Helpful Centers

June 3, 2008

Dreams Do Come True! You Can Build A Company That Can Be Different

Filed under: Business — admin @ 4:03 am

Do you ever wonder whether your dreams will come true? Our dreams are coming true! Bryan, my partner, and I have envisioned, dreamed, believed and worked towards having a company that brings full solutions to the merchants and companies that we serve and work with.

What does it take for your dreams to come true? It takes holding on to the vision, and believing in the dream, and a lot of hard work. It takes others, like our family members to see what we see, and if they don’t, believe in us anyway. Your dreams of a different business can be a reality.

If you were to ask me 18 months ago, if we were to ever have our own company, I would have told you that you were crazy. It really wasn’t even part of my thinking. After being involved in sales and in the merchant service industry, we began to see a need, one that required integrity, quality service, and being much different than others. I’ve always been told if you see a need, you need to try to fill it. We saw and believed that we could make a difference in the marketplace. So we decided to make the plunge and…be different.

Make your company different. How? Different companies think outside the box. Kevin & Jackie Freiberg in their outstanding book, Guts!, talk about “companies that blow the doors off business-as-usual.” Recently I was asked what made us different besides our emphasis on integrity and above and beyond service. My response was how we really treat our clients and our employees/agents. You see, many companies don’t walk their talk. We have always discovered that actions speak louder than words. We also wanted to be different in another way.

It’s easy to do just one thing, and some people tell you that to do it right, you need to focus on one thing only. In the Merchant Service industry, credit card processing is a very important life blood for merchants and companies today. If you don’t provide it, you should, because more customers will buy from you, instead of going down the street. (National statistics claim up to 30% more income on average once you start taking credit cards.) Some sales people and companies only focus on that however.

But we believed that a company should really focus on the complete financial needs of merchants and companies. That’s why we decided that besides processing, we would include business and retail check solutions, ATM sales, wireless credit card usage, Mail Order/Telephone Order options and internet eCommerce, including web site design/consultation.

Be solution oriented. Can companies do too many things? No! We have discovered that merchants and companies need a full range of financial options to affect and grow their bottom line. The people we deal with have appreciated that we have been able to provide options they had never considered before. There’s a company that we approached for credit card processing, but very soon discovered instead that they needed accounts receivable conversion (ARC) and in house recurring billing, and the results saved them hundreds of dollars every month.

Then there’s the company that needed not only credit card processing, but an e-Commerce store AND a unique web site, so we were able to provide the entire solution without the owner having to outsource to several companies, saving him thousands of dollars.

You see, no matter what business you’re in, it’s all about providing additional value. It’s all about giving extraordinary service. It’s all about sharing full solutions. And, doing all things with Integrity, Service and being Different from the norm.

Do dreams come true? Well, let me tell you that they can come true! Yes, and they can come true FOR YOU! Dare to dream and dare to be different and don’t give up.

Paul Donihue is a Successful Merchant Level Salesperson and President of a business financial solutions company in Ohio. See”Dreams Do Come True” at http://www.bedrockmerchants.com/. Reprints of this article may be used with expressed consent with the authority that Paul Donihue is the Author, and that the info. link at http://www.bedrockmerchants.com/ be left intact in all reprints.

May 28, 2008

Why Using “Negative” Copywriting Statements Can Explode The Response Of Your Ads

Filed under: Business — admin @ 6:13 am

If you have an ad or sales letter that promises to teach someone X number of “tips” about how to do whatever it is you are selling, I’d like to show you a quick and easy copywriting tactic that could as much as triple the number of responses you get.

Listen to this:

One really great way to write ads (especially lead generating ads) is to immediately involve your reader by getting them nervous about their lack of knowledge about whatever it is you are selling.

Let me give you an example.

Instead of saying:

“10 Tips To Make Your Car Run Smoothly During The Winter”

You can many times get a stronger response by turning your ad into more of a “negative” statement like this:

“The 10 Biggest Car Maintenance Mistakes People Make In The Winter”

In other words…tell them what they’re doing wrong…and then tell how your product or service will fix it for them.

Why will using a negative statement like this usually work better?

Because, in addition to getting the reader’s attention, you automatically set them up to look for someone to show them how to do everything right.

And by positioning yourself in your copy as the “go-to” guy — the person who really knows your stuff — you will be that person they look to for help and guidance.

Ben Settle - EzineArticles Expert Author

Ben Settle is an expert copywriter and direct marketer. If you liked this article then check out Ben’s website at http://bensettle.com — and get your hands on over 500 pages of advertising ideas, strategies and tactics just like this one — as well as rare swipe file ads and hot marketing information not easily found anywhere else.

May 23, 2008

Top 10 Ways For Copywriters To Overcome Writer’s Block

Filed under: Business — admin @ 5:31 am

We all know that words have the power to persuade, compel and most importantly, sell.

However, many have likened the process to getting the ‘right words’ to trying to get blood from a stone.

When I first started out, writing copy meant slitting my wrist and ‘giving blood’.

Of course, I’ve greatly refined my copywriting process, and I’d like to share my methodlogy with you.

Here are my top 10 ways of getting greatly reduce the number of brain farts that can stand in your way of writing cash pulling copy.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #1: National Enquirer

While you might be tempted to dismiss the Enquirer, the fact is people love tabloids! Senstionalism sells. Big time. This may just provide the much needed ’sensational angle’ you need to position your product or engineer your offer.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #2: Female Magazines

Headlines on these magazines are designed to tilltilate, tease and intrigue. You can and should model those headlines to add more sizzle into your copy and to give your writing that much needed ‘oomph’!

Writer’s Block Annihilator #3: competitor Research

Check your competitors out. Observe what they’re doing. What kind of strategy are they using? What kind of tactics are they using. How are they presenting their offer? The answers to these questions will provide you with the necessary brain juice to get the words ‘flowing’.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #4: current Events

There may be happenings in the world that you can link your ad copy to. For instance, you could have headlines like “If Only Clinton Knew This…”.

Get the idea?

Writer’s Block Annihilator #5: Festive Occasions

Is Thanksgiving or Valentine’s day around the corner? If you’re an info-publisher, would Valentine’s day be a good time to tell your subscribers how much you love them? Would Thanksgiving be a good time to tell your subcribers how grateful you are for their continuous support?

Writer’s Block Annihilator #6: Be Still

How about trying to stop ‘figuring’ it out, and just observe a good 3 minutes of pure silence. To quote the Good Book, “Be still and know that I am god”. You’ll surprise yourself at just how many ideas will start popping into your head simply because you ’stopped thinking’.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #7: Read Something else

Choose to read something completely different from what you are writing. The more ‘different’ it is, the better. This will allow your haphazard thoughts to regroup and refocus.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #8: Chunk It

Break down whatever you’re writing into achievable small chunks. Reward yourself at the end of every completed chunk.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #9: Refer To Controls

Drop all that you’re doing, and start reading winning ‘controls’. Understand that these sales letters became ‘controls’ because they were winners. It’s near to impossible to not get the next million dollar idea from winning sales letters. Remember, don’t reinvent the wheel when you can change the tires.

Writer’s Block Annihilator #10: Listen To Mozart And Baroque Music

Yes, it’s been proven to boost productivity. Baroque music is an excellent example, especially the works of Vivaldi, Bach and Handel. Interestingly, the major portion of scientific research into whether listening to music increases productivity has centred on what is known as the “Mozart effect”. Studies have shown that college students had performed better on their math problems when listening to classical music. Interestingly the effect of listening to Mozart does not appear to be limited to humans either. Apparently cows will produce more milk if music Mozart is played. Imagine what the ‘Mozart effect’ would do for your copy?

So now not only do you have one, but ten ways to rid yourself of writer’s woes.

Use them, nail those words, get those customers and rake those sales in.

Copyright 2004 Jo Han Mok

About The Author

Jo Han Mok is a frequent guest and featured speaker at Internet Marketing bootcamps and conferences on subjects such as copywriting and Joint Venture Marketing. Visit his website to get a simple step-by-step plan that can take you from ground zero to having money deposited in your bank account from an online business every single day for the rest of your life!

==> http://www.SuperFastProfit.com

May 12, 2008

The Case For Taking Your Company Public On The Pink Sheets

Filed under: Business — admin @ 4:46 pm

Over the course of history there have been events and legislation that has transformed the financial markets, our economy and the way we conduct business , such as the legislation that form the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internet has also has transformed the way we do business and communicate.

Sarbanes-Oxley falls into that categories, this piece of legislation named after Senator Paul Sarbanes (D) MD and Representative Michael Oxley ( R) Ohio was passed in response to the Enron and Worldcom scandal.

When legislators in Washington are confronted by a problem they also rush to come up with some type of legislation to give the appearance that they are doing something about the problem, and we the electorate have become accustomed to having Washington solve all of our problems.

But Washington’s solution to one problem is the beginning of another one and often times a bigger one.

Sarbanes-Oxley is making it extremely expensive for small and mid-size company to be able to afford the cost of an audits, the requirement of Sarbanes-Oxley has almost double the cost audits.

And compliance with other requirement of Sarbanes-Oxley is also eating away at the bottom line, one company that chose to leave the American exchange for the pink sheets is Ziegler Cos. 103 year old investment banking firm based in Milwaukee.

John J. Mulherin CEO of Ziegler Cos. Says Sarbanes-Oxley rules would have cost the company 10-15% of its bottom line in the first year alone.

Many small and mid-size companies would prefer to put these resources in to expansion and product development, and that is why many are choosing to go public in the pink sheets.

The small companies our the backbone of our nation not the big bloated Fortune 500 companies which have lost over 20 million jobs over the last 10 years, while small companies have created 15 million new jobs over the same time period.

But unfortunately the big companies have all the influence in Washington, with politicians of both parties dependent on them for campaign contributions.

With banks refusing to lend money to small companies and the Small Business administration being a joke, the only way for small companies to gain access to the capital markets is to go public.

So the pink sheets have become a viable option for many small companies to go public, Pink Sheet listed companies are not required to have audited financial statement. They must disclose financial information that is accurate but it can be prepare by the company’s accountants.

These securities are traded on an unsolicited basis, which means that the NASD has not cleared a market maker to enter a quote in the security pursuant to SEC Rule 15c211. Instead a broker is relying on an exemption to the rule in order to display a quotation representing customer order.

The broker must ascertain that the issuer has made adequate current information available on the Pink Sheet website. The disclosure policy has been a good attempt at creating transparency of basic information that investors trading in public market deserve.

But the pink sheets are not stopping here they are planning on having different tiers. The pink Sheet is planning to charge companies a flat fee for corporations to get a templates for financial information, and will be able to use the website to post media releases and hold question and answer sessions as well other service. This will help raise the companies into one of the new tier.

The top tier will be Premier QX which will be compose of companies large enough to be listed on a major exchange, with audited financial statements, annual shareholders meetings and share price of at least $1.

A second tier will be made up of companies will be smaller issuers with audited financial reports. The final tier will be made up of small companies with information prepared by person with sufficient financial skills and complying with guidelines that the Pink Sheets will be mailing to issuers.

Another reason for listing on the Pink sheets is the cost of a public Shell, a Pink Sheet shell sells for half the price of a bulletin board shell, and sellers are more willing to sell all the shares they control.

By buying entire amount of the share controlled by shell owner you remove the probability of having to purchase those shares later at a higher price on the public market.

While Sarbanes-Oxley has created problem it has also created opportunities, and as long as we continue to exercise our God given creative genius no congress in the universe can stop our enterprising spirits from finding solutions to our problem.

While many in the past may have lost money in the Pink Sheets with its lack of financial disclosure, the amounts are small in comparison to the amounts lost in Enron, Worldcom and Global Crossing. All which were Exchange listed companies.
Among the companies currently listed on the Pink Sheets are
Swiss chocolate maker Nestles, ARC Energy, TransForce and Vermillion as well as Volkswagon, plus many banks and insurance companies.

So don’t be afraid of having your company listed on the Pink Sheets the company isn’t so bad and its getting better as the new head of the pink sheets continues his trek to respectability.

For additional information please visit:
http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com

Joseph Quinones, President of Genesis Corporate Advisors has spent over 25 years in the securities industry. In 1992 he founded JDQ Financial Group, Inc. and proceeded to build it up from a one Man operation to the point where it employed many traders, advised numerous client, and generated millions in revenues. http://www.genesiscorporateadvisors.com

May 10, 2008

The Best Home Based Business for Practically Anyone from 18 to 80

Filed under: Business — admin @ 6:15 am

An Online Home Based Business is the Perfect Business for Practically Anyone from 18 to 80. With an Online Business you can set your own hours. You can work your home based business part time, full time or some time. Everyone from College Students, to stay at home moms, to Working people looking to supplement their income to Seniors looking to improve their retirement years can all benefit from an Online Home Based Business.

If you currently have a Job, you can easily schedule a Home Based Business around your working hours. If you are a stay at home mom you can schedule your work time to best fit the schedule of your busy Family. If you are a senior an online Home Based Business gives you the freedom to work when you want and enjoy those golden years when you want.

Ebay is the perfect Home Based Online Business for the Practically Anyone from 18 to 80. The Start up costs for Ebay is very low. You do not need your own web page. You don’t even need to know anything about Ebay as they now have services that will sell anything for you on Ebay for a percentage of the Profits.

Ebay offers classes in either a traditional classroom environment or online. For details about these clashes go to the Ebay university web page http://pages.ebay.com/university/

You can Find Items to sell at Flea Markets, Garage Sales and Store Close-Outs. One strategy that works well is buying garage sale close outs. Go to a garage sale at the end of the day and offer to buy up what is left over. You can pay as little as $20 for garage sale leftovers and turn around and sell them on Ebay Separately for $500 or more. You can work with drop shippers and sell everything from toys to high-end electronics.

Mike Makler - EzineArticles Expert Author

About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built
an Organization of over 100,000 Members

Get Mike’s Newsletter:
http://ewguru.com/newsletter

More Articles by Mike:
http://ewguru.com/tips

Permission Based E_Mail Marketing Methods
http://ewguru.com/hbiz/amazingoffer.html

Copyright © 2005-2006 Mike Makler the Coolest Guy in the Universe

May 7, 2008

What’s Your Passion? Is there Something Genuine Online to Replace Your Job? The Timeless Question

Filed under: Business — admin @ 1:52 am

PART 1.

Like many others online, I started off with high hopes of earning money from the comfort of my home!

My job is likeable enough. I can’t complain about the money. I don’t have any issues with the people I work with in a way that makes me unhappy. I’m pleased that I have a job. Many don’t.

It’s just that often I would get that nigglingly unsatisfied feeling. That this job - and any job really - really wasn’t going anywhere that I wanted to be. Oh, I could’ve gone upwards and onwards through management. Sure, if I wanted to, the opportunities were there. The company I work for is a large, international company who actually ENCOURAGE you to move up! So, what’s my problem? What is missing? Oh dear, I sound like a cliche - “is there more to life?” lol :)

Let me explain where I’m coming from. Spiritually, I mean. NOT religiously - there is no preaching here :) Spirituality - to me - is *how I approach* life - people, situations, problems, money, relationships and the like.

How I approach everything in daily life depends on what I’ve learnt so far.

If I encounter a problem for example, from my point of view, I should be able to approach this in a fashion that allows me to:

a). learn from it;

b). grow through it;

c). never attach negative to it;

d). never think others are the cause of it (becoming a victim).

Obviously, this doesn’t work ALL of the time. I’m no saint and I don’t aspire to be. I just want to have a happy life.

So, what I’ve come up with so far is that I should firstly, never assume that a business idea, opportunity, program will be there forever. Regardless of whether it seems like the most amazingly, insightful business that I’ve come across EVER.

To my way of thinking, this is an ‘attachment’. Here ‘attachment’ means something that I rely on indefinitely, something that I depend on NOT to change in order for me to remain happy. Like relationships, money, lifestyle, jobs - business opportunities are fluid. Changing. Not permanent, even if they last for 10 years or more. Even if they don’t disappear, they surely change and it may not be in a way that I am comfortable with initally.

Ultimately, everything changes, life, thoughts in a person’s mind change by the second, the minute, the hour. You can be quite content one minute, the next minute however might bring something into your focus that your mind reacts to in one way or another that changes your current emotion - happy to sad, euphoric to flat, even just small changes in how you’re feeling.

Hence, I’m driven in my purpose to always remember the fluidity of life, every minute of every day. Attachments, whatever or whoever they may be, are something that I’ve relied on in the past to ‘make me happy’. Funny thing is, at the end of the day, two people can have the same thing happen ‘to’ them, but have different reactions to said ‘happening’.

It’s all in the perspective of the person.

Kim Puk
http://www.ShoutST.com

April 24, 2008

A FoolProof System to Turn All Your Ads into Powerful Cash Generators - GUARANTEED

Filed under: Business — admin @ 1:51 pm

If you want to sell your products like crazy using your ad copy, then this might be the most important article you’ll ever read.

Finally there are 10 killer steps that you can use right NOW to pull more orders from your ad copy without spending a dime.

If you want to pull in more orders and sales, then I urge you to read this article — immediately.

If you’re sick and tired of low sales pulling power of your website and want to turn it into a killer cash generator, then here YOU go…

STEP 1 - Include Examples.

Use plenty of examples in your advertising copy. This will enable your target audience to understand your sales pitch completely. It will also create their interest till the end.

STEP 2 - Explain them In Simple Terms.

Gain extra credibility by using terms your readers may not understand, but can follow by explaining them in simple terms.

This will show you’re an expert in your niche. Help them to get your message and get their problems solved.

STEP 3 - Show Your Excitement in Your Copy.

Reveal how excited you are about the product. Show them how it has benefited you in solving your problems. You could use words or a picture of yourself looking very excited.

STEP 4 - Let them Relate their Problems to Yours.

Tell your target audience you were in their current position. Tell them about the problems you faced. Next, tell them how your product pulled you out of that position.

They will relate themselves with YOUR position and grab your product to solve their pressing problems.

STEP 5 - Challenge your Readers at the End of your Ad.

Give them a risk free guarantee. Take all the risk on your shoulders and show them your confidence in the product.

Make a bet with them; if your product doesn’t solve their problem, offer them a free product in return.

STEP 6 - Ask Questions.

Get your audience involved in your ad by asking them questions. This will retain their interest.

They’ll automatically want to answer the questions in their mind.

STEP 7 - Give Them a Personal Touch.

Introduce yourself in your ad copy. Stick your picture on your website. Give them your contact details.

Haven’t you ever read an ad copy and wondered half way through it who is selling the product? It’s a big turn off.

STEP 8 - Tell a Story.

Start your ad with a story. It draws people right into your ad and they forget they’re being sold to.

This builds their interest till the end.

STEP 9 - Make it Simple for them to Understand.

Use less than five points in your ad copy. If you start revealing too many topics, your readers might get confused and quit reading.

Make your website short, to the point, benefit laden and exciting enough to get them till the end.

STEP 10 - Make them Feel Better.

Make your target audience’s experience reading your ad positive. They must feel that there’s a solution existing to their current problems.

You could educate them or tell a joke to make them laugh. Everything you may have heard about writing killer sales copy might be true.

But this article has shown you some amazing quick ways to get started on your way to attract more orders from your ad copy right now.

I’d like to make you an extremely bold promise. You can easily boost your websites conversion ratio and pulling power of all your sales letters and ads through the ROOF.

You can quickly and easily double your existing income from now on, if you use the tips above in your ad copy and test it thoroughly.

There’s never been a better time for you to let your website copy and salesletters pull more profits and sales, than it is today!

Grab FREE $147 ‘Profit Pulling Minisites’ Vault.

What if Murtuza creates Your Own money-making website Ready to take Orders in Less than 7 Days? Learn how to start an internet business…

http://www.7DaysToEarn.com/internet-business

April 21, 2008

Create An Outline To Write Better Articles

Filed under: Business — admin @ 9:48 pm

One very useful approach you can adopt when preparing to write
an article is creating an outline first. Creating an outline for
your article helps direct your writing. You start with an idea
and structure its development by making a plan for the major
points . This makes the job easier and faster and you are less
likely to overlook key matters.

An outline acts as the design or blueprint for your article. It
will guide you in creating the introduction, body and conclusion
of your article. For each point, you can write down some of the
ideas and sentences that you feel will benefit your article.
These can be some of the key supporting points that will help
your article look more creative, interesting and appealing to a
reader.

A carefully planned and prepared approach will ensure fewer
problems. Creating an outline for all your articles will help to
generate ideas and overcome “writer’s block”. Here are a few
tips and hints for doing this.

First, do a bit of brainstorming and jot down possibly relevant
ideas as they come to you. Don’t worry about criticising these
ideas at this stage; just jot them down. Also, consider some of
the areas that would likely be of concern to your readers. Allow
enough time to write down the ideas that you can use for your
articles. Once you have done your research, review your ideas
and all your notes; gain sufficient familiarity with your topic
that writing later and expanding on the points will be easy for
you.

The next step is to discover your sub topic and sub titles.
Provide a first sentence for your article, one that will
immediately grab the attention of your reader. You will need
some as well for your sub topics. To be concise and balanced,
gather the facts that support your point, as well as those
opposed.

This is the frame or skeleton of your article. Now it’s time to
add the flesh and the meat. You will need to connect all your
paragraphs and sub topics. This will form the body of your
article.

While the introduction will usher in the ideas of your
paragraph, you will need a conclusion. This will wrap up your
points and deliver the essence of your argument.

The outline for your article will also benefit if you write a
draft first. This may take more than one attempt but remember
that it is called a draft for a reason. Your outline is
perfected as each draft is written and, as the draft is meant
for your eyes only, so there’s no reason to feel ashamed and
inhibited. As you go on, you will more clearly see the bigger
picture and be able to describe it better.

Read and reread what you have written. Constantly refer to your
outline so that you don’t drift away from what you had planned.
It’s hard not to be caught in the moment and get lost in a
writing frenzy. Your outline will help keep you on track. All
those hours spent preparing the outline will not go to waste.

You’ve done it through junior high; expanded it through high
school, then in college built articles into chapters. No matter
how many times a person has done it, writing articles can be a
task many would rather avoid. Now at a time when it could help
you in your job or work, facing the task can be like facing the
enemy. What sets successful writers apart are the preparation,
methods and procedures they use.

This article will serve as a useful guide for you. Trust and
rely on your outline because it will prove to be a very helpful
tool when you do.