October 15, 2009

Finding That Perfect Business Opportunity for an Extra $2,456
a Month... Start Building Your Decision Skills Today!... Apple
and Disney Take a Gamble... Taking Your Information
Marketing Business to the Middle of Nowhere... and More.

People who have become millionaires have made their money in one of two ways: they either had the foresight to act upon a moneymaking opportunity long before anyone else did; or they simply turned a longtime passion, interest or hobby into a moneymaking opportunity. If you are looking for the perfect business opportunity to make you the extra money you need -- maybe even to make you wealthy -- you may not have to look very far.

Everyone has some kind of passion, interest or hobby that can easily be matched to the hundreds of opportunities being sold in the business marketplace today. These business opportunities can range from $20 to over $20,000 -- but don't let these numbers fool you.

Many wealth-seekers have made a fortune using the simplest and least expensive methods, such as turning a $40 business opportunity book they bought through the mail into a multi- million-dollar empire.

Just because you spend more money doesn't mean the business opportunity will help you reap larger financial rewards or make you successful quicker. Your perfect business opportunity begins with your believing in it -- you have to possess the desire to make it successful. For example, don't pursue a real estate venture if you don't care much for real estate to begin with.

Instead, go with something that you love to do and that you are truly passionate about.

When people ask me for advice about moneymaking opportunities, they often have an unrealistic objective in mind: to make as much money in the least amount of time possible.

Let's face it; you can't get rich overnight unless you win the lottery or get a huge inheritance. So, the next best thing is to find a business opportunity that will get you excited day in, day out, until you reach your goal.

Remember, your goals have to be realistic! If you need to make an extra $2,456 each month to achieve the kind of lifestyle you desire, then make that the end goal you strive for -- not a pie- in-the-sky fantasy of overflowing riches. If you have a realistic goal to begin with, you will have a better chance of success sooner than you think.

For example, if you are having a difficult time making ends meet each month, your first objective is to get out of your financial rut.

Forget about making the big bucks for now until you get your head above water. Determine how much money you need to achieve your number one goal and then put your business opportunity to work right away. Take baby steps, because becoming wealthy will not happen right away.

Just as some people are naturally better at math than others, some folks find it easier to make decisions. But anyone can learn. You build your decision muscles by exercising them daily. Here are five ways to develop your decision-making prowess.

1. Start a "decision aerobics" program. Set aside 30 minutes a day, at least three times a week. Choose a problem – a real one, or one you make up for the exercise -- and work on it, applying the rest of the five steps and decision tools set out in this article.

2. Play games; especially strategy games. Chess, Go, "Risk,""Monopoly," and "Clue" are a few great choices.

3. Do puzzles. Logic and brain-teaser puzzles, as well as game puzzles like hangman and computer games like "Tetris."

4. Read the biographies of famous decision-makers. Go beyond following the storyline and really focus in on their choices. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you have done the same? Why or why not?

5. Find a real-world hobby or activity that provides opportunities to practice. For example, coach (or help coach) a little league team. Or organize a fundraising event. Or start within your own four walls by redecorating your home. Don't be afraid to shake things up: When you're the one doing the shaking, you're also the one in charge and in control!

Try doing any one or all of these exercises, then watch how your ability to make quick decisions improves.

We're still in the midst of tough economic times for many people, that much is clear. However, things have been slowly improving and, one day, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, we will be in a booming period of economic recovery.

Some entrepreneurs are looking towards the future and taking bold steps to ensure that, when that time rolls around, they are ready to capitalize on it.

Take Apple founder Steve Jobs, for example. Jobs is currently working with Jim Fielding, the president of Disney Stores, to change the face of retail. As most businesses look to scale back, they are looking to invest heavily -- up to $1 million a store -- in hopes of being ready for the boom, while giving customers more of a reason to visit the stores.

So, what are they doing? Well, they are planning on making stores more interactive for customers. Instead of just having rows and rows of toys and stuffed animals, stores will now feature a number of unique aspects currently unseen in the retail world. Recreational activities like movies, online chats with characters and computer animation triggered by shoppers' actions will all work to revolutionize the retail experience for mall shoppers.

Why do this? Well, Disney hopes that, by providing all these revolutionary aspects to its stores, people will be drawn in and stay, which will bolster sales. For them, these expansive measures will be an investment in the future success of the company.

These decisions, of course, were not decided on overnight. There was lots of back and forth and disagreements within the ranks at Disney as to whether or not this was a good decision. After all, if it doesn't work, they stand to lose all kinds of big money -- big money that would even hurt a business like Disney.

Their idea to go big in a time where most businesses are retracting, however, is quite interesting for other entrepreneurs. It gives us something to think about for our own businesses. An undertaking such as this gets customers excited about your business and proves that you are dedicated to separating your brand and serving them better.

At the same time, it can be a huge gamble. If you invest too much without receiving the desired results, it can spell big-time trouble for your business. However, if it works, you could experience unprecedented results.

What Disney's case can show you is that sticking with the status quo may not always be to your benefit. Sometimes, going out on a limb and experimenting to grow your business can pay-off big time. We'll see how Disney's decision turns out.

** Taking Your Information Marketing Business to the Middle
of Nowhere
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert

For most of my professional life, I have been based out of a metropolis of some kind. Now, I grew up in the country, so when I talk to people from home, I get jabs, like:

"So city boy, how're things in the Big Smoke? Your lungs black yet?"

Or:

"When you're on the subway, do you carry a Desert Eagle or just a .38?"

It's all in good fun at the end of the day and I usually go along with the jokes. But when it comes to great food, interesting entertainment, and some excellent social circles, the city is a good place for me at this point in my life.

That being said, I think country life is pretty great and I am still contemplating relocating there in my later years. Recently, I got a message from a friend. He lives quite a ways north and works as a geologist there.

"I like the idea of this info marketing thing, but I don't think I can do it up here."

Not true. In fact, whenever I've spoken to people starting their own information marketing businesses, I have stressed how networking to the non-urban areas is probably one of the best career moves any info marketer could ever make.

With modern digital applications, relocation is not necessary either. You don't even have to move there. You just have to be hip to new information and be able to get it out to your clients outside of the urban areas.

What sort of information marketing best suits your countryside-savvy or country-living clientele? Here are just a few examples:

-- Outdoor activities: This one is obvious. The city is loaded with people who have cottages, go on retreats, or are camping aficionados. You may be one of them. Got some tips on where to go canoeing or what gear to take for a particular part of the country? That's valuable coin. This sort of info can make online newsletters and small book info products. And this info is not just valuable to people in the city. Many people in the country use this info as well, as they are often unaware of things in their own area.

-- Travel destinations: Along with special info on outdoor activities, it's good if you know special places as well. Again, this is something valuable to others, particularly those who never go to different places or are weary of the same old tourist destinations. Recently, a friend who does info marketing on golf suggested a very little-known course out west that was new and quite modern. By just sending out a newsletter with information and travel directions on this particular golf course, he saw a great rise in business over the month he released it. Try this as well if you have some info on a place or area that your clients don't know about, but would benefit from knowing.

-- Rural mementoes: Even though my mom lives in the suburbs these days, she is still a collector of old wooden furniture, looms, stain glass, and other leftovers from yesteryear. She's not the only one either. Many people like to collect this stuff and will pay good money to know where to find it. Know of a good antique or secondhand joint in the country? How about places where they hold auctions for old farm equipment? There are some new ideas right there.

-- Farming and agriculture: One thing that is good for you city people that dabble in the rural lifestyle is being near areas of research. While real farming takes place outside of the metro area, a lot of news and agricultural research takes place in the city. Here's where rural types are really interested. You can start a new facet of information marketing by giving out tips on the most recent developments in agricultural science from a local university or being first to know new cattle prices from the local stockyard. People in the country are eager to be informed and that's a good avenue for your information marketing business.

There are way more avenues I could include here. Fishing tips, hobby farming, taxidermy, traditional music...the list is endless. And the point is simple: you don't have to live in a big city to be a successful information marketer nor live in the country to know something about it. You just have to take what you know and apply it to your business to make it successful. That's it. Remember: geography should never hinder a good information marketing business.