Whose Future is it Anyway?

In March I subscribed to Success Magazine, not to be confused with Success from Home Magazine. At that time I did not know the impact this subscription would have. Within days my health began sliding downhill. After loosing 50lbs in less than 3 weeks I found myself in the emergency room and the hospital. All total, I was bed ridden for over 60 days, so weak there wasn’t much I could do other than sleep and other things, leaving that part to your imagination. It has only been the last couple of weeks that I have regained my energy and during the recovery time, I began paying attention to the news… and what I heard greatly disturbed me.

It was not so much that the unemployment is now close to 10%, rather how the news media and the government was playing up the victim card, how desperate people had become; all of this in order to drum up support to justify the government’s wanting to spend more on unemployment, making it even more enticing for people to stay unemployed. On top of that, the government wants to pass additional stimulus funding for additional jobs. Up to now not a single new private sector job has been created, only for government positions and to raise wages for current government workers. Remember the old Chinese proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” What has become of us and to the resiliency of the American People? Are we loosing sight of what made this country great?

As I began reading the July 2011 issue of Success Magazine, something profound hit me and tugged at my heart. Each article seemed to be speaking directly to me, including the 3 business owners interviewed on the audio CD. Then I realized something… I am not the only one experiencing doubt, uncertainty, and frustration as a result of negative news and the doom and gloom of our government and news media. Talking down our country long enough, people begin to believe what they hear. The longer people hear doom and gloom, the more people begin to wonder who will help them… who will provide for them… they become believers that only government is the answer for their subsistence.

Even I was falling into the doom and gloom trap; usually I am very positive and upbeat with a positive outlook on life… but when all I was hearing and seeing was doom and gloom… well you get the picture. Then I recalled what I always told my daughter… “you are who you hang out with” and here I was hanging out with these negative inputs to my life. It wasn’t until I picked up Home Magazine and began reading the articles and listening to the CD that I decided to do something to not only help change my life, but something that possibly could help change others, no matter how big or small.

There are some great stories surfacing about people doing amazing things when it comes to helping others move their lives forward. If given the chance, many more of us can do the same without sacrificing much time, energy or money. We just have to keep our eyes, ears and even minds open for ways with which to make a difference.

This month’s issue of Home Magazine (July 2011) focuses on a new kind of revolution, “The Industrial Revelation”. Darren Hardy, SUCCESS publisher and Editorial Director, starts out his “up front” article by stating that “The revelation is this: The way we were… is over.” From there he goes on explaining how technology is changing the entire landscape of our economy. According to Darren Hardy, there has never been a greater time in history to be creative and take charge of our lives.  Darren Hardy explains “With the mind-blowing velocity of change and the throng of competition, the skills needed for the 21st century success are less about academic or industrial or technical training, and more about what might be called the “soft skills: Emotional intelligence, adaptability and resiliency, networking, interpersonal and relationship-developing skills self-motivation, accountability and productivity skill; personal branding, social marketing and persuasive communication skills along with leadership, recruiting and people-building skills.” And where did Darren Hardy say we can get these “soft skills”? From Success Magazine… and for sure the July edition certainly substantiated his claim.

Darren stats “Over the last decade, we began hearing the death rattle of a bygone era. The corporate structure and system has begun to crumble.” What was really amazing was his point that “All this deconstruction and loss of control by the few, the behemoths, the entrenched, spells freedom… and opportunity for the rest of us. As entrepreneurs and individual achievers, it is our time to thrive!” Yes, you read that correct… it is important to understand that America is the land of the free, home of the brave, but most importantly, the leader in resiliency, the ability to recover quickly from setbacks without outside interference. It is up to our actions to surround ourselves with winners, with resources that will take us to once again become a resourceful and resilient country, it will force government to once again get out of our way and let free enterprise work its magic… it has every time it has been tried. A great example of this can be seen as far back as the middle of the 1800’s.

Samuel Smiles was an incredible individual, a Scottish author who was born on December 23, 1812 and died April 16, 1902. According to Deborah Huso, author of “Teaching Man to Help Himself”, Samuel Smiles “believed in the importance of strong character, perseverance, thrift, independence and individuality in achieving both self-improvement and success” through many of his articles and in his famous book, “Self-Help”. Samuel Smiles became a student of what works and what doesn’t by surrounding himself with successful people as well as being well read. Sound familiar? Samuel Smiles believed the best way to get ahead in life was through practiced “Self-Reliance.”

Just so you know, “Self-Reliance” is the brilliant work of Ralph Waldo Emerson. This essay, written during the 1800’s, is as relevant today as it was then.

“I read the other day some verses written by an eminent painter which were original and not conventional. The soul always hears an admonition in such lines, let the subject be what it may. The sentiment they instill is of more value than any thought they may contain. To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense; for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost, and our first thought is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the Last Judgment….” Read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance”. 

“Smiles taught his readers that self-help was “the root of all genuine growth in the individual.” He began to conclude that outside help, such as a government social program, was often “enfeebling” because it removed the “stimulus and necessity” required to make people take care of and advance themselves. “Where men are subjected to over-guidance and over-government, the inevitable tendency is to render them comparatively helpless.” For more information about Samuel Smiles, go to Deborah Huso’s article, "Teaching Man to Help Himself."

It is important for all of us to do what we can not only in supporting those individuals having a burning desire to make a change, but guiding those who seem to have lost their way in uncertainty; who are confused and who may seem to believe there is no hope. We know it cannot be left up to the government for solutions… it has never worked. Look at everything that has been tried; there isn’t a single successful government program and yet we are to believe the government and news media when they tell us that we want more? Who have they been talking to? It is up to us as Americans to look out for each other and I know for a fact that in today’s economic uncertainty we have opportunities abound. We need only to keep our eyes, ears and especially our minds open. Rather than look only for a job, be willing to look for opportunities. Always be aware of your surroundings and when an opportunity does happen to appear never jump too quickly. If you think you have found the perfect opportunity, tell yourself to wait, sleep on it for a day or two – do your do diligence. If the opportunity is that great it will still be great the next day after doing your homework, and getting all your questions answered and by all means get others to help with your evaluation; but only those with whom you trust and value their opinion. You can only rely on successful people having the background and credibility to provide constructive and intelligent input. Who in their right mind would ask Uncle Bubba, or Daryl and his brother Daryl to evaluate a business when none of them have ever been successful at anything in their lives?

It is after all, YOUR future!

Drawing Attention to the Cosmetic Industry

"For the first time sold in the United States, exclusively distributed by Market America, Matriskin™ Collagen MP Serum visibly reduces the look of lines and wrinkles. Its advanced peptide technology helps to firm and revitalize the skin." All over the internet one will find claims being made about this produce and that, but where's the "poof"as Inspector Clouseau would say. Well amazingly enough, in this case the real proof is in the hands of satisfied customers, Matriskin™ really does work, and people are giving it rave reviews.

According to Market America, "The Collagen MP Serum is a new collagen based formula with micro-collagen and patented peptides that help counteract the aging process. A special skin penetration element is added (palmitoic acid) in order to help the collagen molecules and the peptide to be instantly absorbed. Thus, the cellular regeneration and the structure of the skin are promoted. The viscoelastic properties of the hyaluronic acid have drawn attention to the cosmetic industry. This is one of the main components of the extracellular matrix that makes it possible for the skin to maintain hydration, due to its great capacity to retain water." 

And what about the Primary Benefits of Matriskin™ Collagen MP Serum which is exclusively distributed by Market America in the US?

• It visibly reduces the look of lines and wrinkles
• Contains hyaluronic acid and humectants to pull moisture deep into skin cells
• Advanced patented peptide technology proven to increase skin firmness
• Promotes collagen production leading to skin revitalization
• Texture and luminosity are dramatically improved
• Works well for all skin types, including delicate skin

Everyone probably agrees that people love to buy but they hate to be sold. So how do consumers know if they are being deceived by being sold a bill of goods? By being smart and going where consumers actually share information and experiences by reviewing products and services, two of which are what I can safely say are credible sources. The first would be from the very company that distributes the product, second by a site that provides product reviews which helps shoppers avoid costly mistakes, Buzzillions.com. Buzzillions offers product reviews and tools for consumers to research purchases before buying. 

On Market America's site you will find 48 reviews. On Buzzillion's site you will find 72 reviews. Both sites are showing an extremely high satisfaction rating.

The Future of Business & Shopping... has just got Closer

On December 15, 2010, countless stories broke with ground breaking news of MarketAmerica.com and Shop.com. On the 15th, Internet Retailer was one of the first to break the stunning news of Market America purchasing Shop.com "Shop.com is among the last original shopping comparison sites to merge or be purchased." Amazingly news continues to buzz the airways, newsprints and the Internet. In the official "marketamericanews" the story led off with "Market America to Acquire SHOP.COM Business to Create Social Shopping Site Positioned to Rival Internet's Leading Shopping Destinations, Acquisition will Combine the Power of Cash Back Program, Personal Networks. 

This acquisition bringing together MarketAmerica.com and SHOP.COM will create a new ‘social shopping' movement! JR Ridinger, President and CEO of Market America, stated, "To date, no one has truly harnessed the power of technology to provide a high touch, personal shopping experience combined with the depth of selection available through instant search of the more than 43 million products in our database. Our business model rewards customers at every stage – by making their shopping easier and more efficient, and rewarding them with cash back for shopping with us. This unique strategy positions us for explosive growth and to compete head-to-head with the biggest, most dominant shopping sites on the Internet."

For the full story, Click on this link...

Triangulation: Leveraging Social Media Channels

In January of 2009 I wrote an article titled "Triangulation the Cornerstone of Business Development and Organic SEO". Ever since then I have been amazed just how fast social networks have exploded. However, are business owners as quick to embrace this exploding “word of mouth” phenomenon? According to some experts such as Billy Adams, maybe not, “Surveys find some owners are intimidated by the technology and others just don't have the time. A significant minority simply can't see the point of it all.” Now the operative words here were “some owners” and a “significant minority”.

In most cases when talking with a perspective client who either doesn't have a website, or has one that is either unattractive (killer for any business owner competing in a tough marketplace or industry) or inefficient (making it difficult for visitors to get what they came for), I find the problem has mostly been either due to a lack of knowledge or just simply being unaware of the popularity social media has within the market place and the impact it can have on business. Business owners are all masters at what they do but when it comes to marketing, which breaths life into any business, all too often they are unaware of the changing dynamics taking place with advanced technology reshaping the marketplace. Unfortunately, these same businesses will be the ones out of business in a very short period of time. But it’s not too late!

With advancements in website platforms and software, eCommerce, social network channels, along with keen competition among providers, huge cost savings make it extremely affordable for businesses to leverage technology and services. What used to cost 10s of thousands of dollars yesterday is extremely affordable today; so much so Small- and Medium-Business owners can easily leverage high-tech turn-key business class websites, social networks, customer support and other resources providing an “investment” for their businesses rather than an expense. However business owners need to take action, and they need to take it now! Why? Their competition is running a race to grab as many customers as possible, as fast as possible. The longer a business waits to leverage the Internet with all the affordable resources available, the greater the odds they will not be around in 3, 2 or even 1 year.

Discussed In the article “Triangulation the Cornerstone of Business Development and Organic SEO” was how triangulation was used to facilitate Organic Search Optimization providing Strength, Relevancy and Duplication in supporting Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Management (SEO/SEM). Today Triangulation goes well beyond what and how it was used for only two years ago. Social media channels have created a path which not only greatly increases a business’s odds by capturing more customers, but has also been shown to successfully keep those customers and isn't that the objective of all businesses – identify, capture and keep customers?

In order for a business to properly take advantage of triangulation they need to have a business class website and at least one social media channel and one blog site. However, having two or more social media channels greatly increases exposure in order to fully optimize social media channels to reach a maximum audience. The objective is to create relevancy gained from having two or more sites passing information “of interest” about the business and its website, another significant case for having a business class/professional website. And while on the subject of a business class/professional website let me make a recommendation. A new business or a business with a limited budget should have their priorities set on getting an efficient and effective “entry level” site. Don’t get me wrong, it still has to be a business class site but so long as the site is “professional” in appearance, there should be less emphasis given to how the site looks. Once the business profits are up and has become successful, the owner can always come back to give their site a makeover. Emphasis should be placed on how a site operates, how robust are the features so the business owner is able to efficiently operate and manage his/her online business. In other words, the business owner should not get hung up on how great or beautiful the site looks so long as it doesn't look amateurish. How many times have you seen a business, located in a ritzy shopping district, whose website looks as if a friend or relative put it together? A site that doesn't look or feel like a professional business class site turns people away, especially if they are surrounded by high class businesses with professional sites. Remember, you get what you pay for and a professional looking and functional site, tied to mutually “relevant” social media channels passing “relevant” information about the business is far more important and “relevant”. If you think I am using that word, “Relevant” a great deal… you are right! It just cannot be stressed enough as to the importance this one word has on marketing. The stakes are too great and the business owner must stay on top as best as possible. According to the dictionary, relevant means “having social significance, having some bearing on or impact for real-world issues, present-day events, or the current state of society.” Here is another question for you: Is it possible to gain relevancy in a passive marketing strategy such as radio spots, newspaper ads, or even in the phone book? You be the judge.

If this seems like alot for a small business and its owners to take on, it could be! Remember Billy Adams above? There are those who either do not have the time or just don’t see the point. Well if a business is not generating the needed income what else can the owner do? Something must change otherwise insanity sets in and the business goes under. So what must the owner do in order to generate more income? Get the word out about his/her business! But what are the options? There really are only four:

1. Without website: Advertise in newspapers, radio and/or TV, or phone book
2. With website: Advertise in newspapers, radio and/or TV, or phone book
3. With website: Hire 1 or more employees having expertise in this area
4. With website: Outsource to expert company(s).

Which of the above do you believe is the least expensive, and yields the most productivity?

1. Advertising without a website: How much does it cost in your area to advertise on local TV, radio, newspapers or even the Yellow Pages? Five hundred, a thousand, two thousand, and is that monthly? And how does the owner track and manage which ads are providing the best return on their investment (ROI)?
2. Advertising with a website: Costs would be the same however website owners have the ability to monitor ROI but only if the website has the tools to capture, track, and manage the data.
3. Hiring Employees for managing the website: How much do you think it costs to find someone who has the expertise in developing and operating a “business class” website? Could that person also create and manage social media channels while providing content to both the website and multiple media channels? If not, can the business owner afford hiring a second person? Depending on the size of the business the owner may be paying $30 to $40k per year for 1 or more employees just to help market their business online. So what is the cost in finding one or more “reliable” employees to hire?
4. Outsourcing: There are companies today specializing in professional business class websites, social media channel development, SEO/SEM, along with associated customer support resources at rates less than $6,000… and that’s for standing up an entire turn-key solution. This is far less expensive with fewer headaches than any of the other three choices, with results that are seen in a very short period of time… usually within 30 days according to Stephen Jones of Growth Strategies a “Hands on” Sales and Marketing Strategy and Implementation Services Company.

So how important is social media anyway? Well, below is what two business owners said about the impact social media had on their business:

• “We went from page 8 on Google to page 1 within 2 months with the help of your social media program. Thank you!”
• "The budget cut we received from corporate for marketing was 15%, and we had to scramble for a new way to reach our targeted market. We knew we could reach them online, but didn't know how, or which direction.
  
  
  Your expertise in branding our image online, and to our target niche was what we needed. I had no idea that so many of our key audience was so active in Linked-In and Facebook, and I didn't even know what Twitter was!
  
  
  Because our sales team is working leads brought in by the education your team is doing for our Groups online, their close ratio is about 7 out of 10.”

Social media has become an extremely powerful tool! Once a business is able to lasso and leverage this beast, the owner soon asks the question, why didn't I do this earlier? Triangulation incorporates three important components which every business needs… Strength, Relevancy and Duplication!

Strength: Strength comes from “word of mouth”. Strength also comes in numbers; numbers of people who the business may or may not know spreading the word. This buzz is what creates interest, which in turn sells products or services, equating to significant cost savings. Word of mouth also edifies the business, its products and/or services. The business isn't beating their own chest or boasting how good they are; kudos are coming from 3rd party resources from various social media outlets being tapped. Word of mouth is very powerful! As businesses provide “educational” and supporting information, consumers and customers begin to spread the word about the business. Here is where professionals are able to provide the level of expertise which business owners just do not have. Why? Well for one good reason… credibility and good press. Bad news travels much faster than good. Professionals help keep the business owner from stumbling because once bad press gets out into the social media channels, it is difficult if not impossible to get back one’s credibility.

Relevancy: One of the most powerful, if not most powerful, tools to gain positioning on the search result pages is having a large number of people and sites talking about your website. This is known as relevancy and is also part of organic search engine optimization. Once businesses go down the path of leveraging social media outlets, SEO/SEM almost becomes irrelevant. Why? Well what used to take months to get results on the web using SEO/SEM techniques now takes only a few weeks. Once the buzz is created by using social media networks it almost takes on a life of its own. Word of mouth, an extremely powerful phenomenon, quickly gets the word out in front of potential customers. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying SEO/SEM is no longer relevant, it just means those companies who used to rely solely on SEO/SEM are now also leveraging social media channels as part of their overall service to businesses.

Ranking on search engines is challenging to say the least. Leveraging as many technologies as possible is the name of the game. But which technology should we leverage? Just like in the original article, in order to get a business to reach that prime #1 page-1 ranking on the Internet, a business owner either spent a great deal of money and/or a great deal of time optimizing their Website. And it’s getting tougher and tougher if not impossible for many businesses to reach even page 1, especially plumbers, doctors, or any number of professions where literally hundreds if not thousands of the same businesses are in a small geographical location. The only relevancy found as a result of successful SEO/SEM is in matching key words on websites to words entered in the search, and only “when someone is actively searching”. The importance of SEO/SEM will never go away, however it can no longer be the only focus on marketing a businesses website.

Duplication: The most beautiful part of triangulation is that of duplication. What better way to create a buzz than people spreading the word? Information about a sale, a special, great services, great food, and great fun to mention a few can quickly spread, duplicating each time someone shares the information on the internet. This is the ultimate goal of any business.

One industry which successfully utilizes duplication is the motion picture industry. Here is a great exercise to conduct which best illustrates the power in “word of mouth” and the duplication which takes place when implemented.

We are often bombarded with advertisements and trailers on TV just before a movie is to be released. The next time a new movie is about to be released, check how many times you see it advertised on TV, on the radio, in newspapers. Take note how often you see or hear the new movie advertised. Once the movie is out see just how many times you see or hear the movie being advertised on the very same media channels. You will see significantly fewer ads, if any, after the movie is released. Why? Word of mouth! Those who have gone to see the movie tells a friend, who then goes to see the movie who tells a friend, who tells a friend, and so on and so on. The movie industry knows that before the movie they have to flood as many channels as possible to create the interest for people to initially go see the movie. Once the movie has been released they no longer need to spend money on advertisement because “word of mouth” takes over, the buzz is created. This same concept is applied in social media marketing for businesses.

Which Option to Choose: Given the four options business owners have as seen above in 1, 2, 3, or 4, which makes greater sense, doing all the work or leveraging? Does paying thousands and thousands of dollars every year to possibly get into the top few pages as good as paying a few hundred and having people on social networks create the buzz about “your business”?

Let’s look at a scenario where a business owner of a specialty designer clothing store decides to have a special sale because she accidently fell into a fantastic deal. This business owner has spent a great deal of time and effort in getting high ranking on the search engines. Let’s say for discussion purposes Barbara, the owner, is proud of the fact that her business always comes up #1 on Page 1 when people search for designer clothing. Now let’s say my wife Cheryl decides she wants a special designer outfit and would love to find a special deal so she goes hunting. Unless she happens to search for designer clothing during the very timeframe Barbara is having her great sale, Cheryl will miss the sale completely. But what if Barbara was networked on one or more social media channels, and during one of her postings she put out information on a special purchase recently made on the hottest and most popular designer apparel which just came in. Cheryl happened to be following a friend of a friend who happened to “like” what Barbara had posted and not only did Cheryl get a great deal but within a day or two of the buzz first starting the entire shipment was snagged up.

Now for the small business owner who has a limited marketing or advertising budget, do you think it was necessary to put out an ad? Probably not! I would say this was the very best marketing or advertising strategy that could ever be developed.

Triangulation and leveraging social media channels is all about marketing businesses easier and more cost effectively, regardless of business or service provided. Strategic marketing is about leveraging technology, partnering if you will with businesses that put businesses out in front of people actively and inactively engaged in looking for you rather than “by chance” finding you.

In wrapping up, business owners should have a game plan for increasing business and revenue with the least expense. It is important to identify and create a marketing strategy, a road map if you will, to a business’s desired result. Below are a few “initial” objectives business owners began with and notice not all of them were in the business of selling.

• To create a powerful sales message and tool that provides urgency, and generates revenue
• To build sales through a variety of mediums, and create a clear message and vision of the business from the client's perspective
• To build business partnerships for this state run organization
• To build customer loyalty and increase market share
• To create strategic marketing initiatives, and a new marketing plan
• To save money on advertising methods, and establish partnerships with businesses who share their customers
• To build market awareness, and better communicate her unique selling advantage
• To become distinguished in the marketplace, and become established as the only viable choice
• To increase awareness of club's facility and build relationships with churches and local businesses

What is your objective? Knowledge is a very powerful commodity to have… businesses in today’s economic slump cannot afford to stay uninformed. Every business owner needs to keep an open mind, keep their eyes and options open for solutions which can change their business.

The best advice I can give to business owners? First ask, “What is my strategy for increasing business and sales?” Then go out and Leverage Social Media Channels.

GrowOnlineNow.com: Internet Ad Banners

In a BizReport article, Ad blindness remains challenge for marketers, Helen Leggatt brings to light an interesting perspective on a study from Adweek Media and Harris Poll which finds that "...despite an increase in innovation and creatively in online advertising, many consumers are still blind to banner ads."

It seems consumers like banner ads almost as much as I like commercials while watching one of my favorite TV shows or movie. Although on the surface this may seem to be a significantly negative report, there really is no way of knowing what were on the minds of those polled. I wouldn't be too overly concerned about these findings however I would recommend becoming knowledgeable in how best spend your marketing and advertising money. What should be instructive for business owners is how we, the consumers, are looked upon when vying for our business. In today’s viral environment, people are telling their friends, who are telling their friends and so on about what they like, bought, didn't buy and why. And, it is easier then ever because of all the social networks channels available today. And, what are they telling their friends? A business owner would hope customers are telling their friends of the great product and/or service they received. Banner ads just might have run their course... and it may be as a result of "in your face" tactics. Not by the average business owner, but by ruthless advertisers and what they think are cool tricks to get consumers to notice them.

Ignoring Internet Banner Ads

The oft-maligned promo unit takes yet another hit

Nov 29, 2010 
- Mark Dolliver

It wasn't a banner day for Internet banner ads when an AdweekMedia/Harris Poll asked consumers to cite the kind of advertising they're most likely to ignore (see the chart).

Search-engine advertising also didn't fare very well in the poll, which was conducted last month.

Despite having come of age with the Internet, the survey's 18-34-year-olds were about as likely as their elders to pick banner ads as the genre they ignore the most (42 percent made that choice). Likewise, 21 percent of the 18-34s said search-engine ads are the genre they're likeliest to ignore.

The biggest variation by age cohort came with respect to TV advertising.

While advertisers might think of the 55-plusers as a comparatively docile TV audience, that age group had the highest proportion of respondents picking TV ads as the kind they ignore the most. Twenty percent of the 55-plusers made that choice, vs. 9 percent of the 18-34s, 13 percent of the 35-44s and 14 percent of the 45-54s. 

Banner ads are passive advertising. For businesses to have a better chance in surviving, they should be more creative with active advertising which is where the social media can take them. Even TechCrunch’s Robin Wauters knows this to be a challenge. “Survey Says: 63% Of You Ignore The Ads On This Very Page.” According to the survey, Robin knows that when you view his article 

more than half of the viewers will ignore the banner that appears on his page

. So it may be interesting to ask, is Banner Ads the best tool and use of your marketing dollars in a tight economy?

In Hal Becker’s book “Can I have 5 Minutes of Your Time”, he brought up a very interesting and important parallel on using the “right” tools: “Did you ever change a faucet at home? And did you try to do it with whatever tool you had around, or did you use a special tool – like a ratchet – that goes under the sink? If you didn't use the right tool, what was it like? It was hell! And how long did it take? Forever! But it if you have the right tool, the job takes only a few minutes, and it's a snap!” OK, you plumbers probably are saying there is no such thing as a ratchet for plumbing jobs, perhaps a pipe wrench along with a large pair of water pump pliers and an open end wrench, but you get the gist.

The right tool is the right tool regardless if you are marketing or managing a website. There is the old rotary dial phone which still works and there is the high tech phones which require no wires and you can get answers to questions in seconds from professionals who have an entire website dedicated to answering your question, all from the phone... so the question is, which phone would you prefer? The rotary phone or the high tech phone? 

Don’t be fooled… that old adage you get what you pay for still holds true! Network and work with people you can get to know and trust, people you can rely on. Building relationships with your customers is important… building relationships through a strong business network is "critical" for survival. This is important so we can worry less about what we don’t know, and focus more on the things we do know. 

And for a little light tongue and cheek humor, according to Robin Wauters: As for Web advertising – one can only hope brands and publishers alike realize that they need to get more creative and work on better targeting, not try and find ways to make surfing the Internet even more of a nightmare by throwing more intrusive advertising units and more *($@!# “welcome screens” our way. 

And marketers, Hugh MacLeod and myself would like you to never ever forget:

New High Tech solutions are everywhere… just ask questions and become better aware of what tools and strategies can and will work best for you and your business. 

Did You Know…

More holiday projections are in from eMarketer experts which predict a 14.3% rise in online sales over last year! That would bring the season's total in ecommerce sales to $38.5 billion! When it comes to profiting during the holiday season, eCommerce is no longer an option for businesses – it's a necessity! For those businesses not yet up on the internet, or those who do have an eCommerce site but lacks a reliable eCommerce solution, do not let another year of opportunity slip through you fingers...it's time to establish a digital presence that gets results! 

All the Best,

Bruce…

Bruce Swartz is a consultant for small- and mid-size businesses as well as entrepreneurs. His goal is in educating and providing affordable solutions with profitable results. Bruce reaches out to his network of professionals for not one person or company can possibly have all the answers when it comes to providing full solutions based upon business owner’s needs, requirements and budget. Feel free in contacting Bruce at anytime for free consultation or visit his site at www.growonlinenow.com. 

This Holiday Season Can Bring Unexpected Savings

Can you just imagine the convenience of shopping at Macy's, or Target, or K-Mart, or any number of well known stores, even JCPenney, Old Navy, Lands' End, and literally thousands more, and not have to leave the comfort of your home?

InYourHomeMall.com does exactly that but with a twist... if you go directly to each of those stores just mentioned, and purchase from them online you do not get cash back however, when you go through InYourHomeMall.com to those very same stores, you still get the same great deals, sales, promotions etc, but we will pay our customer's Cash Back. Depending on the store up to 35% Cash Back. And we push any and coupons to our customers as well so there is no need to find out if there is a coupon for that item... or store. We do all the grunt work.

Below are just a few examples... click on the image

Earn up to 20% MA Cashback on Holiday Fashion

Motives® Professional Nail Grooming Set

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My Amazing Journey – The rest of the Story

We ended “Ulcerative Colitis – My Amazing Journey”, with “Understand everyone’s body is different so what I did will not necessarily work for the next person… but another important element to this story helps level the playing field, a factor which can get the most out of prescription medication, nutritional supplements and even regular food, but you will just have to wait. I will give you a hint however – it has to do with unlocking energy blockage in the body. It also is the very best way to quit smoking, one which I “personally” experienced. This story will soon be told...”

In Chinese medicine there is something called Meridians that run through the body. I will never attempt to educate anyone on Chinese medicine, if interested you can find more by searching the internet for resources such as Wikipedia. However, I will tell you the science behind Chinese medicine has been studied, researched and proven with much of what is known being introduced into Western Medicine for many years. Meridians provide the flow of energy throughout the body and if blocked, by any number of reasons, cause adverse health issues. So in my particular case, my Ulcerative Colitis (UC) could have been initially triggered as a result of a severe back injury that occurred in the mid 80’s. Then I had a severe automobile accident in 1992 and my back was injured even more. When looking at the meridians on a chart, it just so happens that the area of my injured spine is directly associated with the colon. Although my back was 100% back to normal, unbeknownst to me the flow of energy had been severely disrupted as a result of the trauma. This is as far as I will go in discussing Chinese medicine and what happened to me for I am not the expert. All I know is energy blockage was the problem I was facing. When I was able to control my UC it was as a result of successfully fighting inflammation. All the things I had been doing were certainly working, but I was taking a large quantity of supplements in order to keep my UC under control. 

Now the rest of the story!

In 2007 I was introduced to the ONDAMED through an email informing me of a conference call that would be taking place where Dr. Shari Lieberman would be presenting the results of 4 case studies which she conducted. Dr. Shari Lieberman was someone Cheryl and I knew very well and I had to be on this conference call. After listening to the call I knew there was something special about this machine. After listening to additional conference calls along with conducting my own research, the ONDAMED turned out to be what I now refer to as the “missing link”. 

Research has proven that certain frequencies or vibrations “unblocks” the flow of energy, and the ONDAMED has been proven to do this extremely well along with having many other benefits, especially pain management. A great deal of information is now available on multiple sites, the main one of course being www.ondamed.net. Another resourceful site contains that very first conference call. www.teleconferenceinfo.net also contains many other conference calls with discussions on the various aspects of the human body, how the ONDAMED works in conjunction with the human matrix, meridians as well as other case studies.

In 2008 I was introduced to Dr. Mark Armstrong, a local naturopathic physician here in Atlanta who at the time was one of two practitioners owning an ONDAMED. After only a few visits to Dr. Mark it became apparent that the ONDAMED had made remarkable and significant changes to my health: 

1. The first noticeable change was the ability to significantly cut back on the nutraceuticals that were necessary to keep my UC in remission. This was a tremendous cost savings and was a direct result of the ONDAMED unblocking the flow of energy. 
2. The second; I had been trying to quit smoking for sometime however with each attempt my UC would flare up but would go back into remission when I continued smoking. This was extremely frustrating. Practitioners have successfully used the ONDAMED in treating smoking cessation so I decided to give it a try. In only a single one hour session, not only did I no longer have the cessation to have a cigarette, my UC flare-up I was expecting never occurred.

As a result of these remarkable successes I continued to do whatever I could to spread the word. Then I received a call from Jim B. who had listened to a particular conference call highlighting Dr. Valerie Hunt on TeleconferenceInfo.net. He was so impressed by the Dr. Hunt and other information on the site Jim purchased his own ONDAMED. During our discussion Jim had been asking me all kinds of questions about the ONDAMED. When asked how long I had owned my ONDAMED, I told him I had not purchased one. Jim was surprised based on the knowledge I had of this amazing technological device. It was from that discussion I made the commitment to get my own ONDAMED.

Since owning my own ONDAMED I have had ample opportunities in helping people with amazing results. After going through ONDAMED’s training in NY earlier this year, I came away with greater confidence not only in the ONDAMED, but in my own capabilities. Truly the ONDAMED is an amazing piece of technology. 

So, what is the ONDAMED? It is a battery-powered biofeedback device that a medical practitioner uses to determine which frequencies of sound, as well as the accompanying weak pulsed electromagnetic fields, cause a response in a patient's autonomic nervous system. Temporary stimulation by these frequencies, combined with the patient's cognitive and non-cognitive participation, promotes relaxation, muscle re-education, and various other prescription uses, such as pain relief, stress relief linked with reduction of inflammation and potential improvement of the immune system. Therapists throughout Europe have been using ONDAMED for over 10 years with great success. Patients and practitioners using ONDAMED frequencies have reported benefits on all levels of well-being: physical, emotional, and mental. ONDAMED is a tool that will put your practice on the cutting edge of mind-body medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, and pain management. No practitioner should be without it.

Recently I have been working with a local chiropractor in bringing a proven capability of the ONDAMED to the Atlanta area. Dr. Michael Cone is as passionate as I in helping people beat the ravages of smoking. Having personally experienced just how effortlessly it was for me to beat this addiction, I along with Dr. Cone look forward in helping anyone, serious yet struggling with their addiction, the opportunity in breaking their smoking cessation by integrating the very same ONDAMED Smoking Cessation Protocol that has been successfully implemented in Europe. As easy as it was for me, it can be equally difficult for others. The reason is simple... I was mentally ready and it was my own idea. I was not pressured. When working with candidates for the program, it has to be determined they are as ready. This takes practice and patients in determining the right candidates. There are many ONDAMED practitioners who have successfully implemented the Smoking Cessation Protocol, so no one is alone.

Where ever you may be, if you want to know where to find practitioners utilizing the ONDAMED for Smoking Cessation Therapy, just contact me or ONDAMED Corporation. ONDAMED practitioners are there to help make you feel better!