In business, the best opportunities don’t usually announce themselves ahead of time.

There is no warning. And there is precious little time to consider your choices.

As a young man, I balked at making hard decisions. I hesitated and put them off. Even worse, I told myself that other, maybe better, opportunities would always be just around the corner.
The truth is, most life-changing opportunities are never repeated. And once I vowed to pursue success without making excuses, I learned the value of quickly saying “yes.”

That is how I met all of my mentors and secured long-lasting relationships with them. And how I mastered freelance copywriting faster – and with greater rewards – than anyone else in the game. That is also how I’ve attained every shred of success I can lay claim to. By recognizing… correctly judging… and grabbing onto opportunities that most people missed.

It’s often a matter of being in the right place at the right time, armed with the right skills to take advantage of what has been laid before you.

It’s not easy to become that guy who is always alert for chances to engage with life on a higher level. To hear what others refuse to hear. To murder your ego and crush your natural skepticism and stubborn reluctance.

But once you do… you’ll never again be daunted… because part of being open to opportunity is being prepared for the risk.

[Ed. Note: John Carlton is an expert copywriter, a pioneer in online marketing, and a teacher of killer sales copy. He knows marketing inside and out. Discover how to get your hands on the kick-ass secrets of the world's smartest, happiest, and wealthiest marketers. 

Make sure you are equipped to handle any opportunities that come your way with the Internet's premier goal setting and achieving program.]

Comment on this article

“Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry,” Donald Trump once said. “I like making deals. Preferably big ones.” And, indeed, coming up with appealing deals and powerful offers can be an art form unto itself.

Luckily for those of us who don’t have The Donald’s talent, there are formulas on how to do it. And books that lay out those formulas in simple yet thorough detail. One is Cash Copy  by Dr. Jeffrey Lant.

As an example, you could build any number of deals using Lant’s most basic premium offer formula. It goes something like this: Successful Premium Offer = FREE + limited time +stated real benefit.

But you can get even more fancy, with impressive results. Here are some of the offer structures Lant suggests, followed by details on how marketers might use them… along with added details on how to apply them directly in sales copy.

Offer Type #1. The Tension Buster

Challenge: By the time your prospect gets to the sales close, what’s he worried about? He wants to know (a) if you can solve his problems the way you say you can, and (b) if you can’t, can he get his money back.

Solution: Money-back guarantees are standard fare for all kinds of product offers. Trial samples work here, too. Personally, I prefer strong guarantees to weak ones. Marketers sometimes fear a flood of refund requests. But when you’re working with good products and honest sales promises, that shouldn’t be much of a problem… right?

Technique: I usually push for the strongest guarantee possible – 100 percent money back, even 110 percent back for dissatisfied customers. For the extra 10 percent, maybe you could tally that up in the form of freebies the refunded customer gets to keep. Make it look substantial, too. Certificate borders help. So can signatures and a photo next to your guarantee copy. Also, try putting a strong testimonial in your P.S. or on your reply device.

Offer Type #2. The “Instant Gratification” Deal

Challenge: Immediate action-takers want immediate results. They want to see the benefits as soon as possible after deciding to buy.

Solution: Bill-me-later options, installment payments, and trial offers can help scratch the “instant-satisfaction” itch.

Technique: Emphasize ease of ordering and speed of delivery, with simple language like “You pay nothing up front. Just let me know where to send your trial sample, and I’ll rush it to your mailbox.” Tell the customer what they’ll get and, if possible, when.

Offer Type #3. The Coupon-Clipper’s Delight

Challenge: Even with good copy and a good product, sticker shock can be a problem.

Solution: Quantity offers, limited-time offers, and trade-in offers are good ways to show prospects that they’re getting a good deal.

Technique: Emphasize the discount with call-out boxes. Do the math in $$ if the savings is a percentage discount. In the body of the sales close, try showing the cost and efficiency of your product compared to similar, more expensive products. If you can make the offer time-limited, do so. And put that deadline in a call-out box on the reply page, too. Another idea: Try emphasizing the savings by creating a “price-off” coupon that gets sent back along with the reply card.

Offer Type #4. The Ticking Timer

Challenge: If you don’t get immediate action on a sales decision, you probably won’t make the sale at all.

Solution: Seasonal offers have a natural time limit, but contrived time limits can work just as well. The “speed-reply” bonus is another common device.

Technique: If there’s a limit on the number of customers who can sign up, give specifics. For example: “Frankly, after these 2,000 slots are filled, I’m going to have to close the doors. If I don’t hear from you by then, you’ll be turned away. I’ll have no choice. Which is why I hope to hear from you soon.” Emphasize benefits the prospect sacrifices by waiting too long. Fax and toll-free ordering can also be used to help speed up orders: “If you want to get started immediately, call or fax your order to…”

Offer Type #5. The EZ Offer

Challenge: Even eager customers can get confused by complex order forms, missing business reply envelopes, elaborate information requests, and worse.

Solution: Multiple ways to place an order help – but more than three options (fax, phone, mail, or e-mail) is probably too much. These days, the ability to take orders around the clock is a big plus.

Technique: Try numbering the steps. (“1. Fill out this invitation below. 2. Put it in the envelope provided. 3. Drop it in your mailbox.”) Add this phrase here and there, too: “It’s that simple.” And if you’ve got a toll-free number, be sure to put it where the prospect can see it. Make it large. Make it easy to find. And put it on every piece in the envelope.

Offer Type #6. The Private Deal

Challenge: People like to feel that they’re getting privileges. “In a world where everyone is as important as everyone else,” says Lant, ”people are dying to feel more important than everyone else.”

Solution: Create limited editions, clubs, and “societies.” Frequent-flier miles and favored-customer incentives work on this principle.

Technique: Use design to make the invitation look exclusive. Write in “whispered” tones. The reply device could be constructed like a real “R.S.V.P.” document. When you start the sales close, make sure you summarize the benefits in the form of privileges for exclusive invitees.

Offer Type #7. The Bachelor’s Offer

Challenge: Some people fear commitment.

Solution: “No-money-down” offers are effective – but for real fence sitters, consider collecting their contact information for future use. E-mail is great for this. Give free information up front. Then keep in touch to deepen the relationship and set the groundwork for future sales.

Technique: Here’s where emphasizing freebies can come in handy. But remember, it’s not worthwhile if (a) the freebie is of no benefit to the prospect and (b) you fail to collect their contact information.

A caveat, says Lant, is that “‘free’ by itself is almost never the strongest possible offer you can make.” However, he says, when you’ve got a really strong offer – no matter what kind it is – one of the best things you can do is bring it out right up front.

Added evidence: Many of the most successful direct-mail letters of all time lead with a strong sales offer right in the headline or on the first page. By the way, Lant himself credits another copywriting expert with some of the best insights in his “offer” chapter – our prolific pal Bob Bly, author of the all-time classic The Copywriter’s Handbook

Pick up a copy if you haven’t already.

[Ed. Note: To get more of copywriting expert John Forde's wisdom and insights into marketing (and much more), sign up for his free e-letter, Copywriter's Roundtable, at http://www.copywritersroundtable.com. Or send an e-mail to signup@jackforde.com. Get a free report about 15 deadly copy mistakes and how to avoid them when you sign up today .

To create a powerful offer, you need to have top-quality products and a list of people to sell them to. Discover how to set up an e-mail list and website, create products the market is hungry for, and much more with ETR's Internet Money Club Independent Learner's Edition. Get all the details here.]

Comment on this article

In business, your name is – at the most basic level – all you’ve got. So whenever you sell anything, you must make sure it is of the highest quality, it is backed up by top-notch customer service, and that you don’t just deliver on all the promises you make in your advertising… you over-deliver. When you do make a mistake (it happens), you must do everything you can, as quickly as you can, to make it right.

Which makes Martha Stewart and Kmart’s reaction to a “misdesigned” patio chair quite surprising. Turns out the chair, a kind of stationary rocker, has a flaw that can sever the fingertips of those who take a seat and rest their hands in the wrong place. Several people have been injured.

Martha has dismissed the claims as exaggerated. And Kmart has yet to recall the chair (although the version now being manufactured has been redesigned).

This is, obviously, an unacceptable response. But are you doing something similar (albeit less physically harmful to your customers) – even on a seemingly insignificant scale? Selling e-books with outdated information… Releasing goods with cheaper packaging… Cutting costs with an automated answering service instead of live customer service representatives? And when customers call you on it, do you get belligerent and defensive?

It could be something small in your eyes. But in a customer’s eyes, it could be reason enough never to come back.

[Ed. Note: Ever bought a product that didn't live up to expectations - and the manufacturer blew off your complaints? Find out how to get your money back - and then some - with ETR's Unscrew Your Life newsletter. Get it here.]

Comment on this article

Just the other day, I had a conversation with a television producer regarding a reality TV project of mine that his group is considering developing. “Rob” told me that they are moving into scripted programming in addition to reality TV. And he mentioned that they have a couple of projects they are excited about, but need rewrites.

I’m a produced writer of a fairly big feature film and have been paid large sums of money for my movie scripts. So you would think I would turn up my nose at the idea of doing a rewrite of someone else’s script. Well, you’d be wrong. I tossed out the idea that to get in the door with them on scripted television, I’d do a rewrite on spec. (This means they would pay me for the rewrite only if they decided to use it.)

Rob was impressed with my confidence in my ability to do a good rewrite. And he ended up agreeing to have me submit an original teleplay that I’m in the process of writing.

Offering your services on spec like this can be a great way to open doors to new business opportunities. (Especially these days, when money is tight.) Sure, you could spend the time to do a great job and – for whatever reason – still lose out on the payoff. But it’s worth the risk.

Give some thought to how you might apply this strategy and give it a shot.

[Ed. Note: Paul Lawrence is a successful entrepreneur and produced screenwriter who has started over a dozen profitable enterprises. For more information on his "Street Smart Business Program," click right here.]

Comment on this article

After a movie has been half-shot, you can’t fire your principal actors. You must keep them because you can’t afford to re-shoot all the scenes they have been in.

Being irreplaceable (for a while, at least) can go to one’s head. One of our
actresses had been getting more difficult every day. She pouted and complained about every glitch. And with a low-budget movie, there are plenty.

One day, for example, I changed a few of her lines and she was sarcastic for the umpteenth time. I asked her, “Hasn’t this ever happened to you before in your professional career?”

She looked at me, astonished, disgusted. “Are you kidding? I’ve never been involved in anything remotely like this in any way.”

If she worked for one of my businesses, I’d have fired her on the spot. To my delight, she reformed the next day and has been great ever since. Still, bad attitudes are infectious. I can tolerate ignorance and even ineptitude in my employees, but never a bad attitude. You shouldn’t either.

You might be wondering why I am dealing with an actress in the first place.

I am in the middle of making a movie.

I’m one week into my third moviemaking venture, and I’m very happy I decided to do this. It’s much more fun than my first two productions were. And it looks like it will be more profitable too.

We are making Grim Fairy Tale, a gory, sexy comedy written and directed by the legendary “Godfather of Gore,” Herschell Gordon Lewis. Many people on the set are working at reduced rates because they are fans of his early work – schlocky but very original movies (e.g., Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs). Herschell has written, directed, and/or produced over 50 movies. But this will be the first one he has written and directed in 25 years.

We are shooting it in St. Petersburg, Florida. I came here for a week to kick off the “principal photography,” as they call it. Herschell has provided an entertaining script, and everybody has been working hard to get this done on time and under budget. The line producers, Andrew and Andy, have done a great job scouting locations, interviewing actors, and procuring support.

We have more than a hundred people involved in this so far, counting cast, crew, and extras. We have two huge cameras, elevated camera lifts, dollies, a director of photography and two assistants. We have two sound technicians, a crew of electricians with huge screens and lighting, trucks, cars, all kinds of gizmos. We have a special-effects crew, a catering crew, a costume crew, a makeup crew. It’s amazing.

Ninety percent of independently produced movies never make a nickel. (The same is true for books and records.) But this one has certain advantages I intend to make good use of:

• Herschell is an icon to horror-film fans.

• Several of the actors – Brooke McCarter and Lloyd Kaufman – are well known too.

• The budget was big enough to make a movie good enough for theatrical release, but not so big that it needs to be a hit to be profitable.

• I’m making a documentary on Herschell at the same, which I should be able to use to drum up interest in Grim Fairy Tale.

• Everybody likes movies.

In getting involved in this, I’ve broken both of my two top rules about entrepreneurship:

• Don’t get into a business you know nothing about.

• And don’t start a business unless you know how to sell the product.

Well, I did know a little about making movies because of my first two attempts. But most of that can be categorized as “what not to do again.”

One of the things I never learned was how to sell a movie. So that’s what I spend my spare time thinking about. How can I market this thing? How can I make the investors happy?

I have three strategies in mind:

1. I will run it in film festivals around the world and hope it gains some attention. I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to get it accepted because of Herschell’s reputation.

2. I will find a distributor to help me market it overseas, to the DVD market, to television, and to theaters. There are not many distributors for horror movies – but, as luck would have it, I met someone just today who, when hearing what it is about and the budget, told me he wants to buy the distribution rights. That’s a good omen.

3. I intend to market it directly to consumers using everything I know about Web-based marketing, including e-mail marketing, social media marketing, public relations, and pay-per-click advertising. In other words, I’m going to employ the strategies that MaryEllen Tribby and I covered in Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business.

I’m most excited about my third idea, because I think that is where the big money is. Nobody I’ve met so far in the world of independent films knows anything about direct marketing via the Internet. There is great potential there. I’m convinced of it.

If you have ever thought about producing movies, here are a few tips – big and small – to speed you on your way:

• Time is always money, but it is especially true in businesses like this where you are working on a budget. Keeping on time means keeping within budget.

• When you are shooting in a building with half a dozen sets, you can always figure out where the scene is being shot by following the electric cables.

• The director of photography is probably the most important guy on the set. He is the person who makes the film work visually. (And film is primarily visual.) The director who doesn’t pay attention to his D.P. is probably a fool.

• Actors make a giant difference. A good actor can make a bad line work. A bad actor will make Shakespearean dialog sound like pulp fiction. (I first figured this out when I directed my own movie. Now I’m sure it’s true.)

• Even minor actors make a difference. I sat through eight takes of a two-line gag this afternoon. And it never worked because one of the actors – a friend of somebody’s friend – couldn’t high-five in a natural way.

• The actual shooting is 80 percent preparation (getting ready) and 20 percent filming (”firing”). Post-production is 100 percent polishing, refining, and perfecting (”aiming”). For “Ready, Fire, Aim” people like us, this can be exasperating.

• Because the process is so exasperating, it is essential to practice courtesy and good manners on the set. Rudeness creates resentment, which quickly results in wasted time.

• If you are not a genius, it pays to keep an open mind. We’ve gotten all sorts of good, specific directorial suggestions from several of the actors, but also from the electrical and sound crew, the makeup artists, and the grips.

• You don’t have to rehearse the lines as much as you think. If you give actors permission to change some of the words, they will often improve the dialog.

• Everybody on the set is distrustful of the producer. He’s the money guy, they know, so that automatically makes them think he’s insensitive to what they’re trying to do. “Actors and movie crews have artistic temperaments,” Herschell told me. “This means they are like children and need to be stroked and complimented a lot.”

That’s the first adventure of Michael Masterson in Movie Land. If you’d like to know more, leave your questions here and I’ll keep you posted.

[Ed. Note: Get dozens of Michael's surefire strategies for getting ahead in business and in life in True Path to Profits: A Master Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Success. Find out more - including how you can get a bonus subscription to Michael's VIP newsletter, Ready Fire Aim - right here.]

Comment on this article

If your goal is to satisfy your customers, you’re aiming too low. Instead, aim to over-deliver on your promises.

Roy Flora, Group President of Microtel Inns & Suites, over-delivers by randomly giving away free stays at his hotels. Better yet, he encourages staff members to do the same. It’s one reason that Microtel has ranked at the top of the J.D. Power & Associates North America hotel guest satisfaction survey seven years in a row.

Internet clothing company Zappos over-delivers by not only offering free standard shipping… but by getting those orders to customers overnight instead of in the four to five business days they promise.

Clothing retailer L.L. Bean accepts the return of any clothing – worn or unworn, damaged or not – for years after it was bought.

And here at ETR, we are constantly thinking of new ways to over-deliver. During the past two Christmas holiday seasons, for instance, we’ve given out special advice-packed reports and never-before-seen interviews with our expert contributors. At every Bootcamp, we put together an exciting get-together – like our “sock hop” (complete with costumes and an Elvis impersonator) this past November. Plus, we offer exclusive VIP events – like our Internet Money Club annual roundtable – to our top customers.

“Your customer-service policy should be bend-over-backward,” says Michael Masterson. This means “adding features and benefits on a regular basis that surprise and delight your customers. It means getting them accustomed to being delighted every time they buy a product from you.”

What can you do to surprise and delight your customers? In a world that’s overpowered by poor service, it doesn’t take much. Simply doing something small – like answering your customer service line, in person, on the first or second ring – is enough to make your customer feel cared about. Or take a look at Microtel, Zappos, L.L. Bean, and other companies reputed for great service… and see how you can adapt their customer-service policies.

[Ed. Note: When we dreamed up our Secrets to Selling on the Internet conference, we knew it would knock the socks off anyone who attended. It’s an unprecedented chance to learn the top sales secrets of a bona fide copywriting superstar. Secrets that could help you take your business to the next level… wow your boss (and give you serious job security – a must these days!)… or get you snapped up by practically any employer. Find out how you can be part of this power-packed event right here. Hurry. Our spectacular Early Bird Discount ends soon.

Comment on this article

“Okay. I am finally taking the plunge and starting a side business. I guess it is actually more like getting my feet wet, since my target sales goal for now is to cover my daycare expenses. At any rate, I am to the point where I need to call myself ’something.’ How important is a name? What should the strategy be for choosing one?

“In my case, I am selling unique and custom made jewelry. My starting venue is going to be eBay until I can get a better idea of my market and earn enough to generate a decent webpage. I need to pick a seller name that I think will stimulate and reassure my buyers. I could call it ‘Emily’s [Adjective Noun],’ but I don’t think that is very noteworthy. If I’m going to be ordinary, I might as well go with 12345 and just get to selling.

“I had considered something along the lines of ‘You Deserve It’ to try to give that extra push to bid. My husband asked me if I would use ‘U’ instead of ‘You.’ What is too gimmicky? Is the texting generation old enough yet to be financially viable? Does a gimmick like this turn off more customers than it targets? I think yes, but I’ve learned better than to go with my gut before asking questions.

“Also, I came up with a great quote yesterday: ‘I would much rather be multi-faceted than well rounded.’ In this world of synchronicity, by golly, I’m going to get my name attached to it before someone else does. I’m probably already too late. I know there are few original ideas, but maybe this one hasn’t been presented in quite this way.

“Much more flattering to one’s occlusions. Better to emphasize one’s strengths than to focus on improving the weak areas. (That’s what a team is for.) You get the picture.”

Emily Crawford

Dale, NY

Dear Emily,

I’ve reprinted your letter pretty much in its entirety because it is so well written. You have a talent for writing. You are smart. You are energetic. You are positive. And those qualities show.

My main recommendation is that you should master the art of copywriting. You will be able to use it to promote your jewelry business. And you can use it to make a handsome second income at night and on the weekends. In today’s economy, having a second income counts.

Now, to answer your question…

I have never given much time and energy to creating company names. And when I do spend time on them, I tend to be conservative. My rationale is this: When you are small, you don’t want your name to turn people off or confuse them. You want them to be able to remember it. You want them to be able to search for it and find it without a lot of trouble.

Thus names like U Deserve This don’t appeal to me. It’s likely that it will turn off customers who aren’t egocentric. And it is equally likely that those who do like it will remember the sentiment but forget the phrase.

Don’t believe marketing gurus who tell you that picking a good name for your business is critical to your sales. What matters most is the marketing that you do. That gets us back to copywriting – something you should spend some time on. Spend no more than 30 minutes picking a name, and then get on to more important matters.

For more on this, see my chapters on Stage One businesses in Ready, Fire, Aim.

- Michael Masterson

[Ed. Note: Have a question for an ETR expert? Send it to AskETR@ETRFeedback.com.]

Comment on this article

In this tough economy, you might be thinking that it’s impossible to find the capital to start a small business.

If you’re hoping to get a business loan from a bank, you’re probably right. But if you’re thinking of getting money from a private investor, nothing is further from the truth.

The fact is that millions of people have money to invest. And they want to get a decent return on their investments. With interest rates so low on CDs and Treasury notes, they are more willing than ever to consider alternatives.

Of course, there’s a catch. In order to get a private investor to consider your small business, you must convince him that the opportunity is sound, with little risk of failure. They way to do it is with a well-thought-out, written business plan that’s loaded with specific numbers and examples.

Here are the basics of a plan that has an excellent chance of attracting the start-up capital you need…

Step 1: Demonstrate the profit potential of the business.

The best way to prove that your business idea is viable is to test it in the marketplace with what Michael Masterson calls “a working model.” That gives you actual numbers to work with to estimate anticipated revenues and expenses.

If it’s not possible to test your product/service on a small scale, you’ll have to do some research to come up with numbers from similar businesses that are already successful in the market you’re entering.

Step 2: Show that there is a substantial – and growing – demand for your product/service.

Use statistics – from census reports, economic reports, the Internet, and relevant news articles – to illustrate the need for your product/service.

If, for example, you want to get a new catering business funded, you might write something like this: “The National Catering Association estimates that, in the past year alone, more than $50 million was spent on catering in our target area. Despite the sluggish economy, the number of events that are traditionally catered – including weddings, graduations, and bar mitzvahs – is not expected to decrease. However, people are looking to keep expenditures down. Which means that our discount pricing and quality service should give our business a strong competitive edge.”

Step 3: Lay out your marketing plan.

If you were able to test a “working model” of your business idea, there’s at least one marketing channel that has already proven to be effective for you. Include your test numbers in this part of the marketing plan, as well as projections for additional channels you intend to try.

For example: “We have done preliminary tests with pay-per-click (PPC) ads on Google, and have determined that, using the keywords we’ve already identified, we can generate click-throughs for $8.10 each. It takes an average of 12 click-throughs to secure one new client, which means that we can expect each new client generated through PPC to cost $97.20. The average gross revenue for each new catering client is anticipated to be $800, which gives us a substantial profit.

“We will expand our PPC campaign by testing additional keyword ads. We’ve also been tracking our competitors’ marketing efforts, and have found that they consistently advertise in the announcement section of the local newspaper. We believe this to be a promising channel to test.”

Step 4: Specify your strengths.

Write about your actual experience in this particular type of business. If you don’t have that, explain how the experience you do have qualifies you to run one. Then add anything else that will convince your prospective investor that you will be successful. This could include your educational background, as well as personal achievements that demonstrate you have the intelligence, determination, and desire to make the business work.

When I launched my instructional dance video business, I was looking for investors. I had already produced a homemade video and had sold a few through classified ads, so I had a working model. But I really had no experience in the video marketing business. So in my business plan, I emphasized the success of my private dance instruction business. I made a case that the same skills that made me a successful dance teacher in person would come across on video… that I would be able to teach people to dance in a way that they would like and understand.

Step 5: Outline how the business will function.

You don’t need to go into too much detail here, but you’ve got show your prospective investor that you’ve thought it through. If you’ll be selling physical products, explain how they will be procured, stored, delivered, etc. If you’re starting a service business, describe, in general terms, how the customer will be taken care of.

Step 6: Write out a budget.

Using the actual and projected numbers from Step 1 and Step 3, come up with a monthly budget for your first year in business and annual budgets for the next two years. Be sure to include exactly how and when the investor will be paid.

As you can see, the kind of business plan you use to secure private funding is somewhat different from the formal plan that a bank or venture capitalist is likely to require. Since you probably know your prospective investor, you can make it more personal. You can also make it more persuasive by using a little creativity.

Here’s what I mean…

Many years ago, when I wanted to start a vending machine company and didn’t have any capital, I pitched my idea to a former co-worker. In my business plan, I provided facts and figures indicating that there was a strong potential market for this service. But he was skeptical. So, to show him what those facts and figures really meant, I took him on a drive around town. (I had, of course, scouted it out ahead of time.)

First, I took him to several business locations that had vending machines onsite. We chatted up employees, and they told us that the machines had been around for a while and were very popular with the people who worked there, as well as their customers. Then, to make the case that there was room for more vending machines in the area, I took him to similar locations – lots of them – that didn’t have any.

My investor was convinced. He had seen for himself that the vending machine business was working for others, and that there was room in the market for mine. He gave me the capital I needed to get started… and we both ended up doing very well.

[Ed. Note: Paul Lawrence is an entrepreneur and author who's started over a dozen profitable small businesses. He publishes the "Street Smart Business Program," which is filled with the kind of practical advice you'd never get from a typical business college. For more information on the program, click here.

One of the best ways to ensure that your business will succeed? Master the art of selling. Now you can spend two days with one of the top Internet sales experts in the world. Find out how here.]

Comment on this article

Sometime in your business career, you will have a chance to do something or sell something – and it will be obvious to you that you are looking at a great opportunity. However, you will realize that you simply don’t have the time, the knowledge, or the resources to meet that challenge. If you are sensible, you will probably say “No thanks,” and bow out. But – if the opportunity is really extraordinary – you might want to try the Grand Canyon Jump.

I’m thinking of Robbie Knievel’s now-famous motorcycle jump over the Grand Canyon. (Robbie Knievel is son of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel.) The story I heard was that the idea was based on his father’s failed attempt at the same stunt.

I remember one of the very first times I took a “Grand Canyon Jump” – albeit in a much less bold way. It was nearly 10 years ago. Early to Rise was brand-new, and I was still learning how to apply my direct-marketing background to the Internet. I got an invitation to speak at a seminar about Internet marketing. Trouble was, I knew next to nothing about the subject. Certainly not enough to make a speech about it. (Number One Rule of Effective Speaking: Know what you’re talking about.)

But I agreed to make the presentation, because I figured it would force me to think about this important and growing part of my business. Not only did I agree to talk, I agreed to a title for my speech (”7 Myths About the Internet and 7 Ways to Profit From It”) that was – given my experience at the time – audacious.

Since then, I have made the leap many times. (This is what’s behind my “Ready, Fire, Aim” philosophy.)

When I really want to do something but have no idea how to do it, I don’t just agree to do it – I promise myself that I will do it very well. I set a high hurdle for myself. I suppose what I’m doing is fueling my drive with the fear of humiliation.

But it works. Most of the time.

In the case of my “7 Myths About the Internet” speech, I pushed myself because I had to. By reading about what others have done. Observing what my own employees were doing – what was working and what was failing miserably. Trying some stuff on my own. And I made remarkable progress. In fact, after only two months, I had gotten to the point where 80 percent of what I read about Internet marketing either (1) bored me because it was so simple, or (2) infuriated me because it was so obviously wrong.

As the weeks passed and the day of the presentation grew nearer, I found myself thinking harder about the subject. More than ever, I was aware of how other media (direct mail, print advertising, etc.) reminded me of the Internet. Bit by bit, ideas were coming together.

When the event finally took place, I had come up with about a dozen useful ideas and observations that felt right. Many of these defied conventional wisdom. Then, when I heard what other presenters were saying – their accounts of what succeeded and failed for them – it all made sense.

My presentation worked. It felt good. I was full of energy when I gave it, thinking, “Hey, this really is important!” And I got a good reaction from the audience. Most important, I got what I hoped to get: a foundation of ideas that have helped me – and will continue to help me – make money on the Internet.

These days, trying to do anything in addition to holding onto your job may seem like an enormous challenge. And rightly so. But that’s all the more reason to make the Grand Canyon Jump.

Think about one thing that you have not done or declined to do that could be very good for your career long term. It could be something general, like learning how to sell on the Internet… or something more specific, like making your next sales presentation or pay-per-click campaign work.

Next step is to announce your intention. Contact the appropriate parties and let them know what you’ve decided to do.

Finally, set a high standard for yourself. Set the standard so high that it seems foolish or pretentious – and then start thinking about how you can actually achieve it.

You can’t change the laws of physics. Robbie Knievel jumped over a “narrow” segment of the Grand Canyon rather than going for its widest section. But he got over it. And it gave him not only the temporary career boost he was looking for but also a stunt that he will always be remembered for.”

So what’s it going to be? When – and how – are you going to make your Grand Canyon Jump?

[Ed. Note: Get more of Michael's surefire strategies for getting ahead in business in his best selling book Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat.

As a special thank you to our best customers, Michael has started a new VIP service in which he gives insider business-building advice usually reserved for his private clients - a twice-weekly newsletter called Ready Fire Aim: The Michael Masterson Dispatch. If you have bought an ETR product or attended a conference and are not receiving Ready Fire Aim, please let us know by sending an e-mail to Michael@ETRfeedback.com.

Correction: In the 2/23 issue of Early to Rise, we mistakenly attributed the Grand Canyon jump to Evel Knievel instead of to his son, Robbie Knievel.]

Comment on this article

Let’s say you’re trying to convince a potential customer/employer/investor to begin a relationship with you. There are only three ways to do it, and they are not equally effective. From worst to best, here they are:

1. Tell them how great you are.

This is the least effective method, but it’s better than nothing. The key here is to be honest and not come across as trying too hard to impress. When an older gentleman asked Bono what he did for a living, the rock star said, “I’m a musician.” Don’t be shy about your accomplishments, but don’t oversell yourself either.

2. Have others tell them how great you are.

Marketers have a name for this – social proof. If you and your customer have a mutual friend, ask that friend to put in a good word for you. If not, think about who else your customer might consider asking about you, and seek to make a good impression.

3. Show them how great you are.

Nothing’s more powerful than a customer witnessing your expertise first hand. If you’re a marketer, offer some quick marketing advice for a problem they have. If you’re a property manager, give them a tour of your places and show them the financials. Find a way to directly demonstrate your skill, and your chances go way up.

The real power of these techniques comes when you do them together. Spend the majority of your time focused on #2 and #3, and #1 will take care of itself.

[Ed. Note: Brendan Florez is founder and CEO of Social Charm, LLC (www.SocialCharm.net), a company that uses analytical methods to understand and train people in the science of human interaction. Prior to this, he was an Executive Team Consultant at Rosetta, working closely on HR and operations issues. Brendan graduated from Princeton University with a degree in electrical engineering, focusing on integrating engineering, neuroscience, and psychology.]

Comment on this article

“If I was you, I would have kicked her out.”

“I would have smacked her.”

“And her husband… what a @*&#%. ‘Now you’re sure this is compatible?’ he asked me for the umpteenth time. I couldn’t take it.”

Several employees of my local cellphone store were blowing off steam about a “difficult” customer. But they weren’t doing it afterhours at a local bar. They were standing right in front of me while one of them was ringing up my purchase. And there were about 10 other customers within earshot.

As Michael Masterson says: “The customer should be treated as if he is right, even when he is wrong.” And that applies even when you’re not dealing directly with a customer service problem.

If you run a business where your employees interact with customers, clients, business partners, vendors, etc. (pretty much any business), you must have a zero-tolerance policy for “trash talking.” Employees should put on a public face when anyone outside the company is around. No gossiping, no insulting comments about former associates… nothing negative.

[Ed. Note: Dealing with difficult customers is an unavoidable part of being in business. So what? You can do it! Don't let that prevent you from building a powerhouse Internet business. Get a step-by-step guide to starting and growing your business right here.]  

Comment on this article

For six years, we struggled with the restaurant, training the staff, upgrading the kitchen, and expanding the menu. During that time, we went through a half-dozen managers, an assortment of well meaning people with limited experience and a variety of personality disorders that were impossible to detect during the interviewing process… but then appeared almost immediately after they were put in charge.

The things we could control – how the restaurant looked, what it served, and how much it spent – got better. But the things we couldn’t control – the quality of the cooking, the efficiency of the service, and the bottom line – didn’t improve.

Finally, we hired a guy with a lot of serious experience. We had to pay him twice what we had paid his predecessors, but less than 60 days after he started, he produced the restaurant’s first complete profit-and-loss statement. And guess what? He had turned a profit.

We had been losing about $100,000 a year on this venture. Since it was an integral part of a larger business, we were able to sustain those losses. Still, we knew we eventually had to get the restaurant to run at least at breakeven. What we hadn’t recognized was how quickly that goal could be achieved simply by hiring a more qualified manager.

I’ve made this point many times in ETR: A really good manager is worth a dozen bad ones. When you are involved in a business with tight margins, getting the right person at the helm is not just advantageous, it’s essential.

Every employee you hire should have the potential to become a “superstar.” But making that goal a reality usually requires two significant costs:

• First you must be prepared to invest a considerable amount of your time and attention to finding qualified candidates and selecting the right one.

• And second, you must be willing to invest more dollars in that person by paying him a higher salary and giving him additional support.

“Elton,” a colleague of mine in the publishing business, lured a copywriter away from us several years ago. When this young man was with us, he was good and getting better. What we didn’t realize at the time, but found out later, was that he was just about to advance from better to really great.

Elton credits this writer with a great deal of the multimillion-dollar success he’s since achieved. And I keep that in mind when I mentor young people today. “Is this person about to acquire a financially valuable skill? Is he/she about to advance to a higher, more productive level?”

When you lose a good person, it hurts. When you replace a mediocre employee with a very good one, you rejoice because your prayers have been answered.

As you push your business forward, never forget the value of surrounding yourself with valuable people. Ordinary workers are fine… but they are ordinary. Extraordinary people will improve everything quickly, painlessly, and profitably.

How do you attract potential superstars? It’s a three-step process.

1. You have to find someone as good as – or better than – you at a skill that’s crucial to the success of your business.

2. You have to make him a very generous deal.

3. You must teach him everything you know.

It’s not easy to find extraordinary people. For one thing, they are few and far between. Don’t let scarcity tempt you to accept second best. You cannot make an ordinary person extraordinary. It will eat up all your time and end in failure.

Start your search now. Go to industry meetings. Place ads. Talk to people. Even if you can’t yet afford another salary, start looking.

When you meet someone who seems great, strike up a friendship. Find out as much as you can about him. Show interest. Follow his career. Offer to help. When the time is right, drop hints. “If you ever want to do such and such… give me a call.” Say it every time you see him. The message will get through.

Do this with anyone who seems great. Keep at it. One day an opportunity will present itself and you will have not just one but several highly qualified candidates for an important job. Select and hire the best.

Work with him closely for several months until you’ve seen what he can do. If he has the potential you’re looking for, it will become apparent. Invite him to share your future.

Start looking for your superstar immediately.

[Ed. Note: Finding a superstar is one of the best ways to jumpstart your business growth. Discover more keys to skyrocketing your business to success in Michael Masterson's bestselling book Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat.

As a special thank you to our best customers, Michael has started a new VIP service in which he gives insider business-building advice usually reserved for his private clients - a twice-weekly newsletter called Ready Fire Aim: The Michael Masterson Dispatch. If you have bought an ETR product or attended a conference and are not receiving Ready Fire Aim, please let us know by sending an e-mail to Michael@ETRfeedback.com.]

Comment on this article

For nearly three decades, Ernie Bjorkman was an anchorman for a Denver TV station. Then one day last month, after signing a yearlong contract, he was let go.

But Ernie wasn’t worried, because he had something in his back pocket. He’d been going to veterinary technician school to pursue a longtime dream of working with animals.

What’s in your back pocket?

It doesn’t have to be a new degree. It doesn’t have to be a new job.

I’m talking about a side business. Something you can set up and run in your spare time.

Starting a side business may sound scary. But it doesn’t have to be. It could help you set aside a little extra money for a nice vacation next summer or the new car you’ve been wanting. And, if the unthinkable happens, it could keep you afloat while you look for a new job… or even turn into a full-blown career.

If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry. ETR has plenty of resources that can not only help you choose a side business that’s right for you… but can help you get that business up and running and churning out profits in no time.

• Each week in Profit Center Dispatch, “King of Business Opportunities” Marc Charles reveals a cutting-edge business that you can start from home… and gives you actionable advice on how to get going.

• As a member of the Liberty Street League, you can discover dozens of previously hidden, high-profit investment options that could help you recoup 100 percent of your recession losses by September 30, 2009.

• At our Profits in Paradise wealth-building summit this April, you can get your hands on the SAFEST and most PROFITABLE income-generating and entrepreneurial opportunities you’ve never heard of – including the keys to making $1.3 million+ a year from the housing foreclosure boom… a simple process that could generate up to $106,000 in just 7 days… and an investment that could make you up to 92 percent returns.

• With his Quick and Easy Microbusiness System, entrepreneurial expert Paul Lawrence will show how you can keep your current job, start a business in a week or two, and end up making $20 an hour, $2,000 a week, or even as much as $15,000 a month.

• As a member of our elite Internet Money Club, you can get step-by-step instruction in everything from finding a business with lots of profit potential to setting up a website… attracting traffic… making sales… and much more. In fact, if you don’t have a business by 2010, we’ll build you one ourselves!

And, of course, you can always pore over the ETR archives – at absolutely no cost to you – to find thousands of moneymaking opportunities, piles of advice on building a business, and expert guidelines for marketing your business online.

[Ed. Note: What's your backup plan? Let us know right here.]  

Comment on this article

Assertiveness is vital to being successful – not just in business but in life.

Confidently asking for what you want, holding others accountable when things go wrong, and not allowing yourself to be talked into making bad decisions are just a few examples of how being assertive can help you get things done.

But, as Michael Masterson points out, there’s a big difference between being assertive – being what Michael calls a “pusher” – and being a bully.

“A pusher,” says Michael, “is someone who does everything he can to get you to do things you might not want to do but know that you should do. When and if the pusher pushes you into doing such things, you feel good about yourself and grateful to him. A pusher – however pushy – has your interests at heart. A bully thinks of nothing but his own.”

You want to be a pusher.

Let’s say you have a big sales promotion due in two days, and you find out that one of your co-workers has convinced the graphics department to put your project on the back burner and work on his instead.

You have a right to be angry. But instead of screaming and yelling about it, you should call your co-worker and the designers together and explain why your project has priority. (”It was on the schedule first, and my two-day deadline is more urgent than Marty’s four-day deadline.”) Don’t leave until all parties understand and agree. And make it clear that you don’t want to see this happen again.

Here are some techniques you can use to be expertly assertive in almost any situation you’ll encounter at work… or in your personal life:

• Always speak in a civil manner.
• Be specific when asking for deadlines or clarification.
• Be clear when voicing your opinion, and be prepared to explain your reasoning.
• Don’t do anything you don’t agree with just to avoid conflict.
• Disagree with ideas or suggestions, not people. Don’t make it personal.

(Source: Inc.com)

[Ed. Note: Assertiveness is just one way to thrive in the workplace. For more techniques that can help you achieve all your business - and life - goals, check out success mentor Bob Cox's Total Success Achievement Program.]

Comment on this article

Do your employees feel like they’re part of the team? Those who do are likely to make a vastly superior effort. The problem is, it’s not always easy to tell how people genuinely feel. But there is a very effective technique that can give you valuable insight.

In general, people reveal their feelings by the way they express themselves. So what you do is observe their choice of words.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about: My assistant was telling me about the new orders that came in, and I was very pleased with the way she expressed it. What she said was, “We just got a huge bunch of new orders last night.” My last assistant would have said, “You have some new orders.”

Of course, it’s unfair to make a judgment about someone based on one word. But it’s been my experience that employees who use “we” instead of “you” reveal positive feelings about their relationship to you, your company, and the work they’re doing.

[Ed Note: Being able to understand people is a skill that can make or break a business career. Keep reading here for more information on Paul's People Power Program.]

Comment on this article

In 1982, members of the pop band Tommy Tutone wrote “867-5309/Jenny,” a song about a guy desperately trying to get in touch with a girl named, of course, Jenny. It was at the top of the music charts for 40 weeks and made the band members rich and famous. At least for a while.

A couple of years – and a failed follow-up album – later, the lead singer was making a living as a software engineer, while his band mates were relegated to playing in bars. The band’s problem? They never wrote another hit song – not even a reasonably popular one. In musical history terms, Tommy Tutone was a one-hit wonder.

In the world of entrepreneurship, we have one-hit wonders too. In fact, they are probably more common among entrepreneurs than they are in the music industry. Tomima Edmark, a Dallas entrepreneur, released the Topsy Tail hairstyling gadget to widespread acclaim in 1992, but never produced another hit product (despite several attempts). Steven Wozniak co-founded Apple, but failed to make a mark (except in techie circles) with other ventures after leaving the company. Roy Raymond made millions with Victoria’s Secret, but when he sold it and tried his hand at children’s fashions, the business went bankrupt within a couple of years.

Are You a One-Hit Wonder?

The thing about being a one-hit-wonder is that you don’t feel like you are one while it’s happening. You feel like a big success. You’ve created or sold a product and it’s doing really well. Your business is growing. You are making plenty of money. It feels like you are living the American Dream. But then, suddenly, you lose everything.

Often, one-hit wonders fail because they put all their eggs in one basket. They have the wrong idea about how businesses are built. They’ve seen movies and read books that depict one-hit-wonders – people getting rich and living happily ever after because of a single invention or product – and they buy into it.

But business in the real world doesn’t work that way. To develop a business that will thrive, you have to create a machine that will produce new products and advertising campaigns all the time. You have to put the people and processes in place to continuously produce more and more. You can’t stop or even rest just because you’ve had a single success. You have to recognize that things change as time passes. If you are still trying to sell yesterday’s products tomorrow, after things have changed, you will be slammed so hard you won’t know what hit you.

I’ve not done any formal research on this, but I’d bet that most “successful” businesspeople are one-hit-wonders, either actual or in waiting.

I can think of a half-dozen people I know – including a few friends of mine – who are running one-hit-wonder enterprises. They are happy as can be, because they are making money and keeping busy. But when I look at their businesses, even from the outside, I can see the writing on the wall: Sooner or later, their one product or one promotional scheme or one market will change and their businesses won’t have any way to adjust to it. At first, sales will slow gradually. And they will respond by cutting costs and laying off people. “Things will turn around soon,” they’ll tell themselves. But things won’t turn around and their profits will disappear. Eventually, they will close down their businesses and wonder what went wrong.

Are You a One-Hit Wonder in Waiting?

Your business may be working fine right now. But if you have too many business assets in one basket, you may be a one-hit-wonder in waiting. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How many products do I sell right now?
2. How many new products have I sold since I began?
3. How many new products have I sold per year since I began?
4. How many new products have I sold in the last three years?
5. How big was my production budget three years ago?
6. How big is it today?
7. How big was my marketing budget three years ago?
8. How big is it today?

It should be easy to pinpoint where you’re at. The more products you have, the more growth you’ve experienced and the further you are from being a one-hit wonder.

The problem with the one-hit-wonder mentality is that it cannot imagine good things going bad. It has no capacity to understand the universal principle of entropy – which tells us that everything naturally disintegrates. The one-hit mind believes that any success enjoyed is somehow deserved, perhaps even divinely given, and therefore destined to last a lifetime. The one-hit mind refuses to accept the overwhelming likelihood that its great product or promotion will one day be a thing of the past, and so it will not prepare for that by inventing or creating another.

The one-hit wonder problem affects most businesses in Stage One and Stage Two of their growth. (If you’ve read Ready, Fire, Aim, you know that means when they’re making from zero to 10 million dollars in revenue.) To get beyond that threshold, and thus beyond the risk of being a one-hit wonder, you have to focus on two things: innovation and speed.

As I said in Ready, Fire, Aim:

“It probably took you several years to produce and market your first product. To take your company to the next level, you will have to move much faster – at least twice as fast as you are comfortable moving right now.

“I’m talking about increasing the velocity of innovation. This includes the time it takes to brainstorm, develop, test, and produce new products. In Chapter 10, I talked about how you can get better at coming up with good ideas. But I also pointed out that if you don’t execute good ideas quickly, they will degenerate over time.

“Innovation matters. And so does speed. Combined, they give your business extraordinary growing power.”

[Ed. Note: Coming up with good ideas is half the battle - and our Internet marketing experts will fill your head with more ideas than you could learn in 12 lifetimes at ETR's 2008 Info Marketing Bootcamp. Then it's up to you to put them into action. Get a sneak peek at our lineup of superstar speakers and find out how you can meet them in person right here.] 

Comment on this article

The popular image of the successful entrepreneur is that of a hardworking risk taker who acts on his own.

The reality is different. Successful entrepreneurs work hard, but they are not risk takers and they seldom act alone.

If you want to triple or perhaps even quadruple your chances of success, partner up with someone who will work with you toward your goal.

Many of the most successful businesspeople of the Industrial Revolution had partners. John D. Rockefeller’s oil empire, for example, was built by his partner, Henry Flagler. And the improved steam engine responsible for fueling the Revolution was designed and manufactured by the team of James Watt and Matthew Boulton.

The same is true of the computer revolution. Hewlett-Packard, the first IT company to report revenues over $100 billion, was co-founded in 1939 by two Stanford graduates. Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google together. David Filo and Jerry Yang co-founded Yahoo. Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen… and Apple Computer was co-founded by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs.

Warren Buffett, the world’s most successful investor, attributes a great deal of his success to his partner – who makes most of the investment decisions – Charlie Munger.

Moving down a few steps on the success ladder, many multimillionaire business owners I know made their fortunes by working with partners. Of the 12 top investment advisory publishers that came to the industry’s most recent symposium, nine of them were headed by partners.

In my own career, partnerships have been the way to go. Except for one case, every significant business success I’ve enjoyed has been the result of a partnership.

Why Partnerships Work

Partnerships work because two heads are better than one. My head, for example, is good at spotting opportunities and marketing, but not so good at mulling over key decisions or paying attention to details. My partners tend to make up for my deficiencies. And I, theirs.

That’s how partnerships are supposed to work: a division of labor, starting at the top. After all, no one can claim to be a perfect businessperson. We all have shortcomings and foibles. Without a partner to spur you on or rein you in, you would miss valuable opportunities or make costly mistakes.

Besides allowing for an efficient division of labor, partnering provides you with someone to vent to, someone to confide in, and someone with whom you can enjoy your success.

Looking at some of the partnerships cited above, it’s easy to see how they divvied up the responsibilities:

James Watt was an inspired inventor, and he improved upon the steam engine design, while Matthew Boulton was a shrewd businessman. Watt couldn’t handle the business end – he had tried and failed – and Boulton needed Watt’s invention.

In the famous partnership of Flagler and Rockefeller, Rockefeller had the name and the venture… but he needed Flagler’s capital and shrewd business sense. It was Henry Flagler’s idea to offer rebates, which gave Standard Oil an advantage over all competing oil refineries.

Looking at my own situations, you would see that in some cases I am providing capital and marketing advice while my partner is running the business. In other cases, my partner and I oversee business operations that are run by other people entirely.

Just to give you a quick idea:

• With “Quincy S.,” I have an interest in a commercial real estate development company. He tends to be the worrywart and cost-cutter. I’m the one who makes the properties attractive and takes care of renting them out.

• With “Carl T.,” I have an interest in an advertising agency. When the business was young, I provided capital and mentoring. Now he runs the business and I do nothing but have lunch with him once a month and collect a substantial check.

• With “Brandon T.,” I have an interest in a health publishing company. I provide marketing and editorial advice. He runs the business.

• With “Audrey M.,” “Eddie N.,” and “Owen G.,” I have a career-training company. I provide advice on strategic planning. Eddie keeps his eyes on the bottom line. Owen focuses on the marketing. And Audrey runs it.

• With “Cal C.,” I have an interest in a large publishing business. He focuses on the quality of the published ideas. I focus on the quality of the marketing efforts.

• With “Tina T.,” I have an interest in a commercial art dealership. I buy the art. She sells it.

I couldn’t possibly be involved in all these businesses if I didn’t have partners. One business is more than enough for one person. But with partnerships, you can have an interest in many more than that. I’m not exactly sure why. It has something to do with how the partnership decisions – early on – lead to lots of other decisions that make the business almost automatic.

There is no question in my mind that partnership relationships are good for business. But it’s also clear to me that some people can’t be good partners. A good partner must be…

• Fair-minded: You must want the partnership to be good for your partner. You can’t be the sort of person who believes that “you-win-I-win-more” is better than “you-win-I-win.” You must have your partner’s best interests at heart.

• Flexible: People who argue about the details don’t make good partners. You can’t go tit for tat with your partner. You must believe that, in the long run, the two of you will be able to work things out.

• Loyal: Good partners don’t betray each other in any way. They don’t steal from each other. They don’t badmouth each other. They don’t make side deals with other people who might undermine the partnership.

Think about your current business goals. Pick one that you are not making great progress toward. Now ask yourself, “Who is helping me achieve that goal?”

If the answer is “nobody,” you have a great opportunity open to you. By hooking up with the right partner, you’ll have a chance to finally get your idea into action, do the sometimes difficult things that need to be done, make the progress that your goal requires, and one day – maybe sooner than you might believe – be able to sit back and say, “Hey, I did it!”

So… who are your partners? Who are your coaches? Who is urging you to get up earlier, work harder, and think smarter? Who is giving you good ideas? Who is praising your successes and warning you about pitfalls?

Don’t be afraid of partnerships. Pick a partner you trust and make sure you agree on how any problems you run into should be fairly worked out. Ask a few “What if…?” questions before you sign the contract. Then get started and enjoy working with each other.

[Ed. Note: Having a partner can triple or even quadruple your chances of success. If you don't have one yet, now's the time to start looking. You can begin your search at ETR's 2008 Info Marketing Bootcamp. Not only will our 12 expert presenters offer you specific strategies you can use to make $1.2 million in 2009... you'll also meet more than 200 men and women who could be potential partners for your business ventures. Learn all about Bootcamp - and how you can sign up - right here.]