The Top 10 Myths Keeping You From Hitting the Online Jackpot

by Early To Rise (03/12/2007)

Issue #1987

  • WEALTHY: Commonly held beliefs that could be stealing your profits (Jim Daniels)
  • HEALTHY: Become a trained athlete without the training? (Dr. Al Sears)
  • WISE: Stuart Smalley on giving yourself an "I can do it!" kick in the behind

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

  • 2 weeks of useful ideas you can’t miss (Charlie Byrne)
  • Excerpts from ETR’s Archives on cooperating with competitors (Michael Masterson)
  • It’s Good to Know… about ETR’s first Word to the Wise
  • Add "torpid" to your vocabulary

== Highly Recommended ==

The Only Three Ways to Grow a Business

Did you know that there are only three ways to grow a business?

1. Increase the number of customers.
2. Increase the average transaction value.
3. Increase the frequency of repurchase.

Find a way to maximize each one, and your business will experience an astonishing rate of growth.

In his "9 Pillars of Business Growth" program, acclaimed consultant Jay Abraham outlines hundreds of proven, frequently unrecognized, and almost totally underutilized ways to grow these three key areas of your business. If you own a business (or would like to), be sure to take a look at Jay’s program.

- Patrick Coffey

ETR Insider Report: Here Comes the ETR2K Extravaganza!

By Charlie Byrne, ETR’s Editorial Director

Prepare a shelter in the backyard! Stock up on gold, food, and firearms! Hide the women, children, and liquor!

Oh no, wait. That was "Y2K."

What we having coming up here is a LOT better than some silly once-every-two-thousand years event…

In just two weeks, we’ll be publishing Issue #2000 of Early to Rise! Call it "ETR2K," if you will.

Just think… 2000 issues of Early to Rise. That’s a lot of unique, useful, and interesting ideas for you to draw from.

And unlike the Y2K Impending-Doom fiasco, our countdown to 2000 is going to be a lot of fun. Best part? You’re invited to the party.

We’re going to give you "Fun to Know" insider information about ETR that’s never been released to the public before. Do you know who’s our most frequently quoted outside authority? Ever wonder how many "briefs" we’ve prepared for you over the years? Looking for Michael Masterson’s personal cellphone number? Okay, well maybe you won’t get all of that… but certainly enough to keep you amused, entertained, and educated throughout our mega-celebration!

On a more serious note, we’ve spent literally weeks poring through our packed archives, carefully excerpting key ideas and themes from Michael Masterson’s most powerful and inspiring essays. In the past, we considered compiling a similar collection and putting it on the market for hundreds of dollars. Given the value of these ideas, it would have been a bargain. But you’ll get it all, gratis, in the next fortnight.

And then, if you are ready to put these ideas into action - and, hopefully, you will be -we’re going to extend our gratitude further by giving you outstanding offers (many of them the best ever) on some of our most popular programs throughout the 14-day celebration.

To top it off, hold onto your hat for Tuesday, March 27, the day Issue #2000 will be published.

That’s when you’re going to receive a very special message from Michael Masterson, and, at the same time, get an outrageous one-day offer on our biggest event of the year coming this October. I’ve been warned not to mention any more now… but I will tell you, this is going to be a day to remember. You may want to make a note in your calendar.

In the meantime, sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy and benefit greatly as we celebrate our "Early to Rise Issue 2000 Extravaganza." And thank you very much for reading.

[Ed Note: Please drop us a line at ReaderFeedback@gmail.com if you have any special messages, thoughts, or requests regarding the Early to Rise Issue #2000 Extravaganza.]

"I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"

Stuart Smalley (Saturday Night Live)

The Top 10 Myths Keeping You From Hitting the Online Jackpot

By Jim Daniels

I’m now in my 11th year of doing business online. This week, I discovered a shocking statistic: Since starting my business, I have answered more than 100,000 e-mails! I answer all my e-mail personally. So if anyone in the online business arena has a grasp on what’s keeping people from success, that person is me.

Without a doubt, one or more of the following online business myths reside in nearly every potential businessperson’s head. And these myths could be keeping you from earning your slice of the Internet cash pie.

Here are the myths… exposed and shattered.

Myth #1: I’m not smart enough to have my own business.

Perhaps. But doubtful. True, online business is NOT for everyone. But I feel that it is doable for almost anyone, including 99 percent of the people reading ETR right now. If you have a desire to learn, you can grow an income stream from the Web. You just have to do it the right way - and that means you cannot chase business opportunity after business opportunity. You have to build something of your own. Something of value. Something that will help other people. That’s the seed that can blossom into profits via affiliate programs, your own products or services, advertising revenue, and many other income streams.

Myth #2: I don’t have the time it takes to start or grow an income source online.

Working for "the man" can eat up quite a bit of your time. Add in a significant other, maybe a family, a commute… and what do you have left? For people working 80+ hours a week to make ends meet, starting a business may be (nearly) impossible. But for most folks working full-time jobs, it is possible.

Ten years ago, I worked 40-50 hours a week, plus I had a two-hour-a-day commute. I had a significant other and a baby on the way. But I found a couple of hours a night to get an online business started. I used my commute time to record ideas onto a small cassette recorder. I brainstormed during idle times in the day. If you want something bad enough, there is almost always enough time to make it happen.

Myth #3: I don’t have the money it takes for a new business.

That’s doubtful. The cost of an online business really can be dirt-cheap. Ten years ago, it was far more expensive to start a business online than it is today. Website design no longer costs thousands of dollars. In fact, you can do it for less than $50 if you are willing to do the work yourself. Even if you have to hire someone, you can get a pre-designed website template modified for a few hundred bucks. There are also monthly services available, for the cost of dinner out, that handle all your needs, including Web hosting, growing an opt-in list, following up with prospects, accepting orders, and even starting an affiliate program. None of these services were available 10 years ago. Now they are cheap and more effective than ever.

Myth #4: I’m not an expert at anything.

You don’t have to be. I decided I wanted to start a business on the Internet, and started researching every aspect of it. Before I knew it, I knew more about the subject than everyone I knew. When people started asking me questions, it dawned on me that I was now an "expert" on Internet business. So I decided to help more people by writing a book about it.

The point is, you can become an expert in almost any topic that interests you. There’s a world of information on the World Wide Web, and it is all at your fingertips.

Myth #5: I have nothing to sell.

You don’t need to have anything to sell right away. You can start by promoting existing products and services in the niche you choose. Chances are, you will not be the first person entering that niche. And chances are, there are already products or services for sale in that arena. You can promote those existing products or services on a commission basis, via merchants’ affiliate programs. And while you’re doing that, you can be developing something of your own to sell.

Myth #6: Someone is already doing what I want to do, so it is useless to compete.

This is one of the worst excuses, yet one of the most common I hear. Many people think that if an idea is already being implemented online, they "missed the boat." What they fail to realize is that if their idea is being done, it may very well be a successful idea and worth pursuing.

Remember, there are hundreds - and sometimes thousands - of sites selling similar things on the Web. Heck, if I had that "it’s useless to compete" attitude 10 years ago, I would still be working for the man.

Myth #7: The only people making money online are people telling others how to make money.

Another excuse I hear a lot - usually from someone too lazy to ever succeed. Sure, there are a lot of so-called Web business gurus offering advice on how to make money online. But in the grand scheme of things, these businesses comprise far less than one percent of all businesses online. Your online business is what you want it to be. If you want to be an online business guru, okay. Do your research and join the fray. But only do it if that is what you truly want to do - not because it looks like the only way.

Myth #8: I’ve tried plenty of online business opportunities with no success. It’s just not for me.

Maybe it’s not. But chances are, your failure is from chasing different business opportunities instead of building your own business from the ground up. That includes setting up a website of your own, growing your own opt-in list, communicating with and helping people, networking with other businesses in your niche, and making it happen!

Myth #9: I’d need a top search engine ranking to get anywhere… and that’s almost impossible.

I’ll agree that it may be almost impossible to get a top search engine ranking in some niches. But the fact is, you do not need a top search engine ranking in order to succeed on the Web. I’ll say it right now, in writing, that a top search engine ranking can be grossly overrated. In fact, I have a site that has a top ranking in a hotly contested market, with the top keywords. How much traffic do you think that top ranking brings the site each month? 10,000 visitors? 5,000 visitors? Try 300.

Yes, search engine ranking, like all marketing strategies (online and off) does not stand up well on its own. Effective marketing is all about using multiple strategies - and many strategies work far better than search engine positioning.

Myth #10: I’d need a big advertising budget to get any results.

Wrong. The Web is a perfect medium for implementing grassroots strategies. A few that I’ve used with great success include joint venturing, networking, opt-in marketing with e-mail newsletters (with an e-mail follow-up series), and commission-only marketing with eBay and affiliate programs, ad co-ops, and more. These strategies are dirt-cheap and amazingly effective.

Before the Web, you could get away with the argument that a big advertising budget was needed to grow a business. The Web changed that long ago, and it continues to be true today.

There you have it. The top 10 myths about starting a Web business that are keeping literally millions of people stuck in that J-O-B (Just Over Broke). If you’re not on your way to generating profits online, you may find that you believe one of those myths. Don’t fall for it. Don’t let it keep you from one of the best opportunities in centuries - an online business of your own.

[Ed. Note: Entrepreneur Jim Daniels, who started his first online business with $300, can show you how to spin serious profits from the Web... right from your own home. Learn 10 simple steps to Internet riches – a $97 value – for free. (Just click on the Gold Key at the bottom of the site.) Jim's special offer is only for ETR reader, so don't share this secret backdoor with others.]

== Highly Recommended ==

Investing Secret of the World’s Largest Pension Funds…

Discover how to safely beat the indices by 422%. So powerful the $45 billion dollar Bayer Group just switched their pension plan to this approach.  Now, for the first time, average investors can tap this wealth building secret. Read more.

Anti-Aging Tip: An Antioxidant to Help You Avoid Diabetes and Obesity

By Al Sears, MD

You’ve probably heard that red wine has health benefits. You may even know about research linking those benefits to the powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. One study has found that resveratrol lengthened the lives of mice by 30 percent.

I’ve recently uncovered more evidence that this antioxidant may be the most versatile and powerful anti-aging supplement (with the exception of CoQ10) you can take. The newest round of studies, from the Institute of Genetics, Molecular, and Cellular Biology, found that resveratrol helped mice run twice as far during exercise. It super-charged their muscles, reduced their heart rates, and gave them a boost in endurance comparable to the boost humans achieve through athletic training.

A study of men and women from Finland showed that resveratrol is likely to operate the same way in humans. And one of the lead researchers from a French study, Johan Auwerx, said, "Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training."

What’s more, resveratrol protected mice from gaining weight and developing the symptoms of diabetes and obesity. Other benefits included a heightened sensitivity to insulin (a sensitivity which declines with age). When you reverse this decline in insulin sensitivity, you have not only reduced the effects of aging, you’ve also helped maintain your ideal weight and avoid diabetes.

Aside from red wine, good sources of resveratrol are blueberries, cranberries, bilberries, and red grapes.

You can take resveratrol in supplement form as well, which you can find in most health food stores. I recommend a dose ranging from 20 mg to 50 mg daily.

[Ed. Note: For more of Dr. Sears' anti-aging suggestions, click here for his free report.]

From the ETR Archives: How Cooperating With Competitors Can Help You Succeed

By Michael Masterson

[Ed. Note: This is the first in a series of excerpts from the Early to Rise Archives to honor our upcoming Issue #2000 - a milestone we're very proud of. To read each full article, click the link embedded in the text.]

"I hear plenty of talk about how cutthroat business is, but most of what I see is softer. I do know businessmen who are rude and crude. I know some who lie and cheat. But most of the worst ones don’t do very well. They score a couple of scams, but then word gets out. Before long, they can’t find anybody but new, dumb meat to do business with.

"Put differently, most of the business successes I’ve known or have seen firsthand were achieved by some form of cooperative behavior."

* * * * *

"Bad behavior limits your potential. Good behavior enhances it. Furthermore, competitive business practices are generally self-destructive. Cooperation is the true key to long-term success.

"I can tell you from personal experience that in the jewelry business, the art business, the contest and sweepstakes business, the astrology business, the academic-book-publishing business, and many others - sharing ideas with your competitors works much better than trying to take advantage of them to further your own ends."

* * * * *

"You can - if you like the martial metaphor - run your business as if you are fighting a war. You can see your market as a battleground. You can hate your competitor. You can try to beat him out of market share and rejoice if he goes out of business.

"But if he does, what have you won? A position in a market that has lost one of the agents that was making it grow."

* * * * *

"I’m not advocating that you divulge all your secrets to all your competitors, but I’m strongly in favoring of giving first - and with all the best intentions - with the expectation that in the long run you’ll get back as much or more than you have given.

"It’s a universal principle that applies to all aspects of life. Many of the most successful people I know are ‘give-first’ people. Such people understand that the best way to establish trust and good will is to give first and without requisite compensation.

"Once trust and good will are established, business and communication flow smoothly, deals are easily cut, agreements are quickly made, and success is much more abundant."

[Ed. Note: Learn how you can be part of an exclusive group of 25 to 50 ambitious businesspeople that Michael will be leading through an elite 5-day program that can help you dramatically increase the profitability of your business here.]

It’s Good to Know: ETR’s First Word to the Wise

Word to the Wise has become one of ETR’s most popular daily features. It first appeared in Issue #319 on April 9, 2001, when Michael Masterson wrote this about the word "limpid":

"This is the first in a series of definitions of words that I believe successful people should understand and sometimes use.

"I like [limpid] because of the way it sounds and also because you can say it without sounding pretentious. It means ‘transparent’ (as in ‘a limpid pool of water’), ‘easily understandable’ (as in ‘limpid prose’), and sometimes - though this one is harder to pull off in casual conversation - ‘calm and untroubled’ (as in ‘a limpid morning’)."

== Highly Recommended ==

Learn ETR’s Most Exclusive "Insider Secrets" For Coming Out On Top…

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Consider having a team of self-made multi-millionaires pulling for your success all year long, offering you their years of wisdom and experience, and cheering you from the sidelines.

Act now, and a copy of ETR’s latest book, Unscrew Yourself — absolutely FREE!

Word to the Wise: Torpid

"Torpid" (TOR-pid) - from the Latin for "numb" - means dull/sluggish/apathetic.

Example (as used by Peggy Payne in Sister India): "For more than twenty years - all my adult life - I have lived here: my great weight sunk, torpid in the heat, into this sagged chair on my rooftop patio."

[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]

Michael Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2007

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