Is Your Competitive Behavior Sabotaging Your Future?
“Man has risen so far above all other species that he competes in ways unique in nature. He fights by means of complicated weapons; he fights for ends remote in time.” – Charles A. Lindbergh Yes, horrible people sometimes succeed in business . . . but it’s not their meanness…
5 Ways to Convince Your Boss that He Made a Big Mistake By Not Giving You A Raise
Most of the people I’ve ever turned down for a raise simply sulked and disappeared. But a few of them took the experience as a wake-up call and fought back. They didn’t see themselves as losers, and they weren’t going to let me view them that way either. Arguing with…
How to Get Paid to Travel
“Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up.” – Ernest Hemingway This time a year ago, I had my toes buried in talcum-powder-fine sand, a book in my hands, and a cold margarita on the table to my left. Last June,…
What Warren Buffett Can Teach You About Real Estate
“The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth.” – Warren Buffett Warren Buffett didn’t make the bulk of his money by being a great investor. That was just the first part of his success. If that had been the extent of it, he might have a paltry $100…
Self-Publishing vs Selling Your Book via Mail-Order
“Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways we can get the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us; concentrate our energy.” – Denis Waitley Dear Mr. Dreads: I’m going to do more…
Why Forcing Your Will On Others Usually Doesn’t Work
It’s so hard to accomplish something great. And it’s made more difficult when you have to rely on others to succeed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to fix every problem, straighten out every hitch, and achieve all your goals by mandate? To say, “Just do it or else!” In the flux…
What You Can Learn Frm NetFlix
“Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson As we told you in Message #1138, NetFlix rents unlimited movies, up to three at a time, for a monthly subscription fee of $21.99. Reed Hastings got the idea for starting the…
Embrace Your So-Called “Incompetence” Part 1
After 20 years as a stay-at-home mom, and following a divorce that made it necessary for her to become self-supporting, my sister-in-law Gini reentered the workforce and took an entry-level job in New York City. She liked the work well enough, but she was earning a so-so wage that netted…
Are All Marketers Losers and Sleazebags?
“If it’s not done ethically, advertising won’t be trusted. If consumers don’t trust it, advertising is pointless.” – Jef I. Richards One of my regular copywriting assignments is to write e-mail promotions for the American Writers and Artists Institute, a sister company of ETR. These e-mail messages often go out…
How to Start a Profitable ETR Microbusiness in 30 Days
“If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” – Tom Peters Last month, I sold yet another small business — my third “flip” in the past 12 months — for a nice profit. I’m currently in the process of starting up another, and I’ve got more planned…
Lessons from a Direct-Marketing Legend, Part 1
“The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.” – Albert Einstein Gene Schwartz was a direct-marketing legend. One ad that he wrote sold 1.98 million copies of a single $25 book — resulting in sales of nearly $50 million. Gene also wrote the ad that launched Boardroom,…
How to Turn Your Customers Into Your Best Salespeople
“Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them.” – W. Edwards Deming If you do something nice for me, I want to reciprocate. In fact, I NEED to reciprocate — and as soon as possible. That way,…