Archive for August, 2008

Dear ETR: “Where do you suggest we start rebuilding?”
by ETR (08/30/2008)

"Your ETR newsletter is great - but it seems to be for earners and those that are employed. My husband and I are starting again now, as our business has just failed. We have 6-10 months of rent left and 3 small children.

The SPV Secret to Getting Others to Do Your Bidding
by Early To Rise (08/30/2008)

I love the movie business. (You already know that from reading some of my articles in past issues of ETR.) I've even produced a feature film. So I happen to know a few people in the "biz." And a recent encounter reminded of a powerful persuasion technique that can apply to almost any situation.

Kerfuffle
by ETR (08/30/2008)

A "kerfuffle" (ker-FUH-ful) is a disorderly outburst or commotion. Example (as used by Don Hauptman today): "Last year, a kerfuffle erupted over Sen. Joseph Biden’s presumably well-intentioned characterization of Sen. Barack Obama, against whom he was then competing for the Democratic presidential nomination."

2 Supplements for Mature Men
by Craig Ballantyne (08/30/2008)

Strength and muscle mass are two of the most important components for healthy living in older folks. If you don’t have strength, every activity is going to be harder than it should be. So you’ll be happy to know that there are two nutritional supplements that can help you build strength, no matter how old you are.

The Language Perfectionist: Is This Usage Brilliant or Dim?
by Don Hauptman (08/30/2008)

Last year, a kerfuffle erupted over Sen. Joseph Biden’s presumably well-intentioned characterization of Sen. Barack Obama, against whom he was then competing for the Democratic presidential nomination. (Well, he did win the consolation prize a week ago.)

It’s Good to Know: It May Not Be “Green”
by ETR (08/30/2008)

Think you’re saving the planet by being a careful consumer? Think again. Ninety-nine percent of products labeled "green" - as in environmentally friendly - do not live up to that title. That’s according to a recent study done by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing.

The SPV Secret to Getting Others to Do Your Bidding
by Paul Lawrence (08/30/2008)

I love the movie business. (You already know that from reading some of my articles in past issues of ETR.) I’ve even produced a feature film. So I happen to know a few people in the "biz." And a recent encounter reminded of a powerful persuasion technique that can apply to almost any situation.

Trope
by ETR (08/29/2008)

A "trope" (TROPE) - from the Greek for "turn" - is a word or phrase used in a way that changes its meaning from literal to figurative. (Metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech are tropes.) Example (as used by Daniel Patterson in The New York Times): "Few things capture summer’s carefree spirit like a perfect piece of fruit. Eating berries off the vine, still warm from the sun, is a pastoral trope."

Avoiding Airport Food
by Craig Ballantyne (08/29/2008)

Yesterday was a nightmare travel day. I got stuck in the Aspen airport due to a delayed flight. When I landed in Denver, I had to make a mad - and I mean MAD! - dash from one end of the airport to the other.

How to Handle Economic Predictions
by Andrew Gordon (08/29/2008)

Economists really stink at predicting one of the most important events they track: Recessions. A recent study of 60 recessions that hit various countries in the 1990s found that only 3 percent of "consensus forecasts" (as they’re known in financial circles) made by groups of economists correctly predicted one of those recessions a year in advance. And when they did see one coming, they underestimated its severity by a long shot.

A Quick Way to Get Inexpensive Traffic to Your Site
by Early To Rise (08/29/2008)

If you're like most business owners just starting out with a brand-new website, you want to know the fastest and cheapest way to drive targeted traffic to it. Worried ETR readers frequently write to us with this concern. "I need traffic and sales now!" they say. "Help!"...

Fast and Cheap Banner Testing With Google AdWords
by Alexis Siemon (08/29/2008)

If you’re like most business owners just starting out with a brand-new website, you want to know the fastest and cheapest way to drive targeted traffic to it. Worried ETR readers frequently write to us with this concern. "I need traffic and sales now!" they say. "Help!"

Reader Feedback: “I took your advice, and have been enjoying a 30% increase in my sales ever since.”
by ETR (08/29/2008)

"The article ‘How a Google AdWords Campaign Can Help You Rev Up Your Sales‘ by Alexis Siemon was an eye opener for me. The two sentences ’Google isn’t the king for nothing. Appease the king and he’ll share his gold.‘ jarred my senses, and have been indelibly fused upon my business brain. I took that advice, and have been enjoying a 30 percent increase in my sales ever since. THANK YOU.

The Other ROI
by Suzanne Richardson (08/29/2008)

So you’ve put together a super product. And you’ve got a stellar copywriter who’s selling the pants off of it. And your marketing team is sending the ad copy to millions of subscribers to e-newsletters everywhere. But when the results come in, your big campaign has been a big flop.

6 Strategies That Make Writing Easy
by Early To Rise (08/28/2008)

If you've ever felt like the Earth cooled in less time than it takes you to crank out a respectable first draft of your sales copy, listen up. I'm going to tell you about some of the things I do to tear through the process.

Dear ETR: “Are there any foods that can energize my 80-year-old father?”
by Dr. Jonny Bowden (08/28/2008)

“I am the caregiver of my 80-year-old father. He is diabetic, hypertensive, and experiences dementia, a symptom of his Alzheimer’s. “My dad is on multiple medications. I carefully plan his meals, but, depending upon his mood, he does not always eat properly or get the rest he needs. So he is typically grouchy, uncooperative, and combative when he wakes up in the morning, late in the evening, and occasionally throughout the day. Also, he is so boring and sedentary that his behavior can be unduly stressful and alienating for me. Moreover, he gives me the impression that he has lost the ...

Lickety-Splittedness: How to Write Better Sales Copy, Faster
by Clayton Makepeace (08/28/2008)

If you’ve ever felt like the Earth cooled in less time than it takes you to crank out a respectable first draft of your sales copy, listen up. I’m going to tell you about some of the things I do to tear through the process. Here are six little tricks that help me a lot…

How to Prevent Hearing Loss
by ETR (08/28/2008)

You won’t be surprised to learn that listening to your iPod at a high volume for long periods of time - via headphones - can cause hearing loss. The cells destroyed by constant, loud music are irreplaceable. But some headphones - those that block out background noise - can help keep your hearing safe. With these headphones, since the music is no longer competing with...

Commodities Falling, but Prices Are Not
by Rick Pendergraft (08/28/2008)

Commodity prices (especially oil, gold, and silver) have been falling sharply since July 15. Unfortunately, prices at the producer level and the consumer level are still rising.

Panoply
by ETR (08/28/2008)

A “panoply” (PAN-uh-plee) - from the Greek for “a full suit of armor” - is a splendid or impressive array.

The Skill That Can Make You Rich
by Suzanne Richardson (08/28/2008)

How’d you like to make $1.49 million a year… or more? There is a way, and it’s simpler than you may think. Learn how to sell. Michael Masterson has been saying it for years: Knowing how to sell is one of the most financially valued skills you can possibly have. And here’s the proof. According to research from AdAge and executive-compensation research firm Equilar (reported by MarketingCharts.com), high-level marketers earned an average of $1.49 million in 2007. (That includes salary, bonuses, stock options, and stock awards.)

Swedish Weight-Loss Secret
by Craig Ballantyne (08/27/2008)

No, the Swedish weight-loss secret is not “Stop eating Swedish meatballs.” What the Swedes have discovered is online weight-loss programs.

How to Break Into the $20 Billion “Look and Feel Younger” Market
by Early To Rise (08/27/2008)

Aging baby boomers, who are retiring in droves these days, are fueling a $20 billion mega-market because they want to look and feel younger.

The Urgency Conundrum
by Bob Cox (08/27/2008)

A business associate of mine used to fax me on a regular basis. (This was before e-mail.) And every darn fax said URGENT at the top in big bold letters. At first, I found it curious. And then, it became annoying.

Egress
by ETR (08/27/2008)

Example (as used by Laurie A. O’Neill in The New York Times): “In order to keep the crowds moving through the exhibits in his traveling show… Mr. [P.T.] Barnum posted signs that read: ‘This Way to the Egress.’ Eager to view this presumably strange and exotic exhibit, the throngs would push through the door labeled ‘Egress’ - and find themselves in the street.”

Breaking Down an “Obvious” Rule of Investing
by Andrew Gordon (08/27/2008)

Invest in strong sectors. Avoid weak ones. This seems obvious, yes? But too often, people invest in weak sectors and avoid strong ones. Here are some of the culprits behind this backward thinking:

It’s Fun to Know: Fruity Gifts
by ETR (08/27/2008)

Would you pay $2,000 for a honeydew melon? How about $900 for a bunch of grapes? In Japan, these incredibly high prices are not uncommon. But we’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill grocery store produce. These fruits have been painstakingly cultivated to be the most ideal specimens possible.

How to Break Into the $20 Billion “Look and Feel Younger” Market
by Marc Charles (08/27/2008)

Aging baby boomers, who are retiring in droves these days, are fueling a $20 billion mega-market because they want to look and feel younger. The market I’m talking about is nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. And you can make a lot of money selling these products on the Internet or by direct mail - even if you have limited capital to invest.

It is mighty exhilarating to be in the company of thinking, positive, innovative minds
by ETR (08/26/2008)

"I have learned from reading ETR that it is mighty exhilarating to be in the company of thinking, positive, innovative minds that would welcome me in their midst and challenge me to leap and grow.

How can writing a $10,000 check be GOOD for your business?
by Early To Rise (08/26/2008)

Internet marketers are always looking for new ways to build their e-lists quickly and at an affordable cost. So let me tell you about an under-used, non-obvious technique for adding new subscribers to your opt-in list. Using it, I added over 500 new subscribers to my e-list in just a few days - and these were buyers, not just prospects.
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