had gone to work for the same Midwestern manufacturing company after graduation, and were still there.

But there was a difference. One of the men was manager of a small department of that company. The other was its president.

Have you ever wondered, as I have, what makes this kind of difference in peopleกs lives? It isn’t always a native intelligence or talent or dedication. It isn’t that one person wants success and the other doesn’t. The difference lies in what each person knows and how he or she makes use of that knowledge.

And that is why I am writing to you and to people like you about The Wall Street Journal. For that is the whole purpose of The Journal: To give its readers knowledge knowledge that they can use in business.

The letter closes:

About those two college classmates I mention at the beginning of this letter: They were graduated from college together and together got started in the business world. So what made their lives in business different?

Knowledge. Useful knowledge. And its application.

I cannot promise you that success will be instantly yours if you start reading The Wall Street Journal. But I can guarantee that you will find The Journal always interesting, always reliable, and always useful.

This is a newspaper! It doesn’t get much more mundane than that, but the same principle applies, do you see the power in it?

What we are talking about here are emotions that are inextricably tied to the universal desire for esteem that’s hard wired into our nature as human beings. If you’ve got a pulse, you’re under its spell. But here’s the kicker. Most of the time, we are not even aware of the stimulus, only the response.

When you were reading the story about the graduates and the reunion, chances are, you were playing out your own meta program inside your head, and experiencing one of the esteem emotions. And it triggered your own personal desire to show the world what you could do, didn’t it?

Esteem (to feel valued) is NOT a WANT at all. It is a basic human NEED almost as fundamental as food & water. Your prospect’s hunger & thirst for it. Their emotions are the expressions of that craving.

If you can trigger them, & then associate satisfaction of the ขesteem needsข with your product, you’ve got a winning ad!

Copyright 2005 Daniel Levis

About The Author

Daniel Levis is a top marketing consultant & direct response copywriter based in Toronto Canada. Recently, Daniel & worldrenowned publicist & copywriter Joe Vitale teamed up to co author ขMillion Dollar Online Advertising Strategies – From The Greatest Letter Writer Of The 20th Century!ข, a tribute to the late, great Robert Collier.

Let the legendary Robert Collier show you how to write words that sell…Visit the below site & get 3 FREE Chapters!

http://www.AdvertisingOnlineStrategies.com/adstrategies.html

This article was posted on April 04

by Daniel Levis

Testosterone Free Marketing for Women in Business

Testosterone Free Marketing for Women in Business

by: Denise Michaels

Are Your Lack of Marketing Skills Holding You Back From the Success You Deserve?

Secrets of Success for Women Entrepreneurs Who Would Rather Get a Bikini Wax than Market Their Homebased Business

By Denise Michaels, Marketing Maven

Does the thought of marketing your business drive you to chocolate? If ขgetting the word outข makes you feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed, you’re not alone. In my work coaching over 1,000 men and women during the last three years I’ve discovered big differences between men and women and how they handle the challenges that marketing throws at every small business.

WOMEN STILL NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD

Did you know women are starting businesses at four times the rate of men and now employ more people than the Fortune 500 combined? But businesses owned by women are often still not taken seriously. In my forthcoming book, ขTestosteroneFree Marketing: Secrets Why ‘Old Boys’ Marketing Doesn’t Work for Womenข I discuss why marketing makes many women uneasy and what to do about it. Many women don’t market their businesses proactively resulting in less success and less financial freedom.

Did you dream of a life of ease when you started your homebased business only to struggle to cover your bills every month? It happens a lot. Women start a homebased business to have more time with their families and often their income drops dramatically. It doesn’t have to be this way. Effective marketing that works with your style as a woman can help you put more cash in your pocket with less effort.

CAN’T RELATE TO ขOLDBOYS,ข ขTESTOSTERONEHEAVYข MARKETING?

One issue for many women is they can’t relate to the guns, cannons and ขscorched earthข marketing that are about killing the competition at any cost. Women don’t want to kill anyone. We feel uncomfortable ขnailing the saleข when the rest of our lives are about building relationships and extending a hand in friendship. We hate being pushy, manipulative or annoying. So we often wait for others to initiate a purchase from us. This is especially true for women raised to be ขgood girlsข and not ขtoot their own horn.ข

TALENTED WOMEN WAITING AT THE CROSSROADS OF SUCCESS

Katherine has been struggling for two years getting her online business started. She offers a package of services and information to help other online entrepreneurs bring more traffic to their websites. Her digitally delivered information product provide an amazing array of timesaving tips, ideas, strategies, software and more that’s easy to use and can help build website traffic fast. But her website is a confusing hodgepodge. There is no focal point. Nothing leads visitors to believe the information is provided by an expert or authority. Katherine feels uncomfortable calling herself an expert. Because her site is loaded with so many free items the only people who visit are people looking for freebies not serious shoppers who intend to buy. The result: she works hard and wonders when the floodgates will open.

Lana is a virtual assistant. She’s bright, talented and computersavvy. Her business is based on billable hours. Last week she got a new client, but he told her he couldn’t afford her hourly rate. Lana cut her fees because she couldn’t stop thinking about how she was going to pay the rent on her apartment. If Lana built up her value with marketing instead of cutting rates she would attract clients willing to pay her full price without discounting or devaluing her skills. Like many women, Lana is uncomfortable reaching out to others with her message. Consequently she works for less than what the market says her skills are worth.

NURTURING WOMEN CAN HAVE ABUNDANT CASH FLOW, TOO

What’s going on? Women often bring to their homebased businesses the same nesting, nurturing characteristics they are used to at home. They also bring the skills and expertise they have around their product or service. Business has no gender but people do. Marketing is often out of their comfort zone. But it’s the skill needed to create abundant cash flow even if we don’t do it the same way as men.

Since a homebased business doesn’t have a sign to draw people in like a retail store, other means must be used to attract customers or clients. Without this focus your business will be out of balance and unprofitable.

THE SECRETS OF ASKING AND RECEIVING IN THE BUSINESS WORLD

ขIt never hurts to ask!ข goes a saying you’re likely to hear from a man with a raised eyebrow and a grin. The masculine aggressor role of making the first move is taking place when a man says these words.

ขI shouldn’t have to ask!ข a woman says with a sigh. Every man has shaken his head in frustration at these words. Expecting others to read your mind is risky especially in business. Consider the percentages of men and women who fit in the categories below:

Men are about ขFortuneข magazine; women are about ขWorking Momข.

Men are about Tom Clampett novels; women are about Danielle Steele

Men are about Dave Letterman; women are about Oprah Winfrey

Men are about Home Depot, women are about Nordstrom’s

Men want new tools for Christmas, women want a new fragrance

Women are about being mysterious and then slowly saying yes.

Men are about asking and women are about receiving.

According to a study by the American Association of University Women, girls get quieter in sixth grade and drop to minimum levels of class participation in seventh and eighth grades. It could be we pick up the message earlier; learning that saying, ขI wantข or ขI needข seems unladylike and unattractive.

WAITING FOR BUSINESS TO COME TO YOU: YES OR NO?

Love it or hate it, marketing is about asking for what you want. And while in personal relationships it’s still often wise counsel to wait for others to call you, in business it is silly. We can’t wait for customers the way we waited for the cute boy who sat next to us in High School History Class to call for a date. Business will come to us, when we let the world know we are here, we are competent and we are ready.

GAINING THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED IN YOUR BUSINESS YOUR WAY

Happily, while writing my book, men have consistently been my greatest cheerleaders. Some industries are still testosteronedriven but many of the ‘dinosaurs’ holding women back have retired and moved on. I have seen the enemy and she is us.

Women entrepreneurs thrive when we are supported and offered solutions. My teleclasses will help you understand yourself as a woman and provide foundational marketing strategies to help you succeed in ways that are peaceful, friendly and allow you to relax and be yourself rather than dodge bullets. When you learn these keys your cash flow soars and your selfesteem grows, too.

About The Author

Denise Michaels, ขMarketing Mavenข has over two decades successful experience in sales, advertising copy, public relations, market research, strategic planning and more. She’s worked with top authors and seminar leaders and is the expert the experts hire for marketing guidance. To learn about her ขTestosterone Free Marketingข teleclasses and how to turn your struggling business into one that puts more cash in your purse while still being you go to: http://www.denisemichaels.com/TFMteleclasses.htm For questions or comments for Denise email her at: [email protected]

This article was posted on February 04, 2004

by Denise Michaels

Spike TV – Know Your Audience

Spike TV – Know Your Audience

by: Nick Smith

What do Klingons, giant rubber bands, and monster trucks all have in common? They hold the fascination of every male on the planet and they make frequent appearances on Spike TV. Spike TV, which totes itself as a network for men, is the perfect example of the power of knowing your audience and giving them what they want.

In one week of watching Spike TV you can expect to see poker, ultimate fighting, demolition derbies, cop shows, kung fu movies, school bus figure eight racing, pyrotechnic explosions, Klingons, customized cars, Chairman Tamori, giant rubber bands, sports superstars, Captain James T. Kirk, video game awards, Japanese trivia shows, dating competitions, MacGyver, and monster trucks. And that is only a partial list of what Spike TV offers men.

When it comes to your small or home business, knowing your audience, giving them what they want, and letting them know it’s there for the buying are essential steps to establishing a consistent income.

Knowing Your Audience the Spike TV Way

The creators of Spike TV saw an opportunity in the television industry to create a network marketed toward a huge, almost completely neglected demographic of men. By creating a product men would be interested in (did I mention MacGyver?) and packaging it to succeed, they paved the way to truly become the ขfirst network for men.ข Follow these steps to find out who your audience is and what their habits are.

First, categorize your potential customers or clients according to their similarities. You may create these groups based on age, socioeconomic status, gender, political activity level, or any other characteristic that is relevant to your business. Group your potential clients and customers based on characteristics they actually possess, rather than on features you would like them to have or that you think they should have. Just because men should be interested in keeping the kitchen clean does not mean Spike TV should create a show all about dish soap.

Second, distinguish between the categories of your customers that will purchase what you’re selling and those that will not. When all is said and done, your business relies on the revenue customers generate to stay in business. If no men watched Spike TV it would not still be a viable, thriving network. It may be helpful, if you have the resources, to identify which categories of your customers might not buy right away, but may come back and purchase later.

Finally, discover how your customers will use or purchase your product. Spike TV no doubt was faced with the challenge of providing quality service to both SciFi fans and Demolition Derby junkies. Some of your customers may purchase your product based on impulse, while others may be converting from one of your competitor’s products. Still others may need information, testimonials, and a personal relationship with you before they spend money. Catering to your individual customers (by identifying categories and marketing to the ones that will buy what you’re selling) increases the likelihood that they will return the next time they need your services.

Knowing your audience and meeting their individual needs can be the difference between barely scraping by and buying a yacht – or a school bus figure eight racing track of your very own.

About The Author

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with http://www.10xmarketing.com – More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For information on how to order Spike TV, check out http://www.dishnetworkproducts.com/articles/spiketv.php

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 29

by Nick Smith

A Secret To Extraordinary Accomplishments

A Secret To Extraordinary Accomplishments

by: Willie Crawford

I sat watching a documentary on U.S. Navy SEAL Team Training on the local exercise channel. It showed young men, mostly in their early 20กs, enduring grueling ocean swims in nearfreezing water. It showed these same young men forced to swim underwater (holding their breaths) until a major percentage of them passed out and had to be rescued by their instructors. It showed weeks of grueling training in which ordinary men are transformed into incredible machines with wills of steel and unshakable discipline.

Sitting… transfixed, and marveling at what these young men were able to accomplish, I saw the one missing element that most online business people are missing. I saw an ingredient that if more of them harnessed it, they would be able to accomplish things กin their worldก as magnificent. That one secret ingredient is teamwork. It was the group cohesiveness, and the fact that they were all working for a common purpose that allowed the SEAL Team trainees to accomplish what they would not normally be able to do.

Enter the realm of the online entrepreneur. He sits at his computer, researching, writing and testing ads, tweaking his webpages in an effort to achieve greater search engine ranking, and doing a dozen other chores. Many of these online entrepreneurs do this all alone. They attempt the monumental… to build a six or even seven figure income while operating in a vacuum.

Step back and observe the Internet marketer earning several hundred thousand to several million dollars per year. He doesn’t operate in a vacuum. I know! I lived among and studied these people, and in the process became one of them.

Let me emphasize what you may not be noticing on a conscious level:

Successful Internet marketers all have mentors. Actually many of them mentor each other. They don’t fear sharing things theyกve learned through trial and error with those who will share back with them. They all กcooperate and graduate.ก They don’t have the กscarcity mentality.ก They know that through cooperation the pie actually gets bigger so they each get a bigger piece.

Successful Internet marketers often have coaches, or managers. They do this for the same reason that successful athletes, politicians and celebrities all have coaches or managers. They know that others can often step back and observe whatกs happening in their lives more objectively, and then make sure that they’re only doing things that will move them towards an identified goal. These coaches will push them and challenge them to do more than they would probably do on their own.

Successful Internet marketers have formal and informal brainstorming or masterminding networks. Napoleon Hill, in ‘think And Grow Rich,ก pointed out that this was a common trait among the millionaires that he studied too. Put several people together who have a common interest or goal and itกs a natural breeding ground for breakthrough ideas. The masterminding can be long distance, via conference calls, but itกs usually more productive when itกs at an inperson gathering. These gathering can be as infrequent as twice a year, but they have proven very powerful!

When you think about why the above factors of extraordinary accomplishment are so powerful, it seems to boil down to one word. That word is… accountability. When youกve made a commitment to a group to work towards a common goal, thatกs much more effective than if you just made that commitment to yourself. Thereกs the incredible social pressure of not letting the group down. Thereกs knowing that the success… or failure… of someone else hinges upon your actions. Thatกs an amazing force that you can tap into today which will allow you to do things that you had previously not even imagined possible.

Now that you know the secret, if you’re serious about building an incredible online business you only need to harness it. A good place to find people who are ideal for teaming up with is at seminars and conferences. Thatกs why I attend so many. On breaks, at lunch, and after hours, I bounce ideas off of those with perhaps differing points of view, but with similar objectives.

While seminars and conferences offer lots of useful information and provide a motivational lift inandof themselves, my observation has been that the real กmoneyก is made afterhours. Thatกs where small groups of friends, who only became associates through these events, sit around and put together deals and flow out large projects. They do it around the pool or huddled in an individualกs room. They don’t just brainstorm, they make longterm business commitments. These are commitments that muster in them the same type of effort that I witnessed in the Navy SEAL trainees swimming in the freezing ocean water.

I encourage you to stop procrastinating and act upon this obvious but tooseldom acted upon gem today. If you need help locating events where you can look for ideal partners, visit my resource website:

http://InternetMarketingSeminarSchedule.com It lists a variety of events, and might even offer some very convenient to where you live. Break out of your shell of mediocrity and do it today!

As an aside, the next event that Iกll personally be at is Michael Penlandกs Internet Marketing and Joint Venture Super Conference, in Orlando, Florida, December 3rd 5th. There will be a lot of people there looking for proactive potential business partners. Thatกs the whole purpose of the conference. You can register for it today through a special link Iกve arranged for my clients and friends at:

http://www.instantcashmarketing.com/WillieCrawfordSpecial.html

Copyright 2004 Willie Crawford

About The Author

Willie Crawford is a corporate president, published author, seminar speaker and host, teleseminar speaker and host, retired military officer, karate black belt, network marketing trainer, and lifetime student of marketing. He shows people how to actually generate substantial income online using very simple systems. An example of such a system that you can use is at: http://ProfitMagician.com.

This article was posted on November 12, 2004

by Willie Crawford

Men Are From Mars

Men Are From Mars

by: Kelley Robertson

ขMen are from Mars, Women are from Venus.ข John Gray penned this phrase many years ago to help men and women communicate more effectively. Since this book was written, it has been determined that both genders not only communicate differently, they also buy differently too. Learning how to effectively sell to each gender can significantly improve your sales results and increase customer loyalty. Let’s start by comparing how men and women view the shopping process.

The Shopping Process. Men see shopping as a necessity while women view it as an experience. Watch how women behave in a grocery compared to men. Unlike men who run in and out of a store, women will often peruse the entire store. Men will pick out the items they need, toss them in a cart, look at their list, and head directly to the next aisle. On the other hand, women will walk up and down each aisle, read labels, compare brands, and explore options.

There is nothing wrong with the way either gender approaches the shopping process – we are just different. We also make decisions differently.

DecisionMaking Process. Women typically take more time to make a decision. A man will ask himself a few basic questions such as;

Does this item meet my needs?

Will it solve my problem?

Is it what I am looking for features, price, etc?

Assuming these questions are answered, he will make the purchase. Men tend to be more impulsive than women, too. Many men will make significant purchases very quickly or with seemingly little consideration.

Women, on the other hand, will ponder their choices, talk to other people – usually women – and do more research than the average man. Women will consider the purchase from many different angles, will make more comparisons, and will use more sources of information. She will search the Internet for information, compare it with the facts she has in her possession, return to the store, and ask a few more questions before finally making a decision. If you try to push a woman to make a decision too quickly it will backfire on you and you will likely lose the sale and any potential future business from her.

Buying Needs. All customers have certain buying needs – either logical or emotional. Asking the right questions will help you determine each customer’s requirements.

Men tend to focus on their logical needs when making a purchase. Some of their concerns include:

Does the product have this feature?

Can it do this particular thing?

Is it the weight I need?

If I buy it, will I be able to do this?

Generally speaking, men are not comfortable asking questions – that is why we seldom ask for directions! This discomfort increases when they are shopping for a product they are unfamiliar with. However, you can quickly make them feel at ease if you use the right approach.

Spend less time building rapport and talking. Instead, concentrate on helping him find exactly what he is looking for. If you do decide to make small talk, stay focused on topics that men find most comfortable talking about – sports, money, and business. And, when you talk about your product or service demonstrate how it will address his specific logical needs.

Women usually have more emotional needs when they make a buying decision. They will focus on how the item fits into their lifestyle, how it will make them feel and how the purchase will affect other important people in their lives. Ask plenty of openended questions to make women feel more comfortable in the sales process. Encourage her to open up and share information by asking questions such as:

ขTell me about your previous unit…ข

ขHow was your experience at…?ข

ขWhat did you find that…?ข

ขWhat would you like to see changed this time?ข

Question such as these are effective in learning exactly what she wants and needs, providing you pay attention to what she says.

You will notice that women also tend to give you more background information about their purchase than men. A man will say, ขI need a new fax machineข while a female customer is more prone to say, ขI’ve been getting a lot busier lately. My last fax machine worked okay for the first two years then it kept jamming every time I received a fax. I’ve tried to fix it but I’m not really good with these things. I’ve been getting really aggravated because I don’t have time to reset the paper every time I get a fax.ข

Although for male sales associates, this seems like more information than is necessary, it actually demonstrates that she is beginning to trust you. Plus, in her mind, everything she told was relevant to the purchase.

The next time you are dealing with a customer of the opposite gender, adapt your style slightly. Even a modest change in your approach can garner great results.

© 2005 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved

About The Author

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of ขStop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers.ข Receive a FREE copy of ข100 Ways to Increase Your Salesข by subscribing to his free sales and motivational newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. Contact him at 9056337750 or [email protected].

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 31

by Kelley Robertson