7 Laws of Uncommon Success for Entrepreneurs

In order to be successful one must use wisdom. In order to be wise one must have or show experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Wisdom brings success. Without wisdom, the trustworthiness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment, you cannot experience success. Being successful depends on the time you use effectively. Have you ever wondered how the next person became successful? What did the person do specifically that made success come their way? I have and if you be honest so have you. Success has more to do with the state of the being who believes they can do what they choose.

I woke up early this morning because my TV was on and I hate sleeping with the TV on. However, what was on my screen captivated me. So I pulled out my note-book and pen and began to write what the man was saying on the screen. This man was Mike Murdock he is a world-renowned televangelist, and he wrote a book called The 7 laws to Uncommon Success. He began to talk about success and explain that success is governed by laws. Implementing this system of rules governs whether you will experience uncommon success or not.

Let me reiterate here that we are speaking about an unusual kind of success. These laws govern those who are courageous and will go above and beyond. Those who are willing to take the initiative themselves work hard and achieve greatness are the people who experience uncommon success. I want to share how we all can experience uncommon success as entrepreneurs, using these 7 laws of uncommon success.

1. The Law of Difference- Our differences brings our value and our value brings our reward.

All though we are all humans and basically the same there is something different about each and every one of us. We were all created to do something that the other person is unable or willing to do. IF you do not know your distinct differences, you will never know what value you bring to others. As an entrepreneur align your business idea with your passions. Your passions are those strong and barely controllable emotions that you have about subject matters, people, places, or things. You can find your passion in your pain, information, desires, and those you honor.

2. The Law of the Mind- Every battle in life begins as a mind battle.

You should always protect what goes into your mind. It is important to guard your mind because it is the breeding ground for everything you do. It either solves problems or creates problems for your future. In order for entrepreneurs to be successful they must be willing to invest in their mind. Fill it with knowledge by preparing it as an environment for learning. Your mind needs a goal or focus, pictures, conversation and meditation. Your mouth should tell your mind what to think about. It is the place where you can create and produce faith in your ability to be confident in your dreams and visions. The mind is a muscle that moves your imagination into reality. Your mind should inspire you into action.

3. The Law of Recognition- What you fail to recognize will exit your life.

There is always a life lesson to be learned. Every moment is a learning moment. Often times we can fail to see what has always been right there in front of us the entire time. Something we don’t know about that can be harmful to our future is near us. As entrepreneurs, we must ask ourselves what God is hiding in someone or something that I can’t see. If you don’t believe in God then you can start right there. Recognize that God is and he will always be!

As entrepreneurs we can take on more than we should too soon and then when it doesn’t work out we will consider it as not profitable or a scam, when many times it is as simple as doing too much too soon. We should focus on the one idea before moving to the next. Too many things going on at one time can be a distraction and distract you from recognizing the next step that could change your financial future.

4. The Law of Two- Two is necessary for multiplication.

Two is always better than one. Relationships with others matter. We all need each other. Yes! Sure you are great alone but you need others. The book of Ecclesiastes, which is a book filled with wisdom, states “Two are better than one… the threefold cord is not easily broken,” (Eccl 4:9, 12). When God wants to bless you he brings a person into your life.

Entrepreneurs must recognize who those people are. In order to experience financial freedom you will need to depend on others to buy your products and/or services. Your willingness to strengthen your relationship with your target audience or customer depends on your ability to become financially independent.

5. The Law of Place- Your geographical location matters.

Your assignment or purpose in life is always to a person or group of people. When you are where you are destined to be no one can compete with you. Never stay where God has not assigned you. You will not be honored for your differences if you are in the wrong place. As entrepreneurs we must know that our money is in the place of the problem God has given you to solve for others. Remember that money is anywhere God wants you to be.

6. The Law of Honor- Your future is determined by who you have chosen to honor.

Honor is your ability to highly esteem someone by recognizing their difference. Honor is the seed for access into any environment on earth. Adaptation is the proof of honor. It takes humility to honor another person for their differences. Honor is something that people should be taught who they should honor. Humbleness is a modest or low view of one’s own importance. What is important to know about honor is it is a choice.

Entrepreneurs can shorten their learning curve by learning from the best. This can be done by studying an individual, reading a book, doing online research, or connecting with someone you chose to celebrate their distinctive differences instead of weaknesses. Honor will decide who accepts you, desires you, and rewards you. Honor qualifies for a different kind of relationship one that is closer, growing and long-term.

If you succeed in life it can be tracked to those you chose to honor. If you fail, it can be tracked to those who you chose not to honor. Above all you must honor the God of the universe to be successful at anything. All blessings come through the chain of authority.

7. The Law of Seed- Give and it shall be given back to you.

Seeds are anything that has value. When you sow a seed rather it is words, honor, mercy, money, love, kindness, gratitude etc… Your seed must be wrapped in expectation. You must have a motive for why you are doing something. For entrepreneurs this law simply means something you have given will create for you the harvest you dreamed of having.

Remember that the seeds you sow can contain life or death. What you make happen for someone else God can make it happen for you. The future of your seed is hidden in you daily routine. Successful men do daily, what unsuccessful men do occasionally.

These 7 laws are guaranteed to create uncommon success in your life as an entrepreneur. It is important that we maximize the time given to us to solve other people problems and become the beacon of light in another person life or situation by providing the proper products and/or services. The ingredients for success are: creativity births your future, structure sustains your future, and habits create your future.

Be Inspired and Be Successful

The Online Entrepreneur

How To Achieve Your Personal and Professional Success

You might find comfort in their daily routines because you feel you can control what to expect of your day. Is your daily routine becoming an obstacle for a healthier worklife balance?

Life in the 21st century has gotten pretty hectic and you feel you have to be on 24/7. Most families have two parents working because life is expensive. The daily demands of life have you juggling more “balls” than you can keep track. It seems like everyone wants a piece of you. You want to be a good parent and participate as much as possible in your child’s academics and extracurricular activities. Yet you have many work demands and expectations at work and in your personal life. Some days you just want to scream or crawl into a corner.

You are not alone. The average individual, no matter male or female, feels the daily pressures of worklife balance and try to face each day with new hopes of a better day. Your hopes will not help you solve your worklife balance issues. Make today the day you take a stand and make a commitment to balance your life personally and professionally. It is time to prioritize and take a look at your daily routine and see if it is getting you closer to your goals and worklife balance.

Eliminate activities in your day that are not the right pieces for your puzzle for success. Is your life jar too full? What activities need to be added or eliminated? Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs is a great foundation to put the pieces of your life puzzle together. Make sure your physiological needs are met which are required for you to sustain life such as water, air, nourishment and sleep.

Are you eating from the five food groups in the proper portions, are you at a healthy height/weight ratio,do you drink at least 6 eight ounce glasses of water a day, exercise at least 20 minutes a day and sleep at least 6 hours a day,? These needs are necessary for you to have a solid foundation to put the pieces of your life puzzle together. Do you feel secure that you are living in a safe place, have medical insurance, job security, and financial reserves? These are some of the top issues individuals struggle with and can negatively affect your daily focus.

Are you happy with your job and do you feel that it is helping you to build your life puzzle? Are you fulfilling your social needs? You need to have a balance between work and home. Do you have friends you talk to at least a few times a month and meet for a few laughs? Do you give yourself permission to have ” down time”. Do you feel that you belong to a group in which you share common interests? Do you have a support system you can share your achievements and life’s “bump in the road” with? Do you give and receive love? Once you have a sense of belonging now your sense of importance as a person is evident. Self esteem consists of self respect, achievement, attention, recognition and reputation, need for knowledge and aesthetics.

Everyday learn something knew and use it as another piece to build your puzzle. Do what you can to reach your full potential as a person and do not let work define the person you want to be, rather let it be a piece of your puzzle. Always strive to grow psychologically and let new opportunities help you to grow further to contribute to your puzzle. Once you define your life goals, the pieces necessary for your puzzle will come together easier than you expect. Your worklife balance is dependent on you and the personal choices you make everyday. Be your own self motivator and when you feel as though something in your day is an obstacle,trouble shoot,ask for help or speak to someone you respect to help you find a healthy solution at work or in your personal life.

Remember life stressors are what you make of them. Do not view your perceived obstacles as a red light, instead view them as a discovery opportunity to find another piece of your puzzle. It’s your life make it as healthy and happy as you can. You can achieve a healthier worklife balance. Change starts with you. Invest in Yourself everyday for personal and professional success.

Write It, Then Nail It – Easy Step for Planning Your Success

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Great business tycoons like Dhiru Bhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, Warren Buffet used to get up early at 4 or 5am just to plan and make a diary entry of their day. Even celebrities like Shahrukh Khan, former president Barack Obama and our PM Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasized importance of making a note of things to be done in a day. What is common in these people is they just don’t settle by planning; they make an effort to write it somewhere or tell their secretaries to make a journal and accordingly they work whole day.

We often whine about things not going as we dreamt. This is because of the lack of proper planning, jotting down essential steps and implementation of the plan at designated time. It is believed that a good plan should have the essential ingredients that can make it successful. Many successful business people haven’t made to this stature with just a cup of tea or by sitting and giving a thought towards building the business, but made a long term plan right in the initial stage of business. Planning isn’t restricted to business, but also to our daily routine. What we are going to do tomorrow? Things that are essential to be done at the first how to do them? Even if you’re planning for a movie on a weekend, you need to plan accordingly to avoid clash with your other work.

What is planning?

Planning is a future-oriented and systematic method of creating goals for a better future. Not restricted to business or long term goal, planning is also related to managing things for the daily routine. Every individual, be it the kid completing his academic year, a young guy who just finished his college year and looking for a career or an adult who plans to start a business, planning is required at every stage of life. Even a housewife has to plan on organizing things at home to make the daily activities go smoothly.

For some people, planning is a daunting task and go with the belief of destiny. However, if we go with the words said by Alan Lakein who said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail“, we set our failure with our own hands. Considering the long term thought, a set plan will certainly help in saving time and energy. Furthermore, it is always advised to not down your plans for future reference. However, the big question that arises is how to plan?

How to Plan?

Planning includes a set of terms that should be covered during the process. This set of terms possibly can be changed during the course period, depending on the situation.

  • Goals to Accomplish: Goals are certain accomplishments that must be attained at a certain level. This is to achieve larger aspect of the result.
  • Strategies: It is the process to combine different things that can help in achieving the goal.
  • Task: In any organization, employees are assigned certain tasks that need to be implemented. The size of the task depends on the scope of plan.
  • Resources: Meeting the plan without any resources is difficult. Materials, people, money etc., are required to complete the set plan.

Importance of Writing down Plan

Why do leading politicians document their plans? This is because it makes them acquainted for the betterment of people and themselves to keep up the promise. Writing down the plan gives you a chance to review and think upon additional scenario that can be added to make the plan work perfectly. It may also relight the passion on you to do something concrete if lost in midway.

  • Creating Blueprints for the Event: People find it hard to take certain steps in making life plans. They look for a guidance that can help in creating a life plan blueprint. Whether you’re creating a life plan or building your business, writing down the plan in a proper structure is like creating a blueprint. You’re mature enough to know where and how to reach your goal. The blueprint gives an exact view of your planning you’ve thought of. It does work for many who have a long term projection of shaping up the life.
  • A Purpose to your Goal: Whether you’re creating a plan for a wedding, vacation or for your career, writing down the plan helps in setting up the purpose. It makes you reminded of things you need to do. Attach some objectives in connection with the plan that will certainly give a purpose to your goal.
  • To Present Others: Whether it’s a business plan or vacation plan, you can present it to others to give them a brief of your thoughts and how it can be achieved. It includes the role of the members has to play and a clear picture of the entire event.
  • A Guide to Reach the Goal: A properly executed and written plan helps the individual in reaching goals. You check the list and prioritize each role and steps to reach the goal. Yes, there can be changes in the near future depending on the situation followed. But a written plan is always a great way to take steps cautiously.

Conclusion:

Planning and writing down them can be a painful task that many avoid to do. However, giving practical thoughts towards it can help you to be a perfectionist in taking things forward in a right direction.

Resume Tips – 5 Ways to Circulate Your Resume For Job Search Success

Too many people are out of work now, and many are giving up on the chance of finding a job. Sometimes, having a different mindset of how to market yourself can open the possibilities for job search success. There are a number of ways to use your resume, and trying one of these methods might make the difference in finding your next job. If your job search plan is diversified, you will have a better chance of obtaining an interview because your resume will have been circulated to a larger audience of people.

Networking

Networking is one of the best ways to distribute your resume. Networking is getting someone you know to introduce you to somebody that you haven’t met before. While there may not be an obvious job opening, networking could prove valuable at introducing you to that position before it becomes public. This might give you the leverage needed in today’s job market. It certainly can improve your chances at securing an interview.

You don’t need to know a million people to network. Start with the obvious – friends, immediate and extended family members, club or association members, service professionals you’ve hired, and even your hair stylist might know someone who knows about a position that you fit.

As you speak to these individuals, or communicate with the contacts that they provide you, make sure they have a copy of your resume. It’s natural for people to help each other; however, it’s not always natural for us to be comfortable asking for help. Practice asking, “Would you hold onto my resume in case you hear of someone who needs my skills?” Chances are, you will get a friendly yes more often than not.

Advertisements

It is expected that, when answering a classified ad, you will need to submit a resume. Make sure that your resume and cover letter are tailored for the specific requirements of the advertisement. And, read the entire classified section. Sometimes, a job posting appears under a different title than what you might think as normal.

Understand the requirements posted in the advertisement, and be sure your resume fits those requirements. Adjust keywords and critical elements to make sure your resume sells you for that specific position. After all, you wouldn’t try submitting a resume for short-order cook when answering an advertisement for catering and event planner! Although there are similar functions in both positions, the level of your qualifications should fit the position you are competing for.

Employment Agencies

Employment agencies are another place to circulate your resume. If you’ve been out of work for a while and need to start finding something for income, try a temporary agency. Their positions can sometimes develop into permanent placement, and you have a chance to prove your loyalty by working through an agency.

Other employment agencies utilize a fee structure approach to placement. Check the fee arrangements and distribute your resume if their business practices would be beneficial to your job search. Many of these agencies work under a fee structure where the employer pays a finder’s fee for the position opening; and these are often for jobs requiring specialized skills or hard-to-fill positions.

Recruiters

Executive recruiters typically work with companies to find qualified candidates for senior-level positions, and work with the company on either a fee or a retainer contract. Submitting your resume to an executive recruiter may not see immediate results, but it is a chance to get exposure to some of the higher-level positions that wouldn’t be advertised in the classified sections.

Make sure you have a top-class resume for the recruiter to use, and that it is specific for your professional position. Recruiters have a better chance of matching you to a company when you are very clear about your accomplishments and the expertise that you can bring to the next company.

Bold and Direct

The direct approach is still a popular way of circulating your resume. Perhaps you have identified a company or industry for which you’d like to work. Although they haven’t posted any job openings, you can drop off your resume with a good cover letter. Sometimes, this will result in a request to complete an application, or even an immediate interview! At the very least, they will keep it in their candidate file for a short while, and an opening may come up that you are qualified for.

Think about the many different ways to circulate your resume. Don’t wait for opportunity to knock at your door; you need to get your resume out there to find the best opportunities! Follow guidelines when preparing your resume that ensure you end up with a quality, professional document. Once you have polished and perfected it, try some diversified ways of circulating your resume for job search success.

Full Color Banners – Use of Vector and Raster Images With Striking Success

Have you ever had a graphics artist ask you about raster and vector images? Like most people not involved in graphics you were probably a little confused by the question. The fact is, that the proper use of vector and raster (or bitmap) images is very significant to the final outcome of large dimension printing like full color banners. If you have seen a printed image that was pixilated, out of proportion or lacked precise definition, then they most likely used a bitmap imagery and enlarged that image until it lost its crisp definition. Speaking of crisp definitions, lets define vector and raster.

  • Vector images are composed of paths, which are defined by a start and end points, along with other points, curves, and angles. A path may take the form of a line, a square, a triangle, or a curved shape. These paths may be combined to create simple drawings or complex diagrams. Due to vector images not being composed of a specific number of dots, but formula representing the curves and paths, they can be scaled to a larger size and not lose any image quality. Vector images are stored in a good deal smaller files than raster images. Vector images are generally unsuitable for photo-realistic, extremely complex images, but are best suited for graphs, diagrams, logos or images composed of basic shapes, such as cartoon-style characters. Common types of vector graphics editors include Adobe Illustrator, and Macromedia Freehand. Their file designators are ai and eps.
  • Bitmap images are exactly what their name implies, a collection of bits that form an image. The image consists of a matrix of individual dots or pixels that all have their own color. Bitmap images are not the best candidates for resizing, rotating, or stretching. Their best representation is in the size and orientation they were originally developed. They may be cropped, colorized, converted to black and white, or combined with other images using an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements or Corel Photo-paint. When modifying bitmap graphics you are modifying at the pixel level; in other words, the color of any one pixel may be modified. The size of the file is based on the image’s resolution. Bitmap images are used for photorealistic images and, therefore, may include involved color variations.

After enlarging a vector image, the edges remain smooth and distinct. As a result, vector images are great for large graphics like full color banners. Vector graphics, like a logo, can be compressed small enough to appear on a 3.5″ X 2″ business card, but can also be enlarged up to size for a 6′ H X 30′ W full color banner with no loss of resolution or definition. If you use a digital photograph on a large banner, it must be taken at extremely high resolution. This results in using a very large file providing sufficient pixels to not lose definition when the photograph is enlarged.

You can still use photos, with good results. on full color banners. The file sizes become so large they are difficult to work with and the equipment that must be used is very expensive. Conversions of raster to vector is getting more popular. The result may not look like a real photo, but in most instances has a striking and dynamic impact. For example, conversion of a bitmap image of a political candidate to a vector image to place on a large banner has a unique effect. The reader still recognizes the characteristics of the politician, but the resulting image has a “dynamic” almost surreal feel to it.

The bottom line is that both raster and vector may used with success on large full color banners. Make sure the person doing it knows what they are doing and that you ask to see samples of their work.

How To Improve Business Communication For Greater Success

In the age to steaming gadgets that govern your business it gets necessary to use the right way to communicate in business, that is, proper business communication. Today we send fewer letters than we used to do earlier but the speed and low cost of email has pushed the letter to extinction.

A primary role of emails, memos, letters, reports and proposals is to maintain good, relevant and timely follow of information within an organization and with its external publics. It plays a key role in business communication.

Any business writer can write emails, memos, letters and letters that communicate clearly and have impact. But that is not the actual business communication that prevails in the business world. Business people do not pay heed to the ethics of business communication. They write emails as thoughts occur to them and send emails without revising the words into coherent messages. As a result, business writing has come to excuse writing that is fragmented, incomplete, and full of careless language errors.

Here are certain tips to improve business communication:

1. Plan and organize:

One should have clear objectives while writing an email or a business letter. It should include everything that you are intended to write to give information to the reader in order to attain your objectives of proper and clear business communication.

2. Build the business communication infrastructure:

In business communication through emails, letters and memos write thanks, commendation and genuine statements of good that will build teams and partnership with clients. Use the tone and level of formality that fits the objectives and the reader, and convey your thoughts straight and firmly.

3. Prepare the reader for proper business communication:

Write the email or letter subject lines using words that alert the reader to contents, required action or critical information in the email. In the introduction explain everything readers need to know to understand fully why they are receiving the document. Describe all actions the reader is expected to perform, actions you will perform and any critical information that reader is expected to know. Summarize conclusions at the beginning. Write clear statements of contents at the end o introduction so that readers know what to expect and prepare them for reading, which will transform it from just communication to business communication.

Not only emails and letters but meetings also play a vital role in business communication. In any organization, meetings are a vital part of the organization of work and the flow of information. They act as a mechanism for gathering together resources from many sources and pooling then towards a common objective. They are disliked and mocked because they are usually futile, boring, time-wasting, dull, and inconvenient with nothing for most people to do except doodle while some opinionated has-been extols the virtues of his/her last great (misunderstood) idea.

Your challenge is to break this mould and to make your meetings effective. As with every other managed activity, meetings should be planned beforehand, monitored during for effectiveness, and reviewed afterwards for improving their management. A meeting is the ultimate form of business communication. One can organize the information and structure of the meeting to support the effective communication of the participants.

Thus proper business communication whether through writing or verbal i.e. through meetings can do wonders to the business. All that is needed is a skillful, flawless and

effective way of business communication.

Instant Sales Letters – Fill in the Blanks Business Success

Being a business owner means that time is always of the essence for you. There is so much to do in your day and finding the fastest and most efficient way to get your tasks completed is essential. While for some jobs, there are no short cuts that will still get things done properly, instant sales letters can take the task of crafting a solid marketing letter and get it finished in minutes.

Instant sales letter programs are extremely effective for those with very little time to spend on writing their company’s sales letters. Basically, all you need to do is plug in the required information, and the software will generate a sales letter that is specific for your business. You can make changes or adjustments to further personalize your letters or simply use them as they are given to you; the choice is yours.

Another popular type of instant sales letter program allows you to choose a template that you can customize to suit your own needs. Choose a powerful opening that grabs attention and introduces your company, and then select body text from another section that will communicate the features and benefits of your product. Fill in the contact information for your company and you are ready to go.

Many people avoid using a generated sales letter because they believe that it will be obvious that it was not written individually for their business. While in some cases this can be a problem, there are many high quality programs available that will provide you with highly customized letters that are not obviously generated. You simply need to choose the program you use with care and carefully proof your letters to ensure that they will invoke the response you wish from your target audience.

Writing sales letters from scratch can prove to be time consuming and sometimes requires trial and error to get things exactly right. With instant sales letters, you can take advantage of some of the most effective sales letter tactics and tailor them to your specific industry, audience, or product, without the headaches that come with writing your letters from the ground up.

Nonprofit Grant Writing: Grab a Career, Seize Your Success

Do you have the skills to express your ideas and write them in a clear and concise manner? Do you have the ability to think critically and systematically in evaluating certain plans of actions? Can you do extensive researches about business and other related concern? Do you have sufficient communication skills and knack to influence and convince other people? If you answered all of these questions with a proud “yes”, then you may want to explore the realm of grant writing and be engaged with the benefits it can offer to you as your career.

As an emerging trend in the business world, nonprofit grant writing has meaningfully turned to be an advanced tool for many organizations and individuals, especially the nonprofit ones, in generating funds for their existing or future projects. Not-for-profit corporations used to hire skilled writers who can act in accordance with their need to have an effective and powerful proposal; thus, producing a surprising increase in the demands for expert writers. The question now arises: what really are the benefits one can obtain from being a writer?

Since the time grant writing has become in-demand, job opportunities for freelance and professional writers have been opening, allowing them to grasp the chance of pursuing a career in this field. Through that, they are able to work with a number of organizations that wish to seek for a certain kind of service, and then make a significant contribution to their success. Such can be an essential way for one to establish a good and upright image as a writer and be able to get respect from others. Having grant writing as a vocation can allow an individual to have a more flexible and manageable time schedule. Clearly, this can be one of the best advantages writers have, especially if they are used in setting their own schedule, since they can actually spend as much or as little time as they want and as the work requires so. In fact, this work can be done in a home-based setting.

In nonprofit grant writing, another advantage is, of course, the money or income one can generate from his or her work. Usually, one’s earning varies depending on the mode of employment. A freelance writer is typically paid in a project-basis or hourly-basis mode. Rates range from $1,000 to $10,000 per project, determined oftentimes by the difficulty of the project and the length of subscription, as for hourly basis, charges ordinarily vary from $25 to $100 per hour. Based on the most recent data available, the average estimated salary for a technical proposal writer in the U.S. is $55,000 in a year, while professionals bearing title as grant writers receive $44,000 median annual income.

A proposal writer can entirely integrate his or her own specializations in this career. In making persuasive submissions, one can fully apply his technical skills, creative mind power, and extensive research aptitudes he or she has in order to come up with an effective one. Doing proposals serves also as an opportunity for one to broaden his or her knowledge on the funding and business world. Apparently, this will allow the writers to expand their experiences in this area – a competitive edge that almost everyone aims to have in order to attain success.

Fascinated enough? Well, if you have all the necessary skills needed to be a successful proposal writer, then a writing career may be suitable for you. Thus, as early as now, employ some extra effort to develop your writing and communication skills, planning and budgeting skills, and be geared with passion in this line of work. You may want also to enroll in grant writing courses. Or if you think you can immediately start with your professional experience, then, it will still be your choice.

So now, are you going to grab a more practical career on nonprofit grant writing and seize for a more attainable success?

15 Email Marketing Tips to Bring Success to Your Newsletter

Introduction

As you may know, most people now spend more time reading their emails than they do surfing the web. Email is one of the most powerful mediums that you can use to talk to visitors, customers and prospects.

In this article I will discuss 15 best practices that you can use everyday in your email marketing activities. Used wisely and consistently, there’s no doubt you’ll see an increased response from your subscribers — whether it be for more feedback, more product/seminar registrations, or even more orders.

1. Avoiding the Spam Filters

The majority of large Internet service providers now use rigorous spam protection mechanisms to trap unsolicited email before it gets into their customers inboxes. Spam filters generally “rank” each email by a number of different criteria, and, if that email rates above a certain level (such as 10 spam points), then it is flagged as spam and deleted.

To make sure your emails don’t get flagged as spam — and deleted before they even get to your subscribers — avoid using words such as ‘Free’, ‘$$$’, ‘Save’, ‘Discount’, etc in both the subject line and the content of your email.

2. Maximizing Click-Thru Rates

Both web pages and emails can contain a lot of text and graphics, and this sometimes makes it harder to get your subscribers to perform a certain task, such as clicking on a link to see your special offers.

Numerous research papers tell us that the majority of Internet users respond better to a plain, bold, blue text link — such as this — as opposed to a banner or button. So, if you’re going to include links in your emails, make sure they are bold, blue and underlined. This will mean that more subscribers click through, meaning more conversions/sales for you.

3. The Power of Personalization

If you were standing in a crowded mall, which of these would get your attention: “HEY, YOU!” or “HEY JOHN” (assuming your name is John). The power of personalization can and should be used in your emails. In-fact, by simply starting your email with “Hi [subscriber_name]” instead of the boring “Hi there”, you can increase both your reading and click-through rates by up to 650%. Why? Put simply, it’s because your subscribers feel like they already have a relationship with you as you’ve addressed them by their first name.

4. One-Click Unsubscription

If you want to grow your mailing list, then there are 2 things that you absolutely must have: a double opt-in process, and a quick way to unsubscribe. In some countries, it’s actually mandatory by law that every email has an unsubscribe link in it. The unsubscribe link should take the recipient directly to a page where they are then removed — courteously — from your mailing list.

5. Signup Confirmation

Don’t get accused of spamming — always, and I mean always use a double opt-in confirmation process. Double opt-in means that after your visitor initially enters their email address to subscribe to your list, you should then send them a “confirmation” email. This email should contain a special link back to your email-marketing program, which will then verify that this visitor did indeed sign up to your mailing list.

6. Tuesday / Wednesday = Increased Response

Studies conducted by online research analysts have shown that the best days to perform a mail-out to your list are Tuesday and Wednesday, as this is when people are more receptive to communication. This means that they are more likely to read your content and click on links, meaning more sales.

On Mondays, everyone is still recovering from a hectic weekend. On Thursday and Friday, people are already too busy looking forward to the weekend. We’ve actually experimented with this, and received the best results by sending out emails at around 2-3pm (American Pacific Time) on a Wednesday.

7. Repeat Email Communication

An auto responder is an email that is scheduled to be sent at a certain time interval after someone subscribes to your mailing list. Auto responders are a great way to automatically follow up with your subscribers or provide them with more information on your products/services.

For example, if you provide a free newsletter, you could setup 3 auto responders for new subscribers: the first is sent 1 hour after they subscribe. It contains a thank you message and a link to get 10% off your newly released eBook.

The second is sent 24 hours after they subscribe, telling them about your community message boards, and the third is sent 72 hours after they subscribe, in which you can offer them a special deal on becoming a paid member of your site.

Auto responders help your subscribers build trust in both your company and your brand, and this can help make it easier when trying to close sales in the future.

8. Consistency is the Key

If you’re running a newsletter or frequent email publication, make sure you keep the look and feel consistent from issue to issue. By keeping the look and feel consistent, you help to maintain and strengthen your brand and your image to your subscribers, which again will make it easier to close sales when you need to.

Create a template for your newsletter and whenever you need to create a new issue, use that template as the basis for each issue.

9. On Time, Every Time

When sending a regular email to your subscribers, always make sure that it’s sent on the same day, at the same time. For example, every Wednesday at 3pm. Your subscribers will come to “expect” your email to arrive in their inbox on the same day at the same time every week, meaning that they want to read your content and are generally more receptive to any special offers or promotions you may include.

10. The Half-a-Second Subject Line

When your email arrives in your subscriber’s inbox, you generally have about half a second to catch their attention with the subject line of your email. After this, they will either delete your email or ignore it. In your subject line, try and specify a benefit that the subscriber can expect by reading your email. For example, instead of using ‘OurSite Newsletter Issue #1’, use ‘OurSite Newsletter: 10 Tips for Financial Freedom’.

11. The Free Bonus Hook-In

Free is overused these days, especially on the Internet. However, if you’re looking to grow your subscriber list, then create or source a product of value to your visitors (such as an eBook or discount coupon) and offer it to them for free when they signup for your newsletter.

To make sure they don’t simply type any email address into your subscription form, setup an auto responder to send them the free bonus 1 hour after they subscribe to your newsletter.

12. The Preview Pane

Popular email clients such as MS Outlook show a preview of an email when it’s selected in your inbox. Always have some interesting content at the very top of your email, as this is the part that will show in the preview window of your subscribers email program. If it’s interesting enough, then your subscriber will open your email and continue on reading.

13. Link-Click Testing

When creating marketing emails, try using different text for both content and links. Also try re-positioning images such as logos and buttons. After sending about 3 different emails, compare the click-through stats and see which one worked best. Now, when you need to send marketing emails in the future, you know that you will be sending the right mix of content and images that will attract the most click-thrus, and ultimately the most sales.

14. Email-Based Learning

Add value to your website, build trust in your visitors, establish your credibility and collect more subscriptions to your mailing list by setting up an email-based learning course. To do this, simply create a series of auto responders (for example, 5) containing unique content. Then, schedule the first one to be sent after 24 hours, the second after 48 hours, etc.

15. Always Sign on the Dotted Line

Always include a signature at the bottom of your emails, as it’s one of the easiest ways to attract more traffic to your website. This signature should include your personal details, your company details, and an unsubscribe link. You can use your signature to link back to your website, and even to other products. Here’s a sample signature:

  • Regards,
  • John Doe.
  • President – Company XYZ.
  • Visit our website at http://www.companyxyz.com
  • Unsubscribe from this newsletter at [http://www.companyxyz.com/unsubscribe..].

Conclusion

By implementing the 15 best practices described in this article, you can take your email marketing to a whole new level — attracting more subscribers, and building both your brand equity and credibility at the same time.

Recruit Like Crazy: The Sure Mantra To MLM Success

Recruit like crazy? In this steeplechase running of MLM business, the real challenge lies in recruiting the ideal candidate for building the network. It might seem to be a vicious circle, but there is a ray of hope to all your concerns and worries. Professional programs, like Recruit like Crazy is available to help you find the ideal partners and customers for your MLM business.

Recruit Like Crazy is a Great Tool

Those, who have not heard of this program before, will be glad to know that this successful tool has helped millions of people already in growing their business. Before, you proceed further in knowing the details of this program, it’s a must that you should honestly ask yourself, whether you are committed to your business? If the answer is yes, then you can surely take your business to new horizon of success.

The best part of this program is that you will never need any helping hand once you are clearly following the guidelines. Once you step in the program, you just need to relax, as it is an autopilot program that will take care of your website and business. Recruit like crazy will build your network, even when you are not working on the system. Isn’t that fantastic news?

Welcome all queries and doubts of the candidates, who want to be a part of your business. It is natural to have curiosities, so the new candidates, who want to join, will also have some doubts. Handle these positively and explain why they are the appropriate candidate and why your business will work for them, despite it might not have worked for their friends.

Do not disclose all the details of your company to the down line instantly. Keep certain details to yourself and reveal them at the appropriate time. Curiosities always keep an upsurge to proceed further and maintain optimism. Address the candidates as a part of your team, and not your employee. You can also share some details of the company and the compensation plan to keep their faith and confidence in the business.

Recruit Like Crazy Helps to Find the Right partners

Recruit like crazy not only helps you find the right candidates for your business, but also helps you self analyze and evaluate your business’s true potential. Remember, in MLM business, both top and down the line need to be committed to facing and overcoming any obstacles and adopting new ways to succeed. The program emphasizes focusing the mistakes, which are the cause of failure in network marketing. Recruit Like Crazy emphasizes the do’s and don’ts for the success in the networking business. The first and foremost consideration is to remove the business owner mentality in the networking business. It is a network, and each candidate must behave as a boss.

Next, be patient! Do not believe that networking is an instant business. The more recruitment you do the more the network will expand and the more success you will have!

Making the right decision at the right time is of utmost essential in Network Marketing, because opportunities wait for nobody. Sometimes, you may feel that your job is over, once you have built your network, but that is not true. Constant monitoring and helping your down line to build their network is equally valuable. Working in spurs is another common mistake that is adopted at times, however, it is teamwork and at end of the day the results will follow! The entire network will perform well and this produces a wonderful feeling. To Recruit Like Crazy consistency and persistency are the keys. Developing leadership qualities in the entire network is crucial. Always keep the lines of communication open and the mastermind discussions going.

To Recruit Like Crazy – Be an Awesome Leader!

As a leader, review and evaluate your business model from time to time. Test! Test! Test! Before putting new ideas and practices in place, test them and ensure that the results are satisfactory before introducing them to your team. Remember, your vision is going to be your team’s mission, so make sure you’re guiding them in the right direction. Once they are on the right path, you can sit and watch the magic of Recruit Like Crazy. You will certainly feel proud to sit back and look at the statistics of your company roaring sky high. At the end of the day, opportunities knock at the doors of those who have a constant focus and intent to handle success! So go right ahead – Recruit Like Crazy…

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