A F*REE electronic magazine... May 21, 2003
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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!
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Publisher: Dave Balch, "The Stay-at-Home CEO"(tm)
" David made over $5 million at home and wants to help
you do the same or more "
Mark Victor Hanson, co-creator of the #1 best
selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series
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I n T h i s I s s u e . . .
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1. Feature: The Stay-at-Home CEO Recommends
2. A "Quickie" - Personal Observation
3. Feature: Article
"Be Brave"
4. Feature: "Ask Dave" - My take on your business problems
"Email marketing"
5. Feature: "Meanwhile, back at the ranch..."
"Phoebe is missing"
6. About "Big Bucks in a Bathrobe" Newsletter
7. Who the heck am I, anyway?
8. How to get on or get off of this list
You are on our list as <$email$>
(To be added/deleted from this list scroll to end for link.)
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PLEASE FORWARD THIS issue 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, which is a big no-no!) Thanks!
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(c) Copyright 2003, A Few Good People, Inc. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
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11111 The Stay-at-Home CEO Recommends:
According to my recent subscriber survey, many of
you wanted my recommendations on various books
and products.
You can read past recommendations here:
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/reviews.htm
(While it is true that I may make small amounts of
money on some of these recommendations, my integrity
is NOT for sale: I would never recommend something I
didn't believe-in 100%, just to make a buck or two.)
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"The Stay at Home CEO Marketing Tips" Newsletter
... and it's FR'EE
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I am very excited to announce a new newsletter focused on
Internet marketing.
"The Stay at Home CEO Marketing Tips" will be delivered
to you by email twice a month, containing lots of tips and
tricks that will help you increase your business and exposure
on the Internet.
Read all about it here:
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/nl/bbbmt.htm
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A New eBook on Success - no charge to BBB subscribers!
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If you want to succeed, you will LOVE this inspiring and
thoughtful eBook. It is an excerpt from a larger, more
comprehensive, and stunning eBook called "The Millionaire
Mindset".
Don't let that fool you, though. This excerpt is 46 pages
of rock-solid success theory and strategy. There will be
some material that you already know but forgot, as well as
some eye-opening ideas that you may not have considered.
Your time reading it will be well spent, I promise!
Download it now with my compliments!
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/nl/born.htm
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22222 A "Quickie" - Personal Observation
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After ragging on a local restaurant in my last issue for
their poor newsletter, a subscriber sent me an example of a
good newsletter. It was written by a local glass company
and there was information of interest about local sights and
weekend excursions, news about employees, and some helpful
tips about taking care of mirrors.
Naturally, there was a small section devoted to their fine
services and how to contact them.
It was professionally designed, without a single typo! I
was very glad to get it, so big "Thank you!" to subscriber
John Trammell of Clayton, California!
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SIGN-UP FOR MY F^REE 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
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33333 A r t i c l e "Be Brave"
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By Dave Balch, "The Stay-at-Home CEO(tm)"
I am going to do something very brave and frankly, I'm a
little nervous about it. I think it's important, though, to
do things that are outside your comfort zone. It's a great
way to expand your knowledge and abilities, and it can also
be exhilarating. Isn't that what life's about? What better
way to feel alive than to try new things, stretch your
limits, and let go of things on which you depend too much?
The brave thing that I'm going to do falls into the last
category; letting go of things on which I depend way too
much. It's funny that I am certainly a fan of adventure,
yet I don't think of this as one. If you think about it,
though, it really is.
So what is it that I'm going to do that requires such
bravery? What is it that I depend on that I'm going to let
go of? What is it that I'm going to do that is such an
adventure?
I'm going on vacation and I'm not taking my computer.
Stop laughing, this is serious stuff!
I need a break. Between my business, supporting my wife
through nine months of breast cancer treatments, and writing
a book about it (visit http://www.CancerForTwo.com ) I'm
frazzled. During her cancer ordeal we discovered how
important it was to have something to look forward to, and
we started talking about going to Tahiti. (I had no idea
how I would afford it, but that has never stopped me in the
past!) Now we have three anniversaries to celebrate, all on
the same day and even at the same time: 25 years since we
met, 20 years married, and one year since her cancer
diagnosis.
I can't remember the last time I went on a vacation, or a
trip of any kind for that matter, without my computer. I
can work on the plane and during quiet moments of the trip,
but this time it's going to be different, and I can hardly
wait. I'm going to force myself to relax and not think
about the things I usually think about.
I'm not even going to bring any books having to do with
business or success. I'm going to completely and utterly
leave my normal life for 10 days. I think that it will do
me a world of good.
Here's the point, two points actually. The first one is
that it is so important to try new things and stretch
yourself on a regular basis. For example, I do a spot on
our local cable channel once every three weeks; when I
started I was terrified, but now it's become routine. If I
hadn't gone beyond my comfort zone and made the commitment,
I wouldn't be able to do that now. Before you know it, I'll
be on Oprah! (Or not.)
The other point is that it is much too difficult for owners
of small businesses to get away, really get away. I've
decided to do it for the fist time in a long time, and I
know it is a calculated risk. Sure, something could come up
that needs my immediate attention, but the odds of that
happening are small and even if it does, I predict that the
world will get along with out me for a short time.
Be brave and go outside your comfort zone. The rewards are
worth the risk.
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44444 "A s k D a v e"
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(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:
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Dear Dave,
I appreciate your newsletter. I have a new business and
have been looking into various methods to start doing
regular email marketing campaigns. I have looked at a
couple of software vendors such as abc.com, xyz.com, etc.
[I have removed the specific names for obvious reasons...]
ABC to be a good product that will enable a novice to create
high quality email messages and what seems to be a very
robust tracking and follow up process. Since my target
market is very specific in terms of industry and geography,
I have been assembling an email contact list so I have a
reasonable database of contacts with which I hope to share
my value proposition.
This software has a start up cost of about $2500 - $3000
which allows about 30,000 emails per year to be sent. Seems
pricey but when I compare to other services that charge $.05
- $.09 per email and their databases do not seem to be
focused enough for my niche, the start up cost for ABC seems
reasonable.
I feel I’m spending way to much time trying to understand
enough about this marketing method and all available tools
and not “getting the message out.” Are you familiar with ABC
or other similar software? What recommendations do you
have? Thanks!
B.D., Texas
Dear B.D.
My recommendation is not to do email marketing. Period.
Spam is a tremendous problem on the Internet today and I
don't think you will be successful if you become part of
the problem. It just doesn't work. And, with all of the
anti-spam programs and campaigns out there it is getting
more and more difficult to get your message out.
If you are sending unsolicited email, it is spam. There
is no getting around it. And, if you say in your message
that it isn't spam, that is simply the biggest red flag
there is that it is spam. Don't do it. It won't work.
If you really want to throw away the money, just send it
to me ;-).
Instead, I suggest that you learn the "correct" and
"acceptable" way to market your products and services on
the Internet. There is a tremendous course available that
will show you everything that you need to do to do it
properly, and I can tell you that if anything will work,
this will.
There are no guarantees; I have no idea what you propose
to offer, but I can guarantee with virtual certainty that
email marketing won't work, and you will end up learning
to do it correctly eventually when it doesn't.
The only thing that seems to work with bulk email is
selling the idea of bulk email.
I'm trying to help you here... it won't work. Not only
will you spend a lot of money trying, but you can
literally get kicked off of the Internet if your ISP gets
wind of what you are doing.
Check out this article about spam:
http://www.spamprimer.com
Then check out this Internet Marketing Course:
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/nl/isecrets.htm
Do everyone a favor, including yourself, by doing it right
the first time!
Good luck!
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55555 "M e a n w h i l e, b a c k at the r a n c h..."
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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 )
We had the carpets cleaned the other day and, as I'm sure
you can imagine, that was quite a commotion as far as the
animals were concerned.
In order to get their hose and equipment into the house, the
carpet cleaning guys have to leave doors open that are
normally closed, and we always forget to put the cats
somewhere so they can't get outside.
This time was no exception.
Chris started looking for Phoebe and couldn't find her. She
called down to the office and told Kate and me what had
happened, so we dropped what we were doing and the big
search was on.
Kate and Chris canvassed the outside of the house with great
concern. We have lost two cats that got out accidentally
and met some horrible demise at the hands (or should I say
'claws') of the local wildlife; I can't even think
about it.
I double-checked the house and deck. Sure enough, there was
Phoebe hiding behind the spa, invisible to someone who
didn't know that she liked to hide there.
Whew!
Maybe next time we get the carpets cleaned we'll remember
this problem and put the cats in a special room for the 45
minutes of ensuing commotion.
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66666 A b o u t "Big Bucks in a Bathrobe"
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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
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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
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77777 W h o t h e H e c k a m I, A n y w a y ?
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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
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88888 H o w to S u b s c r i b e / U n s u b s c r i b e
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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
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A Few Good People, Inc.
P.O. Box 824
Twin Peaks, CA 92391
1-800-366-2347
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