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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.

How To Write An Ebook – The Conclusion Page

In this article, you’ll learn some tips of what you can do when crafting your conclusion to your ebook.

It’s important to have a conclusion for your eBook so you can summarize what you’ve just covered. The summary should be short, it should be concise, it should highlight the main points of the eBook and it should be like a ‘cliff notes’ version of the entire ebook. For the flow of the ebook, a conclusion is just a good way to wrap up your ideas.

However, there’s a bigger reason to have a conclusion in your ebook. When a reader has gotten this far, you have their attention. You’ve obviously done your job providing valuable content or else the reader would have stopped long ago. This is a great thing, and you’d be a fool to not take advantage of your captive reader.

With that in mind, here’s a few more things you can do with your conclusion.

1. You can offer them a chance to get more ‘advanced’ trainings from one of your paid products. The idea here is if they liked what they just read, then they’ll most certainly love your advanced trainings that really teach them ‘the goods’.

2. You can put links that promote more of your websites or products that are relevant to the content in the ebook. Once again, you’ve built rapport with your reader and more times than not, your reader will be more than happy to read or learn more about what you have to teach. Keep the links relevant and watch your business grow.

3. You can move them to another step in your sales funnel. If reading the eBook was part of your sales funnel, then you can move them on to the next natural step in your sales funnel. I would recommend the next step definitely be a paid product.

4. You can do just about anything, as long as it’s relevant. You don’t want your next step to be a site about Twitter advertising if you just gave them information about how to dominate Facebook advertising.

After your summary of the content, you can use a phrase like “By the way, if you want to get more in-depth information about…, visit my website to get a complete training and understanding about…”, or something to that affect.

Give them a call to action! You’ve earned the right to ask for a sale.

Bottom line is you are in business to make money. If you don’t ask someone to buy something from you, you will never make any money.

Now I didn’t talk about the option of not having a conclusion because honestly I think you are hurting yourself more than helping yourself if you leave the conclusion out. Now in some eBook instances it might make sense to not have a conclusion, but in my experience, it’s always a good idea to have a conclusion in your eBook inviting people to take the next step with you and to spend money with you.

Teaching Children to Write by Free Writing

When it comes to writing, starting is the hardest part, but free writing makes it so much easier! Even with a chosen topic, a blank page or computer screen can be discouraging. Free writing will get kids past the blank page.

I make myself and my students free write because it is the easiest and best creative writing idea out there. Many professionals prefer to jump start their imaginations this way. It is also called quick, madman or practice writing.

The first time you ask children to do this, they will stare incredulously and grumble. They will be hard pressed to meet the time requirement of three minutes. However, after a regular discipline of free writing, they will begin to enjoy this time and it is amazing what they can produce. I often have to force them to stop at the end of ten minutes.

The rules for free writing:

Write quickly and uncritically. Aim for quantity, not quality.

You must write for the mandatory time period (begin with 3 minutes and work up to 10). There is no need for a topic. Begin writing. Do not think of what to write. It doesn’t matter. It’s the process, not the product that is important.

Your hand must be moving the entire time and you are not allowed to talk. Not even a peep.

If you can’t think of anything, then write, “I don’t know what to write,” or repeat the last word or letter over and over so that writing continues no matter what. If students consistently cop out in this manner ignore it. In time, they will come around. It’s way more boring to do this than it is to write.

Use a non-ticking timer. I don’t know why that provides incentive, but it does.

Use a scribbler. Write the date on the top right-hand corner. Continue just below this entry the next time. These writing samples are often used for future stories.

When the timer goes off, read what you have written and give it a title. Write your title on the top left-hand corner.

For best results, the parent should free write in his or her scribbler each time the child writes.

Spelling, neatness, grammar, spacing, etc. do not count (I can’t stress this enough).

What you write is private. You may share with the others by reading aloud when you are done, but that is entirely voluntary. The parent should honor children’s privacy. Only when we feel safe to write our true feelings will our creativity be released.

Be faithful with this activity. Start every day with it and stick to it like brushing your teeth. In a very short time, it will produce fruit. I used this technique with a junior high creative writing course. We started each class by free writing for ten minutes. I assigned a certain number of free writing sessions for increasing lengths of time each week. Sometimes I made them write in unusual locations. The results were phenomenal. Their writing took off, and I attribute it directly to the free writing exercises. I have heard similar success stories from many parents.

When I began free writing each morning, I noticed two things happened almost immediately. One was that I began to look forward to that time. It became therapeutic. I never knew what would flow out of my pen and I discovered many things about myself. The second was that writing became much easier. When I say writing, I mean the writing that I did apart from free writing. What I free wrote was immaterial. Most of it I never looked at again. The real pay off came when I had to write an article with a deadline. I would sit at my computer and dive in, head first. No longer did I stare at a blank screen. Like a long distance runner, I was instantly in stride and I took off.

If you will trust me and try this consistently for a healthy period of time (months), you will notice a difference in your children’s writing. I would love it if you would write a comment about it on this site and share with others that it really does work!

How to Write Killer Sales Copy

Dear Business-Builder,

Sometimes, I get flummoxed.

Like a few years back — when the president of Phillips Publishing asked me to answer questions his group publishers and marketing managers had about copywriting.

It was in the early 1990s, and Phillips’ president was the legendary Bob King – a truly great man, and one of the sharpest marketing minds I have ever known.

As I remember, the first question his people asked me was, “How do you know the difference between good sales copy and bad copy?”

Hence, my flummoxation: These were executives with degrees in marketing from major universities — marketing hot shots who hired copywriters every single day … critiqued our copy and dictated changes to us — and the one thing they wanted to know was … “How can I spot powerful sales copy when I see it?”

My mind reeled. I was so caught off-guard, I just blurted out the first thing that went through my mind: “You don’t know it,” I said, “You feel it.”

I explained that consumers almost never buy things because it is logical to do so – and that the vast majority of purchases made in this country are made because they satisfy an emotional need. So to be great, sales copy must connect with the prospect’s most powerful resident emotions – whether positive or negative – and demonstrate how reading the copy and buying the product will fulfill or assuage those desires or fears.

That’s why, I explained, instead of merely thinking through the writing, editing and review process, I feel my way through – making sure that the “tingle factor” intensifies with every passing paragraph until I literally can’t wait to order.

I explained how every sales message is like a chain designed to meet the reader at the point of his need … and then lead him, step by step, link by link, to the order form.

I showed them how the chain is only as strong as its weakest link: How the minute you lose the “tingle factor,” the reader gets bored, you lose him, and the chain breaks. How if something you say feels unbelievable to him, the chain breaks. And how if you confuse him by losing your clarity of vision, the chain breaks.

I also pointed out that, even if you make sure that every link in the chain is unbreakable, your sales copy is also only as strong as its strongest link. The more compelling each section is, the greater your response and average order will be. And here, once again, feeling my way through lets me strengthen even the strongest sections of my copy.

I thought it was a pretty good answer. I still do. In fact, if you haven’t had the experience of reading your copy aloud, sensing how each passage feels to you, sensing how it’s likely to feel to the prospect, I highly recommend it.

But as I watched the young gun’s faces, I could tell that I had raised more questions than I answered for them. They needed something more tangible from me. They needed a checklist – a handful of nitty-gritty, nuts-and-bolts tactics to look for.

And so, in a belated attempt to improve on my decade-old answer, allow me to offer 21 ways to spot strong sales copy – and to help make the ads, direct mail packages and Internet promotions you’re working on bigger winners for you.

THESE ARE NOT RULES. I hate rules. But they’re great “non-rules” – guidelines that have paid off for me time and time again in my 30 plus years in the direct response trenches – and that I’m confident will strengthen your ad copy as well …

Non-Rule #1 – BE Somebody!

We tend to be skeptical, even suspicious of information given us by a corporation. We welcome – indeed, we seek out — advice from qualified guides and advocates who have our best interests at heart. And we welcome advice from someone who has solved a problem that we’re struggling with.

Putting a friendly and/or highly qualified human face on copy – and speaking in that person’s voice — will ramp up the impact of your sales messages by an order of magnitude.

Non-Rule #2 – Address Your Prospect Directly:

Here, you actually get two maxims for the price of one:

A) Talk to your reader: Instead of talking about how “we” age … how “we” encounter various health problems, talk to the reader about her life … her future … and most importantly, her feelings.

Use the word “YOU” as often as is humanly possible throughout your text. Remember: Your prospect really couldn’t give a flip about you, your company, your product or anything else. The prospect is interested in the prospect!

B) Talk about the reader: Yes, it’s true that x million Americans have heart attacks each year. But saying it that way, you’re not talking about her; you’re talking about x million other folks.

Find ways to personalize these kinds of statistics: “As an American over age 40, your chances are one in x of having a heart attack this year.” Wow. Now, you’ve got my attention!

Non-Rule #3 – Be Personal:

I often begin by closing my eyes and imagining that I’m talking to a friend about the subject at hand. How would I begin the conversation? What would I say? What would he say? What would I say back?

I would not refer to myself in the plural: “We want to help you …” I’d say, “Here – let me help you …”

Non-Rule #4 – Identify With Your Prospect:

Gary Bencivenga did this beautifully with his “Why we investors are fed up …” deck in his all-time classic “Lies, Lies, Lies!” package. Instantly, in the prospect’s mind, the person addressing him was transformed from a salesman into “a regular guy” — someone just like him.

Tell the reader what you have in common. Let him know that you empathize: You’ve been there. Reveal a non-fatal weakness or a petty frustration that the two of you might share. Anything that puts you on the reader’s level will endear him to you and engender trust between you.

Non-Rule #5 – Put a Face on the Enemy:

Why has the reader failed to solve this problem or fulfill this desire? Were all the other products he’s tried ineffective? Were the “experts” who gave him advice wrong? Is someone intentionally using him?

This is a rich emotional vein – so mine it! But instead of droning on about how unfair banks are, personalize it. Talk about how greedy bankers do this or that to the reader. Or about how callous drug company execs trick his doctor into prescribing costly and dangerous things that often don’t work.

Non-Rule #6 – Prove Every Point:

Never ask your reader to accept any claim at face value. Always include proof elements that suspend his disbelief with every claim. Best credibility devices could include:

Study data from respected sources
Expert testimonials
User testimonials
Statements that support your point from a major periodical – The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc.

Non-Rule #7 – Don’t Fear the Occasional Obvious Overstatement:

No, I’m not suggesting that you should exaggerate when describing what your product does. But I often use an obvious over-the-top phrase to demonstrate how intensely my client feels about a particular point.

Once in a health promotion, for example, I wrote:

“Some surgeons are so greedy, they’ll gladly cut a hole right through you – just to get to your wallet!”

Was it true? Who knows? No, I didn’t have a story about a surgeon who had literally cut through a patient to reach his wallet in my substantiation files. I did know, however, that many of my readers had had hysterectomies, mastectomies and other surgical procedures that were later determined to be unnecessary – and that line got every one of them emotionally involved and on my side.

Non-Rule #8 – Speak Colloquially:

I try to speak to my prospects as they’re used to being spoken to. Yes, that means I often dangle my participles and other parts (of speech). So what? I’m trying to communicate here – not trying to pass an English exam.

To mock the sticklers who were constantly correcting his prepared speeches, Winston Churchill once declared, “A dangling participle is something up with which I will not put.” Pretty much says it all …

Non-Rule #9 – All Jargon is NOT Evil!

Many coaches say you should avoid technical terms and industry jargon altogether. Baloney. The selective use of jargon comes in handy lots of times when I’m writing — like …

A) When the jargon’s meaning is familiar to the reader – especially investors and medical patients — I’m respecting his intelligence; speaking a language he understands and is comfortable with.

B) When the jargon is being spoken – sparingly – by an expert, it demonstrates the expert’s, well … expertise. We expect doctors to be proficient in the use of medical jargon and brokers to use investment terminology. If the term is obscure though, I’ll include a quick explanation and then move on.

Non-Rule #10 – Figures of Speech are Wonderful!

Early on, I was told to avoid clichés, sayings, analogies, aphorisms, proverbs, adages and so on. But why? If you had a face-to-face conversation with your prospect wouldn’t you hear tons of these figures of speech?

Doesn’t the use of these favorite sayings instantly say, “Hey – I’m not a salesman; I’m just like you!”? Don’t they get your prospect smiling? And don’t most of them instantly communicate something that it would otherwise take us a sentence or more?

If a picture is worth one thousand words, a good figure of speech should be worth at least one hundred. So go ahead: Experiment. If a figure of speech helps you communicate faster or drive a point home harder – and if you’re absolutely sure that its meaning will be instantly grasped by your prospect – go for it!

Of course, writing copy that’s just one cliché after another might be a slippery slope. Your client may even say that your promo is a basket case. That would be a close shave! You might end up feeling as dumb as a bag of hammers.

But on the other hand, choosing the right spots to communicate quickly with an idiom could turn out to be your bread and butter. Who knows? Maybe you’ll wind up richer than Midas!

Rule #11 – Put the 75 Most Powerful Words and Phrases in the English Language to Work for You:

Use these freely (no charge) when crafting headlines, subheads, and throughout your copy:

Amazing
Astonishing
Astounding
Announcing
Appalling
At Last
Bargain
Bonus
Breakthrough
Charter
Comfortable
Discount
Discover
Discovery
Easy
Effortless
Exclusive
Fearless
First Time Ever
Forever
Free
Gift
Guaranteed
How to…
How I …
Hurry
Immediate
Improved
Inevitable
Instantly
Intense
Introducing
It’s here
Just Arrived
Last Chance
Limited
Locked-In
Miracle
Money
Never Before
Nothing To Lose
New
Now
Opportunity
Painless
Premium
Prestigious
Priority
Promise
Proven
Quick
Revolutionary
Right Away
Rush
Sale
Save
Savings
Scandalous
Secret
Send No Money
Sensation
Simple
Special
Shocking
Steal
Surprising
The Truth About…
Today
Unique
Valuable
Why
Win
Windfall
Yes
And of course, the all-time award-winner … YOU!

Another thing: Some words and phrases are wimps. The limp-wristed, namby-pambies of the writing universe. “Can” … “could” … “should” … “might” … “may” … “ought to” … “seeks to” … “has the potential to” … “In my opinion” … and all the rest of these sissies should be banned from your copy whenever necessary.

Tell your prospect what your product will do. If the legal beagle or compliance officer complains, make a phone call and haggle.

Example:

YOU WRITE: “These investments are guaranteed to soar when interest rates rise.”

COMPLIANCE VERSION: “These investments could possibly have the potential to soar when interest rates rise – maybe.”

COMPROMISE: “These investments have the power to soar when interest rates rise.”

Non-Rule #12 – Squint:

Squinting makes the individual letters and words indecipherable and I’m left with just the pattern the paragraphs make on the page.

As I study the page, I’m asking myself, “At first glance, does this feel easy-to-read and inviting? Or is it covered with long, dense paragraphs that will only discourage my reader?”

Then I …

Jump in and break long paragraphs into shorter ones – even one-line paragraphs when I can …
Identify spots where the thing is crying out for a break – a sidebar or indented paragraph, for example – and then work them in …
Look for opportunities to turn a long block of copy into a string of pearls (like these).

I look for a series of benefits, steps in a procedure or other copy points that I can precede with bullets, numbers, letters, etc.

You can present horrifying alternatives …

Ages your body: Fluoride has been shown to damage your chromosomes and block the enzymes needed to repair your DNA.
Poisons your brain: Laboratory subjects given tiny doses of fluoride for a year showed an increased uptake of aluminum in the brain, and the formation of beta amyloid deposits which are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. And five Chinese studies have documented a lowering of IQ in children exposed to fluoride!

… Or, billboard benefits, as with these fascinations from a recent promotion for Your Money Report:

The #1 Secret of Landlords Who Get RICH: Doing this one thing can mean the difference between fat profits and a devastating loss! Page xx
Flipping For A Fortune? WATCH OUT! Ingenious strategy lets you make a bundle without ever owning a single property. BUT, it could also get you sued – or worse! Essential advice: Page xx
Beware of These “Landlord Landmines!” 3 easy ways to sidestep costly landlord/tenant traps. Page xx

… Or, create a label. This series, “7 Guilty Secrets Drug Companies Do NOT Want You To Know” was also touted on the cover of the piece as a reason to read the piece:

FACT #1: Drug Companies Kill Tens of Thousands Each Year: Many of today’s most-often prescribed medications are not only useless, but extremely dangerous – crippling and killing as many Americans each year as died in the 18 years of the Vietnam war.

FACT #2: They Do It Knowingly — For Money: The ultra-rich U.S. drug industry – the single most profitable businesses in America – is guilty of using bogus research, distorted reporting, and bald-faced lies to push deadly and ineffective drugs onto unsuspecting doctors and patients.

Non-Rule #13 – Go for Precision and Power:

A lot of experts say you should use short words. Write as if the prospect is an eighth-grader.

Some anal-retentive rule addicts have even gone so far as to instruct students to add up all the letters in each paragraph and divide by the number of words, and make sure that the average word is no more than five letters long!

Utter nonsense!

Here’s what I do …

o If a long word means precisely the same thing and carries the same emotional coloring as a shorter word, I’ll go with the shorter word.

I can’t stand to read or even talk to people who use longer words when shorter ones will do just fine: Who say “facilitate” when all they mean is “help” or “ease” … “compensate” when they mean “pay” … “Individual” when they mean a “guy” or a “gal” or “person” … or “sufficient” when they mean “enough!”

Nine times out of ten, I’ve found that people who write or talk like that are trying to hide something. Like massive insecurities. Or the fact that they have no idea what they’re talking about.

To quote William Zinsser’s advice in his classic, On Writing Well:

“Beware, then, of the long word that is no better than the short word: ‘numerous’ (many), ‘facilitate’ (ease), ‘individual’ (man or woman), ‘remainder’ (rest), ‘initial’ (first), ‘implement’ (do), ‘sufficient’ (enough), ‘attempt’ (try), ‘referred to as’ (called), and hundreds more.”

o But if a longer word – or even an entire phrase — more precisely conveys my meaning or more effectively invokes the emotion I’m going for, the longer word it is!

Non-Rule #14 – Short Sentences Rule!

This is a particular weakness of mine – I tend to string too many thoughts together … use hyphens and ellipses and other devices to connect them; and only wind up turning sentences into entire paragraphs in which the prospect eventually gets lost or has to read twice. (Damn – did it again!)

I don’t worry too much about it on my first drafts. That’s when I’m just trying to get everything out on paper. I try to fix my run-ons when I’m editing, later on.

As I edit my copy, I try to keep this advice in mind from the classic book on writing, The Elements of Style:

“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.”

Non-Rule #15 – Count Commas:

I view commas as warning flags in my copy. Sure – they could be there for a good reason: Like showing the proofreader that I do, in fact, know a thing or two about proper punctuation.

But often times, commas are a big red flag that tells me that I’ve got a run-on on my hands. Or even worse, they scream, “HEY, BOZO! You wrote this sentence UPSIDE DOWN!”

Consider …

“With only the finest of intentions, Clayton wrote his example.”

That comma in the above sentence is a dead-giveaway that something’s out of kilter. Wouldn’t it read faster if I merely said …

“Clayton wrote his example with only the finest of intentions.”

Non-Rule #16 – Use Connecting Words at the Beginning of Paragraphs:

In addition to communicating, every paragraph of great copy should also make a sale: It should “sell” the prospect on the idea of reading the next paragraph.

Early on, I learned that using conjunctions and other connecting words at the beginning paragraphs was a simple way to keep the momentum going: “And” … “Plus” … “But” … “Furthermore” … “Moreover” … “What’s more” … “And there’s more:” … “Even worse,” for example.

Hint: I like “and” better than “but.” “And” is positive. “But” is negative. I look for “buts” and try to replace them with “ands” wherever I can.

Non-Rule #17 – Look for Shortcuts to Keep the Momentum Going:

I make liberal use of contractions. After all — it’s how people talk! In fact, the only time I write “does not” instead of “doesn’t” is when the “not” is crucial to my meaning. And if it’s really crucial, I’ll add emphasis to it with an underline, italicizing it, capitalizing it, and in come cases, all of the above.

Non-Rule #18 – Be Specific:

Every generality in your text is a landmine. That will kill you.

Instead of merely saying “you’ll save time,” tell your prospect precisely how much time he’ll save. Don’t say, “Buy now and save!” Say, “You SAVE $99 by calling in the next 10 minutes!”

I actually read through each draft looking for excuses to add specifics to fully dimensionalize every problem and every promise.

Non-Rule #19 – Consider The Question:

Some folks think that asking the prospect a question – either in a headline or elsewhere in your copy is a mistake. “After all,” they say, “Declarative sentences are strong; questions are weak. And besides, how do you really know how the prospect will answer?”

But sometimes questions aren’t weak. Sometimes, they’re hypothetical – and make a very strong declarative statement. A headline I wrote for Louis Navallier – a head that mailed successfully for more than a year — once asked …

What’s wrong with getting richer QUICKER?

The copy went on to say:

I’ve made money slow, and I’ve made money fast. Believe me: Fast is better!

That head wasn’t a really question. It was a cry of defiance from impatient investors who were sick and tired of being told to cool their jets.

In the pre-head of a recent direct mail piece for Your Money Report, I wrote …

o Suspicious of corporate CEOs who lie about their earnings?

o Fed up with stockbrokers who tout lousy stocks – and get rich even when you don’t?

o Impatiently waiting for the profits Wall Street promises you – but never delivers?

It’s time for you to join millions of your fellow Americans who grew rich when they finally said …

“Thanks for nothing, Wall Street –

I’d Rather Do It MYSELF!”

Used properly, questions can often be used to demonstrate that you already know and empathize with the answer. And they can also be a great way to demonstrate the horrifying alternative — as I did in this P.S. for an investment newsletter …

P.S. What if I’m right? What if I really can help you avoid losses and even profit when tech stocks tumble? How will you feel, licking your wounds and knowing that if you had just said, “YES,” to this generous offer, you could have made a killing?

Please – for your sake – let me hear from you today. If I can’t help you, my service costs you nothing. If I can, you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

Non-Rule #20 – When in Doubt, Cut it Out:

After I’ve completed a draft, I often realize that my best lead is buried a few paragraphs down in the copy. Moving or deleting the first few paragraphs — or even the first page — would get us off to a much faster start.

Another weakness of mine: Excessive repetition. I tend to over-write key paragraphs, or write a key paragraph several different ways. Second drafts are the perfect time to spot this needless repetition and condense several graphs into one, short, punchy one.

Non-Rule #21 – Break the Rules!

Never let the fact that a particular technique is frowned upon prevent you from using it. Follow every road that opens up before you as you write. Explore every unbeaten path. Don’t let that left-brained party-pooper who lives inside you kill what could be a great idea before you’ve had time to fully develop it. Even if you later agree that it doesn’t work, you’ve learned something. And if it does work, you’ve made a breakthrough.

Hope this helps!

How to Write a Good Thank You Note: Email Vs Handwritten

When I was learning to teach I dreaded being in front of a class at the blackboard. It wasn’t that I was nervous about public speaking; it was that I have terrible handwriting! Like many left-handed people, handwriting, especially on a blackboard, is challenging – you always seem to end up smudging what you’ve just written.

Despite my difficulty with handwriting, I strongly believe there are times in the business world when handwriting is extremely helpful. One of those times is when you send a thank-you note following a job interview.

You do know that you should send a thank-you note after a job interview (If you don’t, now’s the time to revise your post-interview strategy!). And here’s the reason why. Sending a thank-you note makes you stand out from the mass of applicants, your competition. As well, it signals your strong interest in the position. It’s also a courtesy that has fallen by the wayside in some circumstances. (Try getting a thirteen-year-old to send a thank-you note after a birthday gift arrives from a relative.) But handwriting is making a slow but steady (and essential) comeback, especially in job hunting.

Still, the question remains: why a handwritten thank-you note, why not send an email?

One reason is: because email messaging has become so prevalent, a handwritten letter (or note) will draw greater attention, simply because it is less expected. Another is, a handwritten letter conveys a human quality and a kind of intimacy. Of course, you have to make sure that your script is legible. (Even I can do that, if I try hard enough!)

Some believe that you should actually send two thank-you notes, the first by email, the second by regular post. My feeling is, if you only have time for one thank-you note, go with the handwritten note. It will have greater impact. Ideally, you should send both an email and a handwritten note, as I explain in the recommendations that follow.

Recommendations for Post-Interview Thank-You Notes:

1. The Email:

Send a thank-you email message as soon as you can. By the end of the same day you interviewed is optimal. Keep it very short. Most employers will not take the time to read a long, multi-paragraph email. And email messages shouldn’t be more than 3-4 short paragraphs.

The content: Use email to thank the employer for her time, to briefly reiterate your understanding of hers and the organization’s needs, and how you can fulfill them. Conclude by expressing your enthusiasm for the chance to work with this employer.

The purpose: Your thank-you email demonstrates you are conscientious, organized and enthusiastic about the potential job.

2.The Handwritten Thank-you Note:

Mail your handwritten thank-you note within twenty-four hours, since it takes at least a day or two to arrive at its destination.

The Content: This is your opportunity to be more expansive than in your email message. Be aware that the chances of it being read are greater, given the surprise factor. That said, be concise. Briefly reflect on some of the issues that arose in the interview. Share additional thoughts that occurred to you after the fact (if you have something worth adding). If appropriate, address something of importance that failed to come up during the interview. You may also want to demonstrate that the interview gave you a keener understanding of the company and its goals. And now you are even more excited about the possibility of working with the organization.

The Purpose: Your handwritten thank-you note demonstrates your thoroughness and attention to detail. It shows that you are considerate, that it’s important to you to “go that extra mile” for something you really care about.

You may find the thought of writing a thank-you note as daunting as writing a cover letter. But if you stay sharply focused, it isn’t difficult to compose and it really is an important part of your job search.

So when it comes to that question: to (hand) write or not to write? Definitely handwrite. Not only is there a good chance it will give you the leading edge, the journalist Gwendolyn Bounds reports that there is new research indicating handwriting may actually improve the way your brain works! And that can only help you when you land that job.

How to Write a Quick & Easy Car Repo Letter

On your own letterhead paper write or print out a notice which includes the name, address, and phone number of the defaulted client. Explain that you have attempted to contact them to no avail. Notify that they must contact you in order to come to a resolution to their outstanding payments.

List the vehicle that is in question along with its VIN number.

Give a final date that all past due payments are due by (labeled “last date for payment”) and the amount due to catch payments up (labeled “amount now due”). Explain that:

“If you pay the amount now due by the last date for payment you may continue with the contract as though you were not in default. If you do not pay by that date, we may exercise our rights under law, including involuntary repossession of the vehicle in which we hold a security interest.”

Remember that as time passes until the due date you assign more payments due may accumulate. Include in the letter that by the due date these payments will also be due and list each payment by amount and normal scheduled due date, i.e. “date due_______ Amount _______”

After listing these payments that will accumulate by the final due date explain that:

“In order to fully cure your account, and in order to prevent the exercise of our legal rights under the law, the payment or payments listed above must ALSO be paid in full on or before the last due date for payments”

Inform that even if the account is caught up you still have the right to take action in the event that payments fall behind again within a designated amount of time:

“If you are late again within the next____weeks in making your payments, we may exercise our rights, including repossession, without sending you another notice like this one.”

Explain your rights to collect further monies owed under the lien contract:

“The rights we may exercise under the law include repossession of the motor vehicle securing this debt. If the motor vehicle is repossessed, either voluntarily or involuntarily, it may be sold and you may owe the difference between the net proceeds from the sale and the remaining balance due under the contract.”

Ask the client to contact you right away if they have any questions.

Close the letter with:

“If we do not hear from you within___days, we will have no choice but to put out a REPOSSESSION ORDER on the vehicle.”

Sign it and have it notarized.

Mail the letter certified with delivery confirmation and return address requested. This way you have 2 ways of confirming and proving that they did receive the notice in case legal questions arise after the repossession.

You also obtain any forwarding address if the client has moved so that you can more easily locate the vehicle. The return address requested will send the letter back to you if they have moved instead of being forwarded to them.

If payment has not been made and you are ready to repossess the vehicle you need to write or type a REPOSSESSION ORDER. This will state the following:

Repossess Order

Purchaser:
[Name]
[Address]
[Phone number]

Default of contract
[vehicle year, make, model, VIN]
Net Payoff Balance: [Total bottom line balance owed]
Repo fee: [$ amount of the repo fee you charge]
Storage fee: [$ amount of the storage fee you charge]
Damage: [$ amount of any damage known to be done to the vehicle] You may also write TBD or To Be Determined here
Total: Add up all of these amounts and enter the total here

The named buyer is in default of installment loan contract and payment is under uniform and commercial state and local codes covering installment contract.

We agree to indemnify and save [your name/business name] harmless from and against all claims damages, losses, and actions resulting from or arising out of our efforts, except as may be caused by negligence or unauthorized acts by our agents representing us.

Dealer Authorizing Repossession

[your name/business name, address, and phone number here]

Notarize at the bottom

-Make a copy of the order for your records and give the order to your repossession agent (the person performing the actual vehicle acquisition).

Note that –

* If you follow these steps you will have done a legal repossession.
* Many people do not send a notification letter because many times a client will attempt to hide the vehicle once they have received a letter like this, especially if they have no intentions of paying.
* Most people are unaware of their rights when it comes to a vehicle repossession so they usually don’t report someone who has not followed proper procedure, however, If you do not send the certified letter notifying them of their default and giving them opportunity to make payment they have grounds to report you to the state’s DMV Dealer Services and the state’s Attorney General which can result in you being fined as well as taken to court for violating repossession laws.
* Keep in mind that some states do not allow a repossession to take place on private property if the repossession agent is asked to leave (some states require him/her to leave and for you to obtain a court order).
* Some states have no restrictions on public property.
* Some states forbid repossession to take place at a client’s place of employment.
* Be sure to check specific repossession laws pertaining to your state.

What is a Federal Resume and How To Write One

The federal resume is one of three documents required for official applications for jobs within the federal government. The other two are the OF-612 and the traditional SF-171 – and it’s hard sometimes to figure out which agency wants what document, because some offices prefer one over the other So your best bet is to submit a federal resume – it’s considered the most current type of resume for government employment and, even if the department in question would prefer a different style, you’ll still look like you know what you’re doing!

A federal resume should be developed in the “chronological” resume format, listing your work history in reverse order of when you were employed. It must also include some additional information that’s not usually requested by civilian employers. You’ll need to include:

Job Information (job/listing number, title, series and grade of job)

Personal Information (full name and address, day and evening phone numbers, social security number, country of citizenship, veteran’s preference, reinstatement eligibility, highest federal civilian grade held)

Education (high school, including name, city, and state, date of diploma or GED, colleges or universities, including name, city and state, majors, type and year of any degrees received)

Work Experience (job title, duties and accomplishments, employer’s name and address, supervisor’s name and phone number, starting and ending dates, hours per week, salary, references)

Additional Qualifications (job-related training courses, skills, certificates and licenses, honors, awards and special accomplishments; for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking and performance awards)

It may seem odd to provide so much information before you even get an interview, but keep in mind that applying for government jobs is very different than applying for private ones. The purpose of the federal resume in the private sector is to get an interview, after which an employer will ask for more information. In the government, the purpose of the resume is to present your qualifications, proving that you meet eligibility requirements, so that you can be approved by the Human Resources office. Your federal resume, therefore, needs to include similar language to that in the job announcement, because the HR specialist will be looking for applicants with experience that meets the requirements of the open position.

Your federal resume should cover about ten years of employment, with details describing your accomplishments. Focus on highlighting skills that are compatible with the the position for which you are applying. The resume should be no more than three to five pages long, plus pages outlining your knowledge, skills and, where applicable, performance ratings. Start with three pages as a goal. If you don’t have the work experiences to fill three pages, that’s okay – just make your on to two pages the best they can be.

If you are looking for additional information on federal resumes, KSA and ECQ documents, and Resumix applications, check the other articles we have published here.

How to Write an Effective Resume – Top Ten Tips From a Recruiter’s Perspective

Your resume is one of your most important marketing tools. But remember, no matter how great it is, your resume will NOT get you a job. If it if written properly, however, the odds are much greater that you may gain a recruiter’s interest and be invited to interview.

As a Senior Recruiter for both small firms and large corporations, I have reviewed thousands of resumes during my 15+ years of recruiting and HR experience. My experience is that applicants often tend to miss these most important aspects that could make their resume more effective in attracting the attention and interest of recruiters and hiring managers.

Resume purpose: to market and sell your background, skills, accomplishments, and experience to those who have a need for your expertise or a problem that you can solve.

Resume role: to create interest, to show that you indeed have the requisite skills and experience, and to get a recruiter and/or hiring manager interested enough to invite you to interview.

Top Ten Tips for Writing an Effective Resume (from a recruiter’s point of view):

1. You can (and should) have more than one resume! Create a separate resume for the top two to three main areas of your expertise. (For example, one resume for marketing, one for sales, one for engineering). Each resume should highlight specific examples of your accomplishments, skills, and experience from your current and previous roles that directly relate to that particular area of expertise.

2. Two Pages in Length, Max. Condense, condense, condense! Pretend that each word costs you $100 and you will write less, enabling you to fit your most important information on two pages. (Exception: doctors and other published professionals often need a few more pages to list their credentials and published works. But even they should keep it as short as possible). Have someone whose opinion you trust proofread your resume and edit where necessary before sending it out.

3. Choose an Appropriate Format. The best and easiest resume format to review is chronological (starting with most recent job and date and working backwards through your job history). However, a functional resume format is often suggested as an option especially for those who have been out of the job market for a while or who want to change careers. But it can raise red flags that could stop your resume from being reviewed further. Recruiters know that a functional format is often used to hide gaps in employment dates. In addition, details for skills and experience are lumped together into separate functional areas, instead of under each particular job held in the past. In many cases, because of the time and difficulty involved in reading a functional resume, recruiters often pass them over and move on to the next one.

4. Focus Your Attention on The Most Important “Real Estate” on Your Resume: the top half of the front page. Why? Because recruiters today are inundated with resumes, especially in these tough economic times when so many are out of work. Often, recruiters are managing anywhere up to 50+ jobs at one time, with each one having hundreds and hundreds of resume submissions. The average time an experienced recruiter spends initially scanning a resume to determine if it is relevant to the position is approximately 7 to15 seconds. If the top half of your resume does not quickly differentiate and sell you as a viable candidate with recent and relevant skills and experience for the specific job for which you are applying, the recruiter will simply move on to the next one.

5. Develop a Keyword Rich Resume. Be sure to add the main keywords for your skills and experience as well as your industry and organizational keywords all through your resume. Recruiters use various types of search tools in ATS (applicant tracking systems) where they type in main keyword terms for the specific job and position qualifications to search for related resumes. They also conduct similar keyword searches online on major job boards and even some social media sites. Only resumes that contain those keywords will appear in their review box and those are the only resumes that they will scan for consideration. If your main keywords are not in your resume, it is very likely that your resume will not be reviewed, even though you may be very well qualified.

6. Create a Brief Bullet Point Summary. At the top of the front page of your resume, list 5 to 7 bullet point phrases that highlight your most compelling skills, experience, accomplishments, training and education. This summary should be located somewhere within the very top third section of the resume underneath but close to your name and contact information. Critical: avoid “fluff” or trite phrases such as “Good at multitasking” or “Detail oriented”, etc. The reader’s eye should be able to quickly scan the summary section and determine at a glance that your resume is one worth continuing to read through to the end.

7. Quantify and Qualify Your Experience. Recruiters and hiring managers highly value proven accomplishments and results. The more you can quantify or qualify your bullet point statements under each of your position listings, the more strongly you will be perceived as a person of action and results. After each statement, ask yourself, “What did I accomplish?” or “What was the result?”. Try to tie a quantifiable result to the end of each statement if possible, such as, “and as a result, saved the company $X” or “increased revenues by X%”, or “sold the most widgets on the team and was selected as employee of the year”.

8. Focus on Your Most Recent and Relevant Job Information. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know what you have done most recently that is relevant to the position for which they are hiring. Write the bulk of your resume information about your skills, experience and accomplishments for the most recent 5 to 7 years of your job history. Unless your experience past that point is unusually helpful for stating your case, minimize that information to save valuable resume space. Beyond 7 to 10 years of job history, you can just list one or two line entries for each position held. Save the rest of the details of those positions for the application form and interviews.

9. Place Your Key Credentials, Certifications, and Educational Experience Sections In a Conspicuous Place. A bachelors degree should typically be located near the end of the resume under the educational section heading. However, do you have a job-related advanced degree such as an MBA, PhD, or other certifications or credentials that you want to make sure a recruiter or hiring manager sees? Place them toward the top front section of your resume, right before or after the summary section. Why? If you bury them at the end of your resume, they may never be seen. (See Tip #4)

10. List Organizations, Associations and Affiliations of which you are a volunteer or member. Often overlooked, this information can be a great way to show an employer that you stay current with information and contacts in your industry. If you volunteer for positions, especially leadership roles, be sure to list those as well. This information is especially important for those applying for roles in financial services and sales and marketing firms who need to show that they already have an established network. Place this section of information near the end of your resume.

This final tip is a bonus. However, it is THE single most important tip of all in writing an effective resume.

Always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth on your resume…always! Never, ever misrepresent what you did or be tempted to tell a “little white lie” on your resume or to a recruiter – period! Be especially careful with job titles and job responsibilities you list. Make sure that the job title and responsibilities you put on your resume can actually be verified if someone were to call your current or former employer or colleagues and ask about you. Untrue and misrepresented statements, no matter how innocent they may seem, are a breach of integrity and can come back to haunt you many years later. You could even be fired as a consequence! It just isn’t worth it.

Use these ten tips to tighten and refine your resume and then you can submit it with confidence!

Tips to Write a Good CV for Your Dream Job

Introduction: Occasionally, you may find yourself wanting to apply for a job, but the question you should ask yourself is, does my CV provide all the required information? Probably your CV has been doing you a disservice because it is shallow and the only question ringing in your mind is ‘How to write a good CV?’ Well, worry no more as I take you step by step and giving you some tips that will add some spice to your CV. These tips will make potential employers impressed and they will take note of your CV. You should keep in mind that your CV is your first line of defense when it comes to employment, therefore, you should take ample time to write down your CV to perfection.

Attributes of a Good CV: Before I talk about how to use the correct format, it is important that you note your CV should be able to sell your strong attributes. Therefore, as you put down your information make sure you know your strengths and use them to your advantage. Some good pointers that indicate a good CV include:

Accuracy
Truthfulness
It should be concise

The Format and Layout: First of all, you start by writing your name. Below your name write your email address which should be professional, avoid nicknames. Note that an email address should not have capitalized letters. Once you are done with this step you can start entering your personal information. Such information will include:

Your ID number
Date of Birth
Nationality
Language(s)
Drivers’ license code

Next, step involves giving your CV an objective. This will enable a reader to Know exactly what you are looking for and if you are a good candidate for the position being advertised.

Once this is done you can then proceed to step number four. This is where you shall offer information on your educational background. It is Important that you indicate all your educational achievements. You will be required to fill in all the names of the institutions you have attended alongside with the years. Another important point to note is that, as you write down your educational background, write it in an ascending order. Start with the lowest to the highest.

For example:

Primary School
High school
University
Postgraduate studies

You could also note any other relevant information regarding your educational background.

In step five, you will give all the relevant information pertaining to your previous work experience. You will give the job title as well as the period you did a particular job. You should also offer information on what your roles were and the skills you are perfected at your previous job. You can also list a number of accomplishments you achieved at your previous workplace. Remember to also give the name of your previous employer and where the firm you worked for is located. It is the most important section of a good CV.

In step six, you can go ahead and illustrate that you are up to the task for the job being advertised. Demonstrate that you understand the job you have applied for and justify why you should get that job. You can talk about your leadership skills, computer skills as well as any information regarding community involvement. You can list any community projects you have been involved in.

In step seven, you can talk about your conference papers and presentation as well as any publications that you may have, However, it is of great importance that you distinguish any published work from your presentations and conference papers. This step only applies where it is necessary.

In step eight, talk about your interests. This step solely depends on your preferences. However, do not overdo it. Just give a few points.

In step nine, this being your final step, offer a list of three people at most that will act as your referees. Before naming anyone to make sure to get their consent to use them as your referees. Your referees will provide reference letters. These letters will accompany your application.

Conclusion: Once you have followed these vital steps and points you will be able to come up with a formidable CV. You will be able to eliminate common mistakes that tarnish your CV. You will finally be able to answer that ringing question in your mind on,’How to write a good CV?’ Remember to take your time, do not rush. If you rush the more mistakes you are prone to make.

Write a Standout Resume Without Resorting to Common Lies

When J. Terrence Lanni resigned from MGM Mirage in the fall of 2008, he became the tenth in that year’s string of major CEOs felled by “little white lies” on their resumes. The former industry titan never completed his MBA, but listed it on his resume, anyway. Over the past few years, leaders at Radio Shack and MCG Capital surrendered their jobs after failing fact checks. Despite the risk of ruining otherwise successful careers, some aspiring leaders still stretch the truth when submitting job applications.

According to many personnel managers, using a fib to land a job often requires maintaining that lie for years. When confronted, some professionals report blurred memories of their early careers. Others freely admit to lying, using the challenges of the job market to justify their actions. Although some headhunters once recommended creative resume writing as a method to get your foot in the door, today’s business world traditionally rewards integrity over invention.

Common Resume Lies Can Hold You Back

It can be tempting to “pad your resume,” exaggerating some of your real-life experiences to make yourself more attractive to hiring managers. According to recent surveys of HR professionals, some of the most common resume lies include:

o Inflating job titles or responsibilities at past employers

o Replacing a gap on your resume with an invented job at a company you claim has now closed

o Claiming to have earned a degree you didn’t complete

o Claiming to have earned a different degree to make you more attractive to a prospective employer

o Adopting the alma mater of a hiring manager to help build rapport

o Reporting a different reason for leaving a past position

Solid Resumes Exhibit Honesty, Clarity, and Focus

Recent regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have forced employers to examine job applicants more closely. Many recruiters and hiring managers at large firms rely on third-party investigators to verify resumes, often before applicants reach the interview phase. Small businesses can use the Internet to track down inaccuracies by requesting college transcripts or researching employment history. Even an online search for different versions of your resume can result in questions about edits and changes over time.

Surveys conducted over the past five years reflect the concern and confusion about fabricated resumes. Respondents to one recent poll suggest that about one in twenty resumes contains the kind of lie that could cause embarrassment or even financial penalties for employers. In another survey, HR specialist reported that about half of all resumes include at least one lie. Today’s most successful resumes should emphasize hard facts, provide clear timelines, and offer accessible references. Crisp language underscores your respect for executives’ time.

Making Your Resume Stand Out

Instead of inflating your experiences, career counselors now recommend improving the quality of your presentation. Using inexpensive software or word processing templates, you can craft a highly polished resume that fits on a single page. Sacrificing some flowery language for the sake of white space should attract the eye of most hiring managers. A professional layout, free of typos, demonstrates one of the most sought-after skills in today’s job market: powerful communication. Paring down your resume has a powerful side benefit, as well. HR databases often strip formatting from electronic resumes, filtering submissions by keyword. Automated recruiting tools that hunt for specific job titles or action words favor sparse resumes.

In an economy where job hunters battle each other to get ten minutes of face time at hiring events, it can seem counterintuitive to dial back your resume. However, the buyer’s market for talent and the scrutiny of independent investors have rewritten the rules of getting hired in America. Professional presentation of action oriented facts will get you farther today than any puffed-up resume would in the past.