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There isn’t a successful, money-making company on earth that doesn’t produce and work within a budget. They do it not only because they must but also because budgets are the building blocks of financial management.

Individuals, however, are different. The U.S. Department of Commerce found in 2006 that the average American household spent more money than it took in by about 1 percent. Not only is this unsustainable for individuals, but it’s probably a good indicator that most Americans either refuse or don’t know how to stick to a personal budget.

Americans may not like budgets because they’re like diets: they both require discipline, and neither works if not followed. But both are tools that are necessary for a healthier lifestyle, whether financially or physically. If a diet tells you what you can eat, a budget tells you what you can spend.

So what is involved in creating and sticking to a simple, personal budget? It might be easier to think of a budget as a spending plan. Basically, that’s what it is. Rather than seeing the restrictions of a budget, see what a spending plan can allow you provide for yourself or your family. It’s as simple as keeping track of and paying attention to what comes in and what goes out.

A good first step in producing a workable personal budget is to start with your bills. It’s imperative to find out where your money is going and the daily tracking of expenses. Everyone has fixed expenses like mortgage payments or rent; transportation expenses like car payments, gasoline or public transit passes; utilities, food, insurance, etc. Beyond those fixed expenses, it’s good to keep receipts and determine how much other money you’re regularly spending.

After your fixed expenses have been categorized, it’s a good idea to plan for variable expenses like birthdays and holidays, clothing, vacations and entertainment. If you find that you don’t have enough money at month’s end to cover all the expenses, these variable costs are the first ones that need to be cut.

When you are finished with your expenses, move on to your income. Your income should always exceed your expenses. If not, you must choose between increasing your income or decreasing your expenses. Asking for a raise, finding a more lucrative job or taking a second job are good ideas to increase income. Alternatively, cutting expenses may be easier. That $3 cup of coffee every morning, if eliminated, could save $60 a month.

Ideally, if you make more money than you regularly spend, you should be saving some each month, part of which should go into an emergency or rainy-day fund, typically at least three months’ worth of expenses. The emergency fund, best kept in a savings account, will give you much more flexibility if you should happen to lose your job or experience unexpected expenses.

Just like Fortune 500 companies, individuals must understand how much money is coming in and how much is going out; otherwise, neither stands a chance of achieving crucial financial goals. You won’t have to worry about living off your credit cards or dodging phone calls from creditors. Through budgeting, learning and accepting limitations on your own income and spending habits, you can take control of your financial future.

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Here’s a common superstition. . . We say “God bless you” when a person sneezes. Why? Well, this particular superstition started in the Middle Ages when it was thought that the devil could enter a person in unguarded moments, such as when they were in the midst of a sneeze. If someone said the magic words “God bless you” during or after the sneeze, the demonic possession could be avoided.

Do you have triskaidekaphobia? If you fear the number thirteen. . . then that’s exactly what you have. In Western culture, we’ve even gone so far as to have buildings without thirteenth floors. You can walk up one flight of stairs from twelve to fourteen.

Because we live in unstable times, people constantly look for a sense of stability and explanation. This can give us incredible advantage as it relates to persuasion.

What about something as innocuous as walking under a ladder? This dates back to early Christianity as the sides of the ladder and the ground form a triangle, the symbol of Holy Trinity.

By walking under the ladder, it was thought, there was a violation of the trinity, putting those that walked under it on the same level as the devil. I didn’t know this. But I sure have been avoiding walking under ladders since I was a kid. Perhaps it’s wise. . . on a physical level, avoiding ending up with a bucket of paint . . .but why do we believe bad luck will befall us if we do this? It’s a real stretch.

I have an acquaintance who believes all religion and spirituality is superstition. I happen to think he’s wrong, but I appreciate the perspective in that it’s just another example of how framing is a powerful tool for looking at the world around us.

Superstition is defined as ‘an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.’

Even Helen Keller’s assertion that, “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature…. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing,” is an example of how diverse we all are, and yet, we all believe in something irrational.

With that said, how can we use the fact that we all believe in something (which may actually be an ‘irrational belief’) to persuade?

In the world’s ever increasing instability, we have the ability as persuaders to offer explanations to help them make sense out of their lives.

In the very same way, people look for reasons to support their beliefs, even nonsensical reasons, to explain their reality and to assign blame, so too can we.

One of my favorite superstitious phrases is, ‘There are no accidents’. We can use this to effectively persuade our affluent clients and prospects. For example, say our client has had problems in the past, we can use this term to indicate that that time is past and that those problems are over and that there’s a reason they’ve ended up talking to you. ‘After all, there are no accidents.’

Is ‘there are no accidents’ true and quantifiable? Of course not. But will you be called on it? Well. . . my friend the cynic might call you on it, but I seriously doubt many will.

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There are so many simple, yet really sure-fire ways of acquiring wealth, it’s a wonder everybody with even the least bit of ambition isn’t already rich. When you come right down to it, the only things needed for anyone to make bundles of money are the long-range vision and the energy to put a money-making plan into force.

One of the easiest methods of building wealth, and the one most often used by the “smart” people, is to furnish the expertise, equipment or growth capital to promising beginning business. Basically, you buy in as either a part owner or limited partner; then, as the business grows and prospers with your help, you reap your share of rewards.

The beautiful part about this whole concept is that you can repeat this procedure over and over again. You can start out with, say marketing and sales leadership for small, garage-type business; then with your holdings and earnings from that business, invest in another, and keep doing this until you own a part of twenty-five to an unlimited number of businesses. Looking at the idea from a dollar return point of view, if you were getting $200 per month from 25 different business, your monthly income would amount to no less than $5,000 and that’s not too bad for a fledgling millionaire.

Look around your own area. With just a little bit of business sense and perception, you’re sure to find hundreds of small businesses that could do better–perhaps even become giants in their–with your help.

Most small businesses need, and would welcome marketing, promotional, advertising, and sales help. If a quick survey of business turns you on with enthusiasm about the potential profits to be made with just a few changes that you can suggest, then you are on your way.

Basically, you set up an appointment to see and talk with business owners about some ideas and help that could double or triple their profits. When you approach them in that manner, their almost certain to want to see you and hear want you have to say.

In preparation for your meeting, set your ideas down on paper. Put them together in an impressive marketing or profit potential folio. Outline your ideas, the costs involved and the ultimate profit to be gained.

Then, when you arrive for the meeting, be sure to look and act the part of a successful business person. A few pleasantries to break the ice, and begin with your presentation.

Through your proposal, you must instill confidence that you can do all you claim for him. Guide him through the presentation to the ultimate profits—- all for a 10 or 20 percent limited partnership in the business, which really won’t cost him anything. Of course, if he is reluctant to give up any part of his ownership, you come back with the idea of being hired as a consultant.

Almost all small businesses need help of some kind. The owners get bogged down in a myriad of every day problems and things to do. They find there just are not enough hours in the day to handle everything that should be taken care of, and end up neglecting or putting off some of the things they should be doing to keep the business prosperous. As a result, the long struggle for business survival begins, with more than 60% of them selling out at a loss or just closing up shop.

The other way to ” cut yourself in” on a piece of someone else’s business is to supply needed money. If you can come up with 10 or 15 thousand dollars, you can easily “buy into” some small businesses. Be sure to look the business ( and its market potential) over; but once you spot one that can really be a winner with just a little bit of operating cash or money for expansion, then start figuring!

You can reach a never ending supply of such businesses to choose from, simply by running a small advertisement in your daily newspaper in the .Classified section under the heading of Business Opportunities Wanted. Such an ad might read:

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS EXECUTIVE LOOKING FOR NEW BUSINESS VENTURES. WILL CONSIDER BUY OUT OR PARTNERSHIP. PO BOX 123, CITY

By the same token, make it a habit to look through the Business Opportunities Available on a regular basis. Mark a few each day and follow up. Check them out, And see what kind of a deal is being offered. Remember, proper management and planning are basically the ingredients to success in business; and most small businesses just do not have these ingredients in the proportions needed to attain their greatest profit potential.

Other people have done it, and more are starting up every day. There’s no reason why you can’t do it. In most cases little or no cash is needed. But with a little bit of action on your part, you could quickly become a multi-business owner, and very wealthy as well.

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Obedience training is very important for your dog and you, it creates trust and a bond between your you and your pet. Dog and puppy training is not as hard as people think. In fact anyone can do it even a kitty can be trained by a dog or visa-versa.

Nana, my Grandmother, as she was affectionately called, loved animals. Weather she had pets of her own or not she adopted every cat and dog in the neighborhood. At this time she had both a cat and a dog. The dog was a small white poodle named Peggy and cat was a big orange guy named Buddy Boy. She was partial to red cats and each one had Buddy in their name. To her there were cats and then there were RED cats.

For a while she could not figure out why there were little piles of dog biscuits piled up around the four legs of the dining room table. How was this possible, she wondered for weeks on end. Each time she found the stash of dog biscuits she would put them back in the box, only to find them reappear around the table legs.

She thought the kids were playing a joke on her. She waited behind the kitchen door the discover the truth. No one fell into her trap.

The criminal duo was caught in the act. Nana was at the sink doing the dishes. She always kept the dog biscuits under the sink. Slinking to the sink was Buddy Boy. His paw plucked out a biscuit from the box and gave it to Peggy.

Buddy Boy was well trained. If a dog and a cat can train each other. You should have no difficulty training your dog.

There are many techniques used in obedience training. The method that works best depends on your dogs personality.

Some dogs prefer affection and play while others respond to food.

As long as you are patient and stick to the program you will be successful training your dog.

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A set of private label rights, whether it’s an e-book or a set of articles, has unlimited untapped potential. There are many creative ways to approach it. Generally, the more creative you become, the stronger your brand will be. For example, one client of mine purchased e-books in bulk and hired a writer to create synopsis’ of these 80-90 page e-books into 30 minute audio format tapes.

Marketing PLR with Multimedia – CD/DVD/MP3s

Recording your private label e-book and repackaging them into audio tutorials, courses, and transcripts is branding genius. Suppose you have a PLR e-book on ’30 Ways to Seduce Women” written by scientific researchers of pheromones and psychologists. With this, you could *repackage* and *rebrand* the e-book to produce a series of audio tutorials on “The Love Boss (you): Picking Up the Love of your Life,” complete with a fictional character (see Rich Jerk series, one of the best selling e-books ever) and a new voice.

Burning your recorded files onto CDs/DVDs and MP3s is easy with cheap equipment and packaging with software case levels is easy through an office store. A cover could include the front cover of your online e-book complement with a fresh logo. To jumpstart your multimedia campaign, you could introduce a sign up page on your website and offer a free recording with it to build a consistent list of opt-in subscribers.

Ever notice how many sales letter sites have recordings by the site’s owner explaining the new product? You can do it too by adding either 1) an audio sales pitch, 2) an audio version of your PLR content, or 3) a combination of both to your site. For this, you’ll need an MP3 Audio Mixer (available at http://www.acoustica.com/mp3-audio-mixer/) where you could edit your voice during long recordings. If you’re a poor public speaker, there are many freelancers at elance.com that can do the job but the cost may be high.

*Audio recordings create the illusion that your PLR content is booming!*

Hook, Line, and Sinker – the ‘Hook’ and ‘Follow Up’ Explained (Tying it to our “Picking Up the Love of Your Life” example)

Capturing the imagination of potential buyers means hooking them from the very first minute they access your page. A sales letter may do an exceptional job of hyping your PLR product, but might not ‘reel’ them in as much as you would like. Like perfume sprayers at the department store, you have to give potential buyers a taste of your product. *Use a portion of your private label ebook content to lure readers into subscribing to an opt-in list or ezine.*

The best way to do this is to offer a free .PDF file download of the first ten pages of your PLR product on your main page. Add a ‘Table of Contents’ page with a powerful introduction and stop where it gets “interesting.” When the last sentence of your last page urges readers to pass on to the next “How Pheromones can Attract Women” chapter available in the full-version, you’ve “reeled” them in.

“The Follow Up”

Creating a series of 3 follow up emails to market your PLR product and mail to your list 2 days apart with each email focusing on a different value/benefit of the product is one way to market. Instead of asking subscribers to sign up to a weekly ezine, offer a snippet or news on “Love Boss” spread out through 3 emails. One sample email may look like this:

Love Boss Newsletter #2: The Mirroring Technique Explained

LOVE BOSS NEWSLETTER, #2, 1/1/2007 A Loveboss.com Publication for the Romeos

Love advice, dating advice, and advice for men of all ages.

Welcome to this week’s Love Boss Issue.

In this issue: 1) Special deal on full version e-book 2) The Mirror Technique Explained 3) Ask the Love Boss – 3 Questions 4) Love Boss now released on DVD

1) Special Deal on Full Version E-Book

In today’s issue, we will provide a brief overview of the “Mirroring Technique” discussed in the “Love Boss” e-book (valued at $97, yours for only $29.99 as an opt-in list subscriber.) Releasing the power of your subconscious mind requires (followed by a small “hook” on what to expect from your Love Boss e-book, with not many important details given out.)

2) The Mirror Technique Explained

3) Here, you can list frequently asked questions by love-challenged men and answer them “Love Boss” style. Remember, at this point, you’ve taken that ancient PLR product “30 Ways to Seduce Women” and turned it into the “Love Boss” brand equipped with its own lovable character, logo, packaging, content, formatting styles, and more. “30 Ways to Seduce Women” is unrecognizable at this point with its main idea forever rebranded.

4) Offer a free DVD (or reduced price) with the purchase of an e-book, combine it as a package, or sell it individually.

*Like screenplays and novels, Hollywood and webpreneurs loves a packaged script for maximum marketability and exposure.*

FOLLOW UP EMAILS and AUTORESPONDERS

A series of three follow up emails are great for any PLR content where you can

1) Provide a “message of the day” 2) Promote your PLR product

Here is a list of *Free* Autoresponders to check out:

Easyresponders.com – provides an unlimited number of auto responder messages for PLR enthusiasts. It has customization features, a mailing list feature, and works great for e-mail newsletters. When your potentials request information, here is an automatic response to keep them on their heels.

Freeautobot.com – A customized service known for its interval feature where you preset your emails to be released at a certain time or day of the week. Plus, it has no pesky advertisements like other autoresponder series.

*Autoresponder Direction*

Autoresponder readers may get a kick out of “10 Ways to Make Her Say Yes” theories and philosophies but real news is the key. Your private label product, once a mind numbing e-book retransformed into article series, CDs, and eye catching e-covers, has to generate the buzz needed to keep it afloat. One trick of the trade is to send your autoresponder subscribers to a blog. Blogs are the latest craze and spreading like wildfire. There are multimillion dollar blogs in operation, including Jossip, X17online, and other celebrity hunter sites with a passion. Although we’re not paparazzi reporters, we can attract the same number of visitors. Move traffic to your blog with a message at the top of your autoresponder for maximum effect.

The Power of Social Networking

Social networking sites serve a dual role: to keep friends connected and to market, market, market. With today’s top selling artists creating Myspace pages to keep in touch with fans, they use it as a tool to promote albums, airplay, and expand their networks. A Myspace.com page can direct people to your private label product. Plus, these sites have high Google page ranks which mean your own site rank can propel to the top of the search engines. Be careful: spamming and spreading your links all over the place will have your message ignored.

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Filed under: Business