August 12, 2009

Is the Internet Your Path to Easy Cash?... How to Impress
People in 10 Seconds or Less... Relieve the Pressure from Four
Little Letters... Trial and Error in Information Marketing... and More.

A big part of why you signed up for the "e-Wealth Daily Bulletin" is to learn new ways to make money. And, since this is an online-only newsletter, I can expect that you're interested in how the Internet could help you get more money as well.

But, is the Internet your path to easy cash?

I wish my answer was a very simple and straightforward "Yes!" However, my answer is "Yes, you can make a lot of money online, but it can take some time getting set up before you do."

It's this setup time (and expense) that often deters entrepreneurs from taking their business ideas online. However, there are ways to reduce your costs and get your plans online. Here are a few of the things you're going to need to run an online business, and how to save money getting them.

1) Programmer: You're going to need someone to help you create, update and monitor your web site. You can learn this on your own, and you can use programs to help you with some of the work. But, to get your business up and running faster and with fewer headaches, I recommend finding yourself a local programmer. To save some money here, place a classified ad looking for students. To build their own experience, they may work for less and are brimming with the latest Internet know- how.

2) A newsletter: You can have a stellar web site and desirable product, but how are you going to inform people about both of these? Newsletters are a proven way to educate your prospects and convert them to customers in both online and offline businesses. You can write about topics related to your business or you could search the Internet for writers to do this work for you. Again, free classified ads can help you locate writers willing to work for less than major agencies if you can't afford them.

3) A prospect list: Now that you have your web site, your product and your newsletter, you need prospects. The lowest cost way to get people to sign up for your newsletter is to approach your current customers. To grow your list, you have dozens of options, many of them will be defined by who you want to attract and what their online habits are. I recommend getting specific consultation here, as it can get pretty expensive acquiring new prospects and there's no way of ensuring that they convert to customers.

4) A lot of time: Your fourth and final piece of the equation is time. An online marketer's day is never 9-5. Web sites don't sleep and, for the first while, neither may you. But, don't let this distract you; once you are set up, you can start creating an automatic income online, as the web site and newsletter begin to do all the work for you.

An "elevator slogan" is used in the marketing business to attract a client's attention. It is usually a five- to 10-second phrase that lets your prospects identify what it is that you have to offer and how it can benefit them. You can use longer versions of these slogans and turn them into elevator speeches for use in your sales collateral, on your web site, or within advertising pieces to give the reader one or two extra minutes of additional information that will help lure them in.

Your prospects are all around you, so what will you do to hook them in 10 seconds or less? Try to create your own elevator slogan or speech by using the following tips:

--- Think of your elevator slogan as a headline that you might read in a press release. Make it dynamic and give it color.

--- Use a magnet message. Be creative. You can use your name, product or service to think of a catchy slogan, rhyme or moniker.

--- Draw in the prospect with a brief outline that describes what you do or your company does that makes the reader or listener want to ask questions.

--- Be specific about your products and/or services.

--- Be upbeat yet businesslike in your tone.

--- Don't be afraid to market yourself. Have the confidence to believe that you are the best in the business. Let the words flow positively through that premise.

--- Determine how the message could be augmented with some visual aspect.

--- Make it a natural, friendly extension of you. People should be able to denote your personality and your mission from what it is that you are stating in your elevator slogan.

--- Offer a personal introduction.

--- Speak directly to the audience you are targeting.

--- Talk about what it is that you do -- not how you do it.

--- Think of all the places where you could incorporate your message.

--- Think of your elevator slogan as a key tool in your marketing box. Use the same basic expression, but transform it for different forms of media. For instance, your "about me" page or your resume could expound the simple idea you've created for your elevator slogan.

--- Use plain words and avoid buzzwords or industry jargon that might throw people off what you are trying to express.

--- Write your elevator slogan so that it establishes a core relationship with the listener or reader.

If you're in d-e-b-t, you likely understand the immense pressure those four letters can put on you. They are always looming over your shoulder, making it difficult to feel free and enjoy your life the way you really want to. They limit your every move, and what's worse is that you feel powerless against their might. But you're not alone.

Millions of people across North America in the United States and Canada are in debt, and the numbers continue to grow. However, every dark cloud has a silver lining. With each story of struggle, there is one of success. People are beating debt every day and using different ways to do so. Here are some of the most common ways people are breaking free from debt's grip.

Prioritizing Debts: One of the most important things you can do when trying to get out of debt is recognize where you owe the most money. Now, this may not always be the debt with the largest balance, like your mortgage, but the debt that has the highest interest rate. After all, the higher the interest rate, the faster your debt can snowball. Depending on the balance you may owe on a credit card, you could be costing yourself hundreds of dollars a month just on interest. Most credit cards carry an 18% or 19% balance, which adds up faster than most people can handle. Taking care of your high interest debts first has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in the long run and speed up your debt recovery.

Take it Down a Notch: We live in a consumer culture. In fact, the culture we're exposed to on a daily basis makes it very difficult to stay away from debt. The only defense against this condition is to take stock of what we can truly afford and live within our means. That means if you've recently lost your job or taken a pay cut, your lifestyle should reflect that change. If you can't figure out how much money you should be spending on what, try to use these numbers as a guideline: 30%-35% of your after-tax take-home income should be used to cover your rent and utilities. Roughly 20% of your after-tax take home pay should go towards paying down your consumer debt (credit cards, car payments, lines of credit). Food costs should be between five percent and 20%, depending on the size of your family. If you're single, then five percent to 10% is a good number.

Develop a Financial Routine: A way to get a better handle on your debt is to make payments in a routine fashion. At the end of this month, take a look at the total of your bills. Then, pick a day, say Wednesdays, and write the checks to each company and mail them. Do it in a manageable fashion: perhaps pay half your utility bill this week, the other half the next. On the same trip, take out a set amount of spending money for yourself: an "allowance" that will last the week. This money can be used for things like groceries, entertainment or whatever it is that you need/want. A financial routine should help wean you off credit cards by only allowing you to make purchases with the readily available cash available in your pocket.

Finally, if you see yourself getting into debt trouble, don't avoid your creditors. Call them and explain that you are going through a rough spot, and there is a chance that you'll be surprised at their willingness to work with you, rather than against you. They may institute a new payment plan for you, or even go as far as to lower what you owe. The fact is that you'll never know if you never call.

** Trial and Error in Information Marketing
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert

"Life cannot come without risk."

"Risk is a part of living life."

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

Wow. There sure are a lot of clichés out there. Especially in business and acquiring independent financial success, you could probably write a book of clichés, maxims and quotes from famous people.

I got thinking about this recently. I was shooting e-mails to a buddy of mine who got married and had kids quite young. He's a very laid-back guy and occasionally his lack of overt ambition has gotten him into trouble, like forgetting exam dates and missing birthdays. But he has never let external influences try to reshape his temperament. When I asked him about why he got married so young and how he knew the time was right, his reply was pretty astonishing.

"Well, when is it ever a good time? You just have to take the risk."

It was quite a response and I have to say that, after the fact, I thought he was spot on. He just decided that it was time to do what he thought was right and, while things haven't been perfect in his relationship, they have been pretty great. For him, it was trial and error of the best kind. The kind of life trial that he was willing to risk everything for and wound up having no real error.

Lately, a lot of my colleagues have expressed extreme reservation in trying new things to better their info marketing business. Scared off by bad economic news and stories of failing businesses, they aren't too keen on experimenting on a new product or idea for their business.

One might think that they are being smart in this regard, as I initially would. Times are bad, so you have to be a little more reserved right? Well, yes and no. Sure things have been bleak, but it's bad judgment to think that life will remain this way. Plus, if you don't try new things, your info marketing business will become out-of-date and have no future appeal to new clients or even existing ones.

To give an example of a real trial-and-error info marketing story, a colleague recently did some contract content writing for a related web site. His content was posted and the web site received the fewest hits ever. Nobody was interested in what his content was trying to sell. My colleague was in real hot water and knew that he had to redeem himself. In a deep burst of ambition, he offered to rewrite the content, structuring it like client letters with different language and with some added formal touches. Guess what? The web site traffic doubled and business exceeded everything his employer expected. After trying one thing that failed, my colleague rebounded with a new idea that brought him greater stature, success and respect.

The bottom line is this: success never comes without failure. Not once. I would bet you a million dollars that any moneymaking guru or millionaire has likely experimented and failed with a certain idea. But they were relentless in their pursuit of success and willing to try again. And again. And again. While others might have buckled under the duress of failure, the really committed individuals soldiered on.

Do the same.

Take risks, work hard, learn from whatever mistakes you make, and enjoy the success you get when it comes. That's trial and error in info marketing.

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