http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:32:56 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/images/ye/misc/rss.jpg http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/obama-giant-lollipops-and-unique-selling-propositions-51267.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:21:37 GMT If you've been involved in sales and/or marketing for any length of time, you've probably heard the term "Unique Selling Proposition." But just in case you haven't, let me explain what a USP is.

A Unique Selling Proposition is what makes a business unique and/or different from all other businesses in its category. For example, the USP for a high-end restaurant, might include the exclusive clientele it serves, a specialized menu, white glove service, as well as other exclusive amenities. Continue reading Obama, Giant Lollipops and Unique Selling Propositions.

David Jackson ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge David Jackson http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/obama-giant-lollipops-and-unique-selling-propositions-51267.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/who-here-actively-trades-the-markets-51194.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:25:52 GMT I trade just about everyday, and looking for others that do too. - nathan I trade just about everyday, and looking for others that do too.

- nathan ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge Southern_Lenders http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/who-here-actively-trades-the-markets-51194.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/new-guy-here-51185.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:57:35 GMT Figured I would come out and officially introduce myself. My name is Kenny Gunter and I am the owner/managing member of Gunter Land Services, LLC. We provide project management services for the energy sector. Most of the work we do is in the oil/gas industry but we are currently working on a... Figured I would come out and officially introduce myself. My name is Kenny Gunter and I am the owner/managing member of Gunter Land Services, LLC. We provide project management services for the energy sector. Most of the work we do is in the oil/gas industry but we are currently working on a wind farm prospect in the Texas panhandle and are working on drumming up some money for that. You can see more about us at our website at gunterlandservices.com ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge GunterLand http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/new-guy-here-51185.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/blackberry-9700-launched-on-t-mobile-today-51126.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:19:09 GMT Something I was looking forward to until I heard about the Droid. The BlackBerry 9700 launched today on T-Mobile. I was going to get it, but since I already have a plan with Verizon and they just launched the Droid, I'll probably end up getting that. I'd also like to attempt to create some applications for the Android OS, so that's another reason for me to go that route. Anyway, I just thought I'd let everyone know in-case you were awaiting a new T-Mobile BlackBerry. ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge Encrypted http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/blackberry-9700-launched-on-t-mobile-today-51126.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/7-free-traffic-methods-that-rock-51122.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:09:04 GMT You've probably heard the proverb, "If you want to catch fish, fish where the fish are." Well, that exact same principle applies to Internet Marketing as well - especially when it comes to generating free traffic to your website.

So where should you fish for free traffic? And how do you know what works and what doesn't? Believe it or not, I once had the exact same questions. To discover the answers, I read articles like this one and started experimenting with a variety of free traffic methods.

This article is the result of those experiments. Following are seven free traffic methods that I've used successfully over the past year, and continue to use today. What you are about to read is not speculation, it's fact. Continue reading 7 Free Traffic Methods That Rock.

David Jackson ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge David Jackson http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/7-free-traffic-methods-that-rock-51122.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/for-seasoned-entreprenuers-51109.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:29:26 GMT Did you fail at your 1st business? Did you fail at your 1st business? ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge rhondimon http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/for-seasoned-entreprenuers-51109.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/anyone-here-owns-a-forum-51081.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:44:21 GMT I'm thinking about investing in a forum. Is it a lot of work to maintain a forum? is it a good investment? I need some advice.

Thanks ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge david90 http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/anyone-here-owns-a-forum-51081.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/success-wealth-oriented-clubs-51037.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:41:29 GMT Anyone know of any good entrepreneurial, motivational, success / wealth oriented or investment clubs within the NYC or LI area?

I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance! ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge finances5 http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/success-wealth-oriented-clubs-51037.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/need-traffic-to-your-website-51004.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:18:46 GMT Consider advertising on some of our network sites...rates are really affordable. Visit eMonopoly.net (http://www.eMonopoly.net) to learn more Consider advertising on some of our network sites...rates are really affordable.

Visit eMonopoly.net to learn more ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge diknox00 http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/need-traffic-to-your-website-51004.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/the-seduction-of-internet-marketing-newbies-50939.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:26:32 GMT If you got behind the wheel of a car without knowing how to drive, chances are, you'd crash. Yet, every single day on the Internet, thousands of newbies are performing the equivalent of the aforementioned driving analogy, by putting up a website without having the slightest idea how to promote it. And guess what happens - they crash!

In my opinion, starting a business - any business without having even basic marketing skills is not only putting the proverbial cart before the horse - it's downright foolish!

Now some might argue that a business plan is more important than marketing ability. And others might argue that knowing how to manage a business is more important than having a marketing acumen.

Well, I agree with the former argument. A good business plan is like a GPS system. It will keep you on course, and headed in the right direction. A business plan is an absolute must, and you should definitely develop one before you start any business.

However, I reject the latter argument. Why? Because you can be the greatest manager in the world, but if you don't know how to market your wares, your business will fail - I don't care what you're selling.

That's why I consider competency in marketing the most important business skill that you can have. If you become proficient in the art of marketing, it will allow you to become profitable that much quicker. Then you can afford to either hire a manager, or take a business management course.

A Simple Classified Ad

How important is it to acquire marketing proficiency? Believe it or not, writing a simple classified ad is considered both an art and a science, seriously! Publisher and mail order legend, Melvin Powers actually wrote an entire 240 page book about classified advertising titled, "Making Money with Classified Ads." In an advertisement for the book Powers writes:

"I've run thousands upon thousands of ads, month after month, year after year and have made millions doing it. I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't. I found that, as with most things, making money with classified ads is easy when you know how."

Author and master copywriter, Robert Boduch also wrote a book about classified advertising titled "Classified Magic ...How To Make Your Small Ads Pay Off BIG!" In an advertisement for his book, Boduch wrote:

"After years of running ads -- trying out various approaches -- I began to collect the key ideas that worked. I wanted to figure out what made some classified ads so successful. And I kept testing new approaches until ...I finally figured out ...what works and what doesn’t."

By the way, while we're on the subject of writing ads, do yourself a favor and start reading Brian Clark's outstanding copywriting blog, CopyBlogger. You won't get a better ad writing education anywhere on the Internet - and it's free! You can thank me later.

How Do I Get Free Traffic to My Website?

I'm a member of several small business forums, and without fail, whenever newbies visit the forums, the two questions they ask most often are: "How do I promote my website?" or, "How do I get free traffic to my website?" Those two basic questions get asked by newbies every single day.

Newbies, are you starting to see my point about the importance of acquiring marketing skills? You need to know the answer to those questions, before you build a website. As I demonstrated a moment ago, even writing something as simple as a classified ad requires a certain degree of competency.

The Seduction of Internet Marketing Newbies

In his book "Seduction," author and social theorist Jean Baudrillard writes:

"Many social behavior theorists classify seduction as a specialized form of persuasion. Seduction can also be viewed as a form of power that relies on psychological mastery rather than the use of coercive power, money, or intellectual appeals."

I couldn't agree more. Seduction is indeed a "specialized form of persuasion that relies on psychological mastery." That's one of the reasons why so many newbies come online believing that they can succeed without any type of training - without any marketing knowledge whatsoever. They've been psychologically seduced - mentally manipulated into believing that they can - much like gamblers are seduced by the dream of striking it rich in Las Vegas casinos.
Allow me to elaborate: Naive and highly impressionable newbies see stories on tv about ordinary people getting rich on ebay. They see the slickly produced "get rich quick on the Internet" infomercials. They read the newspaper and magazine articles about people starting an online business with little or no money, and seemingly making millions overnight.

In addition, brilliantly composed and ultra persuasive get-rich-quick ads literally saturate the Internet. They're everywhere! At virtually every turn, newbies are bombarded and seduced with stories, and images of ordinary people making extraordinary amounts of money on the Internet. And as is human nature, they want to get in on the action too. In essence, newbies are being seduced with unrealistic visions of the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

And because the seduction methods being perpetrated are so powerful and effective, they almost have a brainwashing effect. Most newbies are incapable of determining for themselves what's true and what isn't. They can't comprehend that the "flavor of the month" success stories they see in the media and on the Internet are the exception, rather than the rule.

Now many of you reading this may erroneously come to the conclusion that I'm against capitalism, and free enterprise. I can assure you, I'm not. I'm all for everyone making as much money as they possibly can. After all, that's the American way. That being said, I also think it's important that newbies coming online be told the "truth" about Internet Marketing - that it's not nearly as easy as it's being presented.

The Truth About Internet Marketing

Because of fierce competition and ratings pressure, the tv media especially tends to glamorize certain news items. As a result, newbies are being fed a daily dose of sensationalized poppycock! The truth is, Internet marketing is hard work. No, not ditch-digging hard - but hard work nonetheless. And for every "rainbows and lollipops" success story that gets publicized, there are at least a thousand gut-wrenching failures that get swept under the rug.

The point of this article is to cut through the hype and B.S - to tell newbies the truth about Internet Marketing. It's a business, like any other business. And it requires preparation, effort and dedication. So how can newbies realistically succeed on the Internet? In my opinion, the easiest, safest and best way for newbies to succeed online is with affiliate programs.

What Are Affiliate Program?

In a nutshell, an affiliate program is where you agree to promote another company's products for a commission, or percentage of the profits. Affiliate programs are perfect for newbies, because for the most part, you don't even need a website to get started making money. You also don't have to worry about billing hassles, stocking inventory or shipping products. That's all handled for you by the merchant. You simply promote the daylights out of the link the merchant provides you. And when you make sales - collect your money.

But what about if you don't know anything about marketing? Glad you asked.

The best and most successful affiliate programs like Dr. Ken Evoy's 5 Pillar Affiliate Program or The Internet Marketing Center (IMC) Affiliate Program take you by the hand, and help guide you through the marketing process. They work with you to help you become successful. They'll do their part - but you have to do your part as well. That means you have to work hard, and faithfully study and apply their proven marketing techniques - and learn how to promote their programs. They'll teach you what you need to know to become successful, and allow you to progress at your own pace.

There are also some excellent books on the market, written especially for newbies. One of the best is "Street Smart Internet Marketing" by Justin Michie.

So if you're a newbie reading this, do yourself a favor, and pick up a copy of "Street Smart Internet Marketing." It's selling on Amazon for as little as $4.99 - a relatively painless investment in your marketing education.

Free Internet Marketing Resources for Newbies

A really great website for newbies is the original newbies site, Joe Robson's The Newbie Club. This site has some incredible free resources, including articles, free tutorials, newbie software, newbie books and e-mail courses.
StartupNation is another fantastic site for newbies. It pretty much has everything a newbie would need, all on one website, including blogs, forums and a marketplace where you can promote your business for free. It's a very impressive site.

Also, check out Lynn Terry's Self Starters Weekly Tips website. Lynn has been working online for over a decade. Her website has plenty of free resources, including a popular forum and blog. And from what I've observed, Lynn goes out of her way to help newbies.

Another good site for newbies is Mike Merz' im4newbies. Mike has been helping newbies for nearly a decade. Our paths have never crossed, but word is, Mike's one of the truly good guys on the Internet - and his site has some excellent free resources for newbies.

In closing, Internet marketing is serious business - so be sure to treat it that way. Because unlike the movie, "Field of Dreams," where "if you build it, they will come." On the Internet, if you build a website without knowing how to promote it - nobody's coming!

David Jackson ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge David Jackson http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/the-seduction-of-internet-marketing-newbies-50939.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/after-the-housing-recovery-act-50938.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:07:23 GMT Does any have any opinions of what will happen to house prices after the housing recovery act ends? I feel the artificial demand may be keeping prices level, but a few months after the program ends, when reality sets in, taking the $8000 credit could have been a mistake if prices go down again... Does any have any opinions of what will happen to house prices after the housing recovery act ends? I feel the artificial demand may be keeping prices level, but a few months after the program ends, when reality sets in, taking the $8000 credit could have been a mistake if prices go down again after april 30th (or whenever it ends now). Of course if you put the $8k back into principal immediately, knowing you have a check in the mail could also save a substantial amount with 8k less to amortize on your mortgage.

What would you do if you had to buy a house within the next year? ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge pboychuk http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/after-the-housing-recovery-act-50938.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/like-reality-tv-the-check-out-new-reality-website-50889.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:13:32 GMT Has anyone seen this new website?

www dot inafishbowl dot co dot uk

It's kind of like a Big Brother but for business start ups. There are 3 fishbowls, and each one contains a different business.

Fishbowl 1: Matt is starting a record label and band management company called Sharabang Music, which uses a double decker bus to promote new talent.

Fishbowl 2: Marcella is using her Mexican heritage to create amazing Mexican food for her business Rico Mexican Kitchen, but with a family to look after and cooking all the sauces at home, it's going to be difficult!

Fishbowl 3: Owain and Dominic are running an online tailored suit company, finding new British talent and making some really nice suits at their company Head and Griffiths.

Each business will upload videos and blog posts, so you can follow them as they progress from business idea to business reality. This is an opportunity not only to enjoy their interesting journeys, but also to learn from their experiences.

What does everyone think? ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge FishBowl http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/like-reality-tv-the-check-out-new-reality-website-50889.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/do-you-love-boats-50802.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:03 GMT well I am just getting into it and I find boats very interesting I see a lot of business opportunities any ideas folks please help????????????????????????????????????? well I am just getting into it and I find boats very interesting I see a lot of business opportunities any ideas folks please help????????????????????????????????????? ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge tilva http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/do-you-love-boats-50802.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/interesting-article-on-a-business-sale-advising-concept-50784.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:25:21 GMT I came across this very interesting article that talks about a man named John Halstvedt. He works out of Billings, Montana but is part of a larger consulting type network named "Partner" On-Call Network.

"John Halstvedt is a something like a marriage broker, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them work through all the research and options and paperwork.

We also work with existing businesses to grow through acquisition, maximize profits, develop business plans, arrange financing and prepare their business for a future sale."

I especially liked what he had to say about the problem facing most people trying to buy a business, especially in this economy...

"Most people hunting for a business to buy eventually give up. And most businesses for sale never do find a buyer.

The reason, said John Halstverdt, is frustration "due to poor communication between buyers and sellers, errors of omission and a lack of education and preparation.""

I hadn't really thought about but I guess that's the reason that people would want to pay for a professional to help them through the business acquisition process. Its certainly a model that I think is very interesting and apparently he helps a lot of people like us when their looking to take steps to either expand their existing business or buy a new one.

If you want to check out the whole article, is from the Billings, Montana newspaper, but you can find it online at.... the Istockanalyst website, article ID # is 3617271

I would be interested to hear what other people's takes are on the service this fella provides.

:D ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge BuyerAdvocate http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/interesting-article-on-a-business-sale-advising-concept-50784.html http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/which-company-has-the-best-50756.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:08:30 GMT Hey all, new to the entrepreneur forum and looking forward to networking and contributing to the forum. Was wondering if anybody here knew which company has the best sales training program and any connections/tips to work for that company. I live near San Francisco, California, and looking to... Hey all, new to the entrepreneur forum and looking forward to networking and contributing to the forum. Was wondering if anybody here knew which company has the best sales training program and any connections/tips to work for that company. I live near San Francisco, California, and looking to getting started in sales. onward! ]]> Young Entrepreneur Lounge NeemaF http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/forum/f14-young-entrepreneur-lounge/which-company-has-the-best-50756.html