FinancialHat | A Blog about Money

Emergency Energy Rebate

Mark — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:00:56 +0000

Have you heard the talk of the possibility of a new stimilus check to help the economy? That topic does get talked about a lot. But have you heard about this one.

President-Elect Barack Obama has bounced the idea of enacting a windfall profits tax on the excessive oil company profits to fund an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate for American families.

This is listed on Obamas website as one of the ideas they are thinking about doing. It was also listed as one of the energy-related agenda items on Change.gov. With the recent drop in energy prices this might not get a lot of support.

What do you think of this idea?

I think the majority of people get sick and tired of hearing about record profits from the oil companies while we are struggling. My thought is that if this gets passed what would stop the oil companies of recovering this cost by passing it on to us the consumers.

Somehow the government would have to make sure the oil companies cannot pass on the added cost to us.

Online Business Referral System

Mark — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:00:44 +0000

Entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and independent professionals are always on the look out for systems that help them get referrals.

After looking high and low to find a system that would help generate referrals I have finally found one.

I have finally found a system that:

Generates more referrals that you can handle!

Is extremely cost effective

Takes very little of your valuable time to use

Every small business owner, entrepreneur, and service professional knows the best way to get new customers are through referrals. Customers coming to you by a referral because someone they trusted referred them to you. Referrals will give you the biggest return over any other marketing method.

Getting referrals can be extremely difficult. Most people do not like to ask anyone for a referral. However most customers would be happy to make referrals, but if you do not keep your name in front of customers they soon forget about you.

Do You Know
A recent study found that 62% of the reasons customers fail to continue to do business with you is because of perceived indifference. It will cost you 6 times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep your customer.

How to Network Successfully

The key for networking is to have a follow-up system for every networking event you attend. Somehow you need a system to keep everything straight.

Most people attend networking meetings and never follow up with the people they meet. Here are seven simple ideas to follow up successfully:

Send an email within 24 hours whenever you meet someone letting them know you enjoyed meeting them.
Mail a simple “nice to meet you” greeting card with 24 hours.
Call them within a week and set up a coffee, lunch, or short meeting to learn more about their business and how you two can help each other. This meeting is more to learn about them then you telling them about you. Get their birthday so you can put it your system to send them a birthday card.
If by chance you did not meet in that week, call and set up another time to meet.
After your meeting, send a greeting card thanking them for their time.
Give them some kind of referral within 30 days. This does not have to be a person. This could also be an idea or a resource they can use.
After your meeting make contact again within 30 days. You are trying to build up a network that will last a long time.

Whether you attend a networking event every week or just once in a while, the key is how you follow-up! Use this little system and you will see amazing results.

If you have not tried our greeting cards system yet, request your free gift account today and send a few free cards on me!

How To Get More Referrals

I have been an entrepreneur for the past thirty years. During this time I have been exposed to numerous referral programs and systems. After all these years I have concluded that the number one method of getting more referrals is to simply develop a very personal and close relationship with your customers or clients through regular contact, so that when the time is right, they will remember you for their own needs and will also refer you their friends, relatives, and colleagues who need your help and services.

The best way I’ve found to keep in personal touch is by sending greeting cards. I’m not the only one who has discovered this.
Joe Girard used a little-known secret to become the most successful referral marketer of all time

Joe was honored by the Guiness Book of World Records for selling more crs than any single person in history, 12 times achieving the top vehicle sales in the world. In his best year he sold 1425 units. These units were all retail sales (no fleet sales). To learn more about Joe click here.

So what did Joe do to accomplish this? Greeting Cards.

Joe so believed in the power of greeting cards he employed two assistants out of his own pocket. According to the Detroit News. “Joe sent out nearly 13,000 greeting cards a month to his customers, celebrating everything from Halloween to Groundhog day.” Joe proved without a doubt that greeting cards inspire customer loyalty and motivate customers to refer their friends.

Greeting cards are the ultimate business tool

You can use greeting cards in your business to make sure your customers remain your customers, transform casual customers into loyal customers, and to convert new business contacts into customers, clients, or patients.

Take A Look At This Unbelievable System

I was talking to a friend about different strategies to use to improve my business when he suggested I look at a greeting card system he uses. I at first didn’t even want to look at it. I have sent out thank you cards and notes in my business but I thought it was time consuming and expensive.

Being somewhat curious my friend had me sit down in front of my computer and he gave me a tour. When I saw what the system could do I got extremely excited. I saw the possibilities that this system could do for myself and for others! I couldn’t wait to get started.

How You Can Use This System To Grow Your Business

Whenever I meet someone or whenever I do business with someone. I make a point of getting their mailing address and birthdate. I then put their information into my system and a week before their birthday the system reminds me to send a birthday card to them.

When I see the reminder I pick out a card from over 13,000 cards to choose from that I feel is appropriate for them. I can even make card if I have a picture I want to put on the front of the card. I then write a heartfelt message, select either my own handwriting font or use different font options, click a button and the card gets mailed.

Besides birthdays you can send cards to customers, clients, prospects, and friends anytime you choose to stay in touch with them. You can send a card monthly, quarterly, or twice a year with a single click of the mouse.

Here’s How The System Works

You can choose from over 13,000 cards or you can custom design your own cards for less than a dollar using some unbelievable features. You then can set up a multiple-piece mailing campaign using a combination of thank you cards, holiday cards, cards sharing suggestions or tips that showcase your expertise, requests for referrals, or anything that will keep your name in front of the people you choose every month.

Every person who does business with you or that you do business with put their name into your system and send your cards with a single click of the mouse. It’s as simple as that! The campaign system will merge their name into the greeting, will include your personal note with your own handwriting and signature, then addresses, stuffs, licks, stamps (with a real stamp) and takes it to the post office and mails it for you whenever you want it mailed. That is cool. You customer will receive hand-written, personalized cards from you with you lifting a finger!

If you would send a monthly campaign, this entire campaign will cost you only $12 to stay in touch with them for the year, without you lifting a finger. Or if you would send cards quarterly, it would cost you only $4. You get to determind how often you want to stay in touch, and you let the system do the rest!

Studies have shown that in most industries, sales are made after 7 contacts with your prospects. Yet the vast majority of businesses have NO follow-up system in place. What if you attract a new customer? They can easily go somewhere else if they don’t feel like you care about their business of if they just forget about you. Until now, follow-up has always been expensive and time consuming.

Experience how easy it is to send a greeting card!

Contact me and I will set you up with your own trial account so you can test drive the system and see how it works. After trying it yourself, I’m sure you will agree that this is one of the most amazing productivity and relationship-building tools you’ve ever seen. It automates your follow-up with prospects in a highly personal way.

The Economy And The Second Stimulus Package

Mark — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:00:27 +0000

With the economy still in a downturn I thought I would share what the thoughts are with the second stimulus package.

If the first stimulus package of $700 billion is not enough to get the economy moving the Congress is very likely going to vote on stimulus number two shortly after the presidential election.

Here is what the two parties are proposing:

Democrat

Extend jobless benefits

Moratorium on foreclosures

Reinstatement of seller down payment assistance

Republican

A temorary reduction or elimination of capital gains tax on stocks

Non owner occupied properties tohave the sam capital gains tax exclusion as do owner occupied properties

Lower income taxes on companies that purchase distressed assests

What are your thoughts on this?

3 Strategies For Real Estate Investors

Mark — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:00:43 +0000

Today’s mortgage lending is changing almost overnight. As a real estate investor you have to understand what the strategies you will need to invest in real estate. Because non owner occupied loans carry a higher risk, lenders are now doing everything in their power to limit that risk.

Aaron VanTrogen from Geneva Financial has been kind enough to give us some suggestions.

3 Must Do Strategies For Real Estate Investors

There are no more state income loans. All loans are now “full documentation.” If you are a W2 earner you need two years of W2s and one months worth of pay stubs to qualify. Self employed borrowers or borrowers that currently have investment properties will need two years worth of tax returns. A two year average of adjusted gross income will be used to qualify. If the borrower does not meet debt to income guidelines, you may need to have another borrower on your application that can help offset debt obligations with additional income.

You are going to need liquid assets. In most cases lenders will want to see six months PITI in reserves at closing. You will also need assets for the down payment. Their still is 90% financing available on now owner occupied, however most investors are going to want to put 25% down because of the new pricing adjustments. Your liquid assets need to be in a personal account and they need to be in your account for 60 days.

Your credit scores have always been important but probably even more important right now. If your mid-score is below 720 you can expect to have substantial price hits for cash out, and loan to values over 75%. You should be alright if your score is 720 or above.

We all know this market has endless opportunities to purchase under valued properties. Unless you can purchase the property with cash, you are going to have some financing obstacles in front of you.

If you are looking for a mortgage make sure you get sound financial advice well in advance.

The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar

Mark — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:00:56 +0000

I enjoy reading motivational books, success books, personal development books and financial books. I totally believe that you have to continue working on yourself so you can achieve all of your dreams.

I recently read The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar by Pat Williams and Jay Strack along with Jim Denney. This is a motivational book that tells shares the story from the old testament about a farmer named Shamgar.

Few people have heard of him, but he was a brawny, heroic, steel-muscled character who saved Israel by striking down six hundred Philistines with the only thing he had at hand: an ox goad. Within his story lies three simple yet powerful success secrets:

start where you are

use what you have

do what you can

,

The book is filled with practical, motivational applications for each demonstrated success principle. The authors also write many inspiring contemporary success stories of people who overcame obstacles and accomplished great things and relate the stories to the success secrets.

The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar definitely has a religious tone to it and some readers will be turned off by that. However the principles of the three secrets of success can help you throughout your life.

My suggestion is to use these lessons in your life to achieve success and change your world.

7 Key Ideas For Networking Success

Mark — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:00:09 +0000

Networking is a crucial part of any business. People tend to do business with people they know, like and trust. People also need to remember who you are.

In networking, the key is to have a system where you follow up with who you meet. Many people go to networking meetings or maybe seminars and never follow up with anyone they meet. The key to networking is following up.

7 Ideas For Networking Success

Within 24 hours send a simple email letting the person know you enjoyed meeting them.
Mail a “nice to meet you” greeting card also within 24 hours.
Set up a meeting, lunch date, or coffee with the person within one week so you can learn more about the person and their business. At the meeting, make sure you let the person talk about themselves and their business first. Ask them for the birthday so you can also put their birthday in your system.

If their schedule does not work to meet within a week, call and email them again to set up a meeting in the future. The goal is to meet so you can find out how you can help each other.
After the meeting, send a card to thank them for meeting with you.
If you are meeting to get referrals, give them a referral within a month. This referral does not have to be a person. Just give them something of value for them.
Make sure after your meeting follow up within 30 days. Networking is for making a personal relationship that should last for years.

The key to networking is follow up. Put a system in place that will organize your follow up.

If you do not have a system you can try our greeting card system. You can set up a free gift account today and send a few free cards on me.

Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, Service Professionals - How to Get Referrals

Mark — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:00:28 +0000

If you are an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a service professional you know that referrals are the best way to get customers and clients.

Usually referrals are ready to do business with you because someone they know told them they could trust you. Referrals will and always will continue to have the biggest return over other marketing methods including adverting and direct mail.

Referrals can be extremely hard to get.

Most small business owners don’t like asking anyone for a referral. I really believe that most satisfied customers will give referrals, however somehow you need to keep your name in front of your customers so they remember to give you referrals.

So How Do You Get Referrals.

Joe Girard has been honored by the Guiness Book of World Records for selling more cars than any single person in history. In his best year he sold 1425 cars. That is a ton of cars. What was the reason for people wanting to buy from Joe?

According to the Detroit News, Joe sent out nearly 13,000 greeting cards a month to his customers, celebrating everything from Halloween to Groundhog Day. Joe proved that greeting cards can inspire customer loyalty and motivate customers to refer their family and friends. Whenever they or one of their friends needed a new car, Joe was the person they sought out.

Last summer a friend of mine knew I was looking for a system to keep in touch with my customers and friends.

I have sent hand written notes but have never done it on a consistent basis. My friend showed me an online system, which actually has the ability to convert a typed message into my own handwriting. The system then addresses the envelope, puts a real stamp on it, and will send it to anyone you choose.

This was exactly what I was looking for. I have 13,000+ cards to choose from or I can make my own if I have a picture I want to upload on the front of the card. I can write a short note and have it written in my own handwriting, and then I click a button and the card is mailed on whatever date I want it to be mailed on.

This system makes sending a card so easy. Click here to experience sending a card on our unique system

How To Grow Your Business

Mark — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:00:15 +0000

Have you ever wondered how you can help your business grow?

I can quote successful sales people. I can make my own comments.

Better yet. Take a look at this video. (Please wait while the video loads.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interested in what you see?

Click here and send a card free on me to see what it is all about. Just click on the red button and follow directions.

Looking For Inspiration

Mark — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:00:19 +0000

What makes people great? Is it where they come from? Who they know? Or is it something else?

Four Key Values In Making Your Business Successful

Mark — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:19:02 +0000

I regularly receive emails from people who want to start a business. Many of these people often want to start a side business from home with little extra cash.

In any business time and money are two major obstacles to your success.

Here are what I believe to be four key values that are the core of any successful business.

Work every day in your business. So many people that are starting a business from home treat it like a part time job. To be successful you should be working on your business every day. The night before, you should think of one thing you can do on your business the next day that will make you feel like you accomplished something. It certainly doesn’t have to be something that takes a long time. Just do something that makes you feel good about yourself.

For instance, I have more than one business I do from home. I have a goal to write three blogs a week. Now that always doesn’t get done but when I do accomplish this goal I feel totally proud of myself.

I have another business in Send Out Cards. My goal with Send Out Cards is to send one heart felt card a day, send a card explaining our business concept, and then once a week do a gift account with a person.

By doing a small goals like writing a blog or sending one card a day gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

Every day you should consider activities that will give you a feeling of accomplishment.

Set goals and hit them. The key to goal making is to write your goals down. Then you should make them public. Your goals should also be very specific and have a time line to them. My goal is to make $1 million a year in passive income within 5 years.

Having that goal keeps me focused. I have put the goal down on paper and have it posted in more than one spot so I see it often.

Set specific and measurable goals, and make them public. Keep track of your progress and never, never give up.

Find a business that fits your belief system and becomes a passion. Making a business successful takes an extreme commitment. My belief is that if you start a business on the basis of only making a ton of money, it will be hard to stay committed when things don’t go your way.

If you are passionate about what you are doing, then when times get tough your passion carries you through.

Quit flipping from one business to another. Find a business that you feel extremely good about and make it work. Even if it takes years the business to be successful and where you can quit your day job.

Stop listening to the nay-sayers. We live in a funny world. Very few people like to see other people succeed. So when people start telling you you are not going to be successful they do not have your best interest in heart.

It is not that they want you to fail, many people including family and friends have this feeling of themselves being a failure. If you become a success then they just feel worse about themselves.

Don’t let your fears slow you down and don’t let the nay-sayers still your dream.

To receive more entries like this, subscribe to this blog and receive an email update whenever a new post appears on the site!