Solving the Traffic Exchange Problem

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

If you do any kind of advertising online, you know about Traffic Exchanges. The idea is a simple one. You surf other people’s websites and in return your site is seen by someone else. Such programs promise that your site will be seen by thousands depending on how often you surf and whether you’ve chosen to become a pro member in their program.

Which sounds good.

But there’s one major flaw with typical traffic programs. While they can claim thousands of hits, those hits are low in quality and seldom lead to someone actually READING through your site. The typical marketer’s interest is in having his own site noticed. In order for him to get the maximum exposure he has to surf hundreds of sites to get the points or credits he wants for his business.

That means he’s NOT INTERESTED in what you have to offer!

The typical marketer only SURFS FOR CREDITS!

Statistics say that 1 to 3% of viewers ever stop long enough to read your site. And the percentage of actually getting a CUSTOMER out of those 1 to 3 is even lower! That makes surfing through traffic exchanges largely a waste of time!

You may have the best site in the world, but it won't help unless the viewer stops to read it. Most affiliates who are starting out in a web business for the first time, don't have the financing to build or have an enticing website constructed for them. Putting aside the fact that surfers rarely stay long enough to read a site, having the standard affiliate site given out to thousands of other affiliates puts you at a severe disadvantage. Obviously no one is going to read a site he's seen dozens of times before. All he's likely to do is wait out the required time so he can surf to the next site.

Traditional traffic exchanges understand these problems and try to make up for this problem with more hits to your site so long as you upgrade and more exposure through advertising to their members, solo ads to subscribers of their newsletters and other incentives, but the fact still remains that your site has to be read if you even hope to get a customer.

Given these points, there’s not much chance someone will read what you have to offer.

There has to be a better way!

With the onset of Web 2, we’re beginning to see new traffic exchange programs that have a better system in place which guarantees better quality hits through incentives that focus more on reading time as opposed to the quantity of sites that get surfed through. Typical exchanges require the surfer to stay between 10 to 20 seconds before being able to surf to the next site. The time spent on the site is not nearly as important as the quality of the time spent at the site.

Take the example of a storefront window. Of course a bland display, like a disorganized website, won’t attract many viewers, but those sales notices and colorful displays offering 50% off of merchandise will make the viewer stay much longer than 15 seconds, at least long enough to read those notices.

The traditional incentives should remain, but the focus must be on a reasonable guarantee that surfers will know what you offer and the best way to insure that is by asking questions about the site they visit that requires them to find the answer. If they don’t find that answer, they don’t receive credits and have to continue viewing the site until they find that answer.

That’s a far better system than waiting out the time with no more than a glance at the computer screen!

Which would you prefer: Surf for hours to accumulate a vast amount of points so you can have hundreds of others surf through your site unread or have your site actually read by surfers who are required to read your page and cut down on all that useless surfing time?

One of the best such sites is The Power of a Dollar (POAD, for short). You only need to surf a minimum of 3 sites per day to have your site seen, if you are a free member. You just answer a basic question about what you read before being credited with points that gets your site read by another surfer. You don’t need to surf thousands of sites unless you have the time for it. The quality is what counts.

POAD solves the main problem of traffic exchanges and offers similar, if not better, incentives to make surfing a joy and gives you the feeling that you aren't wasting time and that someone is actually reading your offer. And that's what a traffic exchange program should do!

To really understand and try out the system of this new traffic exchange program, you need to go here: http://www.poadteam.com?a=6037721c

About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada. Among his many passions are writing, graphics, gardening and a sincere desire to help others achieve success through Internet business and affiliate programs.

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Online Sales Secrets

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

Back in the old days professional salesmen conducted face-to-face meetings to open and close a sale. Several meetings occurred before a sale was consummated.

Today, Internet marketing has opened the possibility of doing business anywhere in the world. However, face-to-face meetings are a rarity, especially if your prospect lives on the other end of the globe. In order to attract any customers, your site has to be your personal salesman.

The rules for selling online are no different than a face-to-face meeting. Let's make a comparison between what happens between a buyer and seller in someone's home and that between your site and the prospect that comes to visit:

Your Conduct: Just as the professional salesman walks in with a suit and tie, smiles and greets the potential buyer, your site should also look professional. Spelling errors and grammar mistakes give you away as unprofessional. Your site doesn't need to be cluttered with run-on text and flooded with banners. Open space and easy-to-read text are extremely important.

The Introduction: Who exactly are you? The prospect wants to know something about your credentials. While that doesn't have to appear on your home page necessarily, you should have a link to an "About me" page. Since you can't talk to your prospect directly, you should have some way for him to reach you if your site doesn't present some answers to his pressing questions. You should include your email address, phone number, fax, cell phone or a message service through MSN, Yahoo, Skype and others. Your "About Me" page acts as your business card.

The Opening: Here's where the salesman sits down to begin discussions with his prospect. Your site's opening is your title. Your title should be just as effective as the advertising you do to get customers to surf to your site. It should outline a problem and hint at a solution. It's what will make the prospect want to read your text to find out if you have a solution that can help him. Salesmen know what the prospect's problems are and get right to the meat of the problem without a whole lot of chitchat.

The Presentation: This is your home page. You should start off by outlining the problem from the perspective of the client. If your site focuses on unrelated issues or doesn't address the real problem until page 10, your prospect isn't going to wait until he gets there. Get to the point. Emphasize the problem, then make the claim you have a solution for him.

Involve the Prospect: Ever read a good book? The book draws you in because you can identify with the characters and the plot. It creates an atmosphere that makes it difficult to put that book down. Why are Harry Potter books so popular? Your website doesn't have to read like a Stephen King thriller but it should have something that entices the reader to stay and give him a potential solution to his problems.

Ask the reader questions: It's yet another way to involve the reader. Your text should flow from one idea to the next, leading to the solution. You should anticipate the prospect's objections and answer them as your page draws him in. The salesman not only prepares himself for that sales meeting, he's also a psychologist and knows that if he involves his prospect, it'll be much easier to make a sale. Make sure your site provides some answers. Let your site ask questions that makes the reader respond in a positive manner. In the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie, one of the rules of winning people to your way of thinking is by getting the other person to say "yes…yes". Your site should do just that.

Bring up the facts: One of the most important parts of a website that sells is testimonials. That helps to dissolve doubt in the prospect's mind. Bring up the reasons why your product is better than the competition. Outline the benefits of using your product. Here's where you can have a few useful graphics on your home page. Professional salespeople use graphics that appeal to the buyer's senses. In the online world, the customer can't touch your product, but a good picture and a description of the object helps lead the prospect to a buying decision. If you sell ebooks, outline some of the chapters and high points that the ebook addresses.

The Closing: Once your site answers all the prospect's questions, it's time to wrap things up. Your site isn't complete unless you sweeten the pot a little. Since people are reluctant to purchase anything online, a few extra bonuses and freebies can help swing your prospect into whipping out his check book. Encyclopaedia salesmen would often add other volumes as free offers to entice the prospect to buy. You should have something to offer your visitor, even with a time limit to entice him to act now.

After The Signature: Just as after-sales service is important in the real world, your sale page should offer up a money-back guarantee and, of course, contact information in case the buyer needs to reach you.

Salesmanship online or off follow the same rules. While you can't be present, your site's professional appearance and construction can make an excellent salesman that will earn you hundreds of sales and an income equal to what the best offline salesmen in the world earn.



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Self Discipline for High Achievers

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


Self-Discipline is the only thing that separates the high achiever from the average man on the street. If you ever hope to realize those lofty goals you have for yourself, you need the power of self-discipline before you could even get started.

Developing self-discipline isn’t easy as for most of us as we’ve learned to think in a rut. Our thinking patterns have developed into a negative mode where we feel we can’t succeed or can’t be better than those who live in flashy homes and drive fancy cars. From infancy we’ve learned to think of the reasons why we can’t do something rather than why we can.

It’s this negative mould we need to overcome if we hope to achieve great things.

There is no real difference between failure and success. None of it has to do with being born rich, level of education, one’s background, health, talent or intelligence. Those factors are what we point to in order to excuse ourselves and keep wallowing in the self-pity and jealousy when we see the rich drive by in their Ferraris. It’s far easier to find excuses why we can’t be like the rich and successful; it becomes a warm blanket we can snuggle into and like the ostrich with its head in the sand, we feel we have found the one reason to forget about any hope for a better future.

Self-discipline can be learned. But it must be made a habit. Chatting over inconsequential matters over the backyard barbecue with a beer in hand on a Saturday night is a habit. It doesn’t add value to your life. It just kills time. What’s necessary is to make self-discipline into a habit.

Having self-discipline elevates you into a “Can Do” attitude. Possibilities open up. Opportunities reveal themselves. Your mindset changes from desperation to hope and expectation.

Self-discipline increases your self-confidence and empowers you with determination and strength. Hopelessness becomes a thing of the past and gets replaced with the happiness that comes from knowing that you are on the road to a better lifestyle for you, your family and the others that you impact on a daily basis.

Self-discipline will give you a passion and renewed hope that you never knew existed. With more energy, you have more of a desire to achieve.

Ever wish you could be a role model to others? Want to become a leader, someone others look up to? The self-disciplined are always sought after, admired for their courage and their ability to get things done! You can be like that too!

Once you have a positive mindset, your thinking becomes sharper. You will be able to develop creativity, be more analytical. With fewer limitations, the possibilities become endless.

The first step on the road to achievement is the acknowledgement that YOU CAN DO BETTER! Like the drug addict, you will never take the first step to rehabilitation unless you acknowledge that you have a problem.

The next step is believing you can accomplish anything you desire! All it takes is the right way of approaching your problem and your goals. Once you do that you will begin to see the first steps toward achievement.

Self-discipline is the master key to success. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Without it, you are just another member of the mediocrity club, just one of those poor souls that fail to realize their full potential.


End

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Creating Wealth

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/


The majority of people who work a typical job have little desire to get wealthy. That sounds shocking, but when you look deep into the psyche, you find the desire to accumulate wealth is non-existent. Too many people have learned to accept their lifestyle as the best they can have. Vision, imagination and opportunity have been squashed into a mediocre lifestyle.

If you really want wealth you have to cultivate a burning desire for it. There is nothing that can stop you from acquiring it. Desire is expressed in action, not what you say to your circle of friends or what you wish for.

There has to be a purpose, a reason, a hunger why you want to get rich. You have to WANT wealth and then have a plan to get it.

There are simple rules that, when followed, guarantee success. And one of those rules is in what you can do to help others. Helping others get what they want will help get you what you want. We are all inherently selfish, but you must learn to set aside that selfishness and see what you can do for others.

For example, if you work a typical job, putting in a few more hours, finding some way to help your employer increae the bottom line will set you on a course for a larger salary. If you are running your own business, your service to everyone you do business with will determine your profits or the lack of them.

Do you really want wealth or are you just paying lip service to a dream?

Consider these points for financial success:

· Study and emulate someone who is already wealthy. Find out what he/she did to become successful. Ask questions. If you admire and copy someone who has been successful you will become like them.
· Take a chance on life! Take risks. Those that never risk anything stay stagnant. They may have safe investments and a secure job, but they will only reach a plateau from which they can’t get any higher.
· Be prepared to do more. The people who get promoted are the ones that stand out from the crowd. They’re prepared to work extra hours. They’re willing to get more involved in their job, business and community. If you do nothing more than 40 hours a week, you are only surviving.
· Be optimistic. Life should never become drudgery. It's hard to get enthusiastic if your job is nothing more than a stagnant routine. With no excitement, no feeling of accomplishment, you can't move toward higher states of development.
· Be creative. That applies as much to running a business than it does on doing something to help the company you work for.
· Persistence. You won’t get rich overnight. Wealth creation is just one important lesson learned after another. You will make mistakes along the way, but you should keep moving forward every day. Never give up learning.
· Investing. It should do more than just provide a safety net. A good portfolio should carry conservative investments with some risky investments. Keeping all your money in a savings account won’t make you rich. Find ways to make your money work for you.
· Courage. Fear is what holds many people back. No matter what you try there is always the possibility of failure. Fear should become a springboard to success. No one ever got rich by playing it safe. Marriages today fail because neither party is willing to risk their material wealth for a long term relationship. Your fears are often unfounded.
· Entrepreneurial Ventures. A typical job will never make you rich. The only way to wealth is through running a business of your own. Opportunities for wealth comes from finding an unmet need and filling that need. You don’t need a bank loan to start your first enterprise. You can start small, work your business part-time until the business stars making profits. Join an affiliate program selling other people's products until you are educated enough to strike out on your own. More millionaires have come from running a successful business than were ever created from working for a living.

Wealth creation requires a plan. If you want to get wealthy, follow the rules of wealth creation. People look up to and envy thoses who became rich. The truth is the wealthy are no different than you or me. They just applied themselves to the rules of accumulating wealth.

If you do the same, some day others will look up to you as their role model for financial success.

End



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to
Financial independence

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Why I Don't Trust Doctors

Copyright © Mario Carinihttp://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

There was a time when the doctor was a family friend. He could be trusted to help you get better and stay that way. I remember a time when the doctor came to my house to find out why I was sick. He’d listen to my heartbeat, take my blood pressure, look at my ear canals, look down my throat and listen as I described my symptoms. After a careful diagnosis he’d proclaim what it was I had and recommend bed rest, fluids and some medicine for a specified time or until I actually felt better.

Today’s doctor is a whole new breed compared to that doctor who made that house call. For one, today’s doctor hides behind the walls of a local clinic or hospital. Even if you can’t walk, you’re expected to drive yourself to your doctor’s residence and once you do, you are treated with the same kind of emotionless response you’d give the dead buried in the cemetery.

I don’t trust doctors for several reasons.

For one, doctors have learned to treat the symptoms and know little about preventing the disease from occurring in the first place. Yesterday’s doctor knew something about the causes of your illness and could give you some information along with a prescription to help you from getting sick again.

Second, today’s doctor is trained only to know what drugs to prescribe for whatever illness you have. He knows next to nothing about herbal medicine or the essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. When it comes to a comparison between your doctor and a financial consultant, the consultant knows more about his profession!

While great strides have been made to cure old disease such as polio that used to plague mankind, the medical establishment has regressed back to the Dark Ages. We may not practice bloodletting, but we do the same thing today through prescription medications which slowly reduce the quality of life until death occurs.

The fact is that the majority of diseases that plague us today are self-induced. We don't need to suffer from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc when all that is needed to prevent them is a healthy lifestyle. These diseases simply would not exist if we ate whole and fresh food instead of processed; if we stopped smoking, drinking excessively, got enough rest and got the proper amount of exercise.

Third, today's doctor is under a heavy taskmaster that tells him what and what not to tell his patients. Though some doctors are well meaning and would love to do more to help, they have their hands tied by Big Pharma. The majority of medical schools today are owned and operated by pharmaceutical companies. Obviously, this leads to a bias in favor of the use of drugs and next to no training about natural treatments. Doctors who take courses are required to “tow the line” and only learn about drug treatments. Of course, once the doctor has his license to practice, he is required to keep mum when it comes to mentioning things like the side effects of dangerous drugs. They are simply taught to write out a prescription, no advice offered and only assurances if the patient asks. If the doctor tries to provide healthy advice, he stands to lose his practice!

My mother once asked a doctor why he never told his patients to supplement with CoQ10 when they take statin drugs. The doctor’s response was that he “might get into trouble”.

Get into trouble with whom?

There are no government regulations that forbid doctors from dispensing important information that can affect the lives of their patients. The fact is that many doctors today don't live up to the tenets of the Hippocratic Oath which clearly says: “First, do no harm”.

Big Pharma rakes in billions of dollars annually. Some of the best selling drugs are the worst offenders when it comes to the health of the populace. Doctors are mandated to prescribe those drugs with no concern as to what those drugs could do to the patients taking them. Add that to the fact that most people are more than willing to leave their health in the hands of doctors with a grade school education at best!

Fourth, some doctors can't be trusted. My doctor is retired now and for the good. With the way she shuffled papers in the office, I wondered if she didn't have Parkinson's. There were many other factors by this doctor that reduced my faith in her ability to treat me. I'm sure I'm not the only one. But our faith in mainstream doctors today are unfounded.

Of course, doctors aren't entirely to blame as they can only treat the effects and not the cause of the disease. There's no profit to be made to tell you that you need a total lifestyle change. A large part of the blame rests on the shoulders of a public more interested in the pursuit of maintaining an impossible lifestyle than in maintaining optimim health. Health should be number one priority. There's little point in enjoying a wealthy lifestyle from a hospital bed.

Fifth, the doctor's focus is on getting through the day. It's obvious that a doctor's life is filled with an endless stream of patients, so he can't devote as much time as he would like to properly diagnose what ails you. And that's a problem. The diagnosis could be WRONG and lead to severe complications. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of a misdiagnosis.

Sixth is truthfulness. Going back to my experience with my former doctor, I found it unprofessional conduct for her to submit a letter to a kidney specialist with an insertion that I had complained of chest pains when I had gone to the hospital a few years earliers. That was an outright lie, but this kind of thing, I believe, happens to the majority of patients who are not aware that their health records contain flaws put there by their doctors. A doctor should simply conduct himself in a professional manner at all times and not try to fudge some data about their patients just so they can increase their bottom line.

There you have it. Six reasons why I don't trust establishment doctors. Call me a rebel if you will, but I believe the traditional establishment, especially Big Pharma needs a complete overhaul.

That's not likely to happen until we see another Thalidomide disaster, one that will cause the death of millions of innocent lives.

End


About the Author:Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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Why I Don't Like Taking Drugs

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

Call me old fashioned but when it comes to prescription drugs I’d rather not take them even at the doctor’s insistence. I care for my health so I always want to know what goes into my body. I firmly believe that drugs are not the answer despite all the media hype and what the medical establishment would have me believe.

By nature we are creatures of action. A sedentary lifestyle works against that inherent instinct. What you eat, how active you are will go a long way toward establishing a healthy lifestyle. Our ancestors of the past may have had shortened lifespans due to lack of understanding of viruses and disease, but they ate wholesome food and were active throughout the day and many of them lived to old age. None of them ever had access to a pharmacy, nor a doctor willing to treat their symptoms simply by whipping out his/her prescription pad.

So why don’t I like taking drugs, you ask?

Here are some good reasons:

Drugs are Invasive: The old adage that there is no such thing as a safe drug is as true today as it was 50 years ago. We all know that cigarette smoking is bad for your health. Cigarette smoke contains a plethora of harmful chemicals. Smoking one cigarette won’t kill you, but do it often enough and you will start having problems later on.

I ask what’s the difference between the chemicals found in cigarette smoke and those found in common prescription drugs? I feel there is no difference at all, despite what doctors may say about the assumed benefits. Long term use of drugs will lead to problems just as smoking will. And I’m not willing to trade one illness for the long term consequence that will occur if I take the same drug for years.

Drugs Only Treat the Effects:There's NEVER been a miracle drug and never will be. Everything in life is cause and effect. Today, the focus is on treating the symptom. The cause of your illness is ignored in favor of a quick fix to relieve the problem. Most drugs only mask the problem, they do not solve the underlying problem. The medical profession is more focused on seeing you get sick, rather than stay well as there’s no money to be made just by telling you what you need to do to change your lifestyle.

Drugs Often do Not do What They are Designed to Do: During the past couple of years the news has been filled with high school and college youths on a rampage, killing students and teachers. Remember the Columbine massacre? The two youths that did the killing were on anti-depressants. One would imagine that such drugs would make the patients taking them, docile. That’s not the case. Why should they even be called ANTI-DEPRESSANTS if what they do is cause violence, suicide and a host of bizarre actions by the patients taking them?

Take statin drugs for another example. Supposedly they reduce your cholesterol levels. Yes they do, but there’s a price to pay. Statistics clearly show that more people DIE with NORMAL cholesterol levels than those who have higher levels. Why is that?

There are two reasons: One, there are other factors that should be tested but are not, such as your homocystein levels. As there is no drug to treat homocystein levels, it is IGNORED by the mainstream medical establishment. Two: It’s a fact that statins rob the heart of CoQ10 an essential element required for your heart's proper functioning. After a few years of repeated statin use, your heart becomes weak and that eventually leads to heart attacts. So why doesn’t your doctor tell you to supplement with CoQ10? Simply, there’s no money in it! Your doctor couldn’t care less if you keel over tomorrow just as long as you keep shelling out for your prescription. Anti-depressants and statins simply don't do the job they are supposed to, but they ARE best-selling drugs!

Drugs are Dangerous: The side effects can be worse than what the drug is designed to treat. The trouble is that most patients don’t ask their doctors about the side effects of the drugs prescribed. Neither is the doctor willing to offer that advice. Just look at the history of drugs such as Vioxx, Prozac and Avandia.

Drugs are Promoted only for their Profit Value: The whole health system is centered around profits, not your health. As long as you get sick and stay sick, Big pharma can make Big profits. Ignorance is bliss where big pharma and your doctor is concerned. The best seller, Lipidor, earns Pfizer no less than 13 billion dollars annually!

Drugs have their place, but they should be used as a last resort and not the first as promoted by todays medical establishment. Honesty in the profession should be paramount. Big Pharma plays around with people's lives which would be considered a crime in any other circle. Consider that over 100,000 people die in the nation's hospitals every year under a doctor's care, taking the RIGHT drug and the RIGHT dosage and at the RIGHT time of day.

For the reasons listed above I refuse to take prescription medications.

End




About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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The Dangers of Anti-Depressant Drugs

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/


April 16, 2007; Blacksburg, Virginia: Seung-Hui Cho goes on a rampage at Virginia Tech, killing 33 and wounding more than 2 dozen students. A search of his belongings reveals he was using anti-depressants.

April 20, 1999; Littleton, Colorado: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, armed with knives, guns and bombs kill 13 students at Columbine High School and wound 23 before killing themselves. Eric Harris was taking Luvox.

Just two of numerous incidents where the perpetrators were sedated on anti-depressant drugs. The FDA requires SSRIs carry a black box label warningt about the risk of suicidal tendencies in young people. Such drugs confuse the proper mental functioning of the mind that leads to murder and acts of violence. Yet despite these dangers, doctors continue to prescribe these drugs on a consistent basis.

September 14, 1989: Joseph Wesbecker went to work sporting an AK-47 and killed 8 employees and wounded 12 before committing suicide. He was taking Prozac.

Of course, young people aren't the only ones to suffer the mind-altering effects of anti-depressants. Murder and violence have occured in the workplace too. The perpetrators can be full-grown adults.

November 14, 1991: Thomas McIlvane, an ex-postal worker shot 9 people and killed three at his former workplace. He shot himself in the head. He was taking Prozac.

With so many facts I have to wonder why such drugs are still on the market. Despite the mounting evidence, some states want young children tested for depression so they can be prescribed anti-depressants. No one is immune, even the elderly!

January 10, 2001: 81-year-old Anthony Dalesandro stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife while she was sleeping. They'd been married 50 years. He was taking several medications including Prozac.

Such violence isn't limited to shootings and stabbings. Arson has been one of the major acts of violence where innocent people burned to death.

April 2, 1997: Christopher Hogan and his cousin set fire to an apartment building where three people died. Chris was taking Prozac and Ritalin.

What does it take for America to realize the danger of these drugs? There are alternatives. Depression can be treated naturally with St. John's Wort with no side effects. Yet no one seems prepared to stand up and sound the alarm, except for those doctors in alternative medicine who see the alarming trend.

November 16, 2005: Frank Sanabria attacks police with a 15 inch kitchen knife. He was shot dead. He had just been prescribed Wellbutrin.

There's only one reason why such dangerous drugs are still on the shelf. They pull in billions of dollars for the drug companies that manufacture them. And a cash cow Big Pharma is not willing to give up so easily. When it comes to a choice between preserving life or making unheard of profits, Big Pharma is prepared to ignore the evidence. Clearly, by producing such drugs that cause so much harm to so many, Big Pharma is engaging in criminal activity.

April 14, 2000: Elizabeth Cooper, a respected teacher, sets 15 fires and committed a string of robberies over a two-week period. She ran her car into a house. It was found that she had been taking anti-depressants over that same two week period.

Strange how we have laws against drinking and driving. We have an independent review board that looks into the details of why a plane goes down killing its passengers, but no one looks into why such violence occurs among the users of anti-depressants or other drugs that kill over 100,000 every year in our nation's hospitals and under a doctor's care.

March 10, 1998: Jeffrey Franklin killed his parents with a hatchet and tried to murder three of his siblings. He was taking Ritalin, Prozac and Klonopin

The frightening thing, of course, is that you likely know of a friend or family member who is on such drugs. Whether you prefer to think about it, or not, you might be a victim to a mind deranged by drugs. Or maybe you have the courage to raise your voice and put a stop to this disturbing trend.

To find out more, visit: http://www.ssristories.com


About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to
Financial independence
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What It Takes to Achieve

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


Everyone wants to reach lofty goals. Some seem to reach their goals without much effort, while the majority languish, hoping that things will change for the better.

There's little difference between the waelthy and the common man on the street. Better education, being born rich, a poor background may seem to thwart you in your efforts for success, but these are often used as excuses to remain where we are, content to live in a rut.

The majority simply don’t know how to go about achieving what it is they want. They act in a disorganized fashion with vague hopes that what they want will suddenly materialize. What they don’t realize is that to reach any kind of goal in life, you MUST obey the rules that can turn your dreams into reality. The lofty pinnacle of the high achiever is not exclusive to the gifted alone. You can achieve if you know the simple rules:

1. Set goals: Do you know what you want? Everyone wants more money, but they don’t know how much. Most people dream in generalities, but generalities aren’t real. They don’t excite the senses. Whatever it is you want, you need to clarify it, make it real. That necessitates a plan. You can’t start if you don’t know what it is you REALLY want, and how to get there.

2. Control: Only you can take charge over your life. The first step to control is organizing the jumble of thoughts in your mind. It’s not easy to do. You don’t have to be a Tibetan monk to exercise mind control. Pick a subject most dear to you and focus on it. Don’t let distractions get in the way. Practice to soothing music. The very act of focusing clarifies your thought patterns. You’ll begin to see possibilities open up once your mind is clear and uncluttered.

3. Applied Effort: Getting where you want to go takes time. Achievement requires consistent effort. You have to work far more than a mere 40 hours a week. To achieve more than average, you have to work longer and harder than the average.

4. Service: Whether you’re working as an employee or in your own business, delivering quality service is key. Those extra few hours on the job will prove your devotion to the company and you will be rewarded for it.

5. Preparation: Assuming you know what your goals are, you need to prepare yourself to reach it. This usually means an education of some kind as it's unlikely you know everything on how to reach those goals. Find a mentor. If you lack accounting skills, take a course in basic bookeeping.

6. Work Efficiently: This means focusing on doing the most important tasks first. Budget your time, use it wisely. One of the biggest time wasters is the television. Unless you need to keep abreast of recent news and developments that pertains to your business, turn off the soaps and disconnect the Xbox.

7. Be Decisive: Make your decisions based on the facts at hand. High end achievers make decisions quickly and rarely change them. The failures make decisions slowly and change them often. Don’t be afraid of making the wrong decisions. Making no decisions is worse than none at all!

8. Be Creative: Use your imagination to come up with inspiring ideas. Napoleon Hill in his book “Think and Grow Rich” says that whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, he can achieve. Your mind has an infinite capacity to come up with new ideas! Those ideas can spell the difference between an average life to a high achievement lifestyle.

9. Be Flexible: Nothing is cast in concrete. Never be locked into a way of doing things because it’s always been done that way. Flexibility requires having an alternate plan when the first one won’t meet your objectives. Things change. Change with them. Stay on top of what's going on in your industry.

10. Be Persistent: All high achievers are persistent. They don’t quit when things get tough. Their goals are realistic and achievable. They’re prepared to do what it takes to reach them.

11. Be Communicative: In any business you need to make contact with someone. You need to contact those people who can help you in your business. Who shares your vision? Work with your spouse, your employer, your business partner, your lawyer, suppliers.

Achievement doesn’t just occur in business. It happens in all walks of life. Knowing the rules will help you get far ahead of the masses that have no goals in mind and only dream of that “some day I’ll” that never comes.

End



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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How Can a Mere $9 Lead to Financial Independence?
http://www.9dollarsolutions.com/?hub=15026
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Making Your Site Sell

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com

With today’s technology, selling has taken a new meaning. The door-to-door salesman is a thing of the past. Though the method of selling a product or service may be different today, the basic rules are still the same and need to be reflected on your web site.

While the Internet allows you to market your product worldwide, it lacks the personal touch that a face-to-face meeting could do. Your site has to be able to speak to your customer. With Web 2 video and audio feeds able to communicate with the viewer better, your site still has to stand out in case the viewer is on a dial-up modem and has to wait to hear and see your audio and video downloads.

A flashy website won’t always lead to a plethora of sales. Anyone can put up a flashy site, but you have to have positive and informative content. A site full of banner and text ads won't impress the viewer.

In order to keep your customer at your site long enough to know what it is you are selling, your site needs to address the basic wants and needs of the viewer. Just as the title of an add is the most important part of any ad, the first page of your site is the most important. It must meet certain criteria if your site is going to lead to sales.

It Should Fill a Need: What is it your customer wants? He came to your page looking for some kind of product or service your ad promised to deliver. Your first page should focus on that product. The viewer is not prepared to slog through pages of your site to find it. Your site should fill an existing need, not necessarily create new ones. It should provide a solution to a problem. Customers buy solutions, not the products or services.

A Basic Presentation: Your site shouldn't be cluttered with banners, text ads and too many graphics. All these can distract from your central message. The door-to-door salesman of the past sold only one item, whether that item was a hair brush, cosmetics or a vacuum cleaner. Keep your site simple, direct and easy to understand.

Persuasion: Your product or service should convince the customer that he is better off with your product than he would be with the money to buy that product. Position your site as a low-risk provider of your product and service. The customer always looks for the lowest price for whatever he wants to buy. Persuasion addressees the customer’s fear of making the wrong decision when buying your item. This should come across in your web page. Overcoming the customer’s fear means the promise of his money back if he isn’t satisfied.

Establish Trust: Building trust online isn’t easy to do on a web site. So you need to make yourself available. That means posting your email address, phone number and even your address as necessary. It’s one good way to establish a good relationship with a faceless customer. Remember that trust does not end after the first sale is made. Your are not just selling a product, you are working for your customer! That after sales service means keeping in touch once you have his contact details. Email your customer with periodic updates and questions about his satisfaction with your product. Offer new ways for him to use the product more efficiently. Offer incentives that keep him from forgetting you and coming back to buy from you again and again.

Preparation: This really should come first before all else. The salesman of old prepared for every sales call. You should do this too by establishing a web presence that projects professionalism. And that means going beyond just the layout of your site. What do YOU know about the product you are selling? If you're involved in an affiliate program, how much do you know about the company's products? What should the product do for the customer? What are the benefits? You should be able to post some answers to questions the customer comes up with even before he has the chance to ask them! You are a teacher educating your customer about your product and service.

Take the time to design your front page. It’s the first thing people see before they make the decision to view the rest of your site. Your front page is like the outside of your home. If it isn’t attractive, no one will want to know how the inside looks!

End

About the Author

Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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How Can a Mere $9 Lead to Financial Independence?

http://www.9dollarsolutions.com/?hub=15026

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Developing Discipline

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com

Understanding how your brain functions will help you develop self-discipline. Observe the thoughts that run through your mind. They are a jumble of incoherent thoughts. About the only thoughts that have any staying power are the worries of your day-to-day life: Job security, paying your bills, the kids.

But worrying does little to solve your problems. The problem with most of your thoughts is that they are NEGATIVE and freeze your creativity to solve problems. Your daily thoughts center around the possibilities of failure, not success.

Successful people have learned to think differently. Failure has no definition and worries have no time frame. They have learned to see beyond temporary problems and are always looking for solutions.

In order for you to reach ANY kind of success whether it’s with your job or an online business, you need to re-program your mind. You need to see potential and not barriers. Knowing that you need to change isn’t enough. You need a plan of action that will help you make sense of all that jumble of thoughts into a coherent whole.

So how can you program your mind for success?

A Defined Purpose. Focus your mind and your thoughts on what it is you want to achieve. If all you have to look forward to is a paycheck every two weeks so you can pay your bills, you don't have a purpose in life. Concentrate your thoughts on something you value most. Get a pen and start writing what you’d like to accomplish. The act forces you to focus your mind. Write down everything you’d like to achieve, then zero in on one or two of the most important and really think on how you can accomplish them.

Modes of Possibility. Once you focus on that one item, possibilities will begin to emerge. Write them down too and don’t bother if they seem ridiculous to you. You are training your mind to develop self-discipline. You will begin to see how you can actually accomplish your goals, instead of worrying.

Catching The Vision. Once the possibilities open up, you begin to see that accomplishing the goal isn’t as difficult as you imagined it. You’ve caught the vision and that will get you excited. The fog of your thinking begins to lift and you will begin to see those first steps you must take to accomplish the end result.

Catching the Emotion. Nothing is ever achieved without the desire to achieve it. That’s where emotion comes in. Emotion means developing a passion for what you’ve set to reach. Your goal becomes your cherished baby and you’ll do anything to see it grow. Some people may say you’re obsessed, but you need that obsession to develop the drive necessary to work your goal until it is complete. The desire, the passion, translates into energy, something you’ll need to see you through the difficult times ahead.

Making the Plan. Now that your idea has substance and the desire is there, you can make a real start and work a plan to get where you want to go. This is a critical stage. As we think mostly in negative terms, your mind will find all the reasons why your idea is unsound and unworkable. You need to constantly reinforce all those reasons you found why it IS WORKABLE! There will always be obstacles to any worthwhile venture, but they can be overcome. If some skill is necessary, get the proper education. Remember you are creating possibilities here, not getting mired down in negative thoughts.

Persistence. It’s something every entrepreneur needs to stay the course. Persistence starts the moment you decide to accomplish your goal. A “Can Do” attitude will go a long way toward developing the same kind of self-discipline that high achievers possess.

Apply these rules in every venture no matter how small the goal. Set a simple goal, easily achievable. Once you’ve reached it, aim for another a little more difficult. With every achievement you will build self-confidence. You will begin to focus your thoughts better and see more possibilities. Your mind will stop dwelling on why you can’t do something and give you several reasons why you can and should. This is the kind of training that every self-disciplined achiever goes through and just like every achiever you WILL reach every goal you set.

End

About the Author

Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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How Can a Mere $9 Lead to Financial Independence?

http://www.9dollarsolutions.com/?hub=15026

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The Unwritten Rules of Success

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com



What’s your definition of success?

Did you know that there are laws that, if followed, guarantee success?

Successful people follow certain rules, whether conscious or not, that inevitably lead them to a life of wealth and happiness. Those rules exist, but the majority of people are completely ignorant of those rules and so live a life below par.

The whole purpose of life should be one of continual learning and improvement that doesn’t stop once a diploma has been earned at the end of a university education. William James once said that we use less than 10% of our mental capabilities, the other 90 go to waste. Successful people have learned to harness a few more percentage points, but that little increase is what makes them wealthy and famous.

You won’t find the rules for success taught in the halls of higher learning, but that should never excuse you from making vast improvements to your life and lifestyle. Ignorance is no excuse. You have only one life so you should make the most of it by applying the rules that guarantee your success.

Let’s look at some of these rules:

• Cause and Effect. You’ve heard this one before, but what you think about on a daily basis will have an impact on tomorrow. You become what you think about. Think hopeless thoughts and your life will be filled with sarcasm and hopelessness. Nothing just happens without a reason.
• Self-limiting Beliefs: What you believe is your reality. If you believe you can’t, you won’t. Too many people sit in a prison of their own making. They are comfortable bur fearful of what lies outside of the bars. Your subconscious thoughts accepts what you feed it, without question. Try to do anything different and your subconscious will give you reasons why you will fail. All the potential that life offers, your relationships, your health, your knowledge and skills is quickly extinguished.
• Your Value System: What do you value? If you love watching television, playing video games or just shooting the breeze at you favorite pub, your value system is too low. Such activities may be entertaining and even worthwhile at times when you need a break, if you spend your time doing them regularly, you won’t accomplish anything.
• Your Choices: You can choose the way you want to live; where you live, what food you eat, where you work. Those are the choices you make. Many people choose to live a life of mediocrity and choose not to do anything to change their lifestyle.
• Optimism: The successful have it. The average man dwells on the negatives that help to keep him discouraged. Windows of opportunity never open up because his mindset blocks out all opportunities. They expect bad things to happen and so they do.
• Fear of Change: Nothing remains static. Change is inevitable, but if you’ve locked yourself into a comfortable routine and refuse to try new things or learn new skills, you are dead years before your relatives lay you down to a permanent rest.
• The Rule of Habit: Habits can be good things and bring order to life and saves time and energy. But they can be destructive. Smoking, sexual prowess, overeating, lack of exercise, excessive drinking are all habits that do nothing to elevate your self-esteem. Develop good habits that elevate you above the crowd.
• Your Relationships: Who you associate will says a lot about you. If you stand on the street corner like Hank Hill and friends guzzling beer, your image suffers. The only benefit is staying in that comfort zone. Get ambitious and you can be sure your friends will help you squelch your desire. To be successful you need to associate with successful people. Find a role model and do what he does.

It all boils down to what we focus on and what we act on. Look at your definition of success. Don’t measure it against someone else’s standards. Develop right habits, overcome your limiting beliefs; make the choices that move you toward your definition of success. Follow the rules of successful people and you WILL be successful.

END


About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

How Can a Mere $9 Lead to Financial Independence?
http://www.9dollarsolutions.com/?hub=15026
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10 Characteristics of Self-Disciplined Achievers

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


Why do some people succeed in whatever they put their hand to while the majority barely get by?

Why do the majority lead mediocre lives while the ambitious enjoy the fruits of success?

The major reason between the rich and famous and you can be summed up it two words: Self-discipline. Those who consistently achieve their goals have programmed themselves to expect success. They’ve trained themselves in self-discipline. While most people spend a weekend lounging before the television set, the self achiever is busy advancing his career or promoting his business.

To have the qualities of a self-disciplined achiever you need to develop 10 characteristics that all achievers have in common. They are:

1. A Positive Outlook. Self-disciplined achievers don’t blame anyone for their current condition. Rather, they go out to CHANGE them. They always look at that silver lining in the darkest clouds. They look at how they can convert a disastrous situation into a gold mine. The negative minded person only sees an insurmountable obstacle, gets depressed and accepts his lot in life.
2. Vision. If you see no hope in your future, you squelch your ambition and imagination. You lock yourself into your own private prison where the only thing that seems real are the bars enclosing you on all sides. The achiever sees endless possibilities. He is not constrained by the usual demands of life. There’s far more in his future than retirement after 40 years of employment and little to show for it.
3. Strong Belief in Self. There are many naysayers out there, some well meaning, who tell him to accept his lot in life, but he refuses to listen. The achiever knows there ARE better things out there and he CAN and WILL accomplish them.
4. A Strong Sense of Purpose. The achiever isn’t about to accept the status quo. He has something better in mind and he isn’t about to stop the struggle to get what he wants because others tell him he doesn’t have the know-how, money or the million other reasons they throw his way. Regardless of how long it takes, his sense of purpose drives him to success.
5. Ability to Plan. The reason why so many fail to make their lives richer and filled with excitement is due to their failure to plan. They may have a vague goal in mind, but without a plan, they go nowhere. It’s not that they have no ability to plan. Most people take great pains to plan for their vacations, a wedding or build their own home; they just don’t see that the same talent could be used to plan for their future!
6. Learns New Skills. No one knows everything. Learning is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop once you have a diploma. In order to maximize his potential, the achiever goes out to learn what he needs to know to bring his vision into reality. He reads. He takes correspondence courses or finds a mentor who can teach him the skills he needs.
7. Is Communicative. The Achiever is never alone, nor does he try to do everything by himself. He partners with his coach, communicates with those "in the know" until he has the necessary knowledge to strike out on his own.
8. Is Patient. Success never happen overnight. Too many people look out to "get rich quick” and become disappointed when they find that they have to WORK to achieve success. This holds especially true with affiliate programs. The hype of easy money is firmly entrenched in the minds of new affiliates. It’s far easier to sign up for several programs in the hope that one will product the quick income then it is to work for that residual income.
9. Understands the Value of Perseverance. Nothing is more appreciated than having to work hard to get it. Study the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Nelson Mandela and other successful men and women and the law of perseverance applies in every case. If you’re not willing to struggle toward the achievement of your goals, then the mediocre life you currently lead is the best one for you.
10. A Sense of Pleasure. The achievement of any worthwhile goal should be something that FIRES YOU UP! It should never become drudgery. There should be a sense of real excitement to start the day off and a sense of satisfaction knowing that you’ve moved a step closer toward your goals at day’s end.

Do you have these qualities in abundance? If you don’t you should start a campaign to hone these skills before you take your first steps towards your goals. Self-analysis and honesty are necessary before you can start to hone these skills. Once you do, you will be well ahead of those others who only wish and hope for a better future.

END



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

How Can a Mere $9 Lead to Financial Independence?
http://www.9dollarsolutions.com/?hub=15026
-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Wealthy Affiliate

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


Ever wonder why 5% of affiliates in any program ever make money with them? Why do 95% of them fail?
Aside from a lack of funds to make a go of the business, there are a number of reasons why only the top 5% make and you don’t. Here are some reasons:

• The top 5% take a serious approach to making a go of their marketing program. It’s not a hobby, it’s a business like any other.
• The top 5% have a vision of what they’d like to accomplish. Their goals are important.
• The top 5% have a plan to achieve the vision. Without a plan they can only expect to drift along. And they know that an affiliate program takes care of most everything. All they need do is market the program. Ultimately they become expert marketers.
• The top 5% are COMMITTED to success.
• The top 5% are willing to work as a team with their sponsors and downline members. They’re not prepared to sit on the fence waiting for someone else to make them rich. They communicate. They get active in the forums. They email with offers. They make regular mail-outs and establish friendships that lead to lifelong customers.
• The top 5% are PATIENT. They know riches don’t come overnight.
• The top 5% are realistic. They don’t believe in the get-rich-quick schemes that come along to dupe the foolhardy.
• The top 5% are willing to put forth the effort required to reach their goals.
• The top 5% are willing to sacrifice backyard barbecues and Monday night football. Frivolous activity that doesn’t impact on their accomplishment is put on the back burner in favor of concentrated effort.
• The top 5% are willing to do what it takes even if it means a sizable outlay of capital to get started.
• The top 5% persevere. They congratulate themselves when they’ve accomplished something, even if it appears to be a small step. The never get discouraged.
• The top 5% are constantly learning. The Internet is always changing. So, to stay ahead and maintain their web presence they study new avenues of marketing and promotion.
• The top 5% are flexible. What worked yesterday won’t necessarily work today. They’re willing to move with the changes.
• The top 5% network with friends and business associates.
• The top 5% keep abreast of advertising opportunities. They don’t join every offer that comes along, but if an offer is solid and helps promote their business, they’re not afraid to seize it and work it to their advantage.

Everyone wants to start an online business and hopefully make enough to fire the boss and get financially independent. But few are willing to put forth the sacrifices that are a prerequisite for success. The rules of doing business online is no different than the rules of running a real world business. And the sooner you realize that, the better will be your chances of becoming one of those 5% that get rich from their affiliate program.


End

About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

Build a Responsive Referral List: http://MrMagica.buildreferrals.com
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What to do AFTER Sighing Up for an Affiliate Program

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


You just signed up in an affiliate program. The hype of easy money moved you to type in your name and email address. You’ve received a congratulatory note welcoming you to the world of affiliate marketing.

But what comes next?

Obviously making a start is important. Your program likely offers a course on getting started. Failure to take it means you're simply not interested in the opportunity or you have a great ego thinking you can go it alone! Either way you've set yourself up for failure from the start.

But there’s a lot more than just building up a knowledge base through taking a beginner's course. You need to do more like:

-Introduce Yourself! You’re just another name in the company’s database. You signed up for a definite reason. Review that reason, then make the effort to contact your upline sponsor or anyone above you in the matrix. If no one knows why you joined, or what your goals are, no one will be able to help you.

-Get Involved! This means reading the forums and even posting questions. Forums are great ways to learn about the affiliate program, make friends and get answers if your sponsor can't help you.

-Get inspired! It’s easy to get disillusioned once the hype of easy money gets replaced with having to actually work your business. Read a good book on business practices. Some books I’ve found useful are Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, Victor Kiam’s Going for It! Or Og Mandino’s University of Success. Listen to some audio tapes like Earl Nightingale’s Lead the Field! Or Dennis Waitleys’ The Psychology of Winning.

-Get Focused! Assuming you know the reason why you signed up, you need to focus on making that six figure income. That means having a plan.

Don’t have a plan?

Before you even start promoting, you should know what you want your affiliate program to do for you! Want to be debt free? Or live a comfortable retirement? Need money to put your kids to school? Quit your dead-end job? Focus on what it is you want, then make a plan of how to get there. Your sponsor, if he is responsible, will help you out.

-Offer to work as a team! If your sponsor won’t so much as email you to help you, go above him and find someone who can mentor you. You are never alone nor do you have to work alone. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There’s always Someone in any program who knows that he can’t succeed unless he helps YOU succeed!

-Be Patient! Riches don’t come overnight. You need the patience of Thomas Edison or Abraham Lincoln. No one got rich unless they were the lucky ticket holder of a winning lottery draw. If you think that any affiliate program is going to make you rich, buy the lottery ticket and forget the program!

These are some of the steps you need to take even before you go out to place your first ad. You CAN MAKE good money from affiliate programs but you must be realistic. If you’re lucky to have a sponsor who wants to help you, don’t neglect to work with him. It will be the ticket you need to bring your dreams to reality!


End



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

Build a Responsive Referral List: http://MrMagica.buildreferrals.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Building the Foundation in your Affiliate Program

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/



So you decided to join an affiliate program?

Congratulations! You’ve taken your first big step toward financial independence! But before you expect the money to start rolling in, you need to realize that simply signing up for a program isn’t enough.

Ever try to build a house without a foundation?

The sad fact is that most people who sign up simply have the wrong impression of how affiliate programs work. They know that most everything is taken care of for them. All that’s necessary is market the product. Yet most affiliates are reluctant to do even that!

If you have any intention of realizing an income with your affiliate program, you need to approach it professionally. It’s a fact that only 5% of affiliates ever make any money from the programs they are in. The other 95% either do nothing beyond signing up or simply don’t realize that they ARE IN BUSINESS but never treat it that way.

In order to succeed, you need to build a foundation BEFORE you even begin advertising.

So what do you need to do to establish that foundation? Let’s look at some things you should do before you sponsor your first affiliate:

1. Learn about the company. If you don’t know anything about the products and services being offered, you simply can’t sell. You should take the time to learn about what the company offers, it’s compensation plan and more before you post ads everywhere. Any professional salesman goes through a learning phase. If the program you want to promote has a starter course, take it! Don’t even think of talking to your future affiliates unless you’ve taken this first step.
2. Contact your upline. That means your sponsor. You need to do this for two reasons: First, the support they can (or should) provide you and Second: getting answers to your important questions. You WILL have questions. Ask them! Offer to work with them in a team effort.
3. Use the products. You can’t convince anyone you have the greatest products if you’ve never tried them. When it comes to putting up money, most new affiliates shy away from spending either for products or promotion. But they’re quite willing to pay for cigarettes and cappuccino!
4. Prepare an advertising budget. You have to know how much you can spend to attract sales and new affiliates. A few free ads won’t attract anyone.
5. Create a website. Affiliate programs provide you with gateway pages and splash pages, but you can’t hope to attract anyone if your site looks the same as a million others. A website gives you a professional appearance. It stands out. Or get a capture page. Either way this will take some time to do. But you’ll get better results when you get your marketing campaign in full gear.
6. Study marketing avenues. There are hundreds of ways to advertise your program. Before you start posting, find out the best places to advertise for your marketing dollar. Selecting the right kind of advertising medium will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Don’t forget community sites like AdlandPro, Ecademy and DirectMatches. They are great places to strike up friendships that can lead to future sales. Get involved! Let people know what you are doing including your friends. Get involved with forums and chat rooms.
7. Budget your time. You have to PROMOTE your program and that can’t be done in one evening. If you’re like most people, you have a job. But you have a weekend which likely is used standing around on the sidewalk sipping beer with Hank Hill. Do something every day.
8. Position yourself. What products attract you most? You can’t promote the hundreds of products your marketing company has, but you can focus on a few of them and make them the main products you promote.
9. Sacrifice. No business gets off to a fast start unless you are a super salesman. Forget about all the hype about those who made quick money. They are not YOU! You need to be WILLING to put forth the effort required to achieve success. Nothing comes easy.
10. Be flexible. Running a business does not lock you into a system in doing things a certain way. In the online world things change, sometimes rapidly. Yesterday, setting up a site with text and graphics worked well. Now, with YouTube, MySpace and other new marketing mediums you’ll need audio and video capabilities on your site. Social networks are becoming the next big promoters.

All this and we haven’t talked about getting into promotion. Building a foundation will get you on the road to prosperity. You’ll be among the top 3% that succeed.

END



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

Love to go shopping? Go here: http://marioca.myworlddiscounts.com

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Are You READY for Affiliate Marketing?

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com



How you approach your business determines its outcome.
If you’re at all serious about making money online in any business, be it an affiliate program or a product and service of your own, it can’t be just a hobby.

As an affiliate marketer myself, I see hundreds of affiliates take the wrong approach and complain they aren’t making any money. The promises of big money is alluring, but it all comes down to putting in a bit of work and money into the program.

After all, it’s supposed to be easy…right?

Before you even bother to sign up for an affiliate program you should ask yourself some basic questions. If you fail on any of them, then don’t bother signing up. You’ll only be among the 97% of affiliates who never make a dollar from the programs they’re in.

So ask yourself:

1. Are your dreams BIG ENOUGH to motivate you? You can dream about firing your boss. You can dream about that new home and car or pay off those nagging credit cards. But dreams have to translate into action!
2. Can you overcome your fears? Fear of failure, fear of being rejected, fear of ridicule are present in everyone’s mind. In order to overcome your fear you have to take a chance and step out of your comfort zone.
3. Do you have the time? There’s more to an affiliate program than signing up and waiting to see what happens. Money will not flow unless you do something to earn it. There has to be a trade-off. You have to supply the time it takes to make money. Marketing can become a full time enterprise. If you have a job, you have to schedule time around it.
4. Do you have the Right expectations? The hype of easy money is just too strong for most affiliates. So they sign up and expect the money to roll in. You can’t expect to get rich in your first month. It takes months, perhaps years before your fledgling business makes enough for you to quit your job on.
5. Can you budget for expenses? Any business requires some outlay of capital. Affiliate programs are among the easiest to start. You can work on a shoestring. If you’re up to your ears in debt, this isn’t the time to join any program.
6. How much effort are you willing to put into your business? Right on the heels of time and money comes the EFFORT! Entrepreneurs in all walks of life spend far more than 40 hours a week promoting their business
7. Just how serious are you? You need to be realistic. You have to focus your attention to the job at hand and do away with distractions. You need perseverance. Thomas Edison made over a thousand experiments before he invented the light bulb. Anything worthwhile takes effort, so if you have any doubts about joining that affiliate program, don’t!
8. Do you have a positive approach? Besides mere dedication, having a positive approach will see you through the rough times. It’s harder to advance in business if your approach is to grunt and force yourself. Why does anyone do anything unless they WANT to do it?
9. Can you set goals? A Chinese proverb says that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. No less for your business. You have an idea of what your ultimate goal is? Great! Now plan the steps to get there.
10. Are you teachable? Can you communicate? As an affiliate of SFI, I see a lack of willingness among new affiliates to contact me or anyone on how to get started! For those that take the time to fill out their profile, their answer to the question of whether they have contacted their upline is always negative! If you should happen to have a sponsor who is interested in helping you succeed, you should take the opportunity to return his emails, ask questions and establish a rapport with him or her.
11. Can you be an Active participant? Taking an ACTIVE role in your program means taking the courses offered by the program. It means being active in the forums, asking for advice from management. Being active means being aggressive. You want your business to succeed so you should be doing something every day to promote it. Be enthusiastic! But don’t forget to have fun doing it!


Before you make a spur-of-the-moment decision, analyze your reasons. Check yourself against the above 11 points. Don’t waste you sponsor’s time if you’re not serious. Leave the serious marketing up to those who WANT success. I’d rather have 10 active members in my downline than thousands of fence sitters who say they are interested, but won’t take the necessary steps to achieve success. Being involved in an affiliate program boils down to a TEAM effort and if you're not willing to play as a team then you should stay comfortable with a simple J.O.B..

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About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. With his experience he stands ready to coach and mentor anyone to financial independence.

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A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

Love to go shopping? Go here: http://marioca.myworlddiscounts.com

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Denial of the Spirit Within

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com


We cannot deny the existence of the spirit within us all. We are all a part of it. Whether you call it God, Allah, Vishnu or other terms, it exists. It doesn’t require belief.

It’s through that spirit that we are all connected. What happens to one will affect the others. Even the events of the world as they unfold have a ripple effect, like a stone splashed into water, those ripples extend through the lake.

Evil men always try to deny this spirit. They try to squelch it in favour of the only thing that matters, whatever is physical in nature. They may succeed to a point, but the spirit is always there, a reminder that whatever they do in this world is never enough. Whatever they do will always leave them empty, frustrated. Denial of the spirit will never satisfy anyone who refuses to believe in its existence. To console themselves they resort to violence, deny the hope of those they persecute. Or they accumulate vast riches hoping that this will soothe the tempest in their souls.

Existence, alone, is never enough. Joy does not come from fame or fortune.

If the physical is all we can hope for, then one has an empty plate. What food may be on that plate may appear delectable but it will does not nourish. Only the spirit can nourish.

The best thing is to realize that the spirit matters more. It cannot be harmed as can the physical body. But it can be nourished.

Life itself should not consist of the mere pursuit of riches or fame but toward the search for enlightenment. Once such a state is reached, the physical needs become secondary and of less importance. You cannot be harmed by or hurt when the spirit reigns in you.
To reach spiritual enlightenment does not mean that you must meditate like a monk on a high mountain. Merely to understand and have compassion with a spirit of forgiveness will carry you to a state of enlightenment few people ever achieve.

Isolation in a monastery may appeal to some, but you do live in a physical world, a world that craves the light of spiritual masters. There are so few of them and it is easy to go astray with the cares of this world. You need to shed a light to the world. Compassion, forgiveness with the knowledge that everyone is interdependent can go a long way to bring peace on Earth.

So what is the first step towards opening up and accepting the spirit within you?

Simple, you must leave your selfishness and see what you can do for others. This is possible in several ways. Giving to charity, volunteering for a worthwhile cause are, of course a few of them. But you can also apply this to any business. Helping others helps YOU!

Are you an affiliate of a program? 95% of affiliates NEVER make any money with them.

Ask yourself why.

It’s not always the products, the compensation plan, the services. It starts with YOU! Selfishness is rampant in affiliate programs simply because the affiliates themselves cannot see that in order for the spirit to shine they must ACT! And action requires helping their downline members and working in a team effort!

If you are the typical affiliate of any program, you are self-centered and such an attitude will never raise you above the majority. Let the spirit reign in you. We are all connected.

Will you continue to deny the spirit of success that is your right?

You will never see happiness if you do.



About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada and is currently promoting 3 of the best affiliate programs on the Net. Among his passions are writing, graphics and gardening.

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A 9 to 5 job will never give you financial independence. You deserve a better lifestyle. Here’s how to get it!
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

Love to go shopping? Go here: http://marioca.myworlddiscounts.com

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Negotiation in the Family for Fun and Profit

Negotiation: Who does it and why?

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

Everybody negotiates at some point in their lives. The simplest negotiation happens early with newborns. While no words are ever spoken or need to be, the terms are there, nevertheless. “Change my diaper and I’ll stop crying.” What parent can argue with such terms?

The family unit is all about negotiation. Husband and wife do it regularly, the wife usually has the upper hand, she can always go to her mother’s. The same happens when Sweet Sixteen brings home a boyfriend that looks like Rasputin. You have to be diplomatic at such times. Neither a hot bath or a haircut is of much use unless the parents are the only ones to take one.

Obviously, the idea of negotiation is simple (as believed by the majority): Get something for nothing. While no one has as yet succeeded in our perfect world, there are some who keep trying. Case in point: Kim Jong Ill whose country obviously has nothing might want to negotiate nuclear weapons for food.

Negotiation usually occurs between two people, though this is not always the case when you factor in lawyers and the United Nations. Due to limited finances most families can’t afford lawyers. In this blog I’ll focus on the family unit between husband and wife, though the rules apply equally if you’re President or Bin Laden.

Contrary to public opinion, for negotiations to succeed, there must be a middle ground on which to start and end on a 50-50 compromise that benefits both parties. There simply isn’t much room if one party threatens to nuke the other. If he has a bomb and you don’t there won’t be a 50-50 compromise.

So let’s get down to the hard rules.

Rule #1: Find a neutral ground in which to negotiate. So you might not be able to use the U.N. facilities, but your home isn’t the best place for a negotiation due to distractions such as children, telephone and when the milkman calls on your wife. Home leads to too much emotional involvement. If she doesn’t like what you’re saying, it’s damn hard to discuss terms with her locked behind the bathroom door.

The local pub doesn’t do either, for several reasons. The local patrons might be too eager to get involved and offer solutions from the bottom of their beer tankards. That kind of advice is not likely to help your unique situation. And if you happen to have a few too many yourself, chances are you won’t remember what the negotiation session was all about. Raising your voice over taxes or other unrelated subjects might get you thrown out by the pub’s bouncer. And he’s not likely to negotiate terms.

Dinner at a fine restaurant is the next best thing. You have to keep your voice down to a bare whisper so the other patrons don’t have to pity your conditions. You just might find something else beside the current subject to discuss, such as the restaurant food, in which case you can negotiate terms with the chef and get your meal “on the house”. Or get thrown out by the owner for suggesting it.

Rule #2: Keep the subject focused. There isn’t any use to start arguing about the sorry state of family finances and the fact that hubby has been seeing too much of his office secretary when the central subject is who should put the toilet seat down and keep it there. Flying in all directions is bad, especially when you don’t know where your partner is going to hit you next.

Rule #3: Never work under a deadline. If hubby needs to go to work in ten minutes and the wife has her bags packed for a visit to her mother, there isn’t much room for negotiation beyond who gets to pick up the tab. Hasty conversations never get anywhere beyond indigestion and acid reflux.

Rule #4: Common ground. While there may seem nothing to agree upon, your first job should be to find it. After all you agreed to get married based on some great need for companionship, sex or tax relief. Children are often a good place to start since you both have some involvement in their birth and in raising them. Of course I’m not talking about who gets custody unless that IS the subject of the negotiation.

Rule #5: Keep the emotions out of it. They cloud your reasoning. Conflicts always arise because some need is not met by one or both parties. The point is to listen to your partner with an open mind. So stifle that yawn if you think you’ve heard it before. Try to understand things from the opposite point of view. That might be difficult if you’re both gay.

Rule #6: Build trust. That’s what you tried to do before you married him/her. And unless he/she is a confirmed psychopath, there shouldn’t be any reason to renew friendly relations, which is good if kids are involved. They like happy homes. That makes it easy for them as they don’t have to take sides based on incomplete facts and avoids conflict between brother and sister.

Rule #7: Go for the throat. Sorry, that should be the last resort. I mean work your way toward finding a Win-Win compromise. That should be your central goal and nothing should stand in the way not even your office secretary or Henry Kissinger for that matter. You obviously have to find a compromise that works for both parties. You should know by now that nobody wins in war. That might be difficult if you or her is a confirmed Communist where negotiation is only meant for them winning at all costs. In that case a divorce might be in order, a win-win situation for both of you and you both can agree on. That only leaves the custody battles. We all know who pays alimony so that subject need not be discussed.

There you have it. Seven rules to a happy marriage, family life and between nations. Avoid nuclear catastrophe at home and just maybe that will happen around the world.


End


About the Author:

Mario Carini lives in Kemptville, Ontario, Canada. He was born overseas in Germany and became a Canadian citizen 5 years later. Among his passions are wrting, graphics, gardening and helping others achieve their goals through Internet marketing.
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Are you stuck in an affiliate program where the blind are leading the blind? To find the best home based business ideas and a mentor/coach to help you realize financial independence, visit: http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/trained_monkeys.cfm?vn=1119

If you love to go shopping, go here: http://marioca.myworlddiscounts.com