Gary North on How to Budget Time for Your Career

I bought a book from Bob Bly this week. It is on public speaking.

Why would I do this? I know how to speak. Because I am looking for one good tip. Maybe I forgot it.

Maybe I have ignored it. Maybe I never thought of it. One good tip. Is that worth $39.95? Of course. It will cost me far more than this in the value of my time to read it.

Yesterday, he sent out a letter with no sales offer. This is unique. I want to share it with you. It will save you a lot of pain and wasted time.

He is at www.bly.com.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * When it comes to your study of marketing, are you suffering from "information overload"?

Do you find there are simply way too many marketing webinars, conferences, seminars, books, e-newsletters, articles, podcasts, blogs, e-books, videos, and audio programs for you to ever keep up with?

No wonder. As one Yale librarian pointed out, "We are drowning in information and starved for knowledge."

Buckminster Fuller observed that until 1900, human knowledge doubled approximately every century. Today, human knowledge is doubling every 13 months.

To protect yourself against this avalanche of data, here are my suggestions for coping with marketing information overload:

1-Pick one area of marketing to specialize in. This specialization could be by media or channel (e.g., e-mail marketing, social media), by product (e.g., software, vitamins), or by target market (e.g., Hispanics, single parents).

2-As you study marketing, devote 80% of your reading to your area of specialization. As a direct marketer, I devote most of my study to direct marketing including direct mail, e-mail marketing, advertising, and other direct response techniques. I am interested in SEO and social media, but to allocate my learning time properly, I can only scratch the surface of those topics, not immerse myself in them. I am forced by time limitations to leave that to others.

3-The goal is to become and maintain yourself as an up-to-date expert in your specialty, which again, in my case, is direct marketing. So I study content on direct marketing in depth. I read in the field endlessly.

4-While you don't have to be an expert on all the other marketing topics outside your specialty, you should at least be conversant in them, especially the hot trends like online video, Google+, infographics, memes, and SEO. So when clients and colleagues talk about them, you can at least keep up with the discussion. I study direct marketing content, but I only peruse other marketing content.

5-Don't go insane buying tons of information products that will cost you thousands of dollars and you will likely never even read or watch. When you buy an information product, study it. Then you can go on to the next one. Yes, I know what I just told you will hurt my sales, but I put your best interests first, and mine second.

6-Do not feel obligated to read everything ever written on your topic because you are afraid that if you don't, you will miss something vital. You should "bone up" on a topic until you are at the point where you can stop reading about it and actually start doing it. And then you should do it. You will then start learning not just from study, but from experience.

7-Thomas Edison said we don't know one-millionth of one percent about anything. Even in your area of specialization, you aren't going to know everything there is to know about the subject - not even close. So quit trying.

8-If you spend an 8-hour day working in your field, here's how I would divide the time, at least at the start of your career: 5-6 hours practicing your skill or craft; 1-2 hours studying through reading (and listening to audios and watching videos); and 1-2 hours managing the administrative side of your business or activity (e.g., answering e-mails, paying bills, social media, writing on your blog).

9-Don't agonize over what to read and save vs. what to skip and trash. When in doubt, throw it out. There is always more coming your way every day to take its place.

Of course there is so much information out there that you could read and study 16 hours a day, not 2 hours a day. But if you do, you won't have a life, and besides, it is not necessary.

Study 1-2 hours a day ... practice or do your specialty 5-6 hours a day ... and you will master your craft or topic at a rate that makes you successful and profitable.

Bill Myers on How To Write an Ad "What's In It For Me?

Have you ever noticed that on the TV commercials for almost any national product, they rarely talk about the product itself? For example, when they show a commercial for a new car, they never show you the engine or the tires or the trunk or the interior.

One of the most effective ways to market any product is to provide answers to the question, 'What's in it for me?' before the question is asked.

What you will see are happy, healthy, good looking people surrounded by friends, all living the good life.
From the looks of it, these 'commercial people' don't have jobs (but always have money), don't eat right (but are never overweight), drive recklessly (but never get tickets), and rarely bathe (but have plenty of social partners).
And somehow, it is all because of the car they drive.
Of course, the TV commercial doesn't tell you that they live this dream life because they bought the right car - but subliminally, that's the message they are sending.
Basically the subliminal message answers the question, 'What's in it for me?' that most consumers ask themselves before they make a purchase.

Give them the answer before they ask the question
One of the most effective ways to market any product is to provide answers to the 'What's in it for me?' question before the question is asked. By doing this, you can provide answers to questions the consumer may not have considered possible, but certainly will consider appealing.
For example, I recently saw the following description of a book available at Amazon.com:
"In this book, you'll learn:

• How to get soda machines for FREE
• How to find the best deals on equipment purchases
• The three most profitable types of vending machines
• Four ways to boost sales
• How to find storage facilities and banks that will meet all your needs
• How to increase your business's credibility with prospective customers
• The three biggest scam warning signs
• .... (there were ten other items on this list)"

In essence, the above list answers 'What's in it for me?' several times. Starting with 'How to get soda machines for FREE'.

And maybe that's why the book Vending Business-In-A-Box shows up as number 32 on the Amazon best seller list for its category - because the description quickly tells 'What's in it for me?'

Answer the question first, then create the product
As I mentioned in two previous articles (The 5 minute guide to writing a script for your how to video, Part III and Brainstorming the perfect product) I am a firm believer in creating the marketing material for the product before you create the product.

Doing so allows you to create a 'What's in it for me?' list before you create the product.
Then you can use that list of answers as the development outline for product (ie. chapters in a book, report, DVD or video.)

Answer the 'What's in it for me?' question early and often in your marketing
One of the most effective ways to attract attention and win the hearts of paying customers is to answer the 'What's in it for me' question quickly and often within your sales message.
A good way to start your sales message is include a 'What's in it for me' answer in the headline (ie - Lose Ten Pounds This Weekend). And then follow that headline a few paragraphs later with a bullet list of at least 6 (but no more than 10) other 'What's in it for me' benefits to having the product.
Be careful not to confuse product features with customer benefits. Benefits are 'whats in it for me?', while 'features' are the technical details of the product (tire size, how much it weighs, mpg, etc.)
Initially the customer wants to know the benefits to owning the product. And only after they have been presented the benefits, should you consider covering some of the features of the product.
When providing details about the features of the product be be careful not to overwhelm the customer with too many details - as doing so might cause the customer to forget the benefits.

Examples
In addition to the description of the book, mentioned above, you can see examples of the 'what's in it for me' in almost all my product descriptions.

 For example, visit http://www.sitebank.com and notice how the 'what's in it for me' question is answered in the headline of the page, and then again in each of the four following paragraphs.
Then notice how each product description again answers the question.
Here's an example of a product description that answers the 'what's in it for me' question early and often:

Press Release-O-Matic

$34.95 |Demo | Order

Press Release-O-Matic! Automatically create ready-to-use Press Releases by Bill Myers Imagine being able to create a perfect press release in under a minute , formatted for printing or for use on your web site. With Press Release-O-Matic you can do just that. No other tools needed, no coding, no special skills. Just one button click, and your perfect press release is created for you. Even creates perfect 'cover letters' to go with your press release. This package includes the Royalty-Free Resell Rights to the Press Release-O-Matic software, the web page, and product delivery system. Easy to set up and sell from your web site. Plus a great tool you'll want to use! Press Release-O-Matic and resell rights - $34.95 Rating:

Take the test
Take a look at your own product description and marketing materials. Do they pass the 'What's in it for me?' test?
Do they quickly and compellingly answer the question, 'What's in it for me?'
Are you sure?
If 'What's in it for me?' isn't being answered, you might want to change your marketing material (and perhaps even your product), so that the question is answered quickly and often - as doing so will increase sales.

Setting Up a Television Studio

eBook Video Trailer

The software used in the above video was Sparkol's VideoScribe.

I purchased the PRO version because the free version has watermarks rendered in. Also, with the PRO version, you can render to Quicktime or FLV and without watermarks. It does take some time getting used to but it's been a great promo tool and something clients have been wanting done for them as well. 

Real Esate Video Home Tours

This one here was produced by Brian.

Meanwhile, here's one I did. I created "duplets" - meaning pairs of shots. I take the original photos and for each one I created an "art" shot in Smart Photo Editor. Then the "show" consists of a sequence of artshot-->original, artshot-->original, artshot-->original, etc.

VisualTour.com.

Gary North's Ad

My Ad for My Mississippi Home.

Gary North - June 25, 2013
 

If you need four bedrooms and two baths, but you only have enough money for a starter home, this is the best deal in northwest Mississippi.

Think about your situation. You need more rooms. Maybe you have a growing family. Maybe you want a separate family room, in addition to the living room. Or maybe you need an office for a home business. Your kids will have their own living space, but you can set aside at least one of these rooms for yourself, and still have two bedrooms for your kids.

There is a spacious master bedroom and bathroom.

The back yard is completely fenced. Your kids can play outside, and you will not have to worry where they are. There is plenty of room for a swing set. The back yard is a great place for dogs. It also has a concrete patio. You can set up your grill, and barbecue anything you want. Your family will enjoy the weekends.

The home is on a quiet street. It is conveniently located. It is only two minutes away from a Dollar General store, and about three minutes away from a Walmart Supercenter.

It is only about three miles away from Interstate 55. If you are commuting into Memphis, you can be inside the city limits in about six minutes. Right across the interstate is the beginning of the main shopping area of Southaven.

Another great advantage is this: you are not under the immediate flight plan of FedEx jets taking off from the Memphis airport. By the time any of them are overhead -- and there aren't that many -- they are high enough so that you don't notice them.

There was a new roof put on in 2011. The home's interior was freshly painted in June. It is ready to move in.

The kitchen is spacious and well lit. The appliances work fine.

It has a two-car garage. It has fully insulated walls. If you keep dogs in the garage at night, they will not freeze in the winter. You can put a space heater unit, and they will be fine.

This home is doggy heaven for a city dog. Right outside the back fence is a permanently open area that can never be used to build the subdivision behind you. The city has power lines going down the middle of this huge open area, and it stretches for miles. You can take your dog for a walk every day. It is like living in the country. There are even woods close enough to take your dog for a walk. The owner used to take his two dogs out every morning, at least if it was not raining, and all three of them got the exercise they needed.

There is a partially floored attic for storage space. There is a pull-down ladder for easy access.
At $107,000, it's a very good deal.

The owner plans to rent the home, beginning in September, if it doesn't sell. He owes nothing on it. Rental income will give him 10% on his investment -- far better than the bank pays. That's why time is running out on this opportunity.

Call for an appointment.

The Power of Directional Cues

From Robert Wenzel . . .

The Power of Directional Cues

Using visual cues to guide visitors to key areas of your site is nothing new, but just how effective is it?

According to studies such as the aptly named Eye Gaze Cannot be Ignored, it is incredibly effective. Human beings have a natural tendency to follow the gaze of others, and we have been coached since birth to follow arrows directing us to where we should be looking/going.

Consider the following example that included a page with a baby and a compelling headline for taking care of the baby’s skin.

It’s obvious that the baby’s face is drawing a lot of attention. (As a matter of fact, faces of babies and pretty women draw the longest gazes from all visitors.)

Unfortunately, from a marketing standpoint, this is a problem because the copy isn’t commanding enough attention.

Now look at the browsing patterns when an image of the baby facing the text was used.

As you can see, users focused on the baby’s face again (from the side) and directly followed the baby’s line of sight to the headline and opening copy. (Even the area of text that the baby’s chin was pointing to was read more!)

Lesson learned: Visuals are an important part of a site’s overall design, but most pages can be optimized by including images that serve as visual cues for where visitors should look next.

More marketing lessons from eye tracking studies, here.

Matt Drudge, 1998, National Press Club

On Negotiating

On negotiating.

Can I suggest 3 key things:

1 Both parties signing a Non-Disclosure agreement is a must.

No agreement.. no meeting. 

2 Take a 'comfort break'.

Get up, go to the bathroom and have some time to yourself to review what's happening, where it's going and if your OK with everything. Pinch yourself if you have to!!

This is important to beak up rythms and create some thinking time.

(I took a stroll and called home )

3 Don't sign any deal on the day !

Whatever the deal, whatever the pressure to sign, it can wait a couple of days.

Any professional outfit would allow you chance to review the paperwork with your attorney/solicitor.

SEO Terms

BPO.  What is it? 

Bill Myers on Selling Your Books on Amazon

The great and wonderful Bill Myers offers the following recipe for successful writing:

Currently my book sales in dollars at Amazon are quickly catching up to my DVD sales revenue, and might surpass them by the middle of the year.

And yes, having more than one book increases the number of sales.

And yes, the sales are steady - in fact they are growing each month.

When it comes to the number of sales to expect, it depends on:

Book title
Book description
Book cover art
Book genre
Number of pages
Book promotion

That's why some well written books will see almost no sales, while others that are hard to read garner huge sales.

In terms of book genres, these sell best;

romance
young adult (teen)
mystery
adventure

Bill

Writing Ads on Ebay

Tips on how to write ads on Ebay.

Interesting Ads

What Are You Blogging About Today?

1. Write reviews of physical products
2. Review infoproducts
3. Review software
4. Review books
5. Review magazines
6. Review (and critique) other blogs in your niche
7. Review websites (that aren’t blogs) in your niche
8. List things learned from a book
9. Write out things learned from a magazine
10. Make a list of your favorite niche-related quotes
11. Create specific, step-by-step how-to posts (like how to install WordPress)
12. Create more general how-to posts (like how to make it through college)
13. Explain the best way to buy things in your niche (like buying new vs. used, things to keep in mind when buying X, etc.)
14. Share where to buy things in your niche (recommended online stores that have the best prices)
15. Create a beginner’s guide to something
16. Rant about something that really rubs you the wrong way
17. Write a post elucidating the pros and cons of something
18. Create an infographic (my infographic course should be good to go by the end of February, btw)
19. Make charts and graphs
20. Shoot your own videos
21. Embed other people’s videos from YouTube or Vimeo
22. Write about case studies that other people have done
23. Conduct your own research or case study
24. Link to your favorite blogs or websites
25. Compile a list of online tools that people in your niche can use
26. List related and relevant forums
27. Write a Things You Don’t Know About Me post
28. Write about how to improve a skill that people want to improve
29. Write about some appropriate goals to set in your particular niche
30. Release your own free ebooks
31. Create a list of other people’s free ebooks
32. Make a huge list of something (like this one)
33. Have someone write a guest post for your blog
34. Explain things you wish you had known or done differently
35. Make a note to your future self
36. Let your readers know how to make money doing whatever you’re blogging about
37. Research some little-known facts relating to something or someone in your niche
38. Unveil features of software that most people aren’t aware of
39. Write about the history of _____
40. Express your opinion about a recent news event or practice
41. Predict the future of something (a blog, a company, etc.) or someone (a blogger, a celebrity, an authority in your niche, etc.)
42. Interview leaders and influencers in your niche
43. Interview Average Joes in your niche
44. Write about common misconceptions that people outside of your niche community have
45. Write about common misconceptions that exist within your niche community
46. Create profiles of companies in your niche
47. Profile famous people in your niche (do your research and write a short biography)
48. Email someone a list of questions and post the questions along with the answers
49. Ask your readers a specific question about something
50. Ask your readers for general feedback about your blog
51. Conduct polls
52. Play the devil’s advocate on a particular issue
53. Write about your own journey in your particular niche (how you got started, etc.)
54. Write about where your blog was or what you posted 1, 2, or X number of years ago.
55. Write about where you’d like your blog to be in the future
56. Write about where you were (with regards to your niche) 1, 2, or X number of years ago
57. Write about where you’d like to be (with regards to your niche) in the future
58. Write about where you see your niche in the future
59. Share your specific goals and how you plan to achieve them
60. Pick a problem that you see and postulate how it could be fixed
61. Do a collaborative post where you ask a few (or several?) other bloggers their take on something
62. Write about a movie that is related to your niche (maybe including what they got wrong in the movie or what you learned from it)
63. Use analogies to tie your topic to something seemingly unrelated
64. Ask your significant other to write for your blog
65. Write about the challenges of blogging in your particular area of expertise or niche
66. Share some tips for blogging in your particular area of expertise or niche
67. Make a list of your favorite blogs
68. Explain what NOT to do in your niche
69. Write about great podcasts to listen to that relate to your niche
70. Run a contest on your blog
71. Write about how to use Twitter and Facebook, but apply it to people in your niche. If you blog about rock climbing for example, you could write about how you can find climbing partners through Twitter or Facebook.
72. Write a parody or satire post
73. Compile a list of the best niche-related jokes
74. Draw a picture or comic
75. Write a best-of posts for a certain period of time (like the best social media blogs of the past week or of 2010, etc.)
76. Break some news
77. Links to other recent or especially relevant blog posts
78. Write a poem
79. Conduct a survey
80. Write about your favorite books in your niche (and link to them on Amazon so you can get a commission)
81. Showcase the best comments that you receive
82. Write a post around a particularly good or controversial comment
83. Create a post of your favorite images. They could be funny, inspiring, odd, etc.
84. Create a comprehensive list of the best blog posts or articles around a certain topic
85. Write about a hypothetical situation and what would happen or how you’d react if that occurred (like if Twitter died or if you broke your leg and couldn’t go mountain biking)
86. Write out your guest post guidelines
87. Make a list of great people to follow on Twitter
88. Compile a list of frequently asked questions
89. Write about how NOT to do something
90. Explain how to do something in your niche faster
91. Talk about your personal experiences as far as they relate to your blog and niche (like how having a baby made you a more responsible whitewater kayaker)
92. Write a 10 commandments of or 7 deadly sins of or 5 pillars of post (or something else that’s similar)
93. Write a manifesto
94. Provide templates of some kind (like sample Excel spreadsheet budgets if you’ve got a personal finance blog or road trip planner if you’ve got a travel blog)
95. List your best blog posts
96. List your worst blog posts
97. Link to interesting patents related to your niche (check out Google Patents for that)
98. Take someone else’s blog post title and, without reading the post, write your own post. Feel free to change the title once you’re done.
99. Write an article in response to someone else’s post
100. Talk about the ideal skillset to have in your niche
101. Write about what you’d do with $1000 (or some other amount) if you HAD to spend it on something related to your niche.

Several more ideas were suggested by some people in the comments:

102.  Write about how much money you made from doing whatever it is you’re doing in your niche (Thanks James!)
103.  Show how much traffic your blog has been getting and analyze why that’s been the case (Thanks James!)
104.  Talk about a problem you’ve experienced recently and how you overcame it (Thanks Jens!)
105. Deconstruct a video or article and explain why it works or why it doesn’t (Thanks Paul!)
106. Write some fiction! (Thanks Mon!)
107.  Write what your life would be like if you lived in a different time period/country/reality (Thanks Nechama!)
108. Focus on the negative aspects of a particular niche (Thanks Jason!)