If you want to sell more of your ‘stuff’ then you need more people to offer it to. Online this means the faster you increase the size of your list of contacts and email addresses the faster you make more money!

The one tactic that did it really quickly and very easily for me was using Publicity. It’s led to huge jumps in my list sizes, especially when combined with offering a free audio tip subscription, like at www.CustomerCatcher.com.

Publicity remains one of the most misunderstood and, therefore, under-utilized activity by online marketers. Publicity doesn’t have to be only about getting in the newspaper or on radio and television.
Publicity is what you do in ‘public’ that brings attention to you, your business, your activities and traffic to your sites!

It’s literally ANYTHING you do to communicate outside your company to promote. Here are some tips to take action on right away.

1) Add/or rotate links to your web site as part of all your email signatures

2) Clearly state your web site domain on your voice mail messages, both inbound to people calling you and outbound when you leave others a voice mail message

3) Introduce yourself and your web site at the beginning of any teleconference you participate in. People who come to my teleseminars overlook this simple tactic

4) Make your URL part of introducing yourself at live events, e.g. stand up at a microphone to ask a question – you’re in front of hundreds of people (and often being recorded on both audio and video too)

5) Write articles for submission to publications, both online and off, that include a powerful ‘Call to Action’ in your bio, or byline,
that directs them to your Opt-in page and other irresistible offer

6) Host your own Internet Radio Show or Podcast. Use both audio and video online

7) Post tips and comments in Forums. Today, Blogs are hot so make sure to post your comments on the blogs of gurus, leaders and other centers of influence in your niche or industry

8 ) Offer samples of your material or smaller digital products, like ebooks and Special Reports, as a Bonus for other people’s products

9) Give testimonials to associates and also to service providers you buy from (meaningful and truthful ones) that include your domain name

10) Write a book or at least contribute to one! My friend Steve Manning does an amazing job of tell you how to do this FAST at http://www.writeyourbookin14days.com/

Using Publicity multiplied my lists by over 400% within a year and one single activity (remember “providing a bonus” to another’s product) grew one list by 50% literally overnight. If you add publicity (read “Public ACTIVITY”) to your efforts, you are guaranteed to build your lists faster with ease!

Get more FREE marketing help and tips at www.CustomerCatcher.com and http://www.CustomerCatcherTV.com/ right now. To create your own Publicity and media platform, check out http://www.RadioTalkShowHost.com/ today.

Not too long ago I was approached by a marketer who had a product idea — just the idea mind you.

And he wanted to hire me to develop it… market it… sell it… and everything in-between.

The reason being — he didn’t have the time to do it himself.
My first thought was… now here’s a man after my own heart — lazy as the day is long, and dying to be rich and famous without lifting a finger.

Seriously, if I could take a pill to give me muscles like the Governator’s (in his prime)… play tennis like Federer… and attract women like Pitt — I’d order a life-time supply as fast as yesterday!

Anyway, I was up for the challenge… even though there are more than enough products like his already on the market (which is actually a good thing).

So… I cracked open my secret black book of sales and marketing pros and considered which “Mission Impossible Team” would be perfect to attack this beachhead.

Then, I sent the marketer my proposal… including my fee.

He was totally impressed. He told me I had brass balls (I think that was a compliment)… and then told me to get real.

He said he already had copywriters lined up to do it all for under $2,000 — flat fee, no percentage.

Yeah, right!

But, you know what… I bet he can find a copywriter to do it all for under $2,000 — and, boy, what a job he’ll do — he’ll even throw in the Brooklyn Bridge and shares of Enron at no extra charge!

Anyway, I checked back with him a few weeks later, and asked how the project was coming along… and… heh, heh… he still hadn’t hired a copywriter.

Moral of the story (sorta)… you can hire a copywriter to do practically anything for you… but if you’re not willing to pay the price for delegation, abdication and sloth — better to work together, following these simple “save money and make money” guidelines:

Ask Not What a Copywriter Can Do for You-Ask What You Can Do for Your Copywriter!

As Hemmingway said, writing is easy… all you’ve got to do is open a vein and bleed all over the page.

And yet, copywriters are actually more than just writers, they’re… ta dah!… Super Salesmen!

Copywriters aren’t hired to entertain, or dazzle the reader with unparalleled wordsmithing…

They’re hired to sell the client’s product (or generate a qualified lead).

And if they can’t do that — it doesn’t matter if they can write a poem like Frost, a play like Shakespeare, a thriller like King or a humor column like Barry (not me, the other Barry, Dave Barry).

But… if they can sell in print — does it matter if they employ broken English, fragmented sentences or any other type of grammatically dysfunctional construction, intentionally or not?

The only measure of a copywriter’s talent… is how much and how fast he can sell his client’s product!

But… since the product is not the copywriter’s brainchild… he neither conceived it, nurtured it in its embryonic stages, delivered it into actuality nor surrounded it with a supportive family… that’s never an easy thing to do (to sell to a stranger off the page and for maximum dollars, too!)

So he needs your help.

He needs research… background and market info, access to data and the ability to conduct interviews, etc. Indeed, there are tens of questions that need to be answered.

(For a comprehensive list of questions that always need to be answered, click here.) (http://www.writingwithpersonality.com/questions.html)

Now, as the baby’s parents, aka the marketer, you can leave the copywriter to discover all the answers on his own.

But first understand one thing — a copywriter typically makes a living by selling time — his time. And time equals writing, which equals money.

So if he has to spend time doing research — he ain’t writing, and therefore he ain’t making money.

So in light of that, copywriters will charge for research (it’s factored into your over-all cost — that’s why you’ll never get a separate bill).

And, depending on the complexity of the product and the intricacies of your targeted market — plus, the amount of research the copywriter must do on his own — research can be quite expensive (regardless of whether the copywriter does the research himself or hires someone to do it for him).

Now a good copywriter is fairly expensive to begin with. A-level copywriters can command a $25,000 advance plus 10% of gross sales, minus fulfillment costs.

So unless you’ve got a bottomless bank account… well… need I say more?

The other option, of course, is for you to provide the copywriter with the research he needs to get the job done (which is to quickly make you a whole bunch of money).

Now, most marketers obviously opt for this latter approach — but, unfortunately, in a very casual, hap-hazard fashion.

Don’t Short-Change Yourself by Short-Changing Your Copywriter

Too many marketers feel they’re doing a copywriter a favor by providing research.

They’ll give the copywriter… oh, about five minutes of their time.

They’ll send him an email with a bunch of URLs to investigate, a couple of sentences about their target market, and a couple of words about the benefits and features of the product (though most times they get the two confused).

And then they’ll end by saying that they’re always available to answer any further questions… just call.

Needless to say… this isn’t much help to a copywriter — and that’s why typical turnaround time for the completion of a copywriting project is often quoted in weeks if not months.

Experienced and successful marketers, on the other hand, those in tune with the rigors and demands of writing a money-pulling promotion — and who, quite frequently, wrote copy themselves — will send a FedEx box packed with collateral and emails filled with megs and megs of info and data.

After all, you can never send too much background research to a copywriter.

In fact, I would estimate that the success of any promotion is directly proportional (times ten) to the depth of research done on the product and the targeted market.

Furthermore… you should recognize that the ability to conduct research is a talent in and of itself — a talent which many copywriters do not possess.

So my advice is this: share the hours, if not years of information, wisdom and knowledge you acquired while growing your business and developing your product — however much effort it may require.

And if you do this… your copywriter will not hesitate — indeed, he’ll be empowered — to open a vein and pour his blood, sweat, and money-sucking talent on to the page for you — just to make you rich.

–Barry

Last post (Part I) we visited the Strategy of Consumption. I want to correct myself however. I presented Consumption as mathematically ‘adding’ it, but upon further thinking, I strongly believe that it’s really a multiplication factor! Now, let’s go with:

(Traffic + Conversion) x CONSUMPTION = Customers for Life

Regardless of the math, the goal is to sell more, more frequently to your customer base, and make MORE profit.

Great. How do you do it?

Let’s create your own personal Consumption Strategy, right now.

How to Turn Your Customers Into Consumers For Life 1) Motivate ‘Em - People are excited when they think about everything they intend to do or gain from their latest purchase - from you! It’s a priority to keep this excitement going to:

a) Use your customer’s own reasons as energy to initiate immediate consumption. Their is NO value or R.O.I. unless they until they ‘consume’ your service.

b) Prevent buyer’s remorse - when your customers changes their mind about their investment. Yuck!

c) Reduce return rates just because they don’t bother to even ‘open the box’. Basically, you must overcome any inertia or fear of using your product.

2) Train ‘Em - Just like you educated them as prospects about the benefits of buying your product, you now have to reinforce the advantages with specific directions.

a) Educate your customers on how to quickly and easily get started.

b) Present simple diagrams, as much as possible.

c) Use short, punchy directions.

d) Point out page numbers in your Users Manual to prevent the most common issues or problems. Where’s the Power Button?

Think about the last time you bought a computer or other tech device. You got a ‘FastStart’ card with the most basic directions you needed to use it RIGHT AWAY, usually in about 3 to 7 steps with diagrams. (As a man, I confess to never touching a manual but I do take a peek at that FastStart “cheat sheet”)

3) Hold ‘Em - (I wanted to say “Love ‘Em” but you sensitive macho types might not pay as much attention.) You don’t have to hug them but you do have to keep them close and stay in touch. You should reaffirm and replenish their trust in you with a continuous, non-stop communications program using frequency of contact.

4) Moment ‘Em - (Ok, ok weak punn) But you do have to ‘keep it going.’ It’s easier to keep customers’ love and enthusiasm rolling then the much, much harder route of having to recapture that first love feelign. You’re lucky to start it up again later, if never.

5) Protect Them -  When you have a formalized, Consumption Strategy, it helps reduce attrition, either through your own lack of follow up OR your competition’s procative marketing to your customer base.

When you take the first, smallest step toward Consumption , your customers thank you and your next sale starts almost immediately.  Think of turning your “Customer Base” into your “CONSUMER Base” today!
 

Traffic + Conversion = Customers

This is true.

BUT…

What if you could do more? Sell more, more consistently
and for a much longer time?

Yes! Sell a lot more to the same people without much
more effort, time and especially money? Wouldn’t it be
fantastic to have your bottom line profit increase by
as much as 20%, 100%, 500% or even more?

There is one more significant factor for the equation above
that can lead to more sales and more customers over a longer
time, for more frequent and multiple purchases, and higher-price,
back-end for exponential profits.

It’s the strategy of CONSUMPTION.

Consumption can be defined as your customers ACTUALLY
using what they buy from you AND experiencing the
benefits of what you offer.

Think what the perceived value of your product or
service is if it is NEVER used, consumed, experienced
or shared with others.

What if the majority of the market place was made up of:

Golfers not using their special training devices to improve their swing

Gardners storing that special weeding tool in their sheds

Dieters failing to cook up your recipes or implementing
your exercise regime to shed those extra pounds, or

Personal development seekers never actually opening
up the box of CDs or DVDs delivered to their house!

Consumption leads to you being able to:

• Reduce buyer’s remorse
• Lower your refund rate
• Brings additional purchases
• Track your most successful offers (to repeat them)
• Encourage greater loyalty
• Inspire more testimonials (you can use
  to further increase sales, right!?)
• Get more referrals by your current clients
• Demonstrate value and a tangible asset to
  possible buyers of your company
• Conserve on your future sales and marketing costs
• Stablize your income and stop those dreaded
  ‘feast or famine’ cycles

If you can’t get your customers to consume, use, try,
implement, play with, work with or turn on your ’stuff’
then you haven’t yet transformed them from ‘customers’
into ‘consumers.’

Think about and consider your own personal consumption
strategy. Come back next time, when I share some tactics
to create your own custom Consumption Program.

Listen, everyone breathing has needs, desires and emotional responses to specific stimuli based on past and present experiences. In other words, and in practical terms, once you understand what turns a person on… they’ll be putty in your hands.

Now, it’s of course dangerous to classify an entire demographic using broad generalizations. Nonetheless, there are certain desires and wants that the rich as a whole share (and even the not so rich, for that matter).

By the way, when talking about selling to the rich, we’re not talking about selling “need to have” products, as outlined in the previous post. What we want to sell to the rich are discretionary products, “want to have products”, and the more expensive the better. Why?

Two reasons, they carry a better margin, of course. Secondly, the rich can afford it!

And also, because with a higher price tag it’s naturally assumed that the product has a higher value, a better quality and greater appeal. It’s just the way we human beings are wired - all human beings, rich and poor alike.

For example, take two identical pairs of household scissors. One is priced at $1.99 and the other at $15.95. Because of the higher price point, it will be assumed by the prospective buyer, at least at first glance, that the latter pair of scissors is of better quality, how ever better is defined.

So this leads us to the true key to selling to the rich.

Now understand that the rich enjoy a certain status within society. They’re viewed as being more privileged than the rest of us. And, by the way, they share that view, too.

And they fully enjoy the perks of their status and wealth - they enjoy the indulgences that only they can afford. Indeed, why shouldn’t they? They achieved their success and wealth, hopefully through hard work, brains and ethical means, and now they want to eat the fruit of that tree.

And your job, as a marketer, is to satisfy that desire, that want, by placing a plate of ripe and delicious fruit from that tree of just rewards in front of them.

Oh, yes, the rich also enjoy impressing others with their wealth and status - and they are also steadfast in protecting and fostering that perception. And because perception is reality, the same key to selling to the rich also applies to selling to those who want to be rich.

So what is the key already?

Well, I already gave it to you… but you didn’t notice, because it’s so simple and obvious.

Here it is… it’s all positioning…

Position your product or service in such a way so that it’s perceived as something that only they, the rich, can access and afford (exclusivity), that will affirm their place on top of the wealth pyramid (entitlement), that can only be owned by a few (scarcity), and that will create envy among others (vanity).

Succeed on all those levels and price is nothing more than a minor detail.

In the last post I challenged you think about how you would go about selling a pair solid 24 kt. gold scissors to the rich.

They obviously don’t need to own such an extravagance - so it needs to be positioned as a “want to have” product.

How do you do that? With deft marketing and packaging.

Create exclusivity. For example… “These scissors are only being offered to a select group of people who have been identified as being… flatter, flatter, flatter.”

Create entitlement. For example… “These scissors should only be owned by those who can appreciate a work of consummate craftsmanship; who will hand them down to the next most deserving generation of, yada, yada, yada.”

Create scarcity. That’s easy (but it’s got to be true.) For example… “Only one hundred of these exquisite scissors have been minted, so on and so forth.”

Appeal to vanity. For example… “Imagine what your friends will say, the chorus of oohs and ahs that will chime, when you bring out these scissors in its crystal display case, blah, blah, blah.”

Get the picture? Good! Now go out and sell a pair of gold scissors.

–Barry

www.WritingWithPersonality.com

Need to have products are the typical staples of life: food, clothing, a roof over one’s head, a car, a lover on the side (no, just kidding).

Want to have products are, by definition, products you don’t need to have:  caviar, an Armani wardrobe, a 24-room mansion, a Lamborghini in the garage, two or more lovers on the side. 

Now, for the most part, the rich really don’t need anything, but the list of what they want is nearly endless.

By the way, how you go about selling the staff of life (need to have products) versus how you go about selling the frills and adornments of the good-life (want to have products), from a tactical and strategic perspective, is distinctly different, and a subject for another post.

Nonetheless, how would you, as a marketer, go about selling to the rich… a pair of scissors made of 24kt gold?

Now scissors are, by and large, a need to have product. And your market research has already determined that there is a large and viable market for a pair of quality shears.

But you’re looking to sell to the rich - and you want to sell them shears made of 24kt gold - something they clearly don’t need, and probably don’t want. Yet, you’ve got a warehouse filled with enough gold to make Fort Knox look like a run down trailer park.

So how do you sell a pair of 24kt gold scissors to the rich?

Would your marketing efforts tout the quality of the scissor cut, the durability of the blades, its ease of use, etc. etc.?

No. Scissors are scissors. Okay, some are better than others, and some cost more than others.

But who the hell in their right mind needs a pair of scissors make of 24kt gold that cost more than a mortgage payment? The rich, who else!

But wait… do they need it? No, of course not. Do they want it… well, a lot of what the rich will buy are items that they don’t need or want - at least not at first.

Sure, it’s easy to sell the rich on a private Mediterranean cruise, dinner at 5-star restaurant, jewelry from Tiffany’s.

But what if they never heard of your product, or it has no immediate, intrinsic or universal cache…

So, how do you sell a pair of scissors made of 24kt gold - or anything for that matter - to the rich?

The answer is in the next and final post of this series… so stay tuned.

–Barry

www.WritingWithPersonality.com

Anyway, she made a good point - no, not about me being a moron, but rather about reading Dale Carnegie’s seminal opus: “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

Now listen, what I’m about to say will probably generate some death threats, but the truth (my truth) must win out. Dale Carnegie’s book, written in the early years of the 20^th century has more benefit and uncluttered, straightforward, eternal wisdom in its few pages than any bible, holy book of any religion, past or present. (Yeah, yeah, blasphemy, I know - now get over it and continue reading.)

Everyone, not just marketers, but every human being should read it - numerous times - and commit it to memory.

And clearly, for our topical purposes - selling to the rich - it rings no less true or valuable.

Live by the words written in this book, and not only will you be able to sell to the rich, but you will succeed in any and every endeavor you set before yourself.

By living a life - and conducting business - in conformity with the principals it elucidates, 28 of which I briefly quote below, you will succeed in life and sell to the rich.

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain

2. Begin with praise and honest appreciation

3. Arouse in the other person an eager want

4. Become genuinely interested in other people

5. Smile

6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language

7. Be a good listener.  Encourage others to talk about themselves

8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests

9. Make the other person feel important, and do it sincerely

10. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it

11. Show respect for the other person’s opinions.  Never say, “You’re wrong.”

12. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically

13. Begin in a friendly way

14. Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately

15. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking

16. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers

17. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view

18. Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires

19. Appeal to the nobler motives

20. Dramatize your idea

21. Throw down a challenge

22. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly

23. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person

24. Ask questions instead of giving orders

25. Let the other person save face

26. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to

27. Use encouragement.  Make the fault seem easy to correct

28. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest

More to follow…

–Barry

www.WritingWithPersonality.com

It seems there are a few readers out there who are not marketers, either of the online or offline kind.

And they didn’t agree with my contention that money brings happiness (and that more money brings more happiness).

And, that if you are ever to become a successful direct marketer - specifically, one who markets to the rich - you must first, as a priori, want with all your might - to be rich!

One reader went so far as to imply that I was a moron (ouch!)

Okay, so these dissenters probably either scanned the post or didn’t fully understand it - and saw only what they wanted to see - an opportunity to disagree.

I mean, after all, how could anyone in their right mind ever disagree with anything I say?  Sheesh!

And yet, for those who found wisdom, encouragement and entertainment in my audacious thoughts - you folks are obviously intuitive, brilliant, kind, generous and destined to become wildly rich and successful marketers!

As for the others, well, you’re still welcome to continue to comment, disparage, disagree, and talk among yourselves.

Now let’s move on… and sell to the rich.

To begin, let me ask you a few questions…

Would you go to your local supermarket to shop for a car? No, you wouldn’t.

Would you enter an assisted-living facility to find a date (if you’re young, single and not perverted)? No, you wouldn’t.

Would you look to buy a country estate in an inner city ghetto? No, you wouldn’t.

Would you expect to find wealthy buyers at a thrift store? Yes, absolutely! But would that be the first place you’d go to find them. No, it wouldn’t.

Where do you find the rich?

Here’s an old saying (how old, I don’t know): to hunt elephants - you gotta go where the elephants are.

Similarly, if you’re looking to sell to the rich-you gotta go where the rich are.

So get yourself invited to a black-tie soiree in the Hamptons, Bel-Aire, Aspen, Monte Carlo or any other venue where the rich congregate and indulge, and clink martinis.

Can’t swing that? Okay then, settle down, and start doing some heavy-duty market research.

Placing the rich under a marketing microscope.

Your mission Mr. Phelps, if you chose to accept it, is to figure out what makes the rich tick - what makes them different from the other socio-economic classes.

Because of their “privilege”, the rich will inevitably look at life differently, think differently and act differently than, well, you or me (provided you’re as poor as me).

And know this, too, that among the rich there are different classes of rich.

There are the trust fund babies, the silver spoon elite, the old/new money immigrants, the nouveau rich, the fight and claw entrepreneurs who came up from poverty, and the $52 million red-neck lottery winners, etc., etc.

And within each class there are those with a distinct personality type: some are type A, others are type B, others are RH negative, and still others have a 1.0 alcohol level.

Important Note: You need to do this autopsy/exercise with any socio-economic group you choose to market to. Why? Because each group (read: your target market) will have a distinct modus operandi, life-outlook and preferred handshake.

And, most importantly, from a marketer’s perspective, your target market will have a favored or preferred way of being approached and communicated with - one that will hopefully grease the slide (ease them into responding to your offer to buy).

And in that respect, the rich are no different from K-Mart shoppers.

And so the best marketing microscope for the job…

…Is you.

Huh? Okay, this goes back to what I said in the previous post…

You gotta want to become filthy rich to sell to the filthy rich.

Why? Because there is no better way to understand a rich man (read: target market) than to walk a mile in his Gucci’s.

You’ve got to feel what he feels, think what he thinks, and do, as best you can, what he does. Why? So he will know and believe that you are just like him, and therefore can be trusted. Because you have the same sensibilities, problems and the same size alimony payments.

But do you really need to be rich to sell to the rich? No (though you will undoubtedly become rich if you successfully sell to the rich).

And yet, what you absolutely must do, if you are ever to successfully market to the rich - is love and admire them.

Why? Well, generally speaking, when you love and admire someone you will typically aspire to become more like them or, at the very least, emulate their behavior and share their values. And that is the ultimate proof of your commitment to their well-being.

And why is that so important?

Answer me this: how long do you think you would be in business, and how successful could you become, if you don’t, love and care about your customers - if you look at them just as a mark to be exploited, as a dollar sign with legs?

More to follow…

–Barry

www.WritingWithPersonality.com

WHY they run is simple. Lack of confidence.

WHAT to do about it is a bit more involved.

You can reduce your prospects vamoosing (is there correct spelling for synthesized words?) from your Order Form with a few simple adjustments and additions to your web sales process.

Overall, it’s about adding marketing copy at the top of your Order Form.  The online marketing and ecommerce system that I use, www.HandsFreeBusiness.com allows me to put HTML, audio and video at the top of their secure order forms.

The “Top Copy” on your Order Form should include some or even all of the following, as appropriate:

a) Interactivity - confirmation of the thought process with a check box, further supported by a “Yes! I want to take action today to stop by bad golf swing.”

b) Audio/Video - the sound or sight of someone extending a personal invitation to buy has been found to increase conversion 30% and more

c) Restating a summary of the Benefits of your product or service

d) Summarizing the Bonuses you’ve offered. You DID offer Bonuses, right?

e) Pointing out to prospects again the Deadline for your promotion or price break or limited availability of that particular product

f) Repeating your iron-clad, better than your money back Guarantee. Again, you can utilize audio, next to your picture, or a video of another trustworthy looking person (sort of kidding…), to clearly state your Guarantee is helpful too.

g) Add ‘Seals of Approval‘ about your service. Use graphics or logos to show Awards, Quality Standards, or Association memberships along the sides of your copy. You don’t necessarily have to write about them. Their presence alone is noted, as your visitors read through your copy.

h) Offer powerful Testimonials right on the Order Form for ’social proof.’ This is THE most under-utilized tactic and I believe, one of the most powerful final stimulants for closing the sale.

Of course, overall you must keep your Order Form simple in its design and professional in its presentation are contributing factors too. Try testing and then tracking, one or several of the above suggestions and see what happens!

Let me know how you do at Martin@ParadisePublishing.com too.

But, if you have a truly original and revolutionary thought about how poverty or moderate poverty or even lower-middle class poverty can be more up-lifting and satisfying than possessing more money than Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, et al… please, share your thoughts.

If not, then don’t, because I don’t want to hear how money can’t buy happiness. Or how you don’t have to be rich to be happy. Or how money is the root of all evil, etc., etc.

I’ve heard it all, and once believed it all, and said so, too.

And yet, if you’re determined to bait my ire and fill cyberspace with rehashed blather-I suggest you first trade places with a homeless person for a week-and then tell me how happy you are to eat your meals from a restaurant dumpster, or sleep in a cardboard box in the freezing cold, or defecate in the street like a dog, and smell like one, too… or, how about you just can’t pay your mortgage and are about to lose your home, or you child needs an operation and you don’t have the money because your credit cards are maxed-out and your insurance provider won’t cover the expense.

Listen, everyone wants more-needs more-desires more-and more is wholly dependent on more money. This is not Gordon Gecko speaking here about how greed is good. Greed is a pejorative term. Wealth and the accumulation of wealth, on the other hand, is a basic, laudable and inalienable human desire.

Those who would disagree are typically those who tried but could not achieve and satisfy that desire, and are now without-and are now trying to convince others, and themselves, they’re better off for having failed or fallen short.

Unless you’re a tribesmen living in the forests of Borneo-you need money to be happy. Then again, the happiest Borneo tribesmen are probably the ones with the most goats or cows, or whatever has the highest fungible value within their society.

Furthermore, and more to the point, if you don’t believe everything I just said…

You ain’t ever going to be a successful marketer!

If you’re a marketer-online or off-and you don’t have the highest degree of ambition to sell the most you can and thereby make the most money you can… you’re going to fail miserably, and die poor-and not very happy.

So if you have no all-consuming ambition to succeed…then, right now, go out and get a 9-5er instead, watch TV at night, and live your life according to the maxim that ignorance is bliss.

Successful marketers need and thrive on high-octane ambition. Such ambition is the rarified fuel that drives and energizes them-and such ambition can only be sustained by a tenacious bull-doggedness-a never-say-die brand of commitment, dedication, and perseverance-that inevitably leads to a hell of a lot of hard work, sleepless nights and tested relationships.

All for the pride of achievement! Winning! And its natural consequence-living and retiring with more money than one can ever hope to spend!

So who cares if you can’t take it with you-you’re not supposed to. Whatever is left over in the kitty when your time comes… you’re supposed to give to your kids, your spouse, your siblings, charity, a neighbor-any person or institution who you’ve loved and or appreciated-and care to make happy in turn.

Sure, some people with the requisite ambition don’t make it all the way to the top-but that’s okay. At least they’re trying, or died trying. And in the end, if they honored their ambition with an ethical and moral effort, they’ll have no regrets-and a lot of great and noble memories.

And if they finish only half way up the mountain-they’re still far better off, and happier, than those slaving at the bottom in the muck and the mire.

If you think I’m denigrating the unfortunate and the less able in society-then you’re missing the point.

What is the point?

If you’re going to sell to the rich (yes, I’m following up on my previous post)- you first gotta want to be rich, filthy rich-just like them.

Why? How? Still more to come… so stay tuned.

–Barry

www.WritingWithPersonality.com