The significant challenges that we face today cannot be resolved by the same level of thinking that created them.

Hi and welcome to today's issue of Keeping in Touch. A big, warm 'hello' to all our new subscribers.

Was everyone ready for tax time? Our American friends had to have their tax returns in today. In Canada we have until the end of April. I took mine in to the accountant yesterday. I also made sure to book an appointment with my doctor right after. Just kidding - I thought I'd save myself a trip into the city and do both things on the same day.

Today's Feature Article is by Joe Robson - I Should Have Known Better. Most of us went through the stage where you could get just about anything free on the Internet. Then that stage went to giving out 'anything' to promote a sale. The free stuff was not as beneficial. The mentality of the average person still seems to cling to the idea that everything should be free. On the other hand, there are a lot of ebooks being sold that amount to garbage so people are tired of paying for that.

There are some excellent materials on the Internet. Now it requires a bit more discrimination on your part. You need to be on your toes and take more responsibility for the purchases you make.

If you want to get anywhere in your business, you will have to invest in yourself. I think many of us spent too much money and didn't reap the benefits that were supposed to come with our purchases. By the same token, many of us got used to getting 'something' without any cost. Whatever product you do promote, make sure you know and understand what it does and how it will benefit your customers.

Find a product you want to sell and make sure it's something you know a customer would want. Be creative in your advertising and marketing efforts. Write up a new signature file for every product and get your customers to your site. A suggestion here is to have a default signature with your name and details. Then create short signature files for each of your products. Now use your default signature with one of your products. Keep circulating your signature files. Remember, people buy because they 'want' -- not necessarily because they 'need' something.

Subscriber, Michael Lemm, brings us today's Special Feature. We've all experienced changes in the way we conduct business over the last year. It doesn't look like that will change any time soon. Here's a different perspective that deals with how even phoning prospective customers is likely to go in the next few months -- "Do Not Call List"...Death Knell For Leads Programs?

Here's some good advice I found in a comment from Oprah Winfrey. 'Declare today "sacred time" -- off-limits to everyone, unless invited by you. Take care of your personal wants and needs. Say no, graciously but firmly, to others' demands.'

Have a great day {FIRSTNAME} and keep on smiling.

Lois M. Jeary
Publisher, KIT and KIT Klassifieds
Contact Me

"I Should Have Known Better"
By Joe Robson

You know, when I first went into Direct Marketing, I believed all the hype about how anyone could make a fortune in Direct Mail, just by working a few hours a week. So I bought a book on the subject and looked forward to earning a healthy income in a few short weeks ...

I should have known better.

But I persevered and studied the subject every spare moment I had. And money began trickling in. Eventually I started making serious money, and thought I'd finally 'cracked it'. Now I could start relaxing and taking time out to enjoy my 'success'...

I should have known better.

Then I was told that to be really successful, I had to keep learning all the time. I had to constantly look for better ideas. I had to study the masters of the craft. I had to keep my ear to the ground, my shoulder to the wheel, and success would automatically follow. So I did...

I should have known better...

I bought dozens of self-help books. Well known successful people revealed their innermost 'secrets of success' to me, and I was motivated to thinking that "If I believe, I will succeed". So I wrote down my goals, my dreams, and my desires. I repeated them to myself everyday until they became indelibly imprinted into my subconscious. "Now I will succeed" I was told ...

I should have known better.

As an off line Copywriter I went on to write Ads and Sales Letters that delighted my clients and increased their sales. Now I could take things easy, stop chasing new accounts and let my hard-earned reputation do the work for me ...

I should have known better.

Because, even though all the things I did were needed to become successful, the VITAL ingredients to sustain that success were hardly ever mentioned ...

Hard work, persistence, and PASSION!

Then I 'discovered' the Internet! I laboriously studied the successful marketers, analyzed their methods, experienced the pain of coming to terms with my computer, and put up a Website. There's 500 Zillion Internet users out there - and a fortune to be *easily* made with hardly any effort at all, I was told ...

I should have known better.

Success did eventually come - whatever success really means. I wrote a best selling ebook and became well known as a Top Web Copywriter. And then I *bumped* into Tom Glander.

Millions of new computer buyers are logging on to the Internet every year, and they ALL need help to conquer their beast of a PC. So we decided to build The Newbie Club ...

But this time I knew better!

We spent 6 months researching, holding surveys and asking questions. We spent weeks looking at how other 'Newbie' sites were failing. And agreed that success would not come easy. There would be no 'instant' millions, and once success began to happen, we would have to keep working, learning and taking risks.

So we built a unique Website that speaks to Newbies at their own level. A Website that offers them FREE information written in a language that anyone can understand. A Website that talks *to* them, not *at* them. A Website so different to the other Newbie Web sites, it's reputation would grow to such an extent that people would buy our personally produced products and services - and actually THANK US for making them available ...

Most people would say that The Newbie Club is a resounding success. And I'd agree with them. But to stay in front you have to keep on working on new ideas, learn new methods, and burn the midnight oil. Otherwise you stagnate - and eventually die.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and there's no such thing as something for nothing. You have to work hard to succeed at anything - being a good parent, a reliable employee, building a business, or learning new technology. The easy money promises on the Internet are mostly lies, and the success stories you read about are mostly hype. But those who are successful will tell you that it didn't come easy, even though - like me - many of them probably believed at one time that *instant* Internet success was possible ...

But now they know better!

And I hope you do too.

Keep smilin'.

Joe.

Joe Robson owns the Newbie Club at http://newbieclub.com and the critically acclaimed Copywriting Tutorials site at http://adcopywriting.com See the astonishing new Copywriting software at his new website

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To know and not to do is really not yet to know.
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"Do Not Call List"...Death Knell For Leads Programs?
By Michael Lemm, FreedomFire Communications

I'd pay close attention to this for awhile. There are implications for leads programs especially.

In about 6-10 months or so your company is going to have to subscribe to the FTC "Do Not Call" (DNC) list of people that do not want calls. Even if it is an innocent prospecting call your company (& you) can get in trouble. The wife may have answered your ad, the husband may have put them on the DNC list. Bang.... your company (& you) innocently gets burnt. The fines are pretty noteworthy so be careful.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html

Here's my general thoughts on this issue:

1. The leads companies will have to be VERY careful. Anyone selling leads had better make sure that they are truly "waiting to hear from you"....opt-in permissive marketing compliant....fresh....yada yada. Any slip shod harvesting of leads without thorough scrubbing of their viabilty will lead to big trouble. I see a lot of leads companies going under....or just plane being scams hoping to make a quick buck and leave customers holding the bag.

2. The number of companies offering leads will likely decrease due to the effort, cost, and risk involved to ensure the leads are compliant. What will be left could be just a few expensive high quality companies....and a few scams after the quick score.

3. Those leads companies that "survive" will pass the increased cost on to the consumer....you. Meaning the cost of leads will likely go up significantly....regardless of the source.

4. Those who purchase leads will also be vulnerable to some extent (how much I'm not sure) since they are the individual "contacting" the lead. I doubt regulators and agrieved "leads" will not hold those who contact them faultless. Since "we" aren't employees of the leads companies we would have some responsibility/accountability attached. Their argument would be that we "chose" to contact these people. As opposed to an employee of a telemarketing firm who is "told" to make the contact.

5. If leads companies can navigate this challenge successfully....the resulting leads will truly be "quality". They will definitely be interested in being contacting. So this could be a silver lining...or glass half full....situation. However, it could well be at a higher cost than we now see.

6. Now....if you read carefully on the FTC website, it mentions that there is a period time of which someone can still be contacted.

a. If they were a customer, you may contact them for up to 18 months after the last business transaction.

b. If they requested information (as the website says, submitted an inquiry) you can contact them for up to 3 months.

Lead companies will have to provide Date/Time stamps and IP stamps with every lead. Is this hard? No, they do it anyways, so it shouldn’t result in large cost increases.

Additionally, all company/personal “prospecting” websites will need to contain language similar to this: "By submitting your information you agree to be contacted by phone, email, or regular mail with information regarding a home based business, secondary income source, or a work from home opportunity." This will bind the user to 3 months of being contacted.

All that doom and gloom aside....what we hopefully will see is a drastic reduction of junk lead companies or companies that generate leads not targeted for our industry. Those that navigate the impending changes with quality compliant opt-in systems will survive and prosper. Those that don’t.....m’bye bye.

Michael a Moderator for MLMForums.com and the owner of FreedomFire Communications.... providing businesses a variety of voice, data, and internet solutions. His free tool for finding the best phone rates in your area will save you a fortune: http://billzilla.com/mscprez

You can do a search at Google -- for phone numbers. It will show the details for the number entered and even draw you a map to the front door! Now that's just a little too much information in my opinion.

Admittedly there will be times when this type of search will be beneficial to both parties. The problem I have with the whole idea is the 'pervert skulking in the background'. There is no way to determine whether the person doing the search is a responsible person or someone lurking in the shadows. Do you really want them to have a map to your front door? I don't!

It seems possible that the phone number details can ultimately be removed and it starts with your own phone company. You may even be required to request an unlisted number. To be fair, some have been able to have their details removed; others have been unable to.

This is an aspect of the Internet you might not be aware of so I thought I'd pass it along.

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I think it's time to pause and reflect for a few moments. The purpose of this ezine was to provide good information to everyone who asked for it.

The latest problems in delivering email, not to mention the constant flow of unsolicited email to the subscription addresses has been undermining the efforts to bring you the newest and the most relevant information to keep you informed.

So I think a short hiatus is in order. That will give us time to work on a new method of delivery, get the website back up and running as well as put tax time and those stresses behind us. I'll get the list cleaned up and we'll start fresh, okay? My husband and I are putting our home up for sale as well so I think this is the best way to get everything done and I hope you'll understand.

We'll keep in touch and let you know what's happening.

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Legal Stuff ...

We accept no responsibility whatsoever for the content, profitability or legality of any published articles or advertisements contained within KIT.

And, although all of the articles have been selected for their content, the publishing of such articles within this newsletter does NOT constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles.

Be responsible! Always do your own Due Diligence before responding to any offer.