Will Your Retirement Mean Working Life Phase Two?

Will Your Retirement Mean Working Life Phase Two?

Copywriting - They Long To Be Close To You!

Marketing Wisdom in a 1970s Hit Song

"Just like me... they long to be... close to you..."

Okay, okay. Some of you may be too young to remember this 70's hit, but hear me out...

Because there's a whole lot of wisdom in that one line from the Carpenters' 1970 smash hit. And it has absolutely nothing to do with birds suddenly appearing every time you are near.

Let me explain...

I'm a pretty private person. I like to get started, focus on my work, and keep my personal business... well, personal.

But over the last year or so, I've been slowly cracking the door open and letting everyone have a peek at my life outside the office. And there's a reason for that.

Back when I was first dipping my toes into the Internet marketing waters, I read an article on copywriting by Rich Schefren. Rich is one of the world's best small-business strategists, and knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful.

I knew nothing about Rich prior to reading his article. I learned that he drives a Maserati. And that his daughter is the "cover girl" for a popular supermarket item? And that he absolutely STINKS at tennis? He went on to explain why these "trivial facts" are important... and how they can help YOUR business grow.

And I was enraptured by Rich's teachings. His breakthrough ideas on writing sales copy were instrumental in my initial success online, and from time to time I still I refer to the notes I took from that article whenever I need a copywriting boost.

For instance, a couple of months ago...

I was at home working on some copy, and I quickly glanced at those article notes to get a kick-start.

What I got was a kick all right - a kick in the HEAD!

These are the exact words that popped out at me in all caps and yellow highlighting:

YOU ARE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE IF YOU ARE NOT PERSONALIZING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Ever had an epiphany?

I did. I suddenly realized how closed and impersonal I had become in my sales copy, and how I had alienated many of my readers because of it.

I realized that, no matter how I may feel or think, in order to become a trusted advisor to my prospects and customers I needed to open up about myself, about my family, and about my life outside of business activities. And if I opened the curtain a little, they would most likely respond very positively.

In other words, Rich Schefren reached out from that sheet of paper, slapped me upside the head, and said: "Yo, Buckner... take a lesson from Karen Carpenter. They long to be 'close to you.' So LET 'EM!"

I made a vow right then and there that I was going to create a stronger bond with my audience.

So I started focusing more on empathizing with them, understanding their situations, feelings, and motives. I dug deep to find out what kept them up at night... what gnawed at their very core... and how my products could help solve that problem.

Then I immersed myself into their conversations. I studied the forums and social networking sites they frequented. I made note of the buzzwords they tossed out. I wanted to learn the language they spoke so I could talk to them more effectively on their level.

Finally, I just tried to be myself. I know that sounds overly simplistic, but it's so crucial. Because we all know people who tried to be someone else. And they failed miserably because there was no truth or integrity in anything they said. So I let my personality shine through a lot more, making a point of telling my readers about the little things - not just the big things - that affect how I live, work, and play.

And guess what? The response was AMAZING! My subscriber rates went through the roof, I saw significant increases in sales, and my "likeability" factor was suddenly off the charts. All because of this shift in my copy.

What about you? Is your copy stiff, stale, and lacking in personality? Are you pulling your prospects and customers "close to you" with your e-mails, sales letters, and blog posts? Or are you pushing them further away?

Because in the words of John Carlton, one of the top copywrighters around, "Good copywriting is like sitting down, cracking a beer, and shooting the sh**." I don't know how to put it any better.

If you can integrate this mindset into your copy, you'll create a stronger bond with your prospects, customers, and subscribers. As a result, you'll make LOTS more money (and get a lot more enjoyment out of being a copywriter).$

[Ed. Note. Ray Buckner is dedicated to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

Get Famous On Facebook In 60 Days

Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010


Time: 6:00 PM PST / 7:00 PM MST / 8:00 PM CST / 9:00 PM EST



For more time zones, please see the Time Zone Converter.



This is such an incredible story!



16 months ago 2 of my friends were broke,

struggling, living in the basement of a bar,

and had $40.00 between them.



Fast forward to today, and these 2 musicians

have a blog ranked in the top 30,000 websites

in the WORLD, they get over 1,000 unique

visitors to their websites PER DAY, and they've

made over 5-Figures in 7 Days!



And they did the majority of this damage with

the help of a little website called FaceBook!

(AND IT WASN'T PPC)



They actually didn't even touch the "techie"

side of the internet. They used real PEOPLE

TO PEOPLE strategies that are simple, F*R*E*E,

and they work!



Want to see what they've been up to over

the past 16 months that has skyrocketed

their business to ultra-heights?



This Wednesday December 1st at 9 PM EST

they've agreed to share some of their insider

secrets with you completely F*R*E*E!



Crazy, eh?! But because of their big hearts

and commitment to helping networkers

get to the promised land, YOU get to benefit

in a VERY big way this week.



Register now and show up early.

This will undoubtedly sell out:



== > https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/380254465



This Wednesday, December 1st

9PM Eastern (5 GMT)

8PM Central

7PM Mountain

6PM Pacific

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock



This training is going to be pure gold, and

can be directly responsible for you having

an amazing financial year in 2011. I hope you

get your seat before this thing sells out!



Successfully,

Ray Buckner

http://rbuckner.mlsp.com



630-890-1458 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 630-890-1458 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

SKYPE: ray.buckner

ray@raybuckner.biz



****************** END COPY *****************

Click Here To Register For Your Webinar Seat Now!

Attracting A Starving Crowd

"In the end, you make your reputation and you have your success based upon credibility and being able to provide people who are really hungry for information what they want." Brit Hume

You've grasped the concept of Attraction Marketing. You've set up your Twitter, Facebook and Youtube accounts. Wow, you've even started blogging! Now, how do you create headlines and content that drive prospects to your site or capture page?


Well, the best way is to market exclusively to a "starving crowd."

A starving crowd not only wants the information you are offering -- it has an insatiable appetite for it. Therefore, even with a lot of players in the same market, we can all do well, because the market's demand is a bottomless pit.

In particular, there are three "starving crowd" markets that have an especially consistent demand for information: Hobbyists, Business Opportunity Seekers, and Moneymaking/Investing. We, as Better Networkers, are interested in Business Opportunity Seekers.

Business Opportunity Seekers

There is a voracious appetite for information on how to make money in your spare time, start a home-based business, change careers, or earn a living without having a job.

I believe business opportunity seekers can be divided into two groups.

The first group is doers. Doers are serious about changing their lives, and they actually pursue the course of action you recommend.

The second group is dreamers. Dreamers enjoy learning how to do what they want to do, yet take no action beyond reading about it.

You can't usually distinguish between these segments of your market, but you really don't have to -- because both consume an unending stream of information products.

Of course, there are other starving crowd niches for information marketers, including: self-help... relationships... sex... health and fitness... beauty... fashion... and weight loss. But hobbies, business opportunities, and moneymaking are by far the largest and most active.

One of the biggest mistakes beginning information marketers make is choosing, as their primary niche, a market that is not a starving crowd.

Without a starving crowd of buyers, you will always be fighting an uphill battle to peddle your info products. And you will be forever frustrated that your prospects aren't buying your valuable information when you know it's stuff they absolutely should have.

But people don't readily do what they should do -- or what you think is good for them. They are much more easily convinced to buy what they already want... rather than what you think they need.

So when you select a starving crowd -- like business opportunity seekers-- as your primary niche, you can sell your prospects the stuff they want... over and over again.$

[Ed. Note. Ray Buckner is dedicated to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

Word Of Mouth Marketing

Use Your Mouth




We have all heard of B-to-C (business-to-consumer) marketing. And we have all heard of B-to-B (business-to-business) marketing. We have even (more recently) heard of C-to-C (consumer-to-consumer) marketing. But what Word of Mouth Marketing explores is the new world of B-to-C-to-C marketing - business-to-consumer-to-consumer!

You may be thinking, "Word of mouth isn't a new concept. It's been going on forever. So what's the big deal?"

What's new is that word of mouth has evolved from anecdotal to actionable, from something that "just happens" to something you can influence. In fact, because we now have the tools and knowledge to work with it, word of mouth marketing has become the fastest-growing form of marketing.

Word of mouth is about authentic consumer conversation. That means marketers join in a conversation with their customers, participating in it but never manipulating, faking, or degrading its fundamental honesty in any way.

There are five T's to word of mouth marketing:

1. Talkers: Finding people who will talk about you

Talkers are any group of people who have enthusiasm and the connections to relay your message. Talkers are regular people, your best prospects/customers.

You just don't find talkers... you cultivate them. People talk about you for two reasons: They either had a very good experience with you or they had a very bad experience. Either way, by responding to their comments you can turn them into big marketers for your brand. Here's how to do it:


     •Acknowledge your mistakes. People appreciate honesty. If you make a mistake, do not try to sweep it under the rug. Instead, apologize to those affected, correct the problem and thank them for staying with you. You will be surpised by the number of people that you hear back from. They will not only thank you for correcting your mistake, but often they will tell you that they have since recommended your service to several people they know.

    •Acknowledge compliments. Many people think that if someone pays you a compliment, a response is not necessary. This could not be further from the truth. That person took the first step by making a comment. Now you need to seize the opportunity to turn her into a talker. You do this by replying to your customers' letters, e-mails, and forum postings.

     •Acknowledge your fans. Sometimes you can turn a person into a talker just by talking to them first. Look for signs of extreme enthusiasm. Look for prospects who frequently attend the events you sponsor, or who comment on your blog posts or tweets.

2. Topics: Giving people a reason to talk

All word of mouth starts with creating a message that spreads. In other words, with a good, clear idea that's easy to repeat.

Good topics are organic. They are based on the exceptional qualities that make your products stand out. They flow naturally from the products' attributes, without needing to be pushed by marketing.

3. Tools: Helping the message spread faster and further

Non info-publishing, info-marketing companies have been doing this for years. Dining establishments spread the word by handing out 2 for 1 coupons. Cosmetics companies give away free samples. Apartment complexes offer one month's free rent. Phone companies give you a $50 credit for referring a friend. And so on.

But with the Internet, it has never been faster, easier, or cheaper. Just think about it. How many times have you read something online and forwarded it to not just one or two friends, colleagues, or relatives but five or 10? And that's without any marketing push. If you have a "Forward to a Friend" or "Tell a Friend" button at the bottom of your e-mailed publication, you're adding exponential marketing power to it.

I love to find out what my prospects are saying, because it helps me better understand their needs. If you ask me, any company that believes in their products and employees will have forums. Forums not only facilitate communication, they increase accountability.

4. Taking Part: Joining the conversation

Once you have reached out to real people and encouraged them to talk, there is no turning back. You must join the conversation. You must reply to e-mails, accept comments on your blog, participate in the discussion board, answer the phone.

Joining the conversation is even more powerful when it is public. Publish readers' comments and questions. Understand that if one of your readers is struggling and takes the time to ask for help, you need to (1) acknowledge that and (2) share our advice with others who may be in the same situation.

Again, if your prospects are complimenting you, thank them. If prospects are saying negative things, find out why and fix the problem.

There is no better focus group than your prospects. Yes, you will get crazies every once in a while - and you may need to hire outside resources to communicate with them on your behalf. But, at the same time, you are earning the respect and recommendations of your prospects and building long-term lasting relationships with them... as long as you are helpful, truthful, thankful, and nice.

5. Tracking: Measuring and understanding what people are saying

Because of the popularity of blogs and online communities, people are writing down nearly every thought they have about your company. And because these B-to-C-to-C conversations are written down, they are easy to find and easy to track. You can find every comment about you and your company moments after it is written. And monitoring that online communication allows you to understand what your customers really think about you, your marketing, and your products.

There are wonderful online tools - such as Google Alert and Technorati - that can help you monitor your word of mouth. They are at your fingertips, and they are instant and free.

Start right now. Don't make any marketing decisions without considering the potential for word of mouth. Ad agencies, media executives, and reporters no longer control the message. Real consumers with real communication power have added their voices to the mix. And their voices are drowning out traditional media. A single consumer voice, in the end, has a huge impact on your future.

Word of mouth will become more and more important to my business as the Internet continues to expand. But I am still a firm believer in the importance of direct-response marketing. The best thing you can do for your brand is to successfully incorporate multiple methods into your overall marketing strategy. You'll maximize your efforts, build your customer base, and reap the profits.$

[Ed. Note. Ray Buckner is dedicated to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

Using YouTube to Dominate Google

Back in 2006, Google shocked the world by purchasing YouTube for over $1.4 billion. Fortunately for you, Google is a smart company and isn't going to waste that investment.


As a result of this purchase, Google now gives YouTube videos a search engine ranking advantage. That means YouTube videos often come up on the front page of Google's search results - even if the videos are much newer additions to the Internet than established Web pages featuring written content.

Thanks to Google's self-interest in YouTube, here's how your business can benefit by using videos as a promotional tool...

•Your videos will get a high ranking in Google's search results - and, therefore, more views.

•You will get more traffic to your site.

•You will build more trust with your audience.

•You will add more people to your e-mail list.

•You will sign up more distributors and make more sales.

You can get your videos up on YouTube and start getting traffic and sales from those videos immediately. I have recently stumbled upon a few techniques that can help you get even more out of your YouTube videos.

So here's how to dominate Google via YouTube. (But don't tell anyone else!)

1. Film your video.

Create a 90-second (or shorter), content-rich video on a single topic. Short videos get watched more frequently. Once your video is done, upload it to YouTube. (Just follow the instructions you get when you create your free account.)

2. Name the video with appropriate keywords.

This is very important. You must name your video based on the keywords you expect people to type in when looking for the information in your video. (Note: Every word in your title has to be relevant. Don't include the date or location of the video, unless they have something to do with the keywords you expect people to search.)

Doing this can put your video on page one of Google's search results in only 24 hours, even if you are competing with popular articles that have been posted on the Internet for years. Remember, Google heavily favors the content on YouTube. (After all, it didn't pay $1.4 billion for nothing.)

Okay, so now you've filmed a short, content-rich video, uploaded it to YouTube, and named it with the right keywords. This alone should get you a good ranking on Google. But there are ways to supercharge your search engine position...

3. Get incoming links to your video with appropriate anchor text.

Anchor text is simply the visible text on a hyperlink. (For example, the words "anchor text" in the previous sentence is anchor text itself. Click on it, and you'll be hyperlinked to an article by Alexis Siemon.) On your website and/or blog, link back to your video using the keyword in your anchor text. Get other people with related blogs and websites to do the same.

By doing this, and having other sites do the same, it "tells" Google that your video is relevant to that keyword phrase. And if you weren't already right at the top of the Google rankings, this will remind Google to put you in the right spot, right away.

So now you've got yourself a top position on page one of Google for your search term. But how does this actually help you attract more prospects and sell more products?

4. Get people from YouTube to your website.

If you get a lot of people to find your video through a Google search, you can get them to visit your website. You're simply using YouTube as another form of lead generation.

Here's how you maximize the number of people that visit your site after they watch your video:

•First, make sure to mention your website name (or business location) during the video.

•Second, put up a screenshot at the start and end of your video encouraging viewers to visit your site. (You may want to offer them something in exchange for visiting your site. For instance, I tell viewers of my videos to visit my website to get a free report.)

•Third, you can use a watermark (stamping the video with your website name) that shows throughout the entire video.

Until recently, I thought I was limited to the three options above. But then I stumbled on a way to get a direct link to my website without the video - and this method turned out to be a real success secret. In fact, it was so obvious, I'm a little embarrassed to say I wasted months not having a live link to my site. After all, people are lazy and, in most cases, aren't going to bother typing your website name into their browser. But if you give them a live hyperlink to your site, they'll click on it.

Here's how you do that on YouTube...

In the "About This Video" section, post your website name (being sure to include http:// at the beginning of it). By doing this, you get a live link that allows viewers of your video to simply click a button on their mouse and get transferred to your website.$



Once they're there, your sales copy will persuade them to opt in to your newsletter or purchase your product. And it will be easier than it ever was before, because you will already have made a personal connection with them through your video.$

Make It A Privilege To Work With You!

If you've been exposed to Attraction Marketing for any length of time, you realize that it's all about attracting prospects instead of chasing suspects. Chasing suspects leads to so much frustration, and a 95% attrition rate in network marketing.


You know that you have to brand and position yourself as a leader. This takes time and a lot of hard work, but really pays off in the end. Many people are frustrated and looking for leadership. They're not getting it from politicians, the workplace, or even from their social circles.

So, what is the big advantage of setting yourself apart from the struggling 97% of network marketers? Well, when you are viewed as a leader, as someone with credibility and value, people are attracted to you in masses. It doesn't matter what company you represent, people will follow you because they feel that you can help them achieve their goals. And of course, the key to making a Rock Star income in our industry is to build a massive, producing downline.

When people start pursuing you, you can be more selective in who you choose to work with. Most network marketers, in the beginning, are happy to sponsor any and everybody. We know that this approach will produce some results, due to the Rule of Large Numbers. But Attraction Marketing is all about increasing your chances of closing hungry, motivated prospects.

Being a Leader allows you to qualify prospects more than you normally would. How would you like to be able to screen out prospects like this:

"Admission to my team is highly competitive. It is only for driven individuals who are so drawn to succeed that they would, literally, be prepared to blast through brick walls to participate. DO NOT APPLY if you are not ready to disrupt your life considerably for the rare privilege of joining a group of highly talented entrepreneurs in a collaborative life-changing experience.


"There is no other program remotely like this one in format, intensity, or effectiveness. Expect and be prepared for this opportunity to completely take over your life for the next 90 days. You will be given, and learn to work with, transformation tools of great power. And you will find your life has altered beyond measure.


"Read the program details below to determine if this opportunity is for you. Pay particular attention to the clear descriptions of who should and should not apply and some of the possible outcomes of this concentrated happening.


"This is not an opportunity for the faint of heart or for those who are merely curious. During your first 30 days, there will be assignments you will have to complete The initial training will take up virtually all your spare time while it lasts and it will seep into every part of your life. Embrace this intensity. This is what will enable you to make deep changes in your life."

Do you see the difference in this approach vs the traditional, needy approach? You're not saying "please join my opportunity". You are telling the prospect that it will be a privilege for him to be accepted onto your team. What would your business look like if you had a team of people that took you up on the above prerequisites?

So, next time you're about to do the hot 'n' heavy hard sell, try exclusivity instead: Make it a privilege to work with you.

[Ed. Note. Ray Buckner is dedicated to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

What Did You Accomplish Last Month?

"What did you accomplish last month?"

Most ambitious people set goals and use task lists. I've seen those task lists. They are usually handwritten on lined paper. Pages and pages of "things to do" with no way to sort out what's important.

I used to do that. But I was never, ever able to accomplish my important long-term goals that way. I doubt those people do either.

The system I use now is more detailed. And it requires you to fool with it twice a day. When you see it, you might think it's obsessive-compulsive and nerdy -- definitely not something that truly bright and cool people would do.

But it works.

In fact, I'm amazed by how well it works.

But, if I had to report what I had done in a typical month 10 years ago, my list would be a fraction of the size of what it is now. Oh, I did a lot of  "busy work", but nothing that really advanced my long-term goals. I was very busy. And I made good money. But my life was speeding by without any hope of being able to look back at it and think, "I did what I wanted to do."



What system are you currently using, if any? Are you happy with your results? Are you moving towards your goals, or are you frustrated with your lack of progress?

Have you done what you wanted to do? Really?


Think back to when you were younger. Did you have aspirations that you eventually closeted away as being unrealistic?

Did you ever want to act in a play? Or write a book? Or learn Italian cooking?

Did you ever want to travel to Egypt or South Africa or Greece?

Do you imagine yourself retired on a beachfront property in some exotic island?

There are so many wonderful things to do before you die. But you have to start making those things happen now... or, chances are, you never will.

We live in difficult times. The economy is bad -- much worse than the government and the media owns up to. And you have many pressing responsibilities. You have to earn a living. You have to pay your bills. You have to be a good spouse/parent/child, etc.

But those are not reasons for preventing you from accomplishing your buried dreams. Those should  be among the reasons that you SHOULD be accomplishing your buried dreams! Never use your family or other responsibilities as an excuse NOT to pursue your dreams.$

[Ed. Note: Ray Buckner is offering a complete blueprint to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

Become Fully Accountable for Your Success

Reflecting back upon the topics I’ve written on; whether the subject matter was selling, prospecting, time management, coaching, or leadership, I’ve noticed a common theme. It seemed that all roads led me back to one centralized focal point, which made the difference between a person or a company, being average or good and being truly great. And that central theme always seemed to revolve around personal accountability.

Today, we live in a society whose moral fiber is crumbling from the weight of American Entitlement that has plagued and polluted our thinking around what was once referred to as the American Dream. That is, we’ve collapsed American Entitlement with the American Dream. And during this time of uncertainty and doubt, people are looking for new answers.

This heightened sense of transparency we’re experiencing as a result of our rapidly changing marketplace is waking people up. The most obvious and high profile cases of American Entitlement show up more and more each day as the media reports on another executive choice based in greed, entitlement and self serving agendas. Whether we’re talking about the:

• CEO’s of the Big Three auto companies flying their private jets to Washington to request taxpayer bailout money
• A Nevada judge who got arrested for driving to her courthouse drunk on her way to test a suspect’s Blood Alcohol Content.
• The more than 18 billion dollars worth of bonuses that were paid out to executives on Wall Street last year
• OR The family who’s living way beyond their means, 
• The parent who blames the school system instead of themselves for not more closely monitoring their child, especially when it comes to what they’re doing on the internet

Everyone has a story of a person they’ve encountered who lives with a sense of entitlement. It is this failure to be more accountable around their goals and responsibilities that affects every area of their lives: their career, their health, their families and most important, their children.

 From the board room, the home room, and all the way to the play room, we can all get what we truly want by accepting everything we already have and making the transformation from living a life of entitlement to one of full accountability and acceptance. Even companies looking to reinvent themselves and their culture need to do so from the inside out in order to reshape how we all think, live and work.

Full accountability in every area of our lives will lead directly to greater success, freedom and fulfillment in everything we do. It’s something that we’re all connected to that touches every area of our lives.

 So, what will drive you to live a fully accountable life? There’s only one reason you need. Our children; so that they have something to grab on to in order to live their best life and one of purpose. After all, what more of a reason do we need? So, live passionately; and live responsibly.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

www.raybuckner.retire.village.com

Hard Work Or Talent?

I believe there is a direct relationship between hard work and success. Those who work harder achieve more. And that applies equally to individuals, families, ethnic groups, and nations.


Yes, talent helps. But talent is not something we can choose. It is given to us, as are so many other “advantages”: the kind of family we are born into, the color of our skin, and even our native intelligence.

You can’t increase your natural talents. But you can work hard to get better at any skill. And if you work hard enough, sometimes you arrive at a point where it looks like natural talent. People say to you, “Well, such and such is easy for you. You have a gift for it.”

There are many talented people out there doing nothing, achieving nothing, and living unhappy lives. Because talent is a two-edged sword.

Having a gift for a certain something can rob you of the habit of hard work. If you don’t have to try as hard, you never develop your potential. In the beginning, you are a natural leader in the field — but as time passes, the less-talented overtake you.
So let me ask you… how hard are you working?

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

The Ultimate Customer Formula

Customers are the lifeblood of your business. Without customers -- people who buy your product or service -- you really don't have a business, do you? Ok, nothing new there!

Ask any business owner, and he'll tell you he wants more customers. Yet I say that you DON'T want more customers. What you want are more Evangelists.

What's an Evangelist? In this sense of the word, I mean someone who not only buys from you but tells everyone within earshot (and e-mailshot) how great you are.

There are three kinds of people who buy from you:

1. Customer = someone who simply buys from you

2. Referrer = someone who tells one or two people about you

3. Evangelist = someone who tells everyone about you


So how do we move people from Customer to Referrer to Evangelist?


By using The Ultimate Customer Formula:

Want + Trust = Customer


Want x Trust = Referrer


Want x Love = Evangelist


Let's start with why someone becomes a Customer in the first place.

First, a person has a Want -- something they desire. It could be to alleviate a PAIN or to increase their PLEASURE. That pretty much covers human Want.

Then they find out about you (through something called marketing). And something they read, hear, see, or experience in your marketing makes them Trust that you will deliver to them the fulfillment of their Want.

If you do what you said you would do -- help fulfill their Want -- they are satisfied with their purchase. They are now your Customer because they Trust you.

So what do you do now?

That's where most businesses fail. They go, "Whew, we got another one. Okay, where do we get the next one?"


But don't you get it? You can get your next Customer -- or dozen Customers -- from that first satisfied Customer!

How? Simple: Make them feel good about their purchase. Ask if there's anything else you can do. See what else they need or want -- that they may not even have thought of. Ask questions that no one else is asking.

Or just be so much better than the other guys that your Customers have no choice but to choose you to fulfill their Want.

Let me give you an example...

I love Southwest Airlines. Why? There are dozens of reasons, but the most important one for me is that when I need to change a flight, I simply call their toll-free number and an ACTUAL HUMAN BEING picks up the phone and says, "Southwest, how can I help you?"

Then I change the flight and there is NO service fee! What do you know? Southwest treats my money as MY money!

I've flown other airlines, and paid as much as $450 for CHANGE FEES. Ridiculous!

Do you see what I just did? I just told everyone who's reading this blog how awesome Southwest Airlines is. I went from Customer right to Evangelist.

If I felt so-so about Southwest, I might tell one or two friends. That would make me a Referrer.

But because I love Southwest, I tell everyone about them -- even when I'm flying on other airlines!

How did it happen? I have a Want -- affordable, reliable airline service to take me where I need to go, AND actual human beings who answer the phone, AND no fees when I need to change a flight.

From the very first time I flew Southwest, they not only delivered the fulfillment of my Want -- they OVER-delivered by thinking of ways I hadn't even thought of to make my travel better and easier, and by being a company of real live human beings.

So I emotionally moved from I Trust Southwest to I LOVE Southwest.

How fitting that their stock ticker symbol is LUV.

So here's The Ultimate Customer Formula again -- this time with the thoughts that go behind it:

Want + Trust = Customer

I want something and trust that you will deliver it to me.

Want x Trust = Referrer

I want something and trust that you will not only deliver it to me but that if I were to send a friend to you, you'd deliver it to them too.

Want x Love = Evangelist

I want something and not only trust that you will deliver it to me, you will over-deliver, take care of me in ways I hadn't even thought of, and you are a company of actual human beings.

That last part is particularly vital today. The word we see everywhere in marketing is transparency.

In the old days, you could hide behind a corporate shield and be immune to criticism. Those days are long gone.

People are amazed when I pick up the phone and call them to see if they're happy with their purchase, or personally respond to an e-mail they wrote me, or write back to them on my Facebook fan page.

My feeling is, why wouldn't I?

But the beauty is, very few of my competitors will ever pick up the phone and call people to connect with them.

Sure, it's more work for me. But it's work that I really enjoy doing. Plus, it cements me as the guy who actually CARES about how they're doing (which, as it happens, I do).

So, use The Ultimate Customer Formula and see what you can do today, this week, this month, and this year to move people from Customer to Referrer to Evangelist.

And isn't it amazing that the ultimate secret to success, yet again, is Love.$


[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

Be Relentless in Pursuit of Your Dreams

Are You Prepared to Do What It Takes?

Although virtually everyone agrees that "time is money," I'm convinced most people only pay lip service to this truism. If you're really serious about it, you need to come to grips with the reality that the key ingredient for converting time into money is self-discipline.

The greatest catalyst for an undisciplined person is pain, and pain comes in many forms.

Physical pain, for instance, can be the catalyst for becoming self-disciplined when it comes to exercise and healthy eating. Financial pain can be the catalyst for having the self-discipline to work when you're tired or sick, or when you'd rather be out having fun. And then there's the pain that comes from a lost love, which can give you the self-discipline to be a better partner when love comes your way again.

Well, I've certainly been in the financial pain category! I know that many of you have been in the same situation: Going to a job every day, that you knew in your heart would never give you the life you dream of.
Seeing others "living the life", while your were struggling just to make ends meet. Feeling that you were just as good as those in positions that you reported to. Oh, and how about missing family events or time with your friends because you couldn't find someone to cover your shift.

Unfortunately, most people in this situation eventually give up on their dreams over time. They just settle for their lot in life, as they see it. A small percentage of this group, about 20%, stay opportunity-minded, looking for a way to make their dreams come true. But, again, about 97% of this smaller group, give up when they feel they are not making progress. That leaves about 3% that are absolutely relentless in the pursuit of their dreams.

In my years in direct sales, I have seen many people come and go. The initial excitement soon fades into disappointment and discouragement. Some have unrealistic expectations, while others let family and friends get inside their heads. Lack of leadership is also a huge detriment.

The bottom line is that you have to be persistent and determined to make it, no matter what. Your future depends on you sticking it out. You will work harder on yourself than you have on anything else in your life. Success is not easy, but you must not give yourself the option of failure.

Self-discipline is about restraining, or regulating, your actions -- repressing the instinct to act impulsively in favor of taking rational, long-term-oriented actions. I was not very self-disciplined earlier, and it really set me back. Now I realize that self-discipline -- a trait that every human being has the capacity to develop -- gives me the power to outperform people who may be more intelligent and talented than I am.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

The Magic Formula For Online Business

If you’d like to run an Internet business but have no clue what type of business, what you need is an idea.

But coming up with the right idea — one that will not only get you excited and motivated but also generate profitable sales — can be elusive. And even if you have an idea, putting it into action, and making it work, can be even more of a challenge.

And this is where I can help you…

1. If you have no ideas whatsoever: Surely there’s something that piques your interest, even if just a bit. Maybe some sport or hobby. Identify a product related to that interest, and start your business with that.

There are two ways to do it — instantly and without having to buy or worry about holding inventory: You can work with a company that “drop-ships” products you think you can sell. (You take the order and payment online. They fulfill the order. The website worldwidebrands.com has a good selection of companies that do this.) Or you can become an affiliate for a company with a product line that appeals to you. (As an affiliate, you get a commission every time you sell something for them.)


2. If you have loads of ideas, but haven’t taken action on any of them: Maybe you haven’t yet come up with an idea you truly believe in. Or maybe the problem is a lack of self-confidence.

Don’t let that hold you back. It’s okay to be unsure of your idea, yourself, or your abilities. Even people with all the skills and resources they need fail to take action — delaying, planning, and procrastinating. “Procrastiplanning,” as I call it.

Planning how your business could work but still not taking any action — well, it’s like trading on the stock market with paper money. You can shake this off today by picking one of your ideas — any one — and starting on it. Try a few pay-per-click ads on Google. Or buy a domain name and set up a blog. Even starting with dingdongdang123.com right now is better than waiting until you can think of the “perfect” domain name. Start. You can always makes some changes later on.

3. If you’ve started an Internet business, but it stalled or flopped: My grade school science teacher used to say that even the result of a “failed” experiment is a result. The question is, how fast did you fail? More important, what did you learn from that failure? Based on what you learned, start again… perhaps taking a slightly different approach. In my experience, even a small shift in direction can make a big difference.


Don’t Try for Perfection

As every successful businessperson knows, perfection isn’t possible. Even handmade Swiss chronometers — the finest mechanisms on the planet — are only 99.99 percent perfect, with a tolerance of -4/+6 seconds per day.

So don’t get caught in the trap of trying to make everything perfect before attempting to launch your Internet business.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

No Time Like The Present

What's your excuse for not working toward your most cherished dream?


It could be to start your own Internet business or learn a new language or travel to Asia.

Do you think you're too old? Too inexperienced and unqualified? Too busy with other things? Too broke?

Age means nothing, other than time is running out for you to act. And other obstacles can be overcome easily... with the right attitude.


Spend Most of Your Time on What You Know Best


You may be used to working as part of a team. Somebody does the graphics. Somebody writes promotional copy. Somebody else develops the marketing plan. But when you're solo, you're in charge of everything.

Some tasks you can just ditch. And some you can delegate. Establish your priorities. Should you spend time on the phone with your website hosting provider? No, you should delegate that. Should you spend time on content and offers geared toward your market, which you know better than anyone else? Yes.)

Make Technology Your Friend

You may be used to letting others handle the "tech" stuff in your workplace. But when you're running your own business, you're the tech guy. And, as you will discover, it turns out much of it is pretty easy. For things you can't figure out, take a class. If it's really complicated, hire a freelancer.

You don't have to know everything. But you need to know enough so you're not at the mercy of your outsourced help. You don't want to be overcharged or told something is impossible when they just don't want to do it.

Don't Ask for Favors, Ask for Advice

At meeting with the mega-successful entrepreneur Richard Branson, MaryEllen Tribby was invited to talk about her business. Instead of asking for help, she simply explained what her venture was about and asked for suggestions. Richard offered his support. And, already, his charitable organization, Virgin United, has been in touch with her.

You don't have to know Richard Branson to take advantage of this approach. Just think about it. If you're constantly asking people for favors... how long will they feel like granting them?

Create a Network You Can Brag About

Get the best people in your industry in your network. Not people you've only met once or see once a year. I'm talking about people you can call at any time. People who will do anything for you. (Of course, you have to be willing to do anything for them, too.)

When you're starting out, you probably won't be in touch with industry giants. But you can still make great contacts. Start with likeminded people who are as focused as you are on growing their businesses. As your businesses grow, you will be able to help each other.

Create Accountability Partners

You are 65 percent more likely to accomplish your goals if you have someone watching over your shoulder. It probably has a lot to do with not wanting to admit to not doing what you said you would do. That fear keeps you motivated.

So set up a time to speak with a colleague or business partner once a week. Talk to each other about what you've been doing with your businesses. Call them out if they've been slacking. Ask them to do the same for you.

Understand Your Market Intimately

One of the first things you should do is research your market and your competitors. Using keyword research tools from Google, you can find the number of searches a month for search terms related to your ideal market. Visit every site in the organic results and pay-per-click ads.

Look in depth at their site layouts, sales letters, offers, products, and marketing strategies. Figure out what other marketers are doing right. And what they are doing wrong. (For example, many don't have sign-up boxes on their home pages to build their e-mail lists.)

Work on Your Business Every Day

You can't just work on the weekends. You have to do something every single day to advance your business. If it's important to you, you'll do it. Get up extra early if you have to.

If you want to sell supplements online, for example, you could start researching which products are hot right now. You could contact some suppliers. Buy a domain name. Build your website.

Learn, Understand, and Strive to Master Direct-Response Marketing

Direct marketing is the key to online success. An e-commerce site like Amazon may work. But you're not Amazon. You can't wait for customers to find your site. You must reach out to them, get their contact information, and start building relationships that lead to sales.

Don't Fall Victim to the Biggest Entrepreneurial Curse

Four projects halfway done yields ZERO revenue. One project 100 percent finished brings cash in the door.

Focus on one thing at a time -- the one most important thing -- and complete it before you start another project.

Stop trying to come up with rationalizations for not taking action. The truth is, now is always the best time to start a business.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]
www.raybuckner.retirevillage.com

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Business Is Selling

"Understand that you need to sell you and your ideas in order to advance your career, gain more respect, and increase your success, influence, and income."  Jay Abraham


As I keep telling you, just about anyone can start a business. But there's an important caveat - and it jumped to mind when I got an e-mail from Lynn, who wants advice on starting a newsletter. She writes:

"I've worn many hats, juggled them off and on in my years as Mother, Grandmother, Realtor, Concessionaire, and Artist Retailer/Wholesaler. Love, divorce, custody issues, death, inheritance, bankruptcy, accidents, health issues, friendship, betrayal. I've either been through it or carried someone through it.

"What I seem to do best is calm nerves and give good advice, to the point where it often interferes with other endeavors. I've seriously thought about your copywriting/ Internet ideas, but I'm wary of selling things. It seems that, among family and friends at least, I am the oracle of issues, the witchy woman matriarch with the final answer. The trendy term 'life coach' isn't quite it. I want to be like an e-mail comforter. A listener of last resort. A sounding board.

"It's the only thing I think I'm really quite good at. Could this be a business?"

Yes, it could be a business. But not if you are leery of selling.

Business is selling. You can't make money unless you sell something. As Robert Louis Stevenson said, "I find it useful to remember, everyone lives by selling something."

So the first thing Lynn needs to determine is what it is she is going to sell.

People will pay for comfort... but not if it's billed as comfort. Think about what therapists do. They charge pretty good money to give people comforting advice. Yes, there are some who deliver discomfort, but they don't stay in business very long. People pay money to have their therapists make them feel good. If you've ever been in therapy with a successful therapist, you already know that.

But if therapists said that they were in the business of comforting their clients, no one would take them seriously and no one would pay them good money for their comforting advice. Rather than advertise what they are really selling, therapists advertise their methodology (Freudian, Behaviorist, etc.) or the type of "problems" they deal with (addiction, obsessive compulsive disorders, etc.).

Since Lynn isn't a trained psychotherapist, she can't honestly advertise those sorts of things. So she will have to come up with her own ideas about why people get themselves into trouble and how they can find solutions. These ideas will form themselves into a unified whole, if she thinks about them long enough. This unified whole is what we call an "intellectual franchise." That's what Lynn needs to develop. And then she needs to test it and see if it sells.

Remember, starting a business and making it a success is not just a matter of having a good idea. The idea has to be one that people will be happy to pay money for.

So if you are in Lynn's position - looking to turn your idea into a profitable business - you have to become comfortable with selling.

How do you develop the skill of selling when you are "wary" of selling, as Lynn puts it?

The first step is to understand that there are really two kinds of selling:

1. pushing people (to buy things they don't want)

2. helping people (to select those things they do want to buy)


Pushy salespeople - the telemarketer who calls you while you're eating dinner, the broker who calls you on the weekend with a "hot deal," the proverbial used-car salesman - take delight in persuading you to do what you don't want to do. Such salespeople see the selling process as a kind of battle where they bully and beat you into submission. It's an ego game for them, and your acquiescence - even if you really do want the product - is an indication of submission.

Such salespeople should be tarred and feathered, run out of town, dunked, and pilloried. They are the same people who delight in not letting you merge in traffic and cutting ahead of you in the supermarket line.

Helpful salespeople are actually more common than their obnoxious cousins.

If you understand that the job of a salesperson is to solve a customer's problem or help him meet a need, selling won't seem so odious to you.

Let's say your prospect's main concern is the future of his marriage. What you would do, in this case, is ask him questions about it and find out, in as much detail as possible, what his worries are. Having done this, you are then in a great position to address each one - to explain how your product (in Lynn's case, her advice) can give him effective solutions. By driving home the benefits of your product that the prospect cares about, you are making a very strong sales presentation. You are telling him exactly what he wants to hear.

Remember - your prospect wants to be sold. So long as you help him understand how your product can help him achieve his desires or solve his problems, he will be prejudiced in your favor. You lose your prospect when you start talking about other things - your interests, for example, or product features that he doesn't really care about.

So don't sell him, help him. Begin by finding out what he wants and needs. And then (if and only if you can really help him), make the strongest, most specific case you can make to convince him that his desires will be achieved and his problems solved.

Once you've figured out how to sell your product, and have gotten over your distaste of selling, you need to start testing... preferably on the Internet... until you find some way to position the product that catches on.

And then, to grow your business, you will have to produce lots of products that tie into your initial business idea and lots of sales letters to convince people to buy them.
Does this sound like something you can do? If so, you are on your way!$

Why Common Knowledge Kills Success

Picture this:

A hot prospect stumbles across your blog...

... pulls up a recent post...

... starts to read it...

... stops midway through...

... leaves your site...

... and never returns again!

An unfortunate, costly event? YES, but...

It Happens All the Time

What can you do about it? PLENTY! (Just keep reading.)

There are six types of content that immunizes your website from the sad story above... six types of content that sucks your prospects in, instead of sending them away.

Briefly, here they are:

1. Counter-intuitive content -- an approach to solving a problem that runs counter to conventional thinking.

2. Complex made simple -- where you take something that seems complex, then break it apart and make it simple to understand and use.

3. A unique process -- where you solve a problem or challenge your prospects face with a process you developed that's easy to execute.

4. Paradigm shift on the problem -- where you share a new perspective that gets your prospects looking at their problem in a new and different way.

5. A powerful tool -- where you give your prospects a tool that transforms something that was difficult into something easy.

6. Fast shortcuts to time-intensive activities – this is where you take an important task or activity that usually takes considerable time to complete and make it push-button to finish.

Let's expand on content strategy #1 -- Counter-Intuitive Content. Here goes...

First, let's define counter-intuitive content:

Counter-intuitive content expresses an idea that doesn't seem likely to be true. Often, it contradicts common wisdom, conventional thinking, or common sense.

Still unsure? Here are some examples...

• Give your best ideas away for free to get rich...
• Do less to achieve more...
• Self-help can ruin your life...
• Fail more to succeed...
•  Learning more tactics will make you fail faster...
• Send fewer e-mails to make more sales...

 Do you notice how each of these examples stirs up your curiosity?

They stimulate the little voice in your head to say...

  

"SAY WHAT?"

 And that's the reason counter-intuitive ideas are so powerful. They provoke your readers to want more.

Let's contrast that with an idea that isn't counter-intuitive: Persistence, discipline, and hard work lead to success.

  

Ho-hum. That's common knowledge, right? So repeating it is unnecessary and won't have a WOW effect on your readers.

In fact, common knowledge bores your readers into bailing on your content and your site... often permanently.

But if common knowledge says one thing and your content proves the opposite...

  

Your idea is counter-intuitive. It's original. And...

It's More Valuable!

Okay.

So how do you go about creating counter-intuitive content?

Glad you asked. Here's how...

Step 1. Make a list of the common problems and goals of your prospects...

Step 2. List as many conventional, common-wisdom solutions as you can -- next to each of those problems and goals...

Step 3. Brainstorm ideas that contradict the solutions you came up with in Step 2...

Step 4. Highlight the ideas (from Step 3) that you believe are true or could be true in certain situations...

Step 5. Circle the ideas you can back up with your own experience or the experience of others...

Step 6. Pick the idea that you feel like riffing on.

That's it. It's a simple process. But make no mistake, it...

Boosts Readership...

Multiplies Traffic, and...

Increases Your Influence.

Easy-peezy, right?

  

Well, one more important point.

  

In order for your counter-intuitive content to work, you need more than just the idea.

  

You need to back up that idea with enough evidence, logic, and persuasion to make your readers believe it's true. Which is why I told you to circle the ideas you can back up with experience or the experience of others (Step 5). Because if you don't back up your idea... all you have is a clever headline and an unresolved promise.

  

And don't make the mistake of thinking that what I just shared with you is only for your blog. In fact, it can be used on your website, in your e-mails and presentations, and practically anywhere else that communication occurs.

  

But one of the best things to populate with counter-intuitive ideas is your information products. Because it gets your prospects excited... and referring others to you in droves.$

How To Develop A Multimillionaire Mindset

A man observes evergreens growing along the roadside and thinks that they look pretty, covered with snow. Another man sees the same trees and thinks, "These trees would look good in people's living rooms at Christmas. I wonder what they would pay for them?"


The first man has an ordinary mind. The second, the mind of a natural-born moneymaker.

In The Prime Movers, Edwin A. Locke provides some interesting insights into the way moneymakers think:

He argues that an active, inquisitive mind is a hallmark of the successful entrepreneur. The most successful entrepreneurs in history, he says, had this sort of mind.

Thomas Edison: He was a "virtual thinking machine. Almost until the day he died, his mind poured forth a torrent of ideas, and he might track as many as 60 experiments at a time in his laboratory."

Steve Jobs: He bombarded people with his ideas – his investors, his board of directors, his customers, his subordinates, and his CEO.

Henry Ford: "He threw himself into every detail, insisting on getting small things absolutely right... But he never lost sight of the ultimate, overall objection. He had a vision of what his new car (the Model T) should look like. From all the improvisation, hard thought, and hard work came a machine that was at once the simplest and the most sophisticated automobile built to date anywhere in the world."

 Some Preliminary Observations


To get started, here are some observations I've made from studying and from reading about great wealth builders like Jobs and Edison and Ford.

1. A "normal" person is concerned with protecting his ego. When dealing with a problem he doesn't really understand, he pretends he understands the contributing factors and doesn't try to find out what anyone else thinks. A person with a multimillionaire mind asks questions inces-santly. He has no ego when it comes to learning. He knows that knowledge is power.

2. A "normal" person has a consumer mentality. He looks at a hot new product and thinks about how he would like to own one. A person with a multimillionaire mind has an entrepreneurial men-tality. He looks at it and thinks, "How can I produce this or something similar in my own industry?"

3. A "normal" person is wish-focused. He daydreams about making gobs of money. A person with a multimillionaire mind is reality-based. He is always analyzing his own success and the success of others and wondering how he could learn from it.

4. A "normal" person, when confronted with a challenging idea, thinks of all the reasons why it might not work. A person with a multimillionaire mind sees the potential in it and disregards the problems until he has a clear vision of how it might succeed.

5. A "normal" person resists change. A person with a multimillionaire mind embraces it.

6. A "normal" person accepts the status quo. A person with a multimillionaire mind is always looking to make things – even good things – better.

7. A "normal" person reacts. A person with a multimillionaire mind is proactive.

8. A "normal" person looks at a successful business owner and thinks, "That guy's lucky." Or "That guy's a shyster." A person with a multimillionaire mind thinks, "What's his secret?" And, "How can I do that?"

Most importantly, a person with a multimillionaire's mind likes living like a multimillionaire. He doesn't shortchange himself when it comes to comfort and luxury. Rather than believing always that pain leads to gain, he thinks, "If I'm smart I can have my cake and eat it too.

You can start your mental transformation by studying this list and assessing your own impulses. Be honest. Identify the habits you don't have and try to develop them. Rather than think of this process as work, think of it as fun.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business opportunity that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

Living Rich: It Really IS the Thought That Counts

Many years ago, I would rush through the holiday season. I ended up buying gifts in a hurry and spending far too much. In a way, I thought this was a chance to "make up" for being so busy with work all year. I figured that lavishing my loved ones with expensive gifts would show them how much I appreciated them.

Wrong! Expensive does not always mean better. You could spend thousands on earrings for your wife... when a CD of the band that played at your wedding would be much more meaningful.

No one expects you to shell out a week's salary on a gift. Your loved ones will welcome a less-than-lavish gift. Especially if it is a thoughtful gift that they need or will actually use.

In my experience, the more time I give to thinking about the person... the less money I end up spending. My formula: The right gift = the best value (in even more ways than dollars).

Here are some ideas that it's not too late to implement:

Think about your gift recipients' hobbies. Golfers are fun to shop for. They are always happy with new golf balls or gift cards from their club's pro shop.

Give a gift certificate for a few movie tickets or a meal at a nice restaurant. With all the hustle and bustle at this time of year, a night out on a gift giver's dime is a welcome relief AND an enjoyable experience.

Give a friend or family member who loves to read a recently published novel or a first-edition copy of their favorite book.

Be creative. Custom-make 2011 calendars for everyone on your list. Use pictures of your friend's children... photos taken during company events for your coworker... sunsets for the nature lover... city skylines for the travel buff. You get the idea.

Schedule an appointment with yourself to think about your gift-giving strategy. Make a list of everyone you still need to buy for. Write out a realistic budget. (Don't use "ghost dollars" that you'll get back from a tax refund in April.) Then give some serious thought to what you want to buy for each person. The more thought you put into a gift, the less you'll spend.$

[Ed. Note: If you're not happy with your financial situation, you're in the perfect position to change it for the better – right now. Ray has just released a special video that covers an online business system that you can use to start growing your wealth. To watch this short video, click the following link: http://www.raybuckner.com]

Identifying Your Ideal Customer

Google AdWords is nothing more or less than a medium for direct marketing. So every now and then, I put away my books about the latest online techniques and reach for the classic texts.


Here's some of what you can learn from the old masters:

There are three elements to any direct-marketing offer -- the offer itself, the creative, and the list.

The offer is the thing you're selling.

The creative is the copy you use to let people know about the offer.

The list is the group of people who will see the creative.


The list is more important than the creative or the offer.


It doesn't matter how good the product, or how well you build desire for it. If you're selling to people who aren't interested in the product, can't afford it, or don't like you, it ain't gonna work.

The entire art of direct marketing, in fact, consists of matching offers to lists with appropriate creative copy.

So it's useful to know as much about your market as possible.

Copywriting guru Ken McCarthy says it's more important to know your market than the techniques of marketing.

Online marketing guru Perry Marshall says that every commercial failure represents a lack of knowledge about the prospect.

Groucho Marx says, "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

And I say, keep reading to discover two simple exercises that can help you speak to your ideal customer persuasively and with emotional impact.



What Is an Ideal Customer?


Your ideal customer is the one who absolutely should buy your product or service. It's just perfect for them. They have the need, they have the money, they have the buy-in of any other stakeholders (spouses, parents, co-workers, etc.), and they have a natural affinity for you and your company.

Here's a quick and dirty "Ideal Customer" test:

When you think of them buying from your competitor, you become overwrought.

You hyperventilate. You sweat. You want to drive to their house and shake some sense into them.


The 7-Step Ideal Customer Exercise

1. Find a blank sheet of paper. (I recommend using pen and paper, not a computer, for this exercise.)

2. Take several deep breaths and relax as much as you can. (If you wake up several hours later with drool all over your paper, you obviously needed the sleep. Get a fresh sheet and continue.)

3. Imagine that you are your ideal prospect.

What's your name? (Really, give yourself a name. Don't skip this because it seems silly.)

What's your age? Marital status? Do you have kids?

Where do you work? What do you do for a living?

What do you look like?

What do you believe in?

What communities do you belong to?

What really ticks you off?

Who do you want to be like?

What's your role as you perform your online search for this product/service? Parent? Hobbyist? Employee?

What's important to you about your performance in that role? To be a hero? To avoid mistakes? To look good? To have fun?


4. Now imagine your ideal customer at the exact moment he or she is about to search Google for your main keyword.


5. At the top of the paper, write the following:


"If I could only..."

And complete that thought from the point of view of your prospect. What are you hoping for? What are you afraid of? How will you know when you've found the right solution?


Talk about the emotional as well as technical aspects of the task. Is it fun? Something you're looking forward to solving? Are you worried about failing? About making a mistake? Who might be judging or second-guessing you? What triggered your search? Your choice of keywords?


Write at least two paragraphs, more if you like. Try to fill the page with the thoughts and emotions of your ideal customer, as they relate to this search.


6. When you're done, search Google for your main keyword and look at the search results page from your ideal customer's eyes.

Do any of the ads or organic listings really speak to you?


What do you (as your ideal prospect) want the ad to say? What do you want to be promised? By whom?


7. Now take a fresh sheet of paper and start writing ads for your ideal customer. Don't edit or critique them -- just brainstorm and come up with at least five different ones.


Pay special attention to the headlines. Can you say something in the headline that immediately shows your ideal prospect that you understand him or her in a deeper way than anyone else?


The Alternative (Even More Powerful) Method:

Do the above exercise with a partner. Tell him about your ideal customer, and read him what you wrote after "If I could only..." Then have them sit and write ads for you for about 10 minutes.


You'll be amazed at the results!$

[Ed. Note. Ray Buckner is dedicated to helping you take control of your financial future with a web-based business that you can operate from anywhere in the world – including a coffee shop, your kitchen table, or anywhere around the world where there is Internet access. Discover how you can achieve the American Dream and your financial independence here. You’ve never seen anything like this before.]

Your Optimum Selling Strategy

I hope, by this time, I have convinced you that when you are starting a new business, selling must be your primary job. (For network marketers, that includes selling your opportunity as well)

This is true even if you don't know anything about selling, if you've never taken a course in marketing and never sold so much as a glass of lemonade on a street corner. As an entrepreneur, you have to become your company's number one salesperson - even if you fear or hate the very idea of selling.

Selling is not optional for the Stage One entrepreneur: it's essential.

And if selling is essential, learning to sell (i.e., developing the knowledge and skills needed to sell your company's main product) is an obligation, not a choice.

In this blog post and the next several, I will show you how to become an expert at selling your lead product. Don't worry if you don't know anything about selling. Everything you are about to learn is easy. I will teach you one concept and four secrets. You will learn the concept in about five minutes. And it will take you about half an hour to understand the four secrets.

Discovering how to apply the four secrets to your particular business and your particular product - well, that will take a little time. But I am talking about  days or possibly weeks, not months.

Your educational objective during the start-up stage of your business is very narrow. All you really want to learn is how to sell one particular product to one particular market. You don't need to acquire any generalized marketing expertise or dozens of selling skills that won't apply to your situation. In essence, you are going to become a one-trick pony - someone who can do one thing, and perhaps only one thing, very well: selling the hell out of your lead product/opportunity.

If you have faith in this concept and the four secrets you are about to discover, your success at getting your business from zero to a six-figure income, from Stage One to Stage Two - will be virtually guaranteed. In fact, it's very possible that you could see your business grow on the fast-track, simply by repeating this trick over and over again. As long as it keeps working, you should keep doing it. Later, you will acquire other selling skills. For now, this one thing is enough.

The Optimum Selling Strategy

I believe that for every business at any given time there is one best way to acquire new customers. That best way is the way that meets the company's greatest current need. For the Stage One entrepreneur, generating positive cash flow is usually - or should be- the greatest need. Therefore, Stage One entrepreneurs should focus on that: figuring out how to acquire customers/prospects in a way that creates cash flow.

Most entrepreneurs never stop to think about cash flow or long-term profits when they are starting out. They are so excited about their product/opportunity that they imagine it selling itself.

Nothing could be further from the truth. How you sell your product/opportunity - the specific decisions you make about presenting and talking about it - has a huge impact on whether you will be successful.

The product/opportunity is important but almost never sells itself. To start your business and successfully take it to the next level, you have to discover what is called your optimum selling strategy (OSS).

Discovering the OSS for your product/opportunity will put your business on the right track. It will make everything that happens afterward easier. Problems will be easier to solve. Obstacles will be easier to overcome. And objectives will be easier to reach. Your business will grow quickly, because you will have taken care of its biggest problem: acquiring new customers/prospects without depleting your bank account.

Discovering the OSS for your product/opportunity has other benefits too. For one thing, you will always understand the most important secret of your business: how to acquire new customers/prospects. This understanding will allow you to lead your team with confidence as the business grows, and to help them fix problems if and when they arise later. There are many problems that can occur as a business grows, but there is only one that is deadly - and that is the inability to bring in new customers/prospects.

When you understand the basics of how to sell to your marketplace, nobody can fool your with worthless marketing strategies and idiotic sales programs.

By establishing your marketing credentials during the first stage (beginning), when you are just learning the selling secrets of your business, you will gain a deep understanding of your business that will serve you well for the rest of your career.$