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February 28, 2006

"Oh My God, I Couldn't Believe That Stu McLaren, at His Idea Incubator Internet Marketing Seminar, Actually Exposed The Dirty Little Secret Of High Priced, Puffed Up Internet Marketing Gurus To An Astounded Audience"

You could hear a pin drop when Stu McLaren exposed
the internet marketing rip-off of the century...

"Oh My God, I Couldn't Believe That Stu McLaren, at His Idea Incubator Internet Marketing Seminar, Actually Exposed The Dirty Little Secret Of High Priced, Puffed Up Internet Marketing Gurus To An Astounded Audience and Furious Speakers Who Hoped To Make a Killing Selling Their High Priced Programs To Unprepared, Brain-Washed Attendees "

I have been waiting almost 3 years to hear a speaker tell the whole truth from the stage...most people are wasting their hard earned money on training programs and software they don't have a hope of learning, using or making a million dollars in their underwear.

A high percentage of seminar attendees are enticed by the dark side...greed and unrealistic expectations...to buy multiple training and educational programs that are a total waste of their time, money and energy. Most don't realize they will spend days, months and even years trying to master the technological skills to be successful on the internet.

Few realize the expertise required to accomplish even the most basic tasks required for podcasting, website creation and tracking. It takes a major investment of time to master basic webmaster skills that few accomplish.
Now don't get me wrong. The speakers at Stu's "Idea Incubator Seminar" where top notch and offered awesome training programs for those with the skills and expertise to take advantage of the programs. Matt Bacak, David Frye, Jeff Walker, Alex Mandossian, Stephen Pierce, Armand Morin, Ray Edwards, Jeannette Cates, Paul Colligan offered programs and consulting services that would help technically skilled individuals be incredibly successful marketing products on the internet. Those without technical skills have little hope to achieve their dreams of incredible wealth in a short period of time.

It takes a lot of hard work, no matter how much technological skill you have. Anyone who tells you different, is lying to you. Don't believe them and please don't give them your credit card number.

Click the links below to see the photos from the Incubator Seminar. You can use them royalty free if you give me a link back to www.InSearchOfHeroes.com and credit Ralph Zuranski as the photographer.

Click Here to enjoy the Idea Incubator Photos from Thursday and Friday.

Click Here to see the Idea Incubator Photos from Saturday and Sunday.

Click Here to see the video slide show with photos and music from the "Idea Incubator Seminar.

It is my linking strategy for my In Search Of Heroes website to spread good news about the interviews of the internet heroes. I will be interviewing Ray Edwards, Stu McLaren, Dave Bernstein, Jeannette Cates and Matt Bacak this week. I will post the links to their interviews on this page when I do them and include their transcripts in my In Search Of Heroes blog. Listen to the interviews that are already completed: Alex Mandossian, Stephen Pierce and Ralph Zuranski that were completed last year.

Call me at 619-795-9034 is you don't want to invest the time required to learn the technical skills to create podcasts and websites. I can help you find the best fit for your situation with all the contacts I have gained from going to internet marketing seminars for the last 3 years. No matter what you need or the questions you have, I can help you make an educated decision to optimize your return on your investment.

"The Professional Coaching Industry is Falling Apart. The Reasons Why…" by Terri Levine

The professional coaching industry has evolved dramatically over the last decade. The profession sprung up fast, and coach training schools were created to meet the demand of people flocking to be trained and have a coaching business.

Within a decade, over 200 schools entered the arena and coaching quickly became a number one choice for those looking for a home-based business or a new career. Many schools did not (and do not) concern themselves with their coaching students' previous experience or education levels and took anybody.

Coaching attracted thousands of unsuitable people, who received training by telephone classes that were impersonal and were taught by coaches who, themselves, never reached financial success.

Is it any wonder that, right now, the coaching profession is on shaky ground? It seems that many coaches have not made money in the coaching business. The schools they attended didn't teach them to be "in business" and didn't provide solid sales and marketing training. In addition, many schools taught a lot of fluff, telling coaches that it wasn't important to create lasting outcomes for clients or that the clients did the work or had the answers. So, clients would hire a coach, not get value, and then quit coaching.

New Coaches were told to join large "international" coaching associations as a way to gain clients and impress their potential clients. However, prospective clients don't care about what organization you belong to. They do care about the quality of training, experience and resources that a professional coach brings with them and they do care about receiving positive outcomes for their money.

Commercial training companies, for the purpose of externally 'legitimizing' their training courses, privately founded some of the larger "international" coaching associations. These associations have a private business agenda that focuses on adding large numbers of members to their database for commercial purposes.

Because there is no standard coaching credential, these organizations are emerging and competing to declare the academic standards, competencies, and code of ethics. A few coaching bodies are working together on this issue; however, most of what is happening seems to come from competitiveness instead of collaboration, which is odd, when you consider that coaching is about collaboration.

There are over twenty-five different major coaching bodies in the world, each with their own political or private business agenda, saying they "accredit" coaches. The one with the most PR is The International Coaching Federation, which was actually founded in the mid 1990's by a coach training school to certify their own coaching courses. Many more have sprung up and it must be remembered that they are all businesses - the more paying members they have, the more money they make. This is not to say that coaches do not derive benefit from membership, but experience shows that it is not a mandatory factor in creating a lasting and successful coaching business.

Coach training programs have also found themselves a bit dry and hurting for students during the past 12-18 months. Some have closed their doors. Others moved out of coach training into other businesses, some are said to be in bankruptcy, and still others are desperately seeking buyers.

This is due to coaches who have come out of coach training, who are not making money, and who really don't understand what credential is or is not important to the public. It is also due to inexperienced people entering areas in which they are not equipped to compete. They have received their coaching designation and simply don't know where to go from there. Their efforts are haphazard, as is their coaching, and what they know about running a business is almost non-existent.

The fact that there is no association or organization that has been accredited by any government body and that no association is at all representative of full-time, professional, practicing coaches making a living from coaching, adds to the strain. When you add the negative comments about the profession of coaching made by such well known institutions as Harvard, to name just one, it makes the profession lose credibility in the public eye and it is difficult for the coach to succeed.

As the coaching industry struggles during these years, it is important to see that coaches can and do still make a great living at coaching and that the industry is still doing a good job of turning out many fine coaches, holding credentials from prestigious training programs.

As the industry has its own internal struggle over credentialing, accreditation, and the coaching programs try to stay alive, this still remains a viable and lucrative business. Stay-at-home moms, consultants, therapists, managers, solo practitioners from other fields, and even the disabled, are finding coaching to be the profession of choice.

The opportunity to make money as a coach has actually never been greater. As the poorly trained coaches and those afraid to sell or market their services leave the industry, this further clears the way for the new people being trained by quality programs, who have excellent coaching skills and can also grow a business. As in nature, the strongest will and do survive. In this case, the strongest are those who have received professional training and have a clear understanding of how to run a business.

The demand for coaching has not decreased. In fact, it is stated that business coaches are sought now more than ever in all size businesses. Corporate coaches are charging fees from $600 to $5,000 a month for coaching sessions. Some coaches are charging $600 an hour or more for corporate work.

So, coaches have the opportunity to earn more than lawyers, psychologists, psychiatrists and others - according to TIME BUSINESS NEWS. Sept.2002.

For people who want to enter the profession, the timing is great. If they select a training program that is stable, has a great curriculum, and also teaches them how to get clients and run a profitable business, the opportunity is ripe. Having said that, not every Coach needs to come from a professional background. There are niches they fill that do not require higher educational qualifications; however, this does limit their scope of practice, and some coach training organizations give placement preference to those with professional backgrounds.

For example, at Comprehensive Coaching, the number one place for Coaching Instruction for 'professionals', we have found our business continues to grow and our coaching students continue to succeed. Our students come from professional backgrounds, and because we teach solid principles and how to coach to get outcomes and return on investment for our clients, we continue to train coaches and they learn fast and apply what they learn to create lucrative and solid coaching businesses. (We also provide coach training for non-professionals, because coach training skills are proven life enhancement tools from which everyone can and does benefit in their personal lives.)

As the market shakes out and the industry becomes more grown up and grounded, the opportunity is there for those wanting to be a coach. They can get great training at dramatically reduced prices, learn at home or with a mentor who assists them one on one.

Their success has everything to do with this solid coaching foundation combined with learning how to have a profitable business, and very little to do with what association they join. Yes, professional coach training does not come cheap, but neither does any other professional qualification. If you just want to learn the coaching skills for use in your own life or current profession, you can save yourself a lot of money and many hours using a home study kit. You can find information on these at: http://terrilevine.com/kits.html. If you are in the coaching industry already and struggling because you are one of those whose education did not cover how to run a profitable and successful business, I can help you there too. Find information here: http://terrilevine.com/FieldTrip.html.

You don't need to be a "statistic"; not when so much help is at hand.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"What? You Don't Have an eBay Store?" by Jason James

In fact, you might not even have heard of eBay stores. Read on to find out what you've been missing.

eBay stores come at three levels: Basic for $15.95 per month, Featured for $49.95 per month or Anchor for $499.95 per month (yes, that is typed correctly: almost $500). The best place to start out is with Basic (you can even get a month's free trial), but if you like what you find then you should upgrade to Featured quickly, simply because it has so many extra features. Note that you must have a feedback rating of at least 20 before you can get an eBay store.

But what is an eBay store? Basically, it lets you list a set of fixed price auctions together on one page for much longer than auctions usually last - and most sellers with eBay stores list the items at a slightly lower price. It's like a list of your special offers. You can put your logo on the store and write a little about your business and policies, and your customers can search your store for anything they might want. Buyers can click through to your store using the door symbol next to your name.

A good way to look at it is that it's a little like having your own e-commerce site outside eBay where you can list your items more long term - except it's all done for you without you having to learn a new system. Items in eBay stores can be listed for 30, 60, 90 or 120 days, or you can list items permanently, paying monthly for each one.

So you Want an eBay Store Now?

You can visit eBay stores at:
http://ebay-stores.auctionresourcenetwork.net

Go there now and click the 'Open a Store' button on the right of the screen to start signing up for the free trial. Then there are a few steps to go before your store can open for business.

Step 1: Pick a theme. You can have whatever design you want on your store, but to begin with pick something from eBay's options that you think would be appropriate.

Step 2: Add your store's name, description and logo. You can pick one of eBay's pictures for the logo or upload a logo of your own if you have one. Don't worry, you can always change this later.

Step 3: Choose your subscription level, and then click 'Start My Subscription Now'. Your store is ready! Remember that you can customise it more at any time.

Listing items in your store is just like listing items on normal eBay using 'Buy it Now', except that the durations you can choose from for the store are much longer.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 27, 2006

"What Can Be Changed In Management To Improve Bottom Line Results?" by Terri Levine

When change is introduced into the workplace, there is often a degree of resistance, anxiety and sometimes even ridicule of the new methodologies. People equate change with difficulty and something to be feared. This is where open communication is so important and it starts right at the very top.

If you don't have the full support and understanding of key management positions, any organizational changes being made are going to be thwart with difficulties. It is up to CEOs and Presidents to champion the cause and ensure their managerial teams are also in full support, so that it can filter down through the ranks more smoothly.

It is not enough to merely hand a list of problems and preferred outcomes or objectives to a managerial team and expect them to go ahead and get to work on it. They, too, need guidelines and guidance, reassurance, and training. Many Managers get to where they are through natural progression up the corporate ladder, climbing their way on their years of experience. But this doesn't mean they know how to manage. The Manager of the Sales Department may be an excellent Sales Person himself and know how to train his staff in successful sales techniques and strategies, but as a manager of people and an organizational change expert, he may well be out of his depth. The same can be said for many managers in many different departments.

All the brilliant change plans in the world will fail if those who are responsible for the action have no idea what they are doing and possibly, don't believe in what they are doing. So the first step is ensuring the managerial teams understand what changes are being made and why, and what outcomes are being sought and why. They then need training in the best methodologies for introducing the new systems to their own departments. This requires a whole set of skills many managers lack, simply because it has not been something they have been taught before. This includes people skills, communication skills, and negotiating skills.

But even if changes are not being introduced, Managers who want to improve the bottom line results of their departments need these same skills. By now it is a well known fact that a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Happy workers who enjoy a high morale and feel good about their employer, take more pride in their work and wish to see "their" company succeed. They look after the customers better. They take less sick leave. They're find more efficient ways of doing things. They participate more. They work harder. This is good news for any company's bottom line.

The Manager in charge of this type of workforce is one who knows how to listen to his staff. He respects his staff and their abilities. He asks his staff for their input and promotes a team spirit. He cares about the individuals in his department and realizes that their individual success in a team environment results in success for the company. He knows how to handle trouble-makers and grizzlers and convert them into happy, productive employees. He understands the process of coaching and mentoring those in his care to produce the best results. He is clear with his instructions, and does not play the Dictator role. He does not waste his time looking over shoulders. Instead, he is available for his staff to bring challenges to for discussion and resolution.

Learning to listen, observe, trust, guide and coach employees is not something that miraculously occurs when somebody is promoted to a Managerial position. It is up to the Company to assist their Managers by providing training for them, enabling them to be effective Coach-Mentor-Managers.

Too often, when a department is seen to be in trouble, blame is laid at the departmental Manager or Supervisor's door. Really, there is no excuse for a company putting somebody in a position of authority when they are ill equipped to handle it. This is a problem that will recur until organizations realize that managing people is not a natural ability inherited with a managerial title. Resources are available to train Organizational management teams, and often, all it takes is a phone call to put it into action.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"A Beginner's Guide to the Different eBay Auction Types" by Jason James

Over the years, eBay has introduced all sorts of different auction types, in an effort to give people more options when they buy and sell their things on eBay.

For every seller who doesn't like the idea that their item might sell for a far lower price than they intend, there's another who wants to shift hundreds of the same item quickly. eBay tries to cater to all tastes. This article gives you an overview of the different kinds of auctions and their advantages for you.

Normal Auctions.

These are the bread-and-butter of eBay, the auctions everyone knows: buyers bid, others outbid them, they bid again, and the winner gets the item. Simple.

Reserve Auctions.

Reserve auctions are for sellers who don't want their items to sell for less than a certain price - a concept you'll know about if you're familiar with real auctions. They work just like normal auctions on eBay, except that the buyer will be told if their bid does not meet the reserve price you set, and they'll need to bid again if they want the item. If no-one is willing to meet your price, then the auction is cancelled, and you keep the item.

Fixed Price ('Buy it Now') Auctions.

Buy it Now auctions can work in one of two ways. You can add a Buy it Now button to a normal auction, meaning that buyers can choose either to bid normally or to simply pay the asking price and avoid the whole bidding process. Some sellers, though, now cut out the auction process altogether and simply list all their items at fixed price. This lets you avoid all the complications of the auction format and simply list your items for how much you want them to sell for.

Recently, eBay added a twist to fixed price auctions: the 'best offer'. This means that buyers can contact you to negotiate a price, which could be a good way to get sell some extra stock at a small discount. The only downside to reserve and fixed price auctions is that you pay a small extra fee to use these formats. In general, it is more worth using reserve auctions for higher-priced items and fixed price auctions for lower-priced ones - but remember that you can combine the two formats.

Multiple Item ('Dutch') Auctions.

These are auctions where you can sell more than one of a certain item. Dutch auctions can be done by bidding. Buyers bid a price and say how many items they want, and then everyone pays the lowest price that was bid by one of the winning bidders. If you have trouble getting your head around that, then don't worry - everyone else does too! These auctions are very rare.

What is more common is when a seller has a lot of one item, and lists it using a combination of two auction types: a multiple-item fixed price auction. This just means that you can just say how many of the item you they have, and offer them at a fixed price per unit. Buyers can enter how many they want and then just click Buy it Now to get them.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 23, 2006

"Consider Life Coaching" by Terri Levine

If you want a business with strong marketing tools and one where your services are in high demand, you must consider life coaching. This field has over 16,000 people a month looking for life coaches!
Life coaches attract high numbers of clients as life coaching covers any problem. As a life coach you can coach anyone through anything, so you tap into a broad market.

Life coaches speak with potential clients and offer to do a free needs analysis with them. They listen to find the pain the person is having and then they show how life coaching can assist.

Life coaches find their coach training pays for itself in a few short months if they follow a proven, simple, effective marketing system. At The Coaching Institute (http://www.coachinstitute.com) coaches are taught to overcome their fear of picking up the phone and to breakthrough any fears of self-promotion. They are shown exactly how to promote themselves with 10 methods that work.

The average life coach graduating from such a program earns about $10,000 per month to start if they follow the marketing systems. They get, as part of their training, a predictable system to find them clients and they will successful if they take action on the system.

Life coaches can join service organizations, clubs, and leads groups to find clients because personal coaching can solve any problem.

This work is a former sales persons dream!

The Coaching Institute (http://coachinstitute.com) is the one stop shop for life coach training and the number one place for life coach training and has a complete and comprehensive program.

The owner has been training coaches for 7 years and is one of the most highly paid coaches in the industry. Graduates have great track records by following what is taught at this program.

The program provides the methodology and curriculum to that the graduates will take their own client’s through and even teaches a process for uncovering the client's agenda.

Because this program has a unique selling system it gives people a way to justify the cost of life coach training and assures they will get clients.

Being a life coach creates the best mental feelings about what you do and helping people gives you tremendous pleasure at the end of each day.

You can coach people about marriage, relationships, parenting, finances, self-care, balance, work, their attitudes, health, and weight loss… you name it!

Check out this career now and don’t miss out.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How To Find Top-Selling Ebay Items" by Jason James

Unless you are willing to pay for software that finds top-selling ebay items, you will have to conduct your own research by hand. Luckily for you, there is a simple method you can use to perform market research for ebay.

If you are already selling on ebay, you probably have a general idea of what you want to sell. For instance, you might know you want to sell collectibles, jewelry, or consumer electronics. However, what you might not know is what you want to sell within those categories or what you should be selling within those categories to maximize your profits per sale.

Your goal should be to select products that have both a high demand (high search popularity) and a low supply (number and quality of sellers). In business, this is generally referred to as a "niche." If you want to maximize your profits, you should search out a number of niches within your ebay selling sub-category.

You can start this process by going to http://category-keyword.ebay.com/all_categories.html and clicking your current selling category and then sub- category. Drill down and build a list as you go of potential niches by recording the "commonly searched words" for each level.

Continue to drill down until you have the ebay search results for a given niche. For instance, if you continue to drill down for jewelry, you can eventually get results for "white gold rings" or "sapphire gold rings." Spend some time analyzing the raw amount of results (i.e. 4300 results for "white gold rings") you get for a given keyphrase, the quality of the sellers within the niche, and the prevailing market rates within the niche.

If supply is low and demand is high for that given ebay selling niche, prices will be inordinately high, allowing you to maintain high profit margins until your niche fills out with more sellers.

In order to assure consistent profits, you should select a number of profitable ebay selling niches and sell within each. When you pick a good niche, your sales will reflect it: your merchandise will move fast and you will consistently sell over the ebay market values.

If you find a good niche, but do not have sufficient stock to sell within that niche, you can simply find a dropshipper or an affiliate program to do all of the work for you. You can sign up at places like www.cj.com, www.linkshare.com, and http://www.megagoods.com for free and immediately start selling items as an affiliate.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

February 22, 2006

"The Work Yourself Happy System: How to create employees who are working themselves happy so that key talent is retained and the work environment is more joyful and fun!" by Terri Levine

Happy and work… do these words really go together? Most people haven't thought of them together. In fact, the mere thought of Sunday ending and work beginning on Monday morning is enough to throw many people into a semi-depression.

We have come to expect that work isn't fun, it's tough, and it's something we have to do. But, what if we changed that story? What if work became an extension of who we are and what our life vision, mission, and values are, instead of just a boring way to make money and earn our living?

Companies who are embracing this new Work Yourself Happy System soon come to realize that it is partially the organization's responsibility to provide their employees with a work environment and a culture that is both fun and pleasant. They see the benefits in structuring the work place to be one where people enjoy coming to work, and they realize the cost savings in decreased employee turnover, increased employee morale, lower absenteeism, and more productive employees.

The Work Yourself Happy System brings fun, respect, and acknowledgment back into the workplace and creates an environment where people enjoy coming to work. It contains several key elements that any organization can begin to utilize now:

Freedom - employees want to have some freedom and flexibility in their work schedule to balance work/home life issues

Whole Person - employees want to bring their personalities, visions, values, and talents to work and want a company that allows them to share life interests as well as work interests

Deep Communication - an environment where employees' needs and feelings are heard and fully acknowledged

Be Part of Something - clearly know the vision, goals, and expectations of the company and feel that they belong

Rewards - be rewarded for performance and productivity, not just time spent working

Trust - work in an environment where relationships are created and good will is felt

Inquiry - be able to question employer assumptions, policies, and changes and accept creative employee generated solutions

When employees can see this system being lived by the managers and leaders of their organization, they feel respect, respected, and energized. In fact, they feel revitalized and instead of not wanting to come to work, they become excited about what Monday will bring. They throw themselves full-heartedly into their job, which is now seen as an enjoyable part of their life, and not a drudgery to be endured in order to earn an income.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

February 21, 2006

"The Myths About Coaching" by Terri Levine

1. Coaching is a new profession

For sure it is not… it has been around as long as the human race with great coaches like Socrates, Olympic coaches, religious icons worldwide and other philosophers. There is nothing new about people assisting people to greatness and the word coach has been around since the early civilization.

2. Most coaches have a full-time practice.

Most coaches do their work part-time or integrated into other work such as consulting, training, teaching, workshops, writing, speaking, etc. Coaching clients is part of what they do.

3. Mental health care practitioners don’t make good coaches.

Oh yes they do! They are incredible listeners and already have many of the basic coaching tools of powerful questioning, sharing observations, speaking the truth, co-creating relationships and come from a place of caring and empathy with their clients. They are way ahead of the game.

4. Coaching ISN’T consulting.

Certainly it is. It is a form of consulting with additional skill sets learned by training as a professional coach.

5. You have to have certain credentials to be a coach.

This is your choice. Clients aren’t looking for people with credentials; they want people who get the job done. If you want to go through a credentialing process, you can, but you can be a coach without that as it is a form of consulting – NOT a licensed profession with a lot of regulation

6. You must belong to a professional trade association to be a coach.

You make your own choice. If you find value, there are organizations you can join. If you aren’t an organization type person, there is no need to be a part of any coaching organization. Trade organizations are choices individuals make and there is no requirement to belong to any organization.

7. You have to have years of training to be a coach.

There are programs that take into account your college credits, life and work history and then determine what core skills you need to be a coach and some of the programs can be done in less than 8 months!

8. You have to take telephone classes or go to workshops to be a coach.

There are programs that allow you to use your peak adult learning styles, and co-create with a mentor, how you best learn and provide you the opportunity to determine which learning you want to do. For example: research, work experience, community service, reading, attending workshops, training, etc.

9. Coaches get clients because they use the laws of attraction and they don’t “sell”.

I bet those coaches don’t have a lot of clients and don’t make a six or seven figure from coaching! Everyone in a business that wants to have clients uses the laws of attraction combined with sales. Coaches who make a living from coaching do sell their services and combine the laws of attraction for an inner/outer approach to reaching clients.

10. Coaches focus on word of mouth marketing and that creates a full practice.

I ask you “what is a full practice?” If you want a few clients and to pick up an extra $1-2k a month, rely on word of mouth marketing. If you want to make a six-figure income plus (even only 50k plus!), you’d better combine word of mouth with Internet, written communication, ads, mailings, publicity, etc.

11. Everyone is a coach.
Come on! We can all think of lots of people who we would not consider coaches…. People who aren’t successful, who are negative, who we wouldn’t want to give us assistance. No – not everyone has the ability, skill set, or composition to coach others to success.

12. The coaching profession is for people 30-40 years old.

While many coaches fall into that age bracket, retired folks make great coaches and have lots of extraordinary work and life experience.

13. Everyone needs a coach.

I wish everyone the chance to try on coaching and see if they like it and if it is for them. Many people may not feel they need a coach or may not accept coaching or be open to change. Not everyone will need or want a coach.

14. Coaches should develop a specialty niche where there is a need in society.
Instead, they can think about their past career and life experience and the what they are knowledgeable about and coach that area or people in their industry. Forget about what people need and focus on what is easy, effortless for you and where you know the greatest number of people.

15. Coaching is about having a lot of forms, resources and checklists to give clients.

Coaching is a relationship with a client and is client directed so how or why would the coach be giving clients this information? From listening to the clients deeply, the coach will assist the client in identifying client-directed, NOT coach-directed resources.

16. Anyone can make a living at coaching.

Anyone who has coaching skills, previous work/life experience, has a vision and strong desire and passion to coach AND is willing to do some selling blended with the laws of attraction and that is NOT everyone!

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Make This Year Your Best Year Ever" By Yanik Silver

Every year I've been in business for myself online
has been better than the previous one. Recently, I
decided to create an "Apprentice" program (Yes, even
before Trump) and I was extremely pleased that we
had nearly 100% of my Apprentices get an online
venture up and running.

I've gone back and thought about their projects and how
they developed and I came to a striking conclusion that
will be worth a lot of money to you this year if you heed it.
There was one key aspect that got them off their butts and
making money and it came down to one thing...

...A Deadline!

As simple as that sounds, once a firm deadline was
established that's when the rubber met the road and all
obstacles melted away like snow flakes in a frying pan.
I'll give you a perfect example for one Apprentice we were
going back and forth a bit tidying up some finishing
touches on the project and trying to get it out the door.
Many times people can try to make everything too perfect
and it never gets out making money so we said we are
launching this project at the LIVE Apprentice Summit. That
was it and that was final.

The date of the Summit was getting closer and closer and I
could see this Apprentice start to sweat a bit. But I made
him make the commitment to this deadline publicly during
our group call and he couldn't back out now.

Fast forward to the day of his launch he had multiple
obstacles that would normally have put the project on hold
get swept away but not now. With the firm deadline in place
and the opportunity for him to be embarrassed our fine
Apprentice finished his project. We hit the 'send' button
and he made a tidy sum from a tiny list over the weekend.
And this was just the start because his project has made
well into the five figures already. And why did it get
finished?

The deadline once again.

What's your deadline for your first project or your next
project?

Is it something that's in your head? Not a good idea. It's
pretty easy to keep moving that forward or letting other
things take precedence.

Who knows about your deadline and who's going to hold you
to it? In some cases it's not a good idea to share your
deadline or goal with another person, especially if they're
the kind of negative energy vampire a lot of well-meaning
friends and family are. But if you've got a group of
colleagues all with the same thinking use them. This works
especially well if you don't want to look like an "idiot"
in front of them and they are people you really respect.

I'll tell you what works for me and maybe it'll work for
you too.

For me, I work best when I absolutely "have to" perform.

For instance my first product on Internet marketing
might never have been made (or at least it would have taken
much longer) if I didn't sell it before it was done. In 2000
when I first started marketing online a lot of people wanted
to know exactly what I did and how I started making money
so fast.

Well, I got my first opportunity to share my story in
Atlanta at an Internet seminar. I was extremely nervous and
my heart was beating out of my chest to go talk in front of
100 strangers. I gave my presentation and then I sold this
product (yet to be created).

I told people it would be delivered in a few weeks so they
knew it was a prepublication offer. I walked away with 10
orders at $200 bucks. All well and good except I couldn't
charge anyone until the manual was done. Even though it was
only $2,000 (less what I had to pay the promoter)

I knew that at least people wanted this information and I
could keep selling it once I finished it. I probably had a
week or two of 3 o'clock in the morning work sessions but I
completed it and charged the cards. I was under pressure to
get the manual done because these people paid me (though I
didn't charge them) and I owed them the material.

Since then I've updated my course material and it's been
worth well into the six figures just because "I had to
do it".

How can you set something like this up for yourself? If you
can stand the pressure - you can decide to put on a tele-
seminar. This is one of my favorite ways of creating
product by a deadline. You can do either a one-time tele-
seminar or series of tele-seminars and you get paid to
produce the product. How great is that? It doesn't matter
if you have 1 person or 1000 people on the call because
this is forcing you to create product and perform.

Once you've set your deadline for anything you'll
"magically" see certain resources fall into place. Trust
me, it's a bit eerie but when it occurs every time you set
a firm deadline you know there's something to it. Just the
act of making the decision sets these events into motion
for you. It's also because what you focus on becomes your
reality. Your perception has changed. Your internal
"radar" is now attuned to resources, allies, etc that can
help you get your project completed.

Now I leave you with one more secret...Set "mini
deadlines".

When you're looking at the whole task of setting up an
Internet business (or anything really) it's easy to get
overwhelmed. But if you break everything up into small
tasks with their own deadlines you'll be at your
destination before you know it. I promise it'll work for
you. In fact, that's one of the reasons I really like
Franklin planner systems (now Franklin Covey). I've been
using them since 1998 and that's when I first started
making some significant changes in my life.

Actually the founder of Franklin, Hyrum Smith has a great
book called "The 10 Essential Laws of Time and Life
Management" - this should be required reading for you!

Even though I hate ad slogans (since they don't work) this
one should become your mantra for the year - "Just Do It".

As cliché and overused as it is - that's all it comes down
to. Whether you're willing to roll the dice and put
yourself out there a little. I promise whatever the worst
case scenario you're thinking, it is far from the reality.

And if you need someone to send your deadline list to - go
ahead and email it to me. I'll keep it confidential and
we'll celebrate together when you reach your destination.

(c) Surefire Marketing, Inc.

Yanik Silver is recognized as the leading expert on
creating automatic, moneymaking websites...and he still
doesn't know how to put up a website.

He is the author, co-author or creator of several best-
selling online marketing books and tools, including his
newest resource for online copywriting -
http://www.UltimateCopywritingWorkshop.com

"How Important is Your Buyer's Reputation? - eBay Feedback Report" by Jason James

Your reputation as a buyer (or 'feedback rating') is one of the most important things people see when they deal with you on eBay. It is on the basis of this little number that they will decide whether they can trust you or not.

Each time you buy or sell something on eBay, people can leave feedback for you, and you can leave feedback for them. This feedback can be positive, negative, or neutral, along with a comment. Your feedback rating, then, is worked out using a very simple sum: the number of positive feedback comments people have left for you, minus the number of negative ones. This means that someone with a feedback rating of 28, for example, might have 30 positive ratings and 2 negative ones.

If you are a considerate buyer, then you should find that positive feedback will just appear next to your username, without you needing to do anything. If you want to help it along, though, there are a few things you can do.

Always leave feedback for others: People will feel an obligation to leave feedback for you if you leave it for them (eBay will send you an email after each transaction to offer you the opportunity). Take the time to write a positive comment about sellers who do what they should and the chances are they'll do the same for you.

Pay promptly: Sellers love nothing more than to be paid promptly - paying as soon as the auction ends saves the seller all sorts of worry, especially if you pay by credit card or another electronic method. You will often find that your positive feedback appears within a few minutes of you paying if you pay as soon as the auction ends.

Don't be a difficult customer: Understand that your seller might take a day or so to respond to you, and perhaps a few days to send your item - harassing them is nasty and unnecessary, and won't get you good feedback.

Build relationships: If a seller sells a lot of a certain kind of thing you like, buy from them a few more times. They will be very happy to find a regular customer, and will go out of their way to leave positive feedback like 'a joy to deal with as ever'. Also, they might offer you a few special deals!

Sellers won't generally be reluctant to sell to buyers without much of a reputation, simply because it is the buyer who takes most of the risk in a transaction. It is worth remembering, however, that transactions where you are the seller and where you are the buyer are counted towards the same feedback total - so if you ever want to start selling, being a good buyer is especially worthwhile.

On eBay, people pay far more attention to sellers' ratings than they do to buyers' - most sellers can't be bothered to check their buyers' feedback, while bad feedback on a seller can (and should) be a dealbreaker. When you are buying, then, you need to worry more about the seller's reputation than you do about your own.

How to Check an eBay Seller's Reputation (and Why You Should Do It).

When you buy something from an eBay seller, you are giving them your money and hoping that you will get something in return. However many guarantees of safety eBay might make to you, nothing is certain: if you just give your money to scammers all the time without doing any checks then the chances are you won't get all of that money back.

That's why you should always check the seller's reputation, or 'feedback rating'. This is a quick and easy-to-read summary of their history as an eBay seller, which gives you some idea of whether or not you should trust them with your money. Buying anything is a calculated risk: you want to minimise that risk.

How to Check Feedback Ratings.

On each item's description page, there is a box in the top-right hand corner about the seller, with the title 'Seller information'. This contains the seller's name, their feedback score, and their positive feedback percentage, as well as any stars they have earned.

Different coloured stars are given to eBay sellers depending on their rating, in this sequence: yellow, blue, turquoise, purple, red, green, shooting yellow, shooting turquoise, shooting purple, shooting red. Anyone with a 'shooting' star is an experienced eBay member who you should be able to trust.

If you click on the seller's name, you can get to a more detailed view of their reputation - their 'member profile' page. This page shows the total number of people who gave them a positive or negative rating, as well as a breakdown by time. You can also see a complete history of all the comments that have ever been left about them, with the most recent first.

What to Look For.

You might assume that anyone with a very high number can be trusted, but that isn't always true. It is more important to look at their positive feedback percentage - and you should really consider anything below 99% to be a red flag and investigate further.

Take a look through the first visible page with the most recent transactions: are there any negative comments? What do they say? Take others' experiences into account, as they could happen to you if you deal with this person. Be careful not to punish sellers unfairly, however, if they did bad things in their past on eBay but have improved since. You should look at the breakdown by time and ignore any negative feedback that was left a long time ago. Equally, though, you should sit up and pay attention if a seller seems to have been left an out-of-character amount of bad feedback in the last month or so.

Now that you know who to trust, it is worth learning a little more about how the different kinds of auctions work, so that you don't accidentally slip up and make yourself and your feedback page look bad.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 20, 2006

"TIPS TO LESSEN ANXIETY" by Terri Levine

First, let's not confuse the anxiety to which I refer with clinical anxiety disorders, which are a more serious matter requiring professional medical help.

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, anxiety is

a: painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill,
b: fearful concern or interest,
c: a cause of anxiety an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it.

Approximately 13.3% of the adult population in the U.S. is affected by an Anxiety Disorder. We agree, Coaches are not therapists or psychiatrists, and it is not our role to treat these disorders.

The anxiety I am talking about is that suffered by everyday workers, going about their business in a state of stress and discomfort. This work related anxiety is persistent and causes you to worry excessively about events or activities or circumstances at work which may, or may not, even happen… but the fear is very real.

Stress feeds anxiety. For example, in a day when job security is no longer guaranteed, quite often it doesn't take much to turn a "worry" into an anxiety, bringing with it a string of very real physical (and mental) health symptoms.

Before I suggest some tips to help prevent anxiety, it might be helpful to know some kinds of situations that are known for producing anxious moments:

Potential causes include:

being overworked

working longer hours

lack of clear instructions from employers

new management techniques

performance related benefits/pay increases

fear of losing your job/redundancies

harassment or bullying in the workplace

Clearly, if a stressful situation is prolonged, the more likely you are to become anxious about it, especially if you feel powerless to do anything about either the situation causing the stress, or the outcome that you fear will befall you. You'll know the difference between ordinary stress and an anxious state by the accompanying physical symptoms, which may include sweaty palms, irregular and shallow breathing patterns, heart palpitations, to name a few.

So how can you possibly avoid the type of situations described above? Well, it may not be possible to avoid them as such, but with a bit of practice, you may be able to live with them without the accompanying unpleasant symptoms! So here are some tips to get you started…

At work, when you're feeling overwhelmed, go somewhere quiet and take six deep breaths - breathe in deeply, filling your lungs with air, and breathe out slowly.

Consider the consequences of whatever you do, and don't do anything that might lead you to tell a lie about it afterwards or indulge in any other kind of cover-up.

Don't rely on memory - write it down. An Old Chinese proverb says, "The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory."
Don't stress or rush - take the time to ask directions or get clear instructions.

Know the difference between "needs" and "preferences" and don't get too hung up with "preferences".

Take up meditation or Yoga or some other form of relaxation program -make it a part of your life and find time to practice at least one relaxation technique every day.

Learn to say no!

Don't fool yourself into thinking you are "weak" - watch your "self-talk" - keep it upbeat and positive.

Make a list of the things that worry you or cause you stress. Look at each item realistically - list the real or imagined outcomes you associate with each item.

Study them carefully - what, if anything, can you do about any of the things you've noted.

Check back to your list each week and note any changes you feel regarding each item. Many times, writing it down helps and produces clarity.

You will soon be able to discern which fears are foundless, and for the other fears, you will be able to brainstorm ideas that will allow you to tame them, if not conquer them.

Don't be scared to speak up if there are situations at work that are causing you sleepless nights. You could keep going, trying to tolerate it, but this will merely add to the pressures on you and increase the stress you are already enduring, and before you know it, you are in anxiety mode. Choose somebody in a position to help you and with whom you feel confident to share your concerns, and express yourself clearly and calmly.

Remember, what we focus on is what we attract into our reality. So concentrate your focus on the things you do want in your life, rather than the things you don't want. "Positive thinking" is not merely a catchphrase. You deserve an extraordinary life, but it is up to you to achieve it.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"Learning the eBay "Lingo" by Jason James

Do you have trouble sometimes understanding when people talk about eBay? Don't worry, some of the jargon is really obscure, and you can't be expected to understand it until someone's told you what it means. Here's a little list of some of the most useful lingo to know, but you don't need to memorise it - even the most common jargon is only used relatively rarely.

Words.

Bid: telling eBay's system the maximum price you are prepared to pay for an item.
Dutch: an auction where more than one of an item is available.
Feedback: positive or negative comments left about other users on eBay.
Mint: in perfect condition.
Non-paying bidder: a bidder who wins an auction but does not then go on to buy the item.
PayPal: an electronic payment method accepted by most sellers.
Rare: used and abused on eBay, now entirely meaningless.
Reserve: the minimum price the seller will accept for the item.
Shill bid: a fake bid placed by a seller trying to drive up their auction's price.
Snail Mail: the post, which is obviously very slow compared to email.
Sniping: bidding at the last second to win the item before anyone else can outbid you.


Abbreviations.

AUD: Australian Dollar. Currency.
BIN: Buy it Now. A fixed price auction.
BNWT: Brand New With Tags. An item that has never been used and still has its original tags.
BW: Black and White. Used for films, photos etc.
CONUS: Continental United States. Generally used by sellers who don't want to post things to Alaska or Hawaii.
EUR: Euro. Currency.
FC: First Class. Type of postage.
GBP: Great British Pounds. Currency.
HTF: Hard To Find. Not quite as abused as 'rare', but getting there.
NIB: New in Box. Never opened, still in its original box.
NR: No Reserve. An item where the seller has not set a reserve price.
OB: Original Box. An item that has its original box (but might have been opened).
PM: Priority Mail.
PP: Parcel Post.
SH: Shipping and Handling. The fees the buyer will pay you for postage.
USD: United States Dollars. Currency.
VGC: Very Good Condition. Not mint, but close.


The chances are that you'll find more specific jargon related to whatever you're selling, but it'd be an impossible task to cover it all here. If you can't figure one out from your knowledge of the subject, then type the term into a search engine, followed by the word 'ebay'. The chances are that someone, somewhere will have seen fit to explain it.

While it's good to be able to understand others' jargon, avoid using it unless you really need to (for example, if you run out of space in an item's title). Many people on eBay are not experienced buyers and you will lose them if you write a load of gobbledegook all over your auction.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

Valuable Information About Hormones By One of the World's Greatest Hormone Researchers Dr. Michael Borkin

Janet: Doctor Borkin, is cortisol important for survival? Is that true?”

Dr. Borkin: “Cortisol elevates the blood sugar back into normal ranges. Insulin is used to maintain blood sugar to keep it from going too high. Cortisol is at the other end of the spectrum. It keeps the blood sugar from going too low. It is also the primary stress hormone along with adrenaline. Cortisol elevates in order to maintain blood sugar. What we look at is to determine how much of this is directly related with a person’s inability to maintain reserves of energy because they are not digesting foods correctly and absorbing the nutrients adequately.”

Janet: “Does cortisol affect all the cells in the body?”
Dr. Borkin: “Every cell in the body is affected. We are not one solid unit. We are actually a community of trillions and trillions of members. It is like having the largest factory in the world or in the universe, and the most well organized. If this were a corporation, it would have trillions and trillions of workers and only eight supervisors or managers and one CEO. Those eight supervisors make up the endocrine system or hormonal system.”

Janet: “What is the order or organization in the hormonal system?”
Dr. Borkin: “In most cases any typical abuse is handled on a local level without having to go to a manager. When a manager is needed, it becomes a bigger problem. When it goes to multiple managers, higher up in the hierarchy, it becomes a monumental problem. When it goes to the CEO of the hormonal system, the person is in big trouble. The master control mechanism is called the hypothalamus.”

Janet: “How does the hypothalamus control the body?”
Dr. Borkin: “The hypothalamus is the link between the hormonal system and the autonomic nervous system. When imbalances in the body arrive at a critical point, when the body goes into a state of chaos, the hypothalamus has to take control. It is inescapable.”

Janet: “Does aging have any affect on the cortisol levels in the body?”
Dr. Borkin: “As we get older and these hormonal dysfunctions occur, it causes things like chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia. Too much cortisol can even cause heart related symptoms.

Janet: “Are there tests for hormonal imbalances?”
Dr. Borkin: There are tests that determine if it is in fact the heart or a cardiac problem, or if in all actuality, it is simply a hormonal dysfunction. If the original problems would have been properly managed when it first started, it would never have manifested or gone that far.”

Janet: “How does mainstream medicine deal with hormonal imbalances?”
Dr. Borkin: “The mainstream thought in the scientific and medical communities is if something is low you simply elevate it. The problem with this philosophy is that if you change something on the left then something on the right changes.

Janet: “You were telling me about how the body uses the sex hormones to deal with stressful situations. Can you elaborate on that a little?”
Dr. Borkin: “When it comes to the hormone testosterone, we are dealing with a situation where we are converting the normal production of testosterone into the stress hormone cortisol. When we throw in more testosterone because the levels are low, it is like throwing lighter fluid on a raging fire. The extra testosterone fuels the abnormal functioning of the hormonal system.”

Janet: “Is it dangerous when the body starts stealing hormones from one area for another?”
Dr. Borkin: “There are increasingly severe problems if the causes of hormonal imbalance are not addressed. Even when you supplement hormones that are too low, this does not solve the original problem. Just because a level is low, it does not mean you are going to elevate that hormone if it is being converted into another hormone.”

Janet: “Is that why just supplementing testosterone without checking the other hormone levels is dangerous?”
Dr. Borkin: “This is really where the major mistakes are made by most practitioners. Testosterone is a fascinating hormone. We have been studying testosterone longer than any other steroid hormone. We know a lot about testosterone but not enough.”

Janet: “Testosterone seems to be a very important hormone. What have the studies shown?”
Dr. Borkin: “What is interesting about testosterone levels is that if we look back 50,000 years ago, testosterone levels were extremely high at that time. Testosterone is also a survival hormone. It is responsible for allowing us to go into a hostile environment and survive extremely stressful situations.”

Dr. Borkin: "Approximately 200 years ago, if you were a pioneer crossing the country on a wagon train, testosterone is the hormone that got you through. It also allowed a woman to make it in a hostile environment. If the levels of testosterone were as low as they are today, generally speaking, there is no way we would have been able to conquer that kind of environment.”

Janet: “So, does that mean testosterone is important to both men and women?”
Dr. Borkin: “Testosterone is extremely important. It also has a very powerful affect on motivation. It is also involved in many, many other processes. Not all of these processes are unrelated to sex.”

Janet: “Does testosterone have any relationship to the growth hormone?”
Dr. Borkin: “There must be a balance between testosterone and growth hormone. We have heard a lot about growth hormone. The use of growth hormone can be fabulous, if it is used in the proper manner.”

"Dr. Borkin: “I like to use the analogy with my patients that growth hormone is kind of like putting a turbo charger on your car. If you only have two tires on that car and then add a turbo charger, it is going to spin around out of control much faster than it would have before.”

Janet: “Are there different types and levels of the same hormones in the body?”
Dr. Borkin: When we look at the use of certain hormones, we want to create the proper foundation. In order to balance the specific levels of hormones in a man or a woman, we want to look at the free fractions, those levels of hormones that are accessible, that are going to be utilized.”

Janet: “Why do you test the hormone levels in the saliva?”
Dr. Borkin: “Saliva is easy to collect and shows the bioactive availability of the different hormones. Once we determine what the fluctuations are throughout a 24 hour period, we begin to understand what is really going on.

Janet: “Do hormone levels change naturally throughout the day?”
Dr. Borkin: “A man’s testosterone levels are not constant throughout the day. They change dramatically from the morning, when they are at their highest level. At midnight, they are at their lowest point.”

Dr. Borkin: “When we look at these 24-hour measurements, we are able to determine the time of the day to supplement. It is not only determining what those levels are, but this is a guideline for accurately supplementing at exactly the right time. If the hormone is high at a specific time, you do not supplement it then. You wait until it is low.”

Janet: “How do you provide additional amounts of absorbable hormones to the body?”
Dr. Borkin” When it comes to supplementation, we only have a handful of methods of getting it into the body. If you take supplements orally, there is no guarantee that when you put something in your mouth it ever gets to the target tissue, especially, if we have some kind of digestive disturbance or malabsorption.

Dr. Borkin: “If something interferes with the proper absorption or utilization of nutrients or hormones, then the oral route is not really the first choice. When it comes to the use of a hormone, there is the “First Pass Mechanism” where a hormone is utilized through the digestive tract to get it into the blood stream.”
“When we take a look at this mechanism, it relies on the digestive tract working properly. The liver must work correctly in order to obtain approximately 5% of the hormone for use in the body. That is like depositing a hundred dollars into your bank account and getting to use five dollars. So, it is not a real effective method of getting the money into the account.”

Dr. Borkin: “The same is true as far as contributing hormonally. If we wanted to get these hormones into the blood stream, in their entirety, we would use injectibles. But, that is not real user friendly. Most people would not want to do that several times a day, even if it was medically indicated.”

Dr. Borkin: “A new delivery system is “Transdermal Delivery.” I have been working with this technique for twelve years. In the last twenty years, scientists have been focusing on this type of delivery system. Transdermal delivery mechanisms, such as the Nicorette, testosterone and estrogen patches, are now treatments of choice.”

Dr. Borkin: “These are mechanisms applied to the skin. The chemicals are delivered through the skin. You get the equivalent of what you would get if it was injected directly into the body. It is no different injecting than it is to take something transdermally, if it is a true transdermal device.”

Janet: “How is the transdermal delivery system different than just applying lotions to your skin?”
Dr. Borkin: “This is where I need to explain the difference between a transdermal and a topical. There are many products, especially progesterone creams that claim to be transdermal but they are not. They are only topical.”

Dr. Borkin: “They call themselves transdermal because the size of the progesterone itself is so small. If apply the progesterone itself to the skin, it is small enough so it goes through the pores of the skin and winds up in the blood stream to a certain extent.”

Dr. Borkin: “Unfortunately, much of what you apply is actually stored in the skin and in the fat cells. A true transdermal delivery mechanism is the equivalent of directing it through a specific apparatus directly into the blood stream. It is similar to drinking a glass of water filled with ice. If you insert a straw, you get more of the fluids.

February 19, 2006

"What's Bothering Managers?" by Terri Levine

Where do we begin? Tired of playing 'piggy in the middle'? They cop flack from both sides - upper management and the people they 'manage'. Tired of being one of the first to blame when things go wrong? Frustrated by the lack of back up and support from the upper echelons who expect them to perform the daily miracles required to produce excellent results?

They don the title of Manager or Supervisor and suddenly they are expected to know all about Human Resource issues, communication, handling people, Unions, etc. One day they are 'the best' at whatever they do and on the strength of that, chosen for promotion. The next day they are the Manager, still the best at whatever it is they do, but no further ahead with the knowledge they need to succeed in their new position.

Do they complain and possibly risk losing their new hard-worked-for position or the respect of upper levels of management? Or do they struggle on doing the best they can? As individuals, they can seek further training in their own time to learn effective people handling skills, and many managers do this. However, if you take an honest look at an overall Organization, you'll probably find many departmental heads in the same position - good at what they do, but lacking the skills needed for effective 'management'. So when does the responsibility for further training become an Organizational issue and not an individual issue?

For those with their eyes on a promotion, it would be in their best interests to have this training now. Then, when they are the best at what they do AND they have the skills necessary to be effective Managers and Supervisors, they have a lot more to offer a Company. For those who have already been thrust into the position of Supervisor or Manager, it is the company's responsibility to ensure they have all the tools and training necessary in order for them to perform their duties effectively.

One step Managers can take to make their job easier is to take a long hard look at their own areas of weakness. Be honest. Brainstorm with your department and ask for their honest opinions - make it clear that this is not a blame apportioning exercise and that opinions shall be treated with respect. Instead of feeling that one is on their own in the improvement stakes, make it a departmental responsibility. What can everyone do to ensure your department runs more smoothly and easily? Create a focus on what is already working and build from there.

For those things which definitely are not working, brainstorm as a team. Ask your workforce what they need from you in order to do their jobs more efficiently. Do they need more training? More autonomy? More supervision? Regular feedback? Weekly meetings with you?

Tell your workforce what you need from them. If you want them to just get on with the job and only bother you when there is a problem that only you can help with, let them know. If you'd rather they reported weekly to you on the progress of certain projects, tell them. Chances are none of you are mind-readers!

Your role as Manager will be greatly improved if you open the lines of communication. Do not apportion blame. Rather than seeing your role in terms of "managing," think of it in terms of coaching or mentoring. Experience has shown that employees respond better to coaching/mentoring techniques than they do to the traditional management methods.

This means never being too busy for your staff, never being too self-important, and making time to be their Team Leader. Pay attention to what they say to you. Take the time to listen and learn from and with them. And expect your own 'Manager' or President/CEO to do the same. Have a meeting and be open. You cannot work in the dark. Say what you need in order to do your job properly.

When talking with your staff or higher management, here are 6 tips to help you get the most out of it:

Listen carefully. Don't be thinking ahead of what you want to say - put that aside while the other person is talking and just concentrate on what they are saying to you.

Repeat back what you think they said to ensure you have understood. Use phrases like "I understand what you mean," or "I see your point," and when you don't, ask them to clarify. Get to the bottom of it.

Be honest about your own shortcomings and admit to your mistakes. And if you are going to give feedback, be careful not to do it in a blaming sense. Keep emotion out of it and just stick to the facts. Do not resort to name-calling or putting anybody else down in order to justify your position.

Apologize where an apology is called for. Don't try to make excuses for poor performance - focus instead on what can be done to improve/rectify the situation.

Ask for input/ideas on how to improve the situation.

If the timing is bad for your discussion, be honest and say that you need time to think over what has just been said and make a time for follow up.
As a Manager, you may sometimes feel you have to be all things to all people. It doesn't have to be that way if you focus on a team spirit. You are all in it together and the responsibility for making anything "work" should be a team effort.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Build Sales With Extended Benefits" by Mike Fortin

Listen to the Interviews of the Leading Entrepreneurs in the World Who Are Heroes That Are Pursuing Their Dreams With Every Ounce of Strength and Faith.
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Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter, author, speaker and consultant. His specialty are long copy sales letters and websites. Watch him rewrite copy on video each month, and get tips and tested conversion strategies proven to boost response in his membership site at http://TheCopyDoctor.com/ today.
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An area that can become profitable for many businesses in building the offer within sales copy is selling (or "upselling" customers with) extended services, products or packages, also often called the "extended warranty."

Extended warranties are subtle forms of insurance policies that guarantee a product or service's performance, especially after an initial period of time.

While the guarantee promises benefits, the warranty promises that the enjoyment of those benefits will continue. In other words, an extended warranty is like a "guarantee's guarantee," if you will.

A warranty promises that a product will perform the way it is supposed to for a very specific period of time. If your product comes with a guarantee, then consider selling an extended warranty that ensures its continuation.

But if your product is can not be guaranteed for whatever reason, consider a warranty that may take the form of future upgrades, additional benefits, membership programs, points clubs or support service packages.

For example, if you sell computers, you can also offer a buy-back plan. For an additional fee, customers "buy" the privilege and ability to choose to trade in their systems for a better model within a year following their purchase.

The plan, which may appear in the form of an official certificate, coupon or letter, promises them a complete refund of the purchase price that's applied towards their upgrade. If they choose to exercise their option, they only pay the difference when they upgrade to a later model.

The Silent Profit Center
As for services, the extended warranty is a little different since services are intangible, do not break down, need repair or depreciate in value.

But they are just as profitable.

Warranties can take the shape of memberships, points clubs, preferred customer programs, priority service packages, extended service packages, prepayment plans, premium services, future discounts or upgrades plans, etc.

In short, warranties are much like service agreements. For example, if you're a consultant you can offer prepaid retainer packages that include several hours of consulting or on-call priority privileges, all at a discounted rate.

On the other hand, if you offer repetitive services such as a hairstylist or a chiropractor, you can offer a number of prepaid visits at a discount. If your cashflow is particular low during a specific month or season, you can arrange your packages so that they renew at that point in time.

The summer is a slow time for snowplowing services. But with prepaid packages, which are sold in the summer and renewing in the summer, it creates an income stream when things slow down.

These programs are often more advantageous to the client for a variety of reasons. And many marketers and businesses shy away from them. But they really don't see it from their client's perspective.

Beyond the obvious price incentive, the benefits of extended warranties include less billing, more convenience, preferred service, faster delivery, extra privileges and many others. Another is the sheer feeling of "belonging" to a special, elite group of people to which higher attention or priority is given.

Join the Club
That's why premium programs, or "preferred client clubs," are very popular. They have a mystique and a sense of extra value about them, which is being part of that elite group. As Amex says, "membership has its privileges."

For example, club members might enjoy a members-only 1-800 service number, extra premiums, discounts on joint-ventured partners, express checkout services, special members-only contests and so on.

Online, clients can become members of a private site, access premiums, receive additional web-based services (such as reminder services, automated shipping, real-time support, even special software, like eBay's Toolbar, etc).

But keep in mind that the savings factor in such programs is the greatest motivator. Consumable products translate into repeat sales. Therefore, an extended warranty in this case would be a repeat customer program.

(Also called "rewards programs.")

This could involve a flat discount rate on all purchases made at a particular store during a certain timeframe. What this program also does is to preemptively reduce the possible loss of a client to a competitor.

Bookstores sell avid reader membership programs. For an annual fee, they offer members a fixed discount rate on all subsequent books purchased during the time that the program is in force.

These programs can range from one month to a full year. Costco Price Club is another great example where an annual membership fee is charged but members enjoy wholesale or bulk prices.

Nevertheless, while extended benefits are in and of themselves profit centers, they're also powerful positioning tools since they help to increase your core business at the same time.

People love options and the feeling that they are being taken care of. They also want to reduce the element of risk in the buying process. People want to avoid pain, and that includes the pain that comes with the potential or future loss of a benefit. So, help them feel more secure with the knowledge that they will continue to enjoy your product or service.

Sell them an extended warranty!

Listen to the Interviews of the Leading Entrepreneurs in the World Who Are Heroes That Are Pursuing Their Dreams With Every Ounce of Strength and Faith.
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Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter, author, speaker and consultant. His specialty are long copy sales letters and websites. Watch him rewrite copy on video each month, and get tips and tested conversion strategies proven to boost response in his membership site at http://TheCopyDoctor.com/ today.
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"4 Easy Ways to Make Money on Ebay" by Jason James

Ebay is a haven for people that are into business and the best part about it is you don't have to leave the comforts of your own house while trying your luck for your first million. There are many easy ways to make money on Ebay and this article would certainly guide you in your mission.

These tips mentioned are just some of the easy ways to make money on Ebay. You do not need to memorize this guideline word per word, just digest the important facts and guidelines and let the inner business person in you thrive.

The easy ways mentioned here are just some of the things that you could apply in your own business in Ebay.

Here are the four easy ways to make money on Ebay:

1. Know Your Products

As a seller, you must know your products well and this means its weaknesses and strengths. Through this way, you would be able to sell the product well and defend its weakness (if there is any). By knowing your product, you could also advertise it well in Ebay so that you would be able to have a large target market which is more than the usual. This number one easy ways to make money on Ebay advice suggest that you should invest well in your products.

2. Determine your Target Market

Through determining your target market, you would be able to determine or estimate the number of sales that you would be able to make. Aside from that, you would also be able to know when and where to catch your target market. For example, your target market are students, advertising in sites that are often visited by students could be a worthy investment because the target market is there. This second easy ways to make money on Ebay tip shows that you should be able to establish communication rapport with your target market.

3. Know Your Competition

By familiarizing yourself with competition, you would surely assess yourself if you meet the standards of the product. A competition could be viewed as a friend or foe, depending on the seller's reasoning. It could be considered as a foe when both of you are neck to neck when it comes to selling your products. It could be a friend when you are checking out their latest wares so that you would not be left behind. This third easy ways to make money on Ebay shows that research goes a long, long way in Ebay. Competition is good as long as it is a healthy one.

4. Present Well

Presentation is the name of the game. Be sure that your product is in good quality so that you would be able to make an impression to buyers. Also be sure that this good impression would last even up to the time that your product would reach the buyer's house. A good presentation and feedback in Ebay are considered investments in Ebay. Once the word spreads, there would be no stopping you towards the road of success. This last easy ways to make money on Ebay clearly shows that presentation aims to capture the interest of potential buyers.

These easy ways to make money on Ebay are just suggestions to start your business right. The tips and guidelines mentioned in the article five easy ways to make money on Ebay are not the shortcut for success in any business. You, yourself must be able to make your own easy ways to make money on Ebay guide so that success would land in your hands. Happy Trading!


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

February 18, 2006

"10 Sure-fire Ways to Kill Your eBay Business" by Jason James

It's surprisingly easy to kill your eBay business, if you're not careful - sure, you can start over from scratch without it costing you anything, but do you really want to? Still, if you want your business to end up dead in the water, here are some simple ways to do it.

1. Lie about an item: Say it works fine when it sometimes doesn't work. Say it's in perfect condition when it has a scratch. Your customers will hate you!

2. Post whenever you feel like it: Make sure to leave your customers hanging around, wondering when their item is going to turn up. This makes sure they buy from someone else next time.

3. Let items end anytime: Few people will be around to care about your auction if it ends in the middle of the night. Why go to the trouble of working out whether auctions will end at a good time?

4. Don't bother with email: Customers are just timewasters anyway. eBay businesses are supposed to run themselves! Never give informed responses to questions about your item.

5. Sell rubbish: Really, it's just eBay. You can just sell any old tat from the market for a 200% profit. Let quality be someone else's concern - I mean, really, what do they expect for that price?

6. Refuse to give discounts: You know what your items cost, you know what your profit margin is going to be, and you're not going to negotiate. Remember that giving customers special deals might make them feel good and come back to you again.

7. Make your listings ugly: As many colours, flashing lights and animations as possible will really give those customers a headache. Write as much in CAPITALS!!!! as you can. Preferably big, red capitals. Be sure to use the fonts Impact and Comic Sans. For an extra special touch, see if you can figure out a way to add some music.

8. Don't take photos: It's such trouble, after all. If buyers are picky enough to actually want to see items before they bid on them, then screw 'em, that's what I say.

9. Write short descriptions: Be as brief as possible, and use lots of mysterious abbreviations. This obviously makes you look very cool. You can even just write the title again in the description box. Think of the effort you'll save!

10. Use reserve auctions: Now, this is a fairly controversial final choice, but it really is one of the best ways to scare away your customers. They'll see 'reserve not yet met', and click that 'back' button before you know it. Luckily, they can always bid in a normal auction for the item somewhere else.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"What will be your job in 2006? The Top 8 Predictions for the Work Force" by Terri Levine

I talk to all kinds of people, many working in the corporate world, and many more leaving it to stand - or fall - on their own.

Here are some of my predictions for the work force for the end of this year and beginning of the next:

As high as 90% of white-collar jobs will no longer exist or will be changed to so that they no longer resemble the original role.

Traditional white-collar roles will become more project-based, with more individuals acting as freelancers on a contract basis.

More people will leave corporate careers to become entrepreneurs.

Generation Xers will be more likely to work for themselves rather than trust their career and future success to a company who can and will put them out of work when it suits them, as has been done to many Gen Xer's parents.

People will go through a continual process of doing one thing, returning for education, doing something new, returning to education, and doing something different again, and so on.

Another emerging trend is that of specialization among professionals, with new professions sprouting from the old along with new standards of accepted performance and qualification.

More women will enter the freelance field, finding they can be successful entrepreneurs in a range of fields now open to them thanks to the Internet and advances in telecommunications.

The relatively new career of coaching will continue to become a major entrepreneurial option for many professionals, and in the final quarter of 2002 alone, there will be more and more professionals entering coach training programs.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"It's Every Entrepreneurs Biggest Dilemma... And Here's How To Fix It!" by Craig Garber

Here's a curious dilemma -- see if you can figure out the
best thing to do in this situation.

You're single and successful, busily driving home from work
one Friday evening, alone in your car on a somewhat spooky
and stormy night.

As you slowly pass by a bus stop, you notice three people
waiting for the bus:

One, an old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

Two, an old and dear friend of yours who once saved your
life.

And three, the perfect man (or) woman of your dreams.

So here's your dilemma: Which one of these three people one
would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing you can only
have one passenger in your car.

THINK before you answer.

You could pick up the old lady, because she's about to keel
over, and you'd be saving her life.

Or, you could give your friend a lift, because you feel
indebted to him forever.

On the other hand, you may never ever be able to find your
perfect dream lover again if you pass this person up -- and
Lord knows nothing would be worse than a lifetime of regret
-- especially over this decision.

What would you do?

Think this through before I give you the "correct" answer.

Ready?

O.K., here it is:

You toss your car keys to your friend and tell him to take
the old lady to the hospital, while you stay behind hanging
out at the bus stop with the woman (or man) of your
dreams.

Most people would never have answered the question this way,
because it's an "Outside The Box" kind of an answer.

The biggest problem most entrepreneurs have when I'm
consulting them -- www.kingofcopy.com/consulting -- is their
inability to look inside their own world, and come up with
a similar "Outside The Box" kind of solution, to their own
marketing problems.

Yet, outside your box is where all the critical answers to
your marketing problems are.

Right?

Listen, it's the 4th of July weekend here, and that means
one thing, and one thing only -- especially here in sunny
Florida: It means I'll be cooking barbecue... smoking a
good cigar... and hanging out with my wife and kids this
weekend.

So in case I don't catch up with you until next week, after
the fourth -- take care of yourself and have a safe
holiday weekend.

And don't forget to continuously start thinking TOTALLY
Outside The Box, when it comes to your marketing.

Now go sell something,

And if you haven 't already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week -- it's the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

“Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved

February 17, 2006

"What is the Difference Between Coaching and Advising and Does it Matter?" by Terri Levine

"Don't take advice from anyone who isn't successful
where you want to be successful." ~ Joe Vitale

Coaching involves working with people who usually, but not always, already have some degree of success but are "stuck" and want to move forward and don't know how. There is, in coach-speak, a "gap" between where they are right now and where they want to be, and this may involve their professional career or their personal life, or both. This may also be on a larger corporate scale or on a small individual level.

Coaching is a co-creative process. Coaches assist clients to accomplish their life goals and dreams and discover and fulfill their purpose in life in a process that involves the client 100%. So, regardless of whether the issue is career related or personal, a Coach will help you find out what it is you really want out of life and "coach" you to achieve it. Coaching is always about YOU. Coaches are non-judgmental and do not provide therapy or tell you what you should do next. You hire a Coach to assist you to design the life you want - not the life thrust upon you by circumstances or parental influence. If you want more of the same, that is somebody else's ideas, you hire a consultant.

Coaches also assist career professionals who have forgotten how to "have a life" and no longer have work/life balance. With the increase in company downsizing and added pressures applied to many career executives, more and more of these stressed out individuals hire coaches to help them ease into a new career or start their own business, or just cope with what they are currently doing with more ease and joy. And they do all this without advising.

Advising is something that consultants do, and in asking a Consultant for advice, you are asking for answers and solutions and action steps you should take to reach a certain result. A coach helps you find the answers to your issues yourself, and in so doing, you learn more about what is really important to you in life, and you become more responsible and more aware on more levels. If you are tired of being told what to do and of living your life according to other people's rules, desires, wishes, and expectations and want to be successful and happy and fulfilled on YOUR terms, in a way that is perfect for you, then you hire a Coach.


The Difference At A Glance

Coaching Advising
Coaches use a process of powerful questions that taps into the client's own "inner wisdom". They don't provide the answers for you or tell you what to do.

You ask for and receive answers and solutions, given from the consultant's perspective - their "wisdom".

You are expected to follow the advice and often left to motivate yourself to move forwards.

Coaches stay with you while you implement your action plan and remind you about all the other important aspects of your plan that you'd otherwise forget and ignore, such as life/work balance, staying on track, reminding you of other choices you can make, helping you through obstacles, and generally, keeping you focused and accountable.

Consultants deliver their report/action plan, then their job is done. It is up to you to implement it, follow through and remain self-motivated.

The Coach will help you do it YOUR way. If you hire a Consultant for their answers, the idea is that you do it THEIR way; after all, that's what you are paying them for.

A coach will assist you to achieve your goals, but looks at it from YOUR perspective and assists you in a way that is your way.

Coaches care what is important to you, what resonates for you, what is comfortable for you, what brings you joy, what sends you to sleep, and so on...

A consultant isn't interested whether something is boring to you, or difficult, or doesn't suit your personality, or doesn't matter to you, or what brings you immense joy and satisfaction… that is not part of what they need or want to know.

When you ask a consultant for advice, you are getting an answer based on their experience and their personal outlook and their view of your situation from their perspective.

A coach will change direction with you when you want/need to change direction. Unless your 'change' is really a disastrous move, your Coach will not 'judge' or make you do something different.

There is not the flexibility here that you have with a Coach. You do it the way the Consultant says.

A simple change of direction is a whole new ball game.

Coaches take a broader view of all issues affecting your career/life and incorporate strategies in a holistic sense.

Consultants are only concerned with the situation you contracted them to deal with. Anything outside that is not in the equation.

In some respects, Coaching is a form of consulting, in that Coaches assist you to solve problems, reach goals, design action plans, and create the desired results.

However, unlike Consultants, Coaches also help you move away from the things that don't work in your life, toward things that are more in line with who you really are and what you really want.

Life transitions are easier to navigate when worked through with a coach compared to trying to do it on your own. Typically, these types of assistance are not provided with consulting.

If you have no idea what you want to do, all you know is you are not happy right "now", a Coach will help you identify that which truly fulfills you, and establish your "goals", and encourage you to set even better goals that will stretch your boundaries, yet still be in line with who you are and what you want.

Then they will help you reach those goals in a way that resonates with you. You will focus with more clarity and obtain results more easily and quickly - all without being told what to do.

Your Coach will expect more from you than you would do on "your own", and will provide you with the support to see your dreams turned into reality.

But don't expect a Coach to advise you, although there are Coaches who are also Consultants and will blend the two processes in your favor, with the preference being that you still march to your own drum.

When you receive a consultant's advice, you march to the beat of their drum. The question then becomes one of "whose drum would you rather march to?"

Any expert "advice" you receive might be professionally accurate and workable, but might not be something you can work with easily and comfortably - it may not resonate with who you are. It may be very sound advice, and if followed, may achieve the desired outcome, but there are other ways to reach the same "destination" that are more in line with who you are and what you are comfortable doing.

Coaches deliver the goods over a period of months - they don't just hand you a report and go away. When you hire a Coach, even though you won't be told what to do, you will take more successful action more quickly, you will stop putting up with whatever has been holding you back or putting you down, and you will get more of what you want in life.

Even though a Coach won't advise you, they can show you new possibilities or options you had not thought of, however, they won't make up your mind for you - you make up your own mind.

Obviously, when receiving advice from a consultant, you don't need to make up your mind - the consultant makes up his mind for you, which is fine for some people.

A Coach will offer feedback and examine areas of weakness in your plans and goals and assist to look for opportunities for improvement. Some may even offer suggestions to help your own creative process, but the choices and ultimate decision making is always yours.

They use a process of powerful questioning to help you uncover your own answers and solutions, and in the end, what you will have accomplished is in line with your desires and goals - not what somebody else thinks is "the way it should be done."

So, in a nutshell, advising entails telling you what to do and you doing it. Coaching supports and facilitates YOU choosing what is right for you in a way that assists you to achieve your goals. With advice, you do it somebody else's way; with coaching, you do it your way.

As Frank Tyger said, "The trouble with advice is that you cannot tell if it is good or bad until you've taken it."

Coaches won't put you in that precarious position. They will listen fully to you, give feedback and ask you to dig deeper. You will uncover possibilities and your Coach may give you some more to 'consider'. Your Coach will encourage you to explore the options but will never give you the answers - because your coach is not you -and making the choices, finding the solutions, etc. comes from you.

Finally, does it matter? It does if you honor yourself and respect your right to make your own choices and do those things that resonate with who you are. There is more than one way to dance a fling and when it comes to the crunch, our own steps are always the most enjoyable and easiest to 'dance'.

A coach will never tell you what steps to do and you always remain the choreographer of your own dance. Rumba, anyone?

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

February 16, 2006

"Getting Along with the Boss" by Terri Levine

Your Boss holds your future prospects in his/her hands. Expect very few favors from a Boss who does not like you. Some Bosses are hard to please and get along with. Some have excellent qualifications but no idea when it comes to dealing with people. Of course, not all bosses are like that.

Bad relationships with the Boss cannot only mean missed advancement opportunities; it is one of the major reasons for high staff turnover. If you resign because of the Boss, you may also expect a dent in your professional reputation. Imagine having to provide such an 'ex' Boss as the contact referral person at your next interview?

The relationship you have with your boss can be a major factor in determining your rise up the ladder. Your Boss isn't only your supervisor, he/she is also the person best equipped (or should be) to help you do the job you are paid to do. He/she is privy to the company's goals and knows what the company is looking for in future executives. He/she can inform you of company direction that may affect your future aspirations. He/she can put in a good word for you in the right ears. He/she is also your ally when you need back up, support or cooperation from other departments.

Your Boss also needs you, performing at your best, in order to accomplish his/her objectives. He/she needs your feedback in order to provide realistic and useful reports to upper management. You can make your boss look good or bad.

But how does this help you establish a meaningful working relationship with your Boss?

The key is communication. Learn and understand his/her goals and priorities. What is required of him/her and how can you help him/her achieve that? Observe and understand your Boss' work style. If he/she has not been clear with his expectations, ask! Likewise, ask for feedback and accept criticism gracefully. And if he/she understands you do not view your job as just something to fill the hours between 9 and 5, he/she may be more inclined to help you.

Know your Boss' priorities and try to anticipate his/her needs before he/she asks. Don't think narrowly in terms of your own immediate position... try to understand where what you do ties in with the bigger picture.

What other things can you discover about your Boss? Is he/she conservative or informal? Does he/she prefer to be greeted as Mr, Ms, Miss or Mrs, or prefers first names? Is his/hers an "open door" policy or does he/she prefer you set appointments with them? Respect your boss' time. Never barge into their office expecting or demanding a hearing immediately. Does he/she prefer to be kept informed with progress reports, or prefer you show initiative and get on with the job? Discover and eliminate behaviors that would annoy your boss, and never bad-mouth him/her to others. It always gets back via office grapevines.

Your boss is only human. Like you, he/she has off days, and being human, can also make mistakes. Some managers are naturals, and others struggle because communication and people skills are not their strong points. They may not have all the answers, and maybe, their own boss is hard to get along with or has unrealistic expectations!

Don't be a "yes man" and don't offer false flattery in the hope of getting somewhere... it won't work! And don't aim for "closeness" in the working relationship because this can also backfire. If your boss depends upon you too much, he/she won't recommend you for promotions because you are needed too much where you are. Another possibility is, if he/she is not a good manager, he/she may be given their marching orders... if you are seen to be a part of his/her management mishaps, you may be marching out the door with him/her!

Do what you can to stay in his/her good books. Don't take "sickies" unless you ARE sick! Be an effective, cooperative, responsible and courteous employee and team player.

It is possible that you are already these things, and you are working for somebody whose management style disagrees with your needs or expectations. Maybe friction cannot be avoided. So you need to decide just how important your career path in that particular company is, because if you can't adjust and work with it, you may be better off looking for a new job in a new department or company.

In short, getting along with your Boss entails getting to know his/her likes and dislikes and learning to work with his/her personality and management style. And the upside about mastering communication and people skills with your own boss is that one day, those skills will pay off in your own management role with your own team.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Profit from Selling on ebay: A must-have" by Jason James

Ebay is really a good site for people that are looking for an alternative income. This is because eBay offers the option of working and monitoring from home.

For people who are tired of being good old plain employees, this is a good chance for growth. So, for people who want to know how they can profit from selling on eBay, here are some tips they need to know:

a. Determine your Products

To make your selling efforts very profitable, the best thing that one should do first is to find out what kinds of products gain a lot of attention.

In the selection process, it is best to sell products that you are familiar with because it would be easier to handle and advertise the item if one knows it by heart.

Determining what product to sell is a very crucial step in doing well with your selling endeavor because it is the very core of the business. So, it is better that you must find something that would be easy to dispose and at the same time a high-quality one.

b. Slowly but Surely

Success is easier to achieve if one considers taking one step at a time.

It's best for you to test the waters first before plunging into it directly. This is to find out if the product is a hit and also to determine and assess yourself if you have the skill and determination to be a top seller in the market. For example, you could start by selling in small quantities of a certain item and then up the number if it's successful or stop if it's not. Iit's best not to rush into something that you are not sure of.

c. Conduct Quality Transactions

This step focuses on the reputation of the product as well as the business people behind it.

Reputation is the key to this kind of business because most of the buyers tend to give feedbacks regarding the transaction made by the seller and the buyer. Once satisfied, the buyers could become their regular customers and at some point of time, they would be able to recommend your products to other potential buyers. This in turn would help you have a wider target market. Mastering this process also makes somebody from eBay a worthy businessman/woman online or offline.

d. Present Well

It is a must for every seller to make sure that the products they are selling are presented in an organized way. Good presentation equals not having a hard time in advertising the product.

Amongst the many elements that should be considered in improving the marketability of an item includes its description, its placement in the appropriate category, its title, the starting price, and a picture of the item. Treating these aspects of your item well will attract more traffic that could easily be converted to sales.

These tips are meant to maximize the benefits of selling on ebay. They also aim to help a seller bring out the best in themselves to make them realize that their investment, time and effort spent on ebay is indeed worthy.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 15, 2006

"Headknocking, Brick Walls… and What's a Manager to Do?" by Terri Levine

It's great to see many companies are now acknowledging that the old, traditional methods of management are not effective and they are modernizing their strategies and taking steps to improve employee morale, and therefore productivity. CEO's are taking an active interest because they have to and senior managements all over the world are issuing new guidelines and goals to their middle management to initiate.

CEO's and senior managements accept that low morale among their workforce means low productivity, which in turn, means low profits. Smart companies are hiring Coaches and Consultants to turn this around - everyone wants a happy workforce with improved productivity and profits. Some companies are trying other methods. But whatever method is being used, it still falls on Middle Management's shoulders to implement. They are in a unique position to see what isn't working, what won't work, why it isn't or won't work, and what adjustments could and should be made that would make it work.

Sadly, for some of them, their senior management, CEO's and Boards of Directors don't listen. Sometimes, when a middle manager tries to express his view about a new strategy or goal, senior management can sometimes close their ears. After all, what would this middle manager know? If he was so smart, he'd be "one of us". They may listen just to humor him, but they have their plan of action, and really, they just want him to carry out orders and toe the line.

If the bottom line employee is the one getting his or her hands dirty, it's middle management who has the task of instructing and overseeing the way in which their hands are dirtied. They receive their instructions from those at the top, which is not always the best place to be if you want a clear understanding of what is happening at ground level. Middle Managers who attempt to enlighten them often find themselves doing the equivalent of banging their head against a brick wall.

Too often they are told they are not in a position to "know", and to just do as they are told, which is a shame, really, because they are in a position to know. They may not know what plans are discussed in the boardroom, but they do know whether the plan is working or has a hope to work in real life, or at the very least, be able to identify trouble spots where some tweaking of plans would be ideal.

It is frustrating for middle managers when their senior management, the CEO, and the Board members, expect them to carry out reforms and oversee changes that are designed to make improvements, but may be misguided and miss their mark.

So, does the middle manager assertively argue with his senior management and risk his or her position and possibly jeopardize his own career goals within the organization? Nobody wants to rock the boat if it means their job is on the line, or they'll be ostracized, even if they know they could save the company thousands in mis-spent dollars on initiatives which are poorly designed. And there are those in senior management who simply don't want to be "shown up" by a lower level manager who may just know 'better' than they do… so reports and advice are not passed on. Middle Managers are humored and sent on their way.

What can a middle Manager do in this situation? When he has an idea he knows will work better, but his own senior management won't even do him the honor of hearing it? He knows the instructions he's been given are going to be a waste of time, mostly his time, and there isn't anything he can do about it because those who make the decisions higher up, simply don't want to listen.

This brick wall is familiar to many Managers. They're too scared to speak up too loudly because their family's welfare and the family home (mortgage) are often riding on his/her permanent paycheck arriving each month. He can't afford to rock any boats. Meanwhile, his own boat is sinking and the Captain has left the ship to play golf.

So off they go to try and achieve their set goals and unable to achieve them successfully, yet powerless to do anything about it. The system or the senior level of management has let them down. And when this happens time and time again, it is a very demoralizing experience for the Manager involved.

So, what can a Manager do? There are courses of action one can take, some of which involve jumping off the deep end with their eyes closed - a leap of faith, and some which are just plain old common sense approaches.

A Manager can continue to do what is always done and the organization will not achieve anything worthwhile. If you are the type of Manager who doesn't particularly care, just so long as his gets his/her pay check each month, then there isn't a problem for you.

If you are the type of middle Manager who does care and who is getting a headache from the way the system operates, you can lay it on the line with your senior Management and just tell them like it is - politely, of course. If you strongly believe doing this would be detrimental to your career within the company, then you need to think carefully about this first. Feel your way; find a pair of friendly ears - someone must be willing to listen to you and help you champion your case. If not, is your career really likely to suffer, and if it is, can you live with that or do you have a contingency plan?

If you are really fed up, whether you decide to be assertive and speak up or not, maybe you should speak to a Career Coach or look for a new job. If your income is the sole income that your family depends on, maybe you should also start putting some aside for the possible eventuation that one day, you may be out of a job and need several months worth of savings to live on until you find new employment. If you never need to use these funds, the little nest egg you've saved will always come in handy for other things.

Maybe you can put it in a report and present it if a verbal presentation is out of the question. Or maybe you can organize a private chat with an influential senior level Manager, or the CEO, and have a heart to heart. Maybe the problem is with your own immediate manager. That's a common scenario. You could try providing your immediate manager with a written report and copy it in to the CEO, and that way, whether your own manager is dismissive or not, you know the CEO is finally going to hear/read what you have to say.

Don't just criticize any goals or plans or instructions that have been handed down for you to carry out without providing sound reasons and examples of why it doesn't work, or won't work, and perhaps hasn't worked in the past. List alternative courses of action that you believe will work and ask for permission to try them. Where possible, show evidence of where and how your suggestions have worked and why they will work in your current situation. Show the organization the benefit to them of implementing YOUR strategies rather than the ones they have designed. And don't dismiss the possibility that maybe senior management does know something you don't, and maybe once they enlighten you, you will feel differently about everything!

Then there are those who admire managers who are willing to take risks. But it's a fine line between showing initiative and insubordination. To deliberately disregard a directive from your own senior manager and implement your own plan which you believe will work (and his won't) takes more than just courage. If you are wrong, your job and your reputation are on the line. Of course, if you are wildly successful, even the CEO will sing your praises (although there will always be some slight concern about your willingness to toe the line!)

In some organizations, middle management are not expected to make certain 'executive' decisions and their level of authority and responsibility is low. They are just a link in the chain of command. Some managers are happy to be here - they can safely 'pass the buck' upline. Many managers at this level are too scared to make decisions or instigate their ideas for change for fear of negative repercussions in the form of losing one's job, or chances for promotion.

The trouble has always been, and continues to be, that in some very large organizations, senior level management are too far removed from the real day-to-day operations to know what is going on, let alone what will and will not work. When something fails, rather than admit the plan was bad, blame is laid at the middle Manager's feet. It must be his fault - couldn't possibly be our excellent plan!

This situation can occur in both large and small organizations. It occurs in very large organizations, because usually a more authoritarian style of management tends to be used. In this situation, middle managers are expected to do as they are told and not question their superiors. However, larger organizations who train their managers in a more participative style of management and who practice open communication and the expression of ideas are happy to find this system works.

It occurs in smaller companies because unlike the larger companies who can at least afford to hire experts to help them, smaller companies rely on their existing resources and their own board of directors. On the plus side, smaller companies find it easier to adopt a team spirit and engage in teamwork - which involves the middle manager, naturally, but all is not necessarily plain sailing if there are personality clashes or the company has limited funds to bring in outside experts and instead, consider themselves to be the experts.

Senior level management need to take more notice of the Managers below them. Listen to them and their suggestions; include them at your around table discussions and forward planning sessions. It may save your company thousands of wasted hours and dollars, and if nothing else, will improve your middle management's morale and their own level of productivity!

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"Hook 'Em Dano" by Craig Garber

Remember that old TV show, Hawaii Five-O?

I used to love it.

My favorite part was when they'd catch the criminals, and
Jack Lord would say 'Book 'em Dano.'

One reason I still have such fond memories of that show is
because Anne and I were actually married in Hawaii, on the
island of Maui.

And unless there's some major upheaval in my life, we're
going to be living there, at least part-time, some time in
the future.

Anyway, yesterday my little girl caught her first 'big'
fish.

How'd she catch it?

Simple: She 'hooked' it by using the right bait.

The thing is, NOT using the right bait, is probably the most
common problem I see when I'm consulting clients -
www.KingOfCopy.com/consulting.htm .

And in fact, that's why your existing prospects aren't
biting as much as you'd like, and that's why you're not
getting as many NEW prospects to bite as you'd like.

You've simply got the wrong bait on your hook.

Tomorrow I'm going to tell you the 3 things you must avoid
doing, if you do in fact, want your prospects to bite a
lot more, and... a lot more often.

And if you haven 't already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week -- it's the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

“Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved.”

"Boost Your Profits On Ebay With One Simple Trick" by Jason James

Did you know that the most important thing that separates ebay neophytes from successful ebay sellers and ebay powersellers is how they construct titles and descriptions?

Most ebay neophytes and unsuccessful ebayer sellers--as well as some successful ebayer sellers--have no idea that one title is any different from another. In fact, the difference between a good title and description can be the difference between 15 visitors and 250 visitors--which has huge implications for your bottom line.

So what makes a good title?--Three things: keyword-packing, accuracy, and readability.

Keyword-packing will determine when your auction is pulled up in response to an ebay search. For instance, if you are selling jewelry and use the words "white gold" in your title, whenever someone searches for "white gold" by titles, your auction will be one of the results that gets pulled up. This is why you should always load your ebay auctions with relevant keywords.

Another important part of writing titles is accuracy. If you use keywords that are highly-searched but irrelevant to your auction, your auction will get pulled up by a lot of searches, but will not end up with a high final price. If a visitor is looking for one thing and finds something entirely different, they will more than likely hit 'back' immediately. This is why you should always write a title that focuses on an accurate description of your product.

The last component of writing titles is readability. If your auction title is not readable and compelling, very few potential customers will open it. To keep it readable and compelling, avoid tossing together a jumble of words that will get pulled by more searches, but wont attract buyers. Also include descriptive, compelling words and phrases to attract buyers, such as "new" or "50% off."

In addition to writing a good title, you will also need a good description.

A good description should also include keyword-packing. As I discussed earlier, you should include as many relevant keywords as you can in your description; however, you should try to keep this within reason. Don't fill your description with random keywords. Instead, insert them into your description as often as possible without sacrificing readability.

You will also want to write a compelling description. You should consider what separates you from other ebay sellers and focus on those points. For instance, let's say all of your merchandise is brand new. You could make it a point to stress how other ebay sellers often auction off broken and refurbished items--and that they can only be assured that they will receive high quality products if they shop at your store.

The gap between ebay powersellers and ebay newbies is big, but some of the steps to bridging the gap are small. Using better titles and descriptions is one of those small steps. If you follow the methods I outlined in this article, you could easily boost the amount of visitors your auctions receive by a factor of five or ten.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

February 14, 2006

"MORE OOMPHY MOMENTS PLEASE!" by Terri Levine

Do you ever feel that sometimes your life is dull? One morning you just wake up and think, “oh, what’s the use!” - and you want to dive under the bed covers and stay there?

Maybe we have a job we don’t like but we do it because we need the money. Maybe we’ve lost contact with friends and we’re lonely and bored. Maybe we’re workaholics and don’t have time for a life… only work. Maybe we don’t have a job at all, and maybe nothing interests us… we start to exist, rather than to live. Carrots have more fun, we think… at least they hang around in bunches and have friends…

There are many reasons why the zest goes out of living. There are some things we can do, however, to put the oomph back into our days.

Oomphy type things needn’t cost money. Have you heard the expression: “a change is as good as a holiday?” Even subtle changes to our lifestyle, our surroundings, and our routines can seem exciting and adventurous after weeks, months, and years of stagnation.

Here are some ideas that illustrate what we mean:

* Try changing your hair color and hairstyle. Update your wardrobe. If you’re used to wearing heavy make up and painting your nails, try going natural. If you’re used to the natural style, try a bit of glamour! Do something different with yourself!

* Rearrange your lounge and bedroom furniture. You can give yourself a new living environment without moving residence or spending money on new furnishings… work with what you have.

* Change what you eat for breakfast – or buy yourself a new plate and cup – something fun and ‘upbeat’ – make breakfast time ‘cheery’.

* Change the route you take to work. If this is not practical or realistic for your situation, think about ways in which you can make the journey “different” and enjoyable… have an adventure! You don’t have to do it every day… even once a week can be enough to add some color to your everyday existence.

* Don’t do the same old ‘same old’ in your lunch break (you DO have a lunch break, yes?!!). If you don’t, starting now, take one, even if it is only 15 minutes… that will do for a start. If you eat your lunch at your desk, and you tend to work while you eat – STOP! Read something while you eat and then as soon as you’ve eaten, go out and window shop or do anything for even just 10 to 15 minutes. Get out of the building. Browse through the local stores – anything, as long as it gets you out of the office doing something different.

* Join a group – local choirs, sporting teams, photography groups, line dancing, ballroom dancing (you don’t need a partner!), chess groups, writing groups, etc. It is often easier to make new friends when you are on your own. Other people see you by yourself and want to make you feel welcome, whereas if you are already with somebody, they figure you aren’t likely to be lonely so they are not always so forthcoming.

* Take up a new hobby. Learn the guitar – doesn’t matter how old you are. We know a 50 year old who recently took up the banjo! Take singing lessons. Take up something that is both enjoyable and challenging.

* Become a volunteer. Animal shelters, aged people, special needs children groups always need volunteers. What an easy and excellent way to meet people and give meaning to your own existence, as well as helping the less fortunate! But don’t just think “charity groups” - your local school may need volunteers for the school canteen. Your local Church may need help organizing fetes. Get the idea?

* “Oomphasize” your job. Study your job and your role in the department. What could you do that would (a) please you to do it, and (b) benefit the department? Next, chat with your Manager. If he or she is aware that you wish to spice up your job, take on some new tasks or responsibilities etc., then he/she is in a position to help you do something about it. If you never say anything, management will never know and nothing will ever be done. Management may have no helpful ideas and this is why YOU do some research yourself so YOU can tell THEM what would benefit your position and the department.

* If you are in a factory line doing repetitive, mundane tasks, why not ask your supervisor if you could take turns training in different positions and spending some time in different areas – not only will this give you a break from the regular monotony of your own job, but you can point out that doing this will mean the department always has backup support.

* If YOU are the Manager and YOU are feeling dull, you can consider hiring a Career Coach. What can YOU do to liven up your own role? Is it time for a change? Would going back to night school, to refresh or learn new skills, aid you in getting on in your chosen field or perhaps trying something different?

* Ensure you make the most of your leisure moments. When was the last time you went fishing or camping? Hung out with friends? Did something special with your family? Make the most of your weekends… don’t take work home with you. If you must work weekends every weekend, then clearly you are being given too much for just one person… look around. To whom can you delegate? If you cannot do anything about it and to speak up might jeopardize your position/future prospects, then you are being used. The question then becomes one of how long you can put up with that before you crack up?

Workaholics are so busy, they aren’t even aware their life lacks oomph! One secret to living life to the fullest and enjoying oomphy days is simply to enjoy today... enjoy the moment.

Ensure that the things you do and experience in your Present, are things that really matter to you. Don't waste these precious present moments doing things that other people think you should do. Their perspective is only appropriate to themselves. Set the goals that are best for you.

Look upon each day as a precious gift. You are not here to race through the days as quickly as possible, skimming over the details. You are here to experience each step of your life's journey, to learn from it, to savor it, to enjoy it. Yesterday is too late; tomorrow isn't here yet... you only have today. So put some oomph into it!

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"EBay Income Possibilities" by Jason James

If you've ever read an article about eBay, you will have seen the kinds of incomes people make - it isn't unusual to hear of people making thousands of dollars per month on eBay.

Next time you're on eBay, take a look at how many PowerSellers there are: you'll find quite a few. Now consider that every single one of one of them must be making at least $1,000 per month, as that's eBay's requirement for becoming a PowerSeller. Silver PowerSellers make at least $3,000 each month, while Gold PowerSellers make more than $10,000, and the Platinum level is $25,000. The top ranking is Titanium PowerSeller, and to qualify you must make at least $150,000 in sales every month!

The fact that these people exist gives you come idea of the income possibilities here. Most of them never set out to even set up a business on eBay - they simply started selling a few things, and then kept going. There are plenty of people whose full-time job is selling things on eBay, and some of them have been doing it for years now. Can you imagine that? Once they've bought the stock, everything else is pretty much pure profit for these people - they don't need to pay for any business premises, staff, or anything else. There are multi-million pound businesses making less in actual profit than eBay PowerSellers do.

Even if you don't want to quit your job and really go for it, you can still use eBay to make a significant second income. You can pack up orders during the week and take them down to the post office for delivery each Saturday. There are few other things you could be doing with your spare time that have anywhere near that kind of earning potential.

What's more, eBay doesn't care who you are, where you live, or what you look like: some PowerSellers are very old, or very young. Some live out in the middle of nowhere where selling on eBay is one of the few alternatives to farming or being very poor. eBay tears down the barriers to earning that the real world constantly puts up. There's no job interview and no commuting involved - if you can post things, you can do it.

Put it this way: if you know where to get something reasonably cheaply that you could sell, then you can sell it on eBay - and since you can always get discounts for bulk at wholesale, that's not exactly difficult. Buy a job lot of something in-demand cheaply, sell it on eBay, and you're making money already, with no set-up costs.

If you want to dip your toe in the water before you commit to actually buying anything, then you can just sell things that you've got lying around in the house. Search through that cupboard of stuff you never use, and you'll probably find you've got a few hundred dollars' worth of stuff lying around in there! This is the power of eBay: there is always someone who wants what you're selling, whatever it might be, and since they've come looking for you, you don't even need to do anything to get them to buy it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 13, 2006

"How to Improve Your Selling Skills" by Terri Levine

Face it. People don't want to be sold. They're tired of being one of the "suckers" who are supposedly born every minute. They're suspicious; they don't like parting with their money, and to many people, ALL sales people are the same. They know you are after their money. They know you do not have their best interests at heart. They think you are pushy and arrogant… somebody who might sell their own grandmother if it meant a bonus!

But people love being coached. It's respectful and considerate of their needs. it helps them focus on what is right for them. In fact, it's all about them - the client. It doesn't matter to you if you make a sale or not, and they appreciate that… in fact, they just may buy something from you after all… you're so 'nice' and honest!

The days of the old-fashioned salesman/woman have long gone. For many in the sales profession, they know what not to do, but they aren't quite sure about what they should be doing. And the answer is quite simple… learn and apply coaching skills to your selling situations.

H.R. professionals and Managers are embracing coaching skills now because they realize this is the best way to deal effectively and successfully with all types of people. It entails a special honesty and openness that up until very recent times, was not a reputation the sales profession enjoyed. One of the wonderful things about coaching is that it can be applied to anybody in any situation with remarkable results. The reason it works is quite simple. People like to feel respected and honored as intelligent and worthwhile beings. They like to be listened to and understood. They like others to be honest with them and not manipulate them. When you make somebody feel this way, it is very interesting to see how cooperative they become.

As a Sales "coach", instead of worrying about closing the sale, you can relax and coach people into a sale. Instead of struggling with resistant prospects, you can coach them into doing the right thing for you and for them. Once you cease to be pushy, people cease to resist. When coaching a client, rather than selling to them, you listen to what they have to say, and by listening very closely to everything they say rather than thinking about what you will say next, you can learn if they are likely to be a fit for whatever you are selling and how best your product or service may serve them. You will learn what their objections are and whether they are reasonable or something that can be overcome. This process is a gentle, friendly and polite way to do business and it is one to which more people respond favorably.

In essence, people come to see you more as a trustworthy advisor rather than somebody with ulterior motives and your eye on their wallet. Leave your sales pitch in your briefcase… when coaching your customer you start with questions, and then listen very carefully to the answers. Don't speak to them like you would to a ten year old or somebody whose mother language is anything but English. Speak to them as you would to friends. You don't push it if your customer seems anxious to get away. Maybe they are busy and your timing is bad.

When you have listened and learned about your prospective customer's needs and situation, you are in a position to know whether what you can offer will be of real benefit to them. Don't try and recite the sales brochure, just select a few things about what you can offer that apply to their situation. If you were listening closely to them, this part will be easy. Then invite them to take the next step, and don't get anxious at the last minute and resort to hard sales techniques from yester-year in an attempt to close the sale. Leave the ball in the customer's court. Establish your integrity and sincerity first. You have to "sell" the person on YOU first, before you can sell them on your product or service. And it's important to note that people can spot a phony a mile a way. It's better to leave your card, a brochure and other pertinent details with them and invite them to call you at any time, no obligation, if they'd like further information, than undo all your efforts by trying to close the sale with the old traditional methods and risk losing them even as a future customer.

A not so obvious benefit of this approach is even if this customer isn't interested, they may know somebody else who would be. Word of mouth referrals are powerful. Never forget that every prospective customer to whom you speak may be able to bring more business your way. What would you like them to say to their friends about you and your product?

So don't think of yourself as a salesperson in the future… think of yourself as a friendly and trusted advisor, who just so happens to have a particular brand or service he recommends. Never run down your competition. In fact, if you believe your client would be best served by another company's product, you can earn valuable points by telling them about it.

It sounds easy, but when it comes to putting it into practice, these skills do not necessarily come naturally to everybody. But there is no need to despair. There are some excellent training programs around - there are some duds too. It pays to do your research when looking for training. Or if time and money is an issue, you can invest in a home-study coaching kit and learn these skills in your own time. Click here to view information on one of these kits.

It doesn't really matter which method you choose to upgrade your skills, just as long as you do upgrade. "Selling" is so "yesterday" and your customers are much more wiser and savvy than they used to be.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"Tips for Selling Collectibles on eBay" by Jason James

Yes, collectibles! Collectibles are where eBay started, and they're still one of its biggest areas - however much they might want you to believe they're not. eBay's most hardcore and long-time users are almost all collectors of something or other - it is quite common to post what you think is a mundane item, only to have collectors suddenly go to war over it because it is somehow linked to something they collect.

Collectors are the people on eBay who really do pay top-dollar for things that seem like junk to you and I - not to mention to the people you'll be getting your stock from! That's why you can make so much profit on collectibles. Here are a few tips.

Go to people's homes. People's homes are full of things that someone out there collects - they are the best and cheapest source of collectibles out there. Sure, you might find something if you hang around at enough garage sales, but you'd have competition. Getting invited to people's homes to look around should be a dream for you, and one you're doing your best to make a reality.

Buy on other auction sites. You'll be surprised how much money you can make if you buy the collectibles that people sell on smaller auction sites like Yahoo Auctions, and then list it on eBay. These sellers will often be perfectly knowledgeable about their item, but simply getting a lower price because they serve a smaller marketplace. Sometimes you can almost double your money.

List in non-collectible categories. If your collectible doesn't have a category of its own under 'collectibles', you might prefer to list it in a category that has something to do with the item but nothing to do with collecting. What you will often find is that people browsing a category for their favourite thing will pay more for your collectible than actual collectors would.

Do lots of research. Never list something you think might be valuable without searching and searching to dig up every piece of information you can on it. Everything you find out is likely to be useful when you come to list it.

List every tiny, tiny detail. Remember that collectors really care about the most seemingly insignificant things. An item from one year can be worth thousands while the one from the year before is near-worthless, or an item that is one shade of a colour can be worth far more than one of a subtly different shade. It's not worth puzzling over and it's not worth trying to pass your items off as something they're not - just make sure you put absolutely everything you know in the description.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 12, 2006

"THE CO-WORKER FROM HELL " by Terri Levine

Every office has one... the co-worker from hell. That one person who rubs everyone up the wrong way, is uncooperative, unpleasant, disagreeable... well, you get the picture. There is no magic spell that can turn them into Prince and Princess Charmings, but there are some strategies you can try that might help to make working with them less stressful.

You are all on the same team.
Despite your differences, you do rely on each other and are thrown together on a daily basis to achieve joint goals. So, if you first try to think of your work unit as a "team," and the unpleasant person as part of that team for better or for worse, then you are one step towards finding harmony.

Do you know their 'story'?
You don't know the real story behind your co-worker's unpleasantness. We are not all on the same level of evolution and it could be he/she does not have your skills or ability to cope with stresses and problems in their life, problems that you may know nothing about. There may be a very good explanation for the chip being carried on their shoulders. This does not excuse their behavior, but may explain it or make it easier to live with.

Don't take it personally.
Ignore any unpleasant behavior that is exhibited when you can and keep the lines of communication open. When this worker realizes that they are not getting a rise out of you, they will tire of the effort and "settle down." When they realize that regardless of what they say and do, you are still open and positive with them, you will gradually notice a change in the way they deal with you.

Maintain your own dignity.
Treat this co-worker with respect. It is not up to you to be judge and jury and decide on his/her worthiness - the fact he/she is a human being sharing the planet to learn and experience should be enough in itself. This means remaining pleasant and honest with them. Don't talk behind their back. Keep your own communications and interaction with them friendly and respectful.

Are you totally innocent?
For all you know, it could be a mannerism or behavioral trait of your own that sets this co-worker off. Think about the situations in which conflict has arisen... have you said or done anything that may have contributed to it? Do you react defensively all the time to this person's comments or behavior, taking everything personally? Do you hold grudges? Do your facial features or tone of voice tell this co-worker that you don't think much of them? Without being aware of it, are you putting this person down? What message, subliminal or otherwise, do you convey in your interactions with this person?

Live and let live.
Don't expect this co-worker, or any other person for that matter, to work the same as you, or be the same as you in other ways. Everybody is different. What you may see as laziness, may simply be a more laid-back, relaxed approach to work and life, or it may be a lack of confidence or a fear of failure holding your co-worker back. Observe them discreetly to see if this is the case. Maybe an offer to help them would work wonders. If you are something of a control freak, or somebody who thinks things should be done in a certain way because "you" believe that is the best way, then maybe the problem is really with you...

Making an effort.
If your co-worker seems suspicious with your "new" attempts to build a better working relationship and asks you why you're acting differently, you can deflect any potential new problems by turning it around and saying something like, "I thought perhaps I may have been a little difficult to work with, and I'm trying to be better." Even if you've been an absolute angel and the co-worker from hell has been the bad-guy all along, this type of response will not make matters worse, and may, in fact, cause them to ponder their own shortcomings and make an effort to do better themselves.

Make them feel worthy.
You never know, this co-worker may be intimidated by you, your age or experience. Maybe, in some way, you make him/her feel less worthy, insignificant. Try including them in projects... ask for their opinions. You don't have to use their suggestions, but the simple act of asking and sincerely considering it will make them feel better about themselves and their position. Many times, these troublesome co-workers are lashing out for reasons they perhaps don't quite understand themselves.

Look for common ground.
Do look at the way you interact with others in your department or organization and compare this with your interactions with the troublesome co-worker. Chances are a pattern has been established of which both of you may not be consciously aware. It is very difficult sometimes, but it is crucial not to be judgmental. Try to find things you may have in common that will permit friendly small talk. Even an opening question about a sports game that was held on the weekend may help - provided you both support the same team!

Keep your sense of humor.
Remember, you don't have to marry this person... just work with them. Try instilling a little humor into uncomfortable situations rather than reacting defensively or aggressively or emotionally.

Find out what you can about this co-worker. Discreetly!
Are they excluded from social gatherings, or are they 'shy' and stay away? Why not encourage them to participate in company functions… offer to accompany them (many co-workers from hell are really insecure inside!).

You could try the direct approach and just come straight out and say "Okay, this has gone on long enough. Let's bury the hatchet and start over." And in the same breath you might suggest lunch together. This approach is likely to startle and stun them… don't be surprised if they do goldfish impersonations.

Ignore them.
If all else fails, it is not your responsibility to 'save' this co-worker, and if simple remedies have no effect, it may be necessary to simply ignore this co-worker's shenanigans and only deal with them when you have to.

Call in the Big Guns
If things are that unpleasant that you're thinking of quitting, then maybe you need to have H.R. management step in. Maybe a strong word from upper management will have a more immediate effect than anything you can do or say, especially if your co-worker is a real bully or very unpleasant to work with.

Never play their game.
Whatever you do, never resort to name-calling, insults, sarcasm, or use any of the types of tools they have in their arsenal to fling at you. Refuse to buy into their 'game'… it is "their" game - not yours!

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"eBay Title Writing Tips" by Jason James

Trying to be help your buyers find your auctions can be a truly daunting task. Most people only search eBay by title, not by description, and that means that you only have those 55 characters of the title to cover all the possible search terms. That's not easy. In this article, I'll give you a few pointers.

Don't bother with eBay clichés: There are plenty of eBay auction titles that say things like "Super rare camera wow look low price". These are stupid things to put in your title, as no-one is going to search for them.

Think like a buyer: If you were looking for your item, then what exactly would you type into that box? If you think it'd help, try searching yourself to find someone else selling your item. What were the first things you thought of typing?

Think like other sellers: Keep an eye on which sellers are doing best with items like yours, and try to copy their title styles - if it works for them, it can work for you.

Be specific: You should be sure to write the item's brand and specific model number in the title, as people will often search only for this information. Make sure that you also say exactly what the item is.

A Few Examples.

Here are a few examples of good titles. They're real, and they're on eBay right now, making their sellers money. So what makes them good?

"Dell Latitude Laptop P3 500mhz Notebook PC Computer"

If you know about computers, you'll know instantly what this auction is selling. It has manufacturer (Dell) and product line (Latitude), followed by a few technical specifications (P3 500mhz is the processor speed). Notice also that the title includes the four words 'laptop', 'notebook', 'PC' and 'computer', as the seller wants people looking for any of those words to see his auction.

"OASIS Don't Believe the Truth CD Album (New)"

This auction for a CD is well formatted: it gives the artist name in capital letters, followed by the album name. It then manages to include the two key words 'CD' and 'album', as well as the word 'new' - that means that anyone searching for 'new oasis cd', 'oasis new album' and so on will find this auction.

"1840 Penny Black stamp, certificate, four margins"

Here's a slightly more obscure one, from the exciting world of stamp collecting. A penny black is one of the oldest and most famous stamps. It uses a few key words that collectors will consider important: 'four margins' indicates that the stamp has been cut out with some margins around it and so isn't damaged, and 'certificate' tells you that the item has a certificate of authenticity - it's a real penny black. Remember to use every bit of space to squeeze in as much important information as you can in the title.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"Munchies: Trader Joe's Takes Cheap Gourmet Marketing To A Fine Art; How To Take A Page Out Of Their "Mouthwatering Copy" Brochure" by David Garfinkel


Do you know the way to Trader Joe's?

The California-based grocery chain has outlets in 19 U.S. states. Yesterday I got their catalog in the mail and it is as rich with copywriting tidbits as it is with tempting teriyaki and appetizing ales.

I don't like to go to the Trader Joe's in my neighborhood -- on Masonic Ave. in San Francisco -- because it's almost impossible to park there. They have a good-sized parking lot and there's always a wait... just to get a parking space!,"

But I like the way they market. Here are some of the things I saw in their catalogue, called "Trader Joe's® Fearless Flyer®," that I thought were good examples for everyone who writes copy:

1. Trader Joe's marketing has a personality. This is important, and believe you me, it's rare. In San Francisco, we also have Trader Joe's advertising on the radio. The announcer announces his or her name and then tells a story about a special... and thanks you, the listener, for listening.

Compare that to Safeway or Albertson's or other big grocery chain's ads. First, you can't tell one from the other. Second, they have campy and witless little skits that get you to hear something about a special. And third, they have no personality.

2. There's a congruency in the message, the method and the medium. Trader Joe's is known for cheap gourmet stuff. (The headline at the top of the front page of the Fearless Flyer is "Red Wines from Villa Mt. Eden Just $2.99 a Bottle.") The entire 24-page catalogue has low-end, silly graphics and is printed on newsprint.

It works. It's congruent. And I still can't get into the damned parking lot.

David Garfinkel is one of the best copywriters on the internet and was a speaker at Armand Morin's Big Seminar Series and Carl Galletti's Internet Marketing Super Conference. You can learn more about his books and training courses by clicking the links below.

David Garfinkel is founder of the World Copywriting institute and is considered by many people to be the best teacher of copywriting in the world. The stated mission of the World Copywriting Institute is to “eradicate copywriting illiteracy in the world.” Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the world’s best selling series of marketing books, Guerrilla Marketing, says, “David Garfinkel is the best copywriter I know.” Sign up for David’s free World Copywriting Newsletter. and you get a free one-hour downloadable teleseminar on copywriting. Also visit David’s World Copywriting Blog:

E-book Secrets Exposed
By David Garfinkel
This incredible ebook explains things nobody else has ever published before! This ebook explains the real way to make real money online with ebooks... Finally! Somebody gives people the truth about what it takes to make massive amounts of money with your own ebook... whether you wrote it or not!

KillerCopyTactics.com
By David Garfinkel
A fully interactive multimedia course by David Garfinkel, the man many call "The World's Greatest Copywriting Coach." David will show you "how to turn words into cash" in this groundbreaking tour-de-force. This course sets the bar for what Internet based learning should be.

AdvertisingHeadlinesThatMakeYouRich.com
By David Garfinkel
This ebook makes it unnecessary to write another headline ever again. David Garfinkel has been described as, "the world's greatest copywriting coach." He's a successful results oriented copywriter and his new ebook shows you exactly how to adapt proven money-making headlines to your business.

February 11, 2006

"Becoming a Coach in Every Day Life- Ten Ways You Can Become More" by Terri Levine

Be the change you want to see occur in the world around you. We can't make other people be more considerate, helpful, honest, etc., but if everyone were to work on themselves and develop these attributes, our world would be a better place.

Don't be judgmental. Look for and recognize the good in yourself and in others. We are all capable of so-called "good" and "bad" behaviors and we all have our "good" and "off" days. We are all unique and it is wonderful that we are different and not all the same - in our appearance, our thoughts, our opinions, our likes and dislikes. Being different is not threatening, it is not "bad", it is just "different". Embrace the differences and be happy for the variety. Likewise, forget the concepts of "right" and "wrong". People are not good or bad or right or wrong; they just are. If you were in "their shoes" maybe you would act differently, or maybe not. Being judgmental wastes time and cuts you off from opportunities and meaningful relationships - because you are not perfect either, and your judgment might be worse than the person's you are judging!

Respect. Don't make the mistake of thinking your rights are the only ones that count. Don't ignore the other person's rights. Our fundamental right is to be respected. Being wealthy does not make a person more deserving of respect and neither does a high-flying career with a fancy title. Respect is not about material issues or where one sits on the social ladder. Respect is acknowledging another human being's dignity and treating them how you wish to be treated yourself. We all came on to this earth equal and we're all checking out as equals. What happens in between is just a series of different life experiences. The poor man who lives in a slum, who cares for strangers, volunteers assistance without expecting anything in return and lives a clean, honest life is more deserving of respect than a wealthy businessman who dresses in fine clothes, lives in a huge mansion, and treats everyone like pond amoeba, cheats on his wife, swindles his shareholders and has forgotten how to tell the truth.

Be a Good Listener. How often do you really listen to other people? How often do you plan what you are going to say next while they are talking, or allow your mind to drift off onto something else instead of concentrating on their every word? It takes practice to be a good listener, but in being one, you are showing respect and in a position to better comprehend the real message being given to you. You avoid misunderstandings and missed instructions. Furthermore, the other person will appreciate your attention and return the courtesy.

Be interested - not interesting. This goes hand in hand with being a good listener. People love to talk about themselves and will delight in the opportunity to do so, so ensure you ask questions and take an interest in what they are telling you. Don't worry about them hogging the limelight - you can have your turn during the conversation. Have you ever met someone who only talks about themselves? Count the number of times you use "I" in your conversations. Judging, arguing points, interrupting the conversation, and using "I" a lot are sure signs you need to review your communication skills.

Respond from Your Heart. We tend to respond to others using our head, not our heart. We formulate stories about us, we defend our ego, or we judge other people or what they have said. If we respond from our heart, we can respond with understanding and a sense of connection. Find something good to say about people and to people. Build people "up" - don't knock them down. Go with your gut instincts.

Be truthful. There is a good reason for the saying "honesty is the best policy." Nothing good ever comes from lies, and there is a difference between being diplomatic and telling an outright lie. Nobody trusts a liar. If you've made a mistake, well, welcome to the human race! You don't have to lie to cover it up. You don't have to tell your truth "brutally", there are gentle and tactful ways of delivering truths and you should think carefully before you speak. But don't try to be deceitful because it has a habit of coming back to haunt you, and in those situations you are worse off than if you had just come clean in the first place, as uncomfortable as that may seem at the time.

Be helpful. When you need a helping hand, don't you just love the person who comes up and offers that to you? Wouldn't you love the opportunity to repay them? You can be that person that others look to respectfully with gratitude in their hearts, who will, one day, repay the gesture. What comes around, goes around. If you want people to be helpful to you, you must be helpful to others. It doesn't matter whether this is assisting your boss with a special project you can see he needs help with, or a co-worker who is struggling with a large workload, or an elderly neighbor struggling up the stairs with her arms full. People do remember kindness.

Maintain Your Integrity and Your Dignity. People with their integrity intact are easier to deal with in work or personal situations. They know where they stand and you know where you stand with them. You will feel better about yourself when you set your standards and stand by them and you will attract those who respect your standards and who have standards of their own. Being a doormat is disrespectful to yourself and to the person 'walking all over you'. It does not allow them to grow and learn to do something for themselves. Learn to say no gracefully. You have as much right as everyone else on the planet to have your own opinion and your own way of doing things, and reminding you of point (1) above, nobody has the right to make you feel 'bad' if you think, feel or dress differently. Remember, "to thine own self be true."

Go the Extra Mile. I mean this in a couple of ways. First, whether you are either asked to do something, or you are offering to do something, remember that if something is worth doing in the first place, then it is worth doing well. And while you are at it, what little touches can you offer to improve it? For example, who would you rather go to for your shoeshine… Mr. A does a wonderful buff and polish and is timely and not too expensive. Mr. B also does a wonderful buff and polish, he is also timely and not expensive, but he is also cheerful and interested in you and whistles while he works, so after your polish, you go on your way feeling on top of the world! Mr. B just went the extra mile for you. He didn't just polish your shoes, he lifted your spirits and made you feel good. If you are offering a co-worker assistance with copying some documents, go the extra mile and ask if she needs a hand stapling them or collating them. Going the extra mile need not involve a large expense of time, energy or money, but it's value to the recipient is often priceless, and one day, it will be reciprocated.

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say. Neither beat around the bush being evasive, nor make promises you can't keep. On the other hand, if you say you are going to do something, do it. Be known as a reliable person. Honor your promises and agreements wherever possible - this stems back to integrity. Prepare to be flexible if need be, but know that you don't have to bend over so far backwards that your back snaps. Being assertive and being aggressive are two entirely different things, and you do not need aggression to be assertive. In fact, you are better off without the aggression! If you are wishy-washy and allow people or circumstances to be unconcerned for your position, you will develop that reputation and find more and more people willing to walk all over you and more situations in which it occurs. Being like this does not prove you are valuable to anybody - it just means you are a 'pushover'.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Increase Your eBay Backend Sales" by Jason James

It shouldn't too hard to increase your eBay backend sales - because the chances are you currently aren't making any! Backend sales are sales to customers who have already bought an item, also known as 'up-selling'. These are usually easier sales to make than normal sales: in sales-speak, your existing customers are 'warm leads'.

It's a technique you've probably noticed being used on you in shops: you buy something, and you're offered a $5 piece of equipment to keep it clean, or make it easier to use. The usual human response is to say to yourself "heck, what's another five dollars - it might be useful". It's just another five dollars to them, but they might have just added 20% to your profit margin.

Figure Out What Goes Together.

Out of the things you stock, which cheaper things are there that could be useful to someone who now owns one of the more expensive ones? For example, if you sell digital cameras, the backend product is digital camera memory - they never come with enough out of the box. The backend products for a printer would be ink and paper. Try to think laterally!

If you can't think of anything, take a look around at the cheaper 'extra' items that your competitors offer, and see if you can find a supplier for them. There are very few product areas where this technique doesn't apply.

Include Letters in Packages.

When you send items out in the post, include a brief sales letter with products you think might be of interest to the customer. It's like sending out a personalised, targeted catalogue to your customers with every purchase. Again, you'll find that a significant percentage of people won't have bothered to look at what else you were selling, and will go back to buy a few more things.

To stop people from just putting such a letter aside and thinking they won't do anything about it right now, you might like to include some kind of limited time offer - 10% off if you order within the next month, for example.

Email Your Customers.

Each time you sell something to a customer, you get valuable market information about them, and they get to see that they can trust you as a seller. That's why backend sales are so powerful. Keep your customers updated in your newsletter, making sure you list any new products there that you might have in stock. The chances are that these customers will be far more eager to buy from you.

Consumable Products.

If the product that the customer bought from you to begin with is consumable (it will run out), then this is a special case. You shouldn't try to make the backend sale straight away, but should instead wait long enough that the average customer would have just run out of the product. That's the time to strike.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 10, 2006

"COMBATING THE EFFECTS OF WAR" by Terri Levine

Morale is at its lowest ebb due to the anxiety associated with the threat of further terrorist attacks, concern with fellow workmates and loved ones fighting overseas, and decreased job security because of the economy and an unknown future. As if this were not enough to contend with, smaller, unspoken wars are fought among employees as they argue over who is right, (war protesters and war supporters), creating divisions and splitting harmony.

Businesses are disrupted not only because of the insecurity of an uncertain economy, but also because they are losing personnel to military call up, leaving behind employees who must take on extra duties to cover the absentee, as well as handle the daily stress and anxiety brought on by the war itself.

If ever a company was going to introduce morale boosting techniques into its workplace, it should be now. Leniency should be shown towards employees who spend an extra five minutes around the water cooler discussing the latest war news, because that extra 5 minutes could be the difference between an unproductive employee and a productive employee. People need to talk about their fears and concerns, they need to get it off their chest, so they do not continue to dwell on it and they can move on with their activities.

Leniency should also be shown to employees who have immediate family members fighting overseas. It is understandable that performing their work will pale in significance against concern for the welfare of a father, husband, boyfriend, or brother fighting overseas.

Counseling services can be considered for businesses whose productivity is noticeably affected, and this will benefit all employees, whether they have loved ones overseas or not. Employers with Employee Assistance Programs should make contact information available, and they may also consider the American Red Cross who provides resources and materials to help people, including children, cope with trauma and anxieties. Whatever investments or allowances companies make for their employees, it will be remembered long after the war, and they will be rewarded by employee loyalty and healthy production.

Other strategies companies and employees can consider to boost morale and feelings of usefulness may include fund-raising events and donation drives, even blood donations. Bringing employees together and developing a supportive team spirited environment is important. If division exists with pro and anti war supporters working closely together, they should be encouraged to respect each other's opinions and agree that the most important issue is that the troops should return home safe and sound and focus on that.

If the economy dictates that layoffs must be considered, employers should ensure severance packages are adequate, and help should be offered to assist affected employees to find new employment. Consideration must also be given to those employees left behind who may suffer feelings of 'guilt' for surviving the downsizing. Some companies may be in a position to consider putting the problem to their employees who may come up with ideas previously not considered and which may mean less or no job losses, or who may prefer to, and be in a better position to decide who can most afford to be laid off and who cannot.

It is not a good idea to leave radios playing all day long with war coverage. Not only is this distracting, but it does nothing to improve morale. By all means, allow lunch time news announcements, because people do want to be kept informed, but limit it to one room/office area so that those who do not wish to hear it, do not have to.

All efforts should be taken to brighten up the workplace now, and I'm not talking about a new coat of paint. Inject humor into the workplace and a fun atmosphere to counteract the heaviness being felt by employees. I'm not suggesting you turn your office into a three ring circus, but you can encourage everyone to smile by producing a light-hearted newsletter, hold inter-office fun competitions, etc. Companies can even survey their employees for ideas. Lifting morale need not be an expensive exercise and in many instances, will just require some imagination and persistence. Encourage managers to move through their departments more regularly, smiling, asking people how they are doing, offering light-hearted small talk to lighten the mood of the office/factory.

Employees may feel powerless and useless. Companies can motivate their employees by advising them on issues that reflect not only safety strategies whilst at work, but ways in which they can keep their homes and families safe. Organizations can find ways to show employees that what they are doing is worthwhile, useful, and if possible, extend that further to show how that helps the war effort. (Even if only to ensure the troops return home to find things as they left it, and not running downhill.)

Employees themselves should talk to their Managers and express their fears and concerns. It should be possible, under the current circumstances, for employees to negotiate time off if /when needed if immediate family is overseas serving in an active capacity in Iraq. These employees will have their down days and if they know their employer is sympathetic and supportive and willing to compromise during these difficult days, it eases the pressures a little from the employee by removing the guilt associated with under-performing.

Employees can help themselves also by limiting their exposure to radio and TV war broadcasts. It is one thing to be updated with news and another to be glued to the media 24/7. Keeping busy and keeping one's mind occupied is something that will benefit both employee and employer, however, if an employee cannot concentrate on work through war anxieties, it is time to consider counseling. They, or their employer, can find out about what counseling services may be available in their area (and some government and voluntary services may be free).

Some departments within an organization may appreciate starting their work day with a prayer, or a discussion of events (to get it out of their system and permit them to then concentrate a little more on their work). Some employees may like to rally round and ensure fellow employees who have partners or family members fighting overseas have plenty of support during and after work hours, by visiting, suggesting outings, etc.

A cheerful environment, a lenient attitude, and a supportive and understanding management will all assist to helping the majority of employees continue to function productively. Ultimately, though, responsibility falls on the individual for their chosen outlook on life and their reaction to events beyond their immediate control. Motivational posters or seminars may assist employees to ask themselves the important questions, like "How do YOU intend to create YOUR life experience?" and "How can you take back control of YOUR life?" Learning how to take responsibility for one's life and one's destiny is most empowering, and when people feel strong and secure and confident, they are better equipped to deal with the ups and downs of life.

And finally, one thing all employees can do for themselves is learn to take extraordinary care of themselves. Companies can and do hire Coaches to teach their employees many things, one of which is striking a healthy life/work balance and incorporating extraordinary self-care techniques into their busy days. Making the most of leisure time, pampering oneself, finding private time for self, etc., all aid to combat stress, and are useful tools at any time, war or no war.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Think Like an eBay PowerSeller" by Jason James

So what's a PowerSeller? PowerSellers are the people on eBay who've made it, recognisable by the little 'PowerSeller' badge next to their name. You've probably seen these people around - and to succeed on eBay, you want to think the way they do.

How to People Get the Right to Call Themselves PowerSellers?

eBay gets to decide who can be a PowerSeller and who can't, and they have strict requirements. To get in at the minimum PowerSeller level, you must have a feedback rating of at least 100 (minimum 98% positive) and sell at least $1,000 worth of items every month for three months in a row. There are different levels of PowerSeller membership as you sell items of greater value: $1,000 total is bronze, $3,000 is silver, $10,000 is gold, $25,000 is platinum and $125,000 is titanium.

If PowerSellers ever fail to meet the required amount of sales, or their feedback falls below 98% positive, then they lose their PowerSeller status. In short, the only people who get to be PowerSellers on eBay are the people who have been successful for a good while, and are on track to stay that way.

The Shop and the Marketplace.

This is the most important part of understanding how PowerSellers think. They don't see what they're doing as being some random bazaar, or a hobby - instead, they see themselves as a business.

Put it like this. If you run a stall in a marketplace, the chances are that you have a general area of business, but you mostly just sell whatever you can get your hands on that week. If your dodgy buddy got his hands of a job lot of something at a discount, then that's what you'll be selling. This might be fun - and when you have a good week, you'll have a really good week - but it's no way to run a real business in the long-term.

PowerSellers think far more like shops. They sell the same things again and again, every week - regular stock for regular customers. They do 'boring' business things like keep inventories and budgets. They know what they're going to be selling, how much they buy it for and how much they expect to sell for. Just like a real shop, there can be hard times sometimes, but their income is stable and their business can grow slowly.

The best advice I can give you on thinking like a PowerSeller is this: don't take long-term risks for short-term gain. Look after your reputation, manage your selling properly, provide good customer service and the rewards will come to you in due course. And you'll get a little badge next to your name that makes people trust you more!
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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"10 Steps to Successful Selling on eBay" by Jason James

So you want to be a successful seller with your own eBay business, do you? Here's a simple, ten-step path to eBay enlightenment.

Step 1: Identify your market. Take a while to sit and watch for what sells and what doesn't out of the items you're interested in. Any market research data you can collect will be very useful to you later on. You'll probably see the 'sweet spots' quite quickly - those one or two items that always seem to sell for a good price.

Step 2: Watch the competition. Before you invest any money, see what the other sellers in your category are up to, and what their strategies are. Pay special attention to any flaws their auctions might have, because this is where you can move in and beat them at their own game.

Step 3: Find a product: Get hold of a supplier for whatever it is you want to sell, and see what the best rates you can get are - don't be afraid to ring round quite a few to get the best deal. If the eBay prices you've seen are higher than the supplier's, then you're set.

Step 4: Start small: Don't throw thousands at your idea straight away - get started slowly, see what works and what doesn't, and learn as you go. Remember that it's very cheap to try out even the craziest ideas on eBay, and who knows, they might just work!

Step 5: Test and repeat. Keep trying different strategies until you find something that works, and then don't be ashamed to keep doing it, again and again. The chances are that you've just found a good niche.

Step 6: Work out a business plan: A business plan doesn't need to be anything formal, just a few pages that outline the market opportunity you've spotted, your strategy, strengths and weaknesses of the plan and a brief budget. This is more for you than it is for anyone else.

Step 7: Invest and expand: This is the time to throw money at the problem. Buy inventory, and start spending more time on your business. Set a goal number of sales each week, increasing it each time.

Step 8: Make it official: Once you've made a few thousand dollars worth of sales, you should really register yourself as a business. Don't worry, it's not expensive or hard to do - a lawyer is the best person to help you through the process.

Step 9: Automate: You'll probably find that you're writing the same things again and again in emails or item descriptions. This is the time to give up on the manual method and turn to automated software that can create listings for you, and respond to completed auctions and payments with whatever message you provide.

Step 10: Never give up: Even when it looks like it's all going wrong, don't stop trying until you succeed. If you keep working at it then you'll almost always find that you make a real breakthrough just when things are starting to look desperate.

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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 09, 2006

"The Top 14 Myths About Coaching" by Terri Levine

1. A coach is a motivator equipped with a whistle and "you can do it" attitude that gets you going.

A coach can't motivate you - only YOU can motivate you. The coach gives you honest feedback, holds the mirror up so you can see YOU, and helps you motivate you. The coach keeps you accountable and moving forward. The inspiration comes from within YOU. Enthusiasm means "God from within." You can motivate and get excited from the inside out. As in the case of hiring a coach to work through a life or career transition. A client said to me, "Wow, I didn't know I had the answers in me; coaching allowed me to tap into my own answers."

2. People can live their lives just fine without a coach, thank you.

Certainly, they can, and they can live them BETTER, BIGGER, EASIER and more JOYFULLY with a coach - aren't you entitled to that? Before one of my clients hired me, she was very successful in her business - she just worked, 50 hours a week on her business, thought about it, felt stress and couldn't completely relax when at home and with her family. Coaching allowed her to find ways to work only 36 hours a week, make more money, feel little stress, and spend more time with her family. She thinks she lives her life much better after coaching.

3. Coaching is a fad and will go away.

The profession has been around for years - it's the number one home based business to start according to Entrepreneur Magazine, and Money Magazine ranks it as the second fastest growing business. It is booming and growing and has sustainable outcomes that stick. Coaching works and is here to stay. When I started coaching, I attracted 15 clients in 30 days... they couldn't wait to get started. I continue to attract individual clients and corporate clients with great ease because of the high demand for coaching.

4. Coaches give you an ego boost - full of phony praise and false inspiration.

Coaches speak the truth, without judgment, an agenda, or attachment to the outcome. Certified Comprehensive coaches adhere to a code of ethics that is all about honesty and integrity, period. As I said to one of my own coaches, "Hearing you tell me how I just sounded felt a bit harsh, and at the same time, I want to say thanks, I needed to hear that."

5. Coaches are a combination of therapist and personal trainer.

They don't engage in any fixing behaviors or looking at past behaviors and the whys of them... so, coaching is NOT therapy... they are like personal trainers for your personal and professional excellence. Clients who have come to me who have had therapy often say coaching is more beneficial than therapy, because it allows them the energy of moving forward and not looking back... it creates momentum, like a magnet, and pulls them to create what they are wanting vs. feeling bad about themselves or past experiences.

6. Friends and family make great coaches - that's what they are for.

Mostly they have their own agendas and want certain outcomes. They may feel they know what is best for you or right for you. They may have a vested interest in a certain outcome or behavior and they may not want to be truthful and hurt your feelings. They aren't trained to be objective. Why not have a best friend AND a coach?

When I was considering leaving my corporate J-O-B and trading a 6 figure income to start a coaching business... boy, did my family and friends have opinions! My husband, loving and supportive, was fearful we'd go broke and kept encouraging me to do it part-time, do it when I retire, etc. Many friends told me I "couldn't" leave my secure job and asked me if I had gone "crazy". They all had some judgments and agendas, yes?

7. Coaches are for those who don't want to pay for therapists.

Therapists are great to fix behaviors and look back at the past. Coaches are for people who are successful and want more success and an even better life.

One of my clients has a therapist and also me as his coach. He tells me the therapy helps him in getting clear on past issues that he wants to understand, and the coaching allows him to forge ahead and have more of what he desires in his life.

8. Coaching is all done by phone.

It can be. Some coaches also work in person. Pick what best supports you. The coach will co-create the relationship and the coaching with you.

Many coaches work with individuals by phone, in person, in groups; some work in businesses in person, by phone, etc.

What is important is getting coached by the coach you match chemistry with and through the way you like to be coached best. Even email coaching can be effective.

9. Coaching is very expensive.

It is an investment in YOU. It pays out so much more than the dollars you may put in. We all spend money on self-help books, tapes, and seminars ... but most of that doesn't stick. Why not invest in something that sticks, instead?

When I first hired a coach I compared it to a personal trainer, a spa visit, a massage, a workshop and realized it was any of all of those - a way to get personal training, treat my body, mind, and spirit, and to learn. I then saw that the check I was writing the coach brought me great value and took care of me in a more comprehensive, holistic way - I felt I was nurturing and caring for ME, and why not?

10. Anyone can call himself or herself a professional coach.

Professional coaches get certified and become Comprehensive Coaches. Check credentials before you hire a coach.

Certified Comprehensive Coaches go through a professional training program and bring their life and work experience to the coaching profession. They take classes in tuning in, powerful questions, powerful observations, powerful requests, building the client, growing the client, achieving client goals, change, and personal and business issues, to name a few topics. It involves years of training along with skills based labs with master instructors providing them honest feedback on their coaching. It is not an easy program. It is a well deserved credential that shows they are extraordinary coaches.

11. Coaches don't fulfill any special qualifications.

Certified Comprehensive Coaches sure do! And they are stringent! In addition to some of the classes above, they have to coach during lab classes - over 40 hours of practice during their training. That is like taking oral exams over and over. They get honest and tough feedback and they are expected to meet the challenge and keep advancing their skills. Not an easy process and according to the Certified Comprehensive Coaches - well worth it to hold the prestigious credential.

12. Anyone can get a certificate as a "coach".

Comprehensive Coach Training is rigorous and becoming certified requires a lot of coaching practice, feedback, oral and written exams and observations. Not many stand up to that.

In addition to the classes and all the practice coaching, there is a full curriculum of skills to study and learn on a cellular basis. Let me tell you, the oral and written exams are tough - they are made to be because only those who are extraordinary can hold this credential.

13. Coaching is a profession that will never take off.

It has - BIG time. It is one of the fastest growing professions in the US. There are over 10,000 coaches right now and more are needed. Coaching has become a household word. Four years ago, when I told people I was a coach, they’d ask "what sport" or "what team"... now they say "I have one" or "my friend has one". Even the comics and television shows have featured this profession. It isn't going away - just gaining in becoming an everyday word.

14. Coach training is not substantial.

Certified Comprehensive Coaching is meaty - class work, practice, feedback, oral and written exams... like graduate school - but even more practical. As one of the Certified Comprehensive Coaches said, "I thought graduate school was where it was at - this was a much better learning experience and has allowed me to work with clients for pay while going through school - that to me, is the best of both worlds".

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"Should PayPal be Your Only eBay Payment Option?" by Jason James

You may have noticed that many sellers list PayPal as the only payment option they accept - they simply can't be bothered cashing cheques and money orders, never mind any of the other strange ways some people want to pay. Like all things in life, though, PayPal has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a look at what PayPal can do for you, and what it can't.

The Disadvantages.

PayPal is very vulnerable to fraud, and it's you as the seller who'll be paying the price when it happens. What's more, they do take a percentage from every transaction that you could be keeping if your buyers were paying by cheque.

You might also have noticed that PayPal come from the eBay school of customer service, enjoying such pastimes as hiding their phone number and only ever sending out automated responses to emailed queries. PayPal has an unusual number of campaigners against it, most of them people who've had their accounts frozen and had to chase PayPal for months for thousands of dollars. Some of these people recently filed a class action lawsuit against PayPal, claiming damages for lost business - and they won. This alone should make you cautious about using PayPal.

The Advantages.

PayPal is quick and easy for buyers to use, and is certainly a more secure and reassuring way to accept credit cards than signing up for your own merchant account. You'll probably also find that it's cheaper for you.

That's before you even consider that eBay buyers are more eager to buy from someone who accepts PayPal, as it saves them all sorts of hassle with posting payment and then waiting around. PayPal lets you give speedier customer service.

But Should You Use It Exclusively?

The most important thing about only accepting PayPal is, again, a matter of customer service: some of your potential customers might not have or want a PayPal account. Not everyone loves electronic payments - some fear them, and like eBay because it is one of the few places on the Internet where many sellers will accept payment by more traditional methods. Do you want these people as customers, or don't you?

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 08, 2006

"How To Solve Personnel Problems!" by Terri Levine

In every company I have consulted or coached, there exists personnel problems. Natural, you may say, and assume nothing can be done about it. But I have found a pattern behind these personnel issues, and an easy, effortless, and effective way to shift employees who are seen as "problems" to become employees with whom it is a delight to work. It is not necessary to "write off" problem employees when solutions are available that will benefit them personally and the company for whom they work.

The process of taking an employee who challenges the company or leadership of the company, and creating an employee who becomes a dedicated and committed team member, doesn't involve re-training of tasks or job, or threatening the employee, or doing a write-up and counseling session of employee behavior. However, the practice I see most frequently in organizations is to bring the employee in, talk to them about what they are doing wrong and what isn't working, and sometimes, to scare them or threaten them with further action, or instill in them the fear of losing their job. This doesn't achieve anything positive, and in fact, makes matters worse.

What typically happens is the person feels poorly about themselves, the company, their employer or manager, and promptly begins to have more negative feelings about work, and usually, doesn't even want to show up for work. The process results in negative energy and emotions and takes the employee to a low level of morale, performance, and productivity, which in turn, can adversely affect the morale and productivity of everybody who has to work with them.

When I teach organizations to ask new questions of employees and to teach employees a process of asking new questions of themselves, the employees begin to feel more positive energy. They think better of themselves and begin to think better thoughts about the company, their leaders, and co-workers. When the energy shifts and becomes more positive, the employee feels happier and is in a more positive frame of mind to do their work and be a viable team member.

Here are some tips for creating an organizational culture that is more positive and has less employee/personnel problems
Ask the question "What is working?" or "What is going RIGHT?" frequently, and teach employees to use this question as their own self-talk.

Give employees and leaders new questions to ask to get new answers. If we ask ourselves the same questions, we get the same answers. Instead of asking the same questions of employees or of ourselves, we need to broaden the questions to let in more creative ideas and solutions. We want to stop asking what is going wrong and asking other questions that make us feel bad and deplete our energy.

Co-creation. When something is a problem or a challenge, and isn't going quite right yet, we want to speak with employees to co-create new ideas and solutions. We want employees to give input and be part of the process by finding out what ideas, resources, or solutions THEY have to make things more right.

BELIEVE. We have to fully believe employees want and can do a great job. When something isn't going right, we simply have to figure out, along with them, what isn't quite right YET - we fully need to expect it will be - we'll get whatever it is we believe.

ACT as IF. We must act as if the employee IS successful and treat them with respect and dignity and give them our full confidence, even when their performance may be under par. Doing so will enhance their self-esteem, and their belief and trust in us. It's very hard to perform poorly when somebody has such great faith and belief in you and who openly respects and encourages you. It makes you want to try harder and to make the necessary shifts.

Just making these 5 shifts creates employees who have more positive energy and enthusiasm, and changes the culture of a company to that of belief, potential, and a what IS working frame of mind. It is a strategy that costs nothing to implement and the benefits are long lasting and far-reaching. It is simply a matter of building people up instead of knocking them down.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Turn eBay Bidders into Long-term Customers" by Jason James

Once someone's bought something from you on eBay, you suddenly have all sorts of details on them. In marketing terms, this information is gold dust. If someone's bought from you once before, then the chances are that at some point in the future they'll want to buy a similar item, and you can take advantage of this to market to them directly.

The simplest form of direct marketing is the email newsletter - and it's one that is still oddly underused on eBay. Simply ask people who buy from you if they'd like to be added to your mailing list, and then send them a monthly update on your new items. You should also include some information you think might be useful to them, to give the email more value.

For example, here's a newsletter you might write if you were selling DVDs.

"Here are the dates for this month's new DVD releases: [list of release dates]. If you want to pre-order anything on this list, just click here [your website/email] and let us know.

Meanwhile, we've got some great deals for you this month! [links to your best ebay auctions]

You are receiving this article because you signed up for my newsletter when you bought an item from me on eBay. To unsubscribe, hit reply and type 'remove'."

Isn't that simple? As long as you can remember to do it once a month, people will come to like your information, and perhaps take a look at some of the things you're offering.

It's all about building up a customer relationship, and making the customer feel like you are providing them with some information they wouldn't otherwise have. Make your email a useful service to them, whether they buy anything from it or not.

Remember that it's not a newsletter without the news, and send out the best things you can think of: you might even try writing an article or two. Think of it as a free gift for your customers: the gift of useful information. Apart from anything else, it's quite fun to have your own newsletter.

If you sell items that a seller is likely to need more than one of, like auto parts for example, then you can even try highly targeted emails like this.

"I'm sending you this email because you bought a [item name] from me a while ago - I hope you were happy with it. This is just to let you know that if you ever need another [item], I'm currently doing special offers on them. [link]".

You would probably want to automate this, though, as it could quickly get tedious to do it manually.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"How to Choose the Right eBay Product Category" by Jason James

Some people think it's easy to choose the right eBay category, and often it is. Sometimes, though, it might not be quite clear exactly what to go for.

Why is it Even Important?

Plenty of people use the category system to find items, when they're not looking for something specific. If your item is listed in the wrong category - or you've just given up and listed it in 'Everything Else' - then these people aren't going to find your auction.

Also, listing items in the wrong categories is against eBay's rules, and eBay say they will remove any auctions that are wrongly categorised. They don't often actually do this, but it's not worth the risk - especially since breaking any rules can cause them to penalise your account, including losing PowerSeller status if you have it.

So What Can You Do?

eBay will suggest categories for you when you sell your item, if you type in a few words to describe the item on the category selection page and click 'search'. You can make the best of this feature by typing in exactly what your item is, with brand name and model number (if any), so that eBay can find the best category for you. If that doesn't work for you, then search yourself for items like yours, and pay attention to which category most of them seem to be in (you can see this near the top of each item's description page). Try different words and see which ones come back with the most results. You can also browse through all the available categories from eBay's front page.

Remember that the more specific the category is, the better - use as many subcategories as are appropriate. Don't just list your HP laptop in the 'Computers' category, for example - list it in 'Computers > Laptops > HP'. Don't worry: your item will still appear in the 'Computers' category, as well as 'Computers > Laptops', because items listed in subcategories are always listed in every category above.

Take some time to look through all the categories and get familiar with the way eBay as a whole is laid out. After all, that's better than getting a few months down the line and finding that you still think of eBay's category system like it's some kind of scary jungle.

What if More Than One Category Fits?

Don't worry, eBay have you covered. For a small extra fee, you can list your item in an extra category, to increase the number of potential buyers who will see it. This isn't always worth it, though - some items only really fit properly in one category, and listing them in extra categories is just a waste.

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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"Taming the eBay Search Engine" by Jason James

If you know what you're doing, you can quickly find what you're looking for on eBay - and the more you know about how buyers find you, the easier you'll find it to be found. Here are a few golden searching rules.

Be specific: If you're searching for the first edition of the original Harry Potter book, you'll get further searching for 'harry potter rowling philosopher's stone first edition' than you will searching for 'harry potter'. You'll get fewer results, but the ones you do get will be far more relevant.

Spell wrongly: It's a sad fact that many of the sellers on eBay just can't spell. Whatever you're looking for, try thinking of a few common misspellings - you might find a few items here that have slipped through the cracks.

Get a thesaurus: You should try to search for all the different words that someone might use to describe an item, for example searching for both 'TV' and 'television', or for 'phone', 'mobile' and 'cellphone'. Where you can, though, leave off the type of item altogether and search by things like brand and model.

Use the categories: Whenever you search, you'll notice a list of categories at the side of your search results. If you just searched for the name of a CD, you should click the 'CDs' category to look at results in that category only. Why bother looking through a load of results that you don't care about?

Don't be afraid to browse: Once you've found the category that items you like seem to be in, why not click 'Browse' and take a look through the whole category? You might be surprised by what you find.

Few people realise just how powerful eBay's search engine is - a few symbols here and there and it'll work wonders for you.

Wildcard searches: You can put an asterisk (*) into a search phrase when you want to say 'anything can go here'. For example, if you wanted to search for a 1950s car, you could search for 'car 195*'. 195* will show results from any year in the 1950s.

In this order: If you put words in quotes ("") then the only results shown will be ones that have all of the words between the quote marks. For example, searching for "Lord of the Rings" won't give you any results that say, for example "Lord Robert Rings".

Exclude words: Put a minus, and then put any words in brackets that you don't want to appear in your search results. For example: "Pulp Fiction" -(poster,photo) will find items related to Pulp Fiction but not posters or photos.

Either/or: If you want to search for lots of words at once, just put them in brackets: the TV example from earlier could become '(TV,television)', which would find items with either word.

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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 07, 2006

"The Torn Manager" by Terri Levine

Managers often find themselves playing the role of middle-man because that is what they are… in the middle. Managers are the go-between for higher management and the workers. You can see how this can present a conflict of interests. How do you represent the views of the upper echelon and protect the interests of those who work under you at the same time? It can be done, of course, and is done every day. It's part and parcel of being a manager and goes with the territory along with a large dose of stress.

The same thin line is being walked between customer and company loyalty. How can a manager look out for the best interests of customers and top management at the same time?

Then there is the fear factor involved in knowing when to act, when to speak up, or the desire to try something new. On the one hand, Managers are encouraged to speak up, and take risks - if the risks will lead to successful outcomes! But if the risk doesn't have a successful outcome, heads will roll, and we don't have to guess whose head will be rolling! Likewise, speaking up is all very well and good, but what if it damages the working relationship?

The problem with walking these fine lines is finding the perfect balance. Finding this balance is just one of the new skills Managers need to learn and master to be effective in their roles.

The key to finding this balance is in learning the art of communication in its truest sense. We can speak the harshest truths without ruffling feathers when we choose our words carefully. We know it is possible to soothe an unhappy customer without running our company down - this is a skill sales people use every day - and we can apply that skill to in-house communications too. Here are a few ways we can do this and walk the thin line without falling off:


We can clear the way for open and honest communication by expressing our desire to communicate openly without intended offense and expressing our objective to find agreement or solutions that will keep everyone happy.

When communicating about matters of conflict, it is important to be able to truly listen to the other point of view without giving up your own. Simple phrases such as "I understand…" and "I can see your point of view and why you'd think that…" can go a long way to diffusing heated arguments. People want their opinions respected and acknowledged, and when they have gotten what they need to say off their chest, and you have listened respectfully, you will find they are better able to listen to you when it is your turn.

Choose your words carefully. Practice speeches and conversations in your head before you have them. The words will flow more easily if you have thought about it beforehand and you are less likely to become emotional or frustrated or offend someone.

When representing either your workforce or your management, be careful just to state the facts without sounding like you are taking sides - or being judgmental! Be an impartial deliverer of information. Do not become emotionally involved in the "message" you are delivering. If it helps, think of yourself as a mediator.

Always show respect, even if the other person does not - whether it is a member of your staff or your senior management. Retain your dignity. Yours is a special position to maintain - in a sense, you work for your own workforce as well as upper management, and you need to remain on good terms with both.
Managers may feel torn from time to time, but with effective communication skills under their belt they will be able to walk the thin line with confidence.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"Creating eBay Selling Opportunities by Communicating with Your Buyer" by Jason James

One thing many eBay sellers neglect is to actually communicate with their buyers - not with some automated 'suggestion' system, but with actual person-to-person contact. If you can be friendly and sound nice, then you can make them think you're doing them a favour while you make a few extra sales.

'I Could Throw In...'

When you receive an order for an item that costs a lot for shipping and needs some kind of equipment, this is an ideal opportunity to make a 'friendly' extra sale. For example, if someone has just bought a computer, you could send an email like this:

"I'm just emailing you to ask if you'd like a mouse or a keyboard - since you're buying a computer from me, I can throw in any accessories you want without charging any extra shipping. If you're not interested though, then don't worry about it - it was just a thought."

Note how informal this article has to be. It can't stink of sales, or the whole 'communication' thing will be ruined. Would you rather buy something extra from someone who says "you might as well, since you're paying shipping anyway" or from someone who says something like "our valued customers will also love our GREAT DEALS on mice - check it out!" I know what my answer is.

Know Anyone Else?

Here's a simple thing to try: when you thank your buyer, simply say that if they're pleased with you then you'd really appreciate it if they could spread the word. Many eBay buyers feel like they've got a real bargain, and combining this with good customer service could be enough to make your customer go out and start writing down your eBay store's address on pieces of paper for their friends. If you notice a lot of orders coming from the same town, then you'll know that this technique is working.

Any Problems?

If you contact the buyer a few months down the line to ask if their product is still working fine, you might find that they're having a problem you can fix, by sending a spare part or an upgrade. This is another opportunity to make a sale - not to mention helpful for them.

Anything to Sell?

If you've just sold them a brand new item, ask your buyer if they have an old one that they might like to trade in. They will often be delighted to take you up on your offer, since they were wondering how they were going to get rid of their old one anyway. Give them a fair price for it and offer to pay their postage and you won't believe how happy they'll be - and the chances are you can make a good profit on what they send you.

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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"How to Increase Your eBay Backend Sales" by Jason James

It shouldn't too hard to increase your eBay backend sales - because the chances are you currently aren't making any! Backend sales are sales to customers who have already bought an item, also known as 'up-selling'. These are usually easier sales to make than normal sales: in sales-speak, your existing customers are 'warm leads'.

It's a technique you've probably noticed being used on you in shops: you buy something, and you're offered a $5 piece of equipment to keep it clean, or make it easier to use. The usual human response is to say to yourself "heck, what's another five dollars - it might be useful". It's just another five dollars to them, but they might have just added 20% to your profit margin.

Figure Out What Goes Together.

Out of the things you stock, which cheaper things are there that could be useful to someone who now owns one of the more expensive ones? For example, if you sell digital cameras, the backend product is digital camera memory - they never come with enough out of the box. The backend products for a printer would be ink and paper. Try to think laterally!

If you can't think of anything, take a look around at the cheaper 'extra' items that your competitors offer, and see if you can find a supplier for them. There are very few product areas where this technique doesn't apply.

Include Letters in Packages.

When you send items out in the post, include a brief sales letter with products you think might be of interest to the customer. It's like sending out a personalised, targeted catalogue to your customers with every purchase. Again, you'll find that a significant percentage of people won't have bothered to look at what else you were selling, and will go back to buy a few more things.

To stop people from just putting such a letter aside and thinking they won't do anything about it right now, you might like to include some kind of limited time offer - 10% off if you order within the next month, for example.

Email Your Customers.

Each time you sell something to a customer, you get valuable market information about them, and they get to see that they can trust you as a seller. That's why backend sales are so powerful. Keep your customers updated in your newsletter, making sure you list any new products there that you might have in stock. The chances are that these customers will be far more eager to buy from you.

Consumable Products.

If the product that the customer bought from you to begin with is consumable (it will run out), then this is a special case. You shouldn't try to make the backend sale straight away, but should instead wait long enough that the average customer would have just run out of the product. That's the time to strike.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 06, 2006

"HOW TO SOLVE PERSONNEL PROBLEMS" by Terri Levine

In every company I have consulted or coached, there exists personnel problems. Natural, you may say, and assume nothing can be done about it. But I have found a pattern behind these personnel issues, and an easy, effortless, and effective way to shift employees who are seen as "problems" to become employees with whom it is a delight to work. It is not necessary to "write off" problem employees when solutions are available that will benefit them personally and the company for whom they work.

The process of taking an employee who challenges the company or leadership of the company, and creating an employee who becomes a dedicated and committed team member, doesn't involve re-training of tasks or job, or threatening the employee, or doing a write-up and counseling session of employee behavior. However, the practice I see most frequently in organizations is to bring the employee in, talk to them about what they are doing wrong and what isn't working, and sometimes, to scare them or threaten them with further action, or instill in them the fear of losing their job. This doesn't achieve anything positive, and in fact, makes matters worse.

What typically happens is the person feels poorly about themselves, the company, their employer or manager, and promptly begins to have more negative feelings about work, and usually, doesn't even want to show up for work. The process results in negative energy and emotions and takes the employee to a low level of morale, performance, and productivity, which in turn, can adversely affect the morale and productivity of everybody who has to work with them.

When I teach organizations to ask new questions of employees and to teach employees a process of asking new questions of themselves, the employees begin to feel more positive energy. They think better of themselves and begin to think better thoughts about the company, their leaders, and co-workers. When the energy shifts and becomes more positive, the employee feels happier and is in a more positive frame of mind to do their work and be a viable team member.

Here are some tips for creating an organizational culture that is more positive and has less employee/personnel problems:

Ask the question "What is working?" or "What is going RIGHT?" frequently, and teach employees to use this question as their own self-talk.

Give employees and leaders new questions to ask to get new answers. If we ask ourselves the same questions, we get the same answers. Instead of asking the same questions of employees or of ourselves, we need to broaden the questions to let in more creative ideas and solutions. We want to stop asking what is going wrong and asking other questions that make us feel bad and deplete our energy.

Co-creation. When something is a problem or a challenge, and isn't going quite right yet, we want to speak with employees to co-create new ideas and solutions. We want employees to give input and be part of the process by finding out what ideas, resources, or solutions THEY have to make things more right.

BELIEVE. We have to fully believe employees want and can do a great job. When something isn't going right, we simply have to figure out, along with them, what isn't quite right YET - we fully need to expect it will be - we'll get whatever it is we believe.

ACT as IF. We must act as if the employee IS successful and treat them with respect and dignity and give them our full confidence, even when their performance may be under par. Doing so will enhance their self-esteem, and their belief and trust in us. It's very hard to perform poorly when somebody has such great faith and belief in you and who openly respects and encourages you. It makes you want to try harder and to make the necessary shifts.

Just making these 5 shifts creates employees who have more positive energy and enthusiasm, and changes the culture of a company to that of belief, potential, and a what IS working frame of mind. It is a strategy that costs nothing to implement and the benefits are long lasting and far-reaching. It is simply a matter of building people up instead of knocking them down.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How to Use eBay to Grow Your Other Businesses" by Jason James

Most of the people who make money from eBay don't actually make all of that money on eBay. There are all sorts of ways you can use eBay to give your existing businesses a helping hand.

The Supply Side.

If you have any leftover stock or used items from another business you run, then why not sell them on eBay? You can make this a regular thing, using it to get rid of things that won't sell for the premium you ask for in a shop, or items that are no longer in demand in the town or city where your business is based.

You can really make a lot of money this way, if you know what you're doing. You will, of course, already be an expert in the items you're selling, as you use them in your business, and you'll know that the items are of high enough quality to be sellable. This is a whole new market for your old inventory!

Not only that, of course, but remember that your good eBay reputation will make you a great buyer! If there's ever anything you want to get for your business, the chances are you'll be able to get it on eBay for a discount.

The Sales Side.

Here, though, is where the true power of eBay lies. eBay give you an 'About Me' page, where you can write anything you like and link anywhere you like. This means that you can get traffic to your business' website by linking to your website from your About Me page and linking to your About Me page from each auction.

To create an About Me page, just click on 'Community' on the toolbar, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click 'Create an About Me page'. You then get the option to either enter your own HTML or let eBay guide you through the process. All you need to do is write a little about your website, link to it, and you're done - you'll notice that more people start to come to your site straight away.

There are thousands of people who swear by this technique to drive traffic from eBay to their website - with a little persuasive sales copy on your site, they say, you can sell directly to buyers, cutting out the eBay middleman. What's more, all the traffic you'll get will be targeted - because the people who click through were interested in your auction to begin with.

This can be a really powerful technique, especially if you've already got an e-commerce site. Even if you haven't, you might find it worth your time to set up a website that does nothing but list your eBay inventory with a few dollars off each item, with a PayPal 'Buy Now' button for each item. Then simply make the link to your About Me page read 'Visit my website for even more bargains!', and you're done.
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Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"Misspelling Gets Atention!" by Craig Garber

Do you find it strange that I'm a writer and yet
occasionally, you'll find simple words in my daily e-mail
messages, spelled completely wrong?

Know why this happens?

The answer is simple: Firstly, sometimes misspelling a word
every now-and-again makes you look more "human", and
anything you can do to make yourself more human, also lets
your prospects relate better to you.

Second, it's actually an involvement devise for many of the
people on my list.

(Oops, I meant "device" -- got 'cha.)

And as you know, getting people involved with you -- on any
level -- is always good, right?

I mean, you'd be astounded at how many people send us in
e-mails pointing out all my spelling errors -- and look,
it's not like I make hundreds of them or anything like that!
People actually seem to feel good they found spelling
mistakes made by a copywriter.

The irony of it is just too great for them to ignore.

So bluntly, having some spelling errors in my sales copy,
is... for some people on my list, a great way to get them
involved with me.

And lastly, the truth is, sometimes I just mess up!

I've got my hands in more pies than you'd ever imagine.
Between client work and my own projects, I'm involved in no
less than 10 things at any one given time.

And that doesn't even begin to include my consulting work --
www.kingofcopy.com/consulting -- and --
www.kingofcopy.com/salescopyreview .

So don't be surprised if you see a spelling error every
now-and-again in my daily e-mails -- given the volume of
work I have on my plate, it's just bound to happen.

Plus, remember -- I'm the King Of Copy, not the Sultan Of
Spelling, right?

And like Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, "A man's got to
know his limitations."

Now go sell something,

And if you haven 't already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week -- it's the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

“Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved

"How to Turn eBay Returns into Profits" by Jason James

Don't worry, getting items returned happens to everyone eventually. You can't satisfy all of the people all of the time, and occasionally someone's going to want to send something back to you. Turning returns into profits isn't easy - but with a little determination, you can manage it.

Don't refund shipping charges: If followed our advice and you're now making a decent profit on your shipping charges by using cheaper materials, then you might still be able to come out ahead with returns. Just refund the charge of the items but not the shipping. I know sellers who make $1 profit on the sale and $2 profit on the shipping. If they get a returned item then they don't really mind: they still get to keep two-thirds of their profit.

Charge a restocking fee: You're perfectly within your rights to charge a restocking fee, and that's nothing but profit for you. Bear in mind that this will get customers very annoyed, however.

Resell with a better description: Now that you know if there's something wrong with the item, you can write a more honest description. Surprisingly enough, items can sometimes sell for more the second time around, simply because word has had time to spread that you were selling the item and there might be a few people looking out for another.

Take their packing materials: Inexperienced buyers will send back your items using all sorts of expensive luxury packing materials - take them and re-use them the next time you want to give a buyer an extra special service. Incidentally, this also applies when you buy things on eBay - you'll find that you can save a lot on packing when you re-use every piece of packaging that comes your way. Make sure to take off any labels first, though.

You know what they want: Remember that every buyer who buys something from you and then returns it was at least interested in it. They're a potential sales lead, and you should add them to your mailing list to follow up later - if you were nice to them when they returned the item, they might be willing to give you another chance.

Replace with a better model: Finally, if the buyer is returning the item for a replacement, then tell them that the only replacement you have in stock at the moment is a slightly more expensive model - but you'll send it to them if they pay the extra. Again, more profit for you.

Of course, it's up to you whether you want to use these techniques: you might think it's more valuable to refund the shipping on returns as a gesture of goodwill, as part of your perfect customer service. I would tend to agree with you: your reputation is invaluable. If what you're interested in is making as much profit as possible in the short term, then go right ahead - but remember that in the long-term you might be sacrificing some repeat business for the sake of a few dollars.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 05, 2006

"Coaching An Organization: Using a Pragmatic/Spiritual Blended Approach" by Terri Levine

"Coaching An Organization: Using a Pragmatic/Spiritual Blended Approach" by Terri Levine

Imagine you are attending a corporate training/coaching session and the session begins with a meditation, and centering, and then stating intentions. Sounds odd, yes? Take it further, and imagine the room is full of accountants, or engineers, or physicians, or attorneys. Sounds really strange, right?

This is what is going on in companies all across the United States. An approach blending pragmatic coach training along with tapping into spirituality is being accepted, and in fact, embraced and adapted as a business practice. Company cultures are shifting and changing to accept spirituality in the workplace.

We have finally realized, after years of pretending the personal aspects of who we are don't come to the workplace, that we can't leave ourselves behind. As companies have learned, our lives outside of work come to work with us, because we are comprehensive human beings. When a company acknowledges and honors that the person we are is the person invited and accepted into the workplace, a more productive and happier worker shows up.

The pragmatic/spiritual approach gives employees solid, concrete learning to be better coaches and to use coaching tools to lead people. It also shows employees how to tap into their own intuition and to identify their own beliefs. Often the self-talk or the inner story, which plays over and over again, is what is in the way of the employee being successful and feeling happy at work. This blended approach teaches concepts like:

using the law of attraction - bringing to you what you want, instead of struggling and pushing to get what you want and using a command/control model being a deliberate creator who manifests the things you want without effort allowing feelings to be fully felt and expressed in the workplace

slowing down to stop and breathe

taking time for appreciation

encouraging conversations about what is going right and what is working and celebrating successes

acknowledging each other

bringing beauty into the workplace

checking in to see how ideas and thoughts feel in your body and trusting your gut

using all of your senses

not being attached to outcomes, and trusting more

holding the belief that all is well

allowing things to unfold instead of forcing them to happen

being still and quiet and really listening to yourself and others

To some, it still sounds a bit "out-there" to bring spirit into the workplace, so I encourage companies to start slow with some pragmatic, traditional coaching and then introduce some less traditional concepts.

It becomes apparent that they go together. You don't just put them both in the blender and mix them up and hope for the best. The system of blended coaching produces a wonderful "smoothie" that tastes great and people crave.

Companies that are already using these techniques are reaping the benefits of a happier, more productive workforce. Skeptical managements no longer care how it works, they only care that it works, and that, for them, is the bottom line.

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"How eBay Consignment Centers Work" by Jason James

You might not ever have heard of eBay consignment centers - don't worry, most people haven't, as they're a relatively new concept. The idea is that you drop off anything you want sold, and then the consignment center will sell it for you and share the profits.

You Can Sell at Consignment Centers.

Just find something to sell and take it to a consignment center - they'll sell it for you on eBay, handling all the listing, description and shipping.

You do, however, give up some profit when you sell through a consignment center, not to mention losing all control over your auctions - and who's to say that you couldn't sell it better than they can? The chances are they will only give you a fraction of the item's real value, to the point where you might as well have just taken it to the pawn shop.

You Can Be a Consignment Center.

A better option is to be a consignment center for the non-eBay-using public in your area. After you've been selling things on eBay for a while and you've told a few people about it, someday a friend will walk up to you and say "Hey, could you sell this on eBay for me?" Give it a try - if you like doing it, then why not start up your own consignment center business?

Put an ad like this in your local newspaper or anywhere else you think is appropriate:

"Create Space and Get Money For Doing It! How would you like someone to come and clean out the old stuff in your house that's taking up all your space, and then give you cash for the lot? I am currently looking for things to sell on eBay and I can do this for you. Call me on [your number]."

Go round to a few people's houses and take some things that you think are sellable, giving the items' owners a sensible amount for them - not too much, since they don't know how much they're worth. It's best to try to take things that are part of a set or collection, so you can sell lots of the same kinds of items. You're in a strong position: why would they so no when you're offering them money for things that, to them, are rubbish?

The only requirement to be successful with this is that you need to know what you're doing, and be able to spot a high-value item when you see one, regardless of what it might be. It's also worth opening a new account to sell items you get from other people. You can't guarantee quality as well, and your regular account should only be used to sell the one kind of item that you decided you're an expert in.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 04, 2006

"Creating A Vision And Mission - A Co-Created And Co-Shared Experience" by Terri Levine

How many times over the course of a 2-3 year period, does a company spend time, energy, and resources creating or re-creating a vision or mission? Most companies do this activity over and over again because the CEO can’t move the organization to get behind the vision. The employees don’t have a desire to achieve the vision, and it is meaningless to them.

The VM Vacuum process (Vision-Mission Vacuum) that has been brought into organizations is making a dramatic difference. It works like a vacuum, where it sweeps the entire organization and attracts energy to itself. The process produces employees who are committed to the CEO’s vision and instills passion and the desire to achieve the vision and mission of the company.

The VM Vacuum process works because all the employees are involved in co-creating the vision and are all a key and equal part of the visioning process. When a vision is co-created in this way, it becomes co-shared and people believe in it… it contains a part of them, so naturally, it becomes believable, realistic and do-able.

Here is the structure of the process:

Every employee, regardless of job type, hours worked, or job title, is invited to participate in a visioning meeting with key managers.
Key managers act as facilitators with no vision/mission to sell anyone, but simply to gather people and listen to their thoughts.

Facilitated discussions are held to invite every employee to respond to questions about what currently is going well or right in the company, why those things are working, and then daydream a description of how things could be perfect. Once there is a clear idea of “perfect”, the facilitator asks the group to pretend it is five years from now, three years from now, and one year from now, and to describe a perfect work day in each year – complete with how it feels, sounds, looks, tastes, smells, etc. Then the group identifies the things right now that aren’t quite right yet within the organization and identifies resources (like time, money, training, space, etc) that could make things more right.

All facilitated discussions result in a detailed summary of the conversations above.

Key managers bring their facilitated discussion results to the CEO, and the CEO, with no vision/mission to sell, facilitates the exact same process with the managers as was conducted with the employees.

All facilitated discussions, including the ones with the managers, are now transcribed and put into one working document.

Groups of employees and managers take the document and find areas of similarity and create one large document.

That document becomes the vision/mission of the organization.
Organizations that follow these steps and do each thoroughly, believing each employee has value to contribute to this process, now have a vision/mission that the employees helped to formulate, and therefore feel a part of. When employees feel their viewpoints were both heard and considered and that these are now a piece of the company, their morale goes up, they become more productive, and they tend to stay much longer in their employment. What they do, how they do it, and why they do it is now meaningful for them. After all, they helped develop the what, how, and why. It gives them pride and a true sense of belonging and value within the organization.

Considering the benefits to everyone, isn’t this process one that is worth the time?

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!

Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

Tips for "Knowing Your eBay Buyer" Before You Ship by Jason James

Before you send anything to that buyer, you might want to get to know them, especially if you're selling them a high-ticket item that you couldn't afford to lose. Even if the buyer has paid, the PayPal transaction could still end up being reversed, leaving you out of pocket. So how do you figure out if you can trust your buyer?

Look at their feedback for others. Go to their feedback page and click 'Left for Others'. If they leave a lot of negatives for their sellers, then you should try to get away from them as fast as you can - if you do deal with them, make sure not to leave your feedback first. You should consider a negative someone has left to be just as bad as a negative left for them.

Look at feedback from sellers. Click 'From Sellers'. You might find that they have more complaints from sellers than from buyers - or, on the other hand, it might be the other way around. Some people really are just better at selling than buying, or vice versa.

Pay attention to bid retractions. If they have a high number of bid retractions, you should regard this as a red flag that something might be wrong.

See what else they've bought. When someone goes from buying items worth $1 to suddenly buying something worth $1,000, you might want to be a little suspicious of them.

See what they're bidding on now. If they've never shown any interest in your kind of item before, and now suddenly they're bidding on lots of them, then that's cause for concern. You should also be suspicious of someone who seems to be spending a lot of money all at once - few buyers have thousands at a time to blow on eBay.

Check their ID history. People who've changed their ID are often trying to get away from someone who's trying to find them. This is another warning sign - be especially wary of someone who changed their ID very recently.

Be nice to new buyers. Genuine new buyers will probably have a name ending in a number and a feedback score of 0 - don't always think these people are fraudsters. Somewhat counter-intuitively, people trying to commit fraud will almost never do it when they have a feedback score of 0 - they'll think it's too obvious. New buyers often have problems with being inexperienced on eBay, however, and you might have to guide them through things like opening a PayPal account.

Email them! If you want to get to know your eBay buyer, why not have a little chat with them about the item, what they plan to do with it? Say that how you know they're going to love it, and ask if there's anything else you can do for them. Few buyers who seem chatty and nice will turn out not to be in the end.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 03, 2006

Terri Levine Internet Heroine and Life Coach Volunteers to Help With The In Search Of Heroes Program

Terri Levine is a successful business coach and was a speaker at Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.

Terri Levine, MCC, PCC, MS, CCC-SLP, made the transition from senior executive to become one of the top professional coaches in the industry, founded a leading coach training school, and has worked with clients from every walk of life.

Terri is the founder and CEO of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc., and The Coaching Institute - The Professional’s Coach Training Program. The Coaching Institute is an internationally recognized program that provides training to individuals and organizations that want to learn coaching skills and/or become Certified Comprehensive Coaches.

Terri’s coaching clients call her the “wisdom wizard”. Her background as a corporate executive paired with her marketing expertise is extraordinary. She has compiled an impressive track record of growing million dollar businesses.

She specializes in using Comprehensive Coaching principles to create extraordinary growth for her clients’ lives and businesses, and has been coaching professionals and companies, and training others to use coaching skills every day to experience much greater business, financial and personal success, discovering better ways to grow profitable businesses, restore balance in life, and bring greater joy to each day. She synthesizes the knowledge and wisdom of every leading organizational development guru, philosophy and process to create a results-oriented approach.

Terri, a popular keynote and motivational speaker, is also a successful author. Her much acclaimed book, “Work Yourself Happy,” (which hit #3 on the Amazon best-seller list early in 2002) is an example of her own coaching work and her clients’ success stories.

Her second book, “Coaching for an Extraordinary Life,” published in 2001, brings the tools of the coaching industry to ordinary people, so that all may enjoy a better quality life.

In her third book, “Create Your Ideal Body”, Terri shares her strategies and techniques which enabled 250 people to lose weight without dieting, struggle, deprivation or the use of gizmos, gadgets, pills, potions or rigid exercise routines.

Her last book, “Stop Managing, Start Coaching!” reached #6 on Amazon and deals with morale in the workplace. She also puts out weekly e-mail newsletters to thousands of subscribers worldwide. Terri is a nationally recognized authority on creating greater business and personal success and she is featured regularly in the media and on Channel 10 NBC Philadelphia News as a coaching expert.

Terri lives in Pennsylvania, and when she isn’t coaching, training, speaking, or writing, she loves to race Formula Dodge cars!
 
Terri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance, The American Society of Training and Development, and the National Women Business Owners.

If you are interested in becoming a coach, hiring a coach, or having Terri address your organization, call toll-free 1-877-401-6165 or email info@ComprehensiveCoachingU.com.
Visit her on the website: http://www.TerriLevine.com

"All Hits Are Not Created Equal" by Jim Edwards

In the end, it all comes down to this...

After all the debate over website design, shopping carts
and credit card processors, every website owner eventually
comes to the startling realization that they need one more
thing to survive - website traffic!

Without website traffic it's the same as building an
expensive billboard and, instead of placing it alongside a
busy highway, you hide it in your basement where nobody can
see it.

Upon realizing they need traffic, most website owners run
out and start blowing chunks of money and time trying to
get "hits" to their sites, but they fail to realize that
all "hits" are not created equal.

In their quest to get eyeballs to their websites, most
online operators don't realize there's a big difference
between driving "general" traffic to your website and
driving "targeted" traffic.

Just getting *any* old traffic is the same technique TV
advertisers use.

They flash ads on the screen in front of people who can't
afford or don't need the advertised product. Since general
advertising can't hit specific targets, they hit everyone
and hope that someone in their target audience is actually
watching at that moment.

Spam, banner ads, "safe-lists" and similar traffic
techniques fall into this same "general" category.

On the other hand...

"Targeted" traffic is made up of people who are genuinely
interested in what you have to say or sell online.

These people either share the same interests or have an
immediate need or problem they are trying to solve.
"Targeted" traffic is best because the people hitting your
website have a much higher likelihood of actually making a
purchase.

Targeted traffic comes from people following recommended
links on other sites, typing in relevant keywords into the
search engines, or even reading articles you've written on
a particular subject and then clicking over to your site
for more information.

If you don't already know where to find the best sources of
targeted traffic for your website, you will need to
experiment with lots of different sources to find the ones
that bring visitors who give you the most "bang for your
buck."

The fastest way to determine which avenues provide the most
targeted traffic is by using an "ad tracker".

An "ad tracker" is a simple program, residing on your web
server, that tracks how many visitors your site gets from a
particular source and how many of them purchased.

Though it sounds simple, most businesses don't do this!

Most businesses can't tell you their visitor to buyer
conversion percentage and, therefore, don't know exactly
how much they can invest in traffic generation and remain
profitable.

Whether you pay for your website traffic with cash (pay-
per-click search engines, ezine ads), or you pay for it
with the sweat of your brow (article distribution, free
search engines), you must identify your best and most
profitable sources of targeted traffic that convert into
buyers, subscribers, or leads.

Failure to identify and *track* where your buyers and
subscribers come from -- and then calculate how much they
really cost you -- ultimately translates into failure for
your online business.

--
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-
step and click-by-click how to finally create your own
money-making mini-sites...

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU to Painlessly Set Up
Your OWN Moneymaking 'Mini' Websites... Without Being a
Computer Geek, Buying Expensive Software, or Paying
Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"

Click Here => http://www.MiniSiteCreator.com

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com

"What You Can Learn from Competing eBay Auctions" by Jason James

If you've a savvy businessperson, the chances are you've already taken a look at your competitors' auctions. What you might not have realised is just how much you can learn if you know what you're looking for.

To begin with, don't bother looking at listings that haven't ended yet - you don't know what's going to happen with them. Instead, use the advanced search page to search for listings that sold. Just go to the advanced search page, type in the keywords that you know will find your competitors' items, tick 'Completed listings only' and set the minimum number of bids to 1. Set it to sort by 'Price: highest first'.

This will show you auctions competing with yours that have recently finished, starting with the ones that sold for the most (ignore any with prices in red - they didn't sell). Go through and take a look, paying special attention to the following points:

Titles. What information do the top sellers of your item put in their titles, and what do they leave out? If your titles are very different to theirs, it might be time for a rethink.

Descriptions. You'll probably notice that the highest sellers haven't just copied text from the company's website or an Amazon.com review - they've gone to the trouble of writing a little about the item, and about themselves. Learn from their example.

Pictures. I can almost guarantee you that the listing will have very nice pictures - not catalogue quality, but good enough to see what you're getting. With items of any significant cost, you'll probably find more than one photo from different angles.

Style. Is it written conversationally, or in terse businesslike language? The way you should write entirely depends on what the market seems to like - and the market seems to like what the top sellers wrote.

Time. It's pretty easy to ignore this as a factor without meaning to, but pay attention to when the top selling items' auctions began and ended. This might give you a few clues about the best to catch buyers who will bid highly on your item, and then you can schedule your items accordingly.

Price. If your competitors are selling using Buy it Now, you can see what the maximum is that they've managed to sell for recently, and set your own Buy it Now price slightly below that.

Shipping. Look around to see the sweet spot for shipping. If you can figure out a way to get your shipping costs lower than the highest sellers, then this is a great opportunity to differentiate yourself in the market.

Once you see what works, you can start to emulate your competitors - of course you can't just copy them completely, but you can structure your auction similarly and make sure it includes the same information.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 02, 2006

Listen to the World's Greatest Hypnotist, Kevin Hurley's, Power Performers Interview by the World's Greatest Mind-Reader and Mental Motivator Robert Channing"

Click Here to listen to Kevin Hurley's Power Performers Radio Show interview by Robert Channing, two of my internet heroes. Click Here to listen to Robert Channing's Heroes interview and Click Here to listen to Kevin Hurley's Heroes interview.

Kevin Hurley is a full time entertainer from Pittsburgh, PA.. Kevin tours North America performing stage hypnosis… He is a certified stage hypnotist and is always studing clincal hypnotism. Kevin has had the unique opportunity of learning from the masters from all over the world and especially Las Vegas. This past year Kevin Hurley has been zig zaging the country performing in theatres, colleges, universities. Along the way he has even got a chance to work with Robin Williams, Bill Clinton, Ludacris, Punchline, and 50 Cent.

"When NOT to Use eBay "Buy It Now" by Jason James

As you get more experienced on eBay, you might be tempted to use fixed price auctions, just so you can budget better. It's often more reassuring to know that either you will make a small profit on an item instead of having to wait and see whether it makes a big profit or a big loss. However, you should be aware that there are some times when you really shouldn't use 'Buy it Now'.

In the Holiday Season.

The market goes absolutely crazy just before the holidays - and that's why you shouldn't list items using Buy it Now. Do you really want to wake up one morning and find that all your stock has been bought up, the current highest bidders on your rivals are bidding double what you just sold them for, and the people who bought your item have relisted it with a starting price higher than what they paid? Of course you don't.

I would recommend that you stop listing anything as fixed price as soon as you get into December, unless you have a lot of accumulated stock that you want to get rid of for low prices.

When an Item is In-demand.

If an item is selling within a few hours each time you list it using Buy it Now, then you really ought to consider using a normal auction format instead. The chances are that the final price you'd get would be much higher than whatever you're charging now.

When You Have the Only Item on the Market.

If you have a hard-to-find item that no-one else is currently selling, then it makes no sense to use Buy it Now. You'll be surprised just how high buyers will go on things that are truly rare, and how upset they'll be if someone snatches it away from them using Buy it Now. It's only fair to give everyone a chance to pay you more and more money, isn't it?

If Your Item Doesn't Sell.

If you keep needing to relist your item because it consistently fails to sell, that might be the time to give up on listing it in the fixed price format. Buy it Now only works for things that people always want - traditional auctions involve them more with things that they wouldn't usually buy. You might end up with a slightly lower price than you wanted in the end, but at least that bad item will be off your hands.

If No-one Ever Buys From You With It.

It's simply not worth having a Buy it Now button on every one of your auctions if nobody ever touches the thing: it's just sitting there, costing you money for each listing. When it comes down to it, Buy it Now is expensive, and you should only use it in auctions where you really think it will help the item to sell.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

"3 Ways to Avoid Using the Wrong Bait" by Craig Garber

Yesterday I promised I'd tell you 3 things you must avoid
doing, if you want your prospects to 'bite' on the bait
you're feeding them, and since I'm a lot of things, but a
liar isn't one of them, here they are:

These are a few of the situations I see most often when
I'm consulting clients - www.KingOfCopy.com/consulting

1. Avoid talking about yourself. Bluntly, your prospects
could care less.

Sure you need to credentialize yourself, but they really
don't need to know about the weird relationship you
had with your mother... your first bi-curious experience...
or that time you got drunk and 'accidentally' spent
the night up in the hills with that 'friendly' little
goat.

Just stick to the what's relevant.

O.K.?

2. Don't focus on what your product or service 'is' --
instead, focus on what it 'does'.

In other words, sell the solution, not the ingredients.

Selling a teeth-whitening system?

Dwell on all the embarrasment your system is going to
allieviate, not all the crap you're going to have to put on
your teeth every night before you go to bed.

3. And lastly, don't hide your flaws -- because we've all
got 'em. Instead, if there's a weakness in your product,
expose it, and justify it.

Your prospects will trust you more for doing so, and that's
nine-tenths of the battle anyway.

And if you haven 't already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week -- it's the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

“Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved.”

"How to Use eBay's "Second Chance Offer" Feature" by Jason James

When someone wins your auction, you might think that's the end of it. In fact, you can offer the item to anyone else who bid in the auction but didn't win.

Why Would I Do That?

There are three reasons you might want to do this:

1. Your top bidder never paid. Unfortunately for sellers, it is all too common for buyers to win an item and then decide they don't want it after all. Making a second chance offer lets you offer the item to a buyer with a better reputation.

2. You have another one. If you have another item just like the one you just sold then you might as well sell it to another bidder - after all, you know they're interested and what they're willing to pay.

3. A buyer emails you directly to ask. If they got 'sniped' at the last second, or just weren't around when the auction ended, then a buyer might email you to ask if you'll sell them one for however many dollars. You might as well make them an offer - it's a free sale.

So How Do You Make a Second Chance Offer?

Well, it's easy really. The easiest place to send a second chance offer from is the My eBay screen - simply go to the Selling page and click 'Make a Second Chance Offer'. eBay should also provide a link for you to make a second chance offer in the email you will receive after the sale of an item is completed, or you report a non-paying buyer.

What Happens Next?

The buyer can choose to either accept or reject your offer. If they decline, that's the end of it, and you pay nothing for making the offer. If they accept, then things work exactly the same way they would if they'd won the auction - you pay a final value fee, they pay you, and you can leave feedback for each other as normal.

Making a second chance offer on all your auctions can be a great way to make extra sales. You will probably find that about 50% of the buyers you make offers to will take them up, and you save the effort of relisting the item and paying another insertion fee.

The only disadvantage is the time that it might take you to send so many second chance offers, but the chances are it will be time well spent. If you find that it doesn't work for your particular kind of items, though, don't keep pushing it - just re-list the item and let people bid again. It might be that the buyers for your items just aren't the negotiating type - or perhaps they hope that the next one will sell for less.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Resources Box:

Claim your FREE 14 Day "Learn How to Sell on eBay" e-Course Here:
http://www.auctionresourcenetwork.com

Jason James is a 10 year Internet marketing veteran and an eBay Power Seller of 4 years. His website "The Auction Resource Network" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and sources that help him pocket over $10,000 per month on eBay. His proven step-by-step system shows even users with little or no business experience how they too can make huge profits selling products at online auctions.

February 01, 2006

"HealthyDoctors Health Program Outline Expanded with More Alternative, Natural and Holistic Health Information! Part 2" by Ralph Zuranski

This is the second part of my in-depth report on how to be healthy. I decided to publish the most valuable health information I have discovered over 40 years of health research. You can take advantage of many more articles at my www.healthydoctors.com website where I honor the greatest alternative medicine doctors I became friends with over 20 years of going to ACAM medical trade shows.

I conducted the initial research and wrote the training manuals for high tech bioelectrical computers that accelerated the healing of the body so dramatically, doctors could not afford to use them becase the patients got better too fast. The doctors I honor on the site were more concerned with healing their patients than making massive amounts of money.

I had the opportunity to travel all over the world to talk to doctors about bioelectrical medicine, the harmful effects of EMF radiation and methods of natural healing I persoanlly found to be very effective.
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"HealthyDoctors Health Program Outline Expanded with More Alternative, Natural and Holistic Health Information! Part 2" by Ralph Zuranski

Day Three: Earth (Land & Minerals).
And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. Genesis 1: 9 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1: 10 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth, and it was so. Genesis 1: 11

Earth: Importance Of Minerals.
Our bodies are composed of and need daily the major, trace & ultra-trace minerals. There are over 86 different minerals that our bodies need in some form or another.

The land is polluted because of toxic waste from chemical and human sources.
The pH of soil is out of balance because of bad farming techniques & chemical fertilizers.   Vegetables, fruits & grains appear normal but lack the balance of necessary minerals. In the Bible it was predicted that the earth would become like iron. In many faming communities this is already a fact.  

Unnatural farming techniques using harsh chemical fertilizers have killed the micro-organisms like earthworms and bugs in the soil that create the correct amount of nitrogen and other things the plant needs.
They allow the minerals to be absorbed by the plant. Over planting and not letting the ground rest every seventh year has depleted most of the valuable nutrients. 

Earth: Food Provides Building Blocks
Too much highly processed food consumed on a daily basis is damaging to our cells. High cooking heat make fats & oils rancid. They contain dangerous free radicals that damage and destroy your cells.

Earth: Eating Is A Fine Art
Dark leafy vegetables containing chlorophyll are essential for correct digestion. Poor food combinations adversely affect digestion, absorption & elimination. Mixing proteins hinders digestion. Proper food comining is a definite strategy that optimizes your health.

Eating unclean animals defined in the bible has a negative impact on health. 
The bible warns us about eating blood or the meat of animals that are not kosher.
Eating specific foods at specific times during the day really improves your health.

Protein digests between 12 noon and 2 PM.
Certain environments & activities while eating improve the body’s digestion. Soft music like Mozart is beneficial. Beautiful scenery also aids digestion. God has given us everything we need to have abundant health here on earth.

Earth: Aromas Are Key To Eating Enjoyment & Good Digestion
The aroma of food contributes greatly to the pleasure of eating & digestion effectiveness. When you see and smell food, you anticipate eating and actually start salivating.

Chewing is what sets up our bio-computer in our brain to take the food that we are eating and activate the different stages of digestion.
There are specific phases where certain digestive enzymes and pHs are required throughout the entire digestive system. Studies were done showing that people that had a feeding tube in their stomach due to having an illness were dying at an unprecedented rate.  They received a mixture of high nutrient food that should have caused the patients to be healthy.

Unfortunately, they continued to get sicker and sicker.
The study went on for 6 years. Finally, a researcher discovered that it was extremely important that the person manually chew some of the mixture in their mouth while it was being pumped into their stomachs. Digestion first begins in the mind and in the mouth when the food mixes with the saliva. It activates the whole digestive process.

How many people have you come in contact with that have a particular body odor that offends?
Have you ever wondered why you smell the way that you do? I’m sure you’ve noticed after you eat a certain type of diet that all of a sudden your body odor completely changes.

The foods we eat have a major impact on our own personal aroma.
What we eat determines what we smell like. This odor either attracts or repels others.

It’s not so much what we eat but what we absorb, that is the crucial factor.
It has a lot to do with what you put into your system. Aromas have a major impact on our emotions and reactions to our environment.

Nutritious Water, Air & Food Nutrients Are Necessary For Life
Oxygen is the most important nutrient for health and vitality. Pure water is critical for life.
Minerals, essential fats, protein, fruits and vegetables are the building blocks of all cells.

Your Health Is Affected By Your Ability To Process Food
Proper digestion of food is crucial to good health and high vitality. The nutrients you absorb determine your how you look and feel. The ability to eliminate toxins and food by-products is very important.

US Senate Document #264 (1936)
The importance of minerals in food is so new that the textbooks on nutritional dietetics contain very little about it. Nevertheless, it is something that concerns all of us, and the further we delve into it the more startling it becomes. We know that vitamins are complex chemical substances, which are indispensable to nutrition, and that each of them is of importance for the normal function of some special structure in the body. It is not commonly realized vitamins control the body’s appropriation of minerals, and in the absence of minerals they have no function to perform.

99% of the American people are deficient in minerals. A marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results in disease. Our physical well-being is more directly dependent on minerals we take into our systems than on calories, vitamins, or the precise proportions of starch, protein or carbohydrates we consume.
 
This discovery is one of the latest and most important contributions of science to the problem of human health. Most of us today are suffering from certain dangerous deficiencies.
These deficiencies cannot be remedied until the depleted soils from which our foods come are brought into proper mineral balance.

The alarming fact is that the foods—fruits, vegetables and grain, now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contains enough of certain needed minerals, are starving us—no matter how much of them we eat!

Heavy Metals, Insecticides and Pesticides Poison Our Bodies
The fillings in many teeth may be poisoning all your cells. Most fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with chemicals. Poisons and chemicals in water, soil and air are killing us slowly.

Day Four: Light (Sun & Moon)
And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. Genesis 1: 14  And God made two great lights; the greater to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night… Genesis 1: 16-18

Light: Sun Critical For Good Health
Sunlight is extremely important to health. Most people have the mistaken belief that the sun causes skin cancer. People minimize exposure with multiple layers of clothing and sunscreens. Sunglasses prevent beneficial energies from improving our daily functioning & well-being. Sunlight is most valuable during the early morning and later afternoon.

Light: Sun Critical For Good Health
Sunlight necessary for Vitamin D formation. Vitamin D assists in utilization of calcium.  Sunlight carries trace minerals from the sea. Morning sunlight energizes the brain & central nervous system (7 colors of rainbow). The morning sun also stimulates pituitary gland. Evening sunlight calms and relaxes the body & prepares brain for sleep.

Light: Moon Reflects Sunlight
The moon lights the darkness of night and produces a calming effect. The moon controls the tides. The emotions seem to be related to the gravitational effect of the moon. Women’s monthly period closely follows the moon’s cycle.

Earth: Colors Impact Your Life 
Colors affect your emotions and attitude. People’s first impressions depend on the colors and combinations you wear. Colors have a powerful ability to activate healing processes & help maintain health. Changing colors often provides a variety and spice to life.

Day Five: Physical Life (Air & Sea)
And God said; Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Genesis 1: 20  And God created great whales and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw it was good. Genesis 1: 21

Sounds Have Physiological Effects
Birds are God’s living instruments that delight and inspire. Sound is a crucial part of communication between most land, air and sea creatures. Water sounds that come from running brooks and streams and ocean and sea waves soothe and calm. Weather sounds like wind, rain and thunder can alter our moods.

Day Six: Physical Life On The Earth
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and God saw it was good Genesis 1: 25 And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. Genesis 1: 26 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing… Genesis 1: 27-28

When You Fight Or Run Your Body Changes Dramatically
Blood pressure increases. Blood surges to the brain, heart, lungs, legs and arms. Hands and feet became cold and clammy as the blood flooded the large muscles used for running and fighting.

Constant Stimulation Of The “Fight/Flight Response” Is Bad.
Family problems are never ending. Job pressures stay with us 24 hr a day. Incessant noise and environmental pollution stress our minds and bodies. Fighting others or running away is not often an acceptable option. Political correctness is damaging.

Constant Stress Is Dangerous and May Kill You Prematurely.
Scientists now realize constant stress causes your body to produce too much adrenaline and cortisol. These powerful hormones cannot constantly be produced 24 hours a day. Over production of cortisol causes the adrenals to increase in size. A steady flood of adrenaline and cortisol causes potentially dangerous and life-threatening problems.

Stress Without Relief Creates Hormonal System Breakdown.
The adrenals become exhausted. Cortisol levels are depleted. The body goes into forced recuperation. Sex hormones such as testosterone and progesterone are converted directly into adrenaline and cortisol.

The List Of Symptoms Of Adrenal Malfunctioning Is Scary.
Severe Depression
Fibromyalgia
Heart arrhythmia
Increased urine flow
Profuse sweating
Night sweats
Muscle spasms
Migraine headaches
Memory lapses
Stiff neck and shoulders
Asthma
Irritable bowel
Herpes outbreak
Psoriasis
Eczema
Lower back pain and syndrome
Sciatica
Erectile dysfunction
Amenorrhea (No menstrual cycle)
Hot flashes
Hypertension
Skin blotching, rashes and acne

Serious Disease Symptoms Are Related To Adrenal Abuse.
The immune system stops working. The reproductive system shuts down as the desire for sex disappears. Growth and cellular repair functions cease to operate correctly. Recovery time from illness is slowed. The digestive system freezes up.  The large intestine becomes paralyzed.
The anal sphincter locks closed so wastes are trapped in the colon. The body’s ability to control inflammation decreases.

Serious Disease Symptoms Are Related To Adrenal Exhaustion
Allergic reactions result in the swelling of the intestines. Celiac Disease and Malabsorption Syndrome become possible. Parasites viruses, bacteria, yeast and other harmful microorganisms flourish. Increase calcium mobilization causing osteoporosis or loss of bone density.

The First Stage of Adrenal Failure Is “Adrenal Adaptation.”
Menstrual problems
Sleep disturbances
Diarrhea
Decrease in sexual arousal
Digestive problems
Inability to calm down
Increased serum cholesterol
Severe weight gain or loss
Prostatitis

The Second Stage of Adrenal Failure Is “Adrenal Maladaption.”
Male or female hair loss
Bone density decrease
More frequent urination
Lower back pain
Sciatica
Chronic fatigue
Loss of libido
Impotence
Bloating and fluid retention
Constipation

The Third Stage of Adrenal Failure Is “Adrenal Exhaustion.”
Fibromyalgia
Chronic non-specific pain
Heart arrhythmia
Severe constipation
Panic attacks or severe anxiety
Bile reflux and digestive problems
Depression and mental frustrations
Memory loss and inability to think
Hypersensitivity to smells, lights and sounds
Difficulty breathing
Inflammation and joint pain

Day Six: Physical Life On The Earth
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1: 29

Food You Are Eating Is Killing You or Making You Healthy.
When you eat the same foods every day, they become toxic. Toxic foods will poison and inflame your intestines. Allergic foods destroy your health and are a major cause of stress.
 
Food Toxicity Is The Result of Eating the Same Foods Every Day and Improper Food Combinations.
Proper combinations & eating good quality food causes many of these toxic food symptoms to disappear.

A Healthy Colon Is Critical For Optimal Health.
Antibiotics are devastating to the healthy bacteria in your colon. Antibiotics kill all the friendly and dangerous bacteria in the body. When the bacteria die in the colon, the yeast has an open field. The Candida yeast displaces the bacteria and turn into a fungus form.

Leaky Gut Syndrome Is Very Traumatic To All Cells
Nutrients are not absorbed correctly leading to fatigue and bloating. Large food particles are absorbed causing food sensitivities that cause lung and joint inflammation. Proteins are damaged that carry minerals throughout the body causing deficiencies.

Leaky Gut Syndrome Is Very Traumatic To All Cells
Gut’s detoxification ability suffers leading to more sensitivities and a potential overload on the liver. Immune system is compromised so microorganisms flourish. Yeast and bacteria escape into the blood stream causing severe infections.  Arthritis, lupus, MS etc. begin to appear.

Common Causes of the Leaky Gut Syndrome Are Addictive
Foods high is sugar feed the yeast. Caffeine from soft drinks and coffee can poison the cells.
Food additives and chemicals have an adverse affect on the cells. Intolerance to wheat, dairy and eggs can devastate the intestines.

Constipation Found In Sigmoid & Descending Colon Is A Problem.
Colon cancer kills more people than breast or prostate cancer.  About 60,000 Americans die from colon-rectal cancer each year. America has the highest incidence of colon cancer in the world.

Constipation Is The Result Of Poor Diets And No Roughage
Average Americans store between 6-10 pounds of fecal waste. One cubic inch of Grade A beef has over 1,000-parasite larva. Fish are the worst with parasites as big as earthworms.

2-3 Regular Bowel Movements A Day Keep Parasites Away
If you are irregular and go only a few times a week, parasites hatch. They hook onto your colon wall and eat backed up fecal waste. Some even start eating the tissue of the colon wall.

Colon Diseases and Problems Have Increased Dramatically
Diverticulosis, herniated bowel pockets caused by constipation, has increased, is dangerous. After age 40, most people have some form of bowel disease. Up to 50% have polyps.

What Determines If Your Bowel Movements Are Healthy
Healthy people have bowel movements 20-30 minutes after each meal. Elimination time is 1 minute or less. No squeezing, straining, grunting, screaming, meditation or prayer required.
There are 2-4 movements daily with a soft unformed peanut butter texture.

Natural Ways To Get Your Colon Working Correctly
Exercising regularly excites the muscular contractions in your colon. Reduce stress and eliminate negative emotions like fear, anger and hate. Every four months complete an intensive colon-cleansing program to get rid of parasites and fecal material stuck on the colon wall. 

Natural Ways To Get Your Colon Working Correctly
Drink more pure water, herb teas, diluted fruit and vegetable juices. Eat more fiber that is found in non-animal food sources. Eat natural foods like apples, prunes, bananas, figs and dates.

Average Americans Are Very Constipated For Life
The average for Americans is 2-3 bowel movements a week. This is about 70,000 short during a lifetime of bowel problems. Coffee drinkers suffer greater constipation when they stop coffee.

Parasites, Worms, Yeast, Fungi & Bacteria Are Eating Us Alive
Flukes and worms from numerous protein sources infest our intestines. Bacteria and viruses are eating holes in our arteries.90% of all strokes and heart attacks are caused by Epstein Barr, Clamydia Pneumonia and Cytomeglia Virus eating microscopic holes in our arteries. Yeast and fungus are consuming our vital nutrients.
 
This is a documented fact that is just beginning to come out.
Let us say there is a microscopic, pinprick hole in your artery. What does the body think has happened?
 
Your body thinks it has to plug up the hole regardless of how tiny and sends a blood clot to plug the hole.
Once there the clot sees the hole is too tiny to be life threatening it causes havoc by going somewhere else in the body. There are lab tests you can do to check on the amount of inflammation and infection in your body. If you have high cholesterol that is not as big of a risk factor as the infections.

Day Six: Physical Life On The Earth
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. Genesis 1: 30

Earth: Clothing Is Very Important
Cooling and warming the body is crucial. Synthetic can have an adverse effect on our biochemistry. Natural fibers are very strengthening. Combinations of natural materials and synthetic fibers have a surprising impact. They are very weakening when tested through muscle testing. Mixing animal & plant fibers is not beneficial. Loose comfortable clothing is more beneficial than tight form fitting clothes.

Day Seven: Rest From Labors
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And, on the seventh day God ended his work, which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. And, God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2: 1-3
 
Suggestions for health!

Our lives are so filled with activities that there is no time for people to rest.
A prolonged imbalance in any area of life will eventually manifest itself in a form of pain and or dysfunction in the physical body. Unless good food choices and correct eating combinations are added to your life, abnormal cellular biochemistry results.

We become either too acidic or too alkaline. Keeping tract of your pH is an important part of the healing process and attaining a high level of health. Everything in your body is affected if your pH is off by even a small amount.

When you wake up in the morning, 3-5  minutes of deep breathing exercises is invaluable.
This is so important because more oxygen goes to your brain. The brain works better when it has as much oxygen as possible.

Drink 4 oz. of water with a ½ of a fresh squeezed lemon.
The lemon helps cleanse and make the system. Even though a lemon seems acidic, since it has citric acid, your body burns it up it becomes an alkaline ash and gives you the minerals you need to help deal with acids naturally created by the body.
 
Walking is a great exercise. 
Go  for a short walk. This exercises the lymphatic system. When we move our muscles this activity squeezes the lymph system. It helps the body remove toxins out of the body. 

A good idea is to have a high protein snack between breakfast and lunch.
This helps the body maintain proper glucose levels in the body. When it keeps your blood glucose level up, you don’t have to use up all your cortisol to keep the blood sugar at a correct level. A mid-morning snack also helps to insure that you probably won’t overeat at lunch.

If you have a meal where you mix acid and alkaline foods together, problems occur?
The acid and alkaline foods neutralize each other.  You don’t get any digestion at all. People that eat smaller meals and more often, like 6-8 meals a day, are healthier than if they eat 3 large meals.

Try to eat supper 3 hrs. before retiring.
It’s not a good idea to go to bed with a full stomach because the body has to work harder to digest the food and heal like it’s supposed to do.

Do deep breathing exercises again before retiring.
The body needs oxygen also to repair and heal itself.

"How would you feel if you got your ass kicked by a frog?" by Craig Garber

Because that's what happened to the new Coldplay CD that
just came out over in the UK this week -- it was
immediately handed its first setback -- by a frog.

Seems that neither 2 years of pent-up demand from fans nor
several million dollars worth of promotion by Parlophone
records (in the UK) or Capitol EMI (here in the U.S.) could
save X & Y (the new Coldplay CD) from being knocked off
the top of the charts... by a mobile phone ringtone.

According to mobiletracker.net, 'A ringtone made its way to
the top of the British singles chart this Sunday, topping
Brit-rock group Coldplay. Ringtone Crazy Frog Axel F
outsold Coldplay's Speed of Sound 4-1, making for a
disapointing opening weekend for the popular band.

Crazy Frog Axel F is based off the revving sound of a
Swedish mo-ped. It marks the first time a ringtone made it
to the singles chart for conventional music sales.
Interestingly enough, most of the ringtone's sales have
come from a CD, not from digital download.'

'This song is incredibly irritating and puerile and we're
still trying to understand why people like it,' said
Gennaro Castaldo, a spokesman for (British retailer) HMV.

This just goes to show you, you must sell to 'wants' and
not to 'expected wants' or 'needs' if you want to come out
ahead.

And remember this: You can't 'create' demand. It's already
out there, all around you -- and believe me, there's
plenty of it.

All you can do is tap into it, and then use your sales copy
to 'build' this already existing demand, into a hot sweaty
frenzy.

So hop to it.

That'll wrap it up for the weekend, so have a good one.

And if you haven 't already done so, go ahead and click here right now to sign up for my FREE Tip Of The Week -- it's the Number One Direct-Response Marketing And Copywriting Newsletter for independent business-owners.

“Craig Garber is America's Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You'll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.KingOfCopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved.”