Avoiding Dangerous Traps

In all the things that we go about doing each and every day in business, family or social life, being able to think realistically on our feet is perhaps one of the most important. Failure to do so will result in detrimental effects to the outcome of what we intend to achieve.

Being realistic means that we are focused not only what we are aiming to achieve but also taking into consideration our own abilities and the resources available for us to complete the task at hand. Most people disappoint themselves when they fail at their goals without knowing that they have in the first place subject themselves to completing their targets irrationally. As managers or senior executives in the corporate world, it's imperative that we give our subordinates a chance to develop and grow by being truthful and honest with them when it comes to job performance reviews, instead of being the naive with the goody-old-shoes character.

Another important area which most people fall prey to is timing, due to its complexity in understanding it. Motivational and leadership guru Dr. John C Maxwell sums up timing in the following way. The wrong action at the wrong time equals disaster; the wrong action at the right time equals a mistake; the right action at the wrong time equals resistance, and the right action at the right time equals success.

Whether it be setting up a business, managing a small conference or just planning a family holiday, it is absolutely essential to know the right way, know-how and skills to execute it to achieve your targets.

Product and Service Test-Marketing

Launching a new product or service can be a heart-wrenching chore when you do not make the necessary preparations before the start of your project and conduct proper test-marketing. There are a number of ways in which you can find out if people are really going to buy or use your particular service or product.
First, get a prototype or a sample of the product which you intend to market. Whether it be a service or product, let people touch it, feel it, see it and get an opinion on it. Get your close friends to critique on its usage, standards or even possible short-comings which they foresee with your invention. Similarly, you can even show your creation to potential buyers. After giving your invention a 'test-drive' they would probably be the ones to give you a frank opinion of how your product or service fit into their needs.
Next in line when you do your test-marketing is to determine the prices and delivery dates from your suppliers. You don't want to mess this part up as it will show your inadequacies in fulfilling your customers' demands. A good way to do this is again to get your buyer's opinion on pricing. You might want to check out your competitors' prices and quality build with yours before you attempt to set a particular price or rate for your product or service. At what price would you be willing to pay for a product or service of this quality? The person who will be making the buying decision would be able to give you an answer, so always call on your prospective buyers for an opinion.
Thirdly, do an extensive comparison of your invention with your competitors in the marketplace. Test it on build, quality, ease of usage, convenience etc. Would someone buy from you or from another competitor with a similar product or service range? You might also want to test your product out with a local store and see if they can carry a limited stock for you. From there, you will be able to see how your customers respond to your creation.
One of the most effective ways to do a test-market is to bring your product or service to a trade-show and have your idea displayed to thousands of prospective buyers. There are many sophisticated buyers during these trade shows, most of whom are industry players themselves, and they would be the ones to tell you if you have a winner.
What are some of the things which you can do immediately?
1. Have a product or service prototype created and show it to as many potential buyers as possible, and have them give you their opinion and feedback on it.
2. Check out all your major competitors in the marketplace and answer for yourself why someone would buy from you rather than continue with their local retailer.

The Key to Long Term Success

Countless books, articles, studies and research has been conducted, written and detailed carefully over the centuries on how and why certain groups of people become a great success in life as well as being financially independent during the course of their working lives. Some of the various factors involved include family lifestyle and background, education history, intelligence, influential contacts etc. As we dwelve deeper into all the aspects of personal success development, it would finally dawn upon us that the single most important key is the attitude - more so the attitude of the individual's mind.

Famous Harvard sociologist, Dr Edward Banfield termed this all-important factor "long term perspective". By this he means that the particular successful individual took the pains during the course of his early years to develop a well-planned and systematic layout of what he intends his future would look like. The more detailed he his and the more thought-out his plan of execution, the more successful he will be. In simple terms, the successful person takes the future into consideration with every decision he makes in the present.

Take a look at the legal and medical profession, for instance. The years of gruelling hard work and study, assignments, practical work, apprenticeship has groomed the individual to a level of competence where he is capable of earning a very good living on his own. This long-term perspective has been ingrained in them consciously or unconsciously and has made these sets of professionals one of the most respected in any society today.

How does one start to create such "long-term perspectives"? A simple and sure-fire way is to have a solid set of priorities in your daily life, be it for work, family or social circles. Will what you are doing right now have a significant impact on your life in the future? There is a co-relation when it comes to priorities and success, and it is simply measured by the actions and activities which you are doing in the present. Take for instance, an employee who takes extra night classes on her own to improve her personal confidence in speaking is acting on a long-term perspective. A husband who comes home after a long hard day at work, sits down, chats with his wife and plays with his children is placing a lot of emphasis on family life. He views the importance of quality family time for a rewarding future.

Having a long-term perspective on success also requires one to follow a strict set of guidelines on personal discipline, particularly delayed gratification. With a mind-set of having a little less of enjoyment at the present moment, you will be rewarded in the long run with personal satisfaction and greater success.

Which Internet Business Model is the Right One?

There is a story of a man who was walking down a side alley and fell into a deep uncovered man-hole. As he struggled to get out, he yelled out, "Hey out there, help me get out of here!" A man passing by heard his plea, looked down, and threw him a long stick and left. As the man continued to struggle, a woman passed by and threw him a rope, but still didn't manage to get him out.
A few moments later, his friend walked past and was surprised that he landed up in the man-hole. His friend, Mark, immediately jumped into the dark hole and asked, "What are you doing here? It's dark and difficult to get out. I've been here before, and I can show you the way to get out."
In many ways, starting your online business is like being in the dark hole if you first did not know the facts, do the research, and choose the proper business model to start with. A lot of people, most out of mere sincerity, will be giving you lots of ideas for your business. As there are many profitable business models to choose from, let us explore some of the most popular, tried and tested formulas in the internet marketing industry.
The first business model is the catalog or retailer model. Here, your website functions as an internet or online store where you market items on a particular theme. It will feature product photos, anything ranging from either books, CDs, automotive tools, household items etc. with their descriptions and prices. Your role here is primarily that of a retailer.
The next business model and a highly popular one is the affiliate model. In this model, you become an associate or affiliate selling other people's products, and getting a commission out of every sale. A lot of new internet marketers use this path to gain momentum in their online quest. An example of an affiliate site is Amazon.com where you will be able to source for tons of products to market and profit from. Representing good quality products with a rewarding program and an amazing sales letter on the principal's website is the key and will provide you with good reach for success in this area. This is a highly competitive model and hundreds, if not thousands of marketers are marketing the exact same product as you are.
Becoming an e-Bay seller is the next popular option for a lot of online marketers. As e-Bay is the most trafficked auction site on the Internet today, there are opportunities to do very well here, if your product is highly sought after and very unique. it can be anything from personally written poems to torn and worn jeans to lego sets. The list is endless and is only limited by your imagination.
Perhaps the most used model of all is the Killer Sales Letter model. This requires you to set up a single landing page where you feature your single product with a long,persuasive and compelling sales letter enticing the reader to click on your 'Buy Now' button while they are at your site. As you can imagine, the most important task here is to have an exceptionally well-written sales copy, because this will literally make or break your sale. Killer copywriting skills is indeed very crucial for you to taste any success in this Internet Business Model.
This next Internet Business Model focuses on YOU, as I call it the Expert Model. Basically you will be selling your services as a professional in your particular field, be it in the training, medical, legal, chiropractic, dental, photography or other professional area. Well-written articles on your field of expertise with continuous updates on your newsletters and discussion forums on your website will entice your visitors to seek your consultation and services. As you cannot be at two places at one time, you will then be able to source out other professionals in the same field to become your Associates whereby they can partner you in servicing your clients, thus creating more profits for you.
There are more than ten other effective Internet Business Models which are available and very profitable; however, the models listed above are the ones which has proven very effective for me in my internet business venture. I highly recommend all new and current internet marketers to get a copy of Low-Cost High Profit Internet Business Models as it contains all the top business models available today, as well as providing the pros and cons of each, how to market each particular model and a step-by-step guide to creating your own unique internet marketing campaign.

Online Customer Service

The radio industry took 38 years to gain an audience of 50 million listeners, the television industry reached that figure in half the time, and guess what, the Internet took just a mere four years to surpass that mark! Absolutely incredible. So what has this got to do with Customer Service? Everything, especially so if you are in the online business or your company has a huge web presence. As internet use is almost doubling every 100 days, the opportunity for you to utilize the web to boost and enhance sales and service to your customers is both astounding and unprecedented. So how can you ensure that your online sales and service are web-wise and customer-friendly?
1. Make it easy for customers to find you online. Visibility online takes the form of directory listings, search engine listings, backlinks or links that point people to your site, and several other forms of online marketing. Do you have your company website address on your name card? It's a form of offline advertising and incredible effective in getting traffic to your site.
2. Keep your site navigation simple and clear. A page which takes 2 minutes to load the flash and graphics will turn away lots of potential customers. The web is about speed and convenience, so you want to take full advantage of them having clicked your link and making it easy for them to get the information they want in the shortest time possible.
3. Give reasons for customers to visit your site. Offer tips through newsletters or email, create some resource sites where your customers can connect with companies which compliment their business, publish articles providing the type of information which your customers would be interested in, have a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section where they can access to, a 'Contact Us' form for complaints or suggestions, create a chat or forum for your customers to interact with each other, or set up a teleconference call on a subject of interst to your customers.
4. Answer all your emails promptly and professionally. Nothing is more annoying than posting a support question online to the help center and never receiving a confirmation receipt email from them; worst still when the entire query goes unreplied after two to three weeks. Take note that answering customer emails promptly and professionally is as important as picking up your company phone within three rings.
The time-tested principles that apply to traditional methods of serving customers face-to-face and by phone are just as relevant to the electronic media of email and e-commerce. Being user-friendly, offering quality products and services, standing behind what you sell, and being responsive to customer inquiries and problems are very critical in providing excellent service online.

Starting An Online Business

Ever since some fifteen years back when the internet revolution was just about to go into full swing, many people then still doubted its power. Today, when you mention any of these words - online, internet, website, html, Yahoo, Google, blogging etc, you are more often than not going to receive a reply like - oh yes, it sure is an in-thing nowadays isn't it? Even more and more businesses are resorting to going online to boost their market presence. In fact, it's extremely difficult to discount the hard reality that the internet is indeed a powerful and versatile tool for any business.

If you are one who is a complete stranger to internet marketing, a good idea would be to first source for information on the web about starting a business online. Key in the Google search bar for the keyword you are looking for, e.g. starting a photography business. Your search results will reveal all the sites currently doing photography business. Click on some of the links and view how they promote their products and services. Write down what your goals are if you were to start a business online. What are the key areas which interests you, your hobbies, current work etc. The most successful business is one which you are absolutely passionate and confident about. Then set-up a draft of how your site is going to look like, what are the items you would like to include, for eg. current articles or promotions, newsletters etc. If all these sound too much work for you, there are many other options available. Some of them are joining affiliate programs, blogging for profit, be an eBay or Amazon affiliate, be a reseller of niche products, etc.

There are dozens of internet marketing professionals (be wary of some so-called gurus who haven't even made a decent sale online) each specializing in their own fields, and many of them offers seminars and workshops for newbies who are keen to venture into the lucrative bandwagon. Though you might learn a lot during these sessions, my advice is to tread slowly but surely, and conduct your own thorough research on your desired product or service which you are contemplating on building online. Seek advice from those who have gone the online path, and hear out their techniques on how to prevent mistakes as well as getting the most out of your online marketing campaigns.

Before I started my online business, I was just as stumped with the amount of information available out there. With so many ideas popping in and out of my mind, thanks to the barage of articles, sources, seminars, books, more teleseminars and even more advice from friends, I became totally lost and confused. After months of rubbing my Aladdin's lamp for my genie, I stumbled upon an encyclopedia which I found not only an incredible source of information, but also inspiration, tips and tricks of the trade! Besides presenting you with detailed information about the most popular and tested business models available, it also points out the pros and cons of each option, the ways in which you can market your product or service, the techniques involved, and many others!

Within a week of acquiring all the information in the encyclopedia, I started out my profitable venture in 3 days flat! Yes, you read me right - 3 days. How? My option came with an automated website, fully customizable, loaded with autoresponders, an incredible 24-hour support system with online training and marketing tools. That's not all. I was also able to keep track of my visitors and correspond with each of them personally. There's plenty more bonuses for me in fact, but this is just to give you an idea of how I started my internet business, successfully.

Two things you can do right now:

1. Decide what's right for you. Write down all the possibilities and ideas that come to your mind. Start with your own interests and hobbies and work from there on.

2. Browse through my Internet Business Encyclopedia for more solid ideas and have a look at what excites you.

So, get to work and brainstorm for ideas, NOW.

Expect success and it will come to you!

The Never-Ending Cry

The whole country is gearing up for the coming 50th Merdeka (Independence) celebrations this week, Friday 31st August, to be exact. Over the past month or so, full-colored banners or buntings were hung around the capital depicting the various achievements, news media coverage and prime-time advertisements on the national airwaves rolled throughout the day, flags of all sizes were flown from tops of buildings and skyscrapers, car bonnets were not even spared, some were totally re-sprayed from their original paint! - talk about patriotism, huh? For the first-timers to this country, a large majority of them are extremely intrigued, others see it as a sign of a growing and nurturing society, and there is another group who do not really give two hoots about the yearly rituals. Well, how can they be blamed?
I was browsing through today's Star paper and happen to spot an article by a tourist who, although enjoyed his family holiday here, was totally disgusted by the already infamous Malaysian touts and callous cab-drivers. Not only are these taxi drivers over-charging and extorting from foreigners, our own Malaysian public are also at their mercy. Okay, I'll not make this into a forum about our public service systems and such, lest I attract government scrutiny or blacklisting from some security sources! My point here is this, however developed a nation is, if the service levels and attitude of the peoples (especially those involved in the service industry), cannot portray the characteristic of a civilised and disciplined culture, then all the hoo-haa about positive strides in the economy, coming out into the era of globalisation, trendy outlook for the coming years are just plain hot air and immaterial to people like the above tourist. Just this one matter alone, about the public transport service here, can be so off-putting that this particularly tourist mentioned that Malaysia will not be one of the recommended places to visit! Yes, you might say, it's just one ang-moh kui (red-haired ghost), but what you might not realize is the impact of this one article upon those contemplating on visiting Malaysia in the coming years. So, there goes the tax-payers ringgits in promoting Visit Malaysia Year! Kudos to those who have excelled and performed their due diligence in their duties, and thanks but no thanks to the many who have failed the spirit of Malaysia and its colorful people.
Why is this article in a personal development site? Well, why not? There's a lesson to be learnt here ( just in case you didn't notice). Whatever we do in business, our everyday duties at home, in school, in the office etc, we need to have a very clear conscience, as well as maintaining a respectable attitude in our work. It's a matter of doing the right thing vs. doing things right. Simple to say and definitely not easy to achieve, unless one develops the right mindset doubled with consistent daily rigorous training, nothing here is impossible.

The Performers

Recently, I had the opportunity to bring my family to the visiting Royal London Circus. For my 5-year old daughter, it was one of the most highly-awaited event for her. The last time I went to the show myself was nearly a decade ago, and that in fact was my very first circus moment, and believe me what an occasion that was. The atmoshere was no different this time - the crowds were enormous, the band music was blaring, spotlights projecting various themes and shapes circled the big top much to the amazement of the kids, different colored light displays illuminate the stage in grand splendour, vendors with attractive balloons, fancy soft candy, popcorn, bottled water and canned drinks mingled through the maze of chairs and hordes of visitors, some who seem extremely lost in looking for a good spot for their evening entertainment. We were there more than one hour prior to the event and already more than half of the tent was filled with excited spectators.
Suddenly all the lights went out and the band stopped playing! Everyone heaved a sigh of relief that the show was starting, finally! Then in a spectacular display of light works, band music and song, all clapped to the presence of the parading stars of the night. When the smoke cleared after the two-and-half-hour show, all that was left in the minds of all those who came was the extraordinary performances by the circus stars.
Well, what has this got to do with motivation and inspiration? Nothing specific really.... but come to think of it, there just might be! Even before the start of each performing session, which occurs twice a day for the next three months here, just imagine what goes on behind backstage as the performers prepare for the grandest show of the night. Each of them might have done the makeup, the stretching exercises, etc. countless times over the years, but the intensity of their gymnastic and often risky executions say it all. Each of the performers came out extremely well-prepared for their routines. The years of gruelling training have honed their appetite to perform to the very best of their abilities. Yes, they are in the entertainment industry alright, and it is one where self-motivation to project the ultimate best of oneself is of utmost importance. There were times where certain acts were downright dangerous and death-defying, and yet all of them impressed the audience with the same vigor and tenacity.
So the question we ought to ask ourselves is this - Can we perform all our daily activites with such fortitude, patience, excitement, drive and enthusiasm each and every time? Or do we meet each day with gloomy disposition and disheartening views about our work and everything else? Think about it - what we project, we will get in return.
Here's the circus-master's farewell message to us all - May all your days be circus days!

Overcoming Obstacles

If you have ever failed to achieve a goal you have set yourself and... you want to know the secrets to attaining fulfilment and success in everything you do in your life, then this will be the most exciting short article you will ever read.
Here's why: Everyone in the world, including you, has consistently failed to achieve goals and targets they have set themselves.
Perhaps you set yourself a high sales target and failed to reach it?Maybe you resolved to go to the gym and stopped attending after a few weeks?
You vowed to patch things up with the other half... but it always turns into a row?
We all have our stories of failure to tell. But I want you to ask yourself this:
- Why did you fail to achieve that goal?- Maybe you didn’t have enough time?- Not enough money?- Didn’t have the technology?
We all cite reasons such as these. We didn't have this. Not enough of that...
What if you could learn that these lack of resources are NOT the obstacles to achieving your goals?
The fact is that most people lack the mindset or the understanding of what drives people to make decisions and achieve success in every aspect of life. Or why they don't.
Imagine attending a one day seminar in which you could learn how to use what you already have right now to achieve any goal you are capable of conceiving. Imagine sitting down and learning from some of the world’s most successful life coaches how to achieve success and fulfilment in your life. Imagine never again having to worry about not being able to achieve what you set your mind to.
Anything you can conceive, you can achieve. You can and do turn your dreams into reality.
The Best I Can Be!
That would be a powerful ability, would it not?
Put this date in your diary – September 4th, 2007. This Tuesday in September will be the day when you learn to discover, harness and unleash the ULTIMATE POWER that lies within your heart. You will unlock this power with the guidance of three of the greatest success coaches of our time.
Anthony Robbins.Allan Pease.Stephen Pierce.
These men are world-famous for devoting their lives to changing the lives of others. Guiding people to realise their true potential and then apply it to every aspect of their lives. Inspiring people to use their limited resources to be the best they can be. Motivating people to perform in ways they never thought possible.
For the first time, these three men will share the same stage in an exclusive one-day event coming to Singapore Expo on September 4th 2007.
ULTIMATE POWER “LIVE” with Anthony Robbins. Unlimited Power Singapore!
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Rarely will you be offered the opportunity to learn tremendous secrets and strategies to put you on the path to success.
Never again will you have the chance to see these three successful men devote their time to improving your life whilst sharing the same stage.
- If you are committed to achieving an extraordinary quality of life...- If you are passionate about being all that you can be...- If you want to shape your future rather than react to what’s happening around you...- If you are determined to make a profound and positive improvement to every aspect of your life...
...then reserve your seat NOW to this once-in-a-lifetime event. This has the power to be a turning point in your life.
Tony Robbins professes that “Decision is the ultimate power”. Make the decision to attend this conference. The material and benefits will be driving you to success, achievement and fulfilment for the rest of your life.
Click the link below for more information and to Register Now!

The Key to Happiness

You will be able to measure your success when you are able to achieve a level of happiness in your life as a person. All through history the key to happiness is the same.
I've realized that most people who are really happy in their life are those who dedicate themselves to developing their natural abilities and talents. They simply do what they love to do, and doing it better and better everyday of their lives. Here's a big statement by Brain Tracy - Being happy requires that you define your life in your own terms and then through your whole heart into living your life to the fullest. It is also a big commitment that it means happiness requires you to be selfish in order to develop yourself to a point where you can be unselfish for the rest of your life.
It is a fact that happiness is an inside job. No one person can define it for you. Please yourself first - that's the first rule of thumb as you can only be as happy as you can be when you are living your life in the best way possible.
Some people say when you please others you'll then be happy yourself as well. Let me ask you a question - Can you give money to others when you don't have money? It's pretty obvious you can't provide for others and give away to others what you don't have for yourself! It's the same for happiness as well. You simply can't make someone else happy if you yourself are miserable. The very best way to assure happiness of others is to be happy yourself and then share the happiness with them. Thus, start by living the kind of life and doing the things that make you happy first.
Here are some steps which you can take immediately:
1. Define for yourself what activities you enjoy and love at work, at home, and then organize your life accordingly so you can do them more often.
2. Believe in yourself, trust your instincts and please yourself first in all things.
3. Determine what it is that you do that brings happiness to others, then do it more often.

Setting Your Goals

Over the years as I recollected all my interviews and casual conversations with the top earners in their respective industries, I found out that all of them have one thing in common. They have all taken the time to sit down and create a blueprint for themselves and their future before starting out on any business venture. Most started out with a little skepticism, but as the process of goal-setting and personal strategic planning begins to bear fruit, every one of them becomes a true believer. As they followed their planned journey with determination and discipline, they soon found out that they finally accomplished even more than what they had first believed possible. That's the power of the goal-setting.
Even after many sessions on goal-setting, many still do not take the necessary action of planning where they want to go and achieve in life. Simple as it is, many do not follow through with them. Do you ever wonder why you aren't getting everything out of your life?
In the process of working towards your set goals, you will find that you are actually progressing step-by-step towards something that is important to you and you will instantly generate that continuous feeling of success and achievement. You begin to feel more motivated and positive. You begin to take more control of your life. Thus in the process, you begin to feel much happier and will soon develop a psychological momentum that enables you to overcome obstacles. You feel like a winner.
The very successful entrepreneurs develop a very strict regime of following their set of planned goals and make every effort to stick with it till the end. They are also extremely clear about their values, whereas the many unsuccessful ones are unsure and fuzzy about their wants. Complete failures have no real values at all.
So what can you do right now? First, decide for yourself what truly makes you happy and then organize your life around it. Write down your roadmap on how to achieve them. Second, begin with your values by deciding what it is you stand for and believe in. Commit yourself to live consistently with your inner most convictions - and you will never make another mistake.
Set your Goals Today and reach your goals tomorrow!

More Sins!

You will be going halfway downhill at a very fast pace if the business you are doing is not automated as far as routines are concerned. If you don't have proper business systems to conduct your regular daily work, then all your efforts will be for nought. What's a good business system? It is one which will effectively assist you in handling all your chores in a systematic way round the clock even if you are on a one-week holiday in the Bahamas, having a reflexology session in the evening or even while you are having a quiet family dinner in a posh downtown restaurant. There are many opportunities which present themselves as automated but when in actual fact most of the necessary procedures and transactions needed to be tended to manually. As a business owner, you have to continuously think for the customer. What would be an effective system to develop to ensure that the business runs smoothly on autopilot? Ask yourself this question when you are in doubt - Are you working the systems or are you letting the business work on you?
Another very unforgivable sin of internet marketing is that of unfounded assumptions of the business and the internet. This is a huge topic in itself, so I will generalise here. A lot of people fall into the trap of thinking that Internet Marketing is and will be an overnight success train for them. So what do they do? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Get to know the basics of the trade. Research all the available resources, the different business models, the pros and cons of each, online and offline before attempting to dive in. My point here is this - Do not attempt to drive blindfolded! The other group are the skeptics. All in all the internet to them is a completely strange and absolutely technical world filled with rocket science jargon and is probably a place suitable only for computer geeks. How can I smirk and laugh at these people now as I was once like them? The truth of the matter is that as long as one has very basic (notice I use the word 'very') PC knowledge with Word applications and sending and opening emails, you are one step closer to the internet business world.
I couldn't help not to end this post without mentioning the very reason why most new internet marketers fail - ineffective marketing approaches. Untargetted market research, poorly planned marketing techniques, lousy advertising strategies and lack-lustre sales copy are some of the sins which make the amateurs struggle daily in their internet marketing quest. Effective Marketing is the core of any business and it's no different here in the online world. Learn how to strategically plan ahead of the game..... every single day!

Getting Results

Very rarely do we get great deals on management books these days, more so online. While the craze nowadays or rather for the past few years has been on e-books, there are still plenty of hardcover as well as paperback books which are selling off the racks at an incredible pace.
Recently, I just happen to find an excellent package from the Brian Tracy collection. This incredible package which features 3 of Brian's top titles on leadership and management today comes at an unbelievable 20% discount! As an ardent reader of Brian's collections over the years, I have seldom come across an offer so tempting.
I believe this package would really serve the corporate top guns well as it contains strategies on how to groom the best managers in your business. If you are a senior manager yourself, these 3 books will be like a bible for your success in your line of work. In the Leadership for Results package, Brian teaches you the best strategies ever discovered for getting the most out of yourself and others. Among some of the topics covered are:

• Leading your team to maximum results - so you can stand above the rest
• Maximize your natural leadership capabilities
• Build a team to take you to the top
• Develop creative ideas to improve operations and effectiveness
• Taking your management career to the next level

The 3 products in the package are:

1. 21 Great Ways to Become an Outstanding Manager (60-minute CD)
2. Get paid More and Promoted Faster (100-page hard-cover book)
3. Hire and Keep the Best People (115-page hard-cover book)

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Sin No.#2

The second common mistake of the majority of new internet marketers is not having a proper business model to work on. Most of them would go online to research the markets which seem interesting enough to them, and with the numerous claims which has worked for many, they jumped on the train and eventually crashed before long. Some go the seminar approach and learn some tricks of the trade from popular internet gurus, some of whom no doubt are pretty much an expert in their field, but of course there's almost none who would go the length of researching the entire spectrum of the internet business models available other than this guy - SenZe.

In his ebook masterpiece, SenZe reveals all the online biz models known to man, most of which he has the opportunity to venture into. It not only acts as a guide to most current and some past business models, but it also provides general principles as well as specific steps which you can take to make each one a success. As you browse through the massive 246-page encyclopedia, you will soon realize that it much much more than a normal e-book, as the references which are quoted therein will definitely spark a new model in your head either through a twist that you can put on it, or in a combination with any of the other established models.

So, why is having a business model so vital? It is a known fact that what might work for some might not work for everyone else. It is thus best to have an overall perspective of all the available business models and pick and choose the most suitable one for your specific kind of niche market which you are planning to venture into. That way, you will save yourself a lot of time, money and headache in trying out each and every piece available. This Mini-Encyclopedia is the best there is to helping you achieve this purpose. Don't make the mistake which most other internet marketers do when starting out. Plan your journey, study the competition well, focus on a specific niche, then take action! To your success!

Build Your Own Business

After a nice lunch with a close long-time friend of mine, and sitting back with a tall latte in front of me, I was asked one of the most common questions by fascinated employees who are getting bored with their routine nine-to-five jobs, "What does it take to be a successful self-employed business person, and why is it that so many people failed in their attempts to get their businesses running profitably?" Well, there are actually several mini questions in that one question alone.

First, to be successful in business, a sharp business acumen with a good knowledge of your industry and marketing principles is a must. Being self-employed doesn't make the whole situation that much prettier even, as your personal discipline and enthusiasm play an extremely critical role in the outcome of your business plan. There are many many other factors involved and a lot boils down to your ingenuity, creativity and experience.

The second part of the question revolves around why start-up businesses fail at such an alarming percentage. It's a fact that most businesses started by inexperienced people fail. And this could be the one reason why many employees still prefer to stay safe in their bosses' palaces and making them even more wealthier. They feel the fear, the fear of losing their money and for good reason. Well, they might have an idea or product or service which they would like to market to the world, but they havent got the slightest idea where to start, how to get the ball rolling, and when the ball's really rolling how to maintain the momentum and survive the competition.

Surprisingly enough, a good 80% of businesses started by experienced people succeed. Why is that so? The reason is simple. These people know what to do, how to do , where to find the resources, when to launch a certain promotion, which is the best alternative should one strategy doesn't produce the desired results etc etc. So, these people know a lot of stuff which others don't - the whats, the whys, hows etc. How to sell, how to negotiate, how to market and purchase and how to manage their finances. So the key word here is experience. It's therefore vital that one needs to acquire and improve on the business knowledege and skills required before starting out. With so many tools and resources available online and offline, it's not impossible to achieve the skills necessary in no time.

As we can see, business success is not a matter of luck. It's rather a combination of what we have listed above. It's a matter of application, ability, experience, skill and intelligence all moulded into one. And what better way to start off by working for someone else in a field which interests you. You can learn tons within just a short period of time. Keep asking questions. Learn from the experts in the field. Learn some more from entrepreneurial newsletters, books, CDs, seminars, business magazines that's published in your field. Never stop learning and growing!

Lasting Passion

There are definitely times in our lives when everything seems to be going 'just wonderfully right' for us - you know, that kind of feeling when you feel like you are walking on air, an experience called the 'butterfly sensation'. And what times could it be other than when we are deep in a blossoming romance! When you are in love or are in the process of falling in love, almost everything in life seems so much better, so much brighter and you can feel the exuberance within you.

A couple years down the road, the reality sets in and when we become more and more comfortable with our partners and the daily demands of our lives catch up on us, this pulsating excitement of our new love slowly begins to fade away. With so many other important things to focus on in our everyday lives, it can be difficult to sustain the level of intensity and passion we had in our relationship.

Our intimate relationship with our partners provide us with immense opportunity for growth and joy. And by failing to give it the attention and effort it deserves, we could be forfeiting a huge part of our happiness and well-being.

Besides the common aspects of trust and communication, there are some other simple techniques which can be applied daily in our daily personal relationships with our partners in order to sustain the passion and connection which we so long for and truly deserve.

1. Live your true nature and allow yourself to be vulnerable and spontaneous while expressing yourself in the moment of love.

2. Consistently tell your loved ones why you are so lucky to have the opportunity to love and cherish them every day of your life. Make this conscious effort to always feel more appreciative then the previous day.

3. When you are both committed and devoted to each other, express this commitment physically, emotionally and spiritually.

4. Schedule time together and make the enjoyment of life, intimacy and sexuality a priority.

5. Express your affection in the moment and forget what's around you. Be spontaneous.

6. Be imaginative and always make constant changes and wonderful surprises for each other.

How can I ignite my relationship? You've just been provided with the simple steps and strategies to achieve it in a moment's notice. Try each of the techniques listed above. Take action immediately and cultivate passion in your relationship now! Ask yourself: How can I spontaneously express love and affection? Is there something I've always wanted to do with my partner which I've been delaying? What are the memorable moments in my relationship which I can discuss with my partner to show my appreciation?

Remember to Take Action and Live with Passion!

Sin No.#1

One of the most common mistake that most amateur or novice internet marketers make in their internet business is having a lackadaisical attitude. Just like any other business, internet marketing involves consistent pursuit of your set goals, and every effort in promoting the advertising campaigns, making current updates, checking and re-tuning the ad copies, etc all create a momentum and positive effect on the entire business. While it is true that the business as a whole doesn't require as much time which is common to most traditional businesses, it doesn't mean that one can be lazy. For example, a lot of research has to be done before a new campaign is created, and once published live, even more work lies in the days and weeks ahead. So if the novice marketer buys to the myth that an online business will offer him the millions by being an arm-chair business owner, I believe he is doomed for failure. Some of the most successful internet marketers I know of are so obsessed with their businesses that most even work weekends and public holidays. Let the reality be known to the newbie that the internet business offers a common and average Joe a very decent lifestyle with a very handsome income online, one that you can even say goodbye to your boss at your day job, but this doesn't mean that one can sit back, relax and watch money grow on trees. And this is why most newbies in the internet arena fail and disappoint themselves without knowing what hit them. It is therefore extremely crucial that one have a set of clearly defined goals even before starting the venture, and have a strong desire and motivation to achieve them. Is there a secret to this? Well, my answer is yes and no. More Sins in my later posts.

The Best Business?

I remember reading an article somewhere many years back talking about how the world is moving into the Information Age. I really don't know how they term the Ages, like Stone Age, Modern Age, Nuclear Age etc. but what I realized soon after was that the so-called Information Age must have something to do with computers or the internet. But even though the Historians believe the Information Age started in 1986 Humans have been hunting for information for centuries. It has been this search for information that has brought us the wheel, the written word, books and pretty much everything that you look at around you. So it would only be natural that if it is in our Human make-up to search out information, then it is only natural that the Information Business is the best business on Earth. Yes - The Best Business On Earth. See, most of us are wanting to know stuff like - how to do something, how to get this or that, why should we do this, what are the best methods of doing this etc. And the list goes on and on. So as you can see, these are the most important sales words - What, Where, How, When, Why. The Information Business, thus, has more economic punch than what you or I think has in store. Just imagine how easy it is to manufacture a product digitally, be it a training manual or infomation guide etc, and sell it for far more than it costs to produce. I know of some who has sold $0.50 CDs for $97. There are others who sold $25 training courses for a handsome $997. There seriously is no other business where you will see the profit margins that you will with Information products. With all this great light-bulb blinking on top of our heads now, the question is where do we get started (if ever), and how? Do a Google search and you'll be amazed at the avalanche of information which you get. Go a little deeper and you'll be even more confused. Attend a bootcamp or seminar and I believe more light-bulbs will present themselves in a fascinating way. The Internet business, unlike other businesses, is slightly different in start-ups or operations, as a whole. Why do I say that? Cos you really don't need a PhD in computer engineering, nor do you need to have a fat off-shore bank account to start! Here though, you will need a little bit (just a grain) of basic computer know-how and with just as little as less than a dinner for two at TGIF to start your operations. Now isn't that a beauty? You might ask me now - Is there a short-cut or a faster way which I can get everything set-up for me and have the business running in no time? Of course, there is. But I can guarantee you one thing though - there ain't no short-cuts to success. Keep on working on yourself, learn as much as you can about your online business, how you do you see yourself handling the operations, but most of all - First, Set A Goal which you'd like to achieve. More on that in my later posts - haha. For now, if you really intend to make the internet your choice of business, have a peek at MySecretRecipe to learn the formula which has worked for me and which can work for you too.

Starting Afresh

When I left a 10-year career with a multi-national company more than 7 years ago to join the many budding entrepreneurs in self-employment, I was presented with many opportunities - many of which are very profitable and some not so ethical, I think. I was a newbie in the arena then, without much knowledge of the how-to's and very hungry for success and thus was an easy target of many an 'opportunity-hunter'. What happened? I ended up with more work than I could handle, all without much success as you can imagine. Years passed by, and as I began to learn the ropes of the true business environment today, I learnt that if we want to progress anywhere in life, business or relationships, we ought to subscribe to this thing called "letting go". Why? Because it could be the only thing which can hold you back from doing and pursuing things which you have always dreamt of doing but never had the courage to attempt it due to past conditioning or fear of failure. There could be many other factors involved. I'm no stranger to this as I was a victim before. The turning point came when I was introduced to the world of personal development by my mentor. Rigorous subconscious training methods, hours of learning and studying books on self-improvement, attending success camps and seminars and many other techniques have helped mould me to what I am today. With so many different school of thought and teachings, where can we start? Here's a link which will give you a definite headstart http://www.anrdoezrs.net/email-2514770-10466087 Here's to your success!

Life's Motivators

It wasn’t too long ago when I realized that knowledge is indeed real power! I have to take my hats off to all the mind-motivators in my life, the ones who are the great power speakers, the movers and shakers in their respective industries and my personal mentor, who has shown and brighten my path in this incredible journey of my life. Books I’ve had the oportunity to read, CDs, DVDs and tapes which I’ve listened and watched, information which has been freely presented to me and ideas which they have unselfishly provided and shared with me are the tools which have elevated me to a higher level. But all this would be nought if I never give myself a chance to explore all of them in a deeper level. To be able to achieve what we constantly desire and hope for, taking action is the number one criteria for success. Helping others to achieve what they want is the next step which one should attempt to seriously adopt. And this is one of the reasons why this simple blog has been created! It’s not only a personal journal of mine - but a steady stream of mini motivating tips which I’ve found incredibly useful in my life and which when used consistently will reap the benefits and results which you’ve been searching for all this while. Really? you might ask. And my answer is - REALLY! It’s that simple. Every great achiever has a secret to tell. And I’ve mine as well - something unique, something powerful, practical and specific. (This and many many more to come in my later posts). For now, here’s your quote for today:
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into the air. - John Quincy Adams

Mind Matters

I was just reading the first two chapters of Gerry Robert’s book, Millionaire Mindset; and yes what a revelation it is! Most of us do not even see the bright side of life. Well, almost all of us are either rushing here and there with no apprarent reason (for some of us), and while others are just merely wasting their time in all kinds of unproductive activities ; not to say that it’s detrimental to health, but if it’s change that we want in life, a change in our lifestyles, our bad habits, our bleak financial picture, our broken relationships, then we ought to get off our arses and take action! DO SOMETHING!
There are tons of self-help articles, books, tapes, videos, DVDs, seminars and workshops which will help oneself in character development and self-fulfillment, and which I think is a wonderful way of making a mind-shift and supercharge our life. However, the onus is still on us alone to make that change, take massive action, change of belief systems and develop a discplined daily regiment of affirmations.
Here’s one you might like to put into practice everyday:
“I am a Master of Massive Action. I am very active. I enjoy making things happen. Things seem to fall into place for me! Money seems to come my way because of my positive habits and actions. I know what questions to ask to generate solutions and I act IMMEDIATELY on the answers I get.”
Now isn’t that a powerful affirmation? It sure is. What we need to really change first is our stinking negative thinking, not hoping for the best, but with strong will and constant action, to strive and believe right this very moment that we are already achieving what we really want to be. Well, who says it can’t be done? The process of change is often slow and tedious. But if you don’t start NOW, tell me you are going to start tomorrow, or maybe next week. Wait.. I think next month would be a good idea cos I really need to settle all my current back-log issues first! It will never happen! Be true and honest with yourself and make that first BOLD step for a better and enriching life.
If you are doing it now, Excellent! If you are not, what’s stopping you buddy?
Here’s another quote to end this topic for today:
The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering the attitudes of their mind. -William James-

Hello World!

Hi everyone, and a big welcome to my world in cyberspace! Isnt it truly exciting and perhaps a little bit nervous when you start something new? For example, learning how to drive, your first swing with a golf-club, your first attempt at public speaking etc? Well, what do you know? This is indeed my very first try at the wonderful world of blogging! To me, it’s a big stride on the internet, having had so many years of experience with computers - well, basically it’s just stuff like emails, photo editings, chats, messaging and some other time-wasting pursuits!

So what is it that interests me so much to attempt this new adventure? I must confess that over the years, I’ve left numerous ideas and thoughts on many a coffee table, and so with such a great tool at hand to express oneself…. I thought to myself…why not? It’s something new I’m learning today and everyday.

For those who will be following my exploits here, you will notice that I’m no different than any one of you. A simple person living a simple life. What separates each of us might be some of our desires, our dreams. Each person’s pursuits in life, however are slightly different due to varying economic or financial means. But I believe all of us has a purpose on this planet, and only we ourselves are able to know what it really is.

I’ll not dwell too much in this first blog, but whatever you read in my posts, I hope you’ll truly learn something and benefit from them as I’ve learnt much over the years that it’s in the giving that one can truly receive in abundance.

Let me leave this first post with a quote which has transformed me immensely: It’s in the moments of decisions that your destiny is shaped. Anthony Robbins