Volume 2, Number 4, Issue #0030204, March 20, 2004
---- IN THIS ISSUE----
Smile For The day
Article I
"Allow Yourself To Become Successful!"
by J.R. Orsoni
Article II
"Six Reasons Why You Should Meditate Every Day!"
by Len Foley
Article III
"Know Money to Make Money"
by Ivon T. Hughes
Article IV
"How to Improve Your Ranking on Search Engines-
New Techniques Can Drive Thousands of Visitors to Your Web Site."
by Dr. Kevin Nunley
****Smile For The Day****
A gambler died. The funeral was well attended by his professional friends. In the eulogy, the minister said: "Spike is not dead; he only sleeps."
From the rear of the chapel a voice said: " I got a hundred that says he's dead."
**** Article I
Allow Yourself To Become Successful
by J.R. Orsoni
James always dreamed of becoming his own boss. He worked for someone all his life and now it was time to turn his dream into a reality. He would start his own home-based business. His time would be his own, and he would be able to spend more time with his wife and family. Sound familiar so far?
James searched for an opportunity that had all the criteria that he was told to look for; a product or service that had universal appeal, one would lend itself to be marketed on the internet, one that has a good profit margin backed by a reputable company that would have the necessary resources to support the effort.
After talking to representatives of various companies James found a product in the health products that seemed to fit his criteria.
As a result of his research, James realized that he could find a large audience ready to buy his product if he concentrated on the Internet. He also learned that the start up cost was reasonable as well. He had a total of $1,100 to invest.
James proceeded to do what any intelligent person would do, he went ahead and purchased some of the necessary tools such as an autoresponder, an email list, the web site offered by his associate company, had it optimized for search engine placement. Now all he had to do was wait for the sales to come in, so he thought. So James waited and waited and waited.
Eventually, James became disenchanted because after three months went by, he had only a handful of sales. Where were all the customers? Why were others telling success tales? Why wasn’t he as successful as the testimonials he had read?
Needless to say, it wasn’t long after that that James walked away from it all. He concluded that any home-based business wasn’t going to bear any fruit and after all, he spent $1,100 on this venture. If spending money wasn’t enough then he what else could he do? It was over, and it wasn’t his fault.
First of all, James didn’t have the right attitude to go into any business venture. Note that I said business venture because most people who try starting their own home-based business don’t realize that they are in fact, embarking on a legitimate and sometimes, painful venture that takes fortitude and a cast iron stomach. Because a business is on the Internet makes it no different than any “brick and mortar” store and should be treated like one.
James fell into the trap that many others fall into, they feel that because they have been a consumer all their lives, they know all there is to know about business.
They go to the dry cleaner and can find a million and one ways to improve that business. In their minds eye they can find a million and one ways to improve upon any business that they currently do business with, the dry cleaner, the supermarket, the movie theatre, anywhere they go they are experts. Yes they
are expert consumers but that doesn’t qualify them to be experts in the business field. Talk is cheap especially when you’re talking about someone else’s business.
How many high school athletic coaches are bombarded with advise on how he could better coach the team from fathers who only played sports in high school and never coached a day in their lives? You get my drift.
James, like many others, didn’t considered his capital outlay an investment but as a purchase. When someone spends money we call that a purchase. When someone puts money into a business, we considered that an investment. The only time an investment turns into a purchase is when the business fails and than it becomes a purchase and we chalk it up to an expensive education.
Many people like James who invest a limited amount of capital often fail because they feel that they’ve fulfilled all the requirements. They forgot that any business takes passion. It’s not enough to just want it to happen you have to make it happen.
Unfortunately James is not alone; there are millions of people just like him that fail every single day. Often times, they fail because they don’t give themselves enough time to succeed. Eventually everything will succeed if given enough time. Don’t kid yourself; time is the most important resource we have to plug into any venture, it’s just as important as money.
What would have happened if Thomas Edison walked away from the first few failures when he was working on inventing the electric light bulb? What would have happened if Walt Disney, who failed 253 times at obtaining financing for his first theme park, Disneyland walked away from it after his first few tries? What would have happened to many labor and contract negotiations if after the first few meetings everyone walked away?
If you want to become your own boss and invest in a business of your own ask yourself what it would really be like to run your own business. How would it realistically change your life? Put yourself in the entrepreneur chair and test it out first. Do you have the passion, the courage, the patience, the money, the will and the time to become successful?
A wise man once told me that there is no such thing as failure. Failures are those things that have not yet born fruit and have not been given enough time to become a success.
**** Article II
"Six Reasons Why You Should Meditate Every Day!"
by Len Foley
Reason #1: Meditation can give you an instant energy boost!
Have you ever found yourself feeling sluggish, tired, or easily distracted? This is because your energy is being depleted by too many thoughts; they spin around in your head all day and night exhausting you both
mentally and physically.
Meditation works with your subtle energy wind system (otherwise known as chi or prana), rejuvenating your body and clearing your mind by creating a mental space between you and your world. This mental space will help increase your productivity, decrease your stress, and give you a renewed energy that will help you get through even the toughest situations!
Reason #2: Meditation doesn’t require any fancy equipment.
You need only need two things to meditate:
1. A rear-end.
2. A place to sit.
Since everyone has their own rear-end -- and most everyone can find at least one quiet place to sit (a parked car could be a great place to start), then there is little reason why you can’t enjoy the immense benefits of a regular meditation practice.
Reason #3: Meditation doesn’t require any special credentials.
You don’t have to be a Zen master living onjuniper berries in the nether regions of The Himalayas to be able to meditate! Meditation is a practical, efficient tool that you can use everyday to improve your life regardless of what religion you are, what you do for a living, and what your level of experience is. All you need is a genuine wish to try it and you are on your way!
Check out Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s easy-to-follow guide: Transform Your Life: A blissful journey, providing a clear, practical guide to meditation
is one of the best places to find all the tips and tools you’ll ever need: http://www.tharpa.com/tyl.htm as well as http://www.evolutioninhealth.com
Reason #4: Meditation can extend your life.
Do you suffer from chronic stress, anxiety and/or insecurity? These unhealthy states of mind if left untreated can inevitably lead to an unhealthy body and even an untimely death. This is because the main cause of all mental and physical illnesses are energy imbalances in the body.
Meditation helps you return to your perfectly balanced state by cultivating positive and peaceful states of mind thus reducing stress and other
negative states of mind until they are eventually eradicated altogether! In fact medical studies show that meditation can reverse certain aspects of heart disease as well as reduce and eliminate physical pain.
By engaging in a regular meditation practice you will live a longer, healthier life!
Check it out for yourself. Begin with a simple five-minute-per-day commitment, gradually working your way up to a few more minutes each session until you’ve reached a full twenty minutes of uninterrupted meditation. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will start to look younger and feel better!
Reason #5: Meditation is easy (once you get the hang of it)!
The only reason meditation seems difficult, is because we don’t understand its benefits and have little familiarity with how to put it into practice. Meditation is developing internally NOT externally. At the moment we spend much of our time and energy trying to change our external world to make ourselves happy. We change jobs, cars, relationships, houses, etc… thinking that it will give us the peace and
happiness we are so desperate to experience.
Buddha taught simple breathing meditation techniques that eventually lead to permanent states of inner peace. These techniques are as simple as focusing on our breath for three seconds!! All we need to do is \approach it with an open mind and with a little bit of focus and concentration you will be surprised at how easy and addictive meditation can be. Remember: there is no such thing as a bad meditation!
Reason #6: Meditation will improve ALL your relationships.
Meditation will teach you how to cultivate positive states of mind such as love, compassion, and patience. hese minds are vital in any healthy personal or business relationship and will help you be more generous and
respectful towards others.
If you’d like to find out more about how to improve yourlife with meditation techniques and tips, check out GesheKelsang Gyatso’s new book: Transform Your Life http://www.tharpa.com/tyl.htm
http://www.evolutioninhealth.com Change Your Life.
****ARTICLE III
Know Money to Make Money
by Ivon T. Hughes
The experts are always telling us that getting paid for what you
know is one of the most effective, least time-intensive ways to
make a buck. Well, if you know anything about money (and you
don't need to be a financial whiz), writing articles for
financial websites can be a very lucrative way to get paid for
what you know.
We all understand that demand for your product is essential in
any business. Well, how's this for demand: EVERYONE is
interested in money. We want to know how we can earn it, save
it, and grow it. After all, isn't making money your basic
motivation for reading this article or subscribing to this
newsletter? If you do want to make money, and you have any
insight or even anecdotes about things like investing, business,
family finances, taxes, or even being flat broke, there is a huge
online demand for what you have to say. And surprisingly, you
don't have to be a professional writer to get in the game.
There are many different types of financial businesses that are
always looking for articles (yes, even your articles) to use on
their websites. Stock brokers need technical articles, as well as
articles on how families like yours invest, and what they think
about stocks and mutual funds. Even banks, insurance companies,
and mutual fund companies are always looking for human interest
stories about how money, or the lack thereof, can affect families
and individuals just like you, from all walks of life.
You've probably heard a dozen times that the best selling product
on the Internet is information. Well, for you and your articles,
this can clearly be the case. Financial websites are willing to
pay you for your articles, because their customers and people
visiting the sites are HUNGRY for the information. Providing the
information people want makes these firms look good, making
people want to do business with them. If you can help their
business with your articles, they are often willing to pay you
handsomely for your assistance.
In all seasons, and at specific times of year, there are articles
needed on issues like retirement planning, education funding,
savings, tax filing and brackets, insurance, estate planning,
family finances, and more.
But what if you don't know anything about any of these
topics? If you're willing to do some research and learn a
few things, you'll not only be armed with the knowledge you've
gained, but you will also be poised to make some great money.
Try going to a search engine like Google, and you will find
thousands of articles on money, investments, and all types of
insurance. Spend some time learning the ropes and your study
could pay off big time.
In fact, many websites even hold contests to promote themselves
and build a crop of writers. These sites are looking for
interesting articles that teach, entertain, and inform on money,
finances, investments, and insurance. The major prizes
can be worth thousands to the writer, making a few hours of
research and time spent writing well worth it. As sites build a
list of writers, they will typically increase the number of
writing contests they hold, making it easier and easier to get in
on the action.
Ivon T. Hughes is founder of http://www.writers Visit http://www.writerscontest.ca/index1.html to submit your article on term life insurance OR http://www.writerscontest.ca/index2.html to submit an article on Term Deposits/GICs.
****ARTICLE IV
"How to Improve Your Ranking on Search Engines--New Techniques Can Drive Thousands of Visitors to Your Web Site."
by Dr. Kevin Nunley
Randy is the first to tell you driving traffic to your web site is an expensive proposition. "I spent the promotion budget on ads, the grocery money on banners, and we still aren't getting that many hits," he says.
Now Randy turns to search engines. He's heard that tens of millions use them each day to navigate around the Net. A good listing on a major search engine can bring thousands of already-targeted customers to his site. But how can he get his site listed--and fast?
As search engines get more sophisticated, it's easier to get a good site listed. It's also harder to "trick" search engines into listing you. The good news is, if you have a site that is focused on just a few topics your best prospects are likely to search for, you're in a situation where the mammoth Internet portals can help you. And it's all free!
Forget about those services that promise to list you on thousands of search engines. There are only three search engines that really count. Because a number of the majors use the same database, you can register on one and show up on several of them.
"Don't waste time trying to get on Yahoo," says Jerry West, search engine expert with NetGateway. "Instead, submit your site to HotBot.com." Both use the Inktomi database. A listing on HotBot virtually guarantees a showing on Yahoo.
Recently AltaVista surged in user popularity. It ranks as one of the best places to have your site listed. Alta Vista rotates visitors through four databases. If you don't see your site listed, try again in 15 minutes when the next database will be on display. Register with Alta Vista weekly to get your site listed in all four databases.
You will also want to submit your web address to Excite, perennially one of the most used engines. Like HotBot and Alta Vista, Excite spiders through your site in a matter of seconds. Your listing can show up within a few days.
YOUR TITLE IS TOPS.
Search engines pay close attention to the title of your site. That's the line that appears in the little box on your browser. Take car e to include two or three keywords that your best prospects are likely to type into a search engine when they are looking for a site like yours.
"Welcome to Sheila's Web Site" may sound good, but it doesn't give search engines much to go on. It would be better to title Sheila's opening page with some words about what Sheila offers, like "Solutions for credit card debt, loan restructuring, and bankruptcy."
That gives a search engine several good keywords to use when categorizing Sheila's site, words that her customers are likely to use when looking for her.
HOW TO FIND POPULAR KEYWORDS.
Big companies now have access to records from all the major
search engines. These databases show which keywords people search
with. Often a company can find a keyword that millions of people
search with, but isn't used by many web sites. Using a popular
but neglected keyword can draw a goldmine of new visitors.
West says you don't have to lay out big bucks for the insider's list of keywords. Anyone can find them by checking Goto.com. The engine lists keywords that people use along with a rating of their popularity.
More and more, getting a good listing on search engines has less to do with tricks of the trade and more to do with how well your site covers a particular topic. After all, that's what people hope to find when they use a search engine.
Spend time crafting a inviting description of your site to include in your Meta Tags (for a quick lesson on how to write your own Meta Tags, see Alta Vista's short tutorial at < http://www.altavista.com> (look in the "add url" section").
Search engines display your description next to the link to your site. A good description can grab attention and cause lots of people to click to your site rather than another one.
Be patient and don't get too obsessive. I find that once sites are listed on the six or seven major search engines, they tend to start showing up on many other search engines and link libraries.You can register your site with all the majors with one click at <http://www.all4one.com/> . You can register free with over 400 search engines and link libraries with a single click at <http://www.submit4free.com/>.
Finally, make sure the copy on your web site is interesting and makes customers want to buy. All the traffic in the world won't earn you a dime unless your web site converts visitors into buyers.
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copy writing for businesses and organizations. Read all his money-saving marketing tips at http://DrNunley.com/. Reach him at kevin@drnunley.com or 603-249-9519.
Copyright 2004 Jmar Marketing Concepts, all rights reserved.
