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by Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
In playing the game of marketing, it's very much like dating. Let's look at the parallels:
The Connection
In dating, first you meet someone. You start a conversation, and perhaps there's a mutual attraction. If there's some interest, one of you suggests getting together again. You exchange contact information (usually on a cell phone) and you agree to be in touch.
In marketing, first you meet someone. You start a conversation and perhaps there's a mutual connection. Perhaps one of you can help the other in some way. If there's some interest, the one who can help the other asks to send some information and follow-up. You exchange information.
The Follow-up
In dating, after the first meeting, one of you screws up the courage to call and has a further conversation. If the rapport and interest are there, someone suggests a date and the other accepts.
In marketing, after the first meeting, the one providing the service screws up the courage to call and has a further conversation. If the rapport and interest are there, this person suggests a more in-depth conversation.
The Date
In dating, you go out on your "first official date" and get to know each other better. You explore your mutual interests and become more comfortable with each other. If it goes well, you agree on a second date and perhaps, if the relationship grows, it might ultimately lead to a proposal of marriage.
In marketing, you meet for a "complimentary session" and get to know each other better. You explore your mutual interests and become more comfortable with each other. If it goes well, you agree on the next meeting and if the relationship grows, it might ultimately lead to a proposal to work together.
Now sometimes the process goes quite quickly with both dating and marketing. And sometimes it takes a longer time. In both cases you are feeling each other out, telling stories, revealing what you can offer and building trust. Ultimately the connection goes somewhere or it doesn't. And you move on.
The thing that we often miss in both scenarios is that the relationship only moves forward if someone asks for something. It rarely just happens by itself. No asking, no future or no sale.
It seems simple enough:
Connect - meet - explore - ask
But wait a minute. It might seem simple as a process, but it's far from simple in real life, because asking isn't just asking. It's more about being accepted, being liked, being valued.
So if you don't ask, you can't get rejected.
One of my Club Members just posted this on the Club Forum:
"I often do a great job of engaging a prospect and getting them to third base and don't ask for the sale. I've been working on this issue for the past year to figure out what's stopping me from asking. I know a lot is because I don't like hearing "No" when I do ask, but it goes a lot deeper. I realized I'm a positive person by nature and like to see the glass half full. I realized marketing and sales is completely opposite of my personality. I love hearing "Yes" and marketing and sales results in a lot more "Noes" than "Yeses"."
Exactly! And if you avoid asking, not only are you not alone in this, you are in the majority. Everyone avoids asking because they don't like to hear NO! It's not fun, it's painful.
So here are some things you can do:
1. Determine ahead of time when you'll need to ask in a conversation with a prospect. Realize that at the beginning the asks are relatively easy: "I have an article I think you'll like, can I send you a copy?"
Then there's the follow-up ask, and the request for an appointment ask, and the proposal ask and ultimately the final close ask.
2. Now actually script out these asks. Write then down and then practice them out loud until they feel easy and comfortable. Ask yourself if someone asked you in this way if you'd feel comfortable. Just keep practicing until you get over the uncomfortable hump and realize you will not die when you ask!
3. Ask yourself what's the worst possible thing that could happen if you asked in these various situations. Realistically, the worst thing that could happen is you'd be turned down. You'd get a no. That's about it.
Now is that such a big deal? Could you survive that? Could you get up the next morning and go to work? Of course, you could. Nobody ever died of asking!
4. Find safe places to ask. Go to a networking event. Talk to a lot of people. If you get even a hint that someone might get value from your service, ask if they'd like your article. This is a pretty safe one, because people love to get free stuff. You almost always yet yeses.
5. Next get some practice in making follow-up calls. Only call the people who showed the most interest. Remember, you are not asking for the sale, not even for a meeting yet, just a conversation to discover if there are mutual interests.
Before long, you'll get more comfortable with asking. And you just continue in that vein. Become committed to being a "master of asking." Make it your hobby. Read about it in books on selling, get together with associates and practice your asking.
This is how I developed my asking skills. And it's what I've taught my clients over the years. Just take it step-by-step and you'll find it easy, something you do naturally, without any pressure or manipulation. Not only that, you'll expect more yeses than noes and you'll get them!
By the way, if this helps with you dating, that's a bonus!
If you have comments on this article, please share on the blog by clicking on the Comments link below.
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By Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
Just Friggin' Go for It!
Isn't this what you want to tell some people who just can't seem to decide on a course of action and jump in and get it done?
They think about what to do endlessly. They do research, talk to friends, write down ideas and plans. But then they never pull the trigger.
Last week, I got a call from such a person. Let's call him Anthony.
Anthony told me that he had spent thousands of dollars studying the work of marketing guru, Jay Abraham. (By the way, Jay is one of the very few people who really deserve that title.)
He had immersed himself in Jay's work, read his books, listened to his tapes and amassed quite a substantial body of knowledge about some of the most powerful marketing ideas ever put together in the history of marketing (no kidding).
And then… he did nothing with it. Nothing.
To me, this is a little bit like going to medical school and never taking the final step of becoming a doctor. What a colossal waste of time and money.
Since I had some time on my hands when Anthony called, I spent a little time talking with him. Here are a few of the things I told him:
"OK, Anthony, you have all this knowledge. You've been dreaming of putting it to use as a marketing consultant for several years. Let me ask you a question. Are you going to do it?"
Long pause.
"Anthony, that wasn't a rhetorical question. Are you going to do it or not?"
"Uh," Anthony replied, "Nobody has really been that direct with me before."
"Well, I don't want to waste a lot of your time. Are you going to take all that knowledge and do something with it or are you going to be stuck in "wanting" for several more years, or perhaps forever?"
"Uh, I'm not sure."
"Look Anthony, perhaps you can't make a decision right this moment. I know it would be a big change. You'd have to take a risk and you might fail. But think of those hundreds of hours you've put into studying. If you don't take action, all that time will have been completely wasted.
"It would have been better for you to get into a hobby instead. I happen to collect jazz CDs. I have a few thousand. And I listen to them all the time. All you have is a lot of manuals and tapes on your shelf collecting dust!"
Ultimately I told Anthony that if he wanted help starting his marketing consulting business I'd be happy to help him, but it wouldn't be about collecting more and more information, but about jumping into action.
Scary, uncertain, heart-pumping action!
Look, I also studied Jay Abraham in the mid 90's. I took a four-weekend workshop with him over a 9 month period. It was very powerful and I'm still working on some of those mind-bending ideas. I also implemented a lot of what I learned and it helped me earn more income than I ever thought possible.
The difference between Anthony and me is that I went into action immediately. I started a mastermind group with some of the participants and we stayed together for a year or more. We all worked to implement these ideas to attract more clients.
Now, here's the question for you.
Imagine it's 20 or 30 years from now, at the end of your career, and you think back at what you've accomplished or didn't accomplish. Would you feel you did your very best to make a difference, to excel at something challenging, and ultimately make the world a better place?
I'm not sure how Anthony will answer, but I promise you that if he woke up this morning with the commitment to "just frigin' do it" he might discover a rich and rewarding life beyond what he ever imagined while studying Jay's materials.
Go for it, Anthony!
On the blog, share your story about how you got past your avoidance and just went for it. You may just inspire someone!
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by Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
This past Saturday I was leading my Virtual Workshop on getting Unstuck, and I said something very controversial.
I said that this work on getting unstuck was 10 times more important than everything else I teach in marketing.
Was that just hype? Or did I really mean it? And what exactly did I mean? In this article I'll build on the ideas from last week.
In the workshop I made a distinction between "Logistical Stuckness" and "Thinking-Feeling Stuckness."
Logistical Stuckness is when you have something you want to do, but you're not able to do it yet because you don't know how, don't have the time or haven't found someone to help you do it.
Logistical stuckness is real, but it's surmountable.
You can research for what you need, ultimately find the time and get some advice, consulting or coaching to help you get it done.
Someone would probably experience Logistical Stuckness if they decided to climb Mt. Everest. It would be challenging. There's a lot of stuff to prepare and it happens to be very dangerous. I know someone who died on the ascent of Mt. Everest.
But there's another kind of stuckness that might arise as soon as you make the goal to climb Everest. You might be afraid, worried, and reluctant to move ahead. This would be "Thinking-Feeling Stuckness."
The big problem is, we don't distinguish these.
We think that climbing Mt.Everest is inherently fearful. That is, the mountain itself is causing the fear. Well, it's not.
Some people (experienced mountain climbers) see Mt. Everest as mainly a logistical challenge. I don't mean they never experience fear, it's just that they know that the mountain and their fear are two very different things. They also see it as a challenge to overcome their fears.
It's exactly the same with marketing.
Learning and implementing marketing are logistical challenges. There are things to learn and practices and skills you must master, and it takes a certain amount of time and effort.
But nothing in marketing is inherently problematic. It's not scary to market yourself. Unless you make it so.
Even when someone has a complete, step-by-step action plan to implement a marketing activity, they can freeze up and not move forward an inch.
They might think such thoughts as:
"If I launch my website, people will think I'm an idiot."
"If I send out an eZine nobody will be interested in it."
"If I make follow-up calls, no one will hire me anyway."
"If I speak in public, they'll discover that I'm an impostor."
None of these are made up but were clearly stated by some of the participants of the workshop on Saturday.
They all finally realized that the logistics of marketing were not an issue; that wasn't what stopped them. It was their limiting or constrictive, fearful beliefs that stopped them.
When these beliefs were exposed as lies that wreaked havoc on their lives, their business and marketing, the addictive pull of those beliefs started to weaken.
If you won't visit a friend's home because you think his pet pink elephant will trample you, you probably won't visit. When you finally come to your senses and realize there is no pink elephant, then visiting your friend is no big deal.
Silly example? Yes, but so are all those other beliefs! They are all based on something painful or unpleasant that happened in the past and are pulled into the future though repetition and association.
These fears and aversion to marketing arise automatically, triggered by random associations with past, unpleasant events that happened years and years ago.
Perhaps you wrote a report in the 2nd grade and your sister called you an idiot. You felt humiliated and angry. And now you find yourself avoiding any written project, including your website.
Interestingly, most of these fears are associated with a failure to communicate effectively.
After all, marketing is 100% communication, so if you are stuck in marketing, it's a stuckness about communication. You put yourself out there and were rejected; you tried to explain and you were misunderstood; you put your best foot forward and you were embarrassed.
This is why marketing seems to carry such a strong negative charge for most people. We have all failed several times at communication. And so we view marketing as "difficult," "confusing," or even "impossible."
Those views prevent us from experiencing those bad feelings again. We avoid, procrastinate and make excuses.
That's the bad news.
The good news is that if we increase our awareness of our thoughts and feelings about marketing, we can ultimately free ourselves from fear and avoidance.
If you avoid really looking at those thoughts and feelings, it only makes things worse. The path is through those experiences. On the other side is a sense of freedom and lightness.
Learning how to do this should be one of your highest priorities if you ever want to have a breakthrough in marketing yourself, attracting more great clients, and making more money than you ever thought possible.
I'll be returning to this theme often this year with specific ideas about how you can free yourself from thinking-feeling stuckness.
Also, the virtual workshop on Getting Unstuck might be a good place to start: http://actionplan.com/fasttrack/unstuck-virtual
If you have comments on this article, please share on the blog by clicking on the Comments link below.
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By Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
Confusion. Frustration. Disappointment.
All of these are experiences of…
Every successful person in the world.
No kidding.
Not always, of course, but definitely sometimes.
And unsuccessful people experience exactly the same confusion, frustration and boredom.
We often look at successful people as "those who had it easy" or "it just came to them naturally" (like our juggler above).
So since it was so easy for them and so hard for you, what's the use?
Why work so hard, spend time marketing yourself, writing all those articles, getting out and giving talks, putting on teleclasses and webinars and improving that damn website of yours?
Then to make it worse, there's all these business and marketing gurus telling you what to do and telling you it's so easy if you just take one action step at a time.
How annoying!
You want it now. You want results today, not tomorrow. You want big breakthroughs overnight. And if you don't immediately get what you so obviously deserve, you get…
"I just couldn't find the time."
"This might work for others, but not for me."
"I'm just not the marketing and sales type."
"Nobody's interested in what I'm offering anyway."
"Marketing just leads to rejection."
Successful people don't have all those thoughts and feelings, do they?
Well, as I said, yes, they certainly do. How many thousands of times do you think our juggler dropped those balls before he mastered juggling?
How are successful people different?
In my experience of working with clients on their marketing for almost 30 years, those who are successful at promoting their services have some or all of the following traits:
1. They have a vision.
That is, they are passionate and purposeful about their business. It's not just a job to them but a calling. They know what they do makes a difference. And that carries them through the tough times.
2. They are determined.
They have a good sense of what it takes to produce results and they chunk things down to actions they can actually do that month, that week, that day. They love checking off accomplishments.
3. They are life-long learners.
They don't expect they should know everything, in fact, they realize they know virtually nothing. So learning new ideas, approaches and strategies is fun to them. They read, watch videos and attend classes.
4. They don't always believe their thoughts.
They can separate their intention to make something happen from all the thoughts that tell them they can't. So they don't get so sucked into those feelings of confusion, frustration and disappointment.
5. They don't take themselves so seriously.
Their egos are less dominant than their being, so they're less defensive, better listeners and collaborators. They simply have more fun and ultimately realize they're making it all up anyway, so why not play full out?
People with these characteristics simply get stuck less often. They don't define themselves by their thoughts, feelings and results. And paradoxically, they succeed more often because of this.
They see marketing their business as a game that they can play with passion and, win or lose that day, they know that "who they are" is not their business or marketing. They know that who they are is vastly bigger and more magnificent than that.
If you have comments on this article, please share on the blog by clicking on the Comments below.
Virtual Workshop on Getting Unstuck
As I talk about in the article above, we all get stuck. That's not a problem. We all hit walls, procrastinate and get caught up in limiting beliefs and avoidance behavior.
I certainly do!
So the question is not how to stop getting stuck. The question is how to get unstuck as quickly as possible.
I know people who have been stuck in various areas of their marketing (such as not completing a website or avoiding follow-up activities) for years and years! No kidding.
Imagine all the energy, angst and frustration that's tied up in being stuck. It's certainly more expensive and time-consuming than taking a few hours to learn how to get unstuck!
I invite you to learn more about this Virtual Workshop and if you realize what being stuck is costing you, please join us on Saturday, January 18 from 9 am to 1 pm Pacific.
Click here for complete details:
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by Robert Middleton
In Mazatlan Mexico at the Water's Edge restaurant I was served by perhaps the best waiter in the world.
I walked and waded several times on one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere.
I spent time just napping and listening to music with no deadlines.
I watched the final few episodes of season 4 of Covert Affairs on my iPad.
My wife and I concocted the roast tomato salsa we saw prepared in front of us at the Topolo restaurant.
Best. Vacation. Ever.
And anytime I have a great vacation I think to myself: "This is so simple, really. On vacation I just take time for myself to do the things I love. How could I bring that back to my everyday life?"
There are some very wise people who don't separate their work and life. It's all fun to them. It's exciting, a challenge, relaxing and stimulating all at the same time.
Sometimes on vacation, I'll take out my laptop or a notebook and do some "work." And my wife asks me why I need to work on my vacation.
But I tell her, "This isn't work for me, I'm just writing down some ideas that are exciting for me, I don't feel any pressure, so the ideas are just flowing in."
So when I work in the context of my vacation, it's not work.
What's the difference between a vacation and work?
Perhaps it's only our thinking about it.
And it's the stress we attach to those thoughts such as "I have a deadline," and "I have to get this done for a client," and "this is very important, significant work."
And that tends to take the fun out of things.
What about taking my vacation to my work?
Look, I have everything I need:
I have a wonderful private office just a few feet from my house, and a sound system where I can play my favorite music anytime I want.
I live in a redwood forest and am half an hour away from the Santa Cruz beaches.
I happen to love what I do, so it doesn't feel a lot like work, unless I let it.
OK, so what am I going to do on this vacation?
1. Relax in ways that are really renewing. Less TV, more naps.
2. Create fun services and programs that make a difference.
3. Play with my clients in creative, productive, fun ways.
4. A few more walks on the beach and finding great waiters.
I'm feeling more relaxed already!
If you have comments on this article, please share on the blog by click on the Comment below.
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by Rich Brooks
This article was written by my friend and associate, Rich Brooks for his regular eZine. I soon as I read it, I know I wanted to share it with my More Clients subscribers. I know you'll love it as well.
If you want to compete and succeed with social media (and marketing) you'll need to commit to goals that are within your control. Here's how.
"Daddy, I'm really competitive."
I looked over at Maya, my 11-year-old in the front car seat next to me. In my completely unbiased opinion she's beautiful, smart and talented. She's also incredibly fast and athletic...besides soccer, cross-country and snowboarding, she rides the tall unicycle (a "giraffe") in Gym Dandies, a local children's performing circus.
But competitive? I wasn't so sure. She just doesn't seem like she's the fire-in-the-belly, eye-of-the-tiger type of kid most days.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"I hate to lose."
Having consoled her after soccer losses or the rare, less-than-stellar test score, I knew this to be true.
"Well, how you feel after a win or a loss isn't the same thing as being competitive," I told her.
"What do you mean, daddy?"
OK! Teaching moment! (Try not to bore the snot out of her.)
"Being competitive means continually working to be the best you can be at a given activity. Some people like to compete with themselves, some people like to compete with others.
"In either case, it's about practicing the skills that make you better.
"Do you think that Jamie and Olivia (not their real names) only practice when they're at foot skills, or do you think they go out into the backyard every day after school and practice their touches, kick the ball around, and practice juggling?"
"They probably practice every day," Maya admitted.
"Didn't you tell me that Olivia's juggling record is over one thousand juggles? Do you think she got that on her first day?"
She shook her head.
"Of course not, she probably practiced juggling every day, starting at just two or three touches before the ball hit the ground. But she understood that juggling would give her better control over the ball and that would in turn make her a better, more competitive player.
"Being competitive means being committed, even when no one is around to watch."
The Art of Setting Goals
Recently I was listening to a podcast where Pat Flynn was interviewing Srinivas Rao, known to many as Srini.
Srini was talking about the goals he set for his second book. He set a goal of selling one thousand copies, which seemed like a reasonable goal based on his previous book.
As it turned out, Glenn Beck stumbled upon his book, tweeted about it, and he sold a thousand copies in a day. That led to an appearance on the controversial pundit's show, and he ended up selling over ten thousand copies.
However, upon looking back on his goal setting, he found it faulty.
He couldn't really set a goal of selling one thousand copies, because unless he bought all the copies himself, he had no real control over the outcome.
However, Srini had also set another goal: write one thousand words a day, every day.
What impact do you think that had on his writing? Do you think he improved? Found his voice? Was better able to educate, inform and inspire?
If he hadn't committed to writing one thousand words every day, do you think Glenn Beck would have found his book and been moved enough to share it with his sizable audience?
Maybe, maybe not.
There's no way to know if your commitment to getting better will have that type of payoff, but it will definitely increase your odds at success.
How can you put this to work for you?
When I talk to people about what their goals are for social media they often talk about more fans, more followers, and from the more enlightened, more leads and sales.
While you can certainly guarantee more fans or followers by buying them through a site like Fiverr, there's little to no value in these fans. And like Srini, unless you're going to buy your own products or services, you can't guarantee that you'll generate leads or sales from your social media activity.
Instead, you should set goals you can control. You can commit to write one five hundred word post each week. You can commit to posting to your Facebook page twice a day. You can commit to answering one question in your favorite LinkedIn group three times a week.
Most of us find ourselves in competitive environments in business. We're either competing for business, or search engine rankings, or attention in Facebook's newsfeed.
While you can't affect the algorithmic changes that Google or Facebook throw your way, you can work on the things you control.
To be competitive, you need set goals on the activities that you can touch, and commit to work of seeing them through. That may mean one thousand words or one thousand juggles.
What goals are you going to set for yourself in 2014?
Rich Brooks is president of flyte new media and runs The Marketing Agents Podcast http://www.themarketingagents.com/itunes. Download his free report, How to Generate More Leads at Your Website http://www.flyte.biz/specials/free-report.php and start getting more clients today!
If you have any comments on Rich's article, please reply on the Blog.
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By Robert Middleton
Last spring I wrote this article for Rain-Today and just received notice that it was the most popular and most shared article of the year. Well, that was a nice surprise. But this article was never published in the blog, so I'd like to share it with you today in its entirety.
The Purpose of a Website
Since I built my first website in 1996, I understood very quickly that my most important purpose for the website was to collect the names and emails from my visitors.
It was clearly obvious that if someone visited my website and didn't opt-in to my list, that it was unlikely they would ever visit again, let alone buy my marketing coaching services.
In those first years I spent my time on trying to accomplish two things: getting more visitors to my site and converting more of those visitors into subscribers of my eZine.
Ultimately it was my e-list that drove my online success. I published a weekly eZine, More Clients, and built my list from nothing to about 50,000 in 2004. And in that time I created and marketed online products, marketing manuals, teleconference programs, and workshops.
The eZine Still Rules
What has happened with online marketing and social media in the past seven or eight years has transformed everything, but in my experience, the humble eZine or email newsletter is still the most powerful marketing tool available, and growing your list is as important as it ever was.
Amazingly, practices to effectively grow one's e-list are very similar to what they were seventeen years ago. In this article I want to give an overview of the successful strategies to build an e-list that I, and my clients, have used over the years, and changes in online marketing that have made the process more challenging.
It's All About the Value
When someone visits your website they want value, they want answers and they want something free. I don't think this will ever change.
In the first year of More Clients I had a simple opt-in form that urged people to sign up for the eZine. I used a short blurb and a graphic representing the eZine. Not very sophisticated, but it worked.
Doubling my Opt-in Rates
Not long after that, I read somewhere that opt-ins would increase if you also offered a free report or some other kind of information along with the eZine opt-in. So I tried that and got immediate results. When I offered a report, my opt-in rate doubled overnight!
I remember how excited I was about that and explained this approach to all my clients. And they got similar results. What puzzled me was that so many people were still only offering an eZine sign-up on their site and complaining about low opt-in rates. The truth is, most businesses were offering no opt-in at all.
Most small businesses weren't trying new things and didn't make growing their list a priority.
But I kept fine-tuning the process with a tweak here and there and found ways to continually increase my opt-in rate. For a few years I was growing my list at the rate of 1,000 or more net subscribers per month.
I discovered that the words "Free Stuff" were magic, and they almost guaranteed that web visitors would click on that link. I learned that you shouldn't offer the free report as a bonus, but offer that as the prime giveaway with the eZine as the bonus. I found that putting a sign-up form prominently on the home page as well as on the Free Stuff page increased opt-ins even more.
The eZine Became the Star
I know a number of people who are very good at this process. They also get a lot of opt-ins, but I think they emphasize the sizzle more than the steak. That is, once someone opts-in to their list, they bombard them frequently with email promotions, but very little valuable content.
I decided to do the opposite.
After all, you don't watch TV for the commercials, do you? Can you imagine a TV channel that was all commercials? No, you want 75% - 80% content and 20% - 25% promotion. And that's what I did. Once every week my subscribers got freshly written content on ideas on how to attract more clients. Most eZines contained a brief promotional blurb. And then a couple times a month I'd send out a stand-alone email that promoted a service, program or product.
The results exceeded my wildest expectations.
And Then the Competition Hit!
For quite a long time – into the mid 2000's I didn't have a lot of competition for my niche – self employed professionals. And then almost overnight everyone was offering that service in multiple formats: Books, manuals, teleclasses and webinars were everywhere. Everyone was publishing an eZine on that topic.
And then the competition on Google got crazy; they kept changing their algorithms. The very favorable place I'd held on Google for five or so years disappeared and I couldn't get it back. The traffic to my website decreased and so did my eZine opt-ins.
And an unimaginable thing happened. My total number of subscribers decreased. The monthly attrition exceeded my monthly opt-ins. This was not a happy time. And almost everything I did was unsuccessful in growing my list. Over a few years it shrank to about 40,000 and then held steady.
The Service is King
But I discovered something else which was very encouraging. People on my list were still responding to my offers in droves. I had built such a loyal following that they were still very open to my offerings. Yes, I was losing subscribers like a boat with a leak, but I was still getting new subscribers and customers daily.
Between 2004 and 2012 I had the best years in my business ever, offering multiple-session teleclass programs, a one-year marketing mastery program and a membership program. All succeeded, despite a shrinking opt-in rate.
And Meanwhile I Kept Working on List Building
In the wake of the Google letdown, I tried several other approaches. I started posting my eZine on my Blog every week and at the same time built my social media followers through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I posted dozens of my articles on various sites. And I kept fine-tuning the opt-in process.
A couple weeks ago I realized something that changed everything once again. One of the most successful giveaways on my site to encourage opt-ins had been my "Marketing Plan Workbook" with step-by-step instructions on how to build a marketing plan as an Independent Professional.
The mistake I made is that I got tired of it. I must have given away 1000,000 or more copies of that workbook over the years. So I decided to try something else instead, a shorter report. And over the past few years I wrote several of these. But none of them got the response of the Marketing Plan Workbook.
What I realized is that if you want a free report on just about anything, you can get it though a Google search in about a nanosecond. So why opt-in to get such a report when you can get it without an opt-in?
What's changed is that to get someone to opt-in you have to offer something truly unique and valuable, something nobody else is offering.
A few weeks ago I decided to resurrect the Marketing Plan Workbook. I completely edited the content, designed it to be much more dynamic and created fill-in forms with Acrobat Plus. I also created a more attractive 3-D image of the cover and re-wrote the opt-in copy on my website.
I launched it and crossed my fingers!
Almost immediately my opt-in rate increased. In fact, it almost tripled. I'm now on track for about 750 opt-ins per month, up from about 250.
The Opt-In Challenge Continues
One thing I know for sure: more opt-ins are better; a bigger list is always better. And there are endless ways to increase your opt-in rate, I'm sure many of which I've never tried. For instance, I know several people who have used video very successfully to increase opt-ins.
But remember that a huge list doesn't necessarily guarantee online marketing success. You must build a relationship with your subscribers, provide real value every step of the way and continue to create services and programs that they want.
An Update on Opt-Ins
Since this article was written last spring, I've made more changes to my website and opt-in. I guess it's a curse; I have to keep changing things! As successful as the Marketing Plan Workbook was, I wanted to try other approaches. Now I'm offering a my "More Clients Starter Kit" that contians four of my best in-depth articles on marketing. Ultimately I thnk it's more valuable than the Workbook and gives those who opt-in a better idea of how to successfully market their professional services. My guess is that several months down the line I'll be trying something else.
The Seven Practices of Opt-in Success
1. Create a unique, substantial, and valuable free offering. Make it something beyond what you'll find with a Google search.
2. Have opt-in forms prominently displayed on both your home page and on your "Free Stuff" page.
3. Make sure everyone who opts-in becomes a subscriber to your eZine, with ongoing valuable content.
4. Post your eZine on your blog and include an opt-in form on your blog page.
5. Announce your blog through all your social media, which will get more visitors and more opt-ins.
6. Write articles and get them posted on other websites or article distribution sites.
7. Keep tweaking the opt-in process unceasingly, and measuring your results until your opt-in rate increases.
If you got value from this article, please share it with those in your network. And feel free to comment on it in the link below.
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By Robert Middleton Action Plan Marketing
Are you still boring people with your marketing message?
One of the members of the More Clients Club just posted this on the Club Forum and I thought I'd share it because it inspired me:
"Be BOLD with your audio logo. I went to a Chamber of Commerce event this morning. 95% of the people focused on (talking about their) process. Just doing something different will make you stand out.
"Hi I'm Vicki Wilson. I teach SUPER POWERS." pause. "Because CALM is a super power. I teach stress management and relaxation. Being calm means being more focused, efficient and effective. I'm a yoga teacher.
"Teaching group classes and traditionally - one-on-one, I specialize in working with folks with Fibromyalgia, Crohn's and other auto-immune issues where managing stress is the difference between being at home in bed with a flare up or attack versus being out living their lives.
"Mostly I'm trying to do two things - grab attention - peoples eyes glaze over if I lead with "I'm a yoga teacher." Also I want to plant a firm seed that yoga is more than/not exercise. This is all a work in progress - and since I was at a Chamber event I emphasized focus, efficient and effective - that's not my normal wording. It's all a work in progress!"
Vicki, congratulations, you're really getting it.
Remember, marketing is 100% communication. And if you communicate a process, there's no "what's in it for me?" But when you communicate in a way that people can get what's in it for them, a wonderful thing happens.
People respond, they ask for your card, they want to know more. They remember you and they are more likely to tell others.
In the next few weeks you might be at a few Holiday particles. And some people just might ask you what you do. Don't retreat and tell them something predictable and boring. They'll just tune you out.
Here's what do do:
1. Work on your outcome-oriented message that grabs attention or hits a nerve. Don't label yourself, declare yourself.
2. If you get some interest, don't spend a lot of time talking about you, ask about them. Show some interest and see if there's a connection between what you offer and what they need.
3. If they want to know more, don't go into a long, conceptual monologue about your services; tell a story instead about real clients you helped with your service.
4. If they seem interested, offer some information, such as an article, that shares some real value about your services. And then follow-up with them, as appropriate, later on to see if you can help them.
I've mentioned this sequence of actions so many times I've lost count, but I want you to know that it works. It creates a real connection that is memorable. After all, the alternative is to say something bland and predictable and be forgotten almost immediately.
So congratulations, Vicki Wilson, for swinging out and being BOLD!
Have you engaged people about your business like this? Let us know what happened. Please share on the blog by clicking on the Comments link below:
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By Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
This article is by my client, Stan Mann. Stan helps financial advisors grow their practices. I liked it so much I asked him If I could run it as a guest article in my eZine and blog. Visit his website at: http://www.solutions4advisors.com/
I was up in the attic yesterday and I ran across one of my favorite old toys. It brought back memories of how I got that toy, the obstacles I overcame and the lessons I learned from the experience.
I know sometimes your financial planning practice (or Independent Professional business) presents you with obstacles that make your eyes cross. You're aching to achieve your dream of an ideal financial advisory practice, yet sometimes you find your motivation flagging. You feel frustrated, discouraged and sometimes just want to plain quit.
You wonder how you're going to overcome all these challenges. If you want to know how to overcome any obstacle, here's a story with a powerful lesson. It's from an unlikely source—a little kid. Read what you can learn about succeeding in business from a little boy (me) who had an almost impossible dream. It goes like this…
I remember when I was just a kid during the Great Depression. I knew how to have fun with empty boxes, using a stick for a sword and my finger for a gun. But there was one toy I really wanted—a new Buck Rogers rocketship.
Dad was out of work. Mom took in washing when she could find somebody who could pay her. There was just enough money for food, hardly any for clothes. Anything else, like toys, was out of the question.
Still, I yearned for it. I saw it in the local hardware store. I watched with fascination as the salesman showed how it worked.
It was really neat. Wind it up and sparks shot out of its tail. A Buck Rogers intergalactic rocketship with sparks shooting out of its tail!! I had to have it. How could I get money to buy it?
We had an apple tree in the backyard. It was fall and the apples were ripe. I would sell apples to raise the money I needed. I quickly picked the reddest ones and polished them to a bright shine.
I took my treasures out in the street and found grown men on the street corners selling apples too. These were hard times. "Beat it kid," a man told me. Discouraged I started walking home. I kept thinking about that Buck Rogers intergalactic rocketship with sparks shooting out of its tail!!
On my way I passed some business places. I looked into a barbershop and saw some men waiting. I was scared, but I thought about that Buck Rogers intergalactic rocketship with sparks shooting out of its tail!!
I went in and was able to sell two apples before the owner gently ushered me out.
"This will work," I thought.
I went to the next store and just got in before the owner chased me out. I was discouraged and scared, but I thought of the two apples I did sell and that Buck Rogers intergalactic rocketship with sparks shooting out of its tail!! That renewed my courage. I did not understand it then, but that Buck Rogers rocketship had become a trigger. Every time I thought about it, it triggered me into action.
I kept on going, store after store. Some owners were nice and let me come in and sell my apples, others ushered me out. Not all of them were kind. Every time I got discouraged I thought of my successes and of that Buck Rogers intergalactic rocketship with sparks shooting out of its tail!!
I had two triggers now, the memory of my getting money for my apples and the thought of that Buck Rogers rocketship. I kept on going until I sold enough apples.
I ran to the store and bought my toy—A Buck Rogers intergalactic rocket ship with sparks shooting out of its tail!!. At last it was mine. I was thrilled.
That simple story is an example of the power of visioning. This is the same principle that works on any enterprise, from selling apples to landing a rocketship on the moon.
You can even systematically create conditioned reflexes to program your mind to give you unstoppable motivation whenever you need it. Details to do this are in my book, Triggers: A New Approach to Self Motivation, published by Prentice Hall. Another excellent book is, Awaken the Giant Within, by Tony Robbins.
Take these lessons from my little kid and you, too, can have your very own thriving financial advisor practice with sparks shooting out of its tail!!
thaks for this great story, Stan!
Do you have a story you'd like to share about how you were highly motivated and achieved your big goal? Please feel free to share you ideas on the blog by clicking on the Comments link below.
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By Robert Middleton – Action Plan Marketing
Do you sometimes read a web page or other marketing materials and feel that it's mostly hype?
Hype is defined as "extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion."
If you're a professional you don't want to use hype in marketing as it ultimately turns people off more than it attracts people to your services. Hype also tends to attract the wrong kind of clients, often those with unrealistic expectations.
On the other hand, some professionals are so hype-adverse that they avoid marketing of any kind. To them marketing equals hype; there is no difference in their minds.
They think, "If I'm marketing, people are going to think I'm exaggerating, perhaps even lying." So marketing activities are either avoided or scaled down so much that it has little impact and doesn't effectively communicate your value.
Below are a number of things to do and things to avoid if your marketing is to be both attention-getting and hype-free. I know this can be a tricky tightrope to traverse, but read closely to notice the difference between the two.
Get Attention By Doing These...
1. Having marketing messages that are interesting, relevant to your clients and outcome-based. People are mostly interested in what's in it for them. Don't talk about your process, focus on actual results, with stories to back them up. No exaggeration required.
2. Communicating facts and backing-up with proof. Be precise in your language when talking about what you've done and can do. You want to sound "quietly confident" not "loudly boastful." Sure those people get a lot of attention, but not a lot of trust.
3. Finding new ways to package old ideas. One of my clients helps workplaces be more productive and better places to work. The term he uses is "Drama-Free Workplaces" which is essentially the same thing, but more interesting and attention-getting.
4. When networking, be interested, not interesting. The biggest mistake we make in networking is talking too much. Someone shows some interest and off we go. Instead, show more interest in those you meet; learn all about them. You'll better determine if they are prospects or not.
5. When following-up, don't sell. We dread follow-up so much because we feel we have to convince someone to do something. We don't. We just want to talk and see if there's a connection between a prospect's issues and goals are our ability to solve problems and produce results.
6. Understand that selling is mostly about listening. Even if you are invited to sit down and explain your services, avoid the temptation to do so. Most of the selling conversation should be about sincerely listening and learning of your prospect's current situation, goals and challenges. Only then should you talk about what you can do for a prospect.
Avoid Hype By Not Doing These...
1. Using over-the top marketing messages. "We triple our clients incomes in three months," sure sounds compelling, but can you really do it? Probably not, or only rarely. And if you can, you'd better have lots of proof!
2. Always communicating in superlatives. Whether you communicate verbally, or in writing, don't promise more than you can deliver. If everything is the best, the greatest, amazing, stunning, jaw-dropping or shocking, my hype detector is going to go off and block out further communication.
3. Packaging ideas like a carnival barker. Sure, you want your ideas to be interesting and compelling. But you don't want them to insult the intelligence of your prospects. "Our Super Breakthrough Make-a-Million Online Sales System" strains credibility or only appeals to naive people.
4. Talk when you network and don't stop. Being the center of attention seems like a good thing, but it can backfire on you. Those who are real prospects will be skeptical and those who are interested are often the least qualified.
5. Always be selling when you follow-up. You see your job as always convincing, persuading, manipulating. You may actually get buy-in from sheer force of persuasion, but then the prospects you sold on doing a strategy session with you won't show up and won't return calls later.
6. See selling as a performance. You have memorized every word, timed every slide, made your case rock-solid. But you haven't tuned into to the actual needs of your prospects. And although they may be impressed, they won't feel you really care about them and their needs. And they'll tune you out.
Attention Vs. Hype
Do you see the big difference between these two? Getting attention works best if you are really concerned about helping your prospects. You listen, show you care and communicate clearly in value-based language.
Hype is quite different. Who you care most about is yourself, making a positive impression, wowing people, and being the smartest person in the room with all the answers. Hype is all about ego, not about making a difference.
The thing is the differences can sometimes be subtle. It's very easy to cross over from getting attention into delivering hype. You need to notice where your attention is - on your prospects or on yourself.
How do you avoid hype in your business but still get the attention that gets buy-in from prospects? Please feel free to share your ideas on the blog by clicking on the Comments link below.
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Love and the Golden Rule For the past couple of days, we've been talking about unconditional love being the major ingredient to fulfill the whole Law and the Prophets, as the Hebrew expresses it, or the whole of the Bible, as we would refer to it today. This is what Jesus was talking about in […]
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Love and the Golden Rule
Unconditional Love of Self
Unconditional Love of Self Today's article is a follow-up to yesterday's blog article on unconditional love, in which Jesus explained about the greatest commandment. And while loving God and the whole of His creation is the greatest commandment, and includes everything, Jesus singled out one portion of this all inclusive commandment in Matthew 22 as […]
Unconditional Love
Unconditional Love Most people say they want love and peace and an end to violence, but when they are told what they have to do on their part, and it requires a change in their lifestyle, such as what they put on their plates, they want to put conditions upon what they have to do. […]
Who Is More Worthy?
Who Is More Worthy? Karolin wrote us a letter about her ministry, which is usually centered on enlightening people about the plight of animals, but like so many people that we know in the animal rights movement, she has a soft heart that extends to the whole of God's creation. "I work here at the […]
Peacemakers Don't Need Guns
Peacemakers Don't Need Guns A few of our blog articles on being peacemakers and not needing guns or other weapons has sparked some controversy even among Christians, with some agreeing with "our" position, and others saying that we should be armed for protection. We said "our" position, because that's what the arguments referenced, but they […]
Violence in the Name of Religion
Violence in the Name of Religion Maynard S. Clark wrote a very interesting observation about a major problem within Christianity: "We've all been treated to public discussions of Violence in the name of religion, and we also know how many "gun toting pastors" are eager to teach their congregants that the "manly" art of self-protection […]
Is The True Spirit Of Christmas Still With You?
Is The True Spirit Of Christmas Still With You? A Sermon Delivered to The Compassion Internet Church 13 January 2013 Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor Scripture References: Isaiah 6:1-13 Matthew 6:25, 33 7:13-14 Mark 4:1-20 Preparation Verse: "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall […]
Early Christian Peacemaker – Justin Martyr
Early Christian Peacemaker – Justin Martyr The early Christian peacemakers, such as Justin Martyr, needed no weapons for he had the peace of Jesus Christ in his heart. In 160 AD, five years before his death, he wrote: "We ourselves were well conversant with war, murder, and everything evil, but all of us throughout the […]
In the Image of God
In the Image of God Are we living as though we were created in the image of God, and are we seen by others as being the image of God among them? We sure hope so, because this is the way that all other human beings and all the animals should see us. Listen to […]
Pro-Life We hear a lot of Christians claiming to be pro-life, but when we look at most of them closer, and at their lifestyles, we find that they really aren't pro-life, for they support the killing of other living beings; all they seem to be is against human abortions. Many of them support war, or […]
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The Great Commanders of the Early Modern World 1567-1865Paperback
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- Publisher: Quercus Publishing Plc
- Format: Paperback | 432 pages
- Dimensions: 128mm x 196mm x 28mm | 281g
- Publication date: 27 October 2011
- Publication City/Country: London
- Sales rank: 155,063
Product description
What qualities made the Duke of Wellington a strategic genius? How did Oliver Cromwell, a gentleman farmer create an army that overthrew a king and changed the course of British history? Why was Simon Bolivar able to overcome early reverses to become the greatest figure in the Latin American struggle against Spanish colonialism? The answers to these and a myriad other fascinating questions can be found in Great Commanders of the Early Modern World, a sumptuous chronological survey of the 25 greatest commanders of the early modern world. Compiled by an distinguished team of historians (including such names as Antonia Fraser, Saul David and Stephen Brumwell) working under the general editorship of Andrew Roberts, Great Commanders of the Early Modern World is an authoritative and beautifully illustrated account of the lives and careers of the 25 greatest military commanders of the period, from the Duke of Marlborough to Napoleon Bonaparte, from Robert Clive to Carl von Clausewitz, and from Frederick the Great to Shaka Zulu. Every commander is profiled in a concise and informative 3000-word article which not only brings its subject vividly to life via a lively, fact-driven narrative, but also analyses and assesses his tactical and strategic gifts. As accessible and informative as it is rigorous and scholarly, Great Commanders of the Early Modern World is the perfect introduction to its subject for the layperson - but also a stimulating and thought-provoking read for those with greater knowledge of military history. With its companion volumes, focusing on the great commanders of the ancient, medieval and modern eras, it forms an indispensable guide to the greatest generals the world has seen.
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Author information
Andrew Roberts is an eminent historian and writer. His authorial credits include the bestselling A History of English-speaking Peoples since 1900; Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Gamble and Eminent Churchillians.
Table of contents
Introduction. Contributors. Maurice of Nassau. Gustavus Adolphus. Count Tilly. Oliver Cromwell. Vicomte de Turenne. Duke of Marlborough. Prine Eugene of Savoy. Charles XII. Maurice, Comte de Saxe. Frederick the Great. Robert Clive. James Wolfe. Nathanael Green. Napoleon Bonaparte. Duke of Wellington. Louis-Nicolas Davout. Mikhail Kutuzov. Carl von Clausewitz. Simon Bolivar. Shaka Zulu. Garibaldi. Robert E. Lee. 'Stonewall' Jackson. George Meade. Ulysses S. Grant. William T. Sherman. Further reading. Index.


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Revelation 21:7 Video Number 100 - Education Videos
Embed gregorythetruth 259 views 2012-11-14T16:19:08 The video shows some of Hurricane Sandy's ties to the Revelation 21:7 claim story evidence. Also included are the two USA earthquakes of August 23, 2011. The star charts shown in this video, which are part of the claim story evidence, are overviewed in exhibits at http://www.beginningtoend.org/
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Do us women a favor
and try not to generalize us. We are all unique, and beautiful in our own way. There are plenty of women who love liberty. Perhaps if a change is needed, it is in yourself, not the women? Maybe it even has nothing to do with your beliefs, just sayin?
The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
-Thomas Paine
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Rangers clinch playoff berth with Devils' 1-0 loss
Perhaps it wasn't the way they had planned, but in the first year under head coach Alain Vigneault and his staff, the Rangers have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
The Blueshirts, with 91 points, were idle Monday night but secured a postseason berth when the Devils lost to Calgary 1-0 in Newark. It is the eighth time in the last nine seasons that the Rangers have made the cut in the Eastern Conference. They were 7-2-1 in the last 10 to get within striking distance, and 10-5-1 in last 16.
Seeding has yet to be determined. In the new format, the second and third-place finishers in the Metropolitan Division face each other in the first round.
The second-place Rangers (43-31-5) have three games to play, starting Tuesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Flyers, in third with 89 points, have four games remaining. The Blue Jackets have 87 points with four games left.
The Rangers have home games against Carolina and Buffalo, and end the regular season in Montreal on Saturday. Philly plays the Panthers, Lightning and Penguins on the road and clsoes out with Carolina at home on Sunday. Columbus plays four games in five days: Phoenix at home and then the Stars, Lightning and Panthers on the road.
Should the Rangers hang on to second place, they could not stage Game 1 at home on Wednesday the 16th. The Knicks have their season final scheduled.


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Home » News » Public Safety
Controversial BearCat vote expected tonight in Concord
He's found in speaking to constituents that the majority thought the vehicle was just for Concord and said he's seen some shifts in opinion "when they realize there are a lot of communities."
Keith Nyhan, who represents Ward 7 on the city's South Side, said he received a book about the militarization of police from BearCat opponents. "I don't buy into the conspiracy theory," he said.
"It should be an interesting discussion," he said.
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"Truman biography is a winner"
This book is by David McCullough. Anyone who has read any of his books know that in itself is a treat. But Truman's straight talk mirrors many of the messages that resound in our own time. We can learn from him even half a century later. Would that there were more people in Washington like him today. Everyone should listen to this book to get a glimpse of a politician who had a strong set of values.
The story of being catapulted into the presidency during World War II was particularly interesting.
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35k done, last 5k at race pace. http://www.strava.com/activities/223336993 Back in time to walk my kids to school Got some strange looks from all the dolled up mums - covered in mud, head buff, running tights and bright yellow adizero jacket
NW: 2 heron, 2 deer, 3 runners (what the.... never seen any runners on this course before), 4 cats, 1 fox, lots of cows.
@Chris, have you tried eccentric heel raises/dips? Worked wonders on my achilles when it balled up (brought on my sudden increase in speedwork too soon after changing from heelstrike to forefoot).
Chris Oco wrote (see)
From this morning..
From this morning..
Here's one from one of my morning routes
Chris, the "upright" and "relaxed shoulders" sound like great advice Not sure what the bell thing is about though. Unless your arms are crossing beyond the vertical centerline, it's tough to do the wrong thing with arms - they are a balanace and will find their own natural place - just make sure you are pumping them enough to keep your core stable to aid strong glute movement.
Chris, what did they say you should change from / to (for the running)?
Since September I've continued with a mix of runs at 140bpm, some long race pace runs, threshold, 1k intervals and PB races (10k, half marathon and full marathon). Did the same 35k tester run at 140bpm today and shockingly went 14mins quicker again (so 25mins quicker than August). So the answer appears to be that it doesn't seem to matter if you are doing all ABT or just 2 or 3 a week some alongside other training - you still see the benefits.
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text: I think it is easy to find a restaurant in Argentina providing good food at great price (I take the advantage of pesos depreciation while the currency of my home town is pegged to US dollar). But it is harder to have one with classy and cozy ambience. The thing impresses me more here is the large area (2 floors)... More


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An upscale bar on the second floor of Fourth Street Live! Tavern on Fourth combines a traditional sports tavern with interactive games and a space for unique private events. A night at the Tavern on Fourth guarantees more than good food, it also guarantees great fun.
Restaurant Information:
View Larger Map [5]
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
Phone: 502-588-8888
Meals Served:
Late Night Dining:
Alcohol: Full Bar
Children's Menu: No
Vegetarian Dishes: No


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For the second time, DIY Network and Food Network Magazine go in search of America's worst kitchen then undertake a complete makeover, transforming a dismal cook space into a cook's paradise.
By David L. HaynesMore in Kitchen
High-end stainless appliances, black quartz countertops with matching shelves, an energy-efficient dishwasher and a pro-quality, dual-fuel range with vented hood helped make a dream kitchen out of a formerly drab space.
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Tech Helproom
It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion
Paper jamming
Likes # 0
Posted January 31, 2013 at 11:19PM
I have a canon printer MX410...it keeps on showing that the paper is jammed although no printing paper is jammed. How can I fix this or what can I do to rectify this problem? Thank you
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Posted January 31, 2013 at 11:27PM
see here
Likes # 0
Posted February 1, 2013 at 11:05AM
I have found that Paper Jam error messages can sometimes be caused by the most simplest things, and not a very noticeable sheet of paper causing a jam.
Usually it means a case of looking inside the printer for small objects, small piece of torn paper left behind from a previous problem, dust on sensor or arms etc. Do not forget to remove any electrical power to the printer, before tampering inside.
I haven't looked, but a Google or YouTube search, might provide further advice on printer service or repair on this paper jam error message problem?.
Likes # 0
Posted February 1, 2013 at 12:15PM
I agree with comments made by spuds - I once spent 2 days with the same problem before finding the smallest piece of torn paper jammed in the roller mechanism - with the aid of a torch and the printer upside down! It took me ages to extract it.
Likes # 0
Posted February 1, 2013 at 2:59PM
Paper Jam messages on all in ones often happen because something has been left on the lid, then it is lifted up and the object drops into the mechanism. Found a small paper clip in a friend's machine.
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Has anyone else had issues with their carboys deforming after prolonged use? The base of one of my carboys is significantly (and irregularly; it's not just bulging from liquid, but rather has some parts that are significantly bowed) deformed. The plastic around the temperature strips is also sunken a bit, as if the carboy expanded but the strip held the plastic under it in place...
It's very odd, and I've replaced a few carboys after they deformed in this way. I don't think this one has ever been exposed to significant heat, though I did leave it outside in the sun soaking in PBW for a week or two.
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
Like this?
Kind of, but on the bottom and not as severe. Those look like they had hot water poured in them, and I've been careful to avoid doing that ever since the Great Melting Carboy episode of 2012, when I stupidly poured boiling water into a carboy with PBW thinking it'd clean faster (oops).
I'd take a photo of the bottom and post it, but it has 5 gallons of hefeweizen in it right now...
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
Haha, wow. I normally use glass 6gallon carboys but I do have 2 3 gallon Better Bottles. Luckily they have not become shrinky dinks. I soak them with Oxyclean and warm water and then use a carboy cleaner to get off any stubborn stuff. I have been using them for about 5 years.
sounds like a great name for your home "brewery"
Extended PBW soaks are contrary to the procedure that Better Bottle recommends in a detailed document. I've posted a less comprehensive summery from their website below. http://www.better-bottle.com/technical.html
Does it sit on a compressor hump? Or anything that could get hot? Sure looks like the result of heat, but you say you've never gotten it too hot.
My tap water is 140 and doesn't hurt them, though I won't go any hotter.
Nah, not that I know of... Going to retire it anyway I think, though (it's had a good life!). Have a 15 gallon speidel fermenter on order.
Thanks all!


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Ole Miss used 17 hits to score 12 runs and got a complete-game effort from Chris Ellis as the Rebels defeated Jacksonville State 12-2 Saturday in NCAA Regional play.
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The NBA will investigate additional allegations by disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy that were scheduled for publication in a book that has been spiked by its publisher.
In the book excerpts, which have been published online, Donaghy offered more details of alleged game manipulation by other referees. The NBA and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York investigated Donaghy's initial claims and did not find anyone else culpable.
Elizabeth Ventura, the NBA's senior vice president of communications, issued the following statement to CBSSports.com and other news outlets:
"In 2008 Mr. Donaghy's allegations were thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office. We are reassured that the U.S. Government completed its investigation finding that the only criminal conduct was that of Mr. Donaghy.
"We take any question regarding the integrity of our game extremely seriously. At the time Mr. Donaghy's crimes came to light, we appointed Lawrence B. Pedowitz, a former Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney's office of the Southern District of New York, to lead a comprehensive independent review of the NBA's officiating program. Mr. Pedowitz's review revealed that the NBA's core values of neutrality and accountability were not compromised by anyone other than Mr. Donaghy.
"As with all allegations concerning the integrity of our officiating program, these latest assertions by Mr. Donaghy will be turned over to Mr. Pedowitz for a complete review."
Donaghy was sentenced to prison time in 2008 after pleading guilty to federal wire fraud charges. Donaghy was accused of betting on NBA games, including those he worked, and tipping off high-stakes gamblers with inside information.
UPDATE: Robert Nardoza, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment on whether federal authorities were re-opening their investigation. No criminal charges have been filed against any NBA employee other than Donaghy. "We saw the article," Nardoza said, referring to news that Donaghy's publisher had pulled the book amid fears of legal action. "Beyond that, I'm not going to comment."
Donaghy's tell-all, "Blowing the Whistle: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA," was scheduled for publication later this month by Triumph, a division of Random House. Despite news reports to the contrary, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the league "never threatened a lawsuit or anything else."
In the excerpts, Donaghy cut a wide swath through the ranks of his former colleagues, naming names and offering details on how other officials allegedly manipulated games. Many of the details mirrored those he gave to federal prosecutors as part of his plea negotiation.
According to a person directly involved in the NBA's probe conducted by Pedowitz, all the referees named in the excerpts from Donaghy's manuscript were interviewed during the initial investigation -- in some cases, numerous times.
"The National Basketball Referees Association is disappointed, but not surprised, with the actions taken by Tim Donaghy," referee spokesman Lloyd Pierson said in a statement. "This continues to be the Tim that we know. He repeatedly attempts to highlight himself in the media, but the 59 NBA referees will continue to officiate games with the utmost integrity and the focus will remain on the 2009-2010 NBA Season."
The story isn't over; it never is with Donaghy. No doubt he will find another publisher, or self-publish the book, and the storm will gather again.
I don't know how thoroughly Donaghy's claims were investigated at the time, or whether these new allegations will draw the attention of federal authorities. I don't know whether Donaghy is telling the truth or not. I wasn't there; Donaghy himself wasn't present for some of the improprieties he alleges.
What I do know is that this sad chapter in NBA history will have more postscripts.
Blog Entry
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
Posted on: October 29, 2009 3:51 pm
Edited on: October 29, 2009 4:48 pm
Category: NBA
Tags: Tim Donaghy
Since: May 17, 2008
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:54 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
If it were just the NBA that did the initial investigationt then I might be a little more suspicious. However, not only did the NBA hire an independant, and very well qualified, investigator, but Donaghy's claims were investigated by the FBI and the US Attorney General's office. Neither the FBI or the US Atty has/had any reason to "look the otherway" ---look at the publicity they got for prosecuting one referee for wire fraud; why would they pass up the chance to go after multiple defendants for the same thing if they could.
To me, and I may be proved wrong, by it sounds like Donaghy is just throwing around allegations trying to sell a book now that he can no longer earn the nice living he was making as an NBA referee -- this line is telling to me:
Donaghy himself wasn't present for some of the improprieties he alleges.
That right there is a huge red flag on the credibility of the allegations made in a book Donaghy is trying to sell. A book that says, "I did it, I was the only one who did it" is not nearly as marketable as a book that makes unsupported hearsay allegations about events he did not witness --- plus, I just have a real hard time putting much stock in the allegations of a convicted felon.
Since: Oct 29, 2009
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:45 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
REFEREES do rig games and you all should know that! This game is the game that is mostly controlled by the "whistle. Over and under , spreads are alldetermined by the whistle. Donaghy needs money so , good for him !
Since: Aug 14, 2009
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:44 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
AGREED!! sucks knowing the blazers wont ever get much love...
Since: Sep 1, 2006
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:07 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
I completely agree with you, Your comment is right on the money. It makes you look back at games and wonder is that why team B didnt get all the call but team A did. I just hope this isnt true, because American sports cant take another black eye. MLB is tainted, NBA has a big question mark. Just the NHL and NFL, guess I might have to watch MLS soon.
Since: Nov 26, 2007
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:01 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
I couldn't agree more. Watching my Bucks up against Phily for the Eastern chamionship was disgusting in the 2000-2001 season. I was in Tennessee at the time and people there kept asking me why the league was so against the Bucks. I thought that myself but didn't say anything being that I was a Bucks fan. Later stats came out about Mutombo not getting called for a foul until game 7, this being one of the most physically aggressive defenders in the league. Lets also not forget they had the coach of the year, sixthman of the year, and the MVP all on their team. Who do think the league wanted to win? That season really ruined the NBA for me.
Since: Apr 20, 2009
Posted on: October 29, 2009 6:01 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
Let me start by saying I am not at all a BB guru and for that matter have no interest in watching if it's not the team I support but I do know the rules and most of the intricacies of the game and I will flat out bet my life on it that the refs in the NBA "DO" intentionally influence the , if not outcome of the game but the ebb and flow of it. Just watch the raptor - cavs game last night and tell me they are not trying to keep it competetive when one team appears to be ready to mail it in = a few horrible calls in a 90 second span and presto they are back in it........3-4 minutes later they are down 14 again and a few more horrible calls to get them back in.....the only teams I don't see being victimzed by this is the Lakers....if they trounce their opponent then they trounce them.......I think it's a little far fetched to believe the gambling issue is widespread but I have said all along the league not only condones the officials trying to keep it exciting but demands it.
I challenged a family member last season to keep this theory in mind while watching a particular game last season ... before it started and he who watches multi games per night including all college games was astonished.
Since: Nov 16, 2007
Posted on: October 29, 2009 5:54 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
LOL. OJ is still looking for the killer of the waiter and ex-wife, too, even from prison.
He justs has to look in the mirror. I seriously doubt the NBA will be looking in the mirror, though.
Since: Jan 16, 2008
Posted on: October 29, 2009 5:49 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
I do believe there is some validity in some if not all of his comments and accusations. The "investigation" that was done is a sham. The NBA just wants this to go away and have pretty much taken away all of Donaghy's credibility in order for him to be the fall guy. There is no way in the world that this guy was guilty and operatings without the help of his fellow colleagues. Just cut the ugly zit away from the pretty face and all is well. I hope the real truth comes out and exposes the NBA from the top down.
Since: Sep 30, 2006
Posted on: October 29, 2009 5:27 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
Since: Sep 19, 2006
Posted on: October 29, 2009 5:08 pm
NBA to investigate Donaghy's latest claims
Sounds like David Stern is trying to cover something up, like perhaps he directed the officials to manipulate games so that the bigger market teams (aka Los Angeles, Chicago, etc) with the bigger name stars would win key games, all for the advertising dollars.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, I think David Stern is the most corrupt commissioner in all sports worldwide, even more corrupt than some of the European and Asian Soccer Leagues, more corrupt than the East Germans during the Olympics of the late 60's and early 70's.


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WSF World Rookie Fest 2013 – Livigno, Italy – Part 1
Ein Snowboard Video von quattro_media - 1,144 views
Blue Sky and a perfect Mottolino Snowpark welcomed the day 1 at the 2013 WSF World Rookie Fest in Livigno. With 138 registered riders it is the largest only youth snowboard event ever organized in the history of World Snowboard Federation (WSF) and TTR World Snowboard Tour.
As the number the participation was more than the expectation, the program schedule was changed and the day 1 turned in training and qualification for the Heat 1, with male groms and all the girls. The riding level was extremely high already during the first training and it culminated in an incredible run by 13 years old norwegian ripper Kleveland Marcus: switch backside 900, front side 720, backside double cork 1260 and cab 540. The feeling from the spectators was more to watch a pro event than a rookie slopestyle.
Day 2 at the 2013 WSF World Rookie Fest was another great day of riding, sun and fun at the Mottolino Snowpark. The daily program was focused to the qualification for Heat 2 where 68 male rookies challenged for 16 spots in the finals.
The weather conditions were pretty good, and the snowy forecast turned into an almost sunny day. Among the best tricks of the day, double backside rodeo, frontside 1080 and Swiss rising star Simon Bürki resulted the best riders in the field. As usual many scandic rider got a spot for the finals.
Available online the first video from the 2013 WRF in Livigno, featuring the best moments of day 1 and day 2.


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November 27, 2014
Eric McCabe throws an approach shot on hole no. 1 at Emporia Country Club. The course transitioned into a disc golf course for the Glass Blown Open in April.
Emporia, KS (WIBW) --- In 2005, Jeremy Rusco was looking for a way to help pay for school at Emporia State. An avid disc golfer, it was a natural fit for Rusco to sell discs to his fellow players around town and thus, Dynamic Discs was born.
Quickly, Rusco expanded online. 2 years ago, Dynamic Discs opened it's first brick and mortar store in downtown Emporia and last year locations in Kansas city and lewisville TX were also added. Dynamic also signed it's 1st exclusive player contract with Emporia native Eric McCabe
in September DD took another step and began making it's own molds, partnering with Latitude 64 a manufacturer in Sweeden and one of the major players in the DG world
The growth of the company has corresponded with the growth of Emporia's big yearly tournament, the Glass Blown Open, in which over 400 players have participated in each of the last 2 years.
As a result, Emporia was even awarded the 2013 Amateur DG World Championship to be played in July
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text: President Barack Obama has come out with a strong statement explaining why his administration supports the proposed Federal Communication Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband (and possibly mobile) service providers as "common carriers" under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. You may recall that Verizon successfully sued the FCC after it enacted the Open Internet Order of 2010, claiming that the agency had no legal authority under Title II. A D.C.


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Defeating terrorism is directly dependent on the conversion of hearts and minds--to the winning over of the majority of Arab and Islamic individuals so terrorists will lose their base of support and source of future recruits.
Issues / Human Rights
It is always fascinating to watch the eagerness with which so-called progressives unquestioningly accept an official history full of virtuous U.S. officials and villainous savages trying the patience of the peaceful, law-abiding Great Powers.
Liberals and much of the left have been badly bamboozled on recent Yugoslav history and the role of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, with former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic having been hyper-demonized and the history of the Balkans rewritten to fit what Lenard Cohen calls the "paradise lost/loathsome leaders" paradigm.
Pakistan's position as a key U.S. ally in the campaign against al-Qaeda has been particularly beneficial to the military-led government of General Pervez Musharraf, whose support is seen by the Bush administration as indispensable to U.S. "anti-terrorism" efforts in the region.
At the G-8 Summit in Georgia, one of the main items on the agenda was the democratization of the Middle East, and the recent commemoration of the D-Day anniversary and the passing of President Reagan both generated discussion concerning the defense and spread of democracy.
A range of U.S.-based advocacy groups, such as Africa Action and Human Rights Watch, as well as the United Nations, are calling for international intervention to stop "ethnic cleansing" in western Sudan.
It took U.S. activists decades of campaigning against the apartheid regime in South Africa to arrive at strategies that, when combined with a commitment to transnational relationships, changed more than individual attitudes.
Iraqi workers quickly discovered that the occupation authorities had little respect for labor rights.
At the heart of the debate is the question of whether progressives believe that U.S. power can be used for good in Africa or elsewhere in cases of mass killings and other crimes against humanity?
On Friday July 23, the old Mostar bridge, which was bombed by Croat artillery in 1993, re-opened under a media spotlight and amid justified international satisfaction for yet another step forward in the long Bosnian post-war transition.