Archive for the 'Articles' Category

Village Banking

My favorite charity is Village Banking.  They give out microloans to very small businesses in very poor areas of the world.  Instead of giving away money that most governments keep or dilute a great deal, Village Banking make loans directly to the business owner.  They have to pay it back too so their business has to be viable and people at the Village Bank make sure of that.

I think it is the best idea to bring prosperity to poor areas.  For example…

FINCA began operations in a war-torn Afghanistan in 2004. Despite the continuing challenges of regional instabilities and security issues, it is one of FINCA’s fastest growing programs, and recently won a prestigious Pro-Poor Innovation Challenge award for its microfinance project targeting women, ethnic minorities, and returning refugees. The program plans to reach 90,000 clients by 2009.

Join me in bringing prosperity to the world by giving to Village Banking.

The Art of the Customer Surveys

Have you ever taken a business survey where you just wish it would end?  I have.  I think surveys should be really simple.  Just a handful of questions.

This article discussing how just the wording of a survey can throw off the results and the bottom line is really just one question.

According to Dave, some of the most revealing customer surveys can be quite simple. Dave cites Fred Reichheld’s idea that one can distill customer satisfaction surveys down to one question:

“Would you recommend our service to your friends and colleagues?”

This is a powerful question because it gauges whether or not customers like your product enough to put their own reputations on the line with their friends and colleagues.

OPEN Forum by American Express OPEN | The Art of the Customer Surveys.

The myth of launch PR

Many people in Internet Marketing strive for the big launch.  They setup a ton of bonuses and JV partners.  And promote their book on a particular day to get it to #1 for a category.  It may only be #1 for an hour because that is how often Amazon calculates these things.  Then they can go around and say they have a #1 selling book.  When I first learned of this technique I was a little put off.  Seemed sneaky and almost a lie.  But, it’s true they had a #1 best selling novel on Amazon for a category for an hour.  Better than most all of us so nothing to fault them for.

But, I think the big publicity scares a lot of newbies.  It looks like a lot of work (it is).  And it just seems overwhelming.  Don’t worry about it.  You can make money without having the big huge publicity.  You can do it by having a sales funnel of products and services.  Don’t rely on one ebook or one teleclass.  Rely on your sales funnel of many products and services.  Starting from free to high price.  The different levels are for different types of clients and for people that progress up the sales funnel.  Some people will get your high price item first while some (a lot) will get your free stuff first and progress from there.  It’s up to them, but provide them with choices.

Here is a quote from Seth Godin.  Great advice.

Great publicity is a treasured gift. But it’s hardly necessary, and the search for it is often a significant distraction.

It works for movies, in fact, it’s essentially required for movies. But for just about every product, service or company, the relentless quest for media validation doesn’t really pay. If you get it, congratulations. If you don’t, that’s just fine. But don’t break the bank or your timetable in the quest.

Seth’s Blog: The myth of launch PR

It’s the end of the world

My friend Craig Perrine had an excellent post yesterday about the economic non end of the world.  Nice quote here.

It’s the circle of economic life my friend, not a crisis or the end of the US as we know it (contrary to what all the uber ninnies on the news are telling us).

As you’ll see, the real question is: How do you put yourself in a position of strength to thrive in up and down times?

I have another friend that has made more money in the last two weeks than the last two years.  It’s all about changing your tactics depending on opportunity.

Richard Branson in his new book states that entrepreneurs must adapt.  Some tactics may not work for ever.  Adapt, adapt, adapt.  I just got Richard Branson’s new book today.  Looking forward to reading it.  Plus I got the Virgin Messenger bag I won.  Nice.

Read the rest of Craig’s great blog post at The Maverick Marketer Blog.

Intl Passion Day — a time to rekindle your passion

Chris and Janet Attwood are probably the most knowledgeable, most impressive, and most practical experts I know on what it takes to discover and live your passions.

You may have heard me talk about their extraordinary book, The Passion Test. Within two weeks of its release in hardcover it was a New York Times bestseller.

The Passion Test is a tour de force–a fast track path to turn on and up the passion, the excitement, the success in your life–for you, your loved ones, your friends and your associates. It has been used and recommended by some of the people I most respect . . . people like Jack Canfield, Jay Abraham, John Gray, Marci Shimoff, and Harv Eker.

The Passion Test has been lauded and used to profound and life changing value for so many thousands of people that we would be remiss if we didn’t make this available to you.

http://www.thepassiontest.com/offer/home?af=na

But in addition, Plume, the publisher of The Passion Test, is releasing the paperback edition of The Passion Test today, on International Passion Day.

This day is a chance for each of us to reflect on how much richer and happier your life will be when you become more passionate, more stimulated, more turned on about your life, your relationships, your work, your possibilities.

Reflection is good, but Chris and Janet have set a high and laudatory goal which I hope we can help them achieve: to inspire at least five million people to take action to follow their passions and begin living their life purpose.

They are asking all of us: How can you follow your passions to serve another today?

To that end, Chris and Janet have gone to great effort and expense to create an eye-opening movie presentation to tantalize you and celebrate International Passion Day.

Go check out the promotion of The Passion Test. If you are so moved, then I urge you to get a copy of the book, and everyone reading this, whether you buy the book or not, if you trust my judgment and what I stand for, then please heed what I am about to say:

Take the time to review the wonderful promotion of the book, but then scroll down the page to “Passion Day Movie” and take four minutes to watch this remarkable video presentation. It will inspire and uplift you, and it will also provoke you to think about where you are in your life, and where you could be.

http://www.thepassiontest.com/offer/home?af=na

Do you know what you are passionate about? Or are you like Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul who said:

“”When I did the work on discovering your passion with Chris and Janet . . . I wasn’t expecting that much to happen because I am already living my passion . . . However, their powerful process took me to an even deeper place, where I realized I was not spending enough time with my true number one passion — my family! That realization,
and the other work they did with me, has changed the way I have lived the past year.”

Today is International Passion Day. Take time to today to discover your passions and then take action to serve another.

Whether you think you know your passions or not, the best way I know to discover and renew them is with The Passion Test. Be sure to get your copy of the paperback today and get in on all the International Passion Day goodies.

http://www.thepassiontest.com/offer/home?af=na

Happy International Passion Day!!

With warmest wishes,

(Partner)

P.S. If you looked at the most successful and the happiest people on the planet today and asked “why are they so happy”, or “why are they so rich?” or “how did they find such fulfillment,” you would find one thing in common: they live with passion. Today is your chance to discover your passions, and then take action to use them to serve others. Join the celebration of International Passion Day, get a copy of The Passion Test and together, let’s make a real difference in the world!

http://www.thepassiontest.com/offer/home?af=na

P.P.S. Here is what a few people you may know have said about The Passion Test:

“The Passion Test provides the simplest, clearest way to get started on knowing what you want – by getting clear on who you are.” — T. Harv Eker, #1 New York Times bestselling author, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

“Chris and Janet Attwood have provided a clear, simple, and effective method to help you identify your core passions so you can create the fulfilling life you deserve.”
– John Gray, PHD, #1 New York Times bestselling author Men Are from Mars, Women Are From Venus

“The Passion Test has given me incredible insight into what was missing in my life, where I was not 100 percent spot-on pursuing my passions. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s profound.,,” - Jack Canfield, co-creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling series Chicken Soup for The Soul

http://www.thepassiontest.com/offer/home?af=na