GUJRAT INDIA

Wealth Creation – Strategies of the World’s Richest People

The different mental attitudes regarding wealth creation strategies can be summarized as follows:

Whiners – This group consists of people whose attitude is to complain always. They take pleasure in their financial instability and relish the idea of having someone to listen to their grievances.

Nose-to-the-Grindstone people – Those who put forth a lot of energy to earn a decent living, toil even when beset by hardships in order to establish a secure life for themselves and their families Although many think that this is the best attitude, going through the drudgery all your life just to be a little bit comfortable is not sufficient. What do you think?

Winners – This group is comprised of the achievers and smart workers-they use money to their advantage, not slave for the money. These people also want an easy life and will go to great lengths to attain it. There is no retirement security to speak of today. The recent global money failure has sown chaos on IRAs, 401Ks and investment accounts. However it is not too late to start adopting the wealth accumulating plans of the rich. Actually, it is the best time for the “little guy” to finally turn the tables and start establishing real prosperity.

There are countless prospects in today’s economy and, with a positive outlook you can easily join that third group of winners! Begin with reading the “Crash Proof Prosperity” Newsletter. Its wealth creation program teaches exactly where to put money to make it grow like never before, even during this global financial breakdown.

Guidelines for Creating a Financial Plan

Designing a financial plan for you and your family is essential for upgrading your financial situation. Follow these guidelines when creating a sensible budget that will help you reach your financial objectives.

1. Find out how you are currently spending your money. Remember to monitor your expenses for a few weeks to a month. Organize your expenses and determine those that you can reduce. Be positive in the process. You will find out that you can lower most of your expenses and still maintain your lifestyle.

2. Beware of the ATM leaks. Limit your bank withdrawals to once a week. Remember to write down for which you spent the money all the time. The quick cash and high service fees, when summed up, can be a substantial amount that can balloon your budget.

3. Decide what truly is necessary and what might be simply a luxury. This could be difficult. You have to list down your priorities and decide which makes more sense to you: the full cable TV package or an extra $100 invested into a small business venture.

4. Don’t beat yourself up at all during this process. This is very important. Do not be too hard on yourself but learn from your mistake(s). You now have a budget to guide you. All you need is to stick to that budget and gain control of your finances.

5. Practice gratitude. Always give thanks for everything you have. This gives you a feeling of being truly wealthy. Release your feelings of lack and replace those with the feeling of plenty. Gratitude is the starting point to experience abundance.

How to Schedule Your Time When You’re Writing A Book

Writing a book, even a small one, takes time. The first two questions are how much time do you have? And how are you going to allocate it? This is the point where you may feel more than a little overwhelmed by the task ahead. Take a few deep breaths — inhale, exhale … inhale, exhale. No kidding. Do it. Inhale, exhale. OK, now sit down, and make a list of everything you have to write, starting with the title and ending with the author’s bio on the back cover.

Your Writing Plan

For the front and back covers, you will need your title and subtitle, a brief descriptive paragraph about the book, your bio, and a couple of powerful endorsements, which you won’t have until the book is written. Skip the copyright page for now. The publisher, whoever that might be, will supply it later. You will write the preface… introduction… acknowledgments .. index… bibliography… and appendices after you finish the heart of the book. The table of contents are already done (if you wrote a book proposal). The chapters, of course, are going to take the most time and concentration.

Next, write down these dates:

– Today’s date

– Deadline for each chapter

– Deadline for each section of “front matter” (preface, introduction acknowledgments)

– Deadline for each section of “back matter” (index, bibliography, appendices)

– Deadline for first draft

– Deadline for revisions & second draft

– Deadline for final draft

– Deadline for edited copy

– Deadline for revisions & third draft

– Deadline for copy edited copy

– Deadline for revisions & final draft

– Drop-dead deadline for copy-edited, proofread, ready-to-go-to-the-publisher-or-printer manuscript

Setting deadlines

The deadlines may be those you set for yourself or those set for you by a publisher. In either case, they are sacrosanct. The time between today’s date and when you plan to have your first draft complete is all the time you have. Everything on the list, from front cover to index, if you choose to write them, must fit in that time frame. You already know that the chapters are the heart of the book, but the preface and introduction are every bit as important. Remember, the former is personal, and the latter is informative. Be sure to give them the proper tone.

Working backwards

Starting from the deadline for the first draft, work backwards to determine exactly how much time you have, what has to be done, and how long each segment will take. Set mini-deadlines for yourself for each segment, and block them out on a large calendar. Be realistic. If it can’t be done in the time allotted, something has to be changed, and it may be your deadline. If you are self-publishing, you can move your own deadlines; if you are working with a conventional publisher, deadlines can be negotiated. When they are impossible, you have a right to say so … before you sign the contract.

Facing facts

Setting deadlines isn’t easy, but it is essential if you’re serious about writing a book. You must know how long the process will take and whether what you have to do can be done in the time you have. If it can’t be done, face reality. Trying to do the impossible is a recipe for frustration and failure. If, on the other hand, you can do it with good planning and self-discipline, you will feel a sense of relief. The facts are clear; you have faced them head on; and you know you are up to the challenge. The rest is up to you.

Are You As Young As You Feel?

Recently a top sportswoman was quoted as saying that she felt the same in her fifties as she did in her thirties; I’m guessing many people would echo her sentiments. And as the baby boomer generation hit their fifties, and 34% of the population are now aged fifty or more, we’re all anticipating living longer, fitter, fulfilling lives. For many of us the way we experience ageing and middle age has become a more fluid and relaxed affair. Getting older appears to have fewer defined parameters and stereotypes associated with ageing.

How many of us now look in the mirror and see an elderly person looking back at us? With the ready availability of hair colouring, access to improved diet and health care, and the choice of many non-invasive surgical treatments we’re able to chase the years away with relative ease. Remaining interested and keeping in touch with what’s happening in the world keeps us young in outlook, connected and it’s never been easier.

Fashion, too, is more inclusive as fashion houses appreciate that older people are a lucrative market to target. Leisure activities and sportswear geared to people with a surfeit of leisure time and disposable income is a valuable source of custom. Many older people are inclined to take up sport, golf, are keen to travel more and enjoy a full social life. There’s demand for an attractive wardrobe to support that lifestyle.

An increasingly large percentage of the population are self-employed, which allows for greater freedom in planning their diaries, with the option to adapt and change how they apply their commitment to work. It means that retirement does not have to occur at a pre-determined age or time in life; winding down can be incorporated as and when required.

Then, there are those people who have perhaps waited until their fifties for their children to leave home or to start the process of ending an unhappy relationship. This decision will prompt significant financial and domestic upheaval, but often provides an eagerly anticipated new start to life.

For some, financial pressure may have eased as they’ve become older, with the mortgage paid off, the children’s education finished and perhaps a pension starting to pay out. Others may still need or want to work; earning money might be an important consideration, plus the routine and social side of work brings structure and social interaction into their life.

Feeling younger than our years is about both mental and physical activity and stimulus. The University of the Third Age is one organisation that provides interesting courses and events for older people, but many training courses which support hobbies, arts and crafts as well as retraining for professional qualifications are all available to people of a certain age. They provide routine, purpose, challenge, as well as opportunities for social interaction and friendship. Mental and physical exercise, from walking, yoga, sport to quizzes and stimulating conversation are all crucial in helping to keep us young.

As we get older some people may have started to experience physical or health-related limitations, but this does not need to necessitate closing the door on a satisfying and fulfilling life. Different levels of support in the home can be tailored to suit each individual’s needs, from meal delivery, cleaning services, through to companionship and overnight care. Access to online can bring so much, including family, friendship, shopping, work, training courses and entertainment readily into the home, as and when required.

Down-sizing is an attractive option for many once their children have left home and are committed to living their lives independently. Doing this may well release some capital and bring less responsibility in terms of maintenance and overheads. Reducing financial stress is an important way to keep us young, healthy and engaged in living an active life.

Some people may use later life to revisit an interest from their earlier years that they chose to abandon or were unable to follow through. Or later in life may be a good time to set up a new business interest, a consultancy maybe where there’s the freedom to pursue a new, satisfying route to success.

For others, they’ve drawn up a bucket list of things they want to do, places they want to visit whilst they’re still fit and able to enjoy them. Many tour operators have adventure trips or long-stay options for those who have the time, money and inclination to take up these opportunities and it’s a lovely way to fill the colder months with activity, warmth and a comfortable lifestyle.

The saying ‘health is wealth’ is especially true as we get older, with many people being fitter, having more disposable income, ready and able to enjoy the freedom that comes with less responsibility. Caring for grandchildren may be one way to enjoy some days, but many in their later years also have busy diaries, filled with plans, clubs and social events. Keeping active and interested, being open and receptive to new opportunities in life is a major antidote to ageing.

Why Is Applying For The Self-Employment Tax Deduction Worth It?

If you are running your own business or are planning to, you should know all you can about the self-employment tax deduction, which can save you a lot of money if you do. A lot of these advantages in the tax reduction are available only if you are self-employed and not if you are employed by anyone. All you have to do is your own personal Social Security number as your company’s tax identification number and then make sure you file under a Schedule C or Schedule C-EZ and you are all set to start benefiting from the deduction.

There is however a difference between Schedule C and Schedule C-EZ and the benefits they can provide you with in terms of taking advantage of the self-employment tax deduction. The EZ form should only be used by those who have a smaller amount of expenses and end the year with a substantial profit. A few other things in terms of taking advantage of the reduction using the EZ form, is that you should be a business without any employees, one that has no reason to claim a home office deduction and are not going to report any depreciation. If you qualify with these you should use the EZ form, otherwise you should use just the Schedule C in order to get the best you can out of the tax reduction. Basically with a Schedule C you can report a loss, otherwise you cannot.

Let’s look at what you can claim using the self-employment tax deduction. First you claim equipment expenditure under what is called Section 179. Under this section you claim any equipment purchased that year. There can be a limit to the amount that tends to change a lot, so please look at the Internal Revenue Service’s publication number 946 to help you in finding out the exact limit.

You can also claim travel under the tax reduction. This includes mileage and percentages of any meals and entertainment that are purchased. As long as you keep good records and your receipts you would do well claiming this. You must also remember to keep this within the limits of business related expenses.

You may also include health insurance, social security taxes and self-managed retirement benefits in your self-employment tax deduction. This means that you can include any premiums for yourself or family members as well as a certain amount of the payment you make on social security tax in any claims you may make in qualifying for the deduction. The only problem is that you the social security claim is only on the Form 1040 and not the Schedule C. As far as the self-managed retirement benefits as long as you open a Keogh or a Simplified Employee Pension and subtract any contribution you may make to these plans. This also can only be done on the Form 1040. But it is well worth the savings you can claim on a deduction.

One last thing you can claim under the self-employment tax deduction is in regards to a home office. Whether you use the office for storage of files and book keeping or if you don’t spend very much time there, you can still claim this as part of your self-employment tax reduction.

As you can see when it comes to claiming and receiving the benefits of being self-employed it is well worth it. As long as you keep careful and exact records you can take full advantage of the reduction.

Reinventing Yourself After Sixty

Sixty years of age is a key milestone for the baby boomer generation. Some say sixty is the new forty with all the advancements in medicine and health consciousness. The fact is, people today are living longer and enjoying a higher standard of living and better health than did their parents and grandparents. According to the 2010 statistics published in The State of Aging and Health in America by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average life expectancy for American citizens has increased to 78.5 years old.

Since people are living longer, the years from age 60-80 have become a very important period in the lives of senior citizens. These are the retirement years. This demographic has fewer career and family responsibilities than other age groups, plus more money and powerful spending potential from investments, and large equities in their homes. They know what activities are fulfilling and have the spare time to learn and do new things. Rather than stay home and watch soap operas, many seniors are now starting new financial enterprises and activities such as stock trading, golf, travel, running a new home based business, volunteering, working in their church, participating in community groups and committees, sports, or joining new social circles such as dance groups, card clubs, fraternal organizations, and country clubs. For those who want to reinvent their life, all of these activities and interests are proving that this period of life can be very fruitful, productive, and fulfilling.

Retirement is different for every individual according to their personal situation and when they plan to retire. For many, a lot depends on their social security income and when they elect to receive benefits. The monthly benefit amount varies according to when a person retires. For seniors born during 1943 – 1954, the full retirement age is 66. Some will choose to retire as early as age 62, providing they meet the 40 minimum earned credit requirement, and their benefit amount will be reduced depending on how many months they receive benefits before they reach full retirement age.

Conversely, there are those who plan to delay retirement and work up to age 70, or longer, in order to draw an increased monthly benefit. Those working past age 66 and born during 1941 – 1942, will receive a 7.5% increase, while those born in 1943, or later, will receive an 8% increase up to age 70.

For many seniors, plans for an early retirement went down the drain along with the equities in their homes when the economy slipped into recession and many people lost their retirement nest eggs. Those not forced to extend their career will no doubt retire, however, those who must work until age 70, or longer, will be forced to reinvent themselves, like it or not. Here are some basic guidelines to help those who will have to experience the ordeal of change during their peak retirement years.

Before you can reinvent yourself, however, you need to take an inventory to see where you are now and determine where you want or need to be. This self-evaluation should include as many aspects of your body, mind, and spirit as you can identify. You need to examine your present belief system and determine your values, your ethics, your morals, and your attitude. One of the primary things you need to evaluate is your ability to change and how you handle stress and new circumstances. You will find that there are some things you can change while there are others that you cannot. It is not true that an old dog cannot be taught new tricks. Just because you are sixty or older doesn’t mean you are set in your ways and cannot adapt.

Remember, nothing changes if you change nothing, or cannot change, so for those who are motivated to alter their present lifestyle and situation; here are some suggestions to help you plan your own metamorphosis and get the ball rolling. Change begins with taking the first step and with baby steps thereafter. Change need not be so dramatic and stressful, or traumatic, but rather it can be a very pleasant experience composed of curiosity, discovery, experimentation, and acceptance; resulting in increased self-esteem, pride, and a new feeling of self-worth and renewal.

Reinvent Yourself Socially –

Get involved with others. Meet new friends. Join clubs, committees, and online dating services to maintain communication and interaction with people with common interests.

Do more things together with your spouse… take dance lessons, attend a pottery class, play bridge, go swimming, join a health club or country club, golf, browse thrift shops and book stores, watch videos, etc.

Do more things with your children or grandchildren… attend their functions, help with homework, teach them a craft, go to the zoo or a ball game, bake cookies, tell stories, or go shopping together.

Volunteer at your church or fraternal organization. Organizations always need organizers and workers and directors. Attend regular city council or town hall meetings and get involved in your community. You can also become a companion to shut-in seniors in nursing homes or visit patients in the hospital. Local government always needs volunteers for voter registration, jury duty, planning committees, advisory boards, and similar positions.

Get a cell phone. It doesn’t have to cost much. You can use a pre-paid minute phone and learn to text message on it. Texting will keep your fingers nimble and your mind sharp. Just don’t text message while you drive.

Get a laptop computer and get on the Internet. Join one, or several, social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, or any forum that interests you. Surfing the web is a great way to improve your social skills and to stay informed and connected with current events.

Host more dinner parties, barbeques, or get-togethers with friends, neighbors, family, suppliers, customers, and coworkers.

Join a network marketing business and attend meetings and recruit new members.

Reinvent Yourself Mentally –

Take personality tests in books and online to find your personality type, temperament and preferences

Join luminosity.com and participate in their program daily.

Play mentally challenging games such as chess, bridge, poker, Sudoku, Mahjong solitaire, and cross-word puzzles.

Attend lectures and take personal development classes at a community college or monitor any classes on subjects you are interested in. For example, if you are an art lover, consider taking a primer on Art History. If you have artistic skills, consider taking a drawing or painting class. Learn a new language for an upcoming vacation trip, or just for the sake of challenging your ability to speak a new tongue. Many people devote much of their lives to raising children, building careers, or both, and never took the time to learn new things, so now is a good time to learn something new.

Read more and watch less television. Write your autobiography or articles on various subjects that pique your interest. Learn to speed read. Try to read at least one book a week. If you don’t have the spare time, then subscribe to an audio book club and listen to at least four books per month to stay informed.

Start a new hobby or expand an existing one. Collect rocks, stamps, coins, or go bird watching; whatever brings you joy and satisfaction. Make a little hobby area where you can make candles, do pottery, grow plants or bonsai trees. Learn to paint landscapes or portraits. Learn to knit or crochet or perhaps you want to finally restore that old car out in the garage.

Reinvent Yourself Physically –

If you want to reinvent yourself quickly and effectively, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, eat less red meat, eat more vegetables, stop eating fast foods, take vitamins, and exercise more. It’s the same advice your doctor and mother probably gave you in high school and just think if you’d followed it back then, where would you be now? I know you didn’t want to hear this again, but it was true then and its true now.

Join an athletic club if you’re looking for moderate activity with some social aspect, or join a walking group, or start one with your neighbors. Keeping fit and active is vital to make the most of the years after 60. Play tennis, racquet ball, or ping-pong with friends, or join a team sports league for bowling, volleyball, soft ball, or some similar sport designed for senior adults. The exercise will keep your energy up and the interaction with other participants will enhance your social life.

If you are on a tight budget, get more aerobic exercise any way you can. Walk, swim, ride a bicycle, or climb a hill at least three to four times per week. Increase your heart rate up to training levels lasting for twenty minute durations. Do something to work up a sweat. If you are overweight, then try to exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of twenty minutes each time to increase your metabolism and burn more calories. Cardio exercise is recommended, but check with your doctor first. Compute your body mass index (BMI) and follow guidelines for your ideal height-weight ratio. If you cannot be active, then try yoga or tai chi or chi gong exercises which will strengthen and stretch your muscles, improve your breathing, balance, and coordination.

Pay more attention to your diet and eat less. Stay within the recommended calories per day for your body and try to maintain your proper weight in proportion to your height. Your diet should contain fewer simple carbohydrates and more vegetables and fruits. Avoid fast food, sugar, salt, candy and try to eat more green salads. Try juicing and eating more dinners with less red meat. Fasting one day a week is also highly recommended.

Take food supplements and vitamins. Visit your health food store and start reading more information about your health. You should take a multi-vitamin supplement daily at the very least, but you can also custom design whole cocktails of supplements to accentuate and support desired conditions and specific areas such as memory function, eye sight, digestion, diabetes, stress, sleep, heart, liver, and colon cleanse.

Determine your body and blood type and follow the recommendations for your category. Check your blood pressure and pulse daily

See a medical professional for exams; at least twice a year, and have a complete blood work performed at least once a year. A complete annual physical exam should include monitoring blood pressure, temperature, blood oxygen, peripheral circulation, weight, listening to your heart, examining your body for lumps, moles, lesions, abrasions, bruises, and examining your mouth, ears, nose, throat, feet, and genitalia. Women should receive a pap smear and men should have their prostate gland examined and a hernia exam.

See your dentist at least twice a year, or if you have dentures, schedule an annual exam to ensure your dentures fit properly and your mouth is not changing which could result in discomfort or sores later on.

Develop an active lifestyle… which may include boating, hunting, fishing, skiing, jogging, bicycling, and similar activities if you are able.

Get adequate rest; at least seven hours of sleep is recommended with a twenty minute long nap after lunch. As people age, they tend to need less sleep, but don’t become a night owl and stay up late. If you snore, ask your doctor about the potential for sleep apnea and follow his advice. If you find yourself sleeping a lot, especially during the day, or experience fatigue with wide spread flu-like pain, then ask your doctor about anemia and fibromyalgia. Don’t sleep your life away.

Reinvent Yourself Spiritually –

Attend your church, temple, or religious group regularly. Spiritual growth enriches life and gives hope and support for difficulties that arise as you age. You may wish to join yoga or a tai chi group in your community or attend Bible studies or even make a pilgrimage to some city or country that you have wanted to visit all your life.

Volunteer at public organizations, religious functions, food banks, free clinics, blood donation centers, parks and recreation departments, and local animal shelters so you can give back to your community by donating your time. Volunteer for an organization or cause that you truly care about. If you have loved animals all your life, then volunteer to walk dogs, socialize cats or organize fundraising events for your local shelter. If you have previously supported development projects in other parts of the world, contact the organization and ask if you are able to volunteer your time in your community as well. No matter what you do, reinventing your life after 60 should be about making your life the one you want to live. You only go around once, so make it count, and do it your way.

Reinvent Yourself Emotionally –

Change your diet so that you consume less alcohol, less fat, and eat more foods that support serotonin and dopamine production in the brain.

Fight bouts of depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) with SAMe and herbal supplements and exercise.

Find someone or a pet to love. Love is the best medicine for almost any problem and you can never get or give too much of it.

Laugh daily. Surround yourself with positive people who cause you to laugh and maintain a positive attitude despite difficult situations. Watch comedies more often and find funny and interesting videos on YouTube.com and similar web sites. Read funny stories, jokes, and watch uplifting and inspiring television programs.

Don’t live alone. If you can’t live with family or friends, find a roommate so that you always have someone who can look in on you and keep you engaged. Loneliness breeds fear, solitude, depression, and withdrawal.

Join a senior center for regular companionship and scheduled activities such as potluck dinners, bingo, card games, and music entertainment.

Visit family members often and call them all on a regular basis just to stay in touch. Remember birthdays with a card or gift and try to attend all holiday dinners and traditional get-togethers.

Nothing improves your self-esteem better than changing your wardrobe. If you have always wore blue jeans, then buy some nice slacks. If your old shoes have seen better days, then buy a nice new pair of shoes. Try wearing a suit around once a week; that will perk you up. When you look good, you feel good.

Reinvent Yourself Financially –

These are hard times. If the economy has robbed you of your nest egg and forced you into austere circumstances, then you may have to swallow your pride and apply for public assistance. With high unemployment, you may have no choice. You have to eat. Contact your local food bank, Health and Welfare office, and any free medical clinics for assistance. Do what you have to do to get by until things improve. Make the smart move. Do the right thing. This is a temporary economic condition that will pass.

Instead of retiring early, or at the regular age; work longer and your monthly social security benefit will increase when you do finally retire.

If you lost your life savings when the “too large to fail” banks collapsed, then you may be reluctant to save or invest. However, making safe investments is still one of the best ways to increase your net worth. Consider safe growth stocks.

Day trading and saving your money in a bank are not good ideas. Consider buying tax deed certificates (paper trading) from county governments which yield high interest rates.

Finding employment that pays a realistic living wage is tough these days. You may have to return to school and retrain in a new occupation or field. For example, there are many loggers and construction workers who have switched to become insurance salesman, truck drivers, welders, CADD drafters, project managers, inspectors, and similar alternative occupations when their industries collapsed during the recession. Search online and find the best source for your training and secure a loan, or pay as you go, in order to acquire the knowledge necessary to change careers. It will be worth it.

Consider moving to a new city if you can’t find work in your community. If you have always wanted to live in a different location, take the opportunity to do it after 60. If you want to test out living in a new town without committing long-term, sublet an apartment or room for a couple of months. Check with the Chamber of Commerce and Senior Centers for recommendations. If your children have already relocated to another city, try to visit them and check out the area before you commit to a permanent relocation. If you don’t want to change cities, but do want to see more of the U.S., consider using a recreational vehicle for part of the year. You can live in RV parks and stay in new locations in comfort, providing the weather and fuel prices cooperate.

If you are inclined to gamble, then trading in binary options online promises higher gains in a short period of time with a potential of earning thousands of dollars monthly from the comfort of your home.

Start an online affiliate business. Create a web site with affiliate links that point to major league suppliers like Amazon.com and ClickBank.com, and drive traffic to that site to earn sales commissions. There is a learning curve involved, but the dividends are well worth it.

Turn your hobby into a small business operation. If you enjoy making things, you can sell your crafts on eBay, in local auctions, craft fairs, at garage sales, and at farmer’s markets. Make your venture low-risk and stay focused on something you like doing, regardless if sales are adequate or consistent. Reinvest some of your profits back into the business to grow and earn more income. Don’t forget to take all your tax deductions.

7 Days to More Powerful Audio Information Products

When looking at the numbers of my own information products that get the most listeners, I’m fortunate enough to know how to go into my website’s C Panel. The C Panel is when you go into the back control panel of your website, and there’s an icon in there called, “Stats,” and you can click on the stats. It gives you all the statistics of how many people have clicked on a page.

It tells you how many unique visitors have come to your site. It tells you where your traffic is coming from, and then there’s a top ten. It’ll rank your interviews by the month, what are the top ten most listened interviews.

So, it’s really telling. It’s exciting to go in there and see what people are listening to. You can actually go into a section of that C Panel, and you can click on this thing. It’ll show you, if you had 300 visitors on your site, you can see exactly the path that someone has taken on your website.

They may come to the homepage. They may listen to an interview with Ben Settle, and you can see their traffic patterns. This really gives you a good idea of what is your market listening to on your website.

An interesting story, I just did an interview, it’s probably been two months. I did an interview with a lady named Elizabeth Hagen, and she is an organizing expert. She teaches ladies how to organize their life, and how to get rid of the clutter.

I was looking in the stats in January of 2009, and I couldn’t believe the traffic. On that mp3 file for January, it was hit on, I can’t say that all these people listened to it, but the mp3 interview had 4,304 hits. That’s a lot of hits.

It’s interesting that part two was listened to more than part one. Anyway, so I called Elizabeth and I was like, “Elizabeth, did you mail out to your list and promote that interview? The traffic on this interview is incredible.” She said she didn’t, and I’ll tell you it’s getting harder and harder for me to kind of nail down where all these people are listening to this interview.

I’m scratching my head still with the Elizabeth Hagen interview. It’s still getting a ton of traffic, but we can’t figure out where. The reason is recently I’ve been taking my interviews – and we’ll talk more about this – I have all my interviews on iTunes. I have ten minute clips of all my interviews up on YouTube. I have them being introduced on Facebook, on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and a lot of the social networking sites.

You may have someone who took some of the content from an ezine article on the organizing interview, and put it in their blog that has a large subscription base.

There’s an interesting point in this. As long as you start getting your interviews out there, and getting them on the internet, they’re going to go viral eventually. If you do it right and you provide good exciting and valuable content, these things will get passed around. So, you’ll never know sometimes where all this traffic is coming from, but I do remember that learning interview that I did with the gentleman. That was very popular.

I’m just looking here from January of 2009, the organizing interview was number one. An interview with Ben Settle was number two for January. There was one called The Obvious Expert with Elsom Eldridge, and that’s how to publish a book and become the obvious expert. That was number three.

This one was not that surprising. It was an interview I did with an expert on LinkedIn. It was a training on how to use LinkedIn, which is a business social networking site, and how to maximize that and meet people and network better. That was very popular in January.

These are just the top ten. Nick Gilbert, he’s the one who hosts my web server. We did an interview on internet security. That was one of the most popular ones. Then, there’s one more. A guy named Mark Imperial, it was on information product creation. That was very popular, too.

It’s great. Once you have a website, and once you start doing interviews, you will be able to track what’s hot and what’s not, and you can use that to your advantage when you’re marketing.

12 Surefire Brainstorming Techniques

Writers, students and anyone else will occasionally need an idea or two. While you may have times when ideas come with little or no effort, there will be times when the fountain of creativity seems to have dried up. Have no fear, however. Even if you’re not feeling particularly creative, you can still think and reason. By thinking clearly and using the following techniques, you’ll find an endless supply of ideas.

Free-writing – Just write. Don’t worry about format, topic, or anything else. Just write, about anything at all. It might be a description of your kitchen ceiling, or a diatribe about the lack of parking spaces at your local veterinarian’s office. The important thing is that you get writing, and keep writing. Let one thought lead to another, or just write on one thing, in ever increasing detail. Maybe you’ll write for a set amount of time, or maybe your aim is to fill a page or multiple pages. Pick out individual topics, ideas, names or anything else. Whatever you do, you’ll soon have many ideas to work with.

Breakdown – Take your initial topic, and write it at the top of the page. Divide the topic into subtopics, questions, themes, and such, listing them below. Continue to break down and list those subtopics as before.

Listing/Bulleting – List everything about the topic, then list any related phrases, keywords, questions, sources, etc. If you can think of it, add it to the list. Then take each item from the list, and do it again.

Cubing – Cubing refers to taking your topic and examining it from six different sides, like the six sides of a cube. Consider the topic in the following six ways:

Describe it
Compare it
Associate it
Analyze it
Apply it
Argue for and against it

Now, examine your answers. Are there any connections between them? Do any themes emerge?

Similes – Complete the following sentence: [Blank] is/was/are/were like [Blank]. By comparing your topic to another, seemingly unrelated word, you’ll begin to see new ideas about your topic, better understand different aspects of it, and new ideas will emerge.

Clustering/Mapping/Webbing – This technique allows you to expand on a topic in a freeform, organic manner. Write a keyword or words about your topic in the center of a blank page and draw a circle or box around it. Branch off in as many ideas as possible, connecting them visually to the topic. Then branch off from there. Go as far as you can or want to, continually branching off.

Parts – Look at the relationships between the whole, the parts and parts of parts. Make the following lists on opposite margins of a sheet of paper:

Whole………………………Parts

Part…………………………Parts of Parts

Apply these labels to topics and subtopics, words, etc. Then draw conclusions about relationships, patterns, connections, etc.

Journalistic Questions (The Big 6) – Ask yourself the 6 important questions of journalism:

Who
What
When
Where
Why
How

List related questions for each one, then seek out the answers; repeat as many times as you need to.

Outside the Box – Try approaching your topic from a totally different angle. Ask questions from a seemingly unrelated viewpoint. You might think in terms of occupations, academic subjects, demographic groups, cultural groups, etc. Examine it fully from each new perspective, jotting down every thought, question, commentary, interpretation, etc.

Charts/Shapes – Instead of words and phrases, think visually. Put things in terms of charts, shapes, tables and diagrams. If you can find photographs related to the topic, use them as well. List anything you see, any thoughts that come to mind and any conclusions drawn from the images.

Slanting/Re-slant – Examine an idea or topic in terms of purpose and audience. If stuck, think about a different purpose or a different audience. For example, if you’re writing about married couples with the purpose of entertaining couples with at least five years of marriage, try looking at the topic from the newlyweds.

Referencing – If you have a basic idea or topic, look it up. Go to the dictionary, the thesaurus, the encyclopedia, an almanac, quote collection, any other reference. List any information. If you don’t have a topic, open to a random page, pick any topic, then go from there.

Combination of Techniques – Start with any technique then apply another technique to the results. For example, after listing and bulleting on your original topic, try referencing each listed item.

Once you have used these techniques, you should have a list of the ideas produced. These ideas must then be organized in some way. You may start by listing them neatly, then categorizing them. Group them according to subtopics, put them into an outline, or try to sequence them in some way. The idea is simply to impose some sort of order on the disorganized results, giving you a clear collection of ideas to work with. Now equipped with these ideas and some related information, you’ll have a better idea of what to work on in your writing.

Fiction Tips – The Snare of Coincidence

Quirky Incidents

In the search for story or plot ideas, oftentimes novice novelists will come across an interesting, fascinating, quirky incident that they are absolutely sure will make a great novel. Perhaps it was a newspaper article, or an anecdote told by a friend.

The reason the idea is so compelling is because it involves a fascinating twist of fate. Coincidence, if you will. And here lies a snare – a trap that beginning fiction writers often fall prey to.

Only a Small Seed

First of all, keep in mind that when you grab at an idea to use as the basis for your plot, that idea should be only a small seed. This is your starting point. This little spark is the only thing about the plot that should come from outside the writer. Everything else about the story will be filtered through and formed by your own unique imagination and frame of reference.

In the years when I was teaching for a writer correspondence school (over 9 years, to be exact) I could spot when one of my students had created a plot from an actual happenstance. First of all, the plot was weak – pitifully weak. When I brought up the issue, the answer was invariably: “But that’s how it really happened.”

Fine, well, and good! Sorry to disappoint you, but your telling something exactly as it happens is not a plot!

Plot Evolves from Deep Emotion

True, genuine plots evolve from the deep emotions of the writer. That seldom happens when a story is built from an external source. It become flat and uneventful – and seldom grips the reader.

And that brings me to the point of the problem of using coincidence to get your character to a certain point in the story. Again, it’s often the quirky, coincidental aspect of an incident that grabs our attention and arouses our curiosity. While these types of things are fun and captivating in real life, in fiction it will always look like author manipulation.

Why?

Because a plot that relies on fate is a thin plot. It’s the “easy way out.” It’s the cavalry coming over the hill at the very moment the battle is almost lost. Okay, right, sure. Your reader is rolling her eyes. She may continue reading, but trust and respect for the author has been lost – or at least diminished somewhat.

Avoiding Melodrama

The best way to forfeit the interest of most readers is to ask them to believe something that is not really believable. And that’s the point about a quirky, wild, off-the-wall coincidence or strange happenstance. In real life, its main appeal is that something unbelievable actually happened. This is not what your reader is looking for.

Any incident that has an “operatic” quality, or is coming from way out in left field, will most certainly come off as melodrama. Not the mark of a skilled novelist.

To rely on coincidence is the lazy way of writing. It’s a short cut that means less hard work of actual plotting – weaving the story to make it work. Or put another way, to make the story stand on its own. When it does, it is believable. The reader is ready to “suspend disbelief” and step into your world and accept your story. And in the process, accept you (the author) as well.

And that, my struggling novelist, is what we are all striving for in this strange business!

Autoresponder Secrets – The Best Bits!

Autoresponder secrets – Is there really a secret to using an auto-responder system? I have been a user of autoresponder systems for over ten years now and I admit that the first few weeks that I operated my own auto-responder system, I did not understand most of its uses and benefits. After two months of use, I started to see how surprisingly they helped my business. I had increased sales and an increased number of site visitors who were in turn converted to subscribers.

Autoresponders allow me to automatically send messages to my subscribers in my own predetermined time. I can even greet them on their birthdays or during other special occasions. All I do is set the system to do this. It gives me a greater chance to connect with my subscribers – to make them feel special. With this, I have gained and retained more and more customers.

I really believe that each entrepreneur in whatever business he is undertaking should use this system. Let me share with you some autoresponder secrets – what they are and how you use them.

Goals – What does an autoresponder do?

1.) Builds a long-lasting relationships with your customers and subscribers.

2.) It allows you to send the most unique and engaging emails about your business.

3.) It heightens your sales and the number of visitors.

Below, I will elaborate on the steps above so you can achieve these goals. This is my ultimate autoresponder secret. I have learned these tricks through my own experience and usage of the system.

1.) You must make your own autoresponder series. This is how it happens. Hundreds of visitors visit and subscribe to your site. When they have subscribed, send them a welcome email. This will make them feel like they are a part of something. This will increase their interest in your company. Send them the most important features of your product or service. After which, you can start promoting more services and products from your company. Make them aware of everything you can do to help them. What do they want to know? What are the features of your product that are very useful? All of these must be in your mail.

2.) Be distinctive from others. Have a brand and remember to stand out from the rest of the other entrepreneurs in the market. Do not be lazy in creating these automated emails. Try to be clever, clear, concise and brief. While all the others may have long articles, be different by providing your subscribers short but complete details. They do not really want to read long never ending emails. Most often, it will bore them. Also, do not be too technical. Talk to them in the most natural but creative way. You can hire a designer as well. It is up to you how you can be creative.

3.) Test consistently and try to find weak points. Your list of autoresponder emails must be analyzed. Know what emails gets the most responses and what emails do not. You can analyze the click-through-rates to give you an idea of an emails performance.Find the emails that are read less and have low response rates. Examine these massages and try to create new ones. Also, try to find out what your subscribers want to know and/or why these messages are not read.

These are the autoresponders secrets that each entrepreneur should know. This system is really helpful, but you must know how to make use of them and how to make the best of it. Just like any other system, if you do not learn to make creative ways to use it in the best way you can, it will never work.

The steps I have mentioned above are what I have learned through my usage of auto responder systems. I hope this will be of help to you to. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my autoresponder secrets.

How to Design a Website – On Your Own Or Hire a Professional Web Designer

We are sure that this is one of the most important question which most companies find difficult to get answers to. Obviously, there are both advantages & disadvantages of designing a website on your own and getting it done by a professional, as it is said, “Every coin has two sides”. So here, we will discuss about the same. But before we start the discussion, it is to be remembered that web designing is an art, so you should have a clear idea about the vision, brand or the statement of your company that you wish to get communicated when any of your current or portential customers visit your website. Your website should impress them in all ways. Advantage of Web Designing on your own

1. Knowledge is Power. If you have to design your website on your own, definetely it will require some knowledge about it. Probably, you will refer books, websites and tutorials and in the process gain knowledge about web designing, and a syou know knowledge is power ! You gain knowledge regarding web designing and web designers on the whole and this knowledge will of course help you in the long run.

2. It affordable Since you are designing a website on your own, there’s no cost involved. It’s just you and your time and you can design your website.

3. It gives you a satisfaction and the idea that you have created something is worth cherishing. Advantages of Hiring a Web Designer to design your website.

1. Hiring a professional web designer will certainly save you time. Web Designing is a time consuming process, and add to it the time that you will spend to learn tricks of the trade. Whereas, a professional web design company has all its tools in place and can give you the required solution with the relevant technologies in one package. They can design creative websites very soon highlighting your products & services effectively and communicate your message clearly.

2. Concentrate on YOUR Business – If you are running a small business — probably you handle sales, customer service, accounting, marketing and also devise strategies for business growth. When you have so much to do — why do you want to get a lapse in your concentration and learn something else, instead, hire a web designer who will design a creative website for you, while you concentrate on your core business.

3. You want Quality, right ? – A quality professional web site designer will give you what you want, and in the long run a quality web designer is best for you & your business. 4. Enter into a long term partnership with your Web Designer, so that they will keep abreast with the latest technology and the next time you want to update your website you know whom to call ! Web Design Temple provides professional web designing services. Backed by the creative strength of our professionals, we are able to deliver creative & visually appealing websites, which rank higher on search engines and bring business for you.