Work At Home Business Opportunities Weblog

One online marketing technique is called “Ebay Arbitrage”… find something selling cheap and resell it before it’s even shipped.

That’s great if you find a bargain…but how do you spot knock offs?

Here’s some tips from the New York Times:

Know your merchandise. If you learn, for instance, that a certain cookie jar from the 1930’s is a rare collectible and you see someone selling dozens of them at low prices, consider yourself warned that it is probably counterfeit.

Look at the starting bid price. If it is low, be suspicious. Prices that seem too enticing are a reason for wariness, according to Hani Durzy, an eBay spokesman.

Look for a certificate of authenticity from a reputable appraiser that has been scanned into the listing.

Know your seller. A good sign is a comment from a satisfied buyer who took the extra step to have an item appraised, then reported back on its authenticity.

If there is any negative feedback, scrutinize it carefully.

Be wary if you see that a seller has listed dozens of identical items.

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David Vallieres’ ezine today had an interesting take on Mike Filsaime’s “Butterfly Marketing”.

The reported take from one day of sales was nearly $700,000 thanks to the joint venture community who made sure that everybody in the world had at least 20 opportunities to purchase the product.

Though only one JV partner could make the sale, the product creator always cashes the check.

And that’s Vallieres’s point today.

“Don’t do as they say, do as they do.”

Create a product and create your own pay day…

Point taken…

John Stossell yesterday documented how an 18 year old South Carolina student still couldn’t read after spending 12 years in public school.

South Carolina spends $9,000 per year per student.

In 72 hours of tutoring (paid for by the investigative journalist) by Sylvan a franchised tutoring service, he was reading 2 grade levels higher.

If you’d been doing the tutoring at just $20 per hour, that’d be nearly $1500.

Stossel’s article shows that the need for tutoring is as great or greater even after “No Child Left Behind”.

Lot’s of home business people take any extra money and put it back in business.

They never really get around to saving anything for an emergency.

It’s easy to assume “I can do that later”.

This website ChooseToSave.org has informational brochures, calculators, and other resources to help you save money, invest in your retirement plan, choose between various loan offers, etc.

President Bush’s State of the Union Massage – I mean “Message” – was last night.

I got to watch part of it. Overall, I considered it visionary. It remains to be seen what will emerge from the gridlock.

There are many potential areas of profit for small entrepreneurs and undoubtedly large loads of pork for insiders.

I’m glad to know that he has approved my blog postings taking about promoting ethanol as a business opportunity.

Remember you read it here last week!

It’s rather humbling to know he personally reads my blog to prepare such messages (just kidding).

Anyway, to demonstrate just what a sorry state our nation is in, prior to the message, I was at a social event with 2 lawyers… one a public defender and one a district attorney.

One asked the other if they were going to go home and listen to the address.

“No… he always does one this time of year anyway.”

The other said “Yeah, that’s a funny coincidence isn’t it.”

I said …”You mean you’re lawyers and you don’t know that the State of the Union address is a constitutional requirement?”

Dumb looks.

Silly me.

I thought lawyers were supposed to know about such simple things as the rule of law!

The fact that lawyers themselves don’t know such basic information and yet as a class they run everyone’s lives is frightening for business and liberty indeed.

The formal basis for the State of the Union Address is from the U.S. Constitution: “The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.â€? Article II, Section 3, Clause 1.

Lawyers and others unfamiliar with the Constitution may read more about the state of the union address here…

Want to sit down and crunch out some verbiage at home to make extra bucks, you’ll have to be a US resident over 18 and sign up at AssociatedC0ntent.com. But here’s what they’re looking for…

Associated Content is seeking articles on the topics listed below. Submissions must be exclusive, original, and information-rich. If you’re interested, please claim a topic(s) by emailing topics@associatedcontent.com. Include a 2-3 sentence description of your proposed submission. We will respond to your email with further instructions.

Dude/Western Ranch Vacations for Women

Top 10 Western Ghost Towns

Guide to Western Women’s Fashion

Decorating with a Wild West Theme

The Basics of Horseback Riding

Western Horseback Touring Companies

Life in the old west for women

What to Look for When Choosing a Mutual Fund

Socially Responsible Mutual Funds

Best Online Mutual Fund Sites

DIY Portfolio Management

No Load Fund Investing Basics

Teaching Your Kids about Mutual Funds

How to Become a Mutual Fund Investor

Wise Investment Choice for Grandchildren

Types of consulting work

A Day in the Life of a Consultant

Interesting/Weird Consulting Jobs

Essential Skills for Consultants

Tax advice for consultants

Marketing your consultant business

Resources for starting your consultant business

How to Become a Consultant

Funny Gifts for Kids

Funny Gifts for Teens

Funny Gifts for Adults

Funniest Movies of All Time

Funniest People of All Time

How to Write a Good Joke

World’s Greatest Pranks

Recommended Joke Books for Kids

Recommended Joke Books for Teens

Recommended Family-Friendly Joke Books

Korean War Weapons

Top 10 Korean War Books

Suggested Books for Teaching about the Korean War

Best Movies Involving the Korean War

Gift Ideas for Veterans

African American Heroes of the Korean War

The Secret Legacy of the Korean War: Adoption

Veteran’s Experiences

What Every American Should Know about the Korean War

A Guide to Veteran Health Care

A Guide to the Best Homework Helper Sites for your History Class

World Atlases and Printable Maps Online

Top Books/Sites for Learning about 20th Century History

Top Books/Sites for Learning about African American History

Top Books/Sites for Learning American History

Top Books/Sites for Learning Ancient History

Top Books/Sites for Learning European History

Top Books/Sites for Learning Medieval History

Top Books/Sites for Learning Women’s History

Choosing a Strong Research Topic

Best Historical Movies of all Times

Using Primary Sources

How to Put Together a Great Class Presentation

Double Winners of the Congressional Gold Medal

African American Winners of the Congressional Gold Medal

The History of the Congressional Medal of Honor

Female Congressional Gold Medal Recipients

Collecting congressional medals

Types of congressional honors

Biographies of Congressional Medal Recipients

How to display and preserve a medal

Paying tribute to fallen soldiers

Purpose of the Bill of Rights

Freedom of the Press – When Do Journalists Need to Turn Over Their Sources?

Civil Liberties vs. the Patriot Act

When does Freedom of Speech Go Too Far?

Due Process of the Law – What Does it Mean?

Suggested Resources for Teaching about the Bill of Rights

Choosing a Lawyer When Constitutional Rights Have Been Violated

A Guide to Federal and State Bill of Rights

Where to Spot Celebrities in

Celebrity Biographies

Top 10 Celebrity Designers

Celebrity Beauty Tricks and Tips

Plastic Surgery and Celebrities

Why (celebrity) is the Greatest

How to File Income Taxes for Free

Which is the Best Income Tax Service?

When do I use the Itemized Deduction vs. the Standard Deduction?

Little-known Tax Deductions and Credits

Online Tax Return Services

When and How to File an Income Tax Extension

Tips on Finding the Right Tax Attorney

Where to Get Good Music Equipment

Past American Idols – Where are they now?

The Business behind Managing a Band

The Best Band You’ve Never Heard

Review of Music Download Services

How to Record an Album for Little Money

Top 10 Songs of the 1970’s

Top 10 Songs of the 1960’s

Top 10 Songs of the 1950’s

Top 10 Songs of the 1990’s

Top-Grossing Music Tours of All Time

Top-Grossing Musicians of All Time

Best Legal Movie Download Sites

Which Online Movie Rental Company is the Best?

Where to Find Free Movie Clips

Top Picks – Video cameras

Top Picks – Editing software

Top Picks – DVD burners

Top Picks – Editing Systems

The Best Film Festivals for Novices

A Guide to Young Filmmaker Competitions

Top College Videography Programs

Finding Quality Asian Art Online

Asian American Cultural Icons

Best Colleges for Asian Americans

Adopting from Asian Countries – What You Need to Know

Best online sellers of Asian foods

Asian Americans & Religion

Incorporating the Asian Aesthetic in Your Home

Best Clothing Stores or Brands for Asian American Women

Best Clothing Stores or Brands for Asian American Men

Growing Up as an Asian American

Planning an Asian-Themed Wedding

Hip Hop Fashion

Most notable African Americans of all time

Best Cities for African Americans

Best Colleges for African Americans

African American Skin Care

African American Hair Care

Top Names for African American Babies

Planning an African American Wedding

Best African American Studies Programs

History of Juneteenth

Most Notable African American Authors of All Time

Best Colleges for Hispanic Americans

Scholarship Guide for Hispanic Americans

Guide to Bilingual Job Sites

Top Franchises for Hispanics

Introduction to Latin Dance

Guide to Hispanic Festivals

Latino Dating Sites

Downloading music – in Spanish

How to Burn a CD – in Spanish

Immigration Law 101 – in Spanish

Buying a Home – in Spanish

Opening a Bank Account – in Spanish

Avoiding Debt – in Spanish

Mike Filsaime’s Butterfly Marketing is a $997 marketing package that hopes to emulate John Reese’s million dollar revenue day.

If you’re on many email lists you’re already getting all the email from one person after another hyping it… after all there’s a $500 commission.

It may be the best thing since sliced bread… I don’t have the money to buy it.

I believe Mike Filsaime to be an honest fellow.

But when 8 bazillion emails jam my inbox selling it, and I’m sure most of these people have never read it, I’m not buying.

It doesn’t matter who’s selling it or what it is.

I just don’t like that technique.

The formula at work selling this new information kit is an old one.

1. Build a list.

2. Promise miracles.

3. Cash the check.

If you’ve actually

A. Read the material

B. Used the material to go from not making money to making money online

I’d love to hear your comments!

If you’re looking for a home business opportunity, Argali’s phone directory software is handy because many folks run “blind ads”.

Here was one that read…

If you aren’t afraid to speak to small groups and want to earn $4,000 per month call xxx-xxxx

Argali’s reverse directory let me type in the number and it told me that this was an ad for Pre-Paid Legal Service.

Another ad read…

Looking for a sales career? We have one opening. Health insurance and other benefits available. Serious inquiries only. Call xxx-xxxx

Argali let me know that this was a position selling mobile homes.

You never know what you’ll find with Argali… it’s free as long as you can stand all the ads!

From The Sales Trainer Newsletter by Keith Rosen…

Perfectionism/’Either Or’ Thinking: “Either I create the perfect (prospecting, time management, goal setting, management, etc.) system to use or I don’t do it at all. There’s no middle ground here. Therefore, I can’t take action just yet because my system isn’t perfect! Once I create the perfect system, then I will begin to (cold call, prospect, build my business, go to the gym, etc.).” And when will that be?

Taking It All On: “I can’t delegate these tasks that other people may be able to do because they will never do it as good as I can. Therefore, it’s just easier if I do it myself. That’s why I never have enough time to do these other important tasks.” (Great, now you can become an expert in busywork or the activities that aren’t the best use of your time or skills, rather than the activities that are going to make you successful.)

Been There, Done That: “The last time I attempted to build my business through prospecting it was a waste of time. Therefore, I know that prospecting won’t work for me. (Did you ever consider that it was more your approach to prospecting that wasn’t effective? If you change your approach, you change your results, so be careful about learning the wrong lesson. For example, if you go out and dig a hole 10 feet deep with a spoon, do you learn the lesson that you can’t dig a hole very well or is it more about using the right tools the next time?)

Playing It Safe: “Sure I’ve been prospecting. I mean, I’ve been targeting my current accounts to see if there are any service issues that need to be handled and whether I can get more business from them. After all, you need to take care of your current customers, right?” (Do you want to survive or thrive? Your choice.)

The Accountability Trap (or lack thereof): This is one of my favorites. The accountability trap is yet another diversionary tactic. I had a client, Tim, who owned a profitable business and was looking to take his company to the next level of success. At the end of our meetings, we would discuss the measurable tasks that Tim would choose to complete by our next meeting.

I noticed, however, that at the end of our meeting, he never took the time to write down the tasks he committed to finishing. So, when we met the following week for our coaching session, I would ask him about the work he said he would have completed. Tim responded by saying, “Oh, I completely forgot!”

I gave him the benefit of the doubt the first time, even the second time this occurred. During our third meeting, the writing was on the wall. Tim’s diversionary tactic had been exposed! Since he didn’t write things down, he didn’t remember what he said he would commit to doing. And because he didn’t remember it, he didn’t have to be accountable for it.

Not Having A Schedule: Consider for a moment that the absence of a routine frees you from being accountable for doing certain things you may not want to do but have to do in order to reach your goals (customer service, expense reports, prospecting, planning, finding a better career opportunity, getting in better physical shape, etc.).

Here’s another diversionary tactic. “I’m so busy that I don’t have the time to create my routine!” Allow your schedule to hold you accountable for doing what you need to do to create the results and the lifestyle you want. Your routine is where your day starts and where it ends.

After all, life works a whole lot easier when you do what you say you are going to do.

‘To Do’ Lists: If you look at your to do list, do you have a deadline associated with each task? A task without a deadline is yet another diversionary tactic. Writing down a long list of tasks or activities that are not scheduled and have no timelines or completion dates associated with them is another way to avoid being accountable. Since you are keeping the timeline open ended, you don’t have to complete them by any specific date.

Everyone Comes Before Me: One of my clients, Mary, was telling me that she blocked out Mondays and Fridays for marketing, professional development, research and new business development activities. When I asked her if she honored this, she paused for a moment and then replied, “No.” Mary shared with me the fear she experienced about blocking out two full days, even though she knew that in order for her to build her practice this was a priority.

So, inevitably, a client would call and ask to see her on a Friday or Monday. Rather than honoring the appointment she made with herself, she would set the appointment with the client.

Mary said she had a real hard time saying “No” to her clients. After all, if she said “No” to them, maybe they would go elsewhere, right? Either that, or she felt her clients wouldn’t be able to meet with her at another time.

I challenged Mary on this and said, “For the next two weeks, would you be willing to honor the commitment you made to yourself on Mondays and Fridays?” Reluctantly, she said, “Yes.”

Not a week went by when Mary called me back to share her success with me. When one of her clients asked to schedule an appointment on Friday, she replied, “Actually, Fridays are the days that I invest in my own professional development so that I can ensure I’m continually providing my clients with the greatest value and the most current options available for them. Is it possible for us to find another day and time that would still work for you and fit into your schedule?”

Low and behold, the client said, “Of course. How does your Tuesday afternoon look?” Mary’s client then added, “It’s great to hear that you are so disciplined and committed to your clients. Can you teach me how to do that?”

Lesson noted. Either you are going to run your day, or other people and circumstances are going to run you. Honor the commitments you make to others as well as the commitments you make to yourself.

Interrupt-Driven: Do you become easily diverted or distracted by situations, new tasks or people rather than maintain the focus on your goals and initial objective? If so, you probably have a long list of tasks that never gets completed, because you feel that you’re always being pulled in a different direction. (And who’s responsible for that?) You may also be an adrenaline junkie and love the rush associated with working on overdrive when trying to ‘do it all.’

Playing The Victim: “I can’t believe I wasn’t able to schedule an appointment with Mr. Prospect today! I feel so dejected and frustrated, too frustrated to do anything else productive today.” Do you allow one bad experience to snowball and affect the rest of your day? Rather than moving on and forging ahead, this allows you to go into a negative tailspin and destroy the chance of doing anything else productive for the remainder of your day. Another example of playing the victim would sound like, “With the type of manager I have and the lack of support I get, I’m never going to be successful at this job.”

While you may find that one or two (or more) of these behaviors describe some of your diversionary tactics, this is actually good news! Hey, I never said that you would actually like bringing this truth to the surface. After all, it takes a lot of courage to admit our foibles.

However, now that you have a greater understanding and awareness about them you can do something about it. When you notice yourself falling into this trap, you can make the choice to either continue engaging in your diversionary tactic or make a better choice that will generate the results you really want.

About Keith Rosen, MCC

Keith Rosen has been endorsed by salespeople, managers and organizations worldwide as one of their favorite sales and leadership coaches. He is the author of Time Management for Sales Professionals and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cold Calling. He provides one-to-one and team coaching and training that inspires you to move from intention and into action so that you can boost your sales, lead a high performance team, maximize your potential and achieve more rewarding goals without the costly learning curve.

To contact Keith
call 1-888-262-2450
e-mail info(at)ProfitBuilders.com
or visit www.ProfitBuilders.com

You’ve no doubt seen the Lesko commercials (and others) telling how to “get rich” with government grants.

Those opportunities are rare at best – I’m beginning to wonder if they even exist.

But state and government service contracts do exist… normally your state or federal representative can help you identify them.

But there’s a downside.

I know a social worker who works from their home.

This person drives to client’s homes to do social work.

They’re paid a gross fee per hour from which they deduct all their expenses.

Though the state has continually cut back the hours per case that are allowable, added more paperwork per case, and generally been a pain in the backside to deal with, it was “livable”.

That’s until they stopped paying.

All invoices are 6 months behind.

Evidently, one person at the state house is responsible for authorizing payment and for whatever reason it’s not being done.

So the social workers who were earning a living this way are going bankrupt and losing their houses.

For the little guy at least the phrase “lucrative government contract” may be as much an oxymoron as “military intelligence”.