AlanSills.com

Too late for Thanksgiving? Nope, its NEVER too late to express thanks for the gifts and treasures of life.

I’m thankful for the time I had with my Dad before he passed. I still wish I’d done more…but I’m thankful for that time.

I’m thankful for having a brother around who despite lifes challenges maintains a positive and ambitious outlook.

I’m thankful for having friends – many of whom are former students with whom I have developed such deep relationships…you know who you are.

I’m thankful for the angels (Victor & Tim) who were (are?) watching over me – especially that rough afternoon near Baltimore.

I’m thankful for the belief system I was introduced to so many years ago and the sharp-mind I’ve been given to accept it.

I’m thankful for the business ventures I’ve become tied to; I could not ask for better companies with whom to associate and better business associates with whom to build.

I’m thankful for the safe passage granted to me thus far on this journey of a lifetime. I’ve driven from Florida to NJ to Indiana with much more planned and yet to come…and I know I’m not alone.

I’m thankful for the weather holding up – wow – when I first started out on Dec 3 to have unusually tropical air all the way to North Carolina and temperatures in the mid 70’s until Dec 7. And then to have the weather turn colder, but not brutally cold, and as of 12.21, I have yet to encounter any significant snow or ice.

I’m anticipating more adventures as I travel west. I’m looking forward towards introducing the Good Life products (Hair of the Dog; Cardio-Protogen; It’s Amazing and more) to folks who can benefit from their nutritional value and who will profit as they share these products with others. I’m anticipating the Send Out Cards event coming up in Salt Lake City – a great city with great people; a service that just makes sense and the opportunity to build new friendships and business relationships. Oh, and of course, there is kick ass skiing in the SLC region…so, yup, I’m sure I’ll do that as well!

Hey, just a few thoughts…good to take stock every once in a while about our blessings. None of us are alone; even if we may feel that way from time to time. Sometimes one can feel alone in a home full of relatives and not feel alone in the quietest most isolated area. Think about it. Have a great day…and if this moved you… reach out to me however you wish to.

Wow, one week until Christmas and so much has changed…

I woke up in my cozy RV this morning, well rested and comfortable at about 60, while outside it was 19. I slept in until 8:30 – probably the first time in nearly 6 years I’ve done that! After breakfast and personal stuff, I’m listening to Mahalia Jackson…it’s almost like being in church – better in some ways… I didn’t have to travel anywhere!

So, today is my last day in NJ, perhaps for quite a while. Yes, as I follow national and world events, I’m not inclined to stay on the east coast or near any of the big cities….so, off I head to the Midwest; then the Great Plains; and ultimately Salt Lake City (mostly for the SKIING!)

I leave NJ with mixed emotions. I won’t miss the traffic and congestion, but… and this follows up on what I said in my previous post – I feel blessed… I have a good relationship with my brother and I have great friends up here that I will have for my entire life… that includes you Brian, Steven, Darwin, and even you Tino!

Highest Point in Morris County - a nice local hike

Be sure to listen to my video where I talk about meeting two angels who were watching over me – and arrived just in my time of need.

I also feel blessed to have *finally* listened to my brother and started taking Cardio-Protogen. For anyone nearly as ancient as I am (53), it’s a darn good idea to get a great L-argenine formulation (http://leadership4success.com/goodlife - and of course if there’s a way to make a buck…why not?!

I’m also enjoying Hair of the Dog and have found that “it’s amazing” to be a life saver – especially after about 10 miles of walking/hiking in the past 2 days! (see the good life products page to see what it is an why I need it!)

I’ve spent some time thinking about sales funnels. And…I think I’ve found a great approach to use and will work during the Christmas – New Years week to implement so that once 1/1/12 rolls around, I’m going to run some ads and build leads…. I also plan to “co-op” on a “rotator” to my team – so their leads will be exclusive. All I will ask is for them to share in the cost of the advertising…all leads that go to them will be exclusively their leads. Sound fair?

The Manhattan Skyline... inspiring - A Christmas week day in the city

Well, I’m going to make a video now and post this – gotta figure out how to re-connect the truck to the trailer and want to do that in the light of day since I’m pulling out first thing tomorrow. I have to get some batteries in western Pennsylvania and can not miss them during business hours!

Travelin' Man

Carolers in Washington Square Park

Nice way to travel, eh? Fireplace & 42" TV

It has been just over a month since my last post. An unusual gap for me, but my life has completely changed in the past 5 weeks. When I moved to Florida in 2006, I made a commitment to help my Dad through his last stage in his life. When that commitment ended on November 7, I began the process of grieving his loss (he had a great life and is now with the Lord, so, other than missing him, whats to grieve?)

I began the process of closing his affairs and moving on with my own life. In just a few weeks, I have a new “5^th wheel” (see the photos) and a Ford F250 truck. I have traveled from So. Florida to Northern NJ and lived a lifetime along the way. I developed new skills, new confidences,  spent some time with my brother and his 8 dogs, met angels (yes, most definitely angels – more on this soon) and attended a high level internet networking conference with Daegan Smith, clearly one of the most talented marketers in our nation.

Camping in Morris County, NJ

At Daegan’s event, I met some wonderful people, made some new friends, and perhaps some will become business partners in one of my two major projects. I am also feeling better…actually better than I have in quite a while. Yes, I’ve been eating better, but its more than that. I know that the advice my brother has been giving me for the past 3 years was good advice…and me – mr “thickhead” finally acted upon it…and now I’m feeling better – even good most of the time! And yes, that has become my 2^nd project.

So, my biggest challenge is to know where to begin.  I’m going to keep this post relatively brief as I still have lots of things to do – some personal stuff got set aside to handle my Dad’s estate and the travel (I’ve driven about 1700 miles in the past 10 days) has cut into the time I’ve needed to take care of other routine things.

A Hike in the Woods

I will end by sharing this much – look at the photos below. I took a hike yesterday for about an hour. There was snow on the ground and the temperature was right around freezing…and I loved it! I am clearly not a warm weather person! It was nice to commune with nature, be in NJ, if only for a few days (I do plan to get into NYC in the next few days – I love NY at Christmas time!)

I will also encourage you – please do take a look at the reason why I’m feeling better – http://leadership4success.com/goodlife   Be sure to take a look at the cardio products &  hair of the dog… these are “game changers” and I (for the first time) am really behind these nutritionals. Want to know why? Stay tuned…more is coming in this area – I will share my discussions with the owner/developer/manufacturer of these products.

Lastly – my thought is this – when you hear what the past 10 days have been like – you’ll understand why I say this… never give up…always persevere…and believe that you are never alone. If you want to make something happen, believe it CAN and WILL happen…and then watch the magic occur. I’m not often cryptic in my writing, but trust me, the past 10 days have been amazing… more soon.

Truly last thought…I am dedicating 2012 to helping as many folks as possible to achieve their dreams – both big and small as I can. Based upon the past few weeks, I know that that is why I’m here. 

A hike in the woods...

Yes, I still wear sandals - even with snow on the ground! Take that Florida!!

In my dad’s 95+ years, he (as you might suspect) saw quite a bit! One day, a few years ago (after I had moved to Florida to help care for him), I walked into his home that we were now sharing and he was watching a Yankee game. He quipped that one day, when he was 9, he was in attendance at Yankee Stadium (he grew up in the Bronx and later in Brooklyn) and saw Babe Ruth hit two home runs that day at the Stadium! That might help to put into perspective his birth 1916. Do the math,  this happened in 1925!

One might also contemplate that his health throughout his long life was fairly good as he was born before the 1918 “pandemic” and of course, he survived that illness which took so many Americans at that time. That’s why I didn’t worry too much when a few years ago there was a “scare” of a similar event.

A few highlights of his life I want to share with you in this message,  that may hopefully enrich your day as you read this include – in 1938 after enduring the hardships of the Great Depression (his family really had nothing) and, seeing the rise of Hitler in Germany, my dad wanted to enlist to serve our nation. There was only one problem… he was Jewish and had a clearly Jewish last name. The Army would not accept him! Yes, prejudice and intolerance extended well beyond Hitler’s Germany (and in many ways still does today). He changed his name to one that did not sound Jewish, and in 1942 enlisted in the army. He was assigned to lead an all black unit of enlisted men to oversee as an officer – perhaps they figured out that he was Jewish and this was their way of treating him?? I am not suggesting that leading a squadron of black men should be a punishment, but, in those days, it might be how the military operated. Blacks, as you may know at that time were segregated in the Army – thanks to the “wisdom” and insight (actually, intolerance and bigotry) of Woodrow Wilson.  By all accounts, his men and he got along well, I don’t believe he ever lost any under his command and they respected him.

Think entrepreneurism is something new? In the early 1960’s, my dad started his own chemical supply company.  He was raising a family of 3 boys – and we were a handful – and frankly so was my mother! In 1966, he decided to “move up” to a town called Livingston in New Jersey and extended himself to make the move. A jealous colleague insured that my dad lost his job at the same time. So… at the age of about 50, with 3 minor children, a new home that he really had to push to afford and pay off, he found himself jobless! Fortunately, he had the initiative to start a company, one that (without benefit of the Internet which was not to be commercialized for another 27 years), he “hit the road” and built an income – one that provided for him and his family for the rest of his life. (Wonder why I’m soooo strong on becoming an entrepreneur AND helping others to do the same???)

As I graduated from college in 1981, my parents retired to Florida and moved through a number of homes. They had many good years together and even traveled the world. By the late 90’s, my mother was on the decline with Parkinsons. Her passing ended their marriage of 59+ years in 2002 and a career (on the side) of playing duplicate bridge.  (I even found a course he wrote on the subject and used as he trained others in the play of this rather intricate game.)

Despite being in his 80’s at the time, my dad, with a “never quit” attitude cared for her for about 3 years – even carrying her to bed and to the shower as she slowly declined. In the process, he ended up breaking down his body further (he always was a “couch potato!”) This made his final years rough as he was walking with a walker when I came to Florida in 2006 to live with him. From periodic visits since her passing, I saw enough of a decline in 2006 where I knew it was my role to move in with him to help him remain comfortable and dignified in his decline.

His mobility declined in steps as his body slowly failed – and as life has it, alzheimers stole all but his most consistent memories. To his passing day, he remembered who I and my brother are.  Even with his limitations, he served as Secretary to his condo association until 2009.

My belief system comforts me to know where he is and that he is no longer in pain or affirmed by a failing, mortal body. I know that someday I and my brother will see him again. At his funeral, the rabbi said we are accorded “3 score plus 10”, meaning 70 years, he lived 25 years beyond that, a testimony to the good he did during his first 70 years. However it happened, I’m certain he did lots of good and was always thought of highly by his peers.

He was not perfect – no man is. He had much to give and as he could, gave freely. I learned from him and I know my brother did as well.

Having read this, you perhaps have gained insight into my dad’s life, but also into that of mine and my brothers and you perhaps understand why we are both entrepreneurs AND why we have little regard for excuse makers, whiners, and cry babies.

In my “line of work”, I am always looking for leaders or developing people who wish to become leaders. The others can fall by the wayside…that is just who they are and frankly, life is too short and precious to worry about those who will not take action to help themselves.

For those who DO wish to grow, develop and build business (preferably WITH me!), I welcome you and look forward towards building mutually profitable relationships with you. THAT is why you hear from me as often as you do! The cream always rises to the top – and that’s what I’m looking for – the cream of the crop!

And for those who took the time to read this, I hope you’ve been blessed and at least enriched by it. Feel free to email/call/text me and ask me whatever, including sharing more stories of what I learned or what my dad experienced for the better part of the past CENTURY.

As I build business into this holiday season and in preparation for the economic winter I believe is just months or a few years off…I will be helping those working with me to grow and thinking of both my dad and Him in whom I trust and believe.

Alan Sills

11.13.11

It’s really just human nature, isn’t it?

Everytime there is an economic downturn, the rats crawl out of the woodwork and pitch their deals. Have you fallen for some? I have! And…I learned by getting burned. As recently as this morning, I woke to two new offers for programs with names like “100% commissions paid” (yeah, whatever that means), and “just been paid (dot com)” – makes me want to jump right in! (NOT!)

So, how does one filter all this nonsense?

It begins with a business plan. What are your goals? What is your strategy? What are you comfortable promoting? (And…before you answer that question – you better decide if you have morals and ethics.) I’m reminded of the movie “Billy Madison” with Adam Sandler and the “academic decathalon” held between Billy (Adam Sandler) and Eric. When the question about business ethics came up, he withdrew and if I recall got violent!

Overly dramatic? Sure, but the reality is I’d bet more than 50% (probably way more than 50%) of people in business have Eric’s problem! So, it does not surprise me when I see people promoting crap – with a straight face. Part of it is certainly a learning curve; part of it is the result of a defective compass. So…how do you decide what to consider when companies crawl out of the woodwork to present their “opportunity” to you?

If you have a plan, ethics and morals, and an effective filter, the decisions to be made are easy!

Consider this – we are heading into very tough economic times. Will a $50 bottle of juice or jar of miracle skin creme be “in the cards” for many people? I submit you need to think about what you’re marketing – not only should it be a product or service that provides value, but it should be one that is price competitive and is likely to remain in demand as the world’s economy deteriorates. And…if I’m wrong, and the world’s economy improves, then a good choice for bad economic times will be an even better choice for good ones! 

Beyond the product or service, you need to consider the company – are they “stable” and likely to remain so for years to come? Did you know that over 90% of all home based businesses that startup, fail within 2 years? In fact, some marketers join these companies expecting a 12 – 24 month “ride”. What are they riding? They are riding on YOUR back! Why? Because they are rep #12 and you get to be rep #15000 and by then there is little chance for you to make money – and the whole thing was designed just to make the early (insiders) rich – at YOUR expense. For me, I want NOTHING to do with those kinds of companies…and I’m always amazed at the arrogance of the people who bring these deals to me and are then “offended” when I tell them what I really think! (Hey, I’m from Jersey, I speak my mind!)

So…if you find the right company with the right product or service (and naturally, if you reach out to me, I’ll share what I found that meets my criteria), are there any other considerations and how do you market it? Well, yes, since most of these businesses are built on a “team” concept, you want a sponsor who will truly support you and exhibit leadership. I believe that leadership is a BIG key in the networking industry. Without it, the road is considerably rougher.

Now lets talk marketing – when you speak with me, you’ll find that I support my “primary” with a couple of other programs that in and of themselves are money making opportunities, but my main reason for joining these “other” programs is to use them to promote my “primary”. That is – these additional companies provide marketing support (lead gathering, social media marketing, etc…) Again, ask me and I will get very specific! And…I will help you to get it all moving forward. In fact, my new course, just rolling out (this week?) will address the nuts-and-bolts of “Getting Started”.

My goal this morning was to share some thoughts that can hopefully help you to avoid the “junk” offers out there and learn how to filter all offers to see if they are worthy of your time to consider. Have I achieved that goal? If so, give me some feedback! I’d love to hear from you. I did not want to “pitch” you anything in this message…just offer a few (hopefully valuable) thoughts.

With that, have a great day!

Social media marketing – the new buzz words… and in a world of “web 2.0″ tools and services, Facebook is probably king of them all. Yes, linkedin has its role and so does twitter, but Facebook with staggering numbers – membership approaching 1/7th of the worlds population has captured the energy and the buzz!

Facebook started less than a decade ago with personal pages and “friends” as the model. It grew into pages called “fan” pages and “groups”. The fan pages are now a great home for businesses – and those pages can even be customized with the look and feel of a webpage, including video, and offers you can opt-into to acquire many, many “freebies”.

The most exciting thing though for a business, is the ability now to drive “eyeballs to your page”. Watch my video below as I detail how this is done…

Want to learn more about Social Outbreak? 

Click here

As you saw in my video, any kind of business – home based (MLM) or brick and mortar (traditional) can and should create a Facebook business page and then a custom Facebook “iFrames” page. This is what Social Outbreak does…and then some! Why the excitement? Because creating a custom Facebook page is just the beginning of a marketing strategy. Once the page is complete, the next steps include promoting it, creating engaging content, and following up with those who “like” your page. 

This is where Social Outbreak shines! Until recently, the best approach towards promoting a Facebook page was perhaps Facebook “pay per click” – the advertisements that appear on the right side of people’s personal pages. The benefit of a “ppc” advertisement is that it can be set up in a way that you to a great degree control who sees your ad and how much you pay for it. But… by far the better strategy is the one offered by … you guessed it – Social Outbreak!

In a word (well two…) “viral growth” – that is where the excitement comes in. You see Social Outbreak offers two distinct strategies that I discuss in the video above AND on the page I have obnoxiously linked you to four times now! Go there and review the two graphic images to see what they will do for you… then either take action and join right now (you can also profit with us OR just get a customer account) OR you can reach out to me and ask as many questions as you can think of… and then you’re really going to want an account!

I received this message from Mike Dillard this a.m. – I thought it important enough to pass it along to you…

It’s as if it were torn from the pages of a best-selling conspiracy novel…

An unknown group of disenchanted youth and computer hackers who are simply known as “Anonymous”, decide to take on the most powerful government and institutions in the world in order to bring the ruling oligarchs to justice over the raping and pillaging of the global economy…

Planting their flag on Wall Street, the symbolic doorstep of their enemy, they are everyone, and yet they are no one.

There is no leader. There is no organization. There is no one for the government to target or hold accountable.

Their anonymity is their greatest strength, and also their greatest weakness.

So… Exactly what is the REAL OccupyWallStreet?

Are they simply a bunch of rebellious pot-smoking hippies? Socialists? Communists? Crazy conspiracy theorists, or something more?

After all, how can you accurately label a group who has yet to label themselves or their purpose?

So I decided to fly to New York to listen, to learn, and to find out the truth for myself…

As I wound through the blocks of police barricades surrounding the banks and buildings of Wall Street, I entered Zuccotti Park for the first time on a grey and rainy Friday afternoon…

Expecting energy, education, and rebellion, I found myself a bit underwhelmed and disappointed…

There were probably around 200 to 300 people in total and most of them had gathered around a group who were leading a daily affirmation session designed to solidify the commitment of the participants.

Walking the grounds for the next hour, I did my best to identify the real mission and purpose of the protestors…

Were they here to end the Fed? Bring the banks to justice? Impeach politicians? Demand the end of Capitalism and a move to Communism?

The answer is… All of the above.

I am at a loss for words to describe the variety of goals, opaqueness of mission, and diversity of people…

There were the educated technophiles who are most likely the crew feeding the OWS social media sites…

Who were a few yards away from a woman looking to restore power to the people…

Next to her was a young man handing out newspapers by the Communist Progressive Labor Party seeking the destruction of capitalism…

Standing next to him were those looking to end debt slavery…

Who were stationed a few yards away from a group of incense burning, drum beating hippies touting the benefits of socialism…

It’s not wonder the world doesn’t quite know what to think of all this just yet.

Over all, I left that Friday afternoon disappointed…

It was as if the Occupy movement had been hijacked by anyone and everyone with something to say, which is the inevitable side effect of starting a movement in a public venue as diverse as New York, without leadership or a clear agenda.

And it was also apparent why the vocal patriots of this era such as Max Keiser, Stacy Herbert, Adam Kokesh, Ron Paul, etc, have not shown anything more than an arm’s-length interest in OWS…

After all, siding with an undefined group could become a liability down the road should their agenda eventually morph into something that goes against your core values.

So my first impressions seemed to confirm the worst… That the mission of a few savvy, educated youth had been hi-jacked by a bunch of crazies who wanted to blame capitalism for the wrongs of the world, while wearing Nike shoes and tweeting on IPhones.

But then overnight, things changed…

A few days before, Mayor Bloomberg had declared the park a sanitation hazard, giving the protestors notice that they must temporarily vacate by Saturday morning so that it could be cleaned.

With the deadline now upon them, it was as if he had thrust a stick into a hornet’s nest.

By dawn on Saturday morning, the number of protestors in the park had swelled to more than 3,000, and they had no intention of going anywhere.

The Mayor backed down, and OccupyWallStreet had won their first major victory.

As I arrived back at the park that afternoon, the atmosphere was decidedly different.

There were well over 1,000 people in attendance, the air was buzzing with energy and filled with music.

Two former-hippies-turned-billionaires were even handing out cups of good will…

Yes, Ben and Jerry were there in the flesh, handing out free ice-cream, supporting freedom of speech, and taking advantage of a great PR opportunity.

It was then that I realized the real power of the Occupy movement…

They are the misfit under-dogs, and they’re willing to sacrifice whatever’s necessary in order to make their stand, which is evident by the fact that over 1,000 demonstrators have been arrested in NYC alone in the first 30 days.

Whether we agree with them or not, I’m sure most of us support their right to speak their mind, and to challenge a system that each and every one of us knows is corrupt.

And what I noticed on Saturday is that any attempt by the government or police to silence them will bring instant aid to their cause.

While the average disgruntled citizen is too busy going about their normal lives to participate in the daily demonstration, they view the protestors as their bullied little brother.

If the government attempts to attack them, they’re going to show up in masse to defend them.

It’s for this reason that Washington and the banks should be gravely worried…

Either way, they’re now screwed.

Allowing the Occupy movement to grow will ultimately bring about some form of change they would rather not see.

Yet any attempt to silence the Occupy movement will instantly activate the masses in their defense.

At this point, for every person they arrest, two more join the cause.

Yesterday on Saturday the 15th, Occupy demonstrations were simultaneously held in over 1,500 cities across the globe…

Thousands took over Time’s Square in New York:

Thousands more in London…

And Hong Kong…

And the list continues…

Berlin, Athens, Aukland, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Johannesburg, Taipei, Ottawa, Sydney, Egypt, Tunisia, Rome, Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, and hundreds more…

The only metaphor I can find that accurately describes what I’ve seen, is that OccupyWallStreet is, “the little engine that could.”

Underestimated, unorganized, dismissed, and laughed at, yet gaining ground on a daily basis and spreading across the world at unbelievable speed despite themselves…

They are growing in numbers and in strength, and as the movement matures, so will their mission.

So what’s next?

Global chaos, punctuated by a giant sucking sound…

That sound is the power vacuum that will be created by the collapse of the globe’s economic systems which have been abused beyond the point of no return.

What fills that vacuum will determine mankind’s fate…

These pivotal moments in history in which a nation(s) find’s itself devoid of leadership, are often filled by charismatic dictators and sociopaths who stand up to unite the people who are looking for a new face from outside the previous system.

A seemingly unknown man named Adolf Hitler filled the last great power vacuum for Germany. Mao for China. Stalin for Russia.

While the Occupy movement may be in its’ infancy… Lost, misguided, and currently made-up of the fringe of society, (at least in the US), it is also the only group who is making a visible stand against the machine.

All that is needed is a catalyst of some kind… Whether it’s the death of a protestor at the hands of the police, or an economic event… Once the masses of the Middle Class have reached their pain-threshold, this simple show of frustration will become a revolution.

This moment will offer incredible opportunity and risk.

I predict that we will see this take place, and when it does, it is your responsibility and mine, to make sure that vacuum is filled by leadership who will return America to the values that made it great such as Ron Paul…

A nation built upon freedom, personal sovereignty, and justice.

A nation where the government once again fears the people and serves the people.

A nation where individuals take responsibility for their actions, and who expect our leadership to take responsibility for theirs.

A nation and economic system that rewards creation and value, and disdain’s the victim mentality offered by a welfare state.

A nation where self-reliance and personal leadership is a badge of honor.

A nation where conscious capitalism is the foundation of prosperity.

If there was a message that was seen most often during my visit to OWS, it was that the 99% wanted to bring down the 1%.

The poor are looking to blame the rich. The poor are looking for their Robin Hood.

This is a very dangerous goal when used as a blanket theme because it does not account for the critical distinction of how that money was made, and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding as to how individual prosperity is created in general.

The vast majority of wealthy individuals have become rich by providing over-whelming value to the world through the creation of products and services in a free market. This is capitalism, and this is the primary reason why the United States has enjoyed more prosperity than any other nation in history.

What the protestors need to realize is that they’re not protesting the wealthy. They’re protesting corruption and the accumulation of wealth by the government, banks, and select corporations through out-right fraud and theft.

It is not the 99% against the 1%. It is the people of the world against the corrupt.

Ultimately, bringing these people to justice will only serve as a temporary solution. You can remove the tumor, but if you continue to smoke, the cancer will return.

True, lasting change can only be accomplished when each of us takes responsibility for our decisions and our actions.

We must educate ourselves in the ways of money, or that money will be stolen.

We must educate ourselves in the ways of food and health, or we will find ourselves eating genetically modified fillers covered in poison once again.

And we must educate ourselves in the ways of value creation and a work ethic, or find ourselves and our children slaves to debt and dependent upon food stamps.

Teaching the people of the world how to fish for themselves once again is the mission of The Elevation Group, and if you have not yet joined us, I invite you to learn more by clicking here…

Sincerely,

Mike Dillard

Allow me to take from Rick Pitino’s classic book on success and determination. I want to share my thoughts this morning through this video – and…invite you to join me in a webinar I have scheduled for Tuesday evening 10/18/11 at 9pm EDT. The webinar is titled “Leadership, Business, and Financial Freedom” – join me for LOTS of great and powerful info. I have been on OVERDRIVE…

My “personal growth” efforts are paying off! Most recently, I generated 52 high quality, targeted leads (so far) in about 30 hours! Want to learn how? Join me Tuesday evening. But first… have a look at my thoughts here - 

Success is a Choice – by Rick Pitino

Success is NOT a right; a gift; inherited or otherwise! Success is the result of working incredibly hard for a long period of time. 

Hey!! You want to succeed? Ok, succeed! How? Outwork everyone in sight! Sweat the small stuff, sweat the big stuff, but know in the end it WILL pay off. 

Want to hear more from me? Join me in my upcoming webinar…

Register for my upcoming webinar here…

http://www.imlivewebinar.com/leadership.10.18

there will be a special give-away for those who truly want success and are ready to take action… be sure to be on the ENTIRE webinar! 

Leads are the lifeblood of ANY business. Do you know how to gather them effectively and efficiently? Do you know what to do with them once you have them?? This morning I woke up to 25 new leads (now 28) and a 31.4% “opt-in” rate. That means that 86 people saw my page and 27 took action by “opting-in” to get the information I promised them. (I can provide proof of this if asked!!)

And… my “campaign” is not even 20% complete! How did this happen?

You may be wondering how you can do the same. The short answer is YES, you CAN do what I’m doing. Allow me to dissect how you can duplicate what I’m doing. I’m only going to touch on the highlights here, but I promise you a “no-nonsense” webinar within the next few days that will begin to give you a path to follow.

First, here is WHY I am building a business…I listened to a financial planner/advisor with lots of experience just this morning at my weekly business networking breakfast. He works with people who are planning their financial future. During the course of his talk, he shared that has all too many clients who are in their 50′s and 60′s have NO (zero, zilch) SAVINGS. I would argue that those of us who are in our 50′s and 60′s are at a point where this is (perhaps) our last chance to “get our financial act” together to insure comfort and lifestyle in our “golden” years…. and that is why I’m here sharing this with you.

Ok, so, what does it take to get 28 leads in 10 hours? Well, it starts by creating a solid “funnel” that introduces people to yourself, and provides something of value to them.  A funnel begins with a webpage that introduces the visitor to yourself and making them an offer to get some “goodies”. All they need to do is “opt-in” to get the “goodies”. Your value proposition could take the form of video training, an ebook, or time with the expert. In my case, I introduce you to me via a three video series. This video series is intended to provide a blueprint for success. Perhaps thats how you got to reading this message! We will take a closer look at the funnel in my webinar. Want a head start? Contact me directly via email (alan@alansills.com) and tell me you’re ready to “make a change”.

What about advertising?

You can have the greatest webpage (site) in the world and a great funnel, but it isn’t going to be of any value unless you put “eyeballs on the page”. How did I do this? “Solo-advertising”. This is a form of advertising through an established newsletter provider. I have been exploring and researching various newsletters for the past several months and am now in a position to recommend at least two. This form of advertising only works IF you are willing to invest in your business. Many home-based “entrepreneurs” are not really business people by their nature and as such, they join with a company, paying some money to become an “independent business owner” and then are not prepared to invest in their business. Instead they use outdated tactics and techniques taught by their “upline” which results in about a 1% success rate. Sound good to you? Not me! That’s why I’m investing in my business by learning from some of the best. For those who work with me, they are treated to my interpretation and distillation of the information I’ve paid literally thousands for.

If I just described your “home based business” and you’re willing to consider investing in your business… (or if you’re searching for the right business for you), then we need to talk! Look for a coming announcement of my next webinar…its coming soon and not to sound like Donald Trump, but… “you’re gonna absolutely love it!”

For now, if you’d like to connect with me on a deeper level, allow me to invite you to my Facebook business page and “like” it. You’ll be treated to an e-book that I could easily charge $97. for  – yet just for liking my Facebook page, you get it for free. Here is the link…

http://facebook.alansills.com

Ok, thats all for now. We will talk MUCH more soon.

Have a great day!

Al

I grew up in the United States. I am an American. Why does this matter? Well, culturally, I was raised to “go to school; get good grades; graduate; get a good job; retire and live the good life on a pension and savings”.

If you are an American, or come from a culture that teaches something similar, I have ONE question for you… Hows THAT working out for ya? I don’t know about YOUR situation, but I know a few things that, well frankly are quite disturbing…

Most people by age 65 are NOT living the “good life”. I live in South Florida, and while my observations are “anecdotal” (hey, I’m a science guy), I can assure you this:

• People are living longer – its not unusual here in Palm Beach County to see people 85+ who are “out and about”
• These same people are literally watching their pennies – they are on a fixed income (social security + a small pension) and they struggle just a little more each time gasoline prices rise, or chocolate, or milk. (I shop for me and my 94 yr old dad – I know whats happened this year to prices; I’d estimate I’m paying 10-20% MORE than last year overall. And…his income is LESS than last year (much of his “income” was from interest earned on CD’s in the banks
• Many people are going BACK to work after they retire (been to Walmart lately? Your local super-market? There is a reason the guy who bags your food was called a bag BOY… it USED to be a kid; now its more often than not a SENIOR CITIZEN serving the same function.

Allow me to add this, in a study recently compiled, those in the survey were asked “If you knew you only had 6 months to live, would you keep working?” MOST (something like 75% indicated) they would quit their job. Sure, people want to spend time with their loved ones and travel; but I believe its deeper than that – I believe it reveals a deep dissatisfaction with one’s “job” (some of us refer to that as “just over broke” – that is, your employer pays you just enough so you can’t quit and you work just hard enough so you don’t get fired. A real healthy relationship eh?

The alternative…

Start your own business. Now many folks who get “pitched” on a home based business, see dollar signs and think they can “join” and get rich in a few days (or weeks- or at most months). There are still “opportunities” that run hotel meetings (yuch!) where the presenter looks successful (even though many aren’t) and 98% of the room is applauding as they continue to chase ‘the dream’ with over-drawn bank accounts.

Is there hope? YES!

The answer is to learn how to market “online”. This is often referred to as “internet marketing” Lets be real here – the internet (as we know it) is LESS than 20 years old. The field is still WIDE OPEN for folks like you and I to earn some real money online. But…you have to have the right mindset.

Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first 4 sharpening my axe. (A. Lincoln) – yes, THAT Lincoln!

Why is this relevant? Well if you want to be an online marketer, you need to prepare – and NOT expect to see immediate results and rewards. As I see it, you need to have the following “ducks in a row”

(note: I really would appreciate your feedback here – I’m thinking of developing a training product that details this. Do you feel it would be of value to you and others?)

• Decide what you’re going to market (and your relationship with the provider – affiliate vs. mlm “independent business owner”
• Find a great mentor
• Invest in personal development – yeah, mindset stuff – how to approach tasks; how to move into the “you get to choose your own hours; any 17 out of a 24 hour day is fine!” (oh, and not expect an immediate pay-check from these efforts
• Invest in learning HOW to market online – learn how to create and build a blog; how to attract visitors and build a list; what a sales funnel is and how to construct one (or ten?); the difference between paid and free marketing and which to use (and how) – there’s more, but in the interest of keeping this post from becoming too (way too) long…I’ll cut it here.

Wrapping it up… We don’t focus as a society upon Entrepreneurs – perhaps we should, but we don’t. Entrepreneurs are the ones who are out there “doing the deal” while others work their j.o.b. As an entrepreneur, don’t expect immediate riches, but DO expect IF you take the above actions, you will truly achieve Tim Ferris’ “4 Hour Workweek” 

Alan Sills