Hi And another pong thread... - pong 1; Talk about not knowing jack! Jim Rohn said; Income seldom exceeds personal development. Here's one such example... I know two guys that were both contacted to have their business featured on National television. Guy number one gets in front of the camera and freezes. Total zombie. Realizes he can't do it. He grabs his cell phone and calls his top sales guy. lol. The sales guy does the interview. Guy number two also freezes up. Turns into a zombie. He apologizes to the camera crew and interviewer and sends them all packing. I asked him, later, why he didn't call someone else to do the interview. It was right IN his store and he has two business partners. He said he didn't think of it. He's always been the one that "speaks for" the business. The first guy saw National coverage reflected in sales. The second one, of course, didn't. --> Got another example? (I have tons, but let's take turns) --> Thoughts on the quotation? This story? : ) Linda

LOL Just FYI After reading the above story I thought of this Business is easy compared to Hollywood I can relate to stage fright. And I can see the lesson taught by delegating rather than insisting in a 1-person show. Especially when the 1-person freezes up and packs it in as in the story. Listen, you're lucky that its business the story was about. We can learn and correct that problem. Just like the chance for a National TV Interview... I once pitched a movie project with my co-writer/partner to a Hollywood Producer. It was the first time either of us had this specific opportunity. We had an Agent who arranged the meeting. I had a background as a writer and musician. My partner had a writing, acting and directing background. We arrived for the meeting. We were warmly welcomed by the owner of the Production Company. She escorted us to an office where we had the "pitch" meeting with another trusted Producer. This Was It. The Big Time. The Real Deal. Books have been written, seminars held and college classes taught about how to make a "pitch" to Hollywood for a movie deal. We were shown into the empty office and invited to take seats. It was about a minute before the Producer arrived and came in. She was charming. She had a beautiful big smile and apologized for being a minute late. She made us feel right at home. Instead of asking us questions and putting us on the spot, she broke the ice by commenting on how she had just rushed from another appointment outside the office to get back in time. Her boss, the owner already knew our Agent and this Producer exchanged "Hellos," with him first. This was going so well. My Agent and Co-Writer were seated behind me. I was closest to the Producer and I felt very comfortable with her. The two guys remained silent as she made a few introductory remarks that were shop-talk about house projects. I understood what she was getting at in the types of projects she was handling and looking for. Our movie fit perfectly. I shared about the characters which were just like those she was hoping to find and some more about the story. We left our script with her and floated out on a cloud I think. Outside, our Agent said that it was the best pitch meeting he ever had. To make a long story short, the movie was never produced. The factors involved are not related to that meeting I just described. My point in sharing this is that we are very lucky to be in Internet Marketing and Business. Facts are facts. Copy, designs, products and offers can be tested, analyzed and improved. Just showing up and giving it a go does count for a lot. If you don't give up and learn to tweak: You Will Be Successful. Here, Success does not depend on the whims of a few at the top in decision-making positions. Your customers, the public make the decisions that will count for you. Yes, show up for TV Interviews or delegate to someone else better suited to it. You stand a much greater chance on the Net than in Hollywood or any artificial community of endeavor. Thank Goodness For That. The Power is in your hands here. You can learn and earn. Others are here to help. And the customer will always let us know what works and what doesn't. I wish everyone great success. I'll be coming back to learn more :) Thanks Larry

Hey Larry; So why didn't you pitch it to more producers? Here's another one.... A customer I once worked with came to me with a problem. he sold a diet product. He'd made bad investments and lost a lot of money. So he borrowed from inlaws to bail out. Then he paid for a direct marketing campaign hoping to get a lot of sales and pay back the inlaws... except it flopped. The financial trouble got worse. He was freaking out. He wailed on and on about his problems. He has these debts. His family is depending on him. He owes his inlaws money. Why aren't people buying his product? All these overweight people and WHY aren't they buying his product? Why why why. I told him his biggest problem is that he's thinking about himself too much. Way, way too much. He's bringing desperation to the marketplace and that doesn't ever sell. What?! How dare I? He was quite offended. When he got past the shock, he asked what I meant. Then I said.. what about all the overweight people out there that have tried every diet on the market and can't seem to lose weight? You think they like being overweight? You think they like wondering if you diet people are ripping them off? Not all overweight people sit in front of the tv eating chips. Some people really don't know why they can't seem to lose it. So I asked - can you help them? He says YES. Says he knows his stuff. So, we do a mailing to his list. It's a very small list at the time. We tell them that we're looking for 5 people that have really and sincerely tried to lose weight and just can't seem to. We're going to give them a free phone consultation to find out where they're going wrong. Those five were so excited about what they learned on the calls that they told all their friends. And they bought his products, too. And their friends did, too. And THEIR friends did, too. And the people in the office who saw them losing weight did, too. LOL. Problem solved. In the first month, we make $9,000 in product sales. This is another example of how lack of personal growth stifles profit. Too many business owners are stuck in "me, me, me" and "sell, sell, sell" -- and they forget to ask themselves "who sincerely needs me? Whose life can I made better by what I offer?" And again - personal growth. : ) Linda

Linda, I am getting ready to advertise over the radio...I was told that online stores potentially do not do well with marketing media such as the radio because "people cannot walk into the store and check it out before purchasing it." I disagree of course, because my comment to the ads manager for this radio station was "they can get online and read all about it and view the photos." I also stated that we live in an informational era and that "information is the key that unlocks every door." I was using radio to unlock a door that I felt was a good resource and tool to reach folks who perhaps would not take time to read a newspaper and that if he read the ad in the correct manner... my doorway would open." I cannot wait to see what the results for this business decision will bring...but in my opinion there is a skeptic on every street corner. Have a blessed and successful day! Your friend, Classic Corners "Nothing is impossible when you dream" http://jcollins1.fggweb.com http;//www.classicwebstore.com

Hi Janice! Do let us know how it turns out! As for whether radio ads work for websites, I've seen them bomb and I've seen them do exceptionally well. Just as a small tip, it seems to work well if you mention a product that has high demand - and then make sure they will SEE that product right on the main page when they go to the site. At this time of the year, you could use the season as your subject. For example, CNN had a list of things that are at the top of people's wish lists this year.... if you can find a list like that, and you happen to sell one of those items and mentioned THAT item in the ad, you'd probably get decent results. I've also seen good results with diet products at this time of year. Lots of people want to fit into a sexy little dress for their Christmas party. Then again, you might already have your ad ready. lol. Either way - best of luck and be sure to come back and tell us how it went. : ) Linda