Quarter million bucks and you're chopped liver

Dear Early to Riser, When it comes to your financial future, you would think a quarter of a million dollars would earn some respect. Not so, according to a recent New York Times report on Wall Street brokers and advisers. "Most registered investment advisers require a minimum of $1 million, though some will accept clients with $500,000," the article explains. "If you have less than $250,000, you're not going to get that first-class level of service." Nice, eh? Quarter million bucks and you're chopped liver. So where can you go for expert help in navigating the markets if you don't have a fortune? ETR's wealth-building newsletter, The Liberty Street League, has one goal in mind: to bring ground-breaking ideas for wealth creation to "regular folks" just like you and me. And you don't need $1 million... $500,000... or even $250,000. One Liberty Street League profit opportunity takes as little as $1,000 to get started... another requires just $1.60 per "play." So if you want to build wealth fast... But don't have big connections... or insider knowledge... or hundreds of thousands of dollars to throw around... Then I urge you to take a look at The Liberty Street League. Please click here to check out the full write up. The best deal expires Monday, March 1 at exactly 5PM, so do it now so you won't forget. Best regards, Jessica Kurrle Associate Publisher Early to Rise PS: Remember, we're offering a special deal right, but it expires this Monday, March 1 at 5PM sharp. So please check out The Liberty Street League right now.           You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. _____ To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

Create your own personal "dream job"

Dear ETR Reader - We all know someone who is looking for work... has stayed in a career they aren't passionate about... is stuck in a low-paying position with no hope of a raise or promotion... lives in fear of lay offs. Maybe you are in that situation. But you can learn to... Recognize the warning signals that you might be losing your job - and take steps to keep it or move on Negotiate the job you want - not the job they offer Forgo "Googling" your prospective employer - it's not enough... and find the "Invisible Web" that will make you irresistible and unforgettable to your interviewers Take advantage of the way bosses really make hiring decisions (which are totally different than what HR tells you) Blend the latest social networking tools with old-fashioned face-to-face networking  Rebuild personal confidence in the face of rejection And much more... ... and in the process, create your own personal "dream job search program." It's all in the new book from #1 New York Times bestselling author and business success expert Harvey Mackay, Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You. In this book, Harvey, author of the seminal bestseller Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive, shares his awesome knowledge of job search and career advancement - based on his nearly 50 year career as an entrepreneur and success coach. In fact, Harvey is so confident in this book he personally guarantees that, if you buy it... practice its concepts... and don't have a job in six months - he will give you your money back! (The details are all in the back of the book.) In addition Harvey has an exclusive offer available only to a select group of Harvey's business associates and their customers. That's you! If you buy the book before March 5, you gain access to additional tips and ideas from Harvey to supplement the strategies and techniques you learn in the book. You'll receive: A $12.95 Rolodex Networking Book Download (includes 20 pages of his Harvard MBA speech summarized in the Harvard Business Review) 3 interactive templates, classic Harvey Mackay handouts and an exclusive Job Secrets toolbar to make the most of the book And, of course, a 6-month money back guarantee on finding a job! (All the details are in the book) To take advantage of this limited-time offer, go directly to the website, buy the book, and then click on the button to sign up for your bonuses. I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to get Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door along with the complimentary bonus materials. It could be just the kickstart your career needs. And feel free to pass this offer along to a friend who needs a dose of Harvey Mackay's clever wisdom and secrets to jumpstart their career in this grueling economy. Best Regards, Jessica Kurrle Associate Publisher Early to Rise P.S. To get your copy of Harvey's book, and get your free bonuses, go here.           You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. _____ To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

The Michael Masterson Journal

Issue No. 31 - $1.91	Saturday, February 27, 2010
"Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted." David Bly Nobody Owes You Anything: From Gardener to Entrepreneur The average Nicaraguan is born in a shack with a dirt floor. He earns less than $15 a week. "E," my gardener in Nicaragua, does much better than that. But he is still, by U.S. standards, poor. Since I am in daily contact with E when I'm there, I often think about how I can help him earn more money. He wants more material goods -- and who can blame him, when he sees how "well" we gringos live (in person and on television)? Several years ago, I was tempted to give him the few thousand dollars it would have taken to make his house one of the nicest in the hamlet where he lives. But I knew from experience that it would do him no good. It would go as quickly as it came. Given money always does. Worse, it would reinforce the very bad idea that money comes from me to him, instead of from his own labor and ingenuity. Because I wanted E to have a nicer house and because I wanted him to understand that money represents something of value (hard work, enterprise, etc.), I gave him the opportunity to do some extra work for me. Since he was already being paid for gardening, I told him I'd pay him considerably more on a per-hour basis than what he was making on a salary -- but to earn it, he had to work in his spare time and develop more valuable skills. He began by learning to paint and do a little carpentry. Then he learned how to do a bit of plumbing and electrical work. About two years ago, we switched from hourly pay to job-related pay. This gave him the chance to learn how to estimate his time and write up bills and keep receipts and even to negotiate (with me!). Today, he has the house I would have liked to give him years ago, but he got it with his own efforts. It wasn't a gift, and he knows it. He's also used some of his extra earnings to build and stock a little store that sits in front of his house. His wife works there. It provides his family with a second income. In his transformation from gardener to entrepreneur, E faced an obstacle that was greater than his lack of skills. E went to grammar school (the only school they had) during the Sandinista years. The Sandinistas, to remind you, were Communists -- so E was taught two very dumb ideas about wealth: Everyone is entitled to an equal share of it. ("To each according to his needs.") Those who have more than others should give it up. ("From each according to his means.") These ideas move very quickly into thoughts like: "It is the responsibility of my government to take care of me." "It is the responsibility of my boss and the business I work for to make me secure and financially successful." When E met me, the path to wealth was through Michael Masterson because Michael Masterson, his boss, had the money that E wanted. He didn't want to have money like me. He wanted to have my money. He saw money as a static thing. He believed that there was just so much of it in the world, and the only way to get some for himself was to get it from someone else. Since I was the only wealthy guy he knew, it made perfect sense for him to base his strategy for growing rich on "101 ways to talk Michael Masterson into giving me money." It is a very good feeling to know that E doesn't feel like that anymore. I am still his biggest client, but he has done fix-it jobs for other homeowners in our community -- and he has the extra income from his store. Wrongheaded ideas about wealth are not unique to Communist countries. They exist in every country of the world, including the United States. Some people think they are entitled to be taken care of by the government. The result: They spend their time applying for government handouts. Others think that all the profits of a company should be distributed to its workers. The result: They're never happy with what they earn. Still others think that no one is entitled to have more money than they have. The result: They keep trying to get people they know to give them some of theirs. None of that will make you wealthy. In fact, it will make it harder for you to acquire wealth. Every minute you spend thinking about or asking for money you didn't earn is a minute wasted and a bad habit reinforced. Becoming wealthy in America s not difficult if you are willing to work for it. Anyone who is willing to do what E did can enjoy a much higher income and, eventually, financial independence. It starts with recognizing that you are responsible for your own future. You must reject every idea that is about acquiring wealth for free. That includes blaming others for your situation -- however bad it may be. The next step, as E learned, is to acquire financially valuable skills. For him, that meant painting and carpentry at first -- and later, the basics of owning a business. You probably already have a financially valuable skill -- something you know how to do better than just about anyone else you know. You can build on that by acquiring marketing skills. And then management, negotiating, and the other skills that made E the successful entrepreneur he is today. But to begin, you must overcome inertia. Inertia is the enemy of every worthwhile goal. Inertia is the reason you can't find the time to start developing the skills that will bring you financial independence. Or the reason you start, get busy... and then forget about it. Inertia is every excuse I have ever heard from people who return to ETR's wealth-building bootcamps year after year and tell me why they haven't yet started turning their dreams into reality. Inertia is the problem, and there is only one way to overcome it. That way is to take action. Some significant, positive action that will get you going, even if you are not now sure exactly where you want to go. The Internet abounds with self-help and wealth-building programs that can guide you along the way. (At ETR, we like to think that we offer some of the best.) If you have done nothing else so far, invest in one of these services today and get started on applying the lessons you learn. And here is where the circle connects: Action is the key, but action won't happen until you decide that you are responsible for your success. So repeat after me: "My parents owe me nothing." "My children owe me nothing." "My friends owe me nothing." "The world owes me nothing." "I -- and no one else -- am responsible for my success." [Ed. Note: Michael Masterson welcomes your questions and comments. Send him a message at AskMichael@ETRFeedback.com.]
© 2010 Early to Rise, LLC.
NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: Early to Rise only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know and trust. For doing so, we receive a commission. We will never recommend any product that does not have a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial Advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized Financial Advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here. To contact us, please visit... http://www.supportatetr.com/helpdesk To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

ETR: Thinking

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Issue No. 2880 - $1.00	Friday, February 26, 2010
It's All in Your Head By Jason Holland In his essay today, Harvey Mackay, business success expert and bestselling author (Swim With the Sharks and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt), reveals why your business's success depends on what's on your mind. ---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- What Separates the Most Successful People From Everybody Else? - It's time management. They jealously guard their time. They know every minute they spend in a long-winded meeting... is a minute when they're not working toward their most important goals. Find out what else makes up this Success Mindset here. "Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkers. The power of a car is separate from the way the car is driven." Edward de Bono Thinking: It's One of the Most Difficult Tasks We Do By Harvey Mackay Henry Ford once hired an efficiency expert to go through his plant. Ford directed him to find the nonproductive employees and, he said, "I will fire them!" When the expert finished his evaluation, he reported to Ford that he was particularly concerned with one of his administrators. "Every time I walked by, he was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk. The man never does a thing. I definitely think you should consider getting rid of him!" Ford was curious to know who was using company time that way. Then the expert identified him, and Ford shook his head. "I can't fire him. I pay that man to do nothing but think, and that's what he's doing." Even in this culture of downsizing, right-sizing, and just plain streamlining operations, no company can afford to lose its thinkers. Most small to mid-sized companies probably can't afford to hire a "staff thinker," but among the larger, and likely the most successful companies, I'll bet you'll find someone with a title like strategic planner, researcher, creative engineer, visioner, or some similar version. At Disney, they're called "imagineers." (At Microsoft, they're called "millionaires.") "What a job!" you're thinking right about now. No measurable goals, no restrictive job descriptions, no pressure, because nobody can tell if you're doing your job. But you must prove yourself over time. Guess again. Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar territory. And then look around your office and see if you can identify the person you'd go to first if you needed a great new plan or idea. There's the thinker. The job title may not be a tip-off. Years ago, at the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego, management decided that one elevator wasn't adequate to serve their guests. They hired engineers and architects to add a second lift. The professionals discussed several options, and eventually settled on a plan to cut a hole in each floor to accommodate the new elevator. A janitor overheard the discussion, and inquired about their intentions. The engineers patiently explained their plans to him. The janitor was concerned and told them so: "That's going to make quite a mess -- plaster, dust, and debris everywhere." No problem, he was told, because the hotel would be closed during the construction. "But that will cost the hotel a lot of money, and a lot of people will be out of jobs while the hotel is closed," the janitor replied. "Do you have a better idea?" one of the architects asked. The janitor surprised them all with his answer: "You could build the elevator on the outside of the hotel." It had never been done before, but it was an intriguing concept. The engineers and architects, hired for their creative thinking, decided it was an idea worth developing. An architectural feature we now see every day was the brainchild of a hotel janitor. Not a "staff thinker." But a thinker on the staff. Chances are you have several folks like that in your employ. They are worth their weight, and yours, in gold. Consultants may come and go, but those employees who can think are your best source of great ideas and inspiration for the rest of your organization. Let me lay down a few ground rules for encouraging great thinking: Respond with enthusiasm. When someone has a great thought, be enthusiastic rather than demanding details on implementation. This person has ideas. Somebody else can develop them. You've seen that happen a million times. Make your workplace conducive to thinking. Windows are inspirational. Cheerful colors stimulate creativity. My office is full of photos and souvenirs and some of my favorite things. Sterile surroundings are for brain surgery. We're looking for brain candy. Celebrate occasionally. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is still true. Let your staff know they can have fun and be productive at the same time. Give credit where credit is due. I surely hope that janitor at the El Cortez got the recognition he deserved and a big bonus. Reward great thinking. You'll be surprised how creative every member of your staff can be. Mackay's Moral: Minds are like parachutes -- not much good unless they are open. [Ed. Note: Harvey Mackay has written five New York Times bestselling books, two of them named among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time -- Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt. His latest book, Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You, was released Feb. 18. Harvey is a nationally syndicated columnist and has been named one of the top five speakers in the world by Toastmasters International. He is also chairman of the $100 million MackayMitchell Envelope Company, a firm he started in 1960. For two free bonus reports featuring Harvey's most powerful essays on leadership, goal achieving, business success, and much more, go here.] ---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- The Relaxation Technique That Eases Stress in Seconds You're stuck in a boring meeting... a long line at the bank... or bumper-to-bumper traffic... Your blood pressure is rising. Your stress is through the roof... But with one unconventional (and often misunderstood) technique, your frustration and anxiety stress simply slip away. You feel peaceful, in control, and happy within seconds. Anytime. Anywhere. Find out more here ... "Hi Michael, "It was a pleasure meeting you at the ETR Bootcamp back in November. And your essay on giving thanks hit a chord with me. My wife of 54 years died a year and a half ago. In the past month, the spouses of three of my friends died. Since I live in an adult community, death is no stranger here. "After the death of my wife, I did a lot of introspection. I am thankful for the 54 years I had with her. I am thankful for all the friends I have who gave me support after my loss. I am thankful for my two wonderful children who continually support me. Prior to my wife's death, I didn't think much of what to be thankful for. "As for the denial of death, one cannot deny that it will eventually come. Until it does, we should make the best of the years we have left. I'm 77 now, and I am looking to living to 120. One of the reasons I went to Bootcamp was to be able to afford to live that long. "Thank you for giving me something else to think about." H.M. ---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended--------------------------------------------------- $2.3 Trillion Floats by You Every Year... Billions of dollars every month... millions every week... go right by you through your phone, TV, computer, and mailbox... The problem is, those dollars are invisible. There is a $2.3 trillion industry all around us. You've seen its products and ads, but you probably couldn't put a name to it. The profit opportunities for people just like you are enormous and easy to tap into... if you know how to get your "foot in the door." The Language Perfectionist: Redundancies Redux By Don Hauptman A year ago, I devoted a column to the topic of redundant expressions. This error continues to be widespread, as the following examples, recently culled from the media, demonstrate: "I have come to realize that the seeming constancy of the harbor symbolized a false myth about nature." (The phrase false myth is not as common as true fact and actual fact, but it's just as redundant.) "Many filed applications with the state attorney general's office to get their refunds back...." (The re- in refund means "back," so the sentence should read "get their refunds.") "Scientists at Newcastle University, UK, have worked out a mathematical formula that could be used to give advance warning of where a tsunami is likely to hit and how destructive it will be." (By definition, a warning comes in advance.) Sometimes, the redundant elements are separated and thus harder to spot, as in this example: "Nothing short of body scans and conducting all security outside the airport is the only way to ensure protection." (Nothing short of and only convey the same meaning.) Why is it desirable to avoid redundancies? One reason is that they're unnecessary. The most famous commandment of Strunk and White, in their classic guide The Elements of Style, is "Omit needless words." Effective writing is concise. In addition, redundancies can be irritating. A friend once complained to me that she cringes at her husband's frequent use of "tiny little." [Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant. He is author of The Versatile Freelancer, an e-book that shows writers and other creative professionals how to diversify their careers into speaking, consulting, training, and critiquing.] We want your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on today's issue. Email us at: AskETR@ETRFeedback.com
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Copyright © 2010 Early to Rise, LLC. NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: Early to Rise only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know and trust. For doing so, we receive a commission. We will never recommend any product that does not have a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial Advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized Financial Advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here. To contact us, please visit... http://www.supportatetr.com/helpdesk To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

You Can't Ignore 'Em Anymore

Dear Early to Rise Reader, It's virtually impossible to ignore. Everywhere you turn, you hear about these Social Networking and Social Media Websites: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn. It looks like they are taking over. Facebook has 400 million members... 134.4 million viewers watched over 13 billion videos on YouTube.com...and that was in December alone! LinkedIn has over 60 million business people networking... Twitter's membership has grown 1,107% since January of 2009... And that's just to name a few! Have you tapped into the power of Social Media Sites like Facebook and Twitter for your business? ** 24 Hour Offer: Social Media University Special Pricing** David Riklan, Founder of SelfGrowth.com, the #1 Self Improvement website in the world, recently created a comprehensive live training event for Social Media Marketing. It is called Social Media University. Hundreds of people took part in the live program to learn how to use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to build their businesses. For the next 24 hours only, David will provide ETR readers with complete access to his Social Media University... Including all of the webinars, notes, and websites... And at 90% off the retail price! You can get immediate access to the complete Social Media University Program at this amazing price right here. Don't miss out on the opportunity to start using social media as a profitable business tool! Sincerely, Jessica Kurrle Associate Publisher Early to Rise           You are receiving this e-mail as a part of your subscription to Early to Rise. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized financial advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. _____ To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

ETR: A Quick-Start Guide

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Issue No. 2879 - $1.00	Thursday, February 25, 2010
---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- Are You Truly Happy? Life is short. And there is no time like RIGHT NOW to pursue your dreams. But is self-doubt stopping you? Are negative thoughts holding you back? Dr. Srikumar Rao has taught thousands to break those barriers. Learn what his lifelong study of human potential can help you achieve... "A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer." Nolan Bushnell A Quick-Start Guide for the Internet Entrepreneur By Michael Masterson I recently got an e-mail from a man I'll call Jim, a longtime ETR reader. His question is probably the most common one I get. If you are interested in breaking into the Internet, pay attention. What I have to say to Jim might give you the information you need to get started. Jim writes: "I have been struggling with the idea of starting my own Internet-based business. The question is, how and with what product or service? "I have been a loyal fan of ETR for many years now, and you guys throw so many sound ideas and businesses at me that it gets a little confusing. I would like to start small with some proven methods and techniques and build from there. I do not have countless thousands of dollars to experiment with, nor do I have the luxury of being able so sit in front of my computer day in and day out. I need your help to get me started in the right direction with a system that will hopefully start generating some return fairly quickly. "I believe in and trust your advice more than anyone else's out there when it comes to building an Internet-based business -- or any other type of business, for that matter. Please help me make this the year I finally took the plunge and started achieving success!" Everybody knows what a great opportunity the Internet offers. It is the only medium where someone without a lot of money can start a multimillion-dollar company. There are lots of good programs available that teach the ins and outs of Internet marketing. But choosing the right product or service to market... there's the rub! Which product to choose is a big question. Not the kind that can be answered simply and quickly. It depends so much on you -- who you are, who you want to be, what you know, what you don't know, and so on. That said, a few general suggestions apply. First, and most important, it is always best to start a business in or around an industry/area that you understand. So many of the most expensive mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make are "outsider" mistakes -- errors that someone with experience in the field would not have made. Lots of first-time health publishers, for example, spend too much time explaining the disease or health problem they hope to cure. They do so both in the publications they create and the promotions they use to sell those publications. What these neophytes don't understand is that the most active health buyers don't need to know more about their problems. They can find out all they want to know on the Internet -- for free. What they need are solutions. So the first thing you must do is make a list of all the things you know about. Start with the business you are in (or employed by). But don't stop there. Include all your hobbies and interests too. You don't have to have any professional experience to know enough about a subject to start a business based on it. I have a friend who started a successful business providing advice about astrology. She'd never taken a course in it or received certification. But she'd read about it for 30 years, and her knowledge was deep and wide. Because of that, she began her enterprise with a good idea of what kind of astrology she would practice and what kind of products and pricing would work. Another friend started a successful Internet business selling martial arts information. He was a world-class black belt who had been competing for 20 years. He knew the industry inside and out. So he had some good ideas about new and exciting instructional videos he could produce that really caught fire. This brings us to my second-most-important suggestion: If you are not an expert at direct marketing, you should become one before you spend a nickel on your new business. I cannot overstate the importance of understanding the techniques of direct-response marketing. Direct marketing is the primary method for generating profits on the Internet. Other forms of advertising -- from public relations to event marketing to social media and branding -- are usually not nearly as effective. Luckily, there are plenty of good information products and educational programs available that teach direct marketing for the Internet. On top of the list, I'd put ETR's own Internet Money Club and our annual 5 Days in July Internet Business Building Conference. My third and final suggestion is this: In addition to focusing on an industry you are already familiar with and becoming an expert at direct marketing, you must learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Starting a business can be a daunting task for the beginner. Most of those who try fail. And with good reason: They make some very basic mistakes. The biggest mistake first-time entrepreneurs make is spending too much of their time and money on all sorts of secondary business concerns (getting business cards, setting up a website, finding a business location). But when you're starting any new business, your priority has to be on making sales. In fact, at this stage of the game, at least 80 percent of your time should be devoted to selling. To bring yourself up to speed, I recommend that you read Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat. The book is based on my own experiences with building small businesses. It's all about how to get your business off the ground and continue to grow it. As for product creation, I suggest you do some quick research, then TEST your idea. One of the biggest problems I see is that people spend months analyzing which market to get into. But in my opinion, market research for a new online business should take no more than a week. A week is plenty of time to decide what to sell. In fact, it's a generous amount of time. At ETR's 5 Days In July Internet Business Building Conference, attendees have to make this decision in a day. To figure out which market to enter, you need to answer two questions: 1. Are people looking for this information? 2. Are people buying this information? You can get the answers to these questions very quickly with a few keystrokes. One of the best ways to find out who is looking for what is with a free tool like WordTracker, which shows you what words and terms people are searching for. You can also determine if people are buying what you want to sell by entering a few search phrases related to your product in Google. Then check the Web pages of the advertisers that come up. The fact that they're paying for advertising is a good indicator that the market they're selling to (your market) is buying. Sign up for e-mail lists of potential competitors, study their marketing materials, and even purchase some of their products. After that, immediately begin working on your own offer so you can start testing it. That's what students of our Internet marketing programs who become most successful do. Will all the ideas you come up with work? No. But the only way you'll find out which ones will work is by trying to sell to the market. If an idea does not work, simply try to re-work the offer or explore a new idea. In his e-mail, Jim talked about wanting to generate some return "fairly quickly," despite the fact that he does not "have the luxury of being able to sit in front of [his] computer day in and day out." You need to have realistic expectations when you begin a new business. And one thing you must be prepared for is that -- like any worthwhile venture -- it takes time and effort. One last piece of advice: Get started. Now. By no means is this all you need to know about starting an Internet business. But the best way to get it going is to begin. Ready, Fire, Aim. You can fine-tune your product or marketing later. What's most important is taking that initial leap. [Ed. Note: Michael Masterson has just given you a great overview of how to start your own Internet business. But for more specific strategies and techniques in e-mail list building, social media, copywriting, and more, check out ETR's 5 Days in July Internet Business Building conference. At this event, experts from ETR and Agora, Inc. share the same Internet marketing tactics they use in their businesses -- adapted for start-ups. To find out more about this conference, and to sign up for an opportunity to get in at the low introductory price, go here.] ---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended --------------------------------------------------- Need Help Simplifying Your Life? Success mentor Bob Cox discovered a secret... It's one that grew his income by 300% -- helped him co-found a local start-up that grew into a $2-billion-a-year enterprise and retire for the first time at age 36. The same secret -- which Bob calls the "Hourglass Epiphany" -- could be your key to being successful. You can get the full details on the "Hourglass Epiphany" -- and find out how to use it to create your own life of relaxed accomplishment -- right here. "ETR's articles are important enough to print out to share with those who don't have a computer!!!!!!" "Does that tell you what I think?" Judy in Albuquerque ---------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended--------------------------------------------------- Do You Make the Most of Your Time? Michael Masterson has a super-busy schedule. But he can still make time to do what he loves. Can you do the same? If you feel hemmed in by deadlines and obligations… and never have time for yourself… go here to find out how you can break this cycle… Today's Words That Work: Neophyte Neophyte (NEE-uh-fite) -- from the Latin for "newly planted" -- is a beginner or novice. Example (as used by Michael Masterson today): "What these neophytes don't understand is that the most active health buyers don't need to know more about their problems. They can find out all they want to know on the Internet -- for free. What they need are solutions." We want your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on today's issue. Email us at: AskETR@ETRFeedback.com
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Copyright © 2010 Early to Rise, LLC. NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: Early to Rise only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know and trust. For doing so, we receive a commission. We will never recommend any product that does not have a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial Advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized Financial Advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here. To contact us, please visit... http://www.supportatetr.com/helpdesk To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

Your ETR Insider

From The Desk of Laura Rodini	Volume 1  |  Issue 3   |  February 24, 2010
Dear Early to Rise Insider, The preparations are underway! We scouted out several locations for our 5 Days in July Conference and think we've found a winner. But I'll let you decide for yourself. Here's Associate Publisher Jess Kurrle with your first peek at our "secret" location: By the way, this was filmed just last week. Looks like a gorgeous place for our conference, doesn't it? (Especially to all of you snowed-in northerners.) Let me know where you think we're having it. Our 5 Days in July Conference is our way to get you off the couch, so to speak. Many of you write in saying you like our advice on Internet marketing but don't know where to begin with your own business. So we're making it easy for you. Come with an idea, and we'll set you up with the rest: domain name, running website, search engine submissions - and of course, our expert marketing advice on how to make your online business profitable for years to come. (The fact that it's in paradise doesn't hurt, either.) Circle these dates on your calendar: July 13-July 17. And sign up on our special hotlist for more details – including the location – asap! | Rusty Uncovers Another Winner! | Resource Windfall Speculator's Dr. Rusty McDougal's latest recommendation – a Canadian junior mining company – is up 64% in the past 19 days! Great job, Rusty. The company finds and mines Rare Earth Elements. These minerals, which experts refer to as REEs, are used in everything from fiber optic cables to missile systems, hybrid cars, cell phone batteries and solar panels. Rusty tells me there's a big reason why we could continue to see shares of this company's stock soar – and it has to do with China. You see, China had been the world's largest REE producer, enjoying a 30-year monopoly in the field. As you can imagine, other countries weren't too eager to set up their own projects. It simply wasn't economical. But last September, the Chinese government announced that it would be conserving its massive REE supplies instead of exporting them. Turns out, more than half of the world's potential REE deposits outside of China are in Canada. And Rusty's latest pick is the sole owner of one of the largest tracts in the Northwest Territories. Right now, this company is setting up more drilling sites. Any news could send its share price higher. Rusty lists it as a "strong buy" in his recommended portfolio. You can get all the details in a special alert here. | Teleconference Update | Thanks for your interest in Dr. Srikumar Rao's Personal Mastery Program, a 6-volume audio course that will truly change the way you think about your future. Dr. Rao takes 4,000 years of spiritual and philosophical teachings and makes them useful in our everyday lives. Dr. Rao's teleconference will be held in late March. The call will be free – and if you'd like to listen in, there's still time to sign up for more details and the call-in number. I, for one, can't wait. | Our Staff Is Growing | I wanted to take a moment, here, to personally introduce you to Michael Noltemeyer, the new Managing Editor of our Total Health Breakthroughs publication. Michael's background is impressive - He spent four years at Yale conducting research in psychology and neuroscience, then entered medical school with the hope of finding a real connection between mind and body. But it was the surprising response he received from the established medical community that caused him to change his mind, turn his back on a large salary and comfortable life as an M.D., and set off on his own researching natural cures. I'll let Michael tell you the rest in his own words – besides being a scientist, he's also an excellent writer. I'm looking forward to his analyses in upcoming issues of Total Health Breakthroughs, as well as to a brand-new publication he's putting together called Natural Health Confidential. In it, he'll reveal: A safe way to burn cancer cells out of your body that's 14 times more effective than chemotherapy alone How to reverse your biological age by 10 to 20 years without mortgaging the house How to turn your blood cells into a disease-cleansing army And more. To sign up to receive more information about Natural Health Confidential, just click here. | Your Questions Answered | A lot of you have written in to tell us how much you like the "look" of the ETR Insider. And a few of you had questions on how to do it yourself. For example: Laura, Wonder where you got the software to do a written signature (your name) at the end of your introduction letter to us?? Could you share that source with us?   Timothy & Filippa, TFW Group Sure guys, it's easy. All you need to do is sign your name on a sheet of white paper. I used a black felt-tip marker. Then I scanned it into my computer and saved the file as an Image (.img). If you use Microsoft Word, like I do, just put your cursor above where you'd like your signature to be. Then, from the menu bar, under the Insert menu, select Insert Picture From File. And there you have it! | Early to Rise's Artist-in-Residence | One more thing before I sign off this week Last weekend, nearby Lake Worth, Florida held a Street Painting Festival. More than 100,000 people came out to watch 400 artists turn the downtown's sidewalks into works of art – literally! Rosanne's recreation of Alfred Gockel's "Love American Style II" I'm proud to say I know one of the artists - our very own customer service rep, Rosanne. Check out her piece to the right: Nice, Rosanne! What a great day to spend outdoors. Until next week, Laura Sincerely, Laura Rodini COO, Early to Rise We want your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on today's issue. Email us at: AskETR@ETRFeedback.com
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Copyright © 2010 Early to Rise, LLC. NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: Early to Rise only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know and trust. For doing so, we receive a commission. We will never recommend any product that does not have a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. Important: ETR is dedicated to bringing its readers the newest, most hopeful and most trustworthy information and advice about internet marketing, findings and products. Because we are a for-profit publication, we include advertising copy in each issue and send our readers advertisements we approve of. When our editors like and use advertised products we talk about their features and benefits in our editorial. Readers should be assured that although we may have a financial interest in a product we talk about, we will never recommend anything we don't believe in. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial Advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized Financial Advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here. To contact us, please visit... http://www.supportatetr.com/helpdesk To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482

ETR: What Do You Know?

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Issue No. 2878 - $1.00	Wednesday, February 24, 2010
What Do You Know? By Jason Holland There is a surefire way to build credibility and trust with your potential customers, says David Riklan, founder of Self Improvement Online. And, notes David in his essay today, the Internet has made this process quicker and easier than ever. -----------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended----------------------------------------------------- What MBA Students Have That You Couldn't Get (Until Now...) An unconventional course has appeared on the curriculum at Columbia University's prestigious business school... at the London Business School... and at the Haas Business School at the University of California at Berkeley. Says student Brandon Peele, "I attribute 80% of my $120K MBA price tag to this one class. It changed my life in profound ways." Now you can get all the life-changing benefits of this program... From your home... For less than a thousandth of the tuition. "Begin somewhere; you cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do." Liz Smith The Top 10 Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert Using Social Media By David Riklan Let's start by answering a very simple question: As a small businessperson, entrepreneur, or Internet marketer, why would you want to position yourself as an expert? The answer is very simple. Everybody trusts an expert. And, as every salesperson will tell you, individuals want to do business with people they know, like, and trust. It doesn't matter whether you are a doctor, lawyer, accountant, auto mechanic, business owner, or consultant. Being seen as an expert in your niche will help your business and your career. I have found that the best way to brand yourself as an expert is by using a 10-step strategy that leverages Social Media. This includes LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs. The prerequisite to using this technique, of course, is to first become an expert in your field. This can be done through education (by getting a degree or getting certified), through experience, or by doing research. Having a degree or certification is the most powerful approbation you can present to the world. (Just think of how many doctors sell health advice in books and newsletters.) But your personal experience and any studying you've done on your own is also effective in positioning you as an expert -- sometimes more so. Have you gone through bankruptcy? You're an expert in that field. Have you dedicated your off hours to learning search engine optimization? You're an expert. However you "become" an expert, it gives you with the necessary proof to position yourself as such to your potential customers. And once you have this proof, the fun begins. Because the quickest and easiest way to build your reputation is by using the power of the Internet and social networking. Connections can be made instantly and thousands of people can be reached at one time. Here's the 10-step process: Step 1. Determine how you are going to brand yourself or your company. How do you want people to see or perceive you? Step 2. Create a profile that will match your brand. It can include your degrees or certifications, your experience, your knowledge, and any material you've written or created. Step 3. Create accounts at all of the major sites where you can brand yourself -- LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, SelfGrowth, and Squidoo. Then post consistent information on each of these sites with proof of your expertise. Step 4. Get your knowledge out there by participating online. Many social media websites -- including LinkedIn and Facebook -- provide a place for you to answer questions posted by other users. All you need to do is review the questions, post a detailed, informed, and succinct answer, and include a way for people to contact you. Step 5. Get published on the Internet. The easiest and fastest way to get published is by creating a blog. There are many free tools out there for blogging, including Wordpress and Blogger. The more quality information you publish in your area of expertise, the more you are perceived as an expert. Step 6. To increase the impact of your social media presence, interlink between the social media sites and have them all crosslink to your website or blog. For example, have LinkedIn link to your blog, have Facebook link to your blog, and have your blog link back to LinkedIn and Facebook. Step 7. Develop a strategy for enhancing your credibility with simple, informational videos highlighting your area of expertise. They can be as short as 3-4 minutes. Record them with a flip camera or a video cam on your computer and upload them to YouTube. Step 8. Leverage the power of these sites for search engine optimization. If you follow the steps above, you'll find that your name will come up high in the search engines. Google loves social media websites. Step 9. Be active on these sites. You need to become part of the community. Social media websites are not just places to post information and broadcast your ideas. They are designed to be interactive. The more you interact, the more people will get to know, like, and trust you -- and respect you as an expert. Step 10. Finally, become a voice of your industry. You can do this by researching relevant news stories and reporting on them to your followers. You will soon be recognized as a source of great information in your area of expertise. As you go through each of the above steps, your reputation as an expert will grow exponentially, especially in your particular niche. And as I said at the beginning of this article, that will lead to trust... which will lead to more business for you. [Ed. Note: David Riklan is the president and founder of Self Improvement Online, Inc., a leading provider of personal growth information. His company, founded in 1998, operates one of the top self-improvement websites, www.selfgrowth.com, getting over 1 million visitors a month. David is the creator of Social Media University (available now to ETR readers only for a drastically reduced price) and has a personal network of over 100,000 people through Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.] -----------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended----------------------------------------------------- If There's One Thing Truly Successful People Know... it's that "dreaming" about success won't get you anywhere. You must take action. That's first. Next, you need somebody who's been there before to guide you. Success mentor Bob Cox has built multimillion-dollar businesses, advised billionaires, and helped people around the world achieve their dreams. Why not let him help you? Dear ETR: "Do I need two different websites and two different approaches to marketing?" "In the last two months, I have found a product and created a website. I am selling a course that teaches people how to pay off a 30-year mortgage in less than 10 years. In addition, there is an opportunity for people who buy the course to become affiliates and sell it (like I'm doing). "Here is the problem: I feel I am marketing to two different types of people with the same product. A person would buy the course for a personal finance reason (to learn how to pay down his mortgage). But there is also a business opportunity reason to buy it -- because you can't become an affiliate unless you buy it first. I think I need two different websites catering to two different types of buyers: the personal finance guy and the business opportunity guy. I don't think I should push both aspects of the sale in one website. If I mention the affiliate program to a personal finance buyer, they may think it is some sort of multilevel marketing scam and be scared away. "What do you think? Do I need two different websites? And should I have two different approaches to marketing, or can my website be set up in a way that caters to both types of buyers at the same time? I have purposely played down the affiliate sign-up in my current website." D.F. Key West, FL Michael Masterson's Answer: Your instinct is good. Generally speaking, your marketing will be stronger if you sell one product at a time. These are, as you say, two different markets. And each requires its own unique approach. One thing, though. It's unlikely you will do much business by setting up a couple of websites. The challenge in marketing is always this: How can I acquire a customer cost-effectively? A website is cheap to operate, even cheap to establish if you use the right programs and do most of the work yourself. But it won't give you much in the way of sales unless you are driving a hell of a lot of traffic to it. Internet marketing gurus who focus on search engine optimization sometimes forget to tell you that SEO marketing is often inefficient -- especially if you don't have a developed backend product line -- and therefore inappropriate for start-up ventures. If any of this is confusing to you, you need to deepen your knowledge of Internet marketing before you invest any time and money in your idea. You can do so at ETR's 5 Days in July Internet Business Building conference. (This event is not yet being offered, but you can get more information and sign up for updates here.) You might also be interested in the following articles we've published in ETR on the subject of getting more traffic to your site: The SONAR Content Distribution Method of Getting More Traffic and More Sales by Wendy Montes de Oca 3 Places You Should Use Keywords but Probably Don't by Alexis Siemon How to Find Customers in a Web 2.0 World by Wendy Montes de Oca  One final thing: Your product should be good and unique. If it is merely a report that explains the benefit of paying down a mortgage faster by, say, making 26 payments a year... then it is not, in my opinion, a strong enough product to rest your hopes on. "This article by Dr. Srikumar Rao was written just for me! Thank you for doing that and making me aware of my chatter. "Though I have been switching my chatter's focus for years, turning it around to positive ('But he did work late, came straight home, then walked the dogs for me so I could take a long hot shower. I guess he loves me after all!'), it is always good to be reminded that I am on the right track." Barbara Parrish -----------------------------------------------------Highly Recommended----------------------------------------------------- How Did Bob Bly Essentially Pay Just $75 for his 2008 Toyota Prius? He didn't get some sweetheart deal from a friend. And this is not about some government program. Bob worked a few hours on his first-ever information product for his Internet business. He spent $75 on some professional help to "pretty it up." And then he threw it online... and didn't do much to it other than check sales reports. His initial investment turned into $30,673 -- and he bought his car. Bob has done this dozens of times... spending just a few hours a day on his "side business." And in the process, he has become a millionaire. Find out how... Today's Words That Work: Approbation Approbation (ap-ruh-BAY-shun) -- from the Latin -- is official approval, commendation, or sanction. Example (as used by David Riklan today): "Having a degree or certification is the most powerful approbation you can present to the world." We want your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on today's issue. Email us at: AskETR@ETRFeedback.com
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Copyright © 2010 Early to Rise, LLC. NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: Early to Rise only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know and trust. For doing so, we receive a commission. We will never recommend any product that does not have a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial Advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized Financial Advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security recommended to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. To unsubscribe from Early to Rise and any associated external offers, Click here. To contact us, please visit... http://www.supportatetr.com/helpdesk To cancel or for any other subscription issues, write us at: Order Processing Center Attn: Customer Service PO Box 7835 Delray Beach, Florida 33482