Issue #2654
- WEALTHY: Why you should say “no” to passive income (Julie Broad)
- HEALTHY: 3 nutrition strategies to keep you slim (Craig Ballantyne)
- WISE: Francois de la Rochefoucauld on sincerity
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- It’s time to get personal… (Rich Schefren)
- Making the money come to you (Suzanne Richardson)
- It’s Fun to Know… about efforts to revive sales of lottery tickets
- Add “travail” to your vocabulary
== Highly Recommended ==
Could This Be Your Perfect Remedy for the Recession?
A ‘robot’ made one man $80k in the last few months from other people’s greed.
All done without leaving his home, with virtually no risk, and best of all… virtually NO WORK…!
The Danger of Pursuing Passive Income
By Julie Broad
Real estate investing has given my husband and me a great deal of freedom to do what we want with our lives. Whether we decide to putter around the yard, go mountain biking, or focus on our Internet business, we are making money from our properties. Many would say we’re earning passive income, but we no longer do.
The problem with pursuing “passive income” is that you’re telling yourself you don’t have to do any work to make that money. Keith Cunningham, author of Keys to the Vault says, “The label becomes the experience. Using the word passive for anything means that you are going to do the least to get the most.” Trying to build wealth through passive income is like trying to get six-pack abs without working out. It isn’t going to happen.
When you buy a property, hire a property manager, and then do nothing more than deposit the rent money into your bank account, you’re setting yourself up for trouble. We know! As I mentioned in my articles “The Problem with Fire“ and “An Easy to Prevent Scam, “we had a property manager steal rent money from us, we were featured in the newspaper as owners of “local crackhouse,” and we were fined in court for fire code violations. All of these things happened to us early in our real estate investing career because we had been in pursuit of passive income. We worked hard to find the properties, bought them, and then passively let things fall apart!
Now, my husband Dave reviews all the bills and talks to our property managers on a regular basis, and we both carefully track and monitor the money that gets spent on each building.
Listen, I’m not saying you have to treat real estate investing as a full-time job. It really doesn’t require a lot of time and attention. It takes us less than five hours a month to actively measure, monitor, and adjust to maximize our profits and minimize our struggles. And since we stopped considering real estate to be a passive income stream, we’ve been sleeping better… and making more money!
[Ed. Note: Real estate expert Julie Broad can show you how to create your own million-dollar real estate portfolio with her new program. Get all the details here.]
“Sincerity is an openness of heart; we find it in very few people; what we usually see is only an artful dissimulation to win the confidence of others.”
Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Marketing Wisdom in a 1970s Hit Song
“Just like me… they long to be… close to you…”
Okay, okay. You probably think ol’ Rich has fallen off his rocker this time, but hear me out…
Because there’s a whole lot of wisdom in that one line from the Carpenters’ 1970 smash hit. And it has absolutely nothing to do with birds suddenly appearing every time you are near.
Let me explain…
Ask anyone who works with me at Strategic Profits and they’ll tell you I’m a pretty private person. I like to come in, focus on my work, and keep my personal business… well, personal.
But over the last year or so, I’ve been slowly cracking the door open and letting everyone have a peek at my life outside the office. And there’s a reason for that.
Back when I was first dipping my toes into the Internet marketing waters, I attended a copywriting seminar hosted by none other than the great John Carlton.
John’s legendary in this business, generating multiple millions of dollars with his masterfully crafted sales pieces. In fact, many consider him one of the greatest copywriters living today.
And I was enraptured by John’s teachings. His breakthrough ideas on writing sales copy were instrumental in my initial success online, and from time to time I still I refer to the notes I took during that seminar whenever I need a copywriting boost.
For instance, about a year ago…
I was in the office working on some copy, and I quickly glanced at those seminar notes to get a kick-start.
What I got was a kick all right – a kick in the HEAD!
These are the exact words that popped out at me in all caps and yellow highlighting:
YOU ARE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE IF YOU ARE NOT PERSONALIZING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
Ever had an epiphany?
I did. I suddenly realized how closed and impersonal I had become in my sales copy, and how I had alienated many of my readers because of it.
I realized that, no matter how I may feel or think, in order to become a trusted advisor to my prospects and customers I needed to open up about myself, about my family, and about my life outside of Strategic Profits. And if I opened the curtain a little, they would most likely respond very positively.
In other words, John Carlton reached out from that sheet of paper, slapped me upside the head, and said: “Yo, Schefren… take a lesson from Karen Carpenter. They long to be ‘close to you.’ So LET ‘EM!”
I made a vow right then and there that I was going to create a stronger bond with my audience.
So I started focusing more on empathizing with them, understanding their situations, feelings, and motives. I dug deep to find out what kept them up at night… what gnawed at their very core… and how my products could help solve that problem.
Then I immersed myself into their conversations. I studied the forums and social networking sites they frequented. I made note of the buzzwords they tossed out. I wanted to learn the language they spoke so I could talk to them more effectively on their level.
Finally, I just tried to be myself. I know that sounds overly simplistic, but it’s so crucial. Because we all know people who tried to be someone else. And they failed miserably because there was no truth or integrity in anything they said. So I let my personality shine through a lot more, making a point of telling my readers about the little things – not just the big things – that affect how I live, work, and play.
And guess what? The response was AMAZING! Our subscriber rates went through the roof, we saw significant increases in sales, and my “likeability” factor was suddenly off the charts. All because of this shift in my copy.
What about you? Is your copy stiff, stale, and lacking in personality? Are you pulling your prospects and customers “close to you” with your e-mails, sales letters, and blog posts? Or are you pushing them further away?
Because in the words of John Carlton himself, “Good copywriting is like sitting down, cracking a beer, and shooting the sh**.” I don’t know how to put it any better.
If you can integrate this mindset into your copy, you’ll create a stronger bond with your prospects, customers, and subscribers. As a result, you’ll make LOTS more money (and get a lot more enjoyment out of being a copywriter).
[Ed. Note: Rich Schefren - one of the world's best small-business strategists - knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful. The businesses he coaches have done over $500 million every year - piling up more than $1 billion in sales every two years. Visit his blog to learn how to streamline your business while skyrocketing profits.
The ability to write strong, persuasive sales copy is the key to building trust with your prospects and converting them into paying customers. You can learn how to do it from Gene Schwartz, one of the world's best copywriters. Get the details here. ]
Is This the Easiest Way to Make Money Online?
You could make over $3,000 for just an hour’s worth of work. Pretty easy work, too. And you can repeat this process time and again… with no website, no products, and no processing credit cards. And certainly no shipping or customer service headaches!
All you need is a computer and Internet access. Go ahead and take a moment to check out this new opportunity and see how to get started right away.
Working for the Tip
It must be the only hotel in New York City, nay, the world, that doesn’t have automatic doors.
But wait! It does have a doorman. Seems friendly enough when you pull up in a cab. Offers to take your bag.
But if you dare to reject his offer to carry your bag into the lobby… he lets you get the door yourself.
Or perhaps you’ve been waited on by an ultra-helpful server at your favorite restaurant… But when she realizes you’re just in the mood for a salad (Read that as: Small bill = small tip), she’s suddenly nowhere to be found.
Some people make it all too clear that they’re only in it for the money.
Those people leave a bad taste in my mouth.
The NYC hotel I mentioned earlier? It was beautiful. And my room was comfortable. But what I remember most is the doorman who wouldn’t hold the door for me. Remembering that, I don’t want to stay there again. Nor would I recommend it to a friend.
On the flip side. My husband and I were apartment hunting a few weeks ago. One of the leasing agents we spoke to asked us where else we were looking. Then she went through our list of places with us, giving her opinions on each neighborhood. She was honest and thorough, and when we left she told us to call her if we had any questions at all – about the city, about anything – whether or not we ended up leasing through her.
We didn’t end up renting from her – the location wasn’t right and the apartment wasn’t exactly what we were looking for. But I won’t forget how friendly and helpful she was, and I will happily refer people to her.
I think it comes down to building relationships. Showing your client – or prospect – that you actually care about solving her problem or making her life better in some way.
If you do so, you won’t have to worry about getting business… or a nice fat tip. The money will come to you.
[Ed. Note: Providing top-notch customer service is just one aspect of running a successful Internet business. ETR's Internet Money Club Independent Learner Edition takes all the guesswork out of getting your business up and running. It doesn't just focus on one aspect of business building - it gives you the whole shebang. Get the details here.]
Say Goodbye to Weekend Weight Gain
Sleeping in… Barbecues… Dinners out with friends. Weekends can be rough! At least, as far as your body is concerned.
But it’s easy to prevent weekend weight gain. Just make sure you work out regularly. (Doing it early in the day is best, and you’ll get a more powerful workout if you combine short-burst exercises with multi-muscle techniques.) And watch what you eat.
That said, here are three easy “eating strategies” to keep the fat off.
Weekend Strategy #1: Avoid all liquid calories.
Much of what you drink is full of sugar – which can lead to excess fat. Plus, research shows that liquid calories don’t “register” in the brain and, thus, do not satisfy the appetite. Cut out the soda, the booze, the booze mix, and even the orange juice at breakfast. There’s just no room for liquid sugar in your diet if you want to lose belly fat.
Weekend Strategy #2: Get outside with your family and away from food.
We sometimes eat too much because we are bored. So if you’re finding it hard to keep your hand out of the candy bowl, get your hand (and your butt) out of that room!
Go play with the youngsters outside. Get together with some buddies in the neighborhood for a game of pick-up basketball. Take the dog for a run. Go for a really long walk. Just do something!
Weekend Strategy #3: Treat yourself.
Say you’re visiting family and you know Aunt Sue is going to make her amazing lemon meringue pie for dessert. Simply schedule that “treat” into your eating plan. To make up for it, set limits on all the other goodies you get offered.
And remember, if you can’t keep treats in the house without eating them, get RID of the junk.
[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices - like consuming less sugar and fewer high-glycemic carbs. For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, click here.
Want to burn more fat? Follow Craig's Turbulence Training exercise program.]
It’s Fun to Know: What Are the Odds?
No longer content with the odds (tens of millions to one) of winning the lottery, more and more Americans are buying fewer lottery tickets. Sales of lotto games and scratch-offs are down 5 percent in California, 7 percent in Florida, and 10 percent in Indiana.Industry watchers contend that spending on the lottery has fallen due to the recession, along with dips in other types of discretionary spending. But the states aren’t sitting back and taking it. They are actively recruiting new vendors and extending discounts to customers, including buy-one / get-one-free coupons.
(Source: USA Today)
== Highly Recommended ==
Transform Your Life In Only 15 Minutes A Day!
Would you be willing to set aside 15 minutes a day if it meant you could…
Pay off your credit card bills?
Rebuild your financial portfolio?
Buy or sell a house?
Grow or start a business?
Lose weight?
Prepare for early retirement?
I thought so.
I’d like to show you exactly how you can dramatically increase your chances of achieving these (or other) goals in 2009.
Word to the Wise: Travail
“Travail” (truh-VALE) – from the Latin for a three-staked instrument of torture – is painful or arduous work.
Example (as used by Rafer Johnson with Philip Goldberg in The Best That I Can Be ): “Every sport entails physical and mental travail, but the decathlon is a veritable factory of pain.”
[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.]
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2009
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WHO CARES ABOUT WEALTH WHEN THEY ARE ON THEIR DYING BED.
THE GOD HAS ALLOWED THE WEAKEST LINK IN OUR FAMILIES IN ORDER TO MAKE US AWARE OF OUR OBLIGATION IN SEARCHING FOR SOLUTION THE TO STRENGTHEN TO THEM JUST AS HE MAKES IT HIS OBLIGATION TO STRENGTHEN OUR HEARTS WHEN IT IS ABOUT TO FAIL , IF A DOG IS TOO WEAK TO MOVE AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHO IT BELONGS TO AND THERE IS FOOD IN OUR WOULD WE RATHER SEE THE DOG DIE IN OUR DOOR WAY? CERTAINLY NOT. WE WILL FEED IT. THEIR WILL ALWAYS BE A RECESSION IN THE WHOLE WORLD UNTIL GOD SENDS SOME ONE TO MAKE US AWARE OF OUR SELFISH PRIDE AND EVERY ONE TAKES IMMEDIATE ACTION IN DOCTORING THE NEEDS OF OVER 12,000,000 CHILDREN THAT ARE CURSING US EVERY YEAR AS THEY ARE ABOUT TO DROP DEAD. BECAUSE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS JEWEL THEY NEED TO STAY ALIVE JEWELS THAT WE THROW AWAY BECAUSE WE THING THAT IF WE COOK IT TODAY EVEN IF WE PRESERVE IT SOME ONE WILL GET SICK AND IT WILL CAUSE US MILLIONS ,WHEN JUST BY TROWING IT AWAY WE ARE WASTING TRILLIONS, HOW MANY DEAD DOGS DO YOU SEE WALKING THE STREETS THEY ARE GETTING FATTER AND FATTER FROM WHAT YOU THING YOU ARE TROWING AWAY. AND WHAT ABOUT THE PRECIOUS JEWELS THAT WE WARE AROUND OUR EARS OUR WRIST OUR AROUND OUR NECKS IF WE COULD CONVERT IT INTO THE PRECIOUS JEWELS THAT THOSE DYING CHILDREN ARE SO DESPERATELY IN NEED OF AND FAILED TO GIVE IT TO THEM AND WE CHOSE TO WARE IT AROUND OUR NECKS EVERY DAY OF OUR SO CALLED CIVILIZED AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE EVERY ANIMAL WOULD DEVOUR US IMMEDIATELY. YET GOD IS SO LOVING THAT HE HE HAS MERCY UPON OUR IGNORANCE, AND STRENGTHENS OUR HEART EVERY SINGLE OF OUR LIVES HOPING THAT ONE OF US WILL BECOME BRAVE ENOUGH TO SHED LIGHT INTO THE UTTERMOST DARKNESS IN OUR PERISHING SOULS. GOD INSPIRED A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF HEBREW RELIGIOUS LEADER WITH THE SOLUTION TO ALL OUR RECESSION ORIENTED PROBLEMS. ” DEMONSTRATING ACT OF KINDNESS ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHOM NEED IT THE MOST WILL PROLONG THE EVIL DECREE.” IN OTHER WORDS IT WILL GIVE GOD THE PRIVILEGE TO EXTEND OUR LIVES HEAL OUR DESEASES AND REMOVE THE UTTERMOST DARKNESS IN OUR SOULS.
REFLECTING THE LOVE OF GOD WITHIN ME
HOPING YOU WILL ALL DO THE SAME
GOD’S WISDOM
C A N
SHALOM, SHALOM
PS WHO GOES TO A JEWISH TEMPLE IF THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HEBREW
THEIR IS A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM HOWEVER IT IS MUCH EASIER TO FEED SOMEONE IN NEED AND RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS FROM GOD WHO CREATED AND UNDERSTAND ALL LANGUAGES.
MAY GOD BLESS US ALL IN ADVANCE AND GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO PUT THESE WORDS INTO IMMEDIATE ACTIONS.