Making Your Web Searches Smarter

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Dear Early to Riser,

Is it really possible to "outfox" Google?

See how ETR insiders do it in today's essay.

- Charlie Byrne
ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Friday, February 24, 2006
Message #1661

WEALTHY: Investing in the biggest comeback story in Asia

HEALTHY: Keeping track to stay on track

WISE: Jimmy Buffett on the joy of searching

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Internet tricks from the ETR team (Michael Masterson)

The profit potential of coffee and conversation

Add the word "stringer" to your vocabulary

* Highly Recommended *

"I remember the day I met Michael Masterson …"

By J. Christoph Amberger

I remember the day I met Michael Masterson for the first time. I was a young, rambunctious editor at the Taipan Research Department, not quite thirty. During my tenure, I had faced down a number of superiors, publishers, and consultants who had intended to meddle with what I considered "my business" … the development of our newsletter's editorial platform and the trading philosophy of Taipan. Never one to avoid a confrontation, I was geared up to fight tooth and nail against whatever harebrained idea this new consultant was about to impose on my product.

Only he didn't. I left the meeting bemused if not downright befuddled. Because Michael had skillfully played the ball back into my court. He had no problem with whatever I planned to do with Taipan … if I was able to come up with a viable vision (not, mind you, "vision statement"!) for the business and was willing to put in the elbow grease to make it work. That day, I turned from an editor into a publisher.

The years that followed were tough. The learning process I embarked on made my university education look like a summer picnic with the Montessori kindergarten. Michael guided, questioned, drove, pulled, advised, critiqued, nitpicked, built up and tore down … many hours a week at first, a few hours a year these days. Taipan turned from an investment letter with three editors and a dozen stringers into the Taipan Group, a publishing business with over a dozen services that each employ more talent than we mustered back in the early days.

Today, I realize that Michael had expertly manipulated me right from the first moment. He had figured me out before I had closed the door behind me, intuitively grasped whatever value I had for the business, and skillfully redirected my outward-bound ambition back into myself. (It took me years of studying aikido to figure out what had happened in that half-hour.)

That's one of the few cases in my life where I didn't mind being manipulated. In fact, it's been one heck of a ride!

I am not alone in my experience with Michael. In fact, I personally know dozens of people whose lives were affected this way. Some of them brought a lot of talent to the table. Others were complete screw-ups who succeeded in life despite themselves, thanks to Michael's coaching. So when Michael asked me to review his latest book, Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and in Your Personal Life, I eagerly agreed. And there it was: Page after page, as Michael reveals his philosophy, observations, and experiences in making people succeed both in business and in private life, I found myself recognizing elements that happened to me and that are staples of Michael's interactions with his clients and partners.

I have been able to build a wildly successful business based on what Michael has taught me. It cost me many years of grappling with his methods, many sleepless hours of figuring out just what to make of his observations and recommendations. It was worth every second of discomfort and aggravation. But what took him years to teach to me and many of my colleagues can be yours for less than twenty bucks. Power and Persuasion is a book you should own, read, and internalize – especially if you have wondered why all the glitzy, glossy business magazines you've been buying don't help you out a bit. (He tells you why that is so.)

Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and in Your Personal Life not only has the Taipan Seal of Approval, but my express personal endorsement as well.

J. Christoph Amberger
Executive Publisher, The Taipan Group

Why the Yen's Strange Behavior Can Be a Boon to Your Portfolio

A no-risk but highly profitable currency play is emerging from across the globe … where the yen is behaving very strangely. It's been the proverbial 90-pound weakling among major foreign currencies for the last decade. But with inflation hitting Japan for the first time in over 10 years, the yen is finally flexing some muscle.

It's taken quite a beating in recent years, as Japan battled a stagnant economy and deflation. With interest rates now beginning their long awaited rise, its currency should increase significantly. It's not as if it hasn't happened before. From its average of ¥239 per US$1 in 1985, the yen rose to a peak of ¥128 in 1988, virtually doubling its value relative to the dollar.

Japan's strengthening yen will also encourage neighboring currencies to rise.

I would suggest investing 4%-5% of your savings in an Asian currency CD to take advantage of this situation. Everbank has some of the best CDs of this type around. Look them up online at www.everbank.com call them at 800-926-4922. As the prices of Asian currencies make their dramatic rise, so will the value of your CD in terms of dollars. Everbank has 3- and 6-month terms available, no monthly account fees, and your principal is guaranteed.

- Andrew Gordon

[Ed. Note: Andrew M. Gordon and his staff, along with Dr. Erik Epp have created a new free weekly eletter called Money Insight: Useful Ideas For Growing Your Money Quickly and Safely…” In this age of cheap “information” Money Insight strives to decipher the best safe-money strategies from the deluge of mainstream financial news, as well as uncover undervalued opportunities for quick profits. Check it out at:

http://www.earlytorise.com/moneyinsight/etr_money_insight.html

"Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party."

- Jimmy Buffett

Making Your Web Searches Smarter

By Michael Masterson

Recently, The Wall Street Journal ran an article about "hidden features of Google and Yahoo engines" that make research on the Web faster, easier, and more rewarding. Neanderthal though I am with regard to technology, I was actually aware of several of them:

Using two or three words instead of one to get more relevant links

Surrounding your search terms with quotation marks when you are looking for an exact name or phrase (such as "To Kill a Mockingbird")

Combining quotes with extra words ("Kill a Mocking Bird" and Harper Lee)

And here are some things I didn't know:

You can enhance searches in Google by telling the search engine to exclude items that might confuse or overwhelm the search. This is accomplished by following your search terms with a space and then a minus sign followed by the topic you want to exclude. (For example, if you want information about Jiu Jitsu but not Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you can enter: Jiu Jitsu - Brazilian.)

You can get the name and address of a land-phone owner by typing in the phone number.

You can get a map of any location by typing the street address in Google's search field.

You can solve simple math problems by typing them in.

You can perform conversions of weights, measures, and currencies. (In Yahoo, begin such searches with the word "convert." In Google, just type in the question.)

I asked members of our own team here at ETR for online research tricks they have discovered. Here's what they had to offer:

Jon Herring, ETR's health guru, says that his favorite search strategy is to use Google "news alerts."

Let's say there is a topic you are following where it would be beneficial to receive an alert every time there is a new article or new research published on that subject. Or maybe you just want to keep track of things that are written about you and your company.

On the Google main page, select "News." Then select "News Alerts" from the menu on the left side of your screen. All you have to do is enter the search term you want to watch, select how often you would like to be notified, and enter your e-mail address.

Now, every time there is some new information posted online that includes the search term you listed, you will receive an e-mail notification.

Suzanne Richardson, ETR's Managing Editor, likes the Google Book Search feature.

Let's say you need to find information about goal setting. You type the term into the search field, and Google finds all the books in its database that mention "goal setting." Choose among those titles by narrowing down your search (by number of hits or by adding additional terms). Google Book Search also allows you to look through individual books for references to "goal setting," and gives you the chance to read two or three consecutive pages surrounding the term.

You can get to Google Book Search from the Google home page. Just click on "more" at the top right of the search field. You'll be transferred to a list of Google functions. "Book Search" is currently fourth on the list.

Andrew Gordon, our resident wealth expert, likes Yahoo! Finance for updated stock information.

Whenever you need financial information on a specific company, go to Yahoo.com and click on the "Finance" link. Once there, you can type in a company's symbol and find out everything from their balance sheet to their company profile to the latest headlines featuring news about them. Type in "Nke," for example, and in a few moments you'll know that shares are up 0.32% so far that day, that the company had a net income of $456,700 in the third quarter (the last quarter reported) of last year (the" Income Statement" link), and that Nike stock costs $74.81 more today than it did 15 years ago (the "Historical Prices" link).

By the way, Andrew's favorite link is "Key Statistics." You get 55 different numbers, including price to earnings (both trailing and forward), price to book, operating margin, return on equity, and cash flow.

ETR's Editorial Director, Charlie Byrne, says his favorite "trick" is to try to find the most unique word or phrase related to what he's searching for.

"Many times for Early to Rise," Charlie says, "I have to locate newspaper or magazine articles for which we only have a vague reference. Example: 'Charlie ... remember that story in Forbes about those guys with the widget company? Do you think you can find it?'

"In this case, I might be lucky to remember that they were located in, say, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. So if I search for 'Tyngsboro' and 'widgets,' chances are very good that I'll find the article.

"Here's another example: If you want to find stories about great thoroughbred horses, 'Alydar' would be a better choice for a search word than 'Affirmed,' simply because it's so unique.

"Unusual proper names are always good to try."

Keep these tips in mind the next time you're doing an Internet search. I guarantee that you'll find what you're looking for much more quickly

Today's Action Plan

There's a massive amount of information online - and it can take long, frustrating hours to sift through it to find what you're looking for. Whether you're doing research for your job or for yourself, do it faster and easier by taking advantage of the search engine tricks Michael Masterson described today. And if you have additional Internet tricks that you use, please share with us on the ETR Forum /

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The Easiest and Fastest Way to Make Quick Cash…
And I’ve Proven it Works Over 300 Times

Eight years ago, I had just come out of a failed restaurant venture, I was going through a divorce, and I had a negative net worth. I only knew two things – I had to do something and I had no money.

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2 More Sure-Fire Strategies to Help You Stick to Your Exercise Plan

On Wednesday, I told you about two strategies I have used to keep myself motivated to work out. Here are two more ideas from a recent article on the Men's Health website.

1. Plan your workouts in advance.

Schedule your workouts for the month on a calendar, and cross them off as you complete each one. Aim to do at least three per week. If you skip any of your scheduled workouts, carry them over to the next month.

2. Start a streak.

Try to set a personal record for doing consecutive, daily workouts without a miss. You'll work out more intensely on some days, of course – but make it your goal to put in at least a minimum amount of effort every day. Then … see how long you can keep it up. When your streak ends, set a longer mark as your next goal.

- Jon Herring

Worth Quoting: Spotting Trends for Profit

An increasing number of coffee shops and bookstores are sponsoring discussion groups. Yes, it's nice that they're providing a way for like-minded people to get together – but you can bet they're also selling a lot more coffee and books.

Gary Scott spotted the beginnings of this trend back in 1999. Here's how he alerted his e-zine subscribers to the potential profit opportunity:

"The growing trend is for immaterial goods. Successful companies will learn to attach symbols of love and togetherness to products and services. Coffee houses and places of gathering will boom. Cafes Philos, French cafes where philosophers raise questions for the patrons to discuss, are an example. This trend is about humanity needing a common story. The root of this market is the 100,000 years of selective processing of human genetics which has favored those who belonged to packs or tribes."

[Ed. Note: Gary Scott is an economist, entrepreneur, and author who shares his wealth of experience with others to help them build their own profitable small businesses. He recently developed a practical, hands-on course - International Business Made EZ - that you might want to look into.]

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Plug into Your Natural-Born Genius
for All the Money-Making Ideas You'll Ever Need

I don't care if you think you're not an "idea person" or if you truly believe you're just not "creative." Because I'm going to introduce you to a revolutionary new approach to coming up with ideas can turn your brain into a cash machine the spews out a never-ending supply of money-making ideas.

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Word
to the Wise: Stringer

A "stringer" is a part-time or freelance journalist who, instead of receiving a regular salary, is paid for each piece that is published.

Example (as used by Christoph Amberger today): "Taipan turned from an investment letter with three editors and a dozen stringers into the Taipan Group, a publishing business with over a dozen services that each employ more talent than we mustered back in the early days."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

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endorsement. It does mean that as far as I know the product
is not a rip-off. When I really like a product and want
you to buy it I'll tell you explicitly. Otherwise, view
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ads in the back of your favorite magazine. Check them
out. Make a decision. If you don't like, ask for a refund.
(All products sold here will carry refunds.)

Nothing
in this e-mail should be considered personalized investment
advice. Although our employees may answer your general
customer service questions, they are not licensed under
securities laws to address your particular investment
situation. No communication by our employees to you should
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in any security recommended to our readers.

All of our
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The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss

Thursday, February 23rd, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

How would you like to effortlessly maintain your ideal weight?

Today, Dr. Mark Hyman shows you two "metabolic keys" to help you automatically crank up your metabolism, burn fat, boost energy, and enjoy optimal health.

- Jon Herring, ETR Health Editor

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Message #1660

WEALTHY: A tax-free "loan" from Uncle Sam

HEALTHY: The weight-loss secrets hidden in your genes (Dr. Mark Hyman)

WISE: Cyril Connolly on being fat

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Make your sales message twice as strong (Michael Masterson)

Business account, personal account … does it matter? (Will Newman)

Add the word "scion" to your vocabulary

* Highly Recommended*

240 Pages That Will Make You Almost Automatically Powerful

When you discover the secrets to developing two essential traits of every successful person, you will hold they keys to massive personal power…

…and everything you long for will immediately come within your grasp.

Michael Masterson reveals these secrets and more in his new book Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and Your Personal Life.

Power and Persuasion will show you;

how to almost instantly become a “highly effective person”

how to instinctively know how to burst through roadblocks and obstacles that leave others stumped and stalled

how to recognize good ideas and ACT on them

In Power and Persuasion you’ll learn the art of getting people excited about your ideas…wanting to see them through to the end…and happily doing whatever is necessary to make your vision a reality.

Order Power and Persuasion today!

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SPAP/E700G217/

A Bigger Bang for Your Buck With IRAs

If you didn't get a 15%-20% bonus in your Christmas paycheck, don't worry. You can easily make up that money by investing in an IRA. Even though you pay taxes on the money in your IRA (either when you make your deposits or when you make your withdrawals – depending on which of the two kinds of IRAs you use), you're still earning much more than if you had made the same investment outside the IRA.

To understand how much "extra" money you'd earn, consider what happens if, let's say, you're in the 25% tax bracket and you've just made a $4,000 deposit into a traditional IRA. Uncle Sam can't touch this IRA money. Hey, you've just saved $1,000 in taxes! Since you would have paid the extra $1,000 in taxes had you not invested in the IRA, you are really only $3,000 out-of-pocket.

Let's assume your $4,000 deposit earns 100% over the next eight years. You now have $8,000 in your IRA account. When you withdraw that money, you pay a 25% tax ($2,000). So, after taxes, you've made $6,000 – a 100% gain on your out-of-pocket investment of $3,000.

Let's see what would happen if you made the same out-of-pocket investment outside an IRA. Your $4,000 paycheck would have been reduced to $3,000 by taxes. So you have $3,000 to invest. If that investment earns 100% over the next eight years, you now have $6,000 – a gain of $3,000. But that $3,000 gain is taxed at the capital gains rate of 15% ($450). So you've made $5,550 – only an 85% gain on your original investment.

- Andrew Gordon

http://www.earlytorise.com/moneyinsight/etr_money_insight.html]

Reader Feedback: "Michael Masterson's done it again!"

"What I always enjoy about Michael Masterson's writing is that he isn't a sugar-coater or cheerleader for conventional wisdom. On the contrary, he has the courage to tell the truth – and he's done it again with his candid new work Power and Persuasion Establishment types may grimace at some of his counter-intuitive advice, but open-minded readers should profit handsomely from it."

- Robert Ringer

"Imprisoned in every fat man a thin man is wildly signaling to be let out."

- Cyril Connolly

The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss

By Mark Hyman, M.D.

Every day, millions of ordinary Americans – possibly you – struggle with the same problems: A lack of energy. Chronic illness. An inability to shed those last few pounds. And every year, new fad diets are introduced with the latest spin on weight loss. But the end result is always the same: Initially they may work, but after a few months the same weight that was lost is put back on, and sometimes more.

Well, now there is something that could change all that. It's a simple method that will help you lose weight automatically, because, unlike fad diets, it focuses on improving ALL of the fundamental health problems that cause obesity and disease.

The concept is based on a scientific breakthrough called "nutrigenomics" – the science of how food talks to your genes.

When you eat, you not only supply your body with the energy it needs to operate, you also provide it with a set of very specific instructions that tell it how well or poorly to operate. In a sense, your body is like a computer. They both require energy. For the computer, that energy comes through a cord. For your body, it comes from the food you put in your mouth.

But just providing energy isn't enough. If you don't provide your computer with operating instructions, it'll just sit there … useless. Worse yet, if a hacker gets into it and corrupts the programming, a whole slew of problems will be spawned.

Fortunately, it's much easier to program our bodies to automatically lose weight and regain health than it is to program a computer. All we need to do is choose the right foods and engage in healthy habits.

What's frustrating is that this knowledge has been available for several years. But, knowingly or not, the government, food industry, and medical establishment have been keeping it from you. Until now.

Let me explain …

Many of the answers to our weight and health problems are buried in countless research papers. With the aid of a number of brilliant scientists, I've gathered and synthesized these great advances in medical science – the kind of advances that usually take decades to be incorporated into medical practice. And I have translated this information into a simple program that has brought easy, sustainable weight loss to thousands of people.

This approach isn't theoretical. I've been testing and refining this methodology with my patients – both at Canyon Ranch, where I was co-medical director for 10 years, and most recently in my private practice. All told, over 2,000 of my patients have helped me discover precisely what works and what doesn't work when it comes to weight loss and long-term health.

As part of this process, I've identified the seven fundamental causes of weight loss and health – the master biological mechanisms that control virtually everything in your body.

Control these master biological mechanisms – or "metabolic keys" – and you can control the building blocks of your body: your genes. By controlling your genes, you can determine whether you are slim, fit, and full of energy or overweight, ridden with disease, and sluggish.

Here's why …

Our genes interact intimately with our environment. Every bite of food we eat, every thought we think, every stress we experience, and every toxin we ingest or inhale carries a specific message to our genes, turning them on (or off), and telling them how to behave. As a result, our genes are programmed, moment by moment, to actively create either weight loss or weight gain, health or disease.

Scientists have tracked exactly how different foods trigger the messages sent to your genes. With that knowledge, you can give your body the foods that work in your favor – and avoid those that don't.

As I said, there are seven metabolic keys, all of which I outline in my book UltraMetabolism – The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss. Today, I'll share with you the secrets behind using two of these fat-burning engines.

Metabolic Key #1: Optimizing Your Brain Chemistry

For decades, people were warned to avoid fats at all costs. But we now know that the type of fat you eat is more important than the amount of fat you eat. The new science of nutrigenomics traces the biological impact of good fats, like the omega-3 fatty acids (contained primarily in fish, fish oils, walnuts, flax and hemp seeds, and a limited number of other foods) – and bad fats, like processed vegetable oils and the trans-fats in many processed foods.

The recommendation to eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids is old news. What's new is the discovery of the weight-loss secret behind that recommendation.

We now know that good fats turn on your body's fat-burning genes and bad fats turn them off. When you consume EPA or DHA, both omega-3 fatty acids, they access a metabolic gateway (the PPAR receptor) to activate genes that increase your metabolism, help you burn fat, and assist you in processing sugar more effectively so food won't get stored as fat.

It's as if the EPA and DHA open up an extra lane on your hormonal superhighway, making for a smooth and easy route toward slimness and health. That's why, for automatic weight loss, I recommend adding EPA and DHA (both found in fish oil) to your diet.

At the same time, unhealthy trans-fats act as a metabolic roadblock to weight loss. That's why I also recommend avoiding as many processed foods – snack foods, junk foods, fast foods, etc. – as possible. Most (if not all) of them contain high levels of trans-fats.

Controlling your brain chemistry by eating good fats and avoiding bad fats can help you curb your appetite and boost your health. But it's just one of the seven metabolic keys to weight loss.

Metabolic Key #2: Boosting Your Thyroid Production

The thyroid hormone plays an integral role in regulating your body's metabolism.

Hypothyroidism, a condition in which not enough thyroid hormone is produced, is one of the most under-diagnosed conditions that I've seen. It affects over 10,000,000 Americans, and is a leading cause of weight gain.

One of the more common causes of hypothyroidism is an allergy to gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, and kamut). People who are allergic to gluten react in different ways, including suppressing the body's production of the thyroid hormone. This leads to a dramatic slowdown in metabolism.

For many of my patients with hypothyroidism, simply eliminating gluten from their diets not only normalizes their thyroid levels, boosts their metabolism, and leads to weight loss, it also lowers their cholesterol, improves their memory, promotes re-growth in cases of hair loss, and relieves muscle aches, constipation … and even cures infertility in some.

Don't think this is a big deal? Well, consider that earlier this week, three separate lawsuits were filed against McDonald's because their fries contain gluten. This revelation shocked people with food allergies who had no idea that potatoes could be a source of this substance that they must avoid.

So not only do McDonald's fries have bad trans-fats (which shut down your brain chemistry and slow your metabolism), they also have gluten, which could put a damper on your thyroid gland, slow your metabolism, and cause you to gain weight. A deadly double-metabolic whammy.

The plan for controlling all seven of the fat-burning engines – including optimizing your brain chemistry and boosting your thyroid production – involves two simple steps:

In the first step, you eliminate all of the bad foods that slow your metabolism, make you feel lethargic, and lead to disease.

In the second step, you add the good foods that crank up your metabolism, boost your energy, and revitalize your health.

The secret that makes this work is, well, really no longer a secret: By simply eating the foods that ignite ALL of your body's fat-burning engines, and avoiding the foods that snuff them out, you will begin the process of working WITH your body instead of against it. This is something that all fad diets fail to do – and it is why they all fail.

My message to you is simple: If you want to fit into your jeans, you have to learn to fit into your genes!

[Ed. Note: Mark Hyman, M.D., is a New York Times best-selling author, lecturer, and practicing physician. He is Editor-in-Chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine and Medical Editor of Alternative Medicine Magazine.]

Today's Action Plan

Dr. Hyman's new book - UltraMetabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss will be released in mid-March. But you don't have to wait. You can get a sneak preview of his program right now by clicking here. Dr. Hyman details exactly what you need to do to ignite all seven of your fat-burning engines.

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She’s Already Bringing On Extra Employees To Handle All The Work

Roger, with a glint of mischief in his eyes, snatched a quick glance at me and nodded at Blanca. 'So, how is 'the job' going, Blanca?'

The others at the table could scarcely contain their snickering and eye-rolling when Roger's girlfriend whispered, 'She's not still doing that, is she?'

Then she started to talk about her new business…

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One Thing That Madison Avenue Gets Right

I don't approve of most of what Madison Avenue passes off as advertising, but there's one thing they usually do right – and this is a lesson that direct-response marketers should heed: When it comes time to create a new marketing campaign, identify one compelling reason to buy and hammer it home.

Too often, direct marketers use what I call the tossed-salad approach to copywriting – throwing together every imaginable benefit and feature into one jumbled mess. But the strongest promotions are those that get people to stop, pay attention, and "buy into" a single, persuasive idea.

Domino's Pizza understood this principle when it advertised delivery time, ignoring the other obvious components of pizza satisfaction – quality, price, and value. By drumming hard on that one single beat, they were able to capture the attention of the American public and put themselves into a leadership position in a billion-dollar industry. Tom Monaghan, president of Domino's, described this strategy as "a fanatical focus on doing one thing well."

- Michael Masterson

Quick Tip: Be Careful How You Invoice

If you have a name for your business, it's tempting to invoice clients with that business name. However, if your clients write checks payable to the name of your business, you may be in for some hassles with the bank.

Because of increased security in financial transactions, many banks will not let you deposit a check into your personal account if the check is made payable to a business entity. They insist that you deposit it into a business account.

Establishing a business account is not difficult … but it does require having a legally established name. This often requires posting a "fictitious name declaration" in your local newspapers for 2 or 3 weeks and registering the name with your county clerk's office.

Bottom line: Check with your financial institution to find out their policy.

- Will Newman

(Ed. Note: This article by Will Newman, a regular contributor to ETR, is from AWAI's Inside Freelance Design online newsletter. Learn how to subscribe to it – and how you can build a new career with AWAI's Graphic Design Success program.)

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Options Buyers Lose Money 85% of the Time…
Here's How to Turn Their Losses Into YOUR Gains!

A brilliant mathematician has unleashed a "secret weapon" that can give YOU the "house advantage" every time options buyers roll the dice. And if you have just 3 minutes a week, you could use his system to turn $10,000 into $210,582. Here's how you get in…

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Word
to the Wise: Scion

Botanically speaking, a "scion" (SY-un) is the shoot or twig of a plant used for grafting. Thus, we have come to use the word to refer to a descendant or heir.

Example (as used in a New York Times article about the co-founders of Apple Computer): "Gates is the scion of an old, affluent Seattle family; Jobs is the adopted son of a machinist in Northern California."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

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Why Success Is a Science

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

The success you've dreamt about may be one small step from your grasp.

In today's message, James Arthur Ray explains how to go the extra yard and reach all your goals.

- Suzanne Richardson
ETR Managing Editor

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Message #1659

WEALTHY: An interesting opportunity for adventurous investors (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: Exercising because you want to … not because you have to

WISE: William James on changing your life

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Achieve more – faster – with this approach (James Arthur Ray)

What the "Rule of Thirds" Can do for you

Add the word "tenebrous" to your vocabulary

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Profit Hunting in Argentina's Fertile Ground

If you like the idea of owning property in exotic places, you should check out Argentina.

Several business friends and I bought three apartment buildings in Argentina a few years ago. They were bought during a time when the Argentinean economy was weak and real estate prices had tumbled. Since then, they have rebounded nicely.

As Bill Bonner says in Daily Reckoning.

"In Buenos Aires, capital of the fiery dance, property prices in the best areas are no longer sizzling, but they are still a tenth of comparable prices in Paris or London … and in the more bohemian neighborhoods, bargains can still be had.

"And there are many other possibilities. With the mushrooming of Chinese demand for wood, Argentinean hardwoods, which grow nearly 65% faster than hardwoods here and re-sprout on their own after harvesting, look like they might make a recession-proof investment.

"Or there is bargain wine 'terroir' close to Mendoza, Patagonian ski country bungalows, or in nearby Uruguay, the glamorous beaches of Punta del Este, the Latin Monte Carlo, to choose from. With the peso still weak as the country pulls itself out of a slump – 'briskly,' according to Credit Suisse – your money might be more secure south of the Rio de la Plata than north of the Rio Grande.

"We offer no guarantees, but for some time now, Argentina has been of interest to us."

Bill has been down there several times to look at and purchase property. So has Porter Stansberry and Doug Casey. I couldn't join them on their last trip, but I'm thinking about going down with Barbara Periello, Director of Agora Travel, who is leading a 12-day tour of Argentina and Uruguay.

The trip, scheduled for April 8-19, 2006, will be an extremely high-access and exclusive program. Barbara has chartered a private plane to ferry 16 participants to the far corners of Argentina and Uruguay quickly, efficiently, and comfortably. And in each destination, you'll meet with contacts on the ground who will introduce you to Buenos Aires apartment bargains … timber and vineyard opportunities … Patagonia's lake vacation properties … Uruguay beachfront … and more.

For more information on that tour, click here:

http://www.agoratravel.com/investsouthamerica/etr/

- Michael Masterson

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind."

- William James

Why Success Is a Science

By James Arthur Ray

In his best-selling book Automatic Wealth, Michael Masterson devoted an entire chapter to the importance of developing wealthy habits. One of the things he said: "There is no one way to become rich. But there are a number of habits that some people develop that give them an almost supernatural ability to earn money and build wealth." He then went on to discuss eight things that successful wealth builders do – eight habits that they have in common.

You've probably observed that people who are highly successful at any skill – not only wealth building – achieve their results by doing "certain things in a certain way." Add to this the scientific fact that "like causes produce like effects" – and one thing becomes clear: If you and I consistently employ the same thought processes and actions as these highly successful individuals, we will produce similar results.

This is why success is an absolute science. If you apply the principles (thoughts and actions) of peak performers, you will accelerate your results far beyond your current level of achievement. Put it to the test.

In his book Psychocybernetics, Dr. Maxwell Maltz talks about our daily actions being a direct result of our habits. Since your actions are the cause of your results, it is fair to assume that your habits are what ultimately create the results you obtain. Habits are the things you and I do naturally and automatically, without thinking. Most of these habits were formed at a very early age and are now collected in your unconscious mind. According to Maltz, if you want to change your results, you must begin to form new habits.

Your current thinking regarding your abilities, your product, and your industry is habitual. It is buried in your unconscious mind, and it drives your behavior on a daily basis. Many times, this mindset is limiting, because it has as its foundation things said by a parent, teacher, coach, etc. that were intended to protect us from disappointment … but are actually disempowering. Things like: "Be realistic," "Don't expect too much," and "Life is hard."

To reverse this negative mindset and build the habits of a top performer, start by taking these four first steps:

1. Set a clear and measurable goal.

Make it a goal that you are excited about accomplishing. The human spirit will not invest itself in mediocrity – so if you want to succeed in overcoming limiting habits, your goal must create passion in you!

When you set your goal, keep two other important things in mind: It must be specific … and it must be measurable. Instead of "I want to make more money," write, "I am earning a minimum of $70,000 per year." This way, you will know exactly when you have accomplished the goal.

2. Write your goal in the present tense.

Notice that in the above example, the goal is in the present tense: "I am earning a minimum of $70,000 per year." There's a reason for doing this. It will cause you to fully associate with the achievement of your goal. Your unconscious mind is totally deductive, and, therefore it accepts anything that your conscious mind gives it without question. Consequently, correct phrasing is imperative. Instead of "I want to earn $70,000 per year," write your goal as if you have already achieved it.

3. Write your goal every single day, carry it with you everywhere you go, and read it as often as possible.

Remember, you are developing habits of the highly successful – ways of thinking and acting that are new to you. So don't think that this step is redundant. Realize that it has taken years to develop your current limiting mindset – and it will take concentrated effort to replace it.

4. Take action and make daily decisions with your goal in mind.

For example, you might ask yourself the question: "What decision would I make right now or what action would I take right now as a $70,000 income earner?" Answer the question – and act! If you act based upon your current status, you will continue to create your current results.

Any time you experience frustration with these action steps, realize that it is caused by your old mental "programming" trying to push you back into old behaviors. Don't give in! The mark of a master achiever is a person who has the ability to give himself a command – and follow it.

[Ed. Note: James Arthur Ray, a leading expert on the psychology of success, has devoted his life to helping ordinary people lead extraordinary lives. Recently, James put together an enormous package titled "Focusing on the Science of Success." If you are ready to transform your life, here's how you can try out this program for 30 days.

http://www.consciousone.com/c1promo/ETRSOS.html

Today's Action Plan

James Ray is right. If you want to succeed in your career or your life, you have to "deprogram" your mind of limitations.

Of course, as Michael Masterson often points out, changing your thinking alone is not enough. If you truly want to succeed, you've also got to modify your behavior. And that means taking positive action toward your goals.

Make a promise to yourself today that you're going to set realistic objectives, find others who have already achieved those goals - and then imitate the actions that have led them to success.

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Reader Feedback: The Basic Rules for Doing Business in China

[Note From Michael Masterson: After reading the article I wrote about doing business overseas - and especially in China - Andrew Carpenter sent me the following e-mail. Andy, an expert in the Chinese marketplace, is the Founder/Editor of The China Club newsletter.]

I dislike PowerPoint, but it's ubiquitous and familiar to investors. As part of my day one, "in-country" introduction to China, I blast though a 10-slide presentation. It takes me less than 20 minutes to complete.

It's mostly skimming-the-cream BS, except for this one slide. Its points are refrained throughout a China tour.

BASIC RULES FOR DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA

Rule 1: Everything is possible.
Rule 2: Nothing is easy.
Rule 3: Western business logic may not always apply.
Rule 4: It's a fun project if there's no deadline.
Rule 5: If you persist – it will come to you eventually.
Rule 6: "You don't know China" means they disagree.
Rule 7: "New regulations" means they've found a way to avoid something.
Rule 8: "International regulations" means they are mad at you.
Rule 9: "Basically, no problem" means Big Problem.
Rule 10: When you feel optimistic – remember Rule #2.
Rule 11: When you feel pessimistic – remember Rule #1.

- Andrew Carpenter
The China Club

2 Surefire Strategies to Help You Stick to Your Exercise Plan

Have you ever started an exercise program and then quit after just a few days or a couple of weeks? Well, you're not alone. Just about everyone has done the same thing at some point. That's why I was interested in an article I found on the Men's Health website, "20 Ways to Stick to Your Workout." Here are two ideas from that article that have also worked for me:

1. Sign up for a road race or a competition.

If you want to add some meaning to your workouts, find an event you enjoy and train to compete in it. Whether it's martial arts, or running, or a tennis or volleyball tournament, your future commitment will be a strong motivator. Just be sure to have fun with it too. Competition doesn't have to be dead serious.

2. Make a "friendly wager."

Find someone else who wants to get in shape and make a bet regarding who can achieve a measurable goal first. If you can't find someone who wants to challenge you, tell a friend that you will pay him a certain amount of money (enough to hurt a bit) if you don't meet your objective in a certain amount of time. I promise, you'll think twice before plopping down on the couch.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 3

For the past two days [Message #1657 and Message #1658], we've been giving you ideas on how to take better photos. To finish up this series, here are two more tips from the Board of Advisors for AWAI's new home-study program "Turn Your Pictures Into Cash".

Don't center your subjects.

We are tempted to put the subject matter of our photos "front and center." But try moving your point of interest – be it the horizon, a tree, building, person, animal, rock, mountain, or whatever – up or down from the center, or to the left or right of the center. Or do both.

Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid, dividing your image in thirds. Try to place your subject close to the point where two of the gridlines would intersect. In photography, this is called the "Rule of Thirds."

Use a tripod at low shutter speeds.

The longer your lens and the further you zoom it, the more susceptible your pictures are to "camera shake." If you're using a shutter speed slower than 1 over your lens length, even the slightest vibration or movement can blur the shot. So either break out the tripod or simply rest your camera on a nearby bench, wall, trash can, you name it. The idea here is to steady your camera in order to avoid the vibration that comes from holding it.

[Ed. Note: Find out more about AWAI's home-study photography program here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/etr. Or join them in Bermuda for their next live event:www.thephotographerslife.com/bermuda/etr.

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Setting Goals –And Sticking To Them – Will Help You Achieve Financial Independence

Don’t take our word for it. That’s the headline from an AP article than ran in hundreds of newspapers across the nation last week.

"This is definitely the time of year to get things started," was how Barry Armstrong, a Boston financial planner with Woodbury Financial Services put it.
"For some people, it's a bitter message. There are things that you don't like doing. But they have to be done."

Former waitress Pamela Newman went from hand-to-mouth living to owning two condominiums in the San Diego area. What did it take? Resolve.
Resolve to make 2006 the year you kick it up a notch. Here’s how:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGB/E700G273/

Word
to the Wise: Tenebrous

"Tenebrous" (TEN-uh-brus) is another way of saying dark or gloomy. The word is derived from the Latin "tenebrae" ("darkness").

Example (as used by Douglas Kennedy in an article in the Independent): "And lurking behind our every move is the knowledge of our own mortality. It gives life its edgy disquiet, its tenebrous underside."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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9 Tips for New Real Estate Investors

Tuesday, February 21st, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Steve Cook has 300 real estate deals under his belt in just the last five years. There's a lot you can learn from that kind of experience.Today, he shares the mistakes he made along the way, where he's going from here, and his nine best tips for new investors.

- Justin Ford
Editor, Main Street Millionaire

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Message #1658

WEALTHY: What I did right – and what I did wrong – with my real estate investments (Steve Cook)

HEALTHY: How Big Pharma turned horse urine into a billion-dollar business

WISE: William Connor Magee on making mistakes

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

A basic concept that do-gooders don't get (Michael Masterson)

2 more tips to increase your chances of taking great family photos

Add the word "bellicose" to your vocabulary

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"The man who does not make any mistakes does not usually make anything."

– William Connor Magee

9 Tips for New Real Estate Investors

By Steve Cook

I've done over 300 real estate deals in the last five years. And at every seminar that I'm involved in, the toughest question I get is this one: "Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?"

Based on my current position and the blessings I have experienced, I really would not have done anything differently. I'm very pleased with my current situation as an investor, and I fear that if I had done anything differently, I wouldn't be where I am today. In my opinion, a more appropriate question is: "Based on your experience, what direction are you going from here – and what advice do you have for a new investor?"

While my plan for the future is still in process, I do have nine tips to offer new investors.

1. Choose quality over quantity.

Beginning investors should do what they need to do to survive, keeping in mind that it is better to do one quality deal than a multitude of average deals. As a beginner, you must get into the game, but do it carefully with good deals. Then go from first to second to third to home, taking it one step at a time. Crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Otherwise, by rushing into things, you run the risk of making mistakes that will set you back months or even years.

2. Set goals and put them on paper.

I did not have concrete goals when I began, so two years after getting started, I was in about the same place as when I started. I ran around in circles and covered a lot of ground, but didn't get too far from my starting point. Only then did I develop a plan. (Smart, huh? Only took a few dozen "seminars" and a few more whacks upside my head.)

Put together a plan sooner rather than later, preferably before you even start investing. Anyone who drafts a realistic plan and sticks to it can achieve as much in one year as I did in three.

Set realistic goals. Speak with experienced investors in your chosen field (e.g., wholesaling, rehabbing, lease-options, "subject to") and get their honest opinions regarding profits per deal and the average time required to complete a deal. Then, based on this and your current resources of cash and credit, set your long-term cash, cash flow, and equity goals for one, three, and five years. Once you have these long-term goals, fill in your short-term three-month, six-month, and nine-month goals by outlining the steps you need to take to accomplish your long-term goals.

Unless you draft a plan similar to this and truly commit to it, you are going nowhere.

3. If possible, keep your best deals.

Looking back, I have owned a lot of homes that I wish I had kept. I don't regret having sold them since every sale contributed to my success, but I did have some gems that have more than doubled in value since I sold them.

When I sold, I just didn't believe that those areas would take off (as realtors and others were telling me). So I cashed out and used the profits for other things. If I had held the 50 best deals that I have sold to others and done nothing else, my net worth would probably be three times higher than what it is today.

Sometimes, though, it is necessary and understandable to sell a property for cash profits – even though it would be nice to keep it. Use your best judgment.

4. Don't limit your profits.

When you purchase a great deal, don't feel obligated to pass all of the savings on to your buyer. I could have generated more profits than I did from many of the properties that I wholesaled. Often, when I purchased a SUPER deal, I passed along the SUPER savings to my buyer with the attitude that I should only make $2k-$4k per transaction.

Well, this was a mistake. My advice to you is to take what you can get. Don't inflate your prices above the market and gouge people. Give them a good value. However, don't think it's necessary to limit your profits just so a buyer can benefit. After all, this is business. Let the market set your price. There will be plenty of times when your profit isn't as large as you expected. Take advantage of the big hits when they come.

5. Separate business and charity.

Sometimes, I used my business as a charity when I shouldn't have. My recommendation for you is to never do the same. Don't let someone live rent-free or give someone else more for a service than what it makes good business sense to give.

Don't get me wrong. It's okay to be charitable with your profits. I am. But you can't be charitable with your business. If you give your business away before you make profits, that cuts your wellspring at its source. And you won't have any profits to share.

6. Hold on to the J.O.B. as long as you can.

I know it's hard to hear this, especially if you're disgusted with your current position. But I recommend that beginners with good jobs hold on to them for a while. They provide a safety net while you are learning – and particularly allow you to establish yourself with banks and credit card companies. Convincing these organizations to work with you as a self-employed person is tough.

7. Start as early as you can.

I became interested in investing at the age of 18, and I wish I had pursued it from that age. Instead, I waited 10 more years to get started. As of this writing, I've only been investing for five years – and it's hard for me to imagine, based on my current position, where I would be now if I had started when I was 18 years old. It's never too late, but you need to start NOW!

8. Use partners wisely.

Use partners only when you need them. In other words, choose people with time, money, knowledge, or skills that you don't have. They should bring to the table something that you need. All too often, two people with a dream and nothing else decide to be partners. Not good. Partners need to complement each other, not have the same qualities.

Nowadays, I teach others to use partners strictly on a deal-by-deal basis. The form of partnership I teach most often is one where one person puts up all of the money and the other is responsible for everything else.

9. Dare to dream.

Finally, I'd like to stress that if you can dream it, you can do it through effort and perseverance. Having money, a decent job, and good credit make investing easier … but they are not necessary.

When I began my career as a real estate investor, I had no money, no job, and poor credit. In the past five years, through the grace of God, I have come a long way. So set your goals and start taking the steps necessary to achieve them. Reevaluate and adjust every so often … but don't quit and don't let anything stop you.

[Ed. Note: Stephen Cook is an author and active real estate investor. He pursues many avenues of investing, and specializes in the wholesaling and rehabbing of properties for profit.

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SWFQC/E700G299/]

Notes From Michael Masterson's Journal: Love Isn't the Only Thing That Money Can't Buy

Ads for "Meals on Wheels" programs often say things like "Dignity is life without hunger." This illustrates, very plainly, something that I think is wrong with contemporary liberal sentiment: the idea that virtue is a material commodity.

If dignity is nothing but a full belly, why are there so many well-fed people out there without a shred of it? Likewise, if dignity is the negation of hunger, was Gandhi's fasting undignified?

It's so dumb. So predictable. Today's do-gooder thinks the world is better if it has more material goods. The mission of such a person is to give everyone a minimum level of material comfort. The impulse itself is myopic and self-indulgent. The actions that come from it are futile at best and most often destructive.

You can't buy dignity. And you can't pay for it either.

- Michael Masterson

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Synthetic vs. Natural Hormones … BIG Difference

Yesterday, I told you that Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is pushing the FDA to restrict your access to safe, natural hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). They're doing this because the natural alternatives are so far superior that they've cut into Wyeth's sales by more than a billion dollars.

So, what's the difference between the natural and synthetic versions of HRT?

Bio-identical hormones are derived from plant compounds. As the name implies, they are identical to the hormones produced in the body. Unfortunately (for the drug companies), these hormones cannot be patented. On the other hand, the synthetic versions (which are derived from the urine of pregnant mares) are altered in the lab to produce a patentable – and profitable – product.

Women by the thousands are choosing bio-identical hormones to avoid the side effects of synthetic hormones. For example, the following was posted in the Health Sciences Institute (HSI) Forum.

"I have been on a variety of hormone replacement options over the years. Regardless of what I tried, I had many unwanted side effects (acne, sweating, fluid retention, etc.). After reading up on bio-identical estrogen, I asked to be switched to a bio-identical tri-estrogen compound. All side effects I experienced with other therapies went away almost immediately. I have been very happy with the results, whereas I had been miserable for years with other therapies."

There is still time to protect your right to choose. If you are a doctor or a woman who has experience with bio-identical hormones, you can submit your opinion on this matter directly to the FDA up until April 4, 2006.

- Jon Herring

Today's Action Plan

We want to hear from you. Do you have experience with synthetic or bio-identical hormones? Visit the ETR Speak Out Forum now and let us know. Please comment pro or con. Also, give us your thoughts on Wyeth's bid to restrict your right to choose.

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 2

Yesterday, we gave you two good ideas on how to take better photos. Here are two more tips from the Board of Advisors for AWAI's new home-study program – "Turn Your Pictures Into Cash".

Turn your camera and shoot both horizontal and vertical shots.

Hold your camera as you normally do and then try turning it on its side. Amateur snappers often limit themselves to horizontal shots because that's how the camera fits most comfortably in their hands. But you should shoot at least one photo of your subject as a horizontal and then shoot the exact same picture in vertical. You might even try turning the camera at a 45-degree angle (as if you're shooting it to be a diamond) for an interesting effect.

Shoot in the early morning and late afternoon for the best light.

When shooting outdoors, think overcast, dawn, and dusk. The harsh midday sun is the worst type of lighting for your photographs. Overcast daylight, on the other hand, is soft and diffused, which will bring out your scene's natural colors and minimize shadows that fall in unattractive places (like under your spouse's nose and forehead).

[Ed. Note: Find out more about AWAI's home-study photography program here: www.thephotographerslife.com/etr. Or join them in Bermuda for their next live event: www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bermuda/etr.]

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Turn Your Mind into a Cash-Generating Idea Machine

Imagine sitting in a meeting…a seemingly unsolvable problem is before the group.

Everyone is silent and stuck for ideas. But you come up with the thought that saves the day!

Everyone wonders why they didn't think of it. But only you know the answer to that question. It's because they didn't know HOW to look at the problem.

Ideas, not money, are the true currency of business and personal success.

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Word
to the Wise: Bellicose

"Bellicose" (BEL-ih-kos) is another way of saying "warlike." The word is derived from the Latin "bellum" ("war").

Example (as used by Walter McDougal in Promised Land, Crusader State): "And John Adams insisted that where European diplomacy was secret, bellicose, and riddled with intrigue, American policy would be open, peaceful, and honest."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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“Using” Sexuality in the Workplace

Monday, February 20th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Sex and business. Sounds like an awfully dangerous combination, eh?

Get Michael Masterson's take on it in his piece today.

- Charlie Byrne
ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Monday, February 20, 2006
Message #1657

WEALTHY: Why bond yields are making a lot of people nervous – and why they shouldn't

HEALTHY: The real reason this drug company is petitioning the FDA

WISE: Marlene Dietrich on sex

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

An attempt to defend my male chauvinist pigginess (Michael Masterson)

2 tips to increase your chances of taking great family photos

Add the word "fungible" to your vocabulary

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Understanding the "Inverted Yield Curve"

What's going on with yields of U.S. government bonds may be weird, but it's nothing to worry about.

Long-term bonds normally have a higher yield than short-term bonds – just like the interest on a 30-year mortgage is higher than on a 15-year mortgage. But every now and then, the relationship between long-term and short-term bonds reverses or inverts. When that happens, short-term bonds earn a higher yield than long-term bonds. This is called an "inverted yield curve."

It is considered a bad omen for the economy, because our last four recessions have been preceded by inverted yield curves. The last inverted yield curve happened at the very end of last year … and it has made a lot of people very nervous.

But not all inverted yield curves lead to recession, and this one won't. The yield rate reversed because long-term rates have been going down and finally dipped under short-term rates. But these long-term rates would not be going down if there were a strong fear of inflation (which can turn bonds into a terrible investment). And inflation rightly isn't a big concern currently, because Chinese and Indian wages and prices are keeping it down.

- Andrew Gordon

[Ed. Note: Andrew Gordon, ETR's financial expert, is the editor of The Skeptical Advisor, our investment newsletter that gives you one incredibly undervalued stock recommendation every month. Check it out at http://skepticaladvisor.com.]

"Sex. In America, an obsession. In other parts of the world, a fact."

- Marlene Dietrich

"Using" Sexuality in the Workplace

By Michael Masterson

In Message #1633, I wrote an article titled "Women in Business." In response to some of the things I said in that article, a colleague wrote:

"You know I always read your advice to women with particular interest … today was no different.

"I'm sure it's not conscious, but I've noticed that almost every time you address the issue of women in business, you warn us about not 'using our sexuality' for career advancement. And I've never once heard you admonish men about combining sexuality and business.

"Last time I checked, it took two to tango … and men in powerful positions almost always come with libidos that correlate with the size of their egos. (Do we really think Bill Clinton was the first or only president to have sex in the Oval Office with someone other than his wife?)

"If women are 'using' sexuality – what are the men doing who are participating? And what is your advice to them?

"I'm not disagreeing with your advice, by the way. In fact, I'm trying to be better about taking it. But when it's so one-sided, it makes you seem paternalistic. And I think you are wiser and more insightful on the matter than that.

"For the record, I think the intoxicating combination of sexuality and business has more to do with the fact that in our personal lives we marry someone who is our opposite because we need that to balance us and be healthy. But in business, we are attracted to people who are more like us, and the chemistry grows out of that yearning for connection with the same energy. I also think that it is often more innocent (though no less foolish) on the part of women than the motive you ascribe to it. Is it not possible that some of us are, like men, weak to the charms and flirtations of the opposite sex? And that we succumb for reasons far more complicated than career advancement?"

Hmm. Seems to me I'm being accused of two counts of gender bias here. Let's see if I can defend myself:

Count Number One: "I've never once heard you admonish men about combining sexuality and business."

Guilty as charged.

I've never done that. And here's why …

When I think about using sex in the workplace for career advancement, I think of women as the potential culprits. I don't think of men in that role, because I have a very old-fashioned, male-oriented view of sexiness. That is, I don't see men as sexy. Not at all.

Of course, I'm wrong. Brad Pitt, for example. He's a sexy guy. And Sean Connery.

If Brad Pitt or Sean Connery had ever worked for me, perhaps I would have realized the kind of havoc that can be caused by men wearing unbuttoned shirts and tight jeans. Much to the misfortune of my gender consciousness, the male characters that have played roles in my workaday life have been more of the John Belushi/Conan O'Brien variety.

But, seriously …

I concede that I'm wrong in thinking that only women can be guilty of using their sexuality to gain favor in the workplace. It is certainly possible – though not easy – for a man to do the same thing.

And, to tell the absolute truth, I would like to think that I myself have once or twice been guilty of using my manly charms to close a deal or get a promotion. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind.

Count Number 2: I am biased. ("If women are 'using' sexuality – what are the men doing who are participating?")

Not guilty.

Let me explain. When men (like Clinton) offer business incentives to gain sexual favors from women, they are doing something that is stupid, wrong, and self-destructive. And if a man were to use his sexuality to induce a female boss to give him a raise or some other business benefit, he'd be wrong and guilty of the same thing that I advise women against. It's a form of prostitution.

As I've suggested, I don't think men are often in the position of prostituting themselves in the workplace. They are, however, frequently in the position to play the john. Both roles should be avoided.

These behaviors are wrong and unproductive – but I wouldn't classify them as ultra-evil. Sexual harassment, on the other hand (and by this, I mean real sexual harassment -threatening to fire or making someone miserable unless they have sex with you) is, and should be, a crime.

"Prostitution" at the office is mostly a woman-on-man thing. Sexual harassment is mostly a man-on-women thing.

Yes, there are exceptions. Which prove the rule.

I think there are all sorts of reasons we get turned on at the office. It's not just (as my colleague suggested above) by people who are different from our spouses. And it's not always a bad thing. In my "Women in Business" article, I never advised women to avoid sex or romance in the office. My warning was about using it for a business advantage.

I'll stand by that.

Big Pharma's Latest Attempt to Restrict Your Right to Choose

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has petitioned the FDA to prohibit compounding pharmacies from providing natural, bio-identical hormones. (Compounding pharmacies are regulated by the states and create custom medications for patients.)

Wyeth charges that these pharmacies are "trying to dupe" unsuspecting patients, and that bio-identical hormones "endanger public health." These charges are groundless. First, compounding pharmacies only dispense hormones with a doctor's prescription. So how is the pharmacy trying to "dupe" the public by filling a doctor's order? Also, when prescribed properly, bio-identical hormones are highly effective and have a low incidence of adverse effects.

So what else might be behind this initiative? Here's a clue: Bio-identical hormones compete with the synthetic hormones manufactured by Wyeth. And the evidence suggests that it is Wyeth's drugs that "endanger public health."

In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a long-term national study, demonstrated that Wyeth's fake hormones (Premarin and Prempro) cause significant increases in breast cancer, blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. Since then, sales of these products have declined by 68%, equating to over a billion dollars in lost revenue. To stem their losses, Wyeth has petitioned the FDA to restrict access to natural alternatives, thus eliminating the competition. And if their petition is successful, women may lose the right to choose between a safe natural therapy and a proven synthetic menace.

If you are a doctor or a woman who has experience with bio-identical hormones, you can submit your opinion on this matter directly to the FDA up until April 4, 2006.

- Jon Herring

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Today's Action Plan

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 1

We asked the Board of Advisors for AWAI's new home-study program – "Turn Your Pictures Into Cash" – for some advice to help you take better photos. In this three-part series, we'll share their tips with you. Here are the first two …

Take more photos than you think you'll need.

The best way to increase your chances of getting really outstanding photographs, is to take more pictures. You'll not only give yourself more choices, you'll also improve your skills at a much faster rate.

And if the extra film leaves you strapped for cash, consider going digital to save money on film and processing. Digital cameras help you learn faster, too, since you see your pictures immediately rather than having to wait for them to come back from the lab.

Choose a subject and let it dominate the image.

Instead of shooting random photographs in hopes of catching something good, pick out your subject and try to find creative ways to capture it. For instance, maybe your great-grandmother is in town. Get a shot of her stirring the gravy in the kitchen. Don't stand back and try to get the entire kitchen in the shot. Get in close with your camera (or your zoom lens) and let her fill 50%-70% of your image.

[Ed. Note: Find out more about AWAI's home-study photography program here: www.thephotographerslife.com/etr. Or join them in Bermuda for their next live event: www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bermuda/etr.]

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Word
to the Wise: Fungible

"Fungible" (FUN-juh-bul) is another word for "interchangeable." It is derived from the Latin "fungi" ("to perform [in place of]").

Example (as used by Eugene Ludwig in a Forbes interview): "People think this tax is for Social Security. But tax monies are really fungible. They get raided all the time."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have a Question for Michael Masterson? Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

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Letting Go

Saturday, February 18th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Do you know someone who spends too much time beating himself up over mistakes made in the past?

Today Robert Ringer, with an assist from Siddhattha, shows how it doesn't have to be that way.

- Charlie Byrne
ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Message #1656

WEALTHY: Is it too late to invest in Asia and South America?

HEALTHY: 2 good reasons to eliminate corn from your diet

WISE: Buddha on unhappiness

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

2,500-year-old words to live by (Robert Ringer)

Opening the door to a new career (Michael Masterson)

Add the word "axiomatic" to your vocabulary

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How Some of the Poorest Countries in the World Are Making Americans Rich

It's not too late to send your money overseas – to some of the most inhospitable places in the world – and make profits not seen in the broad market indices here in the U.S. for six years.

Americans put their money into Asian and South American investments in record numbers last year, with good reason. Problem is, when lots of money pours into a market, all that dough floats prices to higher and higher levels … whether the market deserves it or not. Think of the high-tech boom of the late 90's.

While there's no such crash looming with overseas markets, three years of growth (averaging 38%) has made the stock markets of emerging countries much more expensive. Maybe too expensive if American and European stock markets start making returns approaching double figures. That would keep more investing money here and in Europe … and would take some of the hot air out of emerging markets.

But that's a big IF. I believe that emerging markets still have one more big year in them, though not as big as recent years.

So, if you're not yet in emerging markets, invest in them NOW. I suggest the iShares MSCI Emerging Market Index Fund (EEM) as one good fund for this kind of investment. You can look up others at www.morningstar.com.

- Andrew Gordon

"All unhappiness is caused by attachment."

- Buddha

Letting Go

By Robert Ringer

To a great extent, the guideposts for my life are based on numerous quotes that I've read over the years. There are thousands of great quotes in books and on the Internet, but only a relatively small number have a real impact on an individual's life. These are the quotes that are beyond "Wow!" – the ones that stick with you forever and help to form the foundation for the way you live.

I would estimate that I probably have about two dozen that I consider to be instrumental in guiding my day-to-day actions. Right up near the top of this treasured list is a quote that I first heard nearly 30 years ago, one that I have used a number of times in books and articles. It has been attributed to Siddhattha Gautama, known more commonly as Buddha (The Enlightened One). Said Buddha about 2,500 years ago: "All unhappiness is caused by attachment."

I thought about this quote most recently when I read The Universe in a Single Atom,by the Dalai Lama. It's a remarkable work, though I do not recommend it to anyone who likes information to be presented in easily digestible bites. It's a difficult read, to say the least.

The Dalai Lama explains that Buddhism sees the major dividing line between sentience (consciousness) and non-sentience as the interest in the alleviation of suffering and the quest for happiness. This phenomenon is tied to the Four Noble Truths that Buddha taught in his initial sermon:

Noble Truth No. 1: There is suffering.
Noble Truth No. 2: Suffering has an origin.
Noble Truth No. 3: The cessation of suffering is possible.
Noble Truth No. 4: There is a path to the cessation of suffering.

I'm no Buddha by a long shot, nevertheless I'd like to share with you my own take on Buddha's Four Noble Truths – particularly as they relate to his observation: "All unhappiness is caused by attachment." My main objective here is to act as a catalyst in motivating you to develop your own insights into these fascinating concepts.

The First Noble Truth – that there is suffering in the world – is axiomatic. This includes everything from disease and illness to starvation and war. These are large and obvious issues that I won't even attempt to address in this article, mainly because I do not have the space to begin to do justice to them.

The kind of suffering I'm going to focus on is mental pain. This is the kind of pain that a person may endure over a perceived injustice, problems with his children, job termination, or the end of a romantic relationship, to name but a few.

The Second Noble Truth is also axiomatic – that suffering has an origin. More simply put, there is always something or someone that is the cause of a person's suffering. There is a reason for an injustice, a reason for your child's problems, a reason for losing your job, a reason for an end to a romance.

Cause and effect is easily demonstrated in science, but most straight-thinking adults have little doubt that all actions have consequences. Buddha believed that craving is the main culprit when it comes to suffering. Modern man craves so many pleasures that it seems as though it is impossible for him to ever be content.

The Third Noble Truth – that it's possible to put an end to one's suffering – is one of the most positive aspects of the Buddhist doctrine. In other words, you should feel relieved to know that you don't have to suffer. Suffering is not mandated by a higher authority!

So, what is the path to the cessation of suffering (the Fourth Noble Truth)? To the extent that you are successful in analyzing the origin of your suffering, you have an excellent chance of putting an end to it – or at least to ease its effects on you.

Enlightenment – the successful search for truth – is the key to eliminating pain. And the best place to start looking for enlightenment is in the mirror:

What did I do (or not do)to put myself in a position whereby an injustice could be inflicted upon me?

What did I do (or not do) to contribute to my child's problems?

What did I do (or not do) to lose my job?

What did I do (or not do) to contribute to the failure of my romantic relationship?

No matter what someone else did to you, your focus should always be on what you did wrong. Remember that great line from the 1994 film classic The Shawshank Redemption When a new inmate was proclaiming his innocence to the other prisoners at the "dining" table, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) sarcastically replied, "Oh, didn't you know? Everyone in here is innocent."

The point is that if you really want to put an end to your suffering, the first step is to let go of the notion that you are a victim of circumstances. As with everything in life, there are exceptions – but not many.

What I'm suggesting – and what I have believed ever since I first read Buddha's words about all unhappiness being caused by attachment – is that letting go is often the path to the cessation of suffering. I find that the more detached I am, the more objective I can be. And the more objective I am, the more enlightened I become.

When people think of attachment, they usually picture material things. And, indeed, attachment to the material world can cause great suffering. But there are subtle kinds of attachments that can cause suffering as well, such as the examples I mentioned above.

Late in his career, my father apparently got "shafted" out of his share of a business by his partners. My mother was extremely upset by the incident, and talked about it incessantly for decades. Remaining steadfastly attached to this unpleasant situation – long after my father died – caused her an enormous amount of unhappiness and emotional pain.

Likewise, when a player gets cut from a sports team – whether it be in high school, college, or the pros – it can be the cause of enormous suffering. Many athletes remain attached to "what could have been" throughout their lives. As a result, they suffer enormous mental pain that prevents them from moving on to bigger and better things.

Others suffer from not being able to let go of a single mistake. Again, this is common in sports, where fans and sportswriters can be cruel.

Baseball aficionados still remember the infamous homerun pitch thrown by Angels hurler Donnie Moore in the fifth game of the 1986 playoffs against the Red Sox. The Angels, up three games to one, were just one out away from going to their first World Series.

Instead, Dave Henderson hit a homerun to keep Boston in the game, and the Angels went on to lose both the game and the series. In the ensuing years, fans booed Donnie Moore everywhere he went. In 1989, depressed, he finally killed himself. Donnie Moore had a history of troubles, but it seems clear that his attachment to that one moment in sports helped push him over the edge.

What I'm getting at here is the importance of detachment from outcomes. It's one of those things that is easy to say, but extremely difficult to do. Even the most stoic people cannot completely detach themselves from outcomes 100 percent of the time. But it is possible to drop the burden of concern about things over which we have no control.

We're all familiar with the prayer that includes the words: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change." There is no conflict here with the Fourth Noble Truth (that there is a path to the cessation of suffering). When you accept the things you cannot change (such as the death of a loved one or a failed business) – when you let go – only then can there be an end to your suffering.

This is a critical factor, because only when you put an end to your suffering are you in a position to move on. The moving on may involve finances, love, friendship, sports, or myriad other things. But regardless of what the issue is, you cannot move on to happiness and success so long as you remain attached to whatever it is that is causing you unhappiness.

It would be wise to think about this all-important principle every day of your life, especially when you're upset about something. Time after time, it has brought me seemingly miraculous results – so there is no reason to believe that it cannot do the same for you if you make a serious effort to integrate it into your life.

Today's Action Plan

Are you haunted by something that happened in the past? Maybe a mistake you made. Or an injustice you were subjected to. As Robert Ringer wisely pointed out today, there's nothing you can do about it now. So let go … and get on with your life.

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Oops, I Goofed!

In Message #1646, I recommended 10 fruits and vegetables that are naturally resistant to insects. They are grown with few (if any) pesticides – and so I suggested that they are safe to eat even when they are conventionally grown, rather than organic.

Topping the list was sweet corn. I was reprinting a list published by FoodNews.org … and I made a mistake by not removing corn. Several readers wrote in to point out my error.

Corn shouldn't be on that "recommended" list … for several reasons.

First, besides soybeans, it is the most likely crop to be genetically modified. And if it doesn't have the pesticide on the outside, it will usually have it engineered into the genes of the plant itself. If you ask me, that's a very good reason to avoid conventionally grown corn.

Also, corn is a grain, not a vegetable, and it has a high glycemic index. That means it can spike your insulin, contribute to weight gain, and potentially lead to health problems. If you have symptoms of diabetes or you're overweight, it's best to avoid all corn, even if it's organic.

- Jon Herring

[Ed. Note: If you'd like to read a spirited and informative discussion on the pros and cons of genetically modified (GM) foods, please visit the ETR Reader's Forum.]

It's Good to Know: How ETR Can Help You Get a Job

The toughest part about starting a new career – and this applies to getting your first job after college as well as to starting a new career in the middle of your life – is getting your first break. Once you secure your first position, hard work and enthusiasm will go a long way toward getting you to the top.

If you want help landing that first hard job, read these ETR messages:

#484 ("When You Want a Better Job – Don't Make Yourself Available. Sell the Product … You!")

#485 ("Don't Send Out Resumes. Send Out Sales Letters Instead")

#486 ("14 More Good Rules for Getting a Better Job")

#488 ("If You Want That Better Job, Go After It Like You Mean It")

- Michael Masterson

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Word
to the Wise: Axiomatic

Something that is "axiomatic" (ak-see-uh-MAT-ik) is self-evident, needing no proof or evidence to be recognized as true. The word is derived from the Greek "axios" ("worthy").

Example (as used by Robert Ringer today): "The First Noble Truth [taught by Buddha] – that there is suffering in the world – is axiomatic."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

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How to Pick a Financial Planner

Friday, February 17th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Watch out. There's a right way and a dozen wrong ways to get advice on what to do with your investments. If you're looking for a professional to help you make the right choices, today's article by Michael Masterson will tell you exactly where to look.

- Andrew Gordon

ETR Financial Writer

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Friday, February 17, 2006
Message #1655

WEALTHY: Don't fall prey to the wrong investment expert (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: Another reason to pay attention to the magnesium in your diet

WISE: Wilson Mizner on being on the receiving end of advice

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

5 ways to capture your audience in the first 30 seconds (Virginia Avery)

Are you using your cellphone only to make calls?

Add the brand-new word "ambi-remunerative" to your vocabulary

* Highly Recommended *

The Billionaire Way

I would recommend "The Billionaire Way" program to anyone who is contemplating a new enterprise or business start-up, or is already in business for themselves. It enabled me to look at my life, attributes, and habits in a refreshing new way. I was delighted to discover that I too have a number of the traits and qualities that many who are successful in business possess, which I hadn't realized. I am very excited to apply the principles that were presented in the program to my new business ventures.

A tremendous benefit was to be able to talk with the author of the program, Bob Cox, about my own business strategies and ideas. Bob spent an hour on the phone with me after I finished the program, and his personal insights and suggestions were very helpful and inspiring.

I know that I will often refer back to the information provided in "The Billionaire Way" to enhance my chances for success!

- Catherine McNeil, Monte Vista, Colorado

"To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it."

- Wilson Mizner

How to Pick a Financial Planner

By Michael Masterson

I have mixed feelings about financial planners. Most of them are salesmen sporting extra credentials and spreadsheets. They feel your financial pulse, tell you that you're sick, and recommend a battery of expensive products. The companies that make the recommended products (insurance companies, stock brokerages, and sometimes limited partnerships) pay them a commission on your purchases. If and when you discover this conflict of interests, they tell you that they are doing you a favor, because somebody else is paying their fees.

On the other hand, many financial planners are truly in business to help you. Usually, these are "fee-only" planners. Unlike "commission-based" planners, they make their living by charging you directly – either by the hour or by the job.

There's a third category of planners out there that you need to know about: "fee-based" and "fee-offset." Don't confuse them with "fee-only" planners. As I've had the misfortune to discover, they are "ambi-remunerative" (to coin a word). That means they charge you for their time … and then collect a commission from your new life insurance company for the annuity you just bought.

Not all financial planners who work on commission are bad. But – for me, at least – they are all suspect. If you want to avoid worrying about why your financial planner is recommending an annuity rather than, say, a no-load mutual fund, hire a fee-only planner.

Commission-based … fee-only … fee-based – there's plenty to choose from. There are 50,377 certified financial planners out there. That's up from about 30,000 five years ago. Newsweek devoted a section of its recent issue to this rapidly growing industry – an explosion fueled, in large part, by the increasing number of baby boomers trying to figure out when they can retire.

How, then, do you decide on a financial planner who's right for you?

For one thing, make sure that anyone you hire is a CFP (certified financial planner). Many so-called planners (as well as legitimate ones) will tack an array of other impressive-looking initials onto their names: ChFC, PFS, CFA, RIA, and CSA, for example. But in that Newsweek article, financial writer Jane Bryant Quinn correctly warns against this "alphabet soup of new designations. Many are trumped-up titles from self-proclaimed institutes," she says, "mainly to give cover to high-pressure salespeople."

The North American Securities Administrators Association (www.nasaa.org) agrees. They warn especially against "elder" or "senior" specialists. They get minimal training, the association says, and have as their main mission "selling high-cost investments to older people."

If you want a qualified, fee-only CFP to manage your money, expect to pay $150 to $300 an hour, or up to an annual fee of one percent of your assets. Quinn recommends that you look for someone with at least five or six years of experience. "You don't want them learning their trade on you," she says.

If your financial situation is relatively simple (meaning you have a net worth of less than a million dollars), you don't need a highfalutin service to help you. A smart guy who talks to you for an hour and then spends a few more hours on a budget and a page of investment recommendations is enough. This should cost you about $500.

If your net worth is higher than a million, you'll want more detailed advice. You may be able to get some modestly priced help with tax and estate planning, but beware. Estate planners are usually – you guessed it – insurance salespeople in disguise.

I know a lot of wealthy guys who have people manage their investments. And when the markets are good, they brag to me about how much money their managers are making them. When the markets soften, I don't hear anything about these wizards. I have to assume that they aren't doing as well as they once were.

I am not big on paying someone a lot of money to micro-manage my portfolio, because I am content with having my passive income earn market rates. To get a stock market return that tracks the average, you need only put your money in a no-load index fund and let it ride.

When I consider my financial situation from a planning perspective – and I do this about once a year – the only thing I'm really concerned about is allocation. In other words, what percentage of my wealth do I want in real estate, stocks, bonds, gold, fine art, cash, and active businesses?

Those percentages change over time. During the last 10 years, for example, I had just over half my money in real estate. In the past 18 months, I've reduced that to about a third. If I can, I will decrease my real estate holdings even further. I'll feel more comfortable if I can get it down to about 25 percent

Five years ago, I had about 50 dollars in gold. Today, I have about two percent of my net worth in that precious metal. I intend to continue buying gold for a little while – another one percent would be good. And then I'll let it sit there and see what happens.

I have increased both my stock and bond holdings by about 50 percent in the past two years. I intend to buy more of each for a while.

I am reducing my stake in active businesses, but not because I'm worried about risk. When you invest in active businesses, you tend to work on and worry about them more than you do with index funds or municipal bonds. Since I want less worry in my life (and don't need the additional wealth advantage), I'm doing some selling.

To me, this sort of thinking is critical to your financial future, so I don't think you should turn over these decisions to someone else. Still, it's a good idea to get a second opinion from someone you trust – especially if you're new at wealth-building. I've got plenty of experience with investing – and I think I do a mighty good job of managing my own money … but I'm happy to pay a good financial planner to look at what I'm doing and tell me what he thinks.

Today's Action Plan

We keep encouraging you to be in charge of your own financial future. Even so, it might make sense for you to use the services of a financial planner … at least to some degree. Just make sure you follow Michael's advice when you do.

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Are You Getting Enough Magnesium to Prevent Diabetes?

Yesterday, I told you that getting enough magnesium is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. Well … it's also a very good way to reduce your risk of diabetes. In fact, one of the diagnostic criteria for diabetes is a low level of magnesium.

Magnesium is essential for over 300 functions in your body, including the production and use of insulin. A Harvard study that followed 127,000 people for 18 years found that those who consumed the most magnesium were the least likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. And a number of studies suggest that seven out of 10 people do not get enough of this mineral.
The best source of magnesium is food – including leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and avocados. If you don't eat a lot of these foods, it would be wise to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin or multi-mineral that has magnesium in it.

- Jon Herring

GRAB Your Audience With Your Opening!

By Virginia Avery

He was a student in my follow-up course on how to make presentations – and took to heart what I said about making an audience-grabbing opening. In the next class, he opened his presentation by lighting – and completely burning – a $20 bill!

Yes, he grabbed us. Unfortunately, his opening was so startling that no one remembered much else about the speech.

By contrast, too many presenters slide into a speech with "Good morning.
Thank you for inviting me" – giving notice that the audience can go ahead and take a mental vacation.

People remember the first 30 seconds of your presentation. That's when their interest is highest. So come out punching by using one of the following techniques:

1. Ask a question. It can be a rhetorical question or one that elicits a response. For example: "You've written a great book, but will people buy it?"

2. Give a statistic that will interest them: "The average American gains four to seven pounds during the holidays. Today, you will learn how not to be one of them."

3. Take them back to another time: "Fourscore and seven years ago."

4. Tell a personal story.

5. Use humor – not a joke, just something to make them smile: "I've always been short, but today I'll be brief."

Whichever technique you use, be certain your audience knows your topic and point-of-view within the first 30 seconds.

[Ed. Note: Virginia Avery is a communications specialist who trains and coaches businesspeople to make more profitable presentations. Virginia@AveryPresentations.com]

It's Good to Know: Your Phone as a Travel Tool

Your cellphone just might become your must trustworthy travel companion. In a recent issue of Budget Travel, Michele Schwartz described the helpful actions your cellphone can perform. Just send a text message to Google, Yahoo, or 4INFO, and you'll be able to access important data like Yellow Pages info, weather reports, driving directions, and currency conversions.

For weather forecasts, type in "w" plus your city and state or zip code.

Search a local phonebook by typing in a city or zip code with a key word. For example, "airport, 63130" will turn up a list of airports in and around St. Louis.

Check out 4INFO's flight update feature. Send a message including your airline and flight number to receive arrival and departure times.

Google offers a language translation option. Send a message with "t" plus the phrase and the language you want it translated into. For instance, "t where is the elevator to german" yields "wo der Aufzug ist."

Google provides driving directions and currency conversions via text message, too. Type in "Euclid to Quicken Loans Arena" for directions from the suburbs to see the Cavaliers. Or type "20 usd in sek" to find out how far your money will stretch in Sweden.

To reach Yahoo, type in the code 92466 ("Yahoo" on your keypad). For Google, type in 46645 ("Googl"). And you can get 4INFO by typing 44636 ("4INFO").

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Setting Goals –And Sticking To Them – Will Help You Achieve Financial Independence

Don’t take our word for it. That’s the headline from an AP article than ran in hundreds of newspapers across the nation last week.

"This is definitely the time of year to get things started," was how Barry Armstrong, a Boston financial planner with Woodbury Financial Services put it.

"For some people, it's a bitter message. There are things that you don't like doing. But they have to be done."

Former waitress Pamela Newman went from hand-to-mouth living to owning two condominiums in the San Diego area. What did it take? Resolve.

Resolve to make 2006 the year you kick it up a notch. Here’s how:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGB/E700G273/

Word
to the Wise: Ambi-remunerative

Michael Masterson coined a word today: "ambi-remunerative." He put it together from "ambi" (meaning "both") and "remunerative" (meaning "profitable").

Here's how he used it: "Don't confuse [fee-based planners] with "fee-only" planners. As I've had the misfortune to discover, they are 'ambi-remunerative.' That means they charge you for their time … and then collect a commission from your new life insurance company for the annuity you just bought."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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If You're in the Advice Business … You're an Info-Marketer

Thursday, February 16th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

What do a psychic, a priest, and a lawyer have in common? Answer: They are all consultants. The type of advice they dispense might be vastly different, however they're all people we go to for information.

So … what's your skill? What type of information do you have that could be valuable to others? And, better yet, how do you convince people that your advice is worth paying for? That's the subject of today's feature article by Information Marketing expert Dan Kennedy.

- Patrick Coffey
ETR Internet Marketing Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Message #1654

WEALTHY: Getting started in the lucrative consulting business (Dan Kennedy)

HEALTHY: A mineral that could save your life

WISE: Ralph Waldo Emerson on giving advice

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The secret of "out-emoting" an irate customer (Michael Masterson)

Being a good listener – a little more complicated than you might expect (Bob Bly)

Add the word "scotoma" to your vocabulary

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"In every society some men are born to rule, and some to advise."

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

If You're in the Advice Business … You're an Info-Marketer

By Dan Kennedy

A factory worker goes to a psychic and pays $25 (or $2.99 a minute by phone). A corporate CEO calls in a Faith Popcorn, Harry Dent, or highfalutin consulting firm and pays $25,000 or $250,000. Both of them are paying for predictions about the future. Everybody wants advice.

The reasons are both rational and irrational, defensible and unexplainable, and – even at opposite ends of any demographic continuum – quite similar. There are "consultants" in an endless variety of categories, far beyond the obvious advertising, marketing, sales, management, and finance.

There are jury consultants, racehorse-buying consultants, restaurant-decorating consultants, foreign-bride-finding consultants. There's a woman in Hollywood who's paid large sums by celebrities to empty out their refrigerators and cupboards and tell them what to eat. There's a consultant who gets $50,000 fees to advise executives forced into early retirement on coping skills and what to do next.

If you know or (frankly) appear to know much of anything about something, you can package yourself as a consultant and get money from somebody. You need not have or wait for any other authority to anoint, appoint, or certify you. In fact, today, this is perhaps the fastest and easiest way to enter the highly lucrative world of Information Marketing.

I've been in the advice business for more than 30 years. At present, I get $8,600 to $9,200 to sit with someone privately for seven hours and "consult." When marital counselors, psychologists, lawyers, or doctors hear of this, they feel underpaid. When they see my project fees, typically $30,000 to $100,000 and more, they faint.

They want to know how such an hourly rate is possible – and the answer is surprisingly simple. It has three basic parts: a market, a platform to reach that market, and the "guts" to ask for the money. A fourth part is expertise – as I alluded to above.

What is "consulting," anyway?

A consultant can be (like me) parked there, listening, asking pointed and provocative questions, forcing people to question and defend their assumptions, seeing what they don't see because of close familiarity (the "scotoma" effect), and ultimately dispensing advice.

Diagnosis, prescription. Consulting can include research and investigation. It can include providing "work product," such as manuals, materials, procedures, scripts, or (as in my case) advertising. It can be billed by the hour, day, project, or relationship.

To consult, you need a client.

Clients come out of markets. Mine are mostly entrepreneurs. They come from diverse industries, but have the ability to use (and an interest in using) direct-response advertising and direct marketing as their common ground.

In recent years, I've narrowed my market area, so 80% of my clients come from only a handful of different fields. This eliminates the learning curve for me. A market might be an industry or profession, like dentistry or automobile manufacturing. It might be a broader type of business, but with one type of person throughout.

For example, I have a client with a consulting practice that spans all types of manufacturers but deals only with "real-time manufacturing and inventory control." So all of his clients are plant managers. A market might be even broader, but tied to a very, very specific deliverable. Another client of mine consults only with top executives of large corporations involved in stockholder lawsuits and proxy fights. His market is comprised of all publicly held corporations. (There is, incidentally, a consultant who advises corporate honchos sentenced to prison. It seems his market is growing.)

To get clients, you need a platform.

While not impossible, it is extremely difficult and generally unpleasant to seek out, advertise for, or "prospect" for clients. You want clients to seek you out – or at least feel like they are seeking you out, and not being solicited or pursued.

The way to do that is with a platform in which you attempt to say certain things that are "magnetic" to the type of client you want to attract. Good platforms are:

books you write, get published, and promote like the dickens

speeches to the right audiences

guest spots on teleseminars

articles (like this one)

your own seminars

media interviews

To get, keep, satisfy, and get results with clients, you need "guts."

Clients want and respond well only to certainty, not ambiguity. To strength, not weakness. Over 85% of all the clients who've ever used my services once have done so repeatedly or remained with me continuously, at least for many years. Some have grown exponentially during the tenure.

I keep clients in part because I "deliver the goods" – and in larger part because I position myself firmly and unwaveringly as a stern authority figure and supremely confident advisor. My posture is at least as important as my deliverables.

Specific to this, I suggest reading the following:

Robert Ringer's original book Winning Through Intimidation? or its updated edition.

The section on "Takeaway Selling" in my book No B.S. Sales Success and my No B.S. Time Management book.

After that, if you want something advanced, get a book titled Thick Face, Black Heart.

One of the least-understood things about consulting is how to maintain long-term relationships with clients and keep them coming back for more. To do that, you simply must be interesting. That means, in part, being very well-read, so you are continuously bringing them new, different, interesting information, anecdotes, or examples. You strengthen your importance to your clientele by being a clearinghouse for and conduit of information. That requires you to take it in, in great quantity, process the bulk, and spit out a synthesized, concise, easily digestible end product.

One other thing about the advice business: It's useful to be right a good percentage of the time.

[Ed. Note: Dan Kennedy has enjoyed great success as a professional speaker, consultant, information marketer, and published author.

Dan has been called the "Professor of Harsh Reality," because he's provocative, irreverent, sarcastic, and tells it like it is in a disarmingly humorous way. His faithful followers also refer to him as the "Millionaire-Maker." He moves with remarkable ease from one field to another, working with clients in dozens of different businesses, industries, and professions, and helping them earn as much as $400,000 in a single month.]

If you're interested in starting your own consulting business, you may be interested in the American Consultants League Program. Often called the consultants bible, How To Guarantee Your Consulting Success gives you everything you need to know to earn $250,000 a year or more as an independent consultant.

Today's Action Plan

If you're interested in any aspect of the Information Marketing business – including consulting – you'll want to sign-up for Dan Kennedy's *no-charge* online course entitled "Successful Marketing Strategies." Several times a week, you will receive valuable marketing information and strategies that have been proven and tested by hundreds (if not thousands) of successful businesses of every type, size, and locale. To sign up, simply go to this link: [http://www.dk3monthspecial.com/agora_signup.]

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Best of all, I make lots of money. And live exactly the way I want to live.

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How to Handle Irate Customers

By Michael Masterson

When dealing with an irate customer, your first task is to convince him that you're on his side. Only after an angry customer believes that you understand his problem and sympathize with his plight will he be willing to believe that you really mean to help him. This is especially true if he's been run through a customer-service drill that resulted in nothing happening.

One way I've found to convey my sympathy is to "out-emote" the customer. I do this by making a strong statement at a slightly louder decibel level than his.

I say things like, "That's really terrible/incomprehensible/inexcusable/etc.!" And, "You must be furious!" I've found that the customer usually doesn't listen so much to what you first say as to how you say it. By topping his emotional reaction with a stronger one of your own, you signal him that you are someone he can trust.

This, of course, is very different from the usual advice to stay cool, calm, and collected. The problem with this is that when someone is poking his finger into your chest and screaming nasty things at you, it is difficult to keep a tranquil composure and a smile on your face.

Another trick: After you've expressed your concern, use the customer's name in making a promise to help. Say, "Mr. Jones, I fully intend to help you." Something simple like that, expressed after he's calmed down enough to listen to you, will go a long way toward making him cooperative.

Finally, never come back with nothing. Even if his expectations are unrealistic, give him something for his troubles. Even if it's something insubstantial, if it's given as the best you can – after genuinely going to bat for him – he may be mollified.

Reader Feedback: "Essential reading for anyone who's ambitious"

"I've known Michael Masterson for over 20 years. When I have a business problem, I go to him. … Michael has risen to the very top of his profession. Along the way, he has turned dozens of young men and women into highly effective leaders. If there's anyone to teach you how to become more successful, it's Michael – and his new book Power & Persuasion should be essential reading for anyone who's ambitious."

- Bill Bonner, Founder of Agora Inc.

The Link Between Magnesium Levels and Heart Health

Almost 70% of the U.S. population is deficient in magnesium – and according to the Centers for Disease Control, magnesium levels are inversely associated with death from all causes.

Magnesium is necessary for more than 300 functions in your body, and it is absolutely critical for heart health. Adequate magnesium levels lower blood pressure, prevent hardening and clotting of the arteries, regulate heart rhythm, and improve exercise duration. Hundreds of studies show that your level of magnesium is closely connected to your risk of heart attack. A UVA School of Medicine study, for example, showed that those with the lowest levels of magnesium have twice the risk.

According to Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, author of The Miracle of Magnesium, most people require about 900 mg per day – three times what the government says you need. Some of the best food sources of magnesium are leafy green vegetables, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, and avocados. If you don't eat lots of these foods, you could benefit by taking a multi-vitamin or multi-mineral with magnesium in it.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: The 4 Steps of Listening

Being a good listener is a 4-step process:

1. Hearing is the first step. At this stage, you simply pay attention to make sure you have heard the message.

2. The second step is interpreting. Failure to interpret the speaker's words correctly frequently leads to misunderstanding.

3. During the third step, evaluating, you decide what to do with the information you have received. The judgments you make in the evaluation stage are a crucial part of the listening process.

4. The final step is reacting to what you have heard. You do this with a verbal or visual response that lets the speaker know that you have gotten the message. When, for example, you tell a salesperson that you want to place an order, you are showing that you have heard (and believe) his message.

- Bob Bly

[Ed. Note: Bob Bly is the editor of ETR's Direct Marketing University: The Masters Edition - a program to help you start your own successful direct-mail business.]

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Word
to the Wise: Scotoma

A "scotoma" (skuh-TOE-muh) is a blind spot. The word is derived from the Greek "skotos" ("darkness").

Example (as used by Dan Kennedy today): "A consultant can be (like me) parked there, listening, asking pointed and provocative questions, forcing people to question and defend their assumptions, seeing what they don't see because of close familiarity (the 'scotoma' effect), and ultimately dispensing advice."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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Turn Your Passion Into Profit

Wednesday, February 15th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Gary Scott has it made. He spends summers on his farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And when it's cold up north, he heads to his hacienda in the highlands of Ecuador.

All the while, he's able to manage a booming international business … with nothing but a laptop. And today, he'd like to show you how you can do it too.

- Jon Herring

ETR Health Editor

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Message #1653

WEALTHY: Running a global business from your bedroom – or the middle of the Ecuadorian jungle (Gary Scott)

HEALTHY: An unexpected way to come up with great ideas

WISE: Norman Vincent Peale on the will to succeed

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

High-profit, high-risk expectations – at the worst time (Michael Masterson)

Biathlon? Duathlon? What's the difference?

Add the word "contumacious" to your vocabulary

* Editorial Correction *

Dear ETR Reader,

Yesterday we sent out a special message praising the marketing expertise of the legendary Eugene Schwartz. Gene was a master marketer who helped turn Boardroom Publishing from a fledgling $3,500 business into a $50 million multi-national corporation. Gene also wrote an ad that sold almost 2 million copies of a single book. Success stories like these were par for the course for Gene. During his career he wrote hundreds of highly successful promotions and thousands of money generating ads.

In the message we sent, we mistakenly said that Gene Schwartz generated over $2 trillion dollars in sales. This was clearly a mistake, and many loyal ETR readers wrote to point this out. During Gene’s long career he was responsible for $2 billion dollars in sales. This is still quite impressive, though not nearly so astronomical. Our mistake was inadvertent, and we sincerely apologize for the error.

If you would like to learn what Eugene Schwartz did to experience this kind of success, and how you can apply his strategies to your own business, click here to read yesterday’s message.

Regards,
Will Bonner

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGSBA/E700G287/

"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture."

- Norman Vincent Peale

Turn Your Passion Into Profit

By Gary Scott

You can start your own international business by simply being yourself. Doing what you really want to do. Turning your passion into profit. Getting involved in something that moves you. The pure simplicity of this works, because there are millions of others who are passionate about the same things you are. And when you are involved in something you love, you automatically achieve more.

Whatever it is that motivates and excites you can be turned into a profitable and rewarding business.

Take fishing, for example.

John and Lou – outdoor-adventure types – grew up near me in the Oregon mountains. They moved to Canada and homesteaded 1,200 acres on a trout-filled lake in British Columbia. The fishing camp they built there attracts fisherman from around the world.

Duncan Kinderman loves fishing and castles. So he bought a castle on the River Tay, a great Scottish salmon river, and offered time-shares for fisherman from Britain, Europe, and the U.S.

Another entrepreneur I know is from Montana. His love is fishing and his skills are in marketing – so he sells fishing trips. He attends rod and gun exhibitions, meets the owners of fishing camps, and arranges to sell their fishing trips to fisherman around the world.

Ralph Kylloe loves fishing and photography. So he created a book, Fishing Camps, that allowed him to travel across the country and enjoy both of his hobbies as he photographed and wrote.

Steve Ambrose had family commitments at home, so he set up a bass-fishing business in Florida that served American, German, Canadian, Dutch, and Belgian clients. Later, as his children grew up, he drew on his client base to arrange fishing trips in Argentina.

These people came from different backgrounds and differed in terms of their age, situation, and skills. But their love of fishing led each one of them to develop a global business that surrounded them with fun and like-minded souls.

You can do the same thing – no matter what it is that you are passionate about.

With modern technology, it's easy to do business globally. You can even start your worldwide enterprise from your bedroom. The Internet, computers, and low-cost communications replace what used to require an entire infrastructure.

For example, technology allows my wife Merri and me to run our worldwide business (helping others start their own global business) from a remote farm in the glorious Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. That's where we spend our summers. In the winter, we migrate to an even more remote village high in the Ecuadorian Andes. Yet laptop computers and satellite communications allow us to take our business literally into the jungle … and still stay in touch with our clients in 82 countries.

People of all ages are doing this.

A recent USA Today article ("The New Entrepreneurs: Americans Over 50") explains that older people often start one-person ventures in home offices, using technology that didn't even exist a few years ago. One example: Franny Martin, who launched a cookie company at age 56. She expected $500,000 in revenue last year – yet her website, which attracts cookie customers from around the world, cost only $3,000 to build.

Even much older entrepreneurs are taking advantage of technology.

One of my clients, Mickey Enright, is a 72-year-old real estate broker in Naples, Florida. She began a small global publishing business with just a computer and a connection to the Internet. Her business helps her attract British real estate buyers. And for her efforts, she has become the top salesperson in a firm that sells over a billion dollars of real estate per year.

Two other clients, a couple who are devout Christians, were in their 80s when they bought a 250-acre dairy farm near Mindo, Ecuador. They used their profits to create a ministerial training center at the farm.

Like these people, you can use modern technology to turn your passion into a profitable global business. Here's the 3-step formula:

Step #1: Focus your dream by putting a detailed description of it in writing.

Step #2: Find a path to your customers by looking at yourself. If, for example, golf is your passion, where do you shop for golfing supplies? What golfing magazines and publications do you read? Where are your sources of information about golf?

Step #3: Start, but start small. The ideas you have about starting a business that you love will create enthusiasm. Enthusiasm leads to education. Education leads to action. Action leads to profit – or loss (which is why you start small) – and even more ideas.

Kelly Shannon was only 23 when she started baking granola in her parents' kitchen and selling it at sidewalk sales and a few local markets. As the business grew, she began selling granola full-time, without having any formal food-industry experience. Kelly's enthusiasm inspired a lifelong friend to join her. They invested $3,500 to fund the Bare Naked Cereal Company. By the end of 2002, they were in 25 stores. Now their sales are over $20 million a year.

[Ed. Note: Gary Scott is an economist, entrepreneur, and author with a worldwide reputation. 30 years ago, Gary was one of the first advisors to recommend international diversification for the small investor. Since then, he - and his readers - have earned millions.

With his wife Merri, Gary has dedicated his life to providing others with useful resources to help them live a healthier, more affluent, and fulfilling life. One of these resources - a practical, hands-on course titled International Business Made EZ - is drawn from Gary's wealth of experience building his own multi-million-dollar international business.]

Today's Action Plan

There is one final step in Gary Scott's formula for turning your passion into a profitable global business: Start now!

Forget the money. Forget the obstacles. Forget every reason why you cannot do what you love to do with like-minded souls all over the world. You will never be more aware of this opportunity … so begin today. Click here to learn more about Gary's International

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Are You A Little Scared-Off By The Title Of “Power And Persuasion”?

What’s that? You’re not interested in becoming “powerful” so you think you don’t need to read Michael Masterson’s new book?

Don’t misunderstand the word…

The Sporting News recently asked several influential athletes what “power” means to them. Tom Brady, New England Patriots quarterback, said that power is “being strong enough to get what you want, and smart enough to know the best way to attain it.”

Brady’s right. The kind of power you will gain from Michael Masterson’s isn’t about bullying or bossing people around.

It’s about becoming more effective and more successful in your life by using the techniques he’s discovered from being in business – either for himself or others – for almost 40 years.

Power and Persuasion will show you to garner the kind of power that gives you options… choices… and freedom. When you have this kind of personal power, you get to decide what you’re going to do…who you’re going to do it with…and when and where you’re going to do it.

And now, when you order the book for $19.95, ETR will also receive a complimentary download of Michael’s Power and Persuasion teleconference with Alex Mandession. It could very well be the 70 minutes that changes your life!

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’d be crazy to not take advantage of this opportunity.

Notes From Michael Masterson's Journal: The Unrealistic Desire for a Quick Fix

So he says to me, "Don't even talk to me about an investment unless it can give me at least a 10-to-1 ROI."

And this is what it triggered in my brain …

When you lose a lot of money in the stock market (as I guess this guy must've), your heart cries out for a quick solution. You want to find something that can correct all your mistakes and recoup all your losses – and then give you some profits as a bonus – in 24 hours.

Accept that feeling as natural, but resist it. This unrealistic desire makes you open to high-profit sales pitches. At a time when you should be taking less risk, you are tempted to do the opposite.

As a marketer, I can see it from my side of the fence. As a consultant to publishers of investment newsletters and other advisory services, I see that the promotions that are doing best are those that tend to be high-profit and high-risk.

I've seen this trend in direct mail and e-mail, on television and on the radio. Everyone is still interested in stocks … but few are interested in reasonable stock profits of, say, 10% a year. So when he says to me, "Don't even talk to me about an investment unless it can give me at least a 10-to-1 ROI," I think, "Okay. I won't. Good luck. You'll need it."

- Michael Masterson

Improve Your Health and Increase Your Productivity (at the Same Time)

I cannot count how many times I have come up with some of my most valuable ideas … or worked my way through "writer's block" … by taking time for exercise or a brisk walk. It seems like a switch goes off in my head. As soon as I begin to sweat, my creativity increases ten-fold and the ideas begin to flow.

But … I would often forget those great ideas before I could get home to write them down. So I started carrying a little voice recorder when I go for a walk. When I get an idea about a project … or a strategy to implement … or come up with a clever piece of copy … I record it. Half an hour later, when my walk is done, I have accomplished far more than I would have by sitting at my desk. And I feel better too.

Try it. Whenever you feel the need for boost of creativity and a rush of good ideas, go for a long walk … and record your thoughts as you go.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: What Is a Biathlon?

You have probably heard of the triathlon – a three-part athletic event that normally includes swimming, cycling, and running. Maybe you've even heard about the women's heptathlon and the men's decathlon. But are you aware that there is a biathlon as well?

There sure is – and you'll have the opportunity to watch biathletes compete at this year's Winter Olympics.

True to its Greek roots ("bi" meaning "two" and "athlon" meaning "contest"), the biathlon is a two-part athletic competition that combines cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. Not to be confused with the "duathlon," which describes an athletic event combining any two disciplines. The biathlete makes three to five 2-to-4-kilometer laps, stopping two to four times to shoot at five targets. If he or she misses the target, the athlete is penalized with a 150-meter lap or a minute added to the total time.

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Word
to the Wise: Contumacious

"Contumacious" (kon-too-MAY-shus) is another way of saying obstinate or defiant of authority. It is derived from the Latin "contumax" ("insolent").

Example (as used by Bill Kauffman in an article titled "The West Point Story" in American Enterprise): "Before a contumacious teenager can be turned into a disciplined, tradition-minded cadet, he or she must be admitted to West Point."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

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Increase the Odds of Making Your Sale by Developing the “Expert's Edge”

Tuesday, February 14th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Does your prospective customer know something you don't know? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Today, Will Newman explains how that can help you make the sale.

- Will Bonner
Publisher
Early to Rise

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Message #1652

WEALTHY: A useful definition of wealth (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: What's wrong with this "healthy alternative" to butter and margarine?

WISE: Edward de Bono on becoming an expert

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The one thing all your prospective customers have in common (Will Newman)

Are the short days and long nights of winter gettin' ya down?

Add the word "putative" to your vocabulary

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How Many Months Rich Are You?

R. Buckminster Fuller, the "inventor" of the geodesic dome and popular philosopher of the 1970s, had an interesting and pragmatic way to measure wealth. You might want to test yourself against it.

Imagine that you stopped working today. How long could you continue to live without diminishing your current lifestyle?

For example, let's say you have monthly expenses of $5,000 and a net worth (not counting your house) of $70,000. By Fuller's definition, you would be 14-months rich ($70,000 divided by $5,000).

The goal of every ETR reader – your goal, that is – should be to have enough socked away to live out the rest of your life without working.

So if you are – as I am – 55 years old and plan to live another 40 years (as I do), you would need enough money to finance another 480 months. My spending requirements are high – too high to admit in public. But let's say they were $10,000 a month. By Fuller's measure, I'd need $10,000 times 480, or $4.8 million, in my retirement account to consider myself independently wealthy.

- Michael Masterson

Today's Action Plan

Are you where you need to be in terms of financial independence? If not, start thinking about how you can be. Go back to this year's New Year's resolutions for ideas. And get yourself a copy of Automatic Wealth.

"An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgments simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore."

- Edward de Bono

Increase the Odds of Making Your Sale by Developing the "Expert's Edge"

By Will Newman

It doesn't matter whether you're selling by direct mail, the Internet, or face-to-face, your prospects (prospective customers) will fall into one of four groups.

1. First are prospects who know a lot about your product's niche (like alternative health or consumer electronics). They fancy themselves to be experts. Using alternative health as an example, these are people who subscribe to Prevention and have four or five (or more) online health newsletters delivered via e-mail. They're also the neighborhood authorities on alternative medicine.

2. The second group doesn't really know much about your product niche, but they think they do. And they still fancy themselves to be experts. Like the first group, they might describe things like homeopathic cures with an outward display of competence. However, they're not always right.

3. The third group doesn't know much about your niche, but they want to become experts … at least in the eyes of family, friends, and associates. These people listen to the neighborhood authority, nodding heads in agreement as if they understand. At some point, they hope to be the center of attention as they describe the latest natural cure for arthritis or relate the newest FDA gaff.

4. The fourth group only wants what the product will bring them. However, these prospects frequently convert to one of the other groups after becoming involved in the niche. They're the ones who tell friends, "Wait till I tell you about the new supplement I'm taking!"

A pretty diverse group … with one thing in common: When they buy from you, they want you to know more than they do.

Now, they don't want you to be a know-it-all. But they do want you to be more knowledgeable than they are. And they want you to be confident enough in your knowledge to show it.

Why?

First, your prospect is looking for something new. New relief for persistent joint pain. New strategies for profiting in the stock market. A new and better stereo system. And if you don't know more than he does about the subject, there's no way you can fulfill that need.

Second, he wants to trust you. Your having more knowledge is a start, but it's not enough.

You build your prospect's trust and confidence by first telling him something he already knows. When he hears this, he thinks, "That's right. I know free radicals cause all sorts of diseases. This guy knows what he's talking about."

But you secure his trust and confidence when you tell him something he doesn't know. So you tell him that free radicals not only arise from environmental factors like pollution … they're also a by-product of normal metabolism. In fact, they are crucial in some physiological processes (like neural transmissions).

"Wow, I didn't know that!" he thinks. "This guy really knows his stuff. Now here's something I can tell my friends that they've never heard."

So you've given him a gift of knowledge – knowledge that helps him understand how you can fulfill his needs better … and knowledge that also boosts his image in his friends' and his own estimation.

How do you become the expert?

It's not enough to stay one step ahead of your prospect. Or two. You have to really know your product and its niche (alternative health, consumer electronics, investments, or whatever). This kind of knowledge comes from extensive research.

In general, here's how you do it:

1. Read anything you can get your hands on in your niche – books, magazines, journals, and Internet articles by real experts. Read beyond your current level of knowledge. If you don't understand something, look it up.

2. Listen to experts – to what they say on radio and TV. And talk to putative experts, the ones you're selling to, so you can discover how much they really know.

3. Try it out. For example, if you're selling a stock advisory service, invest. You'll learn a lot the first time you lose substantial money. (This is also a great way to understand the emotions to address in selling to your prospect.)

Once you learn a lot about your niche, resist the urge to show it off in your copy. Your prospect wants you to know more than he does. But he doesn't want to have his nose rubbed in your superior knowledge. He wants to feel like a colleague … not a student.

If you treat your prospect respectfully while maintaining the "expert's edge," you'll vastly improve your sales … and your financial success.

[Ed. Note: Will Newman, a regular contributor to ETR, is the editor of AWAI's The Golden Thread online newsletter. Learn how to subscribe to it - and how to discover AWAI's proven marketing secrets.]

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Trans-Fats in the Most Insidious Places

The Harvard School of Public Health issued a report stating that hydrogenated fat is likely responsible for 100,000 premature deaths in the U.S. every year. Most of these are due to heart disease.

So imagine my surprise when I picked up a container of Benecol and found that "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" is its third ingredient. In case you're not familiar with it, Benecol is an alternative to butter and margarine. And because it is made with plant stanol esters, which can lower cholesterol, it is heavily marketed as a heart-healthy spread.

What a lie! You can't go up and down at the same time. Nor can you expect to come out ahead by simultaneously lowering your cholesterol and contributing to heart disease. Read the ingredients. And don't buy anything with "hydrogenated" on the label – even if there is a picture of a big red heart on it.

- Jon Herring

Dear Michael Masterson: "Your shocking piece struck a chord!"

"Your shocking piece in Message #1639 on how not to conduct an interview struck a chord! In the recent Martin Scorsese documentary on Bob Dylan, a Scandinavian reporter asked Dylan (during an interview early in his career) what his songs were about. Dylan asked him which songs he meant, and the interviewer admitted he hadn't heard any of them.

"'You are asking me what my music is about, but you haven't heard any of my songs? Wow, man!' said Dylan. 'Yes,' said the interviewer. 'I'm just doing my job.'

"The documentary is very good, as you would expect from a great director. And from one interviewer / copywriter to another, you were right to be astonished at your interviewer's approach.

"Wow, man!"

- Peter Hobday, Cornwall, England

It's Good to Know: How to Fight the Winter Blues

Sure, the days are getting gradually longer. But we are still smack into winter, and the short days and long nights are taking their toll on many. Approximately 20% of Americans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – depression that seems to be brought on by a lack of exposure to sunlight. Short of moving to Australia between December and March, what can you do to combat this dismal affliction?

Amanda Onion of ABC News has several ideas. For instance, you can stave off milder forms of SAD by taking walks outside … or simply changing your light bulbs. Down East Magazine reports that full-spectrum lights – the type that give off a bluish glow – reflect a broad range of colors similar to daylight and may help people who suffer from slight seasonal depression.

Two other ways to beat back the winter blues:

1. Make sure you're eating well. While the cold and gloom may make you crave comfort foods (which are usually high in starch, sugar, or fat), resist the urge and stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. Wake up early. Michael Masterson has been stressing the benefits of rising early for years. By being awake as soon as dawn hits the sky, you'll maximize your exposure to natural light and decrease your chances of falling into a winter funk.

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Word
to the Wise: Putative

"Putative" (PYOO-tuh-tiv) is another way of saying "commonly thought" or "reputed." The word is derived from the Latin "putare" ("to cleanse, to prune, to clear up, to consider, to reckon, to think").

Example (as used by Will Newman today in his article about becoming an expert in your niche market): "Listen to experts – to what they say on radio and TV. And talk to putative experts, the ones you're selling to, so you can discover how much they really know."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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How to Write Great Headlines

Monday, February 13th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

When you scan through a magazine, a newspaper – or ETR – do you ever wonder why certain headlines catch your eye? Chances are, they all have one thing in common. Today, Michael Masterson explains.

- Judith Strauss
ETR Senior Editor

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Monday, February 13, 2006
Message #1651

WEALTHY: 3 high-growth market trends

HEALTHY: Deciphering a sneaky little maneuver on food labels

WISE: Cicero on brevity

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

What you can learn about headlines from CompuServe's home page (Michael Masterson)

How to get the most out of ETR

Add the word "atrabilious" to your vocabulary

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Put just a few of these strategies to work for you, and you'll be well on your way to joining this circle of financial high-achievers.

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A Heads-Up on Some of the Hottest Sectors of the Year

Even value investors (like me) like to know where the high-growth sectors are, because reasonably priced stocks and funds in these sectors can have a lot of upside. But every year is different. Last year's growth sectors (Internet, natural gas, transport, and utilities, to name a few) are not necessarily this year's.

For 2006, the three hottest sectors are shaping up to be:

1. Energy and metal commodities. Prices increased across the board last year. This is one trend that will continue.

2. Telecom technology. It didn't do badly in 2005, but this could be a breakout year. Telecom is being fueled by massive investments from China, India, and Korea. There's also a law expected to pass in the U.S. this year that will increase the building of high-speed networks here.

3. Korea. The stock market hit highs last year, and it's far from being played out. Meeting growing demand in the huge China market will keep Korean companies' stock prices surging.

A great way to play the telecom and Korea trends is with EWY, the Korean ETF. As for energy and metal commodities, BHP Billiton remains a dynamic and diversified natural resources company.

- Andrew Gordon

"Brevity is a great charm of eloquence."

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

How to Write Great Headlines

By Michael Masterson

When it comes to headlines, brevity is the soul of success. Not all great headlines are brief. But most are.

The sure sign of the flummoxed copywriter is the six-tier, 40-word head that says just about everything that comes to mind. When a copywriter hands me a sales letter with a first page that is half headline, I am pretty sure I have a confused person in front of me.

Every good sales package includes dozens of ideas, benefits, promises, and features – but you can't put all of them before the salutation. Creating a breakthrough sales package is a process that begins with a key decision: Of all the good stuff here, which one should I lead with?

When we aren't sure which idea is strongest, it's generally because none of the ideas are all that strong. When we can't decide which of a half-dozen promises will hook them, it's more than likely that we haven't yet come up with the right promise.

The first secret to writing great headlines is this: Make it simple. Choose one major idea, benefit, promise, or whatever – and go with that.

Once you have something you feel comfortable relying on, the next trick is to narrow it down to a single short and powerful statement.

All other things being equal, the shorter headline is more powerful. Why? Because it can be easily scanned – and, therefore, is more likely to be read. And also because the strongest ideas are usually deceptively simple ones. If you hit it right, you won't need that many words to pitch it.

In the age of the Internet, brevity is even more valuable. If you want a lesson on how to write great, short headlines, study the CompuServe home page http://netscape.compuserve.com/menu/default.mm. On any given day, you'll find six or eight good-to-great headlines. For example, the home page I'm looking at right now provides the following:

5 Things Couples Argue About

Our No. 1 Fear While Driving Is …

Who Knew Sex Had This Effect?

What's Hiding in Your Food?

Why are these so good?

Because, in a very concise fashion, they do exactly what headlines should do. They:

catch and hold your attention

suggest a benefit, implicit or explicit, to the reader

imply that you will learn something new or different

Today's Action Plan

In AWAI's Advanced Six-Figure Copywriting Program, Michael Masterson talks a great deal about how to come up with those big, breakthrough ideas he referred to today.

Got it? If not, check into the program http://www.thewriterslife.com/ph/etr1/.

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The FDA and the "Zero Trans-Fats" Scam

If you go to any grocery store, you will see all manner of packaging that screams out "Zero Trans-Fats!" Companies boldly advertise this fact, because consumers are finally catching on to how dangerous trans-fats are. Unfortunately, the FDA is allowing many of these companies to blatantly deceive you.

Since January of this year, food manufacturers have been required to list the amount of trans-fat in their products. However, under FDA regulations, if a serving of the product contains less than 0.5 gram of trans-fat, the amount "shall be expressed as zero."

Huh? Even though the product contains trans-fat, they can claim "Zero"? Yep. That's right.

For example: Suppose a product has slightly less than half a gram per serving. That means for every four servings, you consume almost 2 grams of trans-fats. Despite the fact that the box says "zero grams." And remember … we're talking about an ingredient that the Institute of Medicine has declared to be unsafe to consume in any amount.

So ignore the marketing hype on the front of the package. If it says "hydrogenated" or "shortening" on the label, it contains trans-fat. Don't buy it. Your body will thank you.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: Getting Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise With ETR

There's a pattern to ETR – a specific way that it's put together every day. Learn to recognize and take advantage of that pattern.

1. Each daily message contains an essay on something we believe is important, three or four smaller articles that we think you'll appreciate, and a "Word to the Wise" that we hope you'll find interesting or amusing.

2. Make use of the Speak Out forum on our website to get your questions answered and to read ideas and opinions from your fellow ETR readers.

3. Pay attention to the advertising. Though we don't specifically endorse ads that are placed in ETR, we make it a policy to advertise only things that we think you'd be interested in. And we make sure all our advertisers provide an unconditional guarantee. So if you're dissatisfied for any reason, you can get all your money back.

Every once in a while, Michael Masterson will personally recommend a product or service. When he does, you can be sure he hopes it can help you in a big way.

4. Take something positive from ETR every day. It may simply be a new word that you can work into your next conversation or a fact to impress your colleagues with. It may equally well be a marketing or wealth-building strategy that can double your income, let you retire 10 years earlier, or help you create a successful business.

You don't need to absorb and/or profit from everything in ETR. But if you make it a point to take one thing a day from it, your life will get better and better in a progressively more dramatic way.

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Are You A Little Scared-Off By The Title Of “Power And Persuasion”?

What’s that? You’re not interested in becoming “powerful” so you think you don’t need to read Michael Masterson’s new book?

Don’t misunderstand the word…

Brady’s right. The kind of power you will gain from Michael Masterson’s isn’t about bullying or bossing people around.

It’s about becoming more effective and more successful in your life by using the techniques he’s discovered from being in business – either for himself or others – for almost 40 years.

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’d be crazy to not take advantage of this opportunity.

Word
to the Wise: Atrabilious

Atrabilious" (at-ruh-BIL-yus) is another word for "irritable." It is derived from the Latin "atra" + "bilis" ("black bile").

Example (as used by Patrick O'Brian in The Hundred Days): "Captain Aubrey's steward [was] an ill-faced, ill-tempered, meagre, atrabilious, shrewish man who kept his officer's uniform, equipment, and silver in a state of exact, old-maidish order come wind or high water."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

Have
a Question for Michael Masterson? Have
a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the
secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business
problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them
online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or
send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure
that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email box, click
below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If
you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To
BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or
email support@earlytorise.com

NOTE:
If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program,
please cut and paste the full URL into the location or
address field of your browser. Disclaimer: The inclusion
of an ad in ETR does not constitute an explicit endorsement.
It does mean that as far as I know the product is not a
rip-off. When I really like a product and want you to buy
it I'll tell you explicitly. Otherwise, view these ads
the way you would commercials on TV or display ads in the
back of your favorite magazine. Check them out. Make a
decision. If you don't like, ask for a refund. (All products
sold here will carry refunds.)

Nothing
in this e-mail should be considered personalized investment
advice. Although our employees may answer your general
customer service questions, they are not licensed under
securities laws to address your particular investment situation.
No communication by our employees to you should be deemed
as personalized investment advice.We expressly forbid our
writers from having a financial interest in any security
recommended to our readers.

All
of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line
publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only
publication prior to following an initial recommendation.Any
investments recommended in this letter should be made only
after consulting with your investment advisor and only
after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements
of the company.

All
material on this site is provided for information only
and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction.
No action should be taken based solely on the contents
of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate
health professionals on any matter relating to their health
and well-being.

www.EarlyToRise.com

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How to Have Powerful People Eating Out of Your Hand

Saturday, February 11th, 2006

Dear Early to Riser,

I don't know about you, but I get a major case of sweaty palms when I see a cop car behind me – even if I've done nothing wrong.

But after reading Larry Fredericks' article today, I'll be a little more confident next time I think I might have to deal with an authority figure. Check it out …

- Charlie Byrne
ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Message #1650

WEALTHY: No … it's not too late to buy gold

HEALTHY: How bad can just one teaspoon of this stuff be?

WISE: Ben Franklin on the art of persuasion

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Learn a 3-step persuasion technique that can win over any authority figure (Larry Fredericks)

Is that eBay "find" too good to be true?

Add the word "asseverate" to your vocabulary

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Don't Miss Out On This Golden Opportunity

Yesterday, Michael Masterson made the "psychological" case for buying gold. But there are also two very rational reasons to do it:

1. Gold is still cheap.
2. The gold bull market still has a long way to go.

One of the best ways to buy gold is through the ETF (exchange traded fund) StreetTRACKS Gold Trust (NYSE:GLD). For every ounce of gold you buy, this fund buys and stores it for you … and tracks its price.

When I first made this suggestion to you – maybe half a year ago – gold was going for $420. Now, it's above $560. You would have made 75 percent on your investment. For every $1,000 you had put into gold, you would have made $750 … in just six months.

I'm not saying "I told you so." I'm saying that opportunities like this don't grow on trees.

If you had cold feet then ("How much higher can gold really go?"), I have a feeling you're even more stuck now. So, let me reassure you. Gold is still a good buy. (In fact, when you compare the price of gold to the price of crude oil, gold lost ground again last year.)

So … what are you waiting for?

- Andrew Gordon

[Ed. Note: Andrew Gordon, ETR's financial expert, is the editor of The Skeptical Advisor, our investment newsletter. Check it out at http://skepticaladvisor.com.]

"If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect."

- Benjamin Franklin

How to Have Powerful People Eating Out of Your Hand

By Larry Fredericks

He's big. He's mean. And he's just said the four words every driver dreads to hear: "Registration and license, please."

All I wanted to do was run over to the convenience store and grab some milk. Now, my palms were sweating. The last thing I needed was a ticket. Earlier in my life, I would've ended up with a ticket … or even in the back seat of the patrol car. But it was different this time. Because I had a powerful secret that allowed me to drive off two minutes later with nothing more than a friendly warning.

Being able to convince a police officer to give you a warning instead of a ticket is a handy skill. It's the same skill that you can use to influence any authority figure – and learning it can change your life.

First, recognize two critical facts when dealing with an authority figure:

The authority figure is in a position where he has the final say regarding your situation. Authority figures don't have any fear that you may be able to strike back at them or otherwise cause them harm should they choose not to side with you.

The authority figure is likely waiting to pounce on you if you challenge his authority. Authority figures generally enjoy the power that they have. It is a natural instinct.

Thus, you are limited to persuasion techniques that will make them feel as if they should accept your position because it is the right thing to do.

Here are the "Three Rules for Persuading Authority Figures":

1. Admit that you are wrong.

If, for example, you're dealing with a police officer who pulled you over, you might be tempted to say, "Excuse me, officer, but I don't think you know who you are dealing with. I am a personal friend of the mayor."

This is not a good idea. It is unlikely that just because you know the mayor the officer will not write the ticket. Instead, it is better to say, "I'm not going to try and claim that I wasn't speeding, because I know I was … and I shouldn't have been doing it."

Never try and claim that you are right. Chances are, the authority figure has heard all of your arguments before. If anything, it will only antagonize the guy. If your goal is to persuade the authority figure to accept your point of view (as opposed to laying down groundwork for a legal defense), it is much better to acknowledge that you were completely wrong. If he was expecting a confrontation, that will take all the wind out of his sails.

2. Acknowledge that the authority figure has all the power – and that his decision is final.

Say something like, "I understand that the final decision for this matter is yours. So I understand if you have to give me a ticket."

By saying this, you have done something for the authority figure. You have acknowledged his power – so he will instinctively feel like reciprocating. In simple language, since you did something nice for the authority figure, he will want to do something nice for you.

Now, that does not mean the police officer will simply forget about your ticket. He has a conflict … the sense that it is his obligation to write you a ticket because it is his job. So, there is one final critical step.

3. Shift the blame somewhere else … so it seems that it is not your fault that you made the error.

In our justice system, this "parry technique" is commonly used. It's a kind of defense that is well recognized, and deeply embedded into every level of our culture.

So, you explain your reason. Perhaps you were speeding because you did not want to get to work late. And the reason you got a late start was because your kid was vomiting. Now, you have offered a sympathetic reason why you were speeding. It can be argued that it was not your fault. After all, you were just trying to be a good parent and a responsible person by staying employed. By providing such an explanation, you have given the officer a way to justify giving you a warning instead of a ticket.

Naturally, there are many variables in situations such as these, so there is no way to guarantee that these persuasion techniques will work every time with every authority figure. But they have been successfully used, over and over again, by me and other students of the art of persuasion.

D.M., a small-business owner, used the "Three Rules for Persuading Authority Figures" when he had a problem with a county licensing administrator. D.M. had a desperate need to get his county license renewed, but there was a tiny technical problem that could've required weeks to remedy. If he hadn't been able to convince the administrator to renew his license immediately, while he corrected the problem, his business would've been shut down for weeks. By using the three-step plan I described today, he was able to get the government employee to feel sympathetic toward him … and straighten out the paperwork mess.

B.B. used the same technique to solve a big problem with her boss. She needed to take a weekend off – but when she had approached her boss for time off in the past, he was never willing to accommodate her. This time, by (1) admitting that her boss held all the cards, (2) acknowledging that she was not right in wanting this time off, and (3) parrying the blame to something that wasn't her fault, she was able to convince her boss to sympathize with her plight. He gave her the time off.

M.K. was dealing with a difficult loan officer at the bank. But with "Three Rules for Persuading Authority Figures," he got his loan approved.

[Ed. Note: The "Three Rules for Persuading Authority Figures" is just one of more than 20 persuasion secrets in Larry Fredericks' life-changing new program. For more information, follow this link to Larry's "Master of Persuasion" site.]

Today's Action Plan

Think about the last time you found yourself in an unpleasant situation with an authority figure. How could you have used Larry Fredericks' "Three Rules" to persuade him or her to sympathize with your position and give you a break? How can you use this technique in the future?

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Correcting a Fatal Flaw in Michael Masterson's Diet (and Maybe Yours Too)

If you've been reading ETR for a while, you're familiar with the dangers of hydrogenated oil (trans-fats). These artificially created fats can seriously lower HDL (good) cholesterol, raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, and contribute to heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and a host of other health problems.

Trans-fats are one of the most destructive ingredients in the food supply. Which is why I was surprised to find that Michael Masterson frequently uses non-dairy coffee creamer – which lists hydrogenated oil as the second ingredient. When I asked him about it, I could tell what he was thinking: "How harmful can one teaspoon of this stuff really be?" Maybe you're wondering the same thing.

Well, according to the Institute of Medicine, when it comes to trans-fat, "there is NO safe level" to consume.

No, that one teaspoon won't will kill you. However, if you put non-dairy creamer in your coffee every morning, you can multiply that teaspoon by 365. Then combine that with the trans-fats in many other foods you might be eating. Add it all up for a few years … and you could very well be looking at an early grave.

It is important to know what you are putting into your body. Trans-fat is a killer. If you see the word "hydrogenated" or "shortening" on the label, don't touch it.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: Spotting Fakes on eBay

Is it real? Or a knock-off? With an online auction site like eBay, it's hard to know for sure. Especially vulnerable to counterfeiting is artwork, jewelry, designer accessories, autographed sports memorabilia, and other collectibles.

Here are a few tips:

1. Be wary if a seller has listed dozens of identical items. Be especially wary if you see multiple listings – at a low price – of something that you recognize as a rare collectible.

2. Be suspicious if the starting bid price seems too low.

3. If the seller has scanned a certificate of authenticity from a reputable appraiser into the listing, that's a good sign.

4. Take the time to look at the seller's feedback. Especially good is input from a satisfied buyer who had the item appraised and reported back on its authenticity. Scrutinize any negative feedback carefully.

5. Use PayPal. If you think you've been ripped off, you have some recourse under the PayPal buyer protection system (pages.ebay.com/paypal/buyer/protection.html).

(Source: Katie Hafner, writing in The New York Times)

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Setting Goals –And Sticking To Them – Will Help You Achieve Financial Independence

Don’t take our word for it. That’s the headline from an AP article than ran in hundreds of newspapers across the nation last week.

"This is definitely the time of year to get things started," was how Barry Armstrong, a Boston financial planner with Woodbury Financial Services put it.

"For some people, it's a bitter message. There are things that you don't like doing. But they have to be done."

Former waitress Pamela Newman went from hand-to-mouth living to owning two condominiums in the San Diego area. What did it take? Resolve.

Resolve to make 2006 the year you kick it up a notch. Here’s how:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGB/E700G273/

Word
to the Wise: Asseverate

To "asseverate" (uh-SEV-uh-rate) is to positively affirm or declare. The word is derived from the Latin "asseverare" ("to assert earnestly").

Example (as used in a Washington Times article titled "Fading Fidel and His Gulled Groupies"): "'Castro's been known to snow people, but he didn't snow me,' Mr. Weicker asseverated."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

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Flying With the “Gold Bugs”

Friday, February 10th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Thinking about buying gold? I know I am. In today's main article, Michael Masterson talks about why you might want to add some to your portfolio.

- Will Bonner
Publisher
Early to Rise

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Friday, February 10, 2006
Message #1649

WEALTHY: Should you buy gold now? (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: The 6-meal-a-day fat-loss plan

WISE: Alan Greenspan on the gold standard

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

4 ways to use illustrations to make your ads better (Clayton Makepeace)

How many women do you know who own a business?

Add the word "truculent" to your vocabulary

*
Highly Recommended *

Main Street Millionaire

Real estate can be a great investment. My holdings in various cities in the U.S. and abroad have added millions to my net worth and passive income. But it's only a good investment when you buy right. Part of that equation is making sure you don't pay market value in an overvalued market. And that's why I've written to you so much lately about the bubble markets – especially my market in South Florida.

If you still want to make serious money in real estate, there are two principal ways to solve the bubble-market problem. One is to learn how to find motivated sellers and buy at deep discounts to current market value. In a bubble market, this takes a lot of knowledge and work, but it can pay off big time. The other is to invest in the best value markets in America.

The best value markets are areas with a high quality of life, diversified economy, growing population and jobs, and properties that still cash flow (pay for themselves with rental income). And they're priced so average families can still afford to buy. Yet they're also experiencing growing demand, with plenty of appreciation yet to come. These cities, in short, have escaped the bubble valuations that have hit New York, California, South Florida, Washington, and other inflated areas. They're even benefiting from those bubbles, as "refugees" from the overpriced markets cash out the inflated equity in their homes and businesses and head to areas where they can live a lot better for less.

But perhaps the best real estate investment strategy for the next few years is to combine both techniques in one. That is, you learn how to buy deeply under market value in markets that are undervalued. And that's why I highly recommend Main Street Millionaire.

Main Street Millionaire teaches you how to buy under market value in any market … bubble or bull. At the same time, editor Justin Ford and his team have just come out with an in-depth report on "The Next Real Estate Bull Markets: Profiting in the Five Best Value Cities in America." The report is a $349 value. But, for a limited time, they're offering it free when you buy the Main Street Millionaire program.

Main Street Millionaire is a must-have for any serious real estate investor. In the current real estate market – and with MSM's new "Best Value Cities" report – it is more valuable than ever.

- Michael Masterson

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Setting Goals –And Sticking To Them – Will Help You Achieve Financial Independence

Don’t take our word for it. That’s the headline from an AP article than ran in hundreds of newspapers across the nation last week.

"This is definitely the time of year to get things started," was how Barry Armstrong, a Boston financial planner with Woodbury Financial Services put it.

"For some people, it's a bitter message. There are things that you don't like doing. But they have to be done."

Former waitress Pamela Newman went from hand-to-mouth living to owning two condominiums in the San Diego area. What did it take? Resolve.

Resolve to make 2006 the year you kick it up a notch. Here’s how:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGB/E700G273/

"In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. There is no safe store of value."

- Alan Greenspan

Flying With the "Gold Bugs"

By Michael Masterson

In a recent issue of Reality Check, Gary North reminded his readers that he has been recommending gold for more than four years. Bill Bonner, editor emeritus of Daily Reckoning, has "nagged" his readers to buy gold for the last three years.

Gary chastises those who have refused to invest in gold. He characterizes their thinking this way: "I want to make money my way. I don't want to make money your way. If you are asking me to change, then I would rather not make money, no matter how good the deal, and no matter how much money you have made."

It's very true. When it comes to money, we are all very much driven by our emotions. We like to believe that we make rational decisions, but more often than not they are the products of unspoken and underlying feelings/ideas/notions about value.

That is something to be aware of – that most of our decisions are influenced by emotional judgments. And that these emotional judgments are often invisible to us.

I spent a little time thinking about my underlying prejudices about money. Here's what I came up with:

You can't beat the market.

Every dog has its day.

What goes up must come down.

The best way to predict a market downturn is if I invest in it.

People are generally honest – but they will steal from you if you make it too easy.

The return of my principal is more important than the return on it.

I can always make another million dollars.

These are not facts. They are opinions. They are opinions that I hold deeply in my brain and body. I don't pretend that they are correct. But I recognize that I feel them to be true. Given that recognition, it is easier for me to understand my investment impulses.

Back to gold …

Gary correctly says that he and Bill sagely recommended gold several years ago. Had their readers followed their advice, they would have made some very handsome profits.

What Gary didn't say was that he and Bill have been recommending gold for much longer than that – probably 20 or 25 years. I am not saying that they've been urgently recommending the acquisition of gold in each of those many years … but their general posture toward gold has been favorable for as long as I've known them.

Which is to say that Gary and Bill are "gold bugs." And they – like the readers who have ignored their advice – want to get rich their way.

We all have intellectual (in addition to emotional) prejudices. As a result, the way we act in our quotidian lives is often very different.

I, for example, have never been very interested in gold. And yet, in the last four years, I've acquired a good bit of it. (It's not a major part of my portfolio, but it's enough to pay for my lifestyle for at least five years.)

I wonder how much gold Bill and Gary have accumulated.

I'm not suggesting they haven't followed their own advice. I'm pointing out an important fact about human nature: What we actually do and what we earnestly believe are often disconnected and sometimes polar opposites. (Think of the Christian ministers who get caught in sex scandals.)

I don't have an emotional commitment to gold … and yet I've profited from it. Do I feel good about that? You bet! Do I feel smart? Not at all.

I didn't do any of the analysis that suggested gold should be going up. I didn't do any of the serious thinking. And I didn't take a risk by publicly recommending gold when it was out of style. Bill and Gary did all that.

I just sat back and read the arguments, pro and con. There were good arguments on both sides – as there always are. Since I had no prejudices toward gold, I knew I could react to the pro-gold arguments in a rational way. Weighing everything I was reading, the buy-gold arguments seemed a little stronger.

But that wouldn't have been enough to persuade me to buy gold, because – when it comes to my passive investment portfolio – I'm not looking to outsmart the market. (Why? See my list of prejudices about money above.) I put my money in a conservative (actually, very conservative) mixture of bonds and index funds and am happy to get what the market wants to give me.

When I was persuaded to buy gold several years ago, I didn't really believe that the gold bugs were right. I simply recognized that, having no gold in my portfolio, it couldn't hurt to buy a little. Turning two percent of my portfolio into gold was not going to hurt me – nor was it going to change my lifestyle (as my good friend EP always says).

What it did for me was give me a sense of security. I now had something tangible that was physically located in certain bank vaults that I had access to – not simply an asset recorded in some financial service company's computer database.

I like that quality of gold for the same reason I like the "realness" of real estate. Being able to see it and touch it, it's harder for me to believe that someone could take it away from me.

I also like the portability of the gold coins I have. If some sort of disaster hits, I can take them with me. (You can fit a million dollars worth of gold coins in a piece of carry-on luggage. It will be very heavy … but it will fit.)

And I'm not upset about the fact that my stake in gold has appreciated recently – though I have no idea as to whether or not it will continue to go up. What I have – that two percent of my portfolio – I'll keep.

If you have gold, good for you. I wouldn't have more than 10 percent of my money in it, but (for the reasons stated above) I do think it's a solid investment.

If you don't have gold, should you buy it at today's prices – or wait for the market to come down a little? Gary addressed that question in the December 13 issue of Reality Check. At that time, he said:

"If you want to buy, but you just cannot make the decision, pick two prices, $25 lower and higher than today's price. Lower, because you can get in lower, and you will feel good that you did not buy today. Higher, because you may see gold get away from you completely."

The same rationale can be used today.

Today's Action Plan

If you decide to buy gold, pay attention to the following advice by Gary North:

1. Find out how long the dealer has been in business.

2. Find out what his commission is above spot price.

3. Determine what your goal is for buying a coin. If you intend to sell it for dollars, you'll want to buy a one-ounce coin. To barter it for goods/services, buy a tenth-ounce coin. To leave it to an heir, buy a one-ounce coin.

4. Consider where you want to store it (buried vs. in a safe deposit box).

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A Painless Way to Lose Fat (and Lower Your Cholesterol)

If you want to reduce your cholesterol levels, increase your energy and alertness, burn more calories, and control your body fat, there's a painless way to do it: Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Eating smaller meals at regular intervals throughout the day will cause your body to release less insulin. In turn, this will cause your body to store less of the nutrients that you're taking in as fat.

And here's something else to consider. A British study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at two groups of women. The first group ate a few large, irregularly spaced meals. The second group ate six smaller meals at regular intervals. The researchers found that the latter group consumed less food, burned more calories, and had a lower level of LDL cholesterol (the type of cholesterol often associated with heart disease).

Here's how to go from two big, sleep-inducing meals per day to six energizing meals:

1. Split up your portion sizes. Instead of having a big lunch, enjoy half of that meal as an early lunch and the other half as an early afternoon snack.

2. Eat regular snacks (mini-meals). Example: a piece of fruit, an ounce of almonds, and a cup of green tea late in the afternoon.

3. Eat a high-protein, fiber-rich breakfast to get your day started right. The protein will help you think better and the fiber will help control your blood sugar and energy levels throughout the day.

- Jon Herring

Spruce Up That Ad With Photos

By Clayton Makepeace

In my 33 years of writing ad copy, I've learned that illustrations serve four valid purposes in sales promotions:

1. To seize the prospect's attention and convert that attention to readership – as when including the author's photograph with a headline.

2. To establish credibility – as when using charts, graphs, tables, or photos of a source (a big-name magazine, for example) to prove a point … or when including a photo of the customer to make a testimonial believable.

3. To drive home important sales points- as with "before/after" photos, "process photos" showing how the product works, etc.

4. To present the product and/or premium in a way that enhances its perceived value.

Interesting fact: Several years ago, a major publisher hired a research firm to determine which kinds of illustrations are most effective at seizing a reader's attention. Male readers were most attracted to photos of (1) anything with an engine in it – cars, boats, planes, helicopters, and (2) women. Female readers were most attracted to photos of (1) children, and (2) other women. In both sexes, the use of a storyboard – a series of photographs or illustrations telling a story – seized attention far better than a single photo alone.

Illustrations should never be used to simply "break up the text" or make the page look less challenging. But if you spruce up your ads with attention-getting devices … you're sure to have bigger winners, more often.

[Ed. Note: Clayton Makepeace offers help in reaping maximum profits through the Internet, direct mail, and print advertising every week in his e-zine The Total Package. Learn 177 of his surprising secrets that have doubled his clients' profits in a year and quadrupled them in 36 months in his newly published e-book "Double Your Profits in 12 Months or Less!" Learn More ]

It's Good to Know: An Update on the Status of Women in Business

In Message #1633, Michael Masterson said, "In another 20 years, women will have as many top-of-the-food-chain positions as men do. Maybe more." Here's evidence that his prediction is already coming true:

The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that the number of U.S. businesses owned by women grew by 20% between 1997 and 2002. That was twice the national average for all businesses. In 2002, women owned almost 6.5 million businesses producing more than $940 billion in revenue, a 15% increase over 1997.

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Power And Money Decisively Travel Toward Those Who Are Persuasive

Marketing legend Gene Schwartz helped turn Boardroom from a $3,500 idea into a $50 million powerhouse company – using little more than the power of ideas.

Many marketers who have since worked with Schwartz have used those same ideas to build multimillion-dollar empires.

There’s really no reason you can’t do the same. Why not get started right now?

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Word
to the Wise: Truculent

"Truculent" (TRUCK-yuh-lunt) – from the Latin "truculentus" – means fierce or savage.

Example: "Road & Track magazine once called [the British sports car] the TVR 'a truculent Troll, a ferret with an oversupply of Y chromosomes.' That's a pretty good description of a TVR."

(Source: TVRna.com)

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

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The Flight of American Retirement Dollars – From Wall Street to Self-Directed IRAs

Thursday, February 9th, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Bet you didn't know you were holding your IRA funds prisoner all these years. Today's main article tells you about half a dozen ways you can invest your IRA money that you didn't think was possible – including real estate. And you thought you didn't have the money!

- Andrew Gordon
ETR Financial Writer

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Thursday, February 9, 2006
Message #1648

WEALTHY: The downside of having control over your IRA (Tom Phelan)

HEALTHY: What to do when you're too busy to exercise

WISE: Robert Bennett on being in charge of your life

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

A when-all-else-fails way to break a bad habit (Michael Masterson)

"Investment" advice from a self-made billionaire

Add the word "desultory" to your vocabulary

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"A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control."

- Robert Bennett

The Flight of American Retirement Dollars – From Wall Street to Self-Directed IRAs

By Thomas Phelan

There are 45,000,000 IRAs in America. And for 30 years, Wall Street has enjoyed an uncontested 97% share of the trillions of dollars in those IRA funds.

Well, times are changing.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are fleeing Wall Street each month to the vaults of Self-Directed IRA custodians. For example, PENSCO Trust Company (one of about 20 such custodians in the country) recently said that it doubled its Self-Directed IRA assets under management from one billion to two billion … in just the last 18 months.

This migration of dollars is, at best, an irritant to Wall Street. However, if those millions of monthly migrating dollars were to change to billions – and they will – Wall Street may have to change its tune.

In theory, Wall Street could offer Self-Directed IRAs – but it has absolutely zero incentive to do so. If it did, its clients might opt to buy such things as real estate, notes, mortgages, tax liens, etc. – where Wall Street would not make one dime.

You see, stockbrokers, financial planners, banks, and insurance companies offer you a limited menu of Wall Street financial products (like mutual funds, stocks, and annuities) for your IRA. Selling these financial products is how they make money – and they aren't about to change what has successfully worked for decades. Wall Street not only controls your IRA funds, it also routinely extracts money from them via transaction fees, management fees, documentation fees, etc.

On the other hand, Self-Directed IRA custodians don't charge commissions. They just charge a fee for being the custodian of your IRA portfolio. That's how they generate income. And if your IRA funds are with a Self-Directed IRA custodian, not only can you buy real estate, tax liens – and even lend money – you can also purchase Wall Street financial products.

In other words, a Self-Directed IRA empowers you to decide what to buy, when to buy, how long to hold, when to sell, and how to sell. An example: If you had a Self-Directed IRA, you might make the decision to purchase real estate – perhaps a rental property in one of the up-and-coming markets that Justin Ford has been talking about. Then, when your Self-Directed IRA sells the property (your decision), it could carry back a mortgage like a bank and earn 6% to 10% interest (again, your decision). Try explaining this strategy to a stockbroker or financial planner.

Of course, having the privilege of being able to make your own decisions comes with some responsibility. (Just as having the privilege of owning a car comes with the responsibility to have insurance, a driver's license, etc.)
With a Self-Directed IRA, you have the responsibility to make sound financial decisions for your Self-Directed IRA dollars. This is a caveat that may sound obvious – until you take a look at what's been happening with the pre-construction condo craze.

Stories about huge profits being made with pre-construction condos in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and South Florida are quickly becoming legendary. Yet, in Message #1589, Michael Masterson specifically discouraged buying condos in a market that is "overvalued and the most likely to see significant price deflation – possibly as high as 50%." Add to this a November Wall Street Journal article that warned: "Some of the nation's largest lenders are cutting back on financing and are tightening standards for condominium projects, a sign that banks, which helped to fuel the run-up in real-estate prices with cheap debt, may be growing more skeptical about the prospects for residential properties."

Builders in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Florida have been enjoying unprecedented sales. Entire tracts of new homes and blocks of condos were pre-sold to ravenous buyers before the foundations were even poured. The demand was so great that many builders began to require unheard of earnest money deposits of 10% to 20% and more.
.
Unfortunately, too many folks with newly created Self-Directed IRAs have been jumping on that pre-construction condo bandwagon … without doing proper due diligence. Overwhelmed by their new-found control over their retirement portfolios, they've been mailing large deposit checks to builders in faraway cities to purchase real estate they have never seen.

And, sometimes, this has led to disaster.

Recently, I heard from a man who told me how he had converted a standard IRA containing $70,000 into a Self-Directed IRA. He then directed the Self-Directed IRA to mail a $45,000 earnest money check to a developer in another state for the purchase of a pre-construction condo. The developer had discounted the purchase price 10% (from $500,000 to $450,000) to induce the Self-Directed IRA to make a quick purchase.

The man told me that the developer promises to have the project completed in six months or less – and that before the Self-Directed IRA will be asked to close on the deal, the developer will flip the condo to another buyer for the full $500,000, thereby earning a hefty $50,000 profit for the Self-Directed IRA.

I asked the man one simple question: "What happens if the developer fails to sell the condo to another buyer by the time your Self-Directed IRA is required to close?"

He admitted that, if that were to happen, he had no exit strategy. But he figured that a non-recourse loan could be obtained if the condo did not sell.

Fact is, there are only a few banks that offer non-recourse financing for IRAs. When they do, they demand a hefty 35% down payment (35% of $450,000 = $157,500) – far more than this man has in his Self-Directed IRA. So if the developer does not sell the condo for his Self-Directed IRA prior to the closing, his Self-Directed IRA will forfeit the entire $45,000 earnest money.

The exit strategy that he should have had in place was to make sure the property would be able to carry itself when rented. That way, he could hold on as long as necessary. (This is true for any pre-construction purchase, done with or without a Self-Directed IRA.)

When I explained this, he confessed to being blinded by the potential of making such a huge profit. "After all," he said, "I've heard so many stories about people who have done it."

I highly recommend Self-Directed IRAs. Just remember that along with the power and control it gives you, you have the responsibility to do your homework before plunking down your hard-earned IRA money on any investment.

[Ed. Note: Thomas Phelan is a financial author, an active real estate investor, and a contributing editor to MSM’s “Million Dollar IRA” special report Tom has assisted investors on setting up Self-Directed IRA’s and also with setting up tax-deferred real estate sales through 1031 Like-Kind Exchanges.

Change Bad Habits Into Good Ones ... Gradually

Let's say you want to get to bed earlier. Right now, you are in the habit of hitting the sack at 1:30 a.m. You're getting only six hours of sleep every night ... and a late start to your day. You know it's bad for your health - and your career - and you want to change. But you haven't as yet been successful at doing so.

One way to turn a bad habit like this into a good one is to use guilt - with a "stop-loss" point.

Start by breaking your ultimate goal into segments - in the case of our example, into half-hours. Then make it your first objective to try for two segments at once - one hour. Make one hour your target, but tell yourself that you won't feel guilty if you get to bed a half-hour earlier.

What will probably happen is that you will seldom get to bed at 12:30 but 1:00 will happen pretty often. After a few weeks of that, adjust your target to 12:00 - again with an emotional stop-loss point (guilt trigger) at 12:30. Continue on like this till you reach your goal.

This is exactly how I trained myself to get to bed - usually - at 10:30. I used to feel "good" if I got to bed before 1:00. Now I feel bad if I stay up past 11:00.

- Michael Masterson

Today's Action Plan

Go ahead, admit it. You haven't been able to kick that bad habit of yours. Yes, there are better ways to improve yourself than using guilt. But if nothing else has worked so far, try it.

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Worth Quoting: Words to Get Rich By

Mark Cuban is a little whacked. But he's also a self-made billionaire (the Internet, what else?) who's surprisingly thoughtful for a loudmouth.

He owns the Dallas Mavericks. When you watch a Dallas game on TV, he's the one with a mop of black hair sitting in the second row, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, shouting near-profanities at the refs for every call made against his team.

When Mark Cuban talks, I suspect not enough people listen. Here, for example is one of the investment suggestions for 2006 that he posted on his website:

"Invest in yourself. Do the things that can get you closer to your goals and dreams. It won't come from a brokerage commercial. It will come from preparing yourself, working hard, and standing apart from your competition. You Inc. is the best stock you can ever buy ... if you are willing to do the work."

- Andrew Gordon

[Ed. Note: Andrew Gordon, ETR's financial expert, is the editor of The Skeptical Advisor, our investment newsletter. Check it out at http://skepticaladvisor.com.]

Don't Have Time to Exercise? Then It's Even More Important That You Do

I have a confession to make. For more than two weeks in January, I didn't exercise … at all. I had so much work to do that I just "couldn't find the time for it."

And what I found is that when I needed it the most, my energy was flagging, my creativity was lacking, my stress was increasing, and I was becoming more temperamental. Not to mention … I was getting a little soft around the middle.

So I decided that no matter how busy I am, or what deadlines are approaching, I would once again make exercise my highest priority. That doesn't mean taking hours out of my day to do it. It just means that no matter what else is going on, I will take a half-hour to an hour, four or five days a week, to get my heart and lungs and muscles pumping.

And for the past two weeks, that's exactly what I've done. Not only do I feel better, but my creativity and my productivity have increased to the point where I am getting far more done in a day than had I used that hour for "work" instead of "working out."

I suggest you do the same thing. Make exercise one of your highest priorities … especially when you think you're too busy to do it.

- Jon Herring

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Word
to the Wise: Desultory

Something that is "desultory" (DES-uhl-tor-ee) is random, jumping from one thing to another without order or rational connection. The word is derived from the Latin "desultor" ("a leaper").

Example (as used by Paul Auster in Timbuktu): "One way or the other, his once voluminous exchanges with Mrs. Swanson dwindled to almost nothing. For a year or two, they consisted of the odd, desultory postcard, then the store-bought Christmas greeting, and then, by 1976, they had stopped altogether."

Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006

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Put Yourself in the Other Guy's Shoes

Wednesday, February 8th, 2006

Dear Early to Riser,

I had to a laugh when I read Bob Bly's essay today ripping apart an annoying phone caller.

But Bob goes on to show how this character could have gotten exactly what he wanted … by just making a few small changes in his approach. Check it out.

- Charlie Byrne

ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Message #1647

WEALTHY: Making money in Las Vegas real estate – what are the odds? (Justin Ford)

HEALTHY: Think back to January 2nd …

WISE: Goethe on understanding

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The big mistake my "helpful" caller made (Bob Bly)

Make one carry-on bag do a 2-suitcase job (Michael Masterson)

Add "ratiocination" to your vocabulary

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For Just $1.2 Million, How Could You Go Wrong?

Manuel Corchuelo is selling his home. Asking price: $1.2 million. According to Investor's Business Daily, the house is poorly landscaped and full of clutter. But then again, you get all that space … 700 square feet! Mr. Corchuelo bought the home for $30,000 in 1987, and it's located in The Naked City neighborhood of Las Vegas, one block from the Strip. So I guess he figures it's now worth 40 times that amount because of the old saw about Location, Location, Location. But I'm thinking Bubble, Bubble, Bubble …

Fortunately, there are still markets in the U.S. that are in the early stages of the appreciation curve and offer good value: a high quality of life, diversified economy, growing jobs and population, and properties that are priced so they still cash flow. (I'll be talking about five of the best of these hidden value cities on a teleconference call this afternoon.) But, the way I see it, the only sensible way to invest in bubble market like Vegas is to look for motivated sellers and buy at a big discount to market value. Or you can just take your cash to a casino and put it all on black …

- Justin Ford

[Ed. Note: Justin Ford is the editor of Main Street Millionaire, ETR's real estate investment program. Sign up for this afternoon's teleconference call - "The Five Best Value Cities in America" - here.]

"Whatever you cannot understand, you cannot possess."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Put Yourself in the Other Guy's Shoes

By Bob Bly

When I tell you this story, you may think it makes me look like a jerk. But it conveys an important lesson – a lesson that will serve you well in both your business and personal life.

Okay. So here's what happened …

A person I don't know called me at work out of the blue the other day – while I was frantically writing to meet a deadline. "I am reading your book," he said, naming one of my titles. "There is a typo on page 383," he said triumphantly, as if dropping the biggest bombshell since Hiroshima.

"Thanks, but you don't need to tell me about it," I said politely.

He stammered, absolutely stunned.

I knew it was not the response he was looking for. He expected me to write down the information he was about to give me … and possibly engage him in a dialogue (which a lot of book readers want to have with authors). Instead, I simply thanked him for phoning, and ended the call.

I didn't lecture him – but if I had, here's what I would have said:

"Sir, I don't know you. I am not sure why you feel compelled to take time out of your day to call me up and report that there is a typo in one of my books. And I am not sure what kind of satisfaction it gives you. But I've written 60 books, totaling more than 12,000 pages. I would be surprised if there were not a number of typos within those 12,000 pages.

"The book you are referring to is one I wrote more than 20 years ago – and it is not going to be reprinted again. So there's nothing I can do about the typo you found.

"Also, I have a dozen projects on my desk right now, all with deadlines. To finish this work and run my business, I have about a hundred tasks on my priority list. Taking a look at my books that will be reprinted – and fixing typos in them – doesn't even come close to making that list. In fact, it's not even on my radar as far as 'important things to do' is concerned."

As I suggested at the beginning of this article, you may feel that my response to my anonymous proofreader was offensive. After all, wasn't he just trying to do me a kindness?

That's possible. But in my experience – and after two and a half decades of getting such calls – I have found that kindness is often not the primary motivation. Often, the caller revels in showing the published writer that he made a mistake. More frequently, he hopes that the author will become a friend or (unpaid) advisor – and that pointing out the typo will somehow open up a relationship.

And that's where my caller went wrong.

Because if you're the one who is trying to establish the relationship, it's incumbent upon YOU to really understand the other person – what he thinks, what he wants, and what's important to him.

This is true not only when you want to sell an idea – but also when you want to sell a product or service. So for those of us who are in the business of marketing a product or service, this means understanding your CUSTOMER … what he thinks, wants, needs, fears, and desires. What's important to him – NOT what's important to you.

In the example of my anonymous proofreader, a better way to establish contact with me might have been as follows:

"Bob, this is Joe. I'm reading your book and there's one thing in it that I'd like to briefly discuss with you. It will take less than a minute. Do you have time now?"

This same approach works beautifully in selling – either when cold calling or following up on inquiries. People are busy, and they cannot abide it when others don't respect their time or understand just how pressured they are. I ALWAYS ask when calling someone I don't know: "Is this a bad time for you?" If they say "yes," I ask when would be a better time to talk.

My caller could have continued: "I found a typo in the book. Do you want to know about it?"

This is also a good strategy in selling: Before launching into your "pitch," ask the prospect for permission to proceed.

The point is this: If you want to open up a relationship with someone – a potential "friend" or a potential customer – you need to know how to communicate effectively with him. In other words, you have to, as the cliche goes, "Put yourself in the other guy's shoes."

[Ed. Note: Bob Bly is a popular Early to Rise columnist, self-made multi-millionaire, and the author of more than 60 books, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing and The Copywriter's Handbook.

He is also the editor of ETR's Direct Marketing University: The Masters Edition - a program to help you start your own successful direct-mail business.]

It's Time for Your 6-Week Check-Up

On January 2nd, I asked you to write down your most important health and fitness goals for 2006. Then, on January 3rd, I encouraged you to "come out of the gate charging" by focusing on several challenging goals that you could accomplish in the first six weeks of the year.

Well … how's it going?

Have you been following your exercise program? Have you stuck to your resolutions about what you will (and will not) eat? Are you feeling and looking better?

Or … are you in the same place you were on New Year's Day? Eating the same foods that make you fat and unhealthy. Skipping exercise because you "don't have the time."

Either way, we want to hear from you. Whether you're making progress or nothing much has changed, visit the ETR Speak Out Forum and tell us where you stand.

And while you're at it, tell us about your health goals and the challenges you are facing. What would you like to accomplish this year and in the years ahead? And what solutions will you implement to get you from here to there?

If you didn't write down your goals at the beginning of the year, consider this to be a second chance to do it.

- Jon Herring

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Simplify Your Life: Pack Faster and Travel Lighter

By Michael Masterson

I travel a lot. So does K. Neither of us ever checks luggage. And I, at least, never spend more than 15 minutes packing. Here are some tips to make preparing for your next trip easier and faster.

1. Choose one or two colors. Reducing your wardrobe to a single color (and one contrasting highlight color) greatly reduces the number of items you need to bring. My choice is black and white or black and gray.

2. Pack only one pair of shoes. Shoes are the most space-consuming item in your bag. If your main color is black, bring black shoes. Wear one pair on the plane – a comfortable pair that can double as gym shoes – and pack a dressier pair that (1) will look fine with a suit/dress, and (2) you can wear to walk in the city.

3. If you're a man, you only need one jacket. A blazer or conservative sports coat is best. Wear it, don't pack it.

4. Make your travel pack half the size it is normally. You don't need shampoo, soap, etc. if you are staying at a decent hotel.

5. Place the heavy stuff … your extra pair of shoes and your travel pack … at the bottom of your carry-on bag. On top of that, put your pants/dresses. Shirts come next. Sweaters go on top.

6. Here's something I don't do but K does (and I recommend): If you are going to be away for a week or less, take the time to plan what you'll wear each day.

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Setting Goals –And Sticking To Them – Will Help You Achieve Financial Independence

Don’t take our word for it. That’s the headline from an AP article than ran in hundreds of newspapers across the nation last week.

"This is definitely the time of year to get things started," was how Barry Armstrong, a Boston financial planner with Woodbury Financial Services put it.

"For some people, it's a bitter message. There are things that you don't like doing. But they have to be done."

Former waitress Pamela Newman went from hand-to-mouth living to owning two condominiums in the San Diego area. What did it take? Resolve.

Resolve to make 2006 the year you kick it up a notch. Here’s how:

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Word
to the Wise: Ratiocination

"Ratiocination" (rash-ee-ah-sih-NAY-shun) is the process of reasoning. The word is derived from the Latin "ratiocinari" ("to calculate").

Example (as used in a Time magazine article titled "People": "For all their vaunted powers of ratiocination, grand masters of chess tend to be a skittery lot."

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The Secret of Making Proposals

Tuesday, February 7th, 2006

Dear Early to Riser,

As a teenager, Marc Smalley stumbled across a "formula" for making successful deals. Since then, he's made a small fortune using this secret. Check out how you can do it too in his essay today.

- Charlie Byrne

ETR Editorial Director

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Message #1646

WEALTHY: Where smart real estate investors are putting their money (Justin Ford)

HEALTHY: Not all fruits/veggies have to be "organic" – so save your money

WISE: Paula Nelson on becoming an entrepreneur

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

A tried-and-true formula that every businessperson needs to know (Marc Smalley)

Another thing that mystifies me abut the French (Michael Masterson)

AAdd the word "objurgate" to your vocabulary

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Cashing Out and Heading to More Affordable Pastures

By Justin Ford

A neighbor of mine is selling his $725,000 home (worth about $200,000 six years ago.) He won't stay in South Florida because, if he wants a comparable home, he'll have to pay … well, about $725,000. And since his new tax bill would be based on his new purchase price, his property taxes would shoot up by about $12,000. Insurance would go up too. Not good for a newspaper man who's about to retire.

So my neighbor is cashing out his inflated equity and moving to a city in the Southeast where he can buy a bigger, newer home on a larger lot for half the price. He'll pay less in taxes than he's paying now, he'll have no mortgage, and he'll have about $300,000 tax-free left over to play with. And he's not the only one cashing out …

A recent story in The Sun Sentinel titled "Paradise Lost" began with the following:

"From her seat behind the rental counter at the U-Haul Center on State Road 84 near Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale, Belkis Lopez has noticed a shift in the past year. … More trucks are leaving town than arriving. … 'A lot of people are getting out of here,' Lopez said. 'Working people who say they can't afford living here, people who've been here 50 years, retirees who say their money can go a lot further up north.'"

As these "Bubble Market Refugees" cash out of overheated markets in New York, California, South Florida, and Las Vegas (to name just a few), they're going to bolster new bull markets in select American cities. These are cities where there is a high quality of life, diversified economies, and there are still good real estate values.

You'll find these in areas ranging from Texas to New Mexico, North and Central Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Select cities in these states are where the best real estate investment returns are likely to be over the next three to five years.

[Ed. Note: Justin Ford is the editor of Main Street Millionaire, ETR's real estate investment program. On a teleconference call tomorrow, he'll be talking about "The Five Best Value Cities in America." Sign up for the call here.]

Reader Feedback: "Now I can retire!"

"I started reading Early to Rise at the beginning and started a little business – and now I can retire. Not at age 70 as I thought I would but at age 61. Thank you, Michael Masterson!" – J

"Going into business for yourself, becoming an entrepreneur, is the modern-day equivalent of pioneering on the old frontier."

- Paula Nelson

The Secret of Making Proposals

By Marc Charles

I submitted my first life-changing proposal to my middle-school principal. In fact, I'm dedicating this article to him – the late Dr. William C. Cooksey. And when you hear my story, you'll understand why.

Dr. Cooksey had expelled me for smoking cigarettes on school property. This wasn't my first run-in with the school system (or this principal) – but it looked like it was going to be my last. I had been suspended on 12 other occasions. This was apparently the last straw.

He informed me that I would never attend a Minneapolis public school again. At first, I was relieved. But then reality set in. How would I tell this to my folks?

Each morning after the expulsion, I ate breakfast with my brother and sister … like nothing had happened. I was the only one in middle school at the time, so they were clueless. After they got on their school bus, I hung around the park all day trying to figure a way out of my situation.

"Begging for mercy" was the idea I came up with.

I walked into the middle-school office and asked to see Dr. Cooksey one last time. The receptionist reminded me that I wasn't allowed on school property, and said if I didn't leave immediately she would call the police. She started pushing me out the door with her pencil (as if I was contaminated).

Hearing the commotion, the principal poked his head out of his office in the nick of time. He motioned to the receptionist to let me in.

I delivered my carefully prepared speech.

I told him that I was sorry, I was wrong, and I realized I would never again attend a Minneapolis public school. Then I said, "But if you look a little deeper, you'll see that I'm a really bright, loving, and enthusiastic kid." (I'm not kidding. I really said that.)

I went on: "If you allow me back into school, I will make a personal promise and lifetime vow to you."

Dr. Cooksey leaned back in his chair.

"I'm leaving in eight days to spend the summer with my older sister in Colorado," I said. "I'll be working part-time, helping her around the house, and having fun hiking in the mountains.

"All summer, I'll remember my promise and vow to you, which is this: I'll drop the bad habits and stop hanging out with kids who are up to no good. I'll prepare myself for high school. I won't make you look bad. You'll be proud of me … and I'll tell my kids about how you gave me a break."

Dr. Cooksey smiled from ear to ear. "You are really something, Marc. I'm impressed. I've never heard anything quite like this.

"Okay. I do think you will turn yourself around. I'm going to lift the expulsion order. But there are only a few days remaining before school is out for the summer. Go home. I'll be checking on you in high school."

I was shocked! I couldn't believe it. I closed the deal! (And, yes, I did keep my promise to him.)

What I didn't realize at the time was that I had instinctively used a tried-and-true formula for making a successful proposal.

Michael Masterson has described the "essence" of a successful proposal seveeral times in ETR:

1. Clearly state what you will do.
2. Clearly state how long it will take.
3. Clearly state how much it will cost.
4. Deliver as promised.

As an entrepreneur, I've been developing business proposals for more than 25 years – and I'm amazed by how few businesspeople understand how to do it.

Granted, I've written hundreds of proposals that have been thrown in the trash. But over the course of my business career, this formula has opened the door to tens of millions of dollars worth of deals, ventures, partnerships, and other opportunities.

For example, in 1994, after reading an article in The Wall Street Journal about some college kids who were writing website reviews, I wrote to as many publishers as I could find that were looking for reviewers.

I was turned down more than 40 times.

Then I wrote to the editor of a new project called Yahoo! Unplugged. Out of frustration, I limited my letter to three paragraphs. I simply stated what I would do, how long it would take, and how much I would charge. The editor asked me to send him a couple of samples. Two weeks later, I received a contract in the mail with a note that said, "Thanks for the reviews – they were great. Looking forward to working with you. By the way, your proposal was right to the point – rare."

This deal led not only to tens of thousands of dollars in compensation … but also to a nice little syndication deal.

[Ed. Note: If you're looking to get into a side business but just can't come up with the right idea, consider subscribing to Marc Charles's "Profit Center Dispatch" service. Each one of Marc's weekly reports describes a business opportunity and tells you how to get started, where to find your products, and who to market to. He also includes insider tips to accelerate your success.]

Today's
Action Plan

Whenever you have to develop a proposal, follow "the formula": Clearly state what you'll do, how long it will take, how much it will cost – and then deliver as promised. You'll be amazed at the number of deals, relationships, and projects you'll have the privilege to work on.

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Notes From Michael Masterson's Journal: The French

You can tell how much the French love American pop culture by taking a look at their television programs, movies, and nightclubs. They love it … but they don't get it. Go to a French jazz club and watch them reverently bop their heads to the music of a truly horrible blues song. Or go to the Moulin Rouge and watch the dances. You'll see what I mean.

- Michael Masterson

10 Fruits and Vegetables on the "Least-Contaminated" List

Yesterday, I told you about the 10 fruits and vegetables most likely to be contaminated with chemical pesticides. But there is some conventionally grown produce that has little if any chemical residue. In general, that's because these plants are naturally resistant to pests – and, therefore, require less use of pesticides.

So if you are concerned about the cost – or have limited access to organic produce – here are 10 fruits and vegetables that, even when grown conventionally, are perfectly safe to eat:

1. sweet corn
2. avocados
3. pineapples
4. cauliflower
5. mangoes
6. sweet peas
7. asparagus
8. onions
9. broccoli
10. bananas

(Reference: FoodNews.org)

- Jon Herring

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How Would You Like To Turn $3,500 Into $50 Million?

Power and money decisively travel toward those who are persuasive. Marketing legend Gene Schwartz helped turn Boardroom from a $3,500 idea into a $50 million powerhouse company with his persuasive ideas.

Many marketers who have since studied Schwartz have built multimillion-dollar empires using those same ideas.

What’s stopping you from doing the same? Only inaction… so why not get started today:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SGSBA/E700G247

Word
to the Wise: Objurgate

To "objurgate" (OB-juhr-gate) is to express strong disapproval. The word is derived from the Latin "objurgare" ("to scold" or "to blame").

Example (as used by Ogden Nash in "The Centipede": "I objurgate the centipede, / A bug we do not really need."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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Doing Business Overseas: The Basics

Monday, February 6th, 2006

Dear Reader,

There's a reason so many American businesses are expanding overseas. Asia, South American … it's a huge and growing market.

But, as Michael Masterson explains today, some of the "rules" are different from what we're used to.

- Charlie Byrne

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Monday, February 6, 2006
Message #1645

WEALTHY: A great business opportunity – if you know what you're doing (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: The main reason to buy organic produce

WISE: Robert Louis Stevenson on "foreign" countries

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

6 ways to doom an advertising campaign in China

3 hi-tech innovations that will change the way you travel (Lori Appling)

Add the word "xenophobe" to your vocabulary

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"There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign."

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Doing Business Overseas: The Basics

By Michael Masterson

About 25 years ago, I wrote a book for a major publisher on doing business in China. It won a good deal of praise in the business press, which surprised me … because I didn't really know much about the subject. My experience of China had consisted of one trip to Hong Kong … conversations with an executive in my company who actually did do business in China … and reading a good deal of Chinese poetry in graduate school. Still, I managed to cobble together a book that covered the basics. (Essentially, it was a book on doing business with a communist bureaucracy.)

At the time, my theory of how to deal with the Chinese (which I included in the book) was simply this: The Chinese have a different way of looking at behavior than we do in the West. They do not distinguish, as we do, between what a person is really like and how he behaves. To the Chinese, how you behave is what you are. Thus, it is very important to behave correctly in China. And by "correctly," I mean as they would want you to.

In subsequent trips to China, I've found that theory to be largely true. But I can't say I've had enough experience to qualify me to say much more than that. At this point, I have no idea whether I'd be capable of doing business in China – and yet, the idea of getting access to this huge market is certainly enticing.

With a population of 1.3 billion, China has the world's largest and fastest-growing economy – and it is attracting foreign businesspeople by the boatload. In a new book on the subject, One Billion Customers, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief James McGregor says that contracted foreign investment in China now averages $420 million a day.

"China has allowed foreigners in only on its own terms and those are often opaque," writes McGregor, "contradictory and bewildering. All too often, laws are only law when they benefit China."

Confusion is endemic, corruption is rampant, and mistrust is pervasive. "Business in China has always been conducted behind multiple curtains and amid much subterfuge," McGregor says, "and that hasn't changed."

Still, people are flocking in.

This is the advice McGregor gives to those who wish to do business there:

Don't get frustrated by lack of cooperation. Chinese society is based on self-interest and is very strong on competition.

Be wary of manipulative businessmen. If and when the Chinese can take advantage of you, they probably will.

Don't submit to aggressive bargaining. The Chinese are not afraid to ask for too much, and if you give them what they want, that's your fault.

Frame your arguments to show how your business is good for the Chinese. Don't criticize what they are doing.

Expect that your technology and business practices will be copied.

I have mixed feelings about McGregor's advice. On the one hand, it seems wise to assume that the Chinese are intelligent, aggressive businesspeople. On the other hand, it would be a terrible mistake to assume – as you might, judging from some of his comments – that all Chinese are selfish, corrupt, and xenophobic.

I know expatriate businesspeople living in Central America who say the same thing about Latin Americans. They are all stupid. They are all lazy. They are all corrupt. I've been doing business in Nicaragua long enough to know that this kind of thinking is crazy. Most Nicaraguans are honest, hard working, and smart.

I think what happens to foreigners who come in from the outside is that they are met by the kind of people who are likely to meet barbarian invaders – aggressive, risk-taking businesspeople who are out to make a lot of money and are distrustful of the people they are working with.

So here's my advice – some informal "rules" to follow when doing business overseas:

Know a bit of the language. If you speak it, great. But if you don't, learn some common phrases and use them. Making an effort to speak the local language will impress your international business associates.

Understand the critical customs. In China, for instance, decision-making is often a collective process. (An unfortunate legacy from communism.) Knowing this ahead of time, you can be prepared for lengthy negotiations.

Be humble but don't feel the need to bend over backward to ingratiate yourself. Treat everyone you meet with respect. Be polite. Be honest.

When speaking English, speak slowly. Simplify your vocabulary and avoid jargon and colloquial expressions. Avoid using contractions ("he'll" instead of "he will").

Encourage two-way dialogue. Saying what you mean is not good enough. You must get your business associate to repeat it back to you to make sure there are no misunderstandings.

Agree on a protocol for following up on objectives after you have left the country.

When visiting any foreign country – for business or pleasure – keep in mind that you are a visitor. This may seem obvious, but many people seem to forget it when they arrive on foreign soil. As a result, they act rude and obnoxious … just because things don't proceed in the "American" way.

Today's
Action Plan

If you think you might be interested in doing business overseas, here are three websites to look into:

1. ExecutivePlanet.com has detailed information about 45 countries. Learn about appropriate business attire, gift-giving, entertaining, public behavior, and negotiations.

2. LonelyPlanet.com provides maps, pictures, and essential facts for many countries around the world.

3. ColumbusGuides.com includes general and statistical information, business profiles and business etiquette, and detailed travel guidelines.

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Can 70 Minutes Really Change Your Life?

You are invited to spend an exciting, jam-packed hour with Michael Masterson and interviewer Alex Mandossian on Tuesday, February 7th – at absolutely no charge to you.

In his Power and Persuasion teleconference Michael will show you his simple but highly effective techniques for gaining personal power and achieving success.

When you’ve mastered these techniques, you’ll become an inspiration to others… while gaining the charm, charisma and control that colleagues, competitors, and the even opposite sex – can't help but admire and find attractive in you.

Scores of people Michael has personally coached to develop and multiply their own “Personal Power and Success” are now independent, earning their own fortunes, taking care of their own lives, free from money worries and job hassles, and confidently looking forward to early retirement.

Why should you wait? The number of lines is limited, so please register now.

6 Traps to Avoid When Advertising to a Chinese Market

As Michael Masterson suggests today, it isn't easy to do business in a foreign country – especially one as culturally different as China. For example, you could easily sabotage a marketing campaign by making the following mistakes:

Using the number "four,'' a homonym for "death'' in China's tonal language.
Insulting competitors in ads or packaging, even by implication.
Linking your brand with doctors, dentists, or lawyers.
Making claims like "No. 1 in China,'' "best-selling,'' and "recommended by.''
Showing patients or symptoms in pharmaceutical ads.
Associating your brand with icons from pre-Communist China (such as images of Imperial China and its emperor).
(Source: Advertising Age

10 Fruits and Vegetables on the "Most-Contaminated" List

There are a number of good reasons to buy organically grown produce. The most compelling: to reduce your exposure to pesticides and herbicides. The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) lists many of these chemicals as carcinogenic – and they are known to disrupt the immune, nervous, reproductive, and endocrine systems.

The Environmental Working Group reviewed more than 100,000 tests performed by the USDA and found that the following fruits and vegetables consistently showed the highest levels of chemical residue. Don't stop eating them – but, if at all possible, choose those that have been organically grown.

Listed in order, from most to least contaminated:

1. peaches
2. strawberries
3. apples
4. spinach
5. nectarines
6. celery
7. pears
8. cherries
9. potatoes
10. bell peppers

Tomorrow, we'll look at the other end of the list – at the fruits and vegetables that consistently have the lowest levels of chemical residue.

(Reference: FoodNews.org)

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: What's Next in the World of Travel?

In 2006, travelers can look forward to …

X-Ray Security

No more pat-downs and no need to take your shoes off. These babies show everything from hidden weapons to explosives – and I mean everything (including a graphic view of a person's naked image). Machines like this are already being tested in Atlantic City and London's Heathrow Airport. Experts predict they will soon be standard everywhere.

Wi-Fi on Planes

Wireless Internet already exists on some flights operated by Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. But KLM, Iberia, Northwest, Virgin Atlantic, and Qantas aren't far behind. Neither are domestic carriers on contract with Verizon Airfone. No need to wait, though. The savviest travelers are already using Connexion to place unlimited international calls from the air with free Internet phone services like Google Talk (www.google.com/talk) and Skype (www.skype.com).

Audio Tours

Bulky guidebooks are becoming a thing of the past. Downloadable audio tours are the new thing. You can download everything from museum tours to complete city guides on your iPod. Check out www.soundwalk.com. Podcasts are popular too – whether you record your own or listen to someone else's. Try Josh in Japan (www.joshinjapan.com) or Betty in the Sky With a Suitcase (www.betty.libsyn.com) … or the more traditional PodGuides.net, PodcastAlley.com, and Apple's iTunes.com.

(Source: Travel & Leisure Magazine)

- Lori Appling, Director of AWAI's Travel Division

[Ed. Note: February 10-13, American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) will be teaching 65 wanna-be travelers how to turn their vacations into $100,000 a year or more. The event, being held in San Antonio, Texas, has already sold out - but AWAI is recording the whole thing. You can reserve your pre-press copy of The Lucrative Traveler's Toolkit - the next best thing to being in the room - at a special discount if you order before they go to press: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/toolkit/etr]

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Word
to the Wise: Xenophobe

A "xenophobe" (ZEN-uh-fobe) is someone who is unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign people. The word is formed from the Greek "xenos" ("guest, stranger, foreigner") + "phobos" ("fear").

Example (as I used it today): "On the one hand, it seems wise to assume that the Chinese are intelligent, aggressive businesspeople. On the other hand, it would be a terrible mistake to assume – as you might, judging from some of [McGregor's] comments – that all Chinese are selfish, corrupt, and xenophobic."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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How to Profit Through Referrals

Saturday, February 4th, 2006

Dear Reader,

If you're not actively asking your customers for referrals, you're cheating yourself out of profits.

Today, to inspire you, Jay Abraham tells about some of the great ideas his clients have used to establish a formal, business-building referral program.

- Patrick

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Saturday, February 4, 2006
Message #1644

WEALTHY: What you can learn about the stock market from a dinky little airplane

HEALTHY: Exercise to decrease your risk of low-back injury

WISE: Jeff Bezos on word of mouth

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

5 ideas for getting your customers to help you expand your business (Jay Abraham)

A warning for anyone looking to become CEO (Michael Masterson)

Add the word "epigone" to your vocabulary

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Every Now And Then A Mysterious Package Would Arrive…

I was just an ordinary secretary struggling through life barely existing from paycheck to paycheck.

My husband Dave, (bless him) was desperate to get us back on our feet, so he started trying out all the ‘business opportunities’ you get through the mail.

I grabbed one at random. I watched the DVD. I took notes and followed the instructions just like it said and waited for the results. It seemed simple enough and it took me less than an hour!

Then one day, I got an email saying there was some money I was owed. It was $3,012 and change! The money was real… and ALL MINE!

Now I look forward to sharing my good fortune with you…

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When the Bull Rules, Value Is Still Your Best Bet

I'm a bear. But when I add up all the stock predictions made in the year-end issue of Business Week, it looks like I'm far outnumbered by the bulls. Only 2 of 15 brokers/dealers and 2 of 19 asset managers think the market will go down.

You would think that's good news, but it really isn't. The bulls are wrong … precisely because there are so many of them.

To understand this contrarian piece of logic, think of those puddle-jumpers (that I hate to fly). Their one unbreakable rule is that passengers must be seated evenly throughout the plane. That's because if there's too much weight in back, the pilot would have to compensate by tipping the plane down. If there's too much weight in front, the pilot would have to compensate by tipping the plane up.

Same thing happens with the stock market. If there are too many investors at the exuberant buying end, Mr. Market tips himself down to the bearish "sell" end. And if there are too many pessimistic investors selling, Mr. Market tips himself up toward the bullish "buy" end.

The market becomes "balanced" when there are not too many bears or bulls.

But right now, I see too many enthusiastic bulls – which means that at some point this year, the market will tip downward to rebalance itself. When it does, you'll see a lot more selling and a lot less buying. And prices will consequently drop.

What should you do when the market goes flat or threatens to go down (as it does now)? Keep this in mind: Value companies fare much better than growth companies.

- Andrew Gordon

[Ed. Note: Andrew Gordon, ETR's financial expert, is the editor of The Skeptical Advisor, our investment newsletter. Check it out at http://skepticaladvisor.com.]

"If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful."

- Jeff Bezos

How to Profit Through Referrals

By Jay Abraham

A client of mine makes exclusive, expensive golf clubs – clubs that are tailor-made for his customers. His clients fit a certain profile. They are affluent, avid golfers who want to improve their golf game … and his clubs seem to help them do that.

My client reasoned that his customers, who love him and his custom-made clubs, know other people like themselves. But although a lot of his business comes from word-of-mouth advertising, he had never put a formal referral system in place – until I recommended it.

After testing and refining his pitch, here's what he ended up with:

"Joe, you've been coming to me to make your clubs for several years now. I know you've been getting positive results. You've taken a few strokes off your game, and you like the look and feel of the clubs, right? I have to tell you that I'm getting a little frustrated in my business. I have plenty of customers, but my favorite customers are people like you who truly appreciate my work. That's where I get the real satisfaction in my business.

"I've decided to reduce my client base to people who enjoy my work – those people, like you, who appreciate my clubs. I've decided to limit my business to a select few customers – and since you've been such a good customer, I don't want you or the people you respect and care about to miss out.

"Here's my proposition: I'll provide your friends free use of a set of my clubs for a month. If they like them, maybe they'll buy a custom-made set of their own. If they don't like them – if they don't shave a couple of strokes off their game – all they have to do is return the clubs, no questions asked. For every friend you refer to me, I'll add a new club to your set … just because you've been such a loyal customer. There's no hidden agenda, Joe. I get the satisfaction of dealing with customers who respect and enjoy my craftsmanship – people just like you. And if your friends happen to enjoy the clubs and order a set, they'll be grateful to you for sending them my way."

How did it work? It was a hole-in-one! My client soon had more business than he could shake a golf club at!

Here are some other success stories. See if you can adapt one of these referral systems that my clients have used for your own business or practice:

A client of mine is a consultant in the Far East. He offers new clients two compensation options: The first is a large consulting fee. The second is a respectable discount on that fee in return for two referrals. Ninety percent of his clients accept the lesser-priced referral deal. (By the way, my client expects his satisfied clients to not merely provide names, but to actually call or visit the intended referral and get them to contact my client. It works!)

Another client of mine holds regular customer briefings at a prestigious hotel every month. He invites every one of his customers to bring along one qualified guest. Fifty percent of the customers attending do bring a guest, and half of the guests become my client's customers. Why so many? Because they wouldn't want to come to the briefing unless they had a strong interest in my client's area of business.

Another client of mine sells training materials. He put together a $5,000 package that he sells to customers for just $2,000, and he throws in free attendance at two $600 training programs – as long as people buying this package agree to persuade two of their business friends to attend at least one live $600 training program a year. If they don't get at least two people to come in any 12-month period, my client actually "short-rates" them. In other words, he'll bill them for the $3,000 savings and the free training sessions. This approach has sparked many people to really work hard getting him referrals. Over 60 percent of his business now comes from referrals – up from only 10 percent a year ago.

A client of mine who does tax preparation tells each of his clients that if they will send him two referrals, he'll give them 50 percent off on their tax-preparation work. He supplies them with an introductory letter explaining his credentials. Over half of his new business is produced by extending his valuable service to relatives, neighbors, and friends of his present clients.

[Ed. Note: Jay Abraham is a unique and distinctive authority in the field of business performance enhancement and the maximizing and multiplying of business assets. He has produced thousands of success stories and has made billions for others as well as millions himself.

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SJABG/E700G240/]

Today's
Action Plan

Now that Jay Abraham has gotten you into a referral mindset, let's see what you can do. Start by making a list of your 10 best customers or clients – prime targets for your referral efforts. Apply the following 4-step program … and watch the results pour in.

Jay Abraham's 4-Step Program for Getting Referrals

1. Contact your best customers or clients and ask them to recommend you to their friends.

2. Offer incentives (such as product/service discounts) to customers/clients who send you referral business.

3. Ask other business owners or professionals to recommend you to their customers or clients.

4. Offer special price breaks or share-profit deals to businesses that send you referral business.

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Are You A Little Scared-Off By The Title Of “Power And Persuasion”?

What’s that? You’re not interested in becoming “powerful” so you think you don’t need to read Michael Masterson’s new book?

Don’t misunderstand the word…

Brady’s right. The kind of power you will gain from Michael Masterson’s isn’t about bullying or bossing people around.

It’s about becoming more effective and more successful in your life by using the techniques he’s discovered from being in business – either for himself or others – for almost 40 years.

And now, when you order the book for $19.95, ETR will also register you at no charge to sit in alongside Michael on his complimentary Power and Persuasion teleconference this coming Tuesday, February 7th at 2PM Eastern. (If that’s not convenient, you can listen in to a recording later). It could very well be the 70 minutes that changes your life!

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’d be crazy to not take advantage of this opportunity.

Crunches and Sit-Ups Can Be a Pain in the Back

Many people believe that the way to get a flat stomach is to do lots of abdominal exercises. But the truth is, doing an excessive number of ab exercises will often will get you nowhere … and may very well injure your back.

Most ab exercises – like crunches and sit-ups – involve spinal flexion (bending forward at the waist). And research has shown that's exactly the movement most likely to herniate a disc in your back. Plus, you cannot "spot reduce" or turn fat into muscle just by working out that particular area. So why waste your time?

If you want visible "abs," you must reduce bodyfat. Instead of performing a mind-numbing number of ab crunches, your fitness program should include exercises that burn a lot of calories and a nutrition plan that helps you shed the fat.

Here are a few recommendations:

1. Take half of the time you would normally commit to "ab exercises" and do interval training instead.

2. Spend the other half of that time doing basic abdominal endurance exercises. (Your abdominal endurance is one of the biggest factors in determining your risk of low-back injury.) "The plank" is a good example of this kind of exercise: Supported by your toes and forearms, hold your body in a straight line parallel to the ground for 30 seconds.

3. In every exercise that you do, keep your abdominal muscles strongly braced. That way, you'll be working your abs even when you're working other muscles.

- Jon Herring

It's Good to Know: When You Work for an Entrepreneur

William D. Perez, Nike's CEO and president, recently turned in his resignation. He had been hired by Philip H. Knight, one of the men who started Nike in the 1960s. After a year of trying to get Perez to run the business his way, Knight asked for his resignation.

"Maybe it's a little bit cruel," Knight said to a Wall Street Journal reporter. "Bill was brought here to mentor [Nike's co-presidents] Charlie [Denson] and Mark [Parker] to someday step into a higher role. A lot of days they were mentoring him. It wasn't going the right way."

Perez didn't see it that way. "The fundamental issue was very basic," he said. "Phil didn't retire. When I joined Nike it was with the understanding that Phil was going to retire. I honestly believed he was going to step aside and let me move the ship in the right direction."

There is a lesson here that corporate executive types should learn: Entrepreneurs don't retire. And they don't change. If you can't work for them now, you won't be able to work for them after you get that CEO title.

- Michael Masterson

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Word
to the Wise: Epigone

An "epigone" (EP-uh-gohn) is an inferior imitator, especially of some distinguished writer, artist, musician, or philosopher. The word is derived from the Greek "epigignesthai" ("to be born after").

Example (as used by Milan Kundera in Immortality): "No novelist is dearer to me than Robert Musil. He died one morning while lifting weights. When I lift them myself, I keep anxiously checking my pulse, and I am afraid of dropping dead, for to die with a weight in my hand like my revered author would make me an epigone so unbelievable, frenetic, and fanatical as immediately to assure me of ridiculous immortality."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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Moving From Small to Medium

Friday, February 3rd, 2006

Dear Reader,

Your real estate investments have been doing fine … so far. But the market is different now. What to do? Today, Michael Masterson shares his thinking on the subject.

- Will Bonner

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Friday, February 3, 2006
Message #1643

WEALTHY: What I'm selling … and buying (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: Do those early birds at the gym know something you don't?

WISE: Kenneth Lay on changes in the market

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

In defense of Detroit

"Who"? Or "whom"? A trick to get it right every time

Add the word "trencherman" to your vocabulary

*
Highly Recommended*

Can 70 Minutes Really Change Your Life?

If you want to be successful, you must consistently come up with Big Ideas.

These are notions of how something can be better, faster, cheaper, or easier than it is today. A Big Idea is typically the next thing you should be working on to improve your personal life, business, or career.

But as Michael Masterson explains in his new book Power and Persuasion, creating Big Ideas is a talent that will never be rewarded … unless you've also got the skills to get those ideas implemented. Having both abilities – coming up with Big Ideas and then getting them done – is what separates the men from the boys when it comes to success.

Showing you how to generate (and implement) Big Ideas is just one of dozens of high-achievement techniques that Michael puts forward in Power and Persuasion.

Take almost any career situation you can think of, and Power and Persuasion will show you how to come out on top:

Getting a raise …

Making tough decisions …

Turning competitors into allies …

Winning at negotiations …

Finding a great mentor …

Becoming 10x more productive …

And dozens more …

Think of Power and Persuasion as your own 240-page "Success Acceleration Toolkit."

And now, when you order the book for $19.95, ETR will also register you (at no charge) to sit in with Michael on his Power and Persuasion teleconference this coming Tuesday, February 7th at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. (If that's not convenient, you can listen to a recording of the conference later, at your leisure.) It could very well be 70 minutes that change your life!

Your money is hard-earned, and your time may be even more valuable. But I can't think of any better ROI (return on investment) that you'll get than by spending about $20 and three hours reading Michael Masterson's new book, Power and Persuasion, and joining us in the teleconference.

If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, you'd be crazy to miss this opportunity.

- Charlie Byrne

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URGENT NOTICE:

Don’t miss this exclusive teleseminar on February 9th

I recently wrote to you regarding the top 5 up-and-coming real estate boom towns. These areas will literally mint millionaires in the years ahead… even as the bubble deflates on the rest of the market.

Considering the current state of the market, and the opportunities at stake, this information is critical AND time-sensitive. We have limited spaces available so I hope you’ll take a few minutes now to learn how easily you can profit:

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"Every market is in transition."

- Kenneth Lay

Moving From Small to Medium

By Michael Masterson

I'm thinking about selling most of my small real estate investments and buying one larger piece. And I'm also thinking about buying outside of my South Florida "neighborhood."

Here's why:

Right now, most of my investment property is in South Florida. Prices here are at an all-time high, but there are plenty of indications that they will be coming down soon. And if we have another hurricane season this year like we've had the past two years, values might plummet. If I sell now, I have a good chance of selling at the top.

Until now, my partners have been doing the management work for a reasonable percentage (5% to 10%) of the revenue. Some of them want out. Managing a bunch of small properties is a lot of work. If you are just getting started, the work is well worth it. It's an investment that will pay you back many times over. But for me … I simply don't have the time to do it.

Managing a lot of small properties requires very good administrating. You need to be sure all the contracts are in place, all the partnerships are updated, all the forms are being filed, and all the insurance is paid for. I own about 30 small properties. That's too much for me to keep track of.

But there's another reason that I'm thinking of selling.

At lunch today, BM told me that he is moving his real estate interests to Atlanta. (I've written about him before. He's a friend who has an uncanny knack for business, including real estate.) EP, my partner in some big development deals in Florida, is looking at land in the Southwest. So is Justin Ford. And they are all reporting better numbers in those places: lower prices and higher returns.

For example, Justin says you can get multi-unit properties in parts of Austin, Texas not far from downtown for just 10 times rent … sometimes far less. If you know where to look, you can even find 24-unit apartment buildings in similar areas with cap rates of 10%, sometimes better. At those numbers, you can cash flow while the market continues to appreciate … thanks to rising jobs and population and the fact that Austin hasn't gone through the inflation that the bubble markets on the coasts have.

Justin has also found good deals in Atlanta, Raleigh, and hurricane-free Jacksonville Florida, to name just a few of his favorite emerging markets.

Getting out of my little deals makes sense. Getting into new deals in up-and-coming markets also makes sense.

I just sold a condominium that I paid $289,000 for three years ago for $465,000. It was rented the entire time, and I had little trouble maintaining it. (It was new and was managed by AK, an expert). But I can't imagine it going up in price much more over the next four or five years. Taking my money off the table feels right.

I've also learned that you make your big money in real estate by getting involved in big deals. As Frank McKinney pointed out at our last Wealth-Building conference, doing a small real estate deal is almost as much trouble as doing a big one. The big difference: You make a lot less money.

Of course, that's Donald Trump's message too. But I've never wanted to be another Donald Trump. I'm happy making good money without taking on too much risk. I also like keeping a low profile.

I don't mean to imply that my small property purchases were a mistake. On the contrary, I think they were fantastic. I got into a business I knew nothing about without risking a great deal of cash. I learned my lessons gradually and managed (thanks in part to good timing) to make a lot of money at the same time.

Now, it seems sensible to transition into medium-sized holdings in other parts of the country: apartment complexes of 50 units or more or decent-sized (25,000-plus square feet) commercial deals.

I'm telling you this in case you have a number of smaller properties and are thinking of trading up … or if you are getting into real estate for the first time.

There is an arc to business development that has been part of every business I've gotten myself into: I take a long time getting started and then I move like crazy for three or four years. Then I consolidate, getting rid of the weaker stuff and focusing on the stuff that works. There are other ways of developing wealth through business – maybe better ways – but this works fine for me.

I'll let you know how things are progressing in future issues of ETR.

Today's
Action Plan

There are still many opportunities to make money in real estate – but there's no denying the fact that the market is changing. Buying in your local market used to be the smartest way to approach an investment in real estate. But what if your local market – like South Florida – is one of the ones that is topping out? In that case, you'll be very interested to hear what Justin Ford has to say in his upcoming teleconference. Among other things, he'll be identifying specific areas where you'll find the best real estate values over the next three to five years.

For information about Justin's teleconference:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SRETC/E700G216/

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Groundbreaking Complimentary Teleseminar – Michael Masterson, Live!

You are invited to spend an exciting, jam-packed hour with Michael Masterson and interviewer Alex Mandossian on Tuesday, February 7th – at absolutely no charge to you.

The number of lines is limited, so please register now:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SPAP/E700G217/

The Best Time of Day to Exercise

One of the myths about exercising for fat loss is that it's more effective if you do it in the morning. But there's no reason to believe that exercising in the morning will help you burn more fat. You should exercise at the time of day when you are most likely to stick with it – morning, afternoon, or evening.

The best way to maximize fat loss is to start your exercise session with some form of strength training (bodyweight exercises or weights). If you work out with weights, use moderately heavy weights that allow for 8 repetitions per set. Then, follow your strength training with the kind of fat-burning interval training I told you about yesterday: cardiovascular exercise that alternates "intervals" of high-intensity exercise with periods of brief, active rest. Doing this will increase your "after-burn," helping you burn more calories for the 24 hours following your workout – no matter what time of day you choose to do it.

- Jon Herring

Is Detroit Really the Worst Place Ever for the Super Bowl?

By Patrick Coffey

Tired of hearing all the Detroit bashing going on in the media during Super Bowl coverage this week?

Hundreds of disappointed sports journalists ended up in the snow this year, instead of sunny Miami, New Orleans, or California. So they've got to take it out on someone … or, in this case, someplace.

My friend, Internet marketing guru Stephen Pierce, makes the Motor City his base of operations – and I asked him if he would care to defend his hometown.

"With bells on," Stephen said.

So when your pals start joking about the "Ice Bowl" on Sunday, hit them with Stephen Pierce's "Top 5 Reasons Why Detroit Is a Great City (Even in Winter)":

#5. Food that is not kept frozen will rot and spoil. So a little freeze will keep you fresh … or do you prefer to rot and spoil?

#4. Michael Jackson ruled music – and was mostly sane and loved – when he stuck with his Michigan roots. It's only after he moved to sunny California that he defrosted, became spoiled, and … yeah … a whole lot of other things.

#3. The Detroit Pistons put Kobe Bryant on ice last Sunday. Kobe's hot hand caught a cold and the sunny smiles of the Los Angeles Lakers were frozen into frowns. What's the point? The point is, with their 37-5 record, the cold-hard leaders of the NBA are the Detroit Pistons.

#2. When you know a winter storm is coming, you can call up that girl or guy you like and pay them a visit. Unfortunately, you may get stuck there … forced to be together for hours and hours and hours. Now, you wouldn't want that, would you?

#1. Seriously, though. Detroit made it on Inc. Magazine's "Best Places for Doing Business in America 2005" list. Okay, okay … so it was rated #213. At least it made the list. And, given some time, it will climb up the 212 spots ahead and hit #1. In the meantime, the #1 Detroit Pistons will do just fine.

My friend Stephen will be watching the game along with the rest of us on Sunday. But then he'll get back to work on his new Internet program – one of the most powerful, effective, and popular traffic-generation programs in use today. If you're looking for boatloads of targeted traffic for your website, again and again, check it out.

It's Good to Know: "Who" or "Whom"?

When do you use "whom" instead of "who"? You could try to remember that "who" is always either the subject or predicate pronoun of its own clause – and that "whom" is always the object. But here's a little 4-step trick that will make it much easier to get it right:

Step 1: Isolate the clause containing "who" or "whom."
Step 2: Ignore the part of the sentence that is NOT in the "who" or "whom" clause.
Step 3: In place of the word "who" or "whom," plug in the words "he" or "him" and see which one sounds better. When "who" or "whom" refers to a group of people, plug in "they" or "them." (No, you can't use "she" or "her." Because "her" doesn't end with an "m," the trick won't work.)
Step 4: If "he" or "they" sounds better, use "who." If "him" or "them" sounds better, use "whom."

Just remember that the "m" words ("him"/"them" and "whom") go together.

Let's use this sentence as an example: "We will give the money to the person who/whom needs it most."
Step 1: Isolate the "who/whom" clause: "who needs it most."
Step 2: Ignore the rest of the sentence.
Step 3: Plug in "he" or "him" and see which sounds better: "he needs it most" or "him needs it most."
Step 4: Obviously, "he needs it most" sounds better. The correct sentence is "We will give the money to the person who needs it most."

(Source: GetItWriteOnline.com)

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Word
to the Wise: Trencherman

A "trencherman" (TREN-chuhr-muhn) is a hearty eater. The word is derived from "trencher," a wooden board on which food is served or carved.

Example (as used by Martin Lewis in a Time magazine article titled "Comb Back, Big Hair – All Is Forgiven"): "In the space of the last five years, he fearlessly gained 40 pounds, displaying a trencherman's appetite for life and an admirable disdain for cardiologists and Surgeon Generals whining about moderation."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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How Great Incomes Are Made With Specialty-Interest Newsletters

Thursday, February 2nd, 2006

Dear Reader,

Years ago, ETR's parent company started on a shoestring – and is now worth many millions. Their original business? Publishing newsletters for small niche markets.

Today, veteran marketer Dan Kennedy reveals insider secrets of this highly profitable opportunity.

- Will Bonner

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Thursday, February 2, 2006
Message #1642

WEALTHY: A business anyone can start for a few thousand dollars (Dan Kennedy)

HEALTHY: How to get much more out of your cardio workout

WISE: Anita Roddick on the business of business

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

$80,000? $600? Which is the better deal? (Michael Masterson)

Why Ben Franklin advocated a 6-day work week

Add the word "deipnosophist" to your vocabulary

*
Advertisement *

Groundbreaking Complimentary Teleseminar – Michael Masterson, Live!

You are invited to spend an exciting, jam-packed hour with Michael Masterson and interviewer Alex Mandossian on Tuesday, February 7th – at absolutely no charge to you.

The number of lines is limited, so please register now:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SPAP/E700G217/

"Business is not financial science, it's about trading … buying and selling. It's about creating a product or service so good that people will pay for it."

- Anita Roddick

How Great Incomes Are Made With Specialty-Interest Newsletters

By Dan S. Kennedy

In Message #1630, I started this series of articles for Early to Rise about the information marketing and publishing business.

Today, I'm going to address a question that I'm often asked: "If I kept all my knowledge but had to start over with little or no resources, how would I enter the information marketing business?"

For many people, a great answer to that question is one I've repeatedly used, as have many others, to quickly launch an instantly profitable newsletter business.

Let me show you a few examples … and a moneymaking formula just about anybody can use.

First, I'll take you back to 1978, when I was just getting started in the field of professional speaking. After making $100,000 in the first year, I went to a workshop of the National Speakers Association to soak up some information from the pros. I discovered that a lot of people were much better speakers than I was, but hardly anybody knew one-tenth of what I knew about marketing.

So I came home and started a newsletter for speakers called Marketing Your Services. I sent a sales letter to about 2,500 speakers, a list I compiled at zero cost from the association's membership directory. From that very first effort, I picked up almost 100 subscribers at $179 a year: $17,900. I hadn't yet produced a single issue of the newsletter or made any other out-of-pocket investment (aside from mailing the sales letter).

That's one of the many virtues of a newsletter business: You never need to tie up capital in product inventories. You're always paid first and publish afterward, month to month. My little business quickly hit 300 (or so) subscribers, with over $53,000 of subscription revenue. I also had revenue from special reports I created and published, an audiocassette program, and a seminar. In total, well over $100,000 that first year.

Next, in 1983, I was doing a lot of speaking on marketing in the chiropractic profession. The list of chiropractors was (and is) readily available, and I followed the same model. I created The Practice-Building Letter, the only newsletter exclusively about marketing for chiropractors. I sent out a sales letter, and almost instantly put together my first 100 subscribers. By first year's end, I had over 300.

Today, my broader-subject-matter, mainstream newsletter, The No B.S. Marketing Letter, has tens of thousands of subscribers. It was created from a very different business model. However, in 2004, I launched two other specialized newsletters – one on information marketing, the other on copywriting – and reverted to my old business model.

That model is this:

1. Identify a small niche market of people who have a strong common interest and/or need and/or desire.

2. The niche market must be directly and easily reachable, preferably via direct mail. It should also be known to buy from direct mail, preferably via compiled, free-use lists.

3. Create a specialty newsletter that precisely matches that target market.

1. What I mean by "small niche."

Well, today, I wouldn't do The Practice-Building Letter for all chiropractors. I'd judge that market too large (over 45,000) and cluttered with competing publications. I might do The Practice-Building Letter for Chiropractors Using Non-Force Adjustment Techniques. Or The Practice-Building Letter for Chiropractors With Multiple Clinics. Or The Practice-Building Letter for Small-Town Chiropractors.

I would slice 'n' dice the big niche into a teeny niche, so I could very precisely create a newsletter that got a "Hey, that's for ME!" reaction. And you really have to understand the power of that reaction. When somebody sees something that they instantly feel is totally and exclusively perfect for them, they can't help but pay attention.

So, for example, "A Weight-Loss Plan That Really Works" is something I might not pay attention to, even though I work at keeping my weight down. But, go back a few years in my life and hit me with "The Weight-Loss Plan That Really Works for Constantly Traveling Executives and Salespeople," and you connect.

2. What I mean by "directly and easily reachable, preferably via compiled, free-use lists."

Renting commercially available mailing lists is expensive. You must pay a rental fee for each use (so sequential mailings to a prospect group can include list-rental costs of $200 to $300 and more per 1,000 names). Plus, dealing with list owners, managers, and brokers can be difficult.

But most businesses have national, state, and even local associations. Most subcultures (golfers, tropical fish hobbyists, Harley Davidson owners) have national, state, and local clubs. And most of these associations and clubs publish member directories.

What do we know about the people in such directories? They have a very high level of interest in their "thing." They pay dues for membership. And they likely get, read, and respond to direct mail (as well as e-mail) offers from their association or club.

And we can get this list for the price of the directory. This gives us a small, highly responsive sub-section of any list. For example, there might be 100,000 people who own and breed guinea pigs, but only 1,000 of them belong to the Show Guinea Pigs Professional Owners and Breeders Club. For sure profits, I'd rather sell to the 1,000 than the 100,000.

(Incidentally, if you do have or develop a broad-subject-matter newsletter like my No B.S. Marketing Letter, you can slice 'n' dice your own subscriber list. In 2005, for example, we launched the No B.S. Marketing-to-the-Affluent Letter, promoted only to our own list – and instantly got several hundred subscribers.)

3. What I mean by "a specialty newsletter that precisely matches the target market."

This is very important for two main reasons.

First, it avoids head-to-head competition with bigger, better-financed newsletter publishers.

Second, it supports premium pricing. As an example, my most-specialized newsletter (on copywriting) sells for about $3,000 a year, while my least-specialized newsletter (on marketing) sells for about $300 a year. Both take about the same work and cost about the same to publish. The very high price made possible by the specialization makes a very nice income possible from a very small number of subscribers. So you can dominate a small niche, operate with zero employees or overhead, outsource everything, and have a stress-free business.

To be fair, there are downsides to the newsletter business – as there are for all businesses.

One downside is the hurdle of selling a new subscriber on a continuing relationship with you, a stranger, before there's even been a first date. That typically requires strategies like a "big bribe offer" with multiple premiums – and in big markets, the cost of subscriber acquisition can be quite high.

Only by sticking with the small niche model I've outlined here can you be "front-end profitable" in getting new subscribers. Typically, that will cap out at about 1% to no more than 10% of market share.

Another downside to the newsletter business: the loss of subscribers from year to year. But this occurs less in tiny-niche, highly specialized newsletters. And, in some instances, it can be countered with continuity rather than renewal pricing.

But, by and large, for the person interested in making $50,000 to $100,000 a year in their spare time with a home-based, business, starting a specialty newsletter is a very, very reliable formula.

[Ed. Note: Dan Kennedy has enjoyed great success as a professional speaker, consultant, information marketer, and published author.

Today's
Action Plan

If you're one of those people Dan was referring to today who are "interested in making $50,000 to $100,000 a year in their spare time with a home-based business," you'll want to sign-up for his *no-charge* online course entitled "Successful Marketing Strategies." Several times a week, you will receive valuable marketing information and strategies that have been proven and tested by hundreds (if not thousands) of successful businesses of every type, size, and locale. To sign up, simply go to this link:

http://www.dk3monthspecial.com/agora_signup

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Give Yourself a Nice Pay Raise – And A Three Day Weekend, Every Weekend

By the end of this week, you can give yourself a pay raise. How does an extra $20 an hour sound……and schedule a few days off while you’re at it!

After a month or two, how about another raise…to $2,000 a week.

It’s happening everywhere. Ordinary people — including people who never finished school -– starting their own businesses…and making in the neighborhood of $40,000…$60,000…even $100,000 or more a year.

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Notes From Michael Masterson's Journal: Did He Really Think I Was That Stupid?

After Hurricane Wilma opened the roof to our office, we had to gut and rebuild the place. But before we could begin reconstruction, the building needed to be dried out so that mold wouldn't appear and destroy the new work.

I called Stanley Steemer for a quote on bringing in a few commercial dryers to do the job. The representative, a pleasant fellow in his forties, warned me: "This is a big job." Still, I wasn't prepared when the estimate came in: $80,000.

What! Our insurance carrier, Citizens, offered us $180,000 to do the whole job, from demolition to painting. Even assuming I could get them to come up with the maximum – about $280,000 – there was no way I'd have even half of Stanley Steemer's estimate to take care of the drying.

We completed the demolition and then I opened the windows and let the building air out naturally. There was still some moisture hidden in the concrete, so I asked Thom, the general contractor I'd hired to supervise the reconstruction, to see what he could do about the rest of the drying.

He spoke to a mold specialist who said he could bring in a few rental machines and have the whole thing "bone dry" in two weeks.

The cost? Six hundred dollars.

I have paid for enough construction in my time to know better, but I was still shocked by the difference between Stanley Steemer's $80,000 and this guy's $600 estimate. The lessons:

When you are in trouble, you attract two types of people: angels and predators. Thom is an angel.

Unless you have experience working with someone you trust, don't contract work on a time-and-labor basis. Get a quote for the whole job and stick to it.

If the job is big, don't take a time-and-labor bid – even if you know and trust the contractor.

Always … always … get more than one quote.

- Michael Masterson

Turn Your Body Into a 24-Hour Calorie-Burning Machine

Aerobic exercise is generally considered to be the fastest way to burn calories. Problem is, if you approach your cardio workout the way most people do (lower intensity for longer duration), your body will return to a normal rate of caloric expenditure very soon after you stop exercising.

To get the most out of a fat-loss exercise program, you need to increase your "after-burn." This refers to the calories you burn AFTER the exercise to replenish oxygen stores, remove lactic acid, reduce body temperature, and return to a normal resting state. And studies show that it is the intensity of your exercise that has the greatest impact on your after-burn.

So, if you want to burn more calories after the sweating is done, focus on interval training, rather than slow, steady cardio workouts. For much more information about this kind of exercise, read Craig Ballantyne's article, "The World's Most Powerful Workout," in Message #1471 .

- Jon Herring

Worth Quoting: Ben Franklin on the Labouring Poor

"[Unless] we give our working people less employment, how can we, for what they do, pay them higher than we do? Out of what fund is the additional price of labour to be paid, when all our present incomes are, as it were, mortgaged to them? Should they get higher wages, would that make them less poor, if in consequence they worked fewer days of the week proportionably? I have said a law might be made to raise their wages; but I doubt much whether it could be executed to any purpose, unless another law, now indeed almost obsolete, could at the same time be revived and enforced; a law, I mean, that many have often heard and repeated, but few have ever duly considered. SIX days shalt thou labour. This is as positive a part of the commandment as that which says, the SEVENTH day thou shalt rest; but we remember well to observe the indulgent part, and never think of the other."

- Ben Franklin writing as "Medius" in Gentleman's Magazine, April 1768

(Source: The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, compiled and edited by Mark Skousen)

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Word
to the Wise: Deipnosophist

A "deipnosophist" (dyp-NOS-uh-fist) is a person who is skilled in table talk. It is derived from the Greek "deipnon" ("dinner") + "sophistas" ("a clever or wise man").

Example (as used in "The Bloating of Nellcock," a story by Ellis Sharp): At the age of six his future as a deipnosophist seemed certain. Guzzling filched apples he loved to prattle. Hogging the pie he invariably piped up and rattled on."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm

If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com

or email support@earlytorise.com

www.EarlyToRise.com

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Be Happy to Hear From Your Prospects

Wednesday, February 1st, 2006

Dear ETR Reader,

Today, Ilise Benun shows you how to turn"annoying interruptions" into increased business and profits.

- Charlie Byrne

The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117

www.earlytorise.com
Wednesday , February 1, 2006
Message #1641

WEALTHY: Am I a cheapskate? Or a responsible parent? You decide … (Michael Masterson)

HEALTHY: Critical information that you're not going to get from your doctor

WISE: Jim Rohn on customer satisfaction

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Are you blowing off some of your best opportunities to make a sale? (Ilise Benun)

How many of these "people-person" habits do you have? (Bob Bly)

Add the word "abstemious" to your vocabulary

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But now I’m so excited about this way I’ve found of ‘hotwiring’ the Internet for fast and furious profits… and it’s SO simple I can’t believe no one’s ever thought of it before!

Please read on and I’ll explain everything to you simply and clearly right here:

http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700STGB/E700G206/

Thoughts on Paying for College

By Michael Masterson

I was a screw-up in high school, and so my college choices were very limited. As I remember, it was either the local two-year community college or the college of Vietnam. I chose the community school.

My entire college costs, including tuition at $400 per semester, were covered by the income I earned working as a painter on evenings and weekends. If I needed extra money, I took on a few hours of extra work, scrapping wallpaper or painting overhangs.

Graduate school – at the University of Michigan and at Catholic University – was more expensive. But I still managed to pay for it all out of the income I was earning at the time.

Those were the days.

I always said that I'd never pay for my children's education – that I'd give them the same opportunity I had: to pay their own way through college. When the time came, though, I didn't have the courage to do it. K and I paid for almost all of our boys' expenses. The only thing we didn't give them was pocket money.

Compared to some of our affluent friends, we were being abstemious. But I thought we were fairly generous. Still, it made me feel good to deny them something. If they wanted beer and movie money, I figured they would have to get part-time jobs. And they did.

Since we were so "generous" to our own children, I thought we should "help out" our nieces and nephews too. So, about 15 years ago, I set up a fund for them. Every month, I throw a few thousand dollars into an index fund. And when some unexpected money comes in, I throw in some of that too.

That fund has gotten to be pretty substantial. It's grown enough to pay about two years of tuition, room and board for all 17-plus nieces and nephews.

I suppose I could spring for their other two years – but I don't think that would be fair to either their parents or to the kids themselves.

"One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising."

- Jim Rohn

Be Happy to Hear From Your Prospects

By Ilise Benun

When I called my health insurance company the other day, to my delight, I had no trouble getting through to a human being right away. But when I told the guy what I wanted, he said, "That information is on the website."

"Can't you just tell me what I want to know?" I asked.

"Well, I can. But there's so much more information on the website."

"I don't want all that information. I just want to know what dental insurance you offer."

"It's all on the website," he repeated.

"Can't you please tell me?" I pleaded.

And, finally, he did .

This wasn't the first time someone told me to "go to the website." But not all websites are "user friendly." And I really don't have time to browse through sites like that on the off chance that I will find what I'm looking for. I've also run into problems when I needed some quick information.

For example, I called a property-management company with a specific question about one of their services. I left a message with "Vinnie," and didn't hear back. When I called a week later, Vinnie recognized me and said, "Oh, yes. I'm sending you some information."

"I don't want to receive information," I replied. "I just want you to tell me about your ABC service."

"It's in the information," he insisted.

"Can't you just tell me?" I asked again.

Then, instead of telling me what I wanted to know, he started going into the history of the company and their business hours.

I interrupted him. "That's not what I want to know. I want to know about the ABC service."

"I'm getting to that," he said, obviously annoyed.

Vinnie eventually told me what I wanted to know. But my experiences with him and the insurance company got me thinking about how some businesses seem to be using their websites primarily to avoid having conversations with their best prospects.

It doesn't make sense.

Instead of being annoyed, Vinnie should have been thrilled that I called. Just as you should be thrilled when a potential customer for your product or service calls.

Why?

Because from a marketing point of view, it doesn't get any better than this: the chance to have a dialogue with a prospect in his moment of need. The person who takes the time to call is more urgently in need of whatever it is that you're selling than the person who's simply meandering through your site.

On the phone, you have an opportunity to gather so much essential information in so little time. You have a chance to find out who your prospect is, how he found you, and – most important – what his particular questions and concerns are. Armed with that information, you can directly address his problem, and explain exactly how your product/service can solve it.

If he is nervous, you can allay his fears. If he is confused, you can set him straight. If he's misunderstood something on your website, you can correct that.

Shortly after my call with Vinnie, I got a call from a man interested in my services. He liked what I had to say, and asked me to send him some information that he could share with his business partner.

I started to say, "It's all on the website."

But I stopped myself and said, "Absolutely. It will be in the mail today."

[Ed. Note: Ilise Benun is the author of several books, including the forthcoming Stop Pushing Me Around: A Workplace Guide for the Timid, Shy, and Less Assertive. Watch for her new program, Effective Networking: The Fastest Way to Win Clients and Grow Your Business. And sign up for her e-mail tips from Marketing Mentor here: www.marketing-mentortips.com.]

Today's
Action Plan

Ilise makes a good point today. No matter how good your website is, there will be times when prospects will call you before they make a decision to buy – especially if they need the answers to some questions that are specific to their circumstances. And that gives you (or whoever is answering your phones) the opportunity to make a sale directly and immediately.

Still, having a website – and knowing how to drive traffic to it – is a necessary part of marketing in the 21st century. If you'd like to learn more about it, be sure and check out the recordings from ETR's recent Internet Marketing conference series. Get all the details here.

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What Everyone Who Takes a Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Should Know

Recently, I've been addressing the issue of statin drugs in ETR. If you take these drugs or know someone who does, it's important to understand the risks. And I hope I've convinced you that you can't count on the drug companies or most doctors to reveal them.

Here's just one example …

By blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver, statins also block the production of Coenzyme-Q10. A Columbia University study found that CoQ10 levels were reduced by half after only 30 days of statin treatments. People who take statins need to know this, because CoQ10 is vital for producing muscular energy. And a lack of this nutrient can cause the heart (which is a muscle) to function improperly, resulting in heart failure.

This is not news. Researchers established the relationship between CoQ10 and heart health years ago. It is also well known that statins are responsible for depleting the body of CoQ10. Yet, very few doctors who prescribe these drugs make this known to their patients.

So, after reading what I've been writing, if you still believe you should be taking a statin drug … now you know that it is imperative for you to also supplement with CoQ10.

- Jon Herring

[Ed. Note: We want to hear from you. If you would like to comment on the potential benefits vs. the dangers of cholesterol-lowering drugs, please visit the ETR Speak Out forum.]

Reader Feedback: "Another reason to read ETR."

"Thank you for including more challenging vocabulary words in your Early to Rise e-mails. In the past, the words have been so commonplace that I was beginning to wonder who Early to Rise was targeted to, and if it really was something I should be spending my time with. The more challenging vocabulary has given me another reason to read ETR. Keep up the good work!"

- Bob Hudak

[Ed. Note: We hope you agree with Bob. Take a look at today's "Word to the Wise," below ... and let us know on the ETR Speak Out forum.]

It's Good to Know: 6 Essential Business Habits to Develop

1. Present your best self to the people you work with. Make a conscious effort to be your most positive, enthusiastic, helpful self – especially when that's not how you feel.

2. Return phone calls promptly. If you can't get back to people within 2 hours, have your voice mail guide them to someone who can help them.

3. Take the time to learn and use everyone's name – including people in your company that you don't work with directly.

4. Listen before speaking. Even if you think you know more about the problem at hand than the other person, hear what he has to say. His ideas on how to deal with it may be far better than yours.

5. Look people in the eye when you're talking to them.

6. Don't be afraid to admit it when you are wrong.

- Bob Bly

[Ed. Note: Bob Bly is the editor of ETR's Direct Marketing University: The Masters Edition - a program to help you start your own successful direct-mail business.]

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Word
to the Wise: Abstemious

"Abstemious" (ab-STEE-mee-us) – derived from the Latin "ab-" ("away") + "temum" ("liquor") is often used to refer to extreme moderation in the consumption of food and drink. It can also describe anything that is restricted to the bare necessities.

Example (as I used it today): "K and I paid for almost all of our boys' [college] expenses. The only thing we didn't give them was pocket money. Compared to some of our affluent friends, we were being abstemious."

Have a Question for Michael Masterson?

Have a question for Michael Masterson? Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at

http://speakoutforum.com/forum/

or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com

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point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm

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Alliance Buyers: Pet Lovers	People who share their homes with pets (44% male, 50% female)	2,368,891	Compiled retail buyers
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Archive for February, 2006

Main Street Millionaire

By Michael Masterson

Today's Action Plan

Zen and the Art of Speaking at Seminars

It's Good to Know: How to Combat Indoor Air Pollution

A Growing Opportunity: Selling to Pet Parents

Today's Action Plan

Establishing Credibility With Your Customers

Love Your Lycopene

It's Good to Know: What Is Wealthy?

Today's Action Plan

What Your Blood Tells You About the State of Your Health

"I remember the day I met Michael Masterson …"

Why the Yen's Strange Behavior Can Be a Boon to Your Portfolio

"Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party."

Making Your Web Searches Smarter

Today's Action Plan

2 More Sure-Fire Strategies to Help You Stick to Your Exercise Plan

Worth Quoting: Spotting Trends for Profit

The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss

Today's Action Plan

Quick Tip: Be Careful How You Invoice

Profit Hunting in Argentina's Fertile Ground

2 Surefire Strategies to Help You Stick to Your Exercise Plan

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 3

"The man who does not make any mistakes does not usually make anything."

By Steve Cook

"I've done 57 winning trades in a row in just under four weeks."

Synthetic vs. Natural Hormones … BIG Difference

Today's Action Plan

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 2

"Using" Sexuality in the Workplace

It's Good to Know: How to Take Better Photos, Part 1

Letting Go

Today's Action Plan

The Billionaire Way

How to Pick a Financial Planner

Are You Getting Enough Magnesium to Prevent Diabetes?

GRAB Your Audience With Your Opening!

It's Good to Know: Your Phone as a Travel Tool

I’m The King Of Business Opportunities

By Michael Masterson

Reader Feedback: "Essential reading for anyone who's ambitious"

Turn Your Passion Into Profit

A New Male Health Discovery Never Before Published

In Any Medical Journal Or Health Book

Trans-Fats in the Most Insidious Places

It's Good to Know: How to Fight the Winter Blues

A Heads-Up on Some of the Hottest Sectors of the Year

How to Write Great Headlines

The FDA and the "Zero Trans-Fats" Scam

Don't Miss Out On This Golden Opportunity

Main Street Millionaire

By Michael Masterson

By Thomas Phelan

Change Bad Habits Into Good Ones ... Gradually

Today's Action Plan

By Michael Masterson

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Reader Feedback: "Now I can retire!"

The Secret of Making Proposals

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Doing Business Overseas: The Basics

10 Fruits and Vegetables on the "Most-Contaminated" List

It's Good to Know: What's Next in the World of Travel?

How to Profit Through Referrals

It's Good to Know: When You Work for an Entrepreneur

"Every market is in transition."

By Michael Masterson

Is Detroit Really the Worst Place Ever for the Super Bowl?

By Dan S. Kennedy

Turn Your Body Into a 24-Hour Calorie-Burning Machine

Thoughts on Paying for College

By Ilise Benun

It's Good to Know: 6 Essential Business Habits to Develop

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