100 Hours to a Whole New You
Issue #2173
- WEALTHY: An unconventional recommendation for your weekends (Michael Masterson)
- HEALTHY: Savor these healthy flavors to keep insulin levels in check (Kelley Herring)
- WISE: Robert Louis Stevenson on the role of selling in our lives
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Turn your hobby into a moneymaker (David Cross)
- Are you violating this Sacred Law of Business? (Bob Bly)
- It’s Good to Know… about who works the most
- Add "tawdry" to your vocabulary
You Already Know Fortunes Are Made from Trading. The Question Is: WHAT Are "They" Trading Most? (And It’s Not Shares or Commodities!)
… Thirty times more trading going on than the stock market and mostly investment banks doing it. Ummm… Maybe "they" know something you don’t? Click here to learn more…
"Everyone lives by selling something."
Robert Louis Stevenson
100 Hours to a Whole New You
Maybe you are young. Maybe you are lazy. Maybe you just haven’t caught a break. Whatever the reason, the success you’ve wanted has so far eluded you.
Here’s something you can do that could help. It won’t cost you any money. In fact, it will bring you a second income. But it will take an investment of time. About 100 hours. Would you spend 100 hours of your time if it could increase your chances of success by 1,000 percent?
Before I tell you what to do, let me tell you why this occurred to me. I was reading an issue of John Forde’s excellent Copywriter’s Roundtable (#347). In it, he told the story of legendary sales guru David Ogilvy. Ogilvy, as John points out, was a college dropout who got a job as a chef in Paris – and, when that went nowhere, got a job selling stoves in Scotland. He was a door-to-door salesman.
He didn’t especially like selling. And he certainly never planned to make selling his career. But poverty induced him to give it a shot. And he discovered, much to his surprise, that it was a pretty easy game. He figured out the tricks of the trade in a matter of weeks and, before a year was up, he was his company’s top salesperson.
He was so good at selling that his boss asked him to write a manual explaining to other stove salespeople what he did. When an advertising agency in London saw the manual, they hired him. Soon thereafter, a man came to the agency looking for some help in opening his hotel. Since he only had about $500 to spend, the job was given to the lowest man on the totem pole: Ogilvy.
Even back then, in 1938, $500 didn’t buy you much. Ogilvy couldn’t afford to place lots of ads in magazines or newspapers, and he certainly couldn’t afford radio. So he did the only thing he could: He wrote a short invitation to the hotel’s grand opening and printed it on thousands of postcards that he sent to every name in the local phone directory. The result? On opening day, the hotel was booked solid.
I see two themes in this story – actually, two sides of one theme: direct selling. Ogilvy’s first job was making door-to-door sales. And his first success was through direct-mail marketing.
It occurred to me that I’ve had the same experiences.
When I was still in high school, I had a job selling aluminum siding on Long Island. And then, a few years later, I had a job selling pots and pans in Queens. I’ve mentioned both of these jobs many times in past issues of ETR and in my books. They taught me some fundamental secrets about selling. And, like Ogilvy, my first big success was the result of a direct-mail package. (It was for a financial advisory that, today, is a $50 million business.)
Door-to-door selling and direct-mail marketing – they taught Ogilvy what he needed to be super-successful in his life. And they were instrumental for me too.
And we are not the only two. Zig Ziglar and Mary Kay Ash and Richard Branson had the dual experience of selling door-to-door and by direct mail. So did Jay Abraham, Bill Bonner, Rich Schefren, and Justin Ford – to mention just a few names that you’ve seen many times in ETR.
I don’t think this is a coincidence.
There is no substitute for experience. And when it comes to success in business, these are the two core experiences everybody should have. And that means you.
So if you haven’t yet worked as a door-to-door (or telephone) salesperson, get a job nights or weekends doing so. The newspapers are full of ads looking for part-time help. It doesn’t matter what kind of selling you do as long as you do it for at least 100 hours. After 100 hours, you can decide if it makes sense to continue. But even if you don’t continue, you’ll have experienced something that will benefit you throughout your professional life.
If you do your best to become your company’s top salesperson during that time, your mind and heart will be completely transformed in a way that nothing else will ever accomplish. You will discover some very basic secrets (true secrets) about the art of persuasion that you will be able to use to achieve all your goals – your career and wealth-building goals for sure, but also your personal goals. You’ll be amazed.
After you have made that transformation, then you will be ready to take the next step: putting your knowledge to work in your first direct-marketing sales effort. You can create an information-based business in a weekend using direct email if you know what you are doing.
But it all starts with that basic selling experience, which cannot be gotten any other way than by doing it. So get out the local newspaper and get yourself a part-time job. And then, after you’ve put in your 100 hours, write to us and tell us how you have changed.
[Ed. Note: Get Michael Masterson's insights into becoming successful in your business and personal life, achieving financial independence, and accomplishing all your goals on his brand-new website. You'll find updates on all of Michael's books, news on upcoming ETR events, Michael's blog, and room to send in your comments and questions. Check it out today.]
I Dropped My Skepticism when it Started Working for Me…
I’ve seen Dr. Sears transform the lives of his patients for years. Many are friends of mine. But I was still a bit skeptical when he first told me about his 10-minute program.
That’s why I’m so excited now. Not only have I experienced it for myself, I’ve seen other people do it too. And it just makes sense… the scientific proof behind it is logical and easy to understand.
When I put it to the test, I saw results almost immediately. Within a few weeks, I dropped 20 pounds of fat.
Best of all, I didn’t change my diet… not a thing. I continue to enjoy all my favorites: Steak, wine, cheese, seasonal fruits and vegetables… even the occasional dessert and cigar after dinner.
Life has never been better. To lean how PACE® can work for you like it did for me, click here.
- Michael Masterson
Reader Feedback: "I used to think small, but I am starting to think big."
"Thank you for your welcome letter to the ETR Charter Club and the copy of Confessions of a Self-Made Millionaire that I received in the mail yesterday. Some of the tips in that book were duplications of your excellent advice that I already had read in daily e-mails from ETR and in Seven Years to Seven Figures. (But don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed being reminded of valid points.)
"The one piece of advice that was new to me and that jumped off the page was the advice to write to journalists and authors whose articles one has found enlightening. What a brilliant idea! I would not have thought of it on my own. It would not have occurred to me that a rich/famous/fill-in-the-blank person would tolerate hearing from ‘little me.’ This is exactly the sort of attitude that is in the process of being transformed in me. I used to think small, but I am starting to think big.
"So I am going to kick off my program of complimenting fine journalists and authors by complimenting you. The value I have derived from your writing can hardly be overstated.
"My husband and I are going to have dinner with our two sons, who are in their mid-twenties, this coming Sunday. I am going to give each of them a copy of T. Harv Eker’s Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and your own Automatic Wealth for Grads.
"When I ordered Seven Years to Seven Figures and Automatic Wealth for Grads, Amazon doubled my order. (It’s possible that I inadvertently clicked the Order button twice.) When I noticed that Amazon had over-delivered, it momentarily occurred to me to pack up half the books and return them with a request for a refund. But then I thought to myself that the mistake may have been serendipitous. I wanted everyone to have access to your wise recommendations. So, a few days later, I went to my local public library and donated the excess books.
"I am a 55-year-old who is late in arriving at an understanding of wealth. Your road map is invaluable. I intend to accumulate $5 million in the next 10 years.
"So, Michael, thank you for your positive influence."
- Judy Roberts
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The Transition From E-mail Newsletter to Online Business
By David Cross
Starting a small, home-based, online business is a great way to turn the expenses of a hobby into an extra income stream… and help reduce your tax burden. An ideal way to do it is with an e-newsletter.
Let’s say your hobby is tropical fish, and you already write an e-newsletter on the subject that you send to friends and family. You love doing it, but the costs of your e-mail service, website designer, Web hosting, not to mention buying and keeping your fish, are causing a small but noticeable drain on your finances. But if you turn that newsletter into a business, it’s possible to turn your costs into legitimate tax deductions.
The first thing you have to do is make your e-newsletter into a potential moneymaker. I’ve talked about how to do this several times in ETR (see issue #2142, for example) – but there are basically two ways. You can either charge for subscriptions or use it to sell products (your own or those of outside advertisers). If your intention is to make a profit from your newsletter, by definition, you are starting a business. And that brings us to the tax benefits…
Under current U.S. tax laws, even relevant business expenses incurred during this tax year can be carried over to future tax years as "startup costs." What can you deduct? Check with your tax professional for specifics that apply to your particular situation, but, in general, the following should be deductible… so save all your receipts for:
- Domain name purchases
- Web and e-mail service provider costs
- The cost of your broadband connection
- Software required to create your newsletter
- The cost of equipment and supplies for your home office
- Professional services (including legal and accounting)
- Advertising (such as paid search engine campaigns)
- Health insurance for company employees (even if you’re the only one)
- A percentage of your utility bills (If, for example, your home office occupies 12 percent of your home’s floor space, you’ll be able to deduct 12 percent of your utility bills.)
- Costs related to the hobby that you’re turning into a business (In our tropical fish example, that might include the cost of fish, fish tanks, feed, and so on.)
Of course, getting tax deductions shouldn’t be your primary motivation for turning a hobby into a moneymaking e-newsletter. Your goal should be to provide useful products/services for your subscribers – and make a nice profit – by doing something you love.
[Ed. Note: David Cross is Senior Internet Consultant to Agora Publishing in Baltimore and one of the core contributors behind ETR's new Internet business-building program. If you're interested in profiting from all the benefits of starting an online business, click here to join our priority notification list.]
Show Me the Money
By Bob Bly
Walked into the CVS in back of my office to pick up today’s paper, as I often do. But when I tried to walk out after plunking my two quarters next to the register, the sales clerk told me: "Stop!"
"Why?" I asked.
"I have to scan the paper," she told me, explaining that it was CVS policy.
I looked at the long line in front of the only register with a cashier.
"Can’t I just leave the money and you can scan another paper later?"
"Nope," she told me. "You have to wait."
The point?
By insisting on this policy, CVS violates one of the Sacred Laws of Business. Namely: When someone wants to give you money, don’t make it difficult for them to do so.
Even if they just want to buy the paper.
[Ed. Note: Master copywriter and best-selling author Bob Bly is the editor of ETR's Direct Marketing Masters Edition a program to help you start your own successful direct-mail business. Sign up for Bob's free monthly e-zine, The Direct Response Letter, and get more than $100 in free bonuses.]
Fall Spices Benefit Blood Sugar
Great news for cinnamon lovers! New research presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Francisco found that cinnamon and cloves – spices high in nutrients called polyphenols – boost insulin function while lowering cholesterol. In fact, as little as a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, taken two times per day, can stimulate insulin-like activity in the body while lowering triglycerides, cholesterol, and glucose levels by 10 to 30 percent.
So go ahead and sprinkle some cinnamon in your coffee or tea, or mix a healthy helping into a baked sweet potato. You’ll delight your taste buds and balance your blood sugar as well.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder and CEO of Healing Gourmet (www.healinggourmet.com), a multimedia company that educates the public on how foods promote health and protect against disease, and is editor-in-chief of the Healing Gourmet book series, including Eat to Fight Cancer. You can learn more about how simple lifestyle choices can improve your health by reading ETR's free natural health e-letter.]
It’s Good to Know: Who Works the Most?
If you get to the end of your regular work week feeling exhausted, just be glad you don’t live in Korea.
According to 2004 and 2005 figures listed in "A Chartbook of International Labor Comparisons," U.S. workers toil away for about 1,804 hours a year – or about 45 40-hour weeks. But that’s nothing compared to Mexico and Korea. Despite making less per hour than people in any of the other 21 countries surveyed, Mexicans work an average of 1,909 hours a year… and Koreans top the list with 2,394 hours a year. At 1,300 hours a year, Norwegians work the least, and people in The Netherlands are a close second at 1,367 hours a year.
(Source: U.S. Department of Labor)
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- Patrick Coffey
Word to the Wise: Tawdry
Something that’s "tawdry" (TAW-dree) is gaudy and cheap. The word is associated with St. Audrey, who supposedly died from a throat tumor that she considered to be God’s punishment for the showy necklaces she wore in her youth.
Example (as used by James P. Rubin in a New York Times review of The Blair Years by Alastair Campbell): "Thousands of words in this diary are devoted to the tawdry trivia that drive a tabloid culture."
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]
Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007
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