OH MY! Product Launches!

I make it a point to be on the mailing lists of all of the "gurus." Know why? They are my competition. I need to know what they are up to. In the past few months, I have seen a disturbing increase in one thing in particular: product launches. Last month it was Frank Kern's "Mass Control". This month, it's Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula 2.0 (PLF 2.0).

There are a few things in particular I have found disturbing about this. First, when there is a big launch, all the top gurus promote it to their mailing lists. Gurus who all, at some point or another, refused to promote other product in their mailing lists. This tells me that despite what many of them claim, they are getting something in return for advertising to their lists.

Second, all the launches seem to advertise a similar product: training on how to do launches. This tells me that product launching is the current hot trend, but trends like this tend to be bubbles. They are real hot for a few months, then fade away to the next trend.

Third, they are all relatively high dollar products. High dollar products bother me because they are a high risk. If you are experienced and know internet marketing is right for you, then maybe paying a fat price for a specific training makes sense. But if you are still new to making money on the internet, you may be wasting your money. They problem is that there are a large number of people who will spend the money, even if it is not right for them, simply because it is being promoted by a guru they trust.

A lot of the gurus who sent out these promotions are the same ones who try to say there is no need to pay a large amount of money to start making money online. I personally feel that any guru who joins in these launches has taken from his or her credibility. Before you blow a lot of money on one of these, ask yourself if you really need to pay for it or if it is something you can get for free.

Starting Your Home Business

In order to begin your home business you have to make plans to get started. Without a plan you go nowhere or you go in circles accomplishing nothing. In order to begin your business on the right path you should come up with a business plan, a marketing plan and a home plan.  Your business plan is a necessary item that will be needed for loan applications, the hiring of employees, for business affiliates and personal goal setting. You want to have information such as what your business is named and what the mission of your business is. What is your product or service and who is it being made for. Who is your target customer base? What will it cost to make your product and what can you sell it for? What will be your end profit? These key pieces of information are needed especially when you require start up funds. These can be funds from a bank loan or an affiliate who is willing to become a financial backer of your company. Create a binder or portfolio for your business plan. Make copies and keep this accessible for times when it is needed.

 

Included in your business plan should be a marketing plan or an advertising campaign. How do you plan to provide the consumer public with information about your business, product or service? Will you be renting a billboard, running newspaper advertisements, magazine ads, television, radio and so on? Will you have a website or be running Internet ads such as those sponsored by Google ad sense or Microsoft ad center? What is the cost of each advertisement media? Do you have the funding for these advertising efforts or do you need outside funds? This once again shows any outside parties that you have done the needed research to know how you plan to reach the consumer public for sales. You can also include the percentages or charts that show success of similar advertising campaigns and how well your marketing choices will relate to your business.

 

A home plan is for the benefit of you and your family while your business takes shape. You have to be realistic in the facts that a business does not become a hit success over night. Money, time and effort are needed before you will see a solid flow of income from your home business. You need to be aware of your household budget per week and month. Be sure that you have at a minimum three months worth of savings to allow for household expenses including utilities, food, gas, hygiene items etc. This will allow you to apply other funds to your business without creating strife in your home. You may also want to maintain a part time job position at your current job or elsewhere. If your spouse works this may not be required. The exact plans for a household will vary on the specific family needs. Preparation is key to a successful business start up as well as successful home life as the transition from an outside job to a home based career take place.

Starting Your Home Business

In order to begin your home business you have to make plans to get started. Without a plan you go nowhere or you go in circles accomplishing nothing. In order to begin your business on the right path you should come up with a business plan, a marketing plan and a home plan.  Your business plan is a necessary item that will be needed for loan applications, the hiring of employees, for business affiliates and personal goal setting. You want to have information such as what your business is named and what the mission of your business is. What is your product or service and who is it being made for. Who is your target customer base? What will it cost to make your product and what can you sell it for? What will be your end profit? These key pieces of information are needed especially when you require start up funds. These can be funds from a bank loan or an affiliate who is willing to become a financial backer of your company. Create a binder or portfolio for your business plan. Make copies and keep this accessible for times when it is needed.

 

Included in your business plan should be a marketing plan or an advertising campaign. How do you plan to provide the consumer public with information about your business, product or service? Will you be renting a billboard, running newspaper advertisements, magazine ads, television, radio and so on? Will you have a website or be running Internet ads such as those sponsored by Google ad sense or Microsoft ad center? What is the cost of each advertisement media? Do you have the funding for these advertising efforts or do you need outside funds? This once again shows any outside parties that you have done the needed research to know how you plan to reach the consumer public for sales. You can also include the percentages or charts that show success of similar advertising campaigns and how well your marketing choices will relate to your business.

 

A home plan is for the benefit of you and your family while your business takes shape. You have to be realistic in the facts that a business does not become a hit success over night. Money, time and effort are needed before you will see a solid flow of income from your home business. You need to be aware of your household budget per week and month. Be sure that you have at a minimum three months worth of savings to allow for household expenses including utilities, food, gas, hygiene items etc. This will allow you to apply other funds to your business without creating strife in your home. You may also want to maintain a part time job position at your current job or elsewhere. If your spouse works this may not be required. The exact plans for a household will vary on the specific family needs. Preparation is key to a successful business start up as well as successful home life as the transition from an outside job to a home based career take place.

Boosting Morale By Allowing Your Employees To Work From home

Are you losing good employees to the work at home market? This is something that many employers struggle with because they have found that people enjoy working from home. They are able to spend time with their families and do the things around the house that need to be done. Also, they can usually get much more done during the day by working from home than they would be able to do by working for you in your office. Therefore, you might have found that many of your employees leave what they are doing for you in order to work from home. You are then left with a bunch of people who aren't very good and who are not able to do the work that you had with your good employees. There are several things that you can do about this. First of all, you can help your employees by allowing them to keep working for you, but do most of it from home.

 

It all depends on your business, but most likely there is going to be something that your employees can do at home. Think about all of the things that they do each day, and unless they are working with customers the entire time they are there, they can probably do some or all of their work at home. Remember that if you can work out a system where your employees are allowed to do some or all of their work from home, they will probably be happier and better able to do the work that needs to be done at the office.

 

If you allow your employees to do what they can do at home, without having to worry about taking a dock in pay for it, you are going to find that you will have much better employees. This means that you will be able to take advantage of the morale that your employees have, and you will also be able to make them much happier with you and much happier in their lives in general. Allowing your employees to do what they can do at home will mean that when they are working in your office they are less likely to be bored or frustrated or burnt out. If you can have them come in several times a week for meetings or to do what they need to do, you will find that they are better able to have the morale that you need for your business.

 

Boosting morale is always a better way to get things done, rather than trying to drive your employees to work harder than they want to work. If you can make them happier with their lives by allowing them to have some time to work at home during the week you will find that they are actually going to produce more for you ,and be happier with the business overall. This might be the best way that you have to keep the good employees you have and attract new employees.

Online Home Based Business Schedule

In order to run a successful online home based business, you need to create a work-at-home schedule that allows you to get all your work done each day. Even though you work from home, you still need to be productive in order to earn a living. If you are the type who procrastinates, then you may want to reconsider working from home. Those who are able to motivate themselves usually are successful. But this does not mean that people who lack self motivation skills can't learn, it may just be more difficult than for others. Creating a daily schedule may be necessary in order to maintain a steady pace.

 

In order to create an efficient schedule, you need to write down all the daily task that need to be accomplished during the day. Once you have these tasks written down, then you can begin to create a schedule. Based on the number of hours you want to work each day, you should set realistic times for completion so you aren't rushing through them. Instead, you can take your time to make sure they are done correctly. Many people believe they can accomplish more during the day than is actually possible, so learning how to budget time and gauge how much time each tasks takes can help you plan for your day.

 

Investing in a calendar, dry erase board, and other materials to create your schedule will help in the long run. Once you have a list, you can check off items as they are completed, add or subtract from the list, and determine how long you need to work each day. The more time you put into your business in the beginning, the more successful it will be. Online businesses are a wonderful opportunity for you to work from home, but you need to maintain a work ethic that is strong. Because you may have to complete various tasks that others in your previous job may have completed, you will find that there aren't enough hours in the day to get all the work done. This will change once your business is established, but you may need to put in extra hours in the evening and on weekends in order to make your business grow.

 

Online home businesses that sell products to others will require more work than selling services, or digital items such as books and manuals that can be downloaded onto a customer's computer. If you sell products on online auction sites or through a website, you will have to work out a packing and shipping schedule so you aren’t spending all of your time running to the post office to ship an order. Selecting one or two days a week to pack and ship items will help your work load tremendously. Depending on the popularity of your product, you may need to increase these days, especially around the holidays. When you stay focused on running your business and sticking to a schedule, you will find that success is not difficult to achieve. 

Choosing Home Office Equipment For Your Business

When you begin preparing for your home business you want to be sure that you have all of the equipment that you need. The best way to do this is to make a list, prepare a budget for your equipment, and then begin shopping for your needed items. You want to consider a way to contact clients, keep records, send updates or shipment information and perform business research. As technology moves forward it is a must to have a computer for your home business. This is one piece of equipment that can perform many duties. You can do research online, store client records, send emails and copies of other needed information to your business affiliates. Choosing between a Mac and a PC is a personal choice. Visiting a local office supply store can help you to increase your knowledge of which computer system will best suit your needs. Price can also cause you to choose one system over another. You may be required to choose a model that is not quite your preference but will get the job done until your budget increases.

 

The next piece of equipment you will need to look into is a copier/printer/fax machine. You can find a machine that carries all of these in one piece or you can purchase each separately. These can be found at most local office supply stores. Prices will vary due to brand names and functions as well as your budget. Looking for a piece of equipment that carries all of these functions in one can save on space, which can be a must when working from a small home office. Once you have found this item you will want to look into a phone with an answering system. This may not be necessary as most people have a cellular phone with voicemail to perform the same function as a landline/ home phone line. Ensuring that you have a method of contact for business emergencies is very important. If there is an issue with a shipment or product you can be reached quickly for an immediate resolution to the problem.

 

You may already have a desk and chair for your home office. You want to be sure to look at those items. Are they comfortable and functional? Many people who sit at a desk and a computer for the day suffer from wrist, shoulder, neck, back and even leg pain. These pains are often due to the furniture that they are seated at. Ergonomics is the study of how an item connects to a person and how it affects the person’s health. Searching an ergonomic furnishings sight can offer solutions for your pain problems in a chair with proper back support or a wrist rest for your keyboard etc. These items may be more costly but they can prevent pain and discomfort as you work. 

 

Price is not always a sign that a piece of equipment is better than another. You should look for reviews on a piece of equipment. You can do so online. Looking for positive feedback can help you to choose the right pieces of office equipment for your home business. Keep in mind that you can make purchases that get the job done now and upgrade to items that will be for the long run in the future. Having what you need on hand to begin your business venture is what is key.

Becoming an Affiliate Marketing Entrepreneur in Six Easy Steps

One of the premier vehicles of making extra money for any savvy webmaster is the use of affiliate links. As a successful affiliate of any number of businesses, it is up to you to promote businesses which may be either online stores or brick and mortar businesses with store fronts that offer products which might be of interest to the visitors who come to your site. In the past, you could tell who was heavily engaged in the affiliate marketing trade simply by the copious amount of flashing banner ads and pop up windows; at this point in time, marketing techniques have been greatly refined and the odds are good that many an affiliate marketer is marketing to you at this very moment perhaps without even noticing it!

 

Becoming an affiliate marketing entrepreneur in six easy steps is a good idea for any webmaster that is ready to enter the fray:

 

1. Understand the lingo of affiliate marketing. Like any other business it is fraught with abbreviations and whether you are dealing with PPC or PPS makes a huge difference in remuneration. Once you are familiar with the terminology, check for trends in these terms and you will most likely have a good chance at ferreting out what is hot and what is on its way out.

2. Craft a website that is not only user friendly but also search engine friendly. It is immaterial if this is a personal opinion blog site, an online magazine, a site that is created with the specific purpose of selling a good, or a promotional site for a celebrity. Whatever you choose to make the topic of your site, do it well, make the content sticky so that visitors will come back time and again, and then ensure that you go through all the steps of search engine optimization.

3. Entering the business as an affiliate marketing entrepreneur now requires that you find businesses with which you wish to affiliate yourself. The businesses should offer products or services of interest to the kinds of visitors your website receives and the remuneration scheme should be favorable to you. In other words, if you decide to affiliate yourself with a piano manufacturer who will pay $100 per sale, but requires you to have a $1,000 account balance prior to payout, you need to ask yourself how realistic it is to make 10 sales within a month or two. If this does not strike you as realistic, it is wiser to stay away.

4. Advertise your business and also the affiliate in newsletters, customer emails, and informative articles.

5. Track your success. Granted, most likely the company will do its own tracking of your sales and clicks, but it does not hurt to compile reports not only to double check for accuracy but also to explore trends and attempt new marketing campaigns.

6. Have the kind of flexibility to cut lose a program that does not perform. If one program is not making you any money, it is wise to drop it in favor of another one that holds better promise.

Five Reasons Why Affiliate Marketing Articles Generate Sales

Affiliate marketing articles generate sales and even though this medium has been overlooked until just recently, it is finally beginning to truly take off. Thanks in part to the freelance writers who create top notch content in which entrepreneurs can embed links at will, there are five reasons why affiliate marketing articles generate sales to such an extent as to even astound those who track online sales performance data for a living:

 

1. An article – as opposed to a banner ad or text link – enables the entrepreneur to put into about 400 to 500 words a plethora of reasons why the purchase of a product, use of a service, or choice of one company over another ensures personal satisfaction to the consumer. Much like the tried and true sales psychology of the 1980s that played on the fact that men sought to be admired while women wanted affirmation, affiliate marketing articles enable creative writers to generate these feelings in their readers and thus make your business stand out head, shoulders, and torso above the rest.

2. Affiliate marketing articles provide your company the unique opportunity to fulfill basic consumer needs, such as the assurance of pleasure and the avoidance of discomfort – either physical or fiscal. Tying together your product or company with a promise of gain or an assurance of safety from problems not only persuades potential clients to give your company a second look, but more often than not will spare you from being lumped in with the competition that has not yet caught on to the marketing opportunities offered by this medium.

3. “Free” is a word that no consumer can resist and if your affiliate marketing articles reference a freebie of any kind you can be sure that they get read! Offer a free coupon to a good or service from your business or perhaps a free e-book, stickers, or any other goodies that are cheap to manufacture and send out but create a sense of goodwill with your consumer base. The results are amazing and make your product irresistible!

4. Savvy entrepreneurs have used their affiliate marketing articles to fulfill the most basic human need of belonging to something greater than oneself. Thus, many such articles contain free membership offers to clubs or email groups, private chat rooms or action committees. In some cases marketers have chosen to offer exclusive membership to focus groups where for little if any remuneration the consumer would speak out on marketing trends and things that work and do not. This of course is highly profitable for the marketer and fulfills the basic need of belonging the consumer has, making your business the one website she or he will visit time and again.

5. Unlike banner ads or text links, affiliate marketing articles provide the perfect sales vehicle to deliver a deadline based pitch. Spell out over the course of 400 words why missing this once in a decade sale will be the bane of their existence, and before long you find that sales are increasing dramatically!

Work From Home Assembly Jobs

Many think that working from home is only for those who are good at typing or have other skills online; however, there are also jobs that can suit all kinds of people. You might be interested in work from home assembly jobs. These are jobs that are done from the comfort of your own home, and jobs that might suit you very well.

With assembly jobs you are going to be given the parts that you will need to put together. These can be all sorts of things, so you will be able to find work from home assembly jobs in a wide variety of areas that you are interested in. In fact, you might be able to find several different work from home assembly jobs that you can have at the same time. This can be an easy way for you to make multiple streams of income, which can really help when it comes to things like taking care of your family.

With work from home assembly jobs you will be based out of your home, and the companies or people will ship things to you to be put together. There are all sorts of things that you might be interested in, and all sorts of things that will need to be put together. Therefore, work from home assembly jobs are very popular and are jobs that are readily available. This is an important note for those who are concerned about stability in the current job market.

When you have work from home assembly jobs you will need to have a home area or an office where parts can be brought or shipped to you. Once you have them you will put them together in whatever way you would like to, and then either ship them out or wait for them to be picked up. This is how work from home assembly jobs and they are great jobs for lots of people.

There are some things to remember about work from home assembly jobs however. First of all, you want to be sure that as you are doing work from home assembly jobs you are understanding the various things that you have to put together. Also be sure that you are leaving yourself enough time to do the actual work so that you are able to get all of the work done in the right time frame. Be sure as well that you have researched the company so that you know you are working for a company that is legit and that the job will also be legit. This is something that will be very important with any work form home job. When you have work from home assembly jobs, you want to be sure that you know where the parts are coming from, what you are supposed to be doing with them, and what to do with them when you are done. Remember that you should not take work from home assembly jobs that are requiring you to do anything illegal. Make sure the pay is right for you as well.

When the big guys speak, you should listen carefully

This was an interesting article I read today and thought I would pass it on. When someone like George David gives advice, you listen.

If you don't know who he is, he is CEO of United Technology Corporation, the most powerful technology based corporate conglomerate in the US. In 2000, he was one of America's Most Powerful People by Forbes magazine, CEO of the Year by Industry Week' in 2003 and in 2007 he reaped $65 million (before company perks!).

here it is:

Inside the Numbers: 17
	UTC's Chairman and CEO George David often is asked for his thoughts on what it takes to be successful in business. David provided this insight at Yale University during a 1996 speech titled "The 17 Keys to the Corporate Lock." More than 10 years later, David's philosophy remains consistent and sets the foundation for UTC's culture. Dos Complete staff work. No questions asked not answered. Relationships always. We accomplish with and through others. We cannot be too courteous nor too thoughtful of others. Never burn bridges. Relentless constancy of purpose which we achieve consequent on principles. Test: Principles make people predictable and conversely unpredictable people are unprincipled. Clarity and brevity in written and oral expression by the word, not the pound. We cannot be too brief. High energy. Energy is the scarce resource. "I'm propulsion, you're guidance." Ambitions need to follow energies (with which you were born) or you will be disappointed. Solutions not problems. No upward delegation. You decide what to do, be sure I'm too busy to do your work. Work downward not upward. Show me the back of your head, not your bright shining face. Give me the courtesy to judge your work without your help. Stronger/better recruits than you. The only route to the golf course, yet most executives and managers fail this test. Content, content, content. Always an agenda. Don'ts Never escalate. Life is neither fight nor flight. The first lesson of diplomacy: Back up, don't give up and never let the other put a glove on you. Never optimize around the short term. Always keep your eyes on the horizon. Don't forget gravity, do remember intergalactic forces. Your achievements (and failures) are often due to forces much larger than you. When you have been too good for too long, better check around and behind you. Don't confuse your net worth with your real worth. The former may be illusory and transitory, the latter will not be. Never, ever, compromise your ideals. The cynical view is wrong. Shortcuts are never a reliable strategy. Don't change employers, at least not often. Don't work the proximity theory (that good things happen to people near powerful people). Never threaten and the corollary: Never enter a negotiation without a bottom line.

Take this to heart.
-Robert
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