Your weekly collection of marketing tips, hints, and advice interspersed with humor, inspiration, and other goodies to spice things up a bit. Guidance, tutoring, advice, mentoring, coaching, inspiration, English lessons, editing, proofreading services for entrepreneurs and online marketers.
The publisher’s philosophy is that most learn faster by taking small bites, rather than large gulps. Small bites are chewed more thoroughly, swallowed, and digested more readily. Keeping that in mind, many features will be solo items. That way, you will not be bombarded or overwhelmed.
Publisher: Mary Wilkey
Volume 2 - Issue 20 - August 20, 2002
Published every Tuesday evening
Hey, everybody—I need to draw your attention to the fact that you can get FREE publicity—and a large hunk of it—by submitting your personal biography to be featured in our "Subscriber in the Spotlight" section. No one submitted one for this week, so someone has missed an opportunity here! NOTE: This is NOT to be an ad, but personal info, such as, where you're located, about your family, background, education, what you do, and yes, you may include your URL and/or email and a VERY short blurb as to what your URL is all about.
If you enjoy this ezine, you can help it grow faster by introducing 'elf Expressions to just one other person—because the faster we grow, the more everyone benefits from the ads. Thank you!
If you've missed any issues, you still can see them.
Just go to:
Faith is believing what you do not see, and the reward of faith is seeing what you believe.
CONTENTS:
Sponsor Ad
Ad Contest
Subscriber in the Spotlight
Feature Article
Today’s Chuckle
Today's English lesson
Marketing Mania
Internet Tips & Hints
Guest Article
Inspiration
Etcetera
SPONSOR AD
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AD CONTEST
Results of last issue's ad contest: No winner. The question was: How many strands of cornsilk are there on every cob? The answer: One for each kernel of corn!
For our subscribers only: Be first to submit the correct answer to the following question and receive the next available top sponsor ad FREE! Here is the question:
The following is a testimonial from an individual stating what results HE has experienced. No medical claims are implied, and we are not saying that the products discussed will cure the problems you have.
(The foregoing statement is required by the US Government, which should not be a substitute for your ability and right to think for yourself and make your own decisions!)
Approximately 7 years ago, I was diagnosed with Thrombophlebitis. I have been hospitalized for this condition 3 times in the last 7 years. Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of the veins resulting from the coagulation of blood in the vessels in the inner veins. In layman’s terms, Thrombophlebitis is when blood turns into blood clots within the veins due to a lack of circulation. This can be caused by bacterial infection, for example, which can cause a lack of circulation. My ailment is in both of my feet.
I own a car wash and I work with lots of chemicals that can irritate the skin. My feet are moist from water most of the day and are easily irritated by these chemicals. This skin irritation on my feet and between my toes often sets up infection, which in turn brings on an onset of Thrombophlebitis. The appearance of the swelling is somewhat like elephantiasis. In the past, I have experienced the illness through simple sand cuts under my toes, walking on shells at the beach, and athletes foot.
On the weekend of October 20, 2000 I was en route to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend a meeting held by HealingAmerica.Com. I left Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina around 6:30 a.m. on October 20th and was in flight to Chicago where I would change planes to Oklahoma. While in flight I, felt feverish, cold sweats, and experienced swelling in my left foot. These are all signs of the onset of the ailment—not to mention the excruciating pain and swelling that is experienced.By the time I reached my hotel room in Tulsa, I was unable to walk. I immediately called my wife to have a prescription filled in Tulsa. Normally, my doctor writes a prescription for a 7-day supply of Augmentin and Tylenol with Codeine.
Meanwhile, Suzy Hayden, a leader in Healing America, recommended that I permit her to call John Barron to get the specifics on what I needed to treat my condition. Although Jon Barron refused to prescribe anything in particular, he did mention that people with similar conditions had found Flu Buster, Immunity Plus, eRadicatior, and Wild Oats (a bottle of each within an 8 hour time period) beneficial. I began taking the products around 1:00 PM, and by 6:00 PM that afternoon, I was feeling better; there was a reduction in fever pain. To my amazement, by 11:00 PM, I was walking and had only a slight fever. I was speechless. In the past, I have been off my feet for at least 4 to 5 days before I am able to walk, but the Healing America products had me on my feet in less than 24 hours.
I am no longer controlled by Thrombophlebitis. Instead, I control my condition. It’s wonderful to have my health in my own hands. My wife could not believe that I was back on my feet in 8 hours, after knowing from past experience it would be five or six days before I was back up again. My wife said to me "this is truly a miracle." The prescription that I had filled was for only three days, and I never completed taking the bottle. I have taken my health back with the Baseline of Health. Thanks, Healing America and Jon Barron. YOU GUYS ARE THE GREATEST.
—Eric Bethea, Dunn NC
If you would like to see what has worked miracles in Eric's life—and also get a free download of Jon Barron's book, "Lessons from the Miracle Doctors," go to:
If you would like to look into becoming a distributor, just go to this website:
Watch the 6-minute video presentation (it may take a few minutes to load). Fill out and submit the questionnaire at the end of the presentation.
"Great works are performed not by strength,
but by perseverance."
—Samuel Johnson
SUBSCRIBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The first subscriber to submit his or her personal profile sharing with the rest of us all about who he/she is, background, family, location, interests, hobbies, goals, dreams, etc., will be spotlighted right here next issue—and yes, an email and/or URL may be included!
Since no one submitted an entry, this is just wasted opportunity space!
There is nothing holier, in this life of ours, than the first
consciousness of love—the first fluttering of its silken
wings.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
FEATURE ARTICLE
SOCIAL SECURITY OR GOLDEN FLEECE?
Parts of this were excerpted from an email sent to me by a friend some months back, which I retrieved from my files today.
Did you know that our senators and congressmen do not pay into Social Security, and, therefore, they do not collect from it? Why? Social Security benefits were not suitable for them.
They felt they should have a special plan. Many years ago they voted in their benefit plan. No member of Congress ever has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.
For all practical purposes, their plan works like this: When they retire—no matter how long they have been in Congress, they are eligible for monstrous benefits—and those may be increased from time to time by cost-of-living adjustments.
For example, former Senator Bill Bradley (New Jersey) and his wife may be expected to draw $7,900,000.00 over the rest of their lifespan, with Mrs. Bradley drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of her life (after he dies). Their cost for this excellent plan is $0, nada, zilch. This little perk they voted in for themselves is free, no cost—to them.
You and I pick up the tab for this plan—our tax dollars at work! From Social Security, which you and I pay into for our own retirement, with an equal amount paid in by our employers, we can expect to receive an average of $1,000 a month. We would have to collect our benefits for 68 years and 1 month to equal the Bradleys' benefits!
Imagine for a moment that you could structure a retirement plan so desirable, a retirement plan that worked so well, that railroad employees, postal workers, and others who were not in the plan would clamor to be included. This is how good Social Security could be, if only one small change was made.
That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan out from under the senators and congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Watch how fast they would fix it!!! If enough people receive this message, maybe a seed will be planted, and maybe good changes will be triggered.
And don't forget—Hillary Clinton now comes under this Golden Fleece Plan. Talking about the Clintons, it's common knowledge that, in order for her to establish NY State residency, they purchased a $million+ house in upscale Chappaqua, NY. Makes sense. Now, they are entitled to Secret Service protection for life. Still makes sense.
Now here is where it gets interesting. A residence had to be built to house the Secret Service agents. Then the Clintons started charging the Secret Service rent for the use of said residence, and that rent is just about equal to their mortgage payment, meaning that we, the taxpayers, are paying the Clintons' mortgage, and it's all perfectly legal!
If someone out there has the time and drive to initiate a petition(s) to put an end to these travesties, just send it/them to me, and I'll be glad to be the first to affix my "John Hancock."
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Feel free to reprint the above article with this info intact: Article penned by Mary Wilkey, publisher of 'elf Expressions Ezine: http://elfexpressionsezine.com
Name the most famous of all the Moabite women and tell why she is so famous.
ANSWER: Ruth—she was the great grandmother of King David (Ruth 1:23, 4:13 & 17) Ruth 1:22 "So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law," Ruth 4:13 "So Boaz took Ruth . . . and she bare a son." Ruth 4:17 " . . . and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David."
Be the change you want to see in the world.
—Gandhi
TODAY'S CHUCKLE
THE BITTER END
There's this little guy just sitting in a bar, looking at his drink.
He stays like that for about half-an-hour.
Then, this big trouble-making truck driver steps next to
him, takes the drink from the guy, and just drinks it all
down.
The poor man starts crying.
The truck driver says: "Come on man, I was just joking.
Here, I'll buy you another drink. I just can't stand to
see a man crying."
"No, it's not that. Today is the worst day of my life.
First, I overslept and was late to an important meeting.
My boss, outraged, fired me.
When I left the building for my car, I found out it was
stolen. The police said they could do nothing.
I got a cab to return home, and after I paid the cab
driver and the cab had gone, I found that I left my
wallet in the cab.
Then I got home only to find my wife was in bed with the
gardener.
I left home and came to this bar. And when I was thinking
about putting an end to my life, you show up and drink the
darn poison . . . "
"Having the world's best idea will do you no good unless you act
on it. People who want milk shouldn't sit on a stool in the middle of a field in hopes that a cow will back up to them."
—Curtis Grant
TODAY'S ENGLISH LESSON
Seeing the same elementary mistakes over and over again has prompted this publisher to write an English lesson each issue.
Some of these are pathetic, to be sure, but this one's just downright amusing:
Is it out of "sync"—or out of "sink"?
"Sync" is short for "syncopation."
I don't think this one even needs any elaboration!
Reminder: We offer a reasonably priced editing/proofreading service for articles or even entire ezines. Just email: editingservice@elfexpressionsezine.com
MARKETING MANIA
Featuring Donna Sweat, weekly columnist, and publisher of
Dee's Helpful Info. and A Real Home Business Newsletter.
My apologies, dear readers, but Donna evidently was unable to submit her article in time this week. Look for one in this spot again next week.
"If you don't know where you're going, anyone will take you there."
—Lewis Carroll
INTERNET HINTS & TIPS
This seems a bit elementary, but
I've just discovered something after using the FIND function in MSWorks for eight years—and it makes me wonder if anyone else has had the same dilemma:
The item for which you are searching MUST be put in with NO spaces before or after it. (If your cursor rests a space beyond the end of it, put the cursor right up against it with NO space.) I wondered why my program refused to find different things that I KNEW were in the document. Now I know—and so do you, if you didn't before!
—your elf
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
—Frank Outlaw
Another Smile from the Bible:Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson—he brought the house down.
GUEST ARTICLE
HOW TO BE REMEMBERED
by Kevin Nunley
If a prospect says "who are you?" when they see you, you're in
trouble. If you aren't a memorable salesperson, then your company isn't going to stand out in the prospect's mind either. Here are some strategies on how to be remembered.
Remember special events. You could send a birthday card to a
person who has never bought something from you. Who knows? You
might be the only person who remembered their birthday, and
they'll sign a contract with you the next day.
Make sure that your thank you notes are handwritten. This is
especially important today in this computerized world. You can
also fax or send a cartoon or article that applies to your
prospect.
Learn your prospect's interests. For example, if he mentions
that he enjoys playing board games, then on your next visit
bring him a small game. Make sure that the gift is inexpensive
and appropriate.
Build an emotional rapport. Talk about things you have in
common. People enjoy buying from a salesperson who they feel is
interested in them, not just their order.
You sell by being different! Perhaps it won't work 100% of the
time, but it is possible that sales could double or triple by
being a little more creative. You can't lose a sale that you
don't have.
*******************************************
Kevin writes your sales letter, website copy, or autoresponder
messages so they get response. He can write any style and on
any subject. See Kevin's writing deals at:
http://DrNunley.com/copywriting.htm
Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel, Robinson Crusoe, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give thanks.
A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists all that he has going for him. He is surprised at the size of the list of his assets.
How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings—all of that for which you can give thanks? For family. For friends. For faith. For health and the necessities of life. Did you know that some one million people will die this week? How is your health? Those who have food, clothing, and shelter have more than much of our world's population will ever possess. Do you have these necessities of living?
How long would your list be if you took inventory of your blessings . . . and added one new item daily? Would you be amazed at the size of the list?
You have 1,440 minutes in every day. How would your life be different if you spent just 15 of those minutes daily giving thanks? Just 15 minutes filling your mind with concrete examples of how fortunate you are? Most of us would discover even after a few days that the exercise was life changing!
Poet Courtland Sayers put it this way:
"Five thousand breathless dawns all new;
One million flowers fresh in dew.
Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold;
One million snowflakes served ice cold.
Five quiet friends, one baby's love;
One white sea of clouds above.
One June night in a fragrant wood;
One heart that loved and understood.
I wondered when I waked that day—
In God's name—how could I ever pay?"
Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, "If the only prayer you say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice." I suspect he is right.
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