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“Get hold of your ‘elf!”
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 1 - Issue 48X - February 21, 2002
Regular issue published every Tuesday evening
Welcome to all readers—new AND old! It's all of you "old" ones who give me the encouragement and support that all ezine publishers need to keep on keeping on, and I would like to let all of you know just how much I appreciate you. Your little notes and feedback mean so much to me.
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: http://elfexpressionsezine.com
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For a good marriage:
Do not condemn.
Do not push.
In all things, love.
Stay faithful.
Acknowledge God, always.
When you can't do the above, keep your mouth shut!
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CONTENTS:
Sponsor Ad
Guest Article
Classifieds
Today’s Chuckle
Internet Tips & Hints
Guest Article
Inspiration
Etcetera
THANK YOU!
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Finally, in 1994, I was diagnosed with Lupus. The pain was unbearable most of the time. It was worse when the weather was cold and damp. Since I started using the Baseline of Health products, including Omega-9, the pain has diminished. I can get up in the morning without taking my Excedrin and can type without any pain. It is So Wonderful!!!!! Thank You So Much!
—Amanda Sample, Henderson CO
If you would like to see what has worked miracles in Amanda's life, go to: http://goodbody.healingamerica.com The only company in the world with scalar enhanced products!
If you would like to look into becoming a distributor, just go to this website:
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GUEST ARTICLE
The Pros and Cons of Earning Money with Affiliate Programs ©2002, Angela Wu
"I don't have a product. I don't even have a product IDEA!"
This is one of the most common concerns I hear from people
interested in starting a business on the Internet. It's obvious that you need to sell either a product or a service in order to make money.
That's where affiliate programs come in. Many beginners start online by joining affiliate programs; you sell another company's product or service for a commission. Affiliate programs are available in practically every market you can think of. If you want to see what I mean, visit http://www.associate-it.com/ to view an extensive list of affiliate programs.
Affiliate programs are a convenient way for people to get a
"jump-start" online without the time, effort, and money necessary to create a product of their own. However, they're not a "perfect" solution. Below is a list of the positives and negatives to building an affiliate business.
Negatives to affiliate programs:
- You have to share the profits. You earn a commission, which typically ranges from a measly 5% to a generous 50%. The rest of the money goes into the company's pockets.
- You pay all marketing costs. The company is providing you with a product or service to sell; it's your job to actually make the sales. This is no easy task, unless you're a natural-born marketer! You can choose to use only free methods of advertising ... but these methods
aren't necessarily the most effective. Marketing can get expensive—and you pay for your own marketing, regardless of whether or not it results in any sales.
- You can get "sidelined." Building an affiliate business is hard work; if you intend to eventually market a product of your own, you may find that the affiliate program is taking up too much of your time.
- You're at the mercy of the company. You rely on them to pay you on time—or at all. If they decide to change commission rates (usually to lower them!), you typically have no say, except to cancel your affiliate contract.
- And finally, if the affiliate program decides to close shop—well, you're simply out of luck.
Positives to affiliate programs:
+ You're free to concentrate on just one thing: marketing. The affiliate company handles everything else—billing,
inventory, delivery, customer service, and all the other
stuff that goes with the territory. This is one reason
why affiliate programs are so popular; they give you the
opportunity learn how to market online without being
overwhelmed by everything else.
+ Startup costs are lower than if you had your own product.
There are numerous costs associated with the research,
development, and delivery of your own product. When
you run an affiliate business, the only thing you're
responsible for is marketing—and you have the option
of using free methods only.
+ You get a "head-start" while researching product ideas.
Affiliate programs allow you to sell a product or service
while you're still trying to come up with a product of
your own. That's not to say that they're an "easy" way
to riches—they're not—but you can learn how to market
while earning an income.
+ Multiple streams of income. A bunch of "smaller" pay
cheques can really add up! It's even better if you
already have your own product or service and just want
to use affiliate programs to add another stream of
income.
Many people from all walks of life make hundreds or even
thousands of dollars every month through affiliate programs
alone. Affiliate programs aren't perfect, but they provide
a great option for those who are willing and able to put in
the necessary time and effort.
****************
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical
guide to building a profitable Internet business on a
beginner's budget. Each issue is packed with valuable
tips and tools to help you to nurture your business to
success! http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
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Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
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God will not give us more unless we use what we already have.
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A BIBLE RIDDLE
What were the dimensions of the ark of the covenant, and with what was it overlaid??
ANSWERS: Exodus 25:10-11 "And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold ..."
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He who laughs last ... is slow to catch on!
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TODAY'S CHUCKLE
MONKEY BUSINESS
A wealthy man decided to go on a safari in Africa. He took his faithful pet dog along for company. One day the dog starts chasing butterflies and before long he discovers that he is lost. So, wandering about he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.
The dog thinks, "Boyo, I'm in deep doo doo now." (He was an Irish setter)... Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat.
Just as the leopard is about to leap, the dog exclaims loudly, "Man, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any more around here?" Hearing this the leopard halts his attack in mid stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away into the trees.
"Whew," says the leopard. "That was close. That dog nearly had me."
Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So, off he goes. But the dog saw him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figured that something must be up.
The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard. The cat is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine."
Now the dog sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back, and thinks," What am I going to do now?" But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers pretending he hasn't seen them yet.
And just when they get close enough to hear, the dog says, "Where's that monkey? I just can't trust him. I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard, and he's still not back!!"
THINK IT OVER
A scientist asks "How?"
A philosopher asks "Why?"
A mystic sees life from the inside.
A materialist sees life from the outside.
A politician puts his party or his own career first.
A statesman and a patriot puts his country first.
—Emmet Fox
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A hero is one who does the kind of thing that others are content to admire.—Emmet Fox
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INTERNET HINTS & TIPS
Putting an "ADD TO FAVORITES" button on your page
©2002 Amrit Hallan
It's always better to make your visitor add your page to the
"Favorites" folder, so that he or she can come back to your site
in future. I myself bookmark pages I find useful. Not everybody
knows that press CTRL+D does the job, and not everybody feels
motivated enough all the time to first go to "Favorites" in the
menu and do the task.
The code below gives you an option to put the "Add To Favorites"
on your page, so the user has to just click it in order to
bookmark the page.
< html>
< head>
< title>Untitled< /title>
< /head>
< body>
< form>
< input type="button" value="Add To Favorites"
onClick="javascript:window.external.AddFavorite ('http://www.bytes
worth.com', 'Bytesworth Internet Marketing Solutions' );">
< /form>
< /body>
< /html>
The code has information about my website, but you can easily
replace it with yours.
=============================================
About the Author:
Amrit Hallan is a freelance web designer. For all website
development and web promotion needs, you can get in touch with
him at http://www.bytesworth.com. For more such articles,
visit http://www.bytesworth.com/, and you can subscribe to his newsletter [BYTESWORTH REACHOUT] on Web Designing Tips & Tricks by sending a blank email to bytesworth-subscribe@topica.com
RULE FOR LIVING:
Only two things will fix most everything: WD-40 and duct tape.
If it should move and it won't, use WD-40.
If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape.
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GUEST ARTICLE
Are You An Accessible Expert?
by Sandra Stammberger
It's all well and good to be an expert these days.
It's a credit to your profession that you know your business
well enough to get that particular stamp of public appreciation.
The question is, are you an accessible expert?
The fact is, in these days of cold hard realities and
tumultuous times consumers have no patience with huge egos and
hard to reach professionals. It doesn't matter how much time
and effort you have put into your status. What consumers do
respond to is the expert that makes himself friendly and
available. If you have spent the last few years working hard
to build your expert status, take the next step by expanding on
that effort by making yourself accessible. Consider the
following friendly maneuvers.
Email:
The more popular you become as an expert the harder it will be
to manage the ongoing and increasing flow of email. However,
with that expert status comes more income. Use some of it to
hire assistance to tend to the incoming email in a friendly and
approachable manner.
Usually it's not who answers the email as much as that the
email gets answered. Don't leave customers hanging, prospects
wondering, and leads languishing. As you grow in expert status
grow the help you need to keep your business running smoothly.
Lost emails sent to experts give the sender a feel of not being
important.
Hardcopy Newsletter:
Everyone has an email newsletter. Break out from the pack and
offer a hard copy newsletter as well. It can be offered as
infrequently as four times a year. Hardcopy newsletters that
are informative and resourceful give the receiver a sense of
being cared about.
Phone:
When in doubt, pick up the phone. If email is not getting the
job done with a particular client, don't hesitate to pick up
the phone. Voice to voice is the means for building true
confidence and that necessary personal touch.
Picture:
Show your visitors, clients, and leads who you are. A site
with a picture of the owner feels more friendly and personal
that an ultra-swift website without one.
Tell Your Story In First Person:
Many biographies are most appropriate in a third person format.
However, at your website it is more approachable to tell about
your experience and background as if you were speaking with a
friend.
Speak English:
Don't show off your in-depth industry skills by verbally
overwhelming your clients or prospects. Respect their level
of knowledge by speaking clear and easy-to- understand English.
Experts abound in the marketplace, but accessible experts are
the ones that set themselves off the pedestal and into the crowd.
This is the next step in personal, confidence building marketing
with today's smarter consumer.
******************************
Sandra Stammberger is the owner of the Affiliate Support Center, the resource solution for every entrepreneur wanting to propel their business forward. Membership in ASC provides each member valuable resources, information, and tools for creating dynamic success. Visit today at http://www.affiliatesupport.com.
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INSPIRATION
OUR OWN
If I had known in the morning
How wearily all the day
The words unkind would trouble my mind
That I said when you went away,
I had been more careful, darling,
Nor given you needless pain;
But we vex our own with look and tone
We may never take back again.
For though in the quiet evening
You may give me the kiss of peace,
Yet it well might be that never for me
The pain of the heart should cease!
How many go forth at morning
Who never come home at night!
And hearts have broken for harsh words spoken
That sorrow can ne'er set right.
We have careful thought for the stranger,
And smiles for the sometime guest;
But oft for "our own" the bitter tone,
Though we love our own the best.
Ah! lips with the curve impatient,
Ah! brow with the shade of scorn,
'Twere a cruel fate, were the night too late
To undo the work of the morn!
—Margaret E. Sangster
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ETCETERA
Contact publisher at:
elfbutter@erinet.com
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To use our editing/proofreading service, send a blank email to: editingservice@elfexpressionsezine.com
"DISCLAIMER: We disclaim any liability for the use of any contributed information contained herein. We also claim no responsibility for the legality or accuracy of advertisements or articles submitted and reprinted by permission. It is the contributor's and/or advertiser's responsibility to abide by all pertinent jurisdictional laws and regulations pertaining to that person's business."
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