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Newsletter Archive
October 8, 2002


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A FREE electronic magazine...                     October 8, 2002
=================================================================
B I G   B U C K S   I N   A   B A T H R O B E
Make More Money & Have More Fun With Your Small Business!
=================================================================
Publisher:  Dave Balch, "The Stay-at-Home CEO"(tm)

   "David made over $5 million at home and wants to help you
    do the same or more"
             Mark Victor Hanson, co-creator of the #1 best selling
             "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series

(To be added or deleted from this list, scroll to end for link.)

=================================================================

SIGN-UP FOR MY FREE MIN-E-SEMINAR:

"Secrets of an Actual $5 Million Home Business"

Eight e-mails in eight days that will change the way you run your
small business!

http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/secrets/mine1.htm

=================================================================

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN DECEMBER 4 IN AFRICA, INDIAN OCEAN,
AND AUSTRALIA!

If you have ever wanted to see a total eclipse of the sun,
now's the perfect time to go.  It's the last one visible
from land until 2006!

Believe me, a total solar eclipse is an experience that will
change your life and your view of the world.  Everything in
your physical world will change, for just a few minutes,
into something that cannot be experienced at any other time
or under any other circumstances.  This will be my 9th eclipse,
and I intend to go to every eclipse for the rest of my life,
no matter where they occur.  There's a reason why I keep
going back; discover for yourself!

If you'd like to find out more about booking an exciting
African safari and/or cruise with the added bonus of a total
eclipse of the sun, drop me a note!  I can hook you up!
mailto:Dave@DaveBalch.com

=================================================================
I n   T h i s   I s s u e . . .
=================================================================

   1. A "Quickie" - Personal Observation
   2. Feature: Article
               "The Perfect Gift for Our Customers"
   3. Feature: "Ask Dave" - Can I help with a business problem?
               What business to start
   4. Feature: "Meanwhile, back at the ranch..."
               The Three Bears
   5. About "Big Bucks in a Bathrobe" Newsletter
   6. Who the Heck am I, Anyway?
   7. How to get on or get off of this list

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
   PLEASE FORWARD THIS to each of your friends who have
   small or home-based businesses; they'll LOVE you for it!
   (Be sure they know it's from you, or they'll think I sent
   it without asking, and we all know that is a no-no!)  Thanks!
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Copyright (c)2002, A Few Good People, Inc.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11111 A "Quickie" - Personal Observation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The molding is coming away from one of our windows.  I
called the company that had supplied the windows when we
built the house, and he came right over.  While he was here,
I showed him how one of the panels on a sliding glass door
had buckled.

"No problem," he said.  "We'll replace the window and the
door under warranty.  I'll order them today."

And that was that.  It wasn't an issue that we've had them
over 4 years.  "Our windows and doors shouldn't do that, so
we'll replace them.  Period."

That, ladies and gentlemen, is customer service.

How can you use that in your business?  It doesn't really
hurt to offer an outrageous guarantee; few will take
advantage, but even those that do will be far outweighed by
the image of class and confidence that comes with the offer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
22222 A r t i c l e "The Perfect Gift for Our Customers"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE:  This article was written and published last November,
but I am re-running it now for my new subscribers and as a
reminder for everyone.  This is the time of year to be
thinking about these things...  I will run this article
every year at this time.

The Perfect Gift For Our Customers

By Dave Balch, the "Stay-at-Home CEO(tm)"

It's almost time for the holidays again and we all want to
do something for our customers, right?  We want to let them
know how much we appreciate them and their business, and we
want to wish them and their families a wonderful holiday
season.  Mostly, though, we'd like to score some big points
so they will continue to be our customers!  (Maybe we're
just afraid we'll look stupid if we don't do anything at
all...)

What to do for them?  Buy a gift they may or may not want or
need?  How about a bottle of wine?  Maybe they don't drink.
Candy?  Maybe they are watching their weight.  Calendars?
Desk stuff?  When's the last time that you received
something like that from someone that you do business with?
Did you like/want/need/appreciate it?  My guess is "No".  So
what can you do that everyone will appreciate without
breaking the bank?

Consider this:  donation cards.  I have used this concept
with great success.  Here's what worked for me.

Print post cards that are self-addressed/postage-paid on one
side.  On the other side put a holiday message to the effect
"Thank you for your continued support during the past year.
In lieu of a gift of some sort, we felt a charitable
donation in your name would be more in keeping with the
holiday spirit", a place for name and address, and a list
of charities from which they can choose.  (You can see and
borrow a sample from
www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/donationcard.htm )

Bingo!  Holiday shopping is complete, you have complete
control over the cost, and your customers will love it.
Some thoughts:

1. You can decide ahead of time how much you want to spend,
and then write the individual checks in proportion to the
responses.

2. Send each charity a copy of the cards on which they were
selected, in case they send acknowledgements.

3. Historically it has been cheaper to put stamps on the
cards than pay a business reply rate on only those that are
returned.  You could let the customers pay the postage, but
that would defeat the purpose!

4. Printing the cards for several years in advance makes
them really inexpensive, and including them in my Christmas
card gets them into my customers' hands at no extra cost.
The down side, however, is that if something changes, the
cards may be unusable.

5. I wouldn't suggest letting individuals write-in a
charity... you'll get too many different ones, which will be
very expensive by the time you write a check that is an
amount worth sending, research addresses, and keep track of
it all.

6. We tried to select the charities so that there would be
something for everyone:  three major diseases (Heart,
Cancer, Diabetes) and one for animal lovers (Actors and
Others for Animals).  Now, something for September 11 might
be appropriate as well.

7. Several of my customers have told me that they always
look forward to getting my cards every year (we always use
humorous cards), and appreciate the donation.

8. Many companies object to vendors sending gifts of any
kind, but we have never run into an objection with this
technique.

How can you adapt this idea for your business?

Happy Holidays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
33333  "A s k   D a v e"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   (Can I help you with a business problem?  I will field
   business questions in every issue.  Send them to
   mailto:Dave@DaveBalch.com )

   Ask whatever you'd like... all letters will remain anonymous.

   Maybe my 2-cents'-worth will help you make "Big Bucks"!
   (Maybe not!)

Today's question:
----------------

I am afflicted with fibromyalgia... I can no longer be
dependable in a 9 to 5 situation (I have all my insurance
licenses) so I want to begin a home based/internet business
because I was not brought up to take welfare of any kind.
Can you give me advice on what route you think I should
take?  I currently raise Golden Retrievers and through
classifieds on the net have placed pups all over the
country.  Everyone is very impressed with my dogs and I am
very good at training them also.  I also love to write about
the outdoors and am an artist in various medias.  Can you
think of the best direction to go with my skills to
incorporate them into a business that can be on a website?
Where would you start if you were me?  I can't take a long
time without any viable income...

                         CRH, Wisconsin

   Dear CRH:

   Since the Internet is best suited to information, there
   seems to be a couple of things you could do.  Since you
   love to write, that opens up a lot of possibilities.  Some
   thoughts:

   1. You could do free-lance work for publications that
   appeal to those with similar interests as yours.  For
   example, dogs, dog breeding, dog training, outdoor
   life/living/experiences, etc.  Here's a place to get
   information about freelance writing:
   http://www.FreelanceWorkExchange.com

   2. eBooks - write an eBook about one of the topics
   mentioned above and market it/them to niche markets.
   There is probably a market for dog training, for example.

   3. I'm not sure what your insurance experience is, but
   perhaps you could write articles or eBooks relating
   experiences, tricks, tips, and techniques that would be
   of interest to others in the insurance field.

   4. Start an e-zine for dog training, targeted at dog owners.
   You could then use that as a vehicle for selling advertising
   and other people's products to your subscribers.

   5. Here's what NOT to do: sign-up for some get-rich-quick
   scheme "guaranteed" to make money... they are scams.  If you
   notice how many different people are sending you the same
   spam emails that will tell you how they DON'T work... everyone
   is trying to get the same thing from the same people.  It
   doesn't work. Period.

   6. Here's something else NOT to do: go into a business that
   you don't understand and/or don't enjoy just because it looks
   like it will make money.  You will hate what you are doing and
   therefore will be miserable, plus you will not do your best.
   You will be much happier doing something you enjoy, even if
   it makes less money.

   Good luck to you... please let me know what you decide to
   do!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
44444 "M e a n w h i l e,   b a c k   a t   t h e   r a n c h..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       A glimpse into the life of this "Stay-at-Home CEO"

   (Photos and short bios of the complete "cast of characters"
   are posted at http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/theranch.htm )

Our neighbor came over to introduce their new dog and we
told him about seeing the bears in the middle of the night.
(You can read about it at
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/Newsletters/bucks020924.htm )

He told us that it was probably the same bears that had been
going through the trash dumpsters at the school (that is
next to our property).  In fact, the two babies had
fallen into one of the dumpsters and couldn't
get out.  One of the lids had been bashed in, presumably by
the mother in an effort to rescue her cubs.  When they were
discovered, some very brave men tipped it so they could
escape.  (Fortunately, the momma bear was not around, or it
could have been a problem.)

That night, on our way home from dinner, we thought we'd
cruise by the dumpsters to check out the damage.  There they
were, all three of them!  We got a really good, close look
in good light (the dumpster is under a floodlight).  When
THEY saw US, the babies scurried up a tree and the adult
reared up on her hind legs!  I was surprised at how small
the little ones were; about the size of a good-sized dog.
We stayed in the car (DUH) and got no closer than about 100
feet from them, but it was quite a thrill to see them wander
off.  As it turns out, they get to the school by walking
along our northern fence line, and within about 10 feet of
that fence.

Rumor has it that one of the students at the school is named
"Goldilocks"...

-------------------- CHRIS' CANCER UPDATE

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have written with good
wishes for Chris.  Her fifth chemo treatment was last week,
October 3. As I write this she is practically comatose; she
is so fatigued that it is all she can do to get up and go to
the bathroom by herself.  Plus she is quite congested and is
coughing a lot, which is taxing what little strength she has
at the moment.  This part of the chemo-aftermath usually
only lasts a few days, and then she will slowly come out of
it and be back to normal in about 10-15 days.  Only one more
treatment, and it's October 24!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55555  A b o u t  "Big Bucks in a Bathrobe"  N e w s l e t t e r
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome! You are receiving this because either:
   -You requested it on my website or after seeing me at a
    speaking engagement
   -I know you personally and thought you'd like it
   -I asked you if I could send it and you said "Yes"
   -Someone forwarded it to you because they thought you'd
    like it.

If you don't want to receive future issues, scroll to the
bottom for instructions on how to be removed from the list.
No harm, no foul, no hurt feelings!

My goal is a bi-weekly newsletter that will:
   -help you with your small or home-based business
   -share articles of interest
   -be informal and informative
   -answer specific questions asked by readers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
66666  W h o   t h e   H e c k   a m   I,   A n y w a y ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've generated over $5 million (so far!) from my own home-based
software business and I have a lot to share with you about how I
did it and what I learned along the way.  Now, as a professional
speaker, I offer programs that will help you and your employees
"Make More Money and Have More Fun" with your small or home-based
business!

Visit me at http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com for descriptions of
the programs and educational resources that I offer.

The "Big Bucks Boutique" offers resources and materials that will
help you "Make More Money and Have More Fun" with your business.
Take a look at http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/boutique.htm

AOL users:
<A HREF=" http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/boutique.htm ">GO!</A>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
77777  H o w   to   S u b s c r i b e   /   U n s u b s c r i b e
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please note:

   - This newsletter is sent every other week.

   - Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

   - Your information is NEVER intentionally shared with
     ANYone for ANY reason.  PERIOD.

   - Contact me at mailto:Dave@DaveBalch.com

   - HOW TO GET ON OUR LIST If this issue was forwarded to you and
     you would like to receive your own copy (and OF COURSE you DO!),
     you can sign-up at http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com

                   A Few Good People, Inc.
                        P.O. Box 824
                    Twin Peaks, CA  92391
                       1-800-366-2347

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© Copyright 2003, A Few Good People, Inc.
P.O. Box 824
Twin Peaks, CA   92391
800-366-2347
909-337-3928
909-337-4945 Fax